Unwanted Heroes

chapter six: a question left unanswered

"Mind passing me the pink string, rojo?" Mar requested, her palm extended as she bent over her latest work.

"Hot pink or baby pink?"

"Baby."

Fin sorted through the spools of string scattered around the spacious sewing kit, producing the brightly-colored thread. "Here it is," he said, handing it over to her. "It's kind of running out, though," he added.

"We'll buy more on our next Terror Trip," Mar replied. She always referred to their outings as 'Terror Trips.'

Each month for at least one week, the veroes in the VCC were allowed to go out and see how Chrimata City was doing.

Most didn't have the desire to go, but those who did enjoyed every single day of seeing the city and pretending they were normal people once more.

A test had to be taken to see if they were safe enough to go. Fin had taken his two weeks ago and was still waiting for his results to come in.

He honestly didn't understand why she called them Terror Trips. Would I get my shoulder twisted out if I ask? Fin thought as he watched her stitch a border around the edges of a green ribbon.

It might be a sensitive topic as to why she calls them Terror Trips, Fin mused. If I word the question wrong, I'll be at the receiving end of her back-breaking supplexes.

Fin shivered at the memory of the most taxing and exhausting exercise he'd ever been trained to do: wrestling.

He admitted it: he, in early 21st century slang, got "rekt."

Kem, Mar, even Al, gave him the beating of his life. The pain of the lady's kick in his first mission wss immediately canceled out in the three experienced fighters' forces.

"You're awfully quiet there, rojo," Mar commented, jolting him out of his thoughts.

"A-Am I not always?" he replied.

"Mmm, no." Mar looked over her sketchbook, her mouth twisted to the side in a contemplative manner. "You normally talk about your newest masterpiece, or talk about your injuries from training with Kem, or maybe a fascinating book you found in the library."

Mar swiveled her chair around to face Fin. "Today you're definitely quieter. What's up?" she urged him.

She's an awful lot like Mom in the way that she's super perceptive of my mannerisms. It's almost scary, Fin thought, fidgeting in his seat. I'll bet Mom would have a ball with Mar.

"Nothing much," Fin hesitated.

He paused for a moment before saying, "Please don't kill me for asking this but I just sorta wondered why called these trips Terror Trips when everyone calls them Freedom Trips."

Mar raised an eyebrow. "You think I'm going to kill you over that?" she scoffed. "There are better reasons to kill someone over something so small and petty."

She swiveled her chair back around once more. "You didn't answer the question, though," Fin pointed out.

Mar ignored Fin, carrying on with her project. The boy sighed dejectedly and propped his feet up onto the rolling chair and started reading the novel he'd obtained from the library.

I think I shouldn't pressure her into answering, Fin thought, thumbing through the book, trying to find the spot where he left off.

In doing so, however, he discovered that a character he thought dead was now resurrected by some great twist of fate.

Goly gee, did he hate himself.

Fin shut the book with a weary sigh, taking in the silence of Mar's living quarters. Outside her window, the city was bustling with activity.

The eleven-thirty trains were running and by this time, if he were still at school, he would most likely be taking Home Ec or something of that manner.

School. Fin scrunched up his nose, trying to remember what it was like to be at school.

Fin had definitely gotten used to living here for more than half of a year. Training, going on missions, eating together--the time spent with Al, Kem, and Mar passed by in a blur, a very enjoyable blur if Fin was honest with himself.

A small beep from Fin's and Mar's watches sounded. It was the mission tone again.

Fin pressed the audio button, listening to Al's somewhat rushed voice. "Meet us on the roof. Suit up. Daytime mode. Got two situations. Kem and I are taking the Business District. You two are going to the Abandoned District. Meet back on the roof right away."

Fin and Mar looked at each other and nodded wordlessly in agreement. Time to go.

A/N: Valentine's Day is coming up, and if you aren't in it for the chocolates and makeouts, then maybe you'll get in the spirit for the joy of celebrating a certain little redhead's birthday!

That's right, people! Finley's birthday is on February 14! What a day!

Sad fact: At one point in everybody's relationship with Fin, they completely forget that it's his birthday until they see all the red and remember his signature hair.

Poor child. Don't forget his birthday, y'all! The chapter is zhort because I can't wait to write about my son sinning!

Stick around for the greatest b*tch slap of all time!