"You never come to these."
"I see you still don't read the briefings."
"What's there to read?"
Rolling my eyes, Cleo and Mark seemed to gravitate behind me while I watched two guards slide open the huge doors to the ballroom. An ocean of heroes lined every corner of the room along with politicians, police officers, the press, etc. Many eyes fell on me in disgust, disappointment, lust envy, you name it. Some have this inflated idea that I'm the next strongest. Or obsessed with finding a fetish I have or collecting hair samples. Fucking weirdos.
Ting
Ting
Ting
"May I have your attention, please?"
There's isn't so much a hierarchy as much as who's got the most popularity and practically invincible. Enter Wildfire. The cockiest son of a bitch alive. He can control any material on earth like a walking periodic table. Scares the hell out of every hero on the planet except for the arrogant ones. Wildfire waited for all of us to take a seat or find a place to lean against the wall. I chose the latter, smiling at a waitress taking a glass of super champagne.
"Wonderful. Let's take a moment to applaud ourselves hmm?"
We all clapped large and small, Wildfire held out his arm for us to stop. As it quieted down his orange and red suit lit under the stage lights. I sipped my champagne feeling his gaze briefly land on me way in the back, then he continued his speech.
"I know it seems like we're celebrating during a time of turmoil, but we must remind ourselves we all make mistakes. We all fuck up, huh? It's not about what we do when we're kicked down but when we stay down."
"You don't make mistakes Wildfire."
By the inflection in his voice and the light airiness of his pitch, he was young but more importantly new.
"Ah, I know it seems that way. I've made plenty of them. But I'm standing here today aren't I? Saving lives and making the planet a safer place."
Finishing my glass, I nodded at the waiter placing the empty glass next to the others on his tray. Wildfire finished his speech not long afterward with some special shoutouts of new heroes joining the ranks and sidekicks as well. Afterward, the busking atmosphere picked up again but with a milder hush per Wildfire's presence. I attempted to slip away but just as I got to doors.
"Thunder. Surely we can have a word?"
My eye slightly twitched, and then I turned around with a tight smile.
"Yes, we can."
"Splendid. Come."
Patting my shoulder with a light squeeze, he pulled me back toward the center of the ballroom. We sat at a table, and he and I adjusted our cloaks on the way down.
"Now I know what you're thinking..."
Many times I'm happy he's not a telepath-
"No, I'm not going to speak on your blunder with the robbery, even if I would have done it properly. Don't you agree?"
"I do. You're a lot more seasoned than me-"
"No not that dear, but that we all make mistakes hmm? You see if I cracked on every sperm cell that shat the bed I wouldn't have a job now would I?"
Dipping my head he wasn't wrong. Suddenly he placed his hand on top of my own slowly gliding up my arm to my shoulder.
"Take care of yourself alright?"
"Alright."
"Speaking of, how are you and Paul doing?"
Chuckling dryly, I waited till his hand released contact.
"We are doing well."
"Splendid. I smell him all over you, did you have fun last night? You're smiling more than usual."
Briefly looking away from him, I wouldn't mind a sniper rifle to the head right about now.
"I'm just really grateful to have him."
"Good. As previously said don't get discouraged. Things like that get you fired."
"I understand Wildfire."
"Duty calls, I'll see you around."
We shared a brief handshake before Wildfire went off to talk to the politicians. A few of them tried to wave me down but I sped out of there into the nearby bathroom. Staring into the mirror for a long moment, squeaking the sink nob as water swirled down the drain.
"What did Wildfire and you talk about?"
Jumping out of skin, Cleo was on the ceiling again. Shaking my head I finally answered.
"The routine stuff."
Cleo gravitated herself upright and landed next to me, her gray and black suit in my eyeline.
"The look on your face says otherwise-"
"Cleo."
I said sternly, shutting her up. All sup's are born with certain passive abilities. Durability, strength, and super hearing. Now depending on what powers they have the scale can weigh more on one than the other. This includes things like intelligence or emotional manipulation. Wildfire has a practically broken power with no ceiling. Therefore it increases his passive abilities twice as much as an average hero. I say all this jargon because Wildfire is genuinely crazy with high paranoia so I keep any talk about him silent. Not quite, silent.
"It is good to see you though."
"You too Cleo."
We hugged it out as awkwardly as the conversation ended. I said my goodbyes to Mark too and briefly forgot about the press outside. They swarmed me with cameras and more questions.
"Are you officially in a relationship Thunder?!"
"Do you plan to cut your hair again?!"
"What do you say to more women having superpowers?! Are they too emotionally invested in their tasks?!"
"Are you good in bed?!"
Amidst this form of interrogation, I was able to get down the steps as my eyes sparkled violet again.
"I'm about to fly off. I need space."
I spoke and saw the suffocating circle back away some, I charged lightning in my palms and feet and flew off. I couldn't go home yet, I needed a minute so I headed up to our tallest building.
Crackle
My boots hit the roof first as I discharged my lightning. Should I do some more crime fighting or volunteer work?
