1.c Buckler
10 August 2009
Emma sipped from her soda as her two friends were arguing about the movie they had seen last night, it was nice to be hanging out with them, the last two summers it had seemed like when Emma wasn't doing her modeling work she was hanging out with Taylor. That last summer the times with Taylor hadn't been all that fun. Since Emma's run in with the ABB, her mom was thankfully allowing Emma the time to recuperate after what she had gone through. Now that Emma was getting outside the house her mom had thankfully dropped all of that 'do you want to go see a psychiatrist talk'. It had turned into 'when do you want to get back to work?' Emma was a little annoyed with her mom as it hadn't even been a month since it had happened, but deep down she knew that both her mom and her dad cared for her and were happy with what she was doing.
Her dad had even suggested not doing modeling anymore if it was too painful but Emma had flatly refused that suggestion. She was a fighter, like Sophia said, so there was no way that she was going to give up on her dream job and the thing that made her stand out from most every other kid at school. Emma was not about to give up on anything that made her popular with other kids her age, plus if she did give it up then people would want to know why. All sorts of rumors could get started and if they found out the truth then they would start to pity her; Emma hated the thought of that happening.
Emma decided to break up the argument on the best way that they would deal with an acid blooded wall climbing alien and said, "Did you finish your homework to get into Arcadia?"
Taylor shook her head, "Not quite yet but I should have it done by the end of the week. I just feel kind of sad that you won't be coming with me Emma."
"Getting into Arcadia would be amazing for me, Dad could easily afford it, but I'm not a straight A student like you. I care more about the important things in life, like having friends and going to parties. Mom's always said that when it comes to opportunity its more important who you know than what you know." Emma replied, which wasn't to say that she was dumb, her grades were solidly in the C+ to B+ range for most anything she was in. Some of the questions Taylor had shared about the entry exam earlier were completely over Emma's head and Sophia's too, so the two of them would be going to Winslow.
Sophia actually seemed excited by the idea, "I'm telling you that you should come to Winslow Taylor. There are members from every major gang in the city operating and recruiting at that school."
Taylor laughed, "I'm pretty sure that's one of the major reasons that my Dad is pushing so hard for me to get into Arcadia. At least with all the Wards that are supposed to be there I don't have to worry about being openly recruited by the E88 just because I have a power."
Sophia held out a finger and wagged it in her face, "Exactly, schools so well policed that you won't even know what you're getting yourself into until its too late. You'll think some Stacy or Victoria is the nicest person in the world and then bam, surprise white supremacist roping you in to trouble. Meanwhile Emma and I at Winslow will be able to pick them out and avoid them because they'll be wearing their gang colors openly, the circle of friends and cliques will keep us from being involved with them."
Taylor looked concerned, "What about you Emma? There will be ABB members won't there?"
Emma really didn't like that detail but Sophia just wrapped her arm around Emma and she felt her anxiety going back down, Sophia gave her an understanding look, "Doesn't matter if there is, Emma can handle them and if she can't well I got her back. ABB, E88, the Teeth, it doesn't matter who's there if they try to mess with Emma she's going to fuck them up for underestimating her. That'll just make it all the easier for me to decide who I need to target, gather all the information I need on the hustles they're pulling, and catch them in the act. Middle school was already bad enough for gossip, there's going to be all sorts of juicy details floating around I'll just bet."
Emma poked Sophia in the ribs, and the girl backed off and Emma found her enthusiasm infectious, Emma shot back, "I'm sure everyone will be lining up to tell a freshman anything. Anne was always complaining about how she was never invited places in the beginning year at High School."
"Hah, that's why I'll join the track team, blow them away with how fast I am." Sophia said.
Emma looked Sophia up and down and had to admit that Sophia definitely looked like she had the right build for it, Taylor asked, "Are you any good at that?"
Sophia slammed her hand down on the table, "Damn right I'm good. When you got a bunch of thugs chasing after you, you can't just duck behind a corner and pray that nothing happens, especially when there are capes involved. Sometimes you just have to get as far away as fast away as you can when you're in over your head."
Taylor frowned at Sophia's answer, "What about the times when you can't run? When you have to stay and fight?"
Sophia shrugged, "Maybe you got a chance miss immovable object but the normal people and even most people like us, well that's the suicide play and whatever you thought was so important to protect will probably end up dead or worse when the next spot of trouble in this crappy world happens. There's no saving someone this time and that's the end of it in my experience. None of us are that lucky with Endbringers and psychopaths like the Slaughterhouse Nine running around. Better to live and see that next fight where maybe you can do something and survive."
Emma asked, "You want to be popular too, not just when you're a cape?"
Sophia nodded, "Sure, civilian life is crappy and most people don't even know a quarter of the things I'm doing as a cape. I don't think its so bad to make my life a little better all around instead of just one area. Granted an obvious power means I just have to use my other skills. Be cool."
Emma said, "You are cool, the coolest." Emma could feel her cheeks burning, what was wrong with her, she usually wasn't this lame.
Sophia grinned, "That's right and don't either of you forget it. How about you Taylor you going to pick up a sport at Arcadia?"
Taylor thought for a moment before shaking her head, "I don't think it could work out for me, I'd have an unfair advantage in all the contact sports and I've never been very coordinated for the non-contact sports."
Sophia leaned back in her chair, "Going the nerd route huh, maybe it is a good thing you're going to go to a different school. Would be all sorts of damaging to our reps if you were part of the Chess Club or Matholympics and they knew we were hanging out."
Taylor rolled her eyes, "It would be such a shame if people didn't think of you as the stereotypical jock."
Sophia looked ready to punch Taylor in the shoulder but then on second thought put her hand back down, "It really is no fair with you."
"Speaking of stereotypical, I was thinking of doing the cheerleader thing." Emma said.
Taylor and Sophia both looked at Emma before starting to laugh to each other, Emma felt a little insulted over the matter, "What?"
Taylor answered, "You're already going to have your modeling work and your homework, I just don't think its a good idea to do something that's going to eat up even more of your time."
Emma grumbled, "My grades are good enough."
Sophia gave her own two cents, "You're going to do what learn how to tumble and do a flip or two and be a trophy every jock in Winslow, I repeat in Winslow, is going to be gunning for. The jocks aren't the gang members but I seriously doubt you'll need to go through the hassle to get people to want to hang out with you. You can just be you and all sorts of people are going to like you."
Emma was going to reply to that when out of the corner of her eye she saw a woman in her early twenties stand up and looking distressed with a man around her same age with a thick beard and unkempt haircut grab her arm to keep her from leaving and get her to sit back down. Emma pointed at the two to get Taylor and Sophia's attention about what was happening, they were the capes so they should know what to do. Sophia just shrugged, "Good eye Emma, but this is a crowded place, with mall security within shouting distance, if she wanted anyone to interfere she'd make some noise, fight, prove she's a survivor instead of a failure. No reason for us to stick our noses in where we're not wanted and we don't want to be."
"Why do you think he's treating her like that?" Emma asked.
Sophia got a far away look, "Could be anything really, maybe he's a scumbag, maybe he's the nicest person in the world, maybe she's a shrinking violet or a total bitch, we don't know anything about them. Their relationship. Their history. Not even their names. We'll probably never see them again after today. Brockton Bay is a big city. The only thing I can guess right here and looking at them right now is that he feels strong and powerful because he can hurt her and she's weak enough to let herself be hurt. Until she does something to change that its just the way the world is."
Emma looked at the two with new eyes, before she had been concerned for the woman but now she was more focused on Sophia and what she had just shared. She felt safe when she was with Taylor or Sophia but what would it be like to feel powerful herself?
Emma almost didn't realize until after the fact that Taylor had gotten up, left the table, and stormed over to the man and woman. Taylor had seemed so unsure at first but then after hearing what Sophia said Emma guess the shield bearing hero had found her resolve. Emma could hardly believe her eyes, after a year of taking care of Taylor and being her friend, Emma hadn't thought that Taylor had it in her. That was why after her near mutilation had happened she hadn't done anything to get in contact with Taylor, she didn't feel like she had the energy, the heart to be Taylor's friend anymore, to tell her that everything was alright when Emma didn't think anything would ever be alright with herself. Emma was going to cut all ties with her friend, and she'd never talk to her again. It was selfish, Emma knew, but it was what had to happen and then she learned that Taylor had experienced hell again and this time she'd come out of it as a cape.
The man let go of the woman's arm after whatever Taylor said to them but the woman didn't seem happy about Taylor's intervention at all and both of them were giving her mean looks. Sophia sighed, "I tried to warn her, come on, once she's had enough of getting yelled at we'll clear out of here before they get the mall cops to put us in a room until our parents can come pick us up or kick us out themselves. I hate domestic situations."
Emma found herself beginning to understand what was so different about Sophia and Taylor. They were both capes, and they were both heroes, or at least Taylor would be one soon but their whole approach to being heroes was different. Sophia was a hunter, a predator, and was slow to move against anything she hadn't singled out as her prey. The gangs, the crooks, the villains. Like Sophia had said, everyone else, the victims and the hostages, there would always be more of those and Sophia had to weigh her own potential good acts against her possible injury and demise. The things she said made sense to Emma but on the other hand, what Taylor was doing right now, Emma could agree that it was stupid but it was also heroic that she would stand up like that when she didn't know anything about the situation. If she was needed or if she was just a nuisance. Taylor was a defender, she couldn't see something bad happening and not throw herself in the way if she thought for a moment that there was a way she could help. Maybe that's why Taylor had the power that she had and could survive that kind of thinking.
As Emma and Sophia were gathering all their and Taylor's stuff, Emma wondered, predator or protector? Which one was she?
