The Team Of Ten

Part Five

Throughout the day rain had battered against the windows of the huge mansion. Inside was nothing but fancy furniture and two people, a pair of father and daughter. They felt that the rain that day was quite deserved.

The daughter sat at her window, in a blue nightgown of the softest silk. With the plush bed and huge vanity behind her she still felt as if she had nothing. She would have given all of this up just to get her life back to before her mother died. Before she knew exactly how cruel the world is to people who are different.

Her brown hair fell to her shoulders, unbraided and without its usual feathers. Today was for nothing but mourning, for her mother and father. Because her dad broke the day her mom died.

Not even her Charm powers could have saved her from a hate crime.

The girl pulled her knees up to her chest before sighing and closing her eyes. Below her she knew her dad was drinking away any memory of what this day meant. The girl stood up in a rush and went over to her vanity.

In the mirror was a pretty teen girl with naturally tanned skin and multicolored eyes. But those eyes were red and puffed up with bags underneath. The tan skin was paler than normal and a few red spots doted over her forehead because of stress. The girl sighed and leaned forward to rest on her arms. 

Her shoulders shook but no tears fell, it's as if she ran out-from crying over the years. When she did open her eyes she saw the pink box she had sat on her vanity years and years ago. Inside was something of her mother's that she had wanted the girl to have. The girl could never bring herself to open it. 

The girl glared at the box, what could be so important that it had to wait until her world had been ripped apart to get? She grabbed the box in a rush and lifted it up over her head, fully ready to throw it to the ground, only to pause. 

Her mom wanted her to have it. 

The girl sat the pretty pink box back down and carefully untied the bow keeping it shut. The slip of ribbon made her close her eyes before lifting the lid off the box. When she finally opened her eyes she saw a letter. A simple manila letter written on with pink pen in fancy curly writing. Her mother's favorite pen and her mother's handwriting. 

"Piper" was scrawled on the front, the girl's name. 

The girl turned the letter over and saw a pink wax seal with a dove pressed into it. Piper was careful not to break the seal when she opened it, finding that if she used a pair of tweezers it was pretty simple, and unfolded the letter. More pink writing was inside. 

'My Dear Piper,
  If you are reading this, it means I have died. I know a cliché right? Someone dies, but leaves a letter explaining everything-almost too good to be real! Back on track now, I'm writing this as I rock you to sleep. You're only six, but I know you'll be strong. 
  Oh so much stronger than me, I feel the Charm sometimes when you aren't even talking, you just want something so bad! Piper, my Dearest, be careful. Charmers are always casted to the side, don't let that happen with you. Be the best you can be and then some!
  Don't let your father tear himself apart. Not for this.
  Even if it does mean using some of your power on him, it's for the best.
  I love you so much, and I can't wait for you to take my place.

      Love,
      Your Mom-Aphrodite'

A kiss mark singed the bottom of the page. 

Piper's fingers trembled as she placed the letter down and looked into the box again. Inside was a pink masquerade mask. It was made to cover half of the face only leaving the right cheek and the mouth open. Pink lace made swirls and whirls covering everything but the eyes. Under the mask was a calling card. 

Pink paper trimmed in black read 'The Cupid' in fancy script, not her mother's but from a computer.

The Cupid . . .

Piper knew that name, it was the name of one of the Supers who tried to help people. There were never many of them and none had been seen in years! But . . . The Cupid was rumored to be a Charmer, she would leave calling cards pined to her victims: different Villains she captured. And she wore a pink suit with a white cape . . . Every account of her was blurred but the pink and white always stood out.  

Piper held the mask up to her face, looking in the mirror. 

Maybe a Charmer is what this city needs to convince it. 

(+)----(+)----(+)

Short, blonde, curls hung over a text book in the small kitchen of a small apartment. The boy who they belonged to turned another page and started to scribble notes again, the notebook he was using was almost completely full. 

The window over the sink let it be know that it was pitch black outside. Bright, artificial light illuminated the tile floor from a lamp screwed into the wall. White counter tops and a white floor gave the look of a laboratory in a horror film. The only real color in the room came from the boy: baby blue eyes, bright gold hair, orange shirt, tanned skin, and blue sneakers. 

From his spot sat at the table he could hear his mother walk through the front door. Without another second he heard the groan of the couch as his mother laid down on the brown cushions. She was back from her shift at her second job, a little coffee shop down the street. She does that so the boy has enough money to go to medical school, for his dream job. 

The boy couldn't help but feel bad, she only did that so that he could do want he wants to. 

The boy got up from the table and tucked his hands into his pockets before walking into the living room. He saw the grocery bags sat on the coffee table and picked them up, taking them to the kitchen. The boy put up everything from the bags then went to crouch by his mother. 

Her blonde hair had bits of grey from stress, her brown eyes were closed, her breathing was soft and even. She was already sleep. Will smiled softly before picking his mother up, thankfully she had already taken her coat off, and moved her to her bed. 

He was going to leave when his mother mumbled, "Will?" The blonde boy turned to his mother who was still half asleep. 

"Hi Mom, I'm going to make dinner for us. You sleep a little more and I'll bring it to you." His voice was soft and yet firm, the tone of a future doctor dealing with a stubborn patient. 

"Okay Baby, but, I was planning on-" The mother started. 

"No, Mom, I've got it."

"Okay . . . Wake me up when it's done Sunshine." She smiled before slipping back into sleep. 

Will left her door cracked and went back to the kitchen. After clearing his text books off the table he started to make dinner. As he chopped veggies for a salad the boy looked at the photo on the fridge, of his father and mother. He had never really known his father, he died when Will was very young. 

Will looked almost exactly like his father, blonde haired-blue eyed and baby faced, and he had gotten his father's powers. Yes, Will was a Super. He was a Healing Super, someone who could heal others with only a touch of their hand. Will's father, Apollo, had been a doctor. But when a little girl with cancer was going to die, Apollo had used his powers to save her. 

He went too far, used more than what he was given, and the power took his life as payment. But he not only healed that little girl, he healed everyone in that hospital. 

Will was proud, but he had the selfish want for his father to have lived. 

Though, Will did want to be a doctor too. He saw what that want did to his mother, but he couldn't help it. His heart was set on it since he was a baby. 

After eating dinner with his mom in her room, Will walked to the closest in the living room. In there were blankets, towels, boxes of different things. However, on the very top shelf, was a bow. Will pulled it down and traced his fingers over the gold-painted arches. He had taken after his dad in another aspect, being excellent in archery. 

The boy sat down on the couch and turned the TV on, the news told him all the bad about the day. In that moment Will knew that something great, not necessarily good but great, was going to happen-and soon.