least people like these!
I have to help. I don’t have any choice, really, not when it’s like this. But I can’t help and show my face at the same time. I look around and duck down an alley, thinking quickly. There’s got to be some store that’s got cloth I can use for a mask, right? Or… I look down at my shirt, letting out a sigh and reaching for the hem. I can always make a mask, right?
“I should have known,” a drawling voice says from overhead. I look up with a sense of dread, letting out a heavy sigh as I see Century floating over my head. He’s got his arms crossed over his chest and that look on his face--the one that says “I’m extremely disappointed in you right now.”
“Hi, Century,” I say, lifting a hand. “Do you know where I can get a mask?”
“What for?”
“Because I’ve got a lot of cleaning up to do,” I say, letting out a sigh. “This is my fault--I was wrestling with Max and he tried to get me to try harder--and… I’m sorry. But even I know that’s not enough to solve anything, so I want to help with what I can,” I say. “I might be the kid in the group, and short, but that doesn’t mean I can’t pick up a bit of rubble.”
“You created an earthquake while roughhousing, son. That’s not the work of a little kid,” Century tells me. He reaches into his cape and pulls out a simple black mask. “Here, if you’re going to work, do it properly.”
“So I have permission from South Hall?” I ask.
“You have permission--but don’t go giving yourself some fancy name. You haven’t had your debut, yet.”
“I don’t plan on ever debuting,” I say. “I’m going to work in the forests and jungles of the world. You know, after I’ve graduated and everything.”
“Really,” he says, his tone showing he doesn’t believe me.
“Me and Adanna--Pan’s daughter, we’ve got it all planned out,” I say as I try to get the mask to stick. It’s harder than it looks. I blink as he lands in front of me, taking the mask away and putting it on properly. “We’re going to save the big cats of the world and the Rain Forest, too. I never… I never planned on doing something like this.”
“Fine, go on, then. I’ll tell the crew that you’re here to do grunt work.” I nod, taking a step back only to jerk as my phone rings. I pull it out of my pocket, looking guiltily at Mom’s picture.
I am SO grounded when I get back that it’s not even funny.
***
“So…” Panther says as he looks over the four boys left at the campsite. He notices that there’s a strip of metal through the center of the area, and signs of patchwork repairs that hadn’t been there before. “Where’s Sunny?”
The three older boys look at each other before pointedly looking at the woman standing next to him. “Who’s she?” Jack asks. “And why is she wearing that weird strip over her shoulders?”
“That’s what boyscouts wear, right?” Ace asks. “Like for their badges.”
“We get badges?” Jack asks him.
“Well, technically these could be CALLED badges,” Max says, pulling one of the little metal pieces out of his pocket and flashing it.
“That’s a fake one,” Ace says. “I switched it out for this one,” he tells the other boy, holding up a badge just like it.
“We’re getting off subject,” Jack says as Max grabs the one Ace is holding and pockets it. “Who are you?” he demands of Skystep.
“This is Skystep,” Pan says, inwardly sighing. Alone, each of the boys is a decent super villain. Together they form more of an ‘evil three stooges’ thing. “She’s going to be joining us as an assistant camp leader--” he holds up a hand as the woman starts to protest. “She’s a fully established villain in these parts, and has been for several years. She’s also in charge of arts and crafts.” What? HE didn’t want to do it!
“Arts and crafts?” Ace asks,
I have to help. I don’t have any choice, really, not when it’s like this. But I can’t help and show my face at the same time. I look around and duck down an alley, thinking quickly. There’s got to be some store that’s got cloth I can use for a mask, right? Or… I look down at my shirt, letting out a sigh and reaching for the hem. I can always make a mask, right?
“I should have known,” a drawling voice says from overhead. I look up with a sense of dread, letting out a heavy sigh as I see Century floating over my head. He’s got his arms crossed over his chest and that look on his face--the one that says “I’m extremely disappointed in you right now.”
“Hi, Century,” I say, lifting a hand. “Do you know where I can get a mask?”
“What for?”
“Because I’ve got a lot of cleaning up to do,” I say, letting out a sigh. “This is my fault--I was wrestling with Max and he tried to get me to try harder--and… I’m sorry. But even I know that’s not enough to solve anything, so I want to help with what I can,” I say. “I might be the kid in the group, and short, but that doesn’t mean I can’t pick up a bit of rubble.”
“You created an earthquake while roughhousing, son. That’s not the work of a little kid,” Century tells me. He reaches into his cape and pulls out a simple black mask. “Here, if you’re going to work, do it properly.”
“So I have permission from South Hall?” I ask.
“You have permission--but don’t go giving yourself some fancy name. You haven’t had your debut, yet.”
“I don’t plan on ever debuting,” I say. “I’m going to work in the forests and jungles of the world. You know, after I’ve graduated and everything.”
“Really,” he says, his tone showing he doesn’t believe me.
“Me and Adanna--Pan’s daughter, we’ve got it all planned out,” I say as I try to get the mask to stick. It’s harder than it looks. I blink as he lands in front of me, taking the mask away and putting it on properly. “We’re going to save the big cats of the world and the Rain Forest, too. I never… I never planned on doing something like this.”
“Fine, go on, then. I’ll tell the crew that you’re here to do grunt work.” I nod, taking a step back only to jerk as my phone rings. I pull it out of my pocket, looking guiltily at Mom’s picture.
I am SO grounded when I get back that it’s not even funny.
***
“So…” Panther says as he looks over the four boys left at the campsite. He notices that there’s a strip of metal through the center of the area, and signs of patchwork repairs that hadn’t been there before. “Where’s Sunny?”
The three older boys look at each other before pointedly looking at the woman standing next to him. “Who’s she?” Jack asks. “And why is she wearing that weird strip over her shoulders?”
“That’s what boyscouts wear, right?” Ace asks. “Like for their badges.”
“We get badges?” Jack asks him.
“Well, technically these could be CALLED badges,” Max says, pulling one of the little metal pieces out of his pocket and flashing it.
“That’s a fake one,” Ace says. “I switched it out for this one,” he tells the other boy, holding up a badge just like it.
“We’re getting off subject,” Jack says as Max grabs the one Ace is holding and pockets it. “Who are you?” he demands of Skystep.
“This is Skystep,” Pan says, inwardly sighing. Alone, each of the boys is a decent super villain. Together they form more of an ‘evil three stooges’ thing. “She’s going to be joining us as an assistant camp leader--” he holds up a hand as the woman starts to protest. “She’s a fully established villain in these parts, and has been for several years. She’s also in charge of arts and crafts.” What? HE didn’t want to do it!
“Arts and crafts?” Ace asks,
Similar Books
