Paragons

Issue 17- Fire

Sydney, Australia

"How about Richard?" Seren suggested helpfully. "You do look like a Dick."

  Pretender glared at her from across the table. "Not what I'm going for."

  "That isn't very nice, Seren," came ICARUS' voice from the speaker upon the table between them.

  The voice from the speaker drew the attention of some of the people seated at tables around them at the small cafe outside of the train station. Their eyes would move from the speaker, to the man in a cowboy hat and trenchcoat, to the woman with dark pink hair and tattered orange cloak, then back to their own business.

  "I wasn't going for nice," Seren muttered as she cracked her neck and plopped some muffin into her mouth. "Ain't my thing."

  "I apologize for my sister's behaviour. She actually does care, but hides behind a facade of callousness and aloofness. I suspect she takes much more after father than she would care to admit."

  Seren scowled down at the speaker. "Just because I'm your sister doesn't mean you can psychoanalyze me. 'Sides, you're wrong. I'm nothing like him."

  "Would my sister like me to recount the conversation we shared privately?"

  "You do that and I'd never trust you again. Plus I don't know what you're talking about, so stop it."

  "I don't care if you hate me," Pretender said and Seren's eyes snapped to him. "I'm used to that kind of thing. I'm just happy you're here, and I don't want you two fighting over... whatever."

  "Sorry, father."

  "Yeah, yeah. I didn't mean it dad."

  "You just called me dad."

  She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Yeah, done that a bunch."

  "Oh." His face dropped. "Damn. That could have made for a really nice moment if the writer was smart enough to set it up. Like when I stopped calling Pixie 'Ms. Gwynn' and called her 'Megan' the first time."

  Seren rolled her eyes. "I forgot you did that randomly." She finished off her muffin and leaned back in her seat. "So what's the plan anyway?"

  "Get to New York," he replied as he glanced back over his shoulder. "Got some things there and I should probably pick up Toasta."

  "Forgot how old that appliance was," Seren muttered. "But is New York a good idea? It's like hero central and you're running from Krakoa. There's bound to be mutants there."

  "It's a completely stupid plan, which is why it's perfect. They won't expect it." He glanced about the area once more. "Come on, we should move. Been here too long. Plus we should probably get different clothes for our flight."

  "Flight?" Seren asked with a groan, as she stood and gathered up ICARUS' speaker from the table. "Do we have to fly? It's so boring."

  "Well, currently you're our only teleporter," he replied as he led the way into the city. "Unless you are happy to find a sleeper. Not sure I'm ready to go running around in people's dreams, but it wouldn't be the craziest thing in my life."

  Seren glanced down to ICARUS in her arms as she bit her lip. "Um, no. I don't... I don't know what it'll do to ICARUS. It could be fine but... I don't want to..."

  "Then we don't," he replied as he fell back to her side. "Flying sucks, but it's safer. Kinda. The whole point of this is so we all stay safe."

  "I thank you both for your concern. I do have a question, however."