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Kara sighed and tightened her embrace, prompting Caroline to start wiggling.
“Air.”
“Right.”
She loosened her grip. Slightly.
Her sister’s response was a choked laugh.
For a long moment neither of them said anything. Then Caroline turned her head, resting it against Kara’s chest, and gazed at the unconscious body not far from them.
“So what are we going to do about your identity then?”
“If only we knew someone who could alter memories,” Kara said wistfully. “Someone about my height. Black hair. Brown skin. Someone whose body you might have worn at some point…”
Caroline’s response was another shove and Kara laughed softly.
“While I understand the appeal of stabbing people, it’s not the only solution to a problem. Speaking of Psy…” She squinted. “I’d like to know what kind of understanding did you two come to that swapped your bodies back?”
“The body swap created a mental link he used to contact me. Then he taught me how to use his powers to swap back.”
Kara narrowed her eyes.
Ten years had changed her sister; that much was evident. But in some respects, she hadn’t changed at all – she still had a great poker face. Of course, Kara could actually tell when that poker face was being deployed.
“And now the full truth please.”
Caroline’s face was perfectly blank, giving nothing away. Then she bit her lip, smiling sheepishly. “We kind of… slept together. A little.”
Kara’s eye twitched.
Her plasma blade hummed as it was drawn.
“I take back what I said about stabbing people.”
“Ian!”
Pause.
“I mean, Kara!” Caroline sighed. “Don’t… it just happened. Look, he helped me get rid of my tracker.” She splayed her fingers over her collarbone and Kara’s eyes focused on a small scar, located where she had first discovered that horrific mark. “I wouldn’t be able to… I wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t encouraged me. Don’t make me confiscate those weapons.”
Another electric hum as the blade was sheathed.
Caroline’s gaze softened, as did her voice. “I care for him. A lot.”
Kara knew that look. It was the look she herself had when thinking about Diane, and really, who was she to stand in the way of questionable romance?
“I suppose you could do worse than him.”
Caroline beamed.
“But I reserve the right to threaten him with sharp pointy objects if he hurts you.”
“…I find your terms acceptable.”
***
Psy tilted his head up at the skyscrapers. They rose high into the grey sky, losing themselves in mist. In another time, another place, they might have looked majestic, but here they looked dull and foreboding. He dropped his gaze and walked the streets of a city of stainless steel and creeping shadows.
It was geometrical perfection.
There was not a single angle out of place.
No trees disturbed the architecture with their unpredictably twisted branches. Or their colors.
There was only steel.
Psy grimaced.
Executioner’s mind was about as unpleasant as he expected it to be, but at least it was well-organized.
Finding the memories associated with Ian Reynolds should be easy.
***
“…now calling herself Event Horizon. While all the bodies have yet to be identified, a spokesperson of the Asylum has confirmed that the death toll is at 38, which leaves 7 villains unaccounted for. How such an egregious failure of security could even be allowed to happen has yet to be explained, and does nothing to shake the Asylum’s ‘revolving door’ reputation.”
The image behind the newscaster flashed to that of the Asylum’s official statement, the representative clicking its pincers in irritation in between reading the prepared cue cards. Its eight eyes were blinking out of synch, giving away just how stressed it was. Somebody was going to get fired.
“In other news, the Reynolds Industries Charity Auction for Victims of The Event found itself under attack this evening, which was bravely thwarted by renowned hero Texplosion and recently reformed villainess Dionaea. Three villains were taken into custody. Witness accounts are sparse, due to the nature of the attack leaving the guests unconscious and neither Texplosion nor Dionaea were available for further comment. However, in his brief statement to the press, Texplosion, famously critical of Cinder Snow’s former associate, stressed that without her intervention many lives would have been lost. Stay tuned for further developments.”
The ticker on the bottom of the screen flashed ‘Dyoneia – friend or foe? Expert panel 8 PM EST’.
***
TheOneWithTheHat: r u ok?
TheOneWithTheHat: not injured?
Sunrise: You know it takes more than a horde of villains to bring me down.
Sunrise: So.
Sunrise: Praising Dairy, really?
Sunrise: Dioptric
Sunrise: Curse you, autocorrect
Sunrise: Point is, have you been brainwashed by the Scantily Clad One and should I organize a rescue party?
TheOneWithTheHat: im fine
TheOneWithTheHat: Dioneya (sp?) not as terrble as we thought
TheOneWithTheHat: have GREAT news
Sunrise: What news?
TheOneWithTheHat: sec
TheOneWithTheHat: ok, met me tomrow at noon, atlas sqare
TheOneWithTheHat: u hav to see in person
Sunrise: Yeah, you definitely lost some brain cells. Did you look directly at her boobs or something?
TheOneWithTheHat: look, typing while drunk is hard, k?
TheOneWithTheHat: shade has awesome vintage scotch
Sunrise: SHADE???
TheOneWithTheHat: long story. huge news. Will tell you torrow
TheOneWithTheHat: tomorrow
Sunrise: Oh come on, don’t tease me like this
Sunrise: What is it?
Sunrise: Mark?
Sunrise: …
Sunrise: You tease
TheOneWithTheHat: :)
***
Caroline rested her head on her sister’s shoulder, eyelids drooping while Ian’s girlfriend was telling a ridiculous story to a more than tipsy audience.
Laughter. Revelry. Friends.
Well, not friends yet.
But maybe soon.
It had been a long time since Caroline had anything like this. A content smile curled at her lips as she slowly nodded off.
Radiance used to consider dreamless sleep the best she could hope for.
But since the day she met Stephen, Caroline remembered all her dreams.
And they were happy ones.
Of Heroes And Villains:
The Ties That Bind By Minikisa An assassin. A fallen hero. An unlikely meeting. The road to redemption is long and hard and filled with explosives. |
 |
Kara sighed and tightened her embrace, prompting Caroline to start wiggling.
“Air.”
“Right.”
She loosened her grip. Slightly.
Her sister’s response was a choked laugh.
For a long moment neither of them said anything. Then Caroline turned her head, resting it against Kara’s chest, and gazed at the unconscious body not far from them.
“So what are we going to do about your identity then?”
“If only we knew someone who could alter memories,” Kara said wistfully. “Someone about my height. Black hair. Brown skin. Someone whose body you might have worn at some point…”
Caroline’s response was another shove and Kara laughed softly.
“While I understand the appeal of stabbing people, it’s not the only solution to a problem. Speaking of Psy…” She squinted. “I’d like to know what kind of understanding did you two come to that swapped your bodies back?”
“The body swap created a mental link he used to contact me. Then he taught me how to use his powers to swap back.”
Kara narrowed her eyes.
Ten years had changed her sister; that much was evident. But in some respects, she hadn’t changed at all – she still had a great poker face. Of course, Kara could actually tell when that poker face was being deployed.
“And now the full truth please.”
Caroline’s face was perfectly blank, giving nothing away. Then she bit her lip, smiling sheepishly. “We kind of… slept together. A little.”
Kara’s eye twitched.
Her plasma blade hummed as it was drawn.
“I take back what I said about stabbing people.”
“Ian!”
Pause.
“I mean, Kara!” Caroline sighed. “Don’t… it just happened. Look, he helped me get rid of my tracker.” She splayed her fingers over her collarbone and Kara’s eyes focused on a small scar, located where she had first discovered that horrific mark. “I wouldn’t be able to… I wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t encouraged me. Don’t make me confiscate those weapons.”
Another electric hum as the blade was sheathed.
Caroline’s gaze softened, as did her voice. “I care for him. A lot.”
Kara knew that look. It was the look she herself had when thinking about Diane, and really, who was she to stand in the way of questionable romance?
“I suppose you could do worse than him.”
Caroline beamed.
“But I reserve the right to threaten him with sharp pointy objects if he hurts you.”
“…I find your terms acceptable.”
Psy tilted his head up at the skyscrapers. They rose high into the grey sky, losing themselves in mist. In another time, another place, they might have looked majestic, but here they looked dull and foreboding. He dropped his gaze and walked the streets of a city of stainless steel and creeping shadows.
It was geometrical perfection.
There was not a single angle out of place.
No trees disturbed the architecture with their unpredictably twisted branches. Or their colors.
There was only steel.
Psy grimaced.
Executioner’s mind was about as unpleasant as he expected it to be, but at least it was well-organized.
Finding the memories associated with Ian Reynolds should be easy.
“…now calling herself Event Horizon. While all the bodies have yet to be identified, a spokesperson of the Asylum has confirmed that the death toll is at 38, which leaves 7 villains unaccounted for. How such an egregious failure of security could even be allowed to happen has yet to be explained, and does nothing to shake the Asylum’s ‘revolving door’ reputation.”
The image behind the newscaster flashed to that of the Asylum’s official statement, the representative clicking its pincers in irritation in between reading the prepared cue cards. Its eight eyes were blinking out of synch, giving away just how stressed it was. Somebody was going to get fired.
“In other news, the Reynolds Industries Charity Auction for Victims of The Event found itself under attack this evening, which was bravely thwarted by renowned hero Texplosion and recently reformed villainess Dionaea. Three villains were taken into custody. Witness accounts are sparse, due to the nature of the attack leaving the guests unconscious and neither Texplosion nor Dionaea were available for further comment. However, in his brief statement to the press, Texplosion, famously critical of Cinder Snow’s former associate, stressed that without her intervention many lives would have been lost. Stay tuned for further developments.”
The ticker on the bottom of the screen flashed ‘Dyoneia – friend or foe? Expert panel 8 PM EST’.
TheOneWithTheHat: r u ok?
TheOneWithTheHat: not injured?
Sunrise: You know it takes more than a horde of villains to bring me down.
Sunrise: So.
Sunrise: Praising Dairy, really?
Sunrise: Dioptric
Sunrise: Curse you, autocorrect
Sunrise: Point is, have you been brainwashed by the Scantily Clad One and should I organize a rescue party?
TheOneWithTheHat: im fine
TheOneWithTheHat: Dioneya (sp?) not as terrble as we thought
TheOneWithTheHat: have GREAT news
Sunrise: What news?
TheOneWithTheHat: sec
TheOneWithTheHat: ok, met me tomrow at noon, atlas sqare
TheOneWithTheHat: u hav to see in person
Sunrise: Yeah, you definitely lost some brain cells. Did you look directly at her boobs or something?
TheOneWithTheHat: look, typing while drunk is hard, k?
TheOneWithTheHat: shade has awesome vintage scotch
Sunrise: SHADE???
TheOneWithTheHat: long story. huge news. Will tell you torrow
TheOneWithTheHat: tomorrow
Sunrise: Oh come on, don’t tease me like this
Sunrise: What is it?
Sunrise: Mark?
Sunrise: …
Sunrise: You tease
TheOneWithTheHat: :)
Caroline rested her head on her sister’s shoulder, eyelids drooping while Ian’s girlfriend was telling a ridiculous story to a more than tipsy audience.
Laughter. Revelry. Friends.
Well, not friends yet.
But maybe soon.
It had been a long time since Caroline had anything like this. A content smile curled at her lips as she slowly nodded off.
Radiance used to consider dreamless sleep the best she could hope for.
But since the day she met Stephen, Caroline remembered all her dreams.
And they were happy ones.
Comments
Family
Looking forward to what I hope will be more to this story. It has really been fun to read. Kara and Caroline will have to go out soon for some sister bonding.
Arrg!!! So short so many
Arrg!!! So short so many interesting posabilitys so many unanswered details. MORE MORE MORE PLEASE!!!!
I Love This Story!
Wonderful chapter. Thank you.
But will there be any sort of discussion amongst the hero/heroine community about Event Horizon, her actions, and the repercussions that their former friend, associate, and (as far as Captain Patriot is concerned, could-have-been lover), appears to have willingly and happily joined the ranks of the Level 10 villains with her mass murder? I hope so, (of course, that's because I don't want this awesome story to end!!!)
Anyway, still loved it.
Cicero2K
'Otium cum dignitate'
Event Horizon's actions
...will be addressed in the Threequel :3 I like to do more or less self-contained arcs that set up the following stories. So we had Diane/Kara's love story, and this was Psy/Caroline's story, which is now more or less concluded!
Not to be superspoilery, but the protagonist of Story 3 will be David :3
Thought provoking
Is it bad to be jealous of an assassin - even an ex-assassin?
It makes me teary to see people (and I do think of your characters as people) happy after so much adversity.
I want to give you, and your brain, and your characters, hugs.
A.
happy dreams!
wonderful.
I can't wait for the next one!
Family...
Family takes care of its own. Even if there's no blood relation there, family is still family. Great work on the chapter here and I'm looking forward to the next one. :)
Peace be with you and Blessed be
Things coming together
And people too it seems. I'm glad everyone is getting together and having a good time, and that they're closer than ever :)
-Tas