This finally got through pre-approval:
Omake:
In Another's Mind
Or,
You Can Keep Your Mask On
"So," said Acolyte, as they hopped up onto the roof of the building across the street from Fugly Bob's, "can you keep a secret?"
Sophia grinned, though she knew Acolyte wouldn't be able to see it under her mask. "Sure. You payed for lunch; I owe you one."
"No, can you
really keep a secret? Like, about my powers?"
She blinked at that. Acolyte was serious. "PRT regs say I have to report that sort of thing..."
"But?" prompted Acolyte.
"But fuck 'em. Say what you like; they aren't going to hear shit from me."
Acolyte gave her a look, unreadable behind her face-covering darkness, then nodded sharply and lead them off across the rooftops, away from the Boardwalk, talking as she went. "I have four... let's call them 'major powers'. Each one can do a bunch of different, related things; also, each one has a theme and gets stronger the more I act according to that theme."
Sophia whistled. "So your powers actually get stronger, like, permanently? That's awesome."
"Yeah, they are. So, the first power is the one that makes me stronger and let me do that trick with the bat. The theme on that one is
battle; it gets stronger when I fight, especially if I use my
battle cry."
Sophia shivered at the memory that brought up, of the raw, primal power she had felt at that moment. She only resisted the urge to close her eyes and recall it as they hopped to another roof.
"The second power is the one that let me make those walls. It's theme is planning and trickery; I get more of it if I out-think people, come up with plans, that sort of thing."
She nodded, then noticed her companion had stopped. Acolyte had lead the two of them to the roof of what seemed to be an abandoned warehouse in the docks. Sophia looked around, realizing no one could see them up here, as Acolyte continued to speak.
"The third was the one that healed me after the fight; it has the theme of decay - tearing down the old and stagnant, decomposing the dead to make room for new life."
Suddenly, Sophia realized that the PRT would
kill to hear this - and would kill
her if they learned she'd known it and never told them. She turned back to Acolyte to tell her that, but her breath caught in her throat as she found herself face-to-face with the girl and her protest died unspoken.
"The fourth one is the one that let me make those illusions of Armsmaster and Miss Militia."
When had Acolyte gotten so close? When had she removed her mask of darkness? Had Sophia's costume always been this warm? "A-and it's theme?" she stammered out.
"
Hedonism," answered Acolyte breathily.
Sophia's breathing was ragged as Acolyte leaned in towards her, hands already about her waist.
"
You can keep your mask on..." came the whisper in her ear.
Sophia shot bolt upright in her bed. What had- there was... a dream? Something involving Acolyte and a lunch date?
She fumbled for her clock and groaned at the hour it showed. She didn't think she was going to be able to get back to sleep. Not after...
that... whatever it was.
Though... for some reason, she wasn't sure if she minded.
