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Chapter 16
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“These medium range earphones are great, Mortar. Good work.”

“Ah, it’s no problem at all. It’s the least that I can do. Is everyone in place?”

“All set. Are the girls not patrolling tonight?”

“We’re both at the festival enjoying ourselves, sweeties.”

“Aw, is little Pixeletta dressed up in a cute and embarrassing outfit? I want to see.”

“I happen to have a camera, and I’m posted nearby.”

“You guys do know I can hear you too, right?” Judy whispered hoarsely.

She turned her head about, looking out for anyone who might have seen or heard her saying something whilst stroking a strand of hair above her ear. No one showed any sign that they’d noticed.

Judy spotted her mom and Denise’s parents talking to another couple who she did not think she’d know, with or without their masks and renaissance themed get-ups on. There were a fair number of groups of people mingling at the festival, and more taking part in the games around the wide perimeter of the area. It was a lot surrounded by buildings that stood two or three stories tall, as were common where Steel Canyon and Kingston met.

The bird-printed kimono Judy was wearing was comfortable, but warmer than she had anticipated before putting it on. Her mom told her a few days ago, and again tonight before Judy finally tried it on, that Judy’s mom hadn’t worn it herself since she was her age.

Her mask was thin and plastic, covering her face so that it hid her features.

Denise returned to the planter where she was waiting, holding a pair of caramel apples. Judy accepted one of them, but huffed in the realization that she would have to at least lift the mask every time she took a bite.

When she took her first bite, Tatiana’s voice came through the earpiece:

“We might have a pickpocket in the area. They took a pocketknife from a man who was intending to use it just now.”

A man ran past the girls, looking back nervously, as someone else ran after him.

“And there he goes. His would-be victim’s going after him.”

“I got them,” said War Lagoon. “Thanks for the heads-up.”

A woman followed the two men, but only as far as the edge of the party. Her hair and makeup matched a pale color, and her simple, white gown hung from her arms in a tattered manner. The ghoulish looking woman was familiar to Judy.

Then the woman spoke into the earpiece she was wearing, “Alright, sweety. Be careful out there.”

Judy smiled. Once Tatiana looked her way, Judy waved nonchalantly at her before turning back to her friend.

“Pixeletta is looking adorable,” Tatiana chimed.

Denise asked, “Who’s that?”

“Someone I work with,” said Judy. “It’s up to her if she wants to reveal herself more than that.”

“Ah. Is she anything like Swan Diva?”

“Nothing like her, but she’s cool.”

“Neat. So, wanna check out some of the games they have here? Bobbing for apples has room for two, if you’re interested.”

“I’m not touching that one.”

“Oh, come on.”

Judy could hear stifled laughter from a few people over her earpiece. Now she was tempted to toss the thing into the bucket full of water and apples while everyone was listening.

A hand touched down upon her shoulder. She turned her head to find her mom, who said, “Hey, I wouldn’t do this normally, but would you mind if I borrowed this a second?”

Without warning, Judy’s mom gave the earpiece a tug, prying it out of Judy’s ear. She feigned a soft cough, and talked into it.

“Hello, everyone. There’s a man in the crowd by the south fountain wearing a black hat and matching cape. He has a history, so if someone could keep an eye on the asshole I’d appreciate it. Thank you.”

She gave the earpiece back to Judy, who was juggling stares between her mother and the man in the distance who she had indicated.

Once the earpiece was back in place, Walter asked, “Pixeletta, who was that?”

“I think that was her mother, Walter,” Tatiana said. “I guess she knows about your heroics, huh?”

“Yeah,” said Judy, “sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry about it, sweety. My whole family knows about me.”

“Really?”

“Well, not my aunt Yolanda. She’s crazy; nobody talks to her. But I guess every family has one of those, huh?”

Mortar Mage said, “I couldn’t tell you.”

“Because you’re the crazy one?”

“Ah, no, it's because I grew up in an orphanage.”

***

It was later into the evening’s festivities, when Judy and Denise were walking back to their folks—Denise was hugging a jack-o-lantern plush that she’d had won from one game—and Judy spotted Doctor Terrell speaking with the man her mother had indicated. Seconds later, the doctor slapped him and walked away.

Thinking nothing of it, Judy reached her mom to find that both Mai and Robin were speaking with Tatiana. Seeing them together made her heart jump.

“Hey there,” said Judy’s mom. “Are you two having fun?”

Judy’s mom rubbed above her own ear to match the one where Judy was wearing her earpiece, making it look casual.

“Some,” she replied.

And she knew that her mom was being careful about her real name and her hero name, since not everyone she knew was aware of either one.

Henry arrived with a couple of pumpkin beers, giving one to Robin. He, however, went as far as to say, “Denise, Judy, hi! How are you two doing tonight?”

Denise lifted and waved her plush in the air to answer him.

“Good, good,” he said before taking a drink. “Oh, hey, I know you. You’re that coffee girl, right?”

Tatiana said, “One of them. And you work in—?”

“The morgue.”

Adamast’s voice came over the earpiece. “The man works with dead people all day, and comes to a festival for the dead. Are you sure you don’t spike anyone’s coffee, Princess?”

“Ironic, I know. Even if I didn’t like this festival every year, it’d be hard to stay away since my wife here was one of the volunteers who helped set things up.”

“A woman who also works with the dead. Your friend isn’t a vampire too, is she, Pixeletta?”

Judy and Tatiana both cleared their throats. Now, thanks to Adamast, Judy was picturing her best friend creeping into her room at night.

It was then that the man wearing the black hat and cape appeared by their group.

“Good evening, ladies,” he said. “Sir.” The man knelt low enough to hand Judy and Denise each a fake, but lovely, flower made with a few shades of orange.

“And here comes trouble,” said Judy’s mom.

“I’ve often been told that’s my middle name, but that can’t be right. Patrick Franks! A pleasure to meet you all.”

That name was familiar. Judy was at a loss for words trying to think where she’d heard it. She thought about what her mom said to the League. A bad man? Was he a villain from another time? Who was he?

“So what brings you to Paragon City all the way from North Carolina?” her mom asked.

“Picked up on that on my voice?” Patrick asked. “Impressive. I came here looking for work so I can finally start over. Maybe I’ll even run into someone I know and make up with them.”

“Make up?”

“I’m not too proud of my past. I pissed off the wrong people and spent the next few years paying for it.”

“Judy, dear, are there any other games you two want to go play?”

She shook her head, as did her friend Denise.

“Julie?” said Patrick. “Oh Judy. Yeah, sorry, I was about to say that my son’s name is similar to that—Julian.”

Oh, shit.

Suddenly, Denise let out a ridiculously loud sneeze, and fell over against Patrick. He caught her, and she pushed herself away gently as others in the group gave her their comforting words.

Patrick appeared to have more to say, but someone tapped on a microphone on stage. It was the mayor.

“I hope everyone is having a good time this evening,” the mayor said. “First of all, before the dancers come on stage to perform the ‘Seimei no Bon Odori’ . . . Did I say that right? Anyways—“

“The dance of death of life?” muttered Patrick.

Robin said in Japanese, [“They kept it. Why?”]

Pressing a palm over her face, Judy’s mom said, [“Of course they did.”]

“—Among everyone I would like to thank tonight,” the mayor said, “we have two wonderful volunteers who helped make this festival what it could be and more. Let’s have a round of applause for Robin Grandt and Mai Tanimoto.”

Applause surrounded them from pockets of the area.

“Mai?” said Patrick. Then his face, caught between confusion and fury, shot toward Judy. “Julian?”

The mayor said, “Without further ado, let’s give it up for the—“

There was a truck screeching nearby. Its tires tore against the pavement. The people who had heard it turned to look in its direction, and they saw the headlights appear. There was a truck coming to crash the party, both literally and figuratively.

A hand grasped Judy by her left arm. Someone screamed.

Then a man in a costume landed in front of the truck. The air around him distorted, giving off a tint of blue, and the truck stopped. Its front smashed against the air around the man.

He closed his hands together then. Flames spouted from the front of the truck, but they shrank half as fast as they grew. It looked like the man was struggling to hold it. He then threw the fire to the side.

Another hand touched Judy’s arm again. She realized that the first had gone. She looked back, finding her father recovering from a fall on his ass, and her mother called to her now that Mai was the one touching her.

Denise and her folks guided them to the parking lot, where they huddled inside of one car just to keep Patrick from getting any idea as to what Judy’s mom drove around town.

***

“Do you think this is some sort of sick joke?” Patrick shouted.

He did, however, follow the car to the Grandt family home. He was arguing with Judy’s mom outside the front door.

“Hardly. And keep your voice down,” Judy’s mom said.

“I’ll be as loud as I want. Are you afraid he’s going to hear the truth in his sleep?”

“Judy’s within earshot of your talking voice and you know it, just like you know what the truth is. Hold on.” She peeked into the front doorway. “Go to sleep, baby girl.”

Judy was sitting at the top of the stairs, staring at the door from behind wooden bars.

“Julian! His name is Julian. I still remember signing his name at the hospital.”

“And if you were around to be a father for her instead of sleeping with other women, you would have been there when Judy came out as transgender. You would have been here to see the accident that later changed her physical appearance. But no, I wasn’t a good enough wife for you.

“My son is not a freak!”

“No, Patrick, your daughter is not.”

Denise hunched down by Judy’s side while the arguing continued. Judy looked at her, and she simply wiped a tear from Judy’s eye.

“Come on,” she said at last. “The sleeping bags are ready, unless you want the bed.”

“OK,” Judy replied.

They got up and walked into Denise’s room. Next to it was the master bedroom, where Robin and Henry were talking after having called the police.

Judy sat on the bed, and Denise sat next to her. She had handed her a spare nightgown for Judy to wear for the night. It was a relief to be wearing something thinner and cooler than the kimono. To add to the comfort, Denise rubbed her shoulder.

“You know something?” said Judy.

“What?” her friend asked.

“I’m a hero now. In theory. I think life is starting to suck, but I have the power to make it better. For everyone.”

“Of course you do. You’ll become famous, and the people will have a new idol to aspire to be like.”

“No, I mean really make it better. Find a way to make it suck less, and be more fair.”

“Oh, Judy, come on.” Denise guided her into the bed, hugging her from behind.

“You’re not going to take advantage of me like this, are you?”

“Not until you say yes, and mean it. I like you, Judy. Really.”

“Thanks. No trying to pickpocket my heart now.”

She felt friend huff a couple times. “So you know, do you?”

“It wasn’t hard to figure out, not before you fell against my father at the party. What did you take from him?”

“I didn’t. Let’s just say he’s in for a nasty little surprise tonight. Sleep well, Judy.”

Her words were comforting enough to shorten Judy’s night. She was sure that, any moment, Patrick’s night was going to get longer. In moments, however, she was also certain about a lot of impossible things that came and went.