Haphephobia

Chapter 23

Before we left, I'd made a point to oversee Ava's current wardrobe choice. She'd already been wearing a gigantic knit turtleneck, so I also forced her into the trench coat she'd been reluctant to wear. Why that is, I'm not sure, but eventually she decided it didn't look terrible. I found a coat for myself as well, slipping it over my sweater. I thought I noticed Ava wearing leggings under her jeans, as well.

Stevie and William, who'd taken over my room, were also changing into warmer wear. Stevie had donned a black leather jacket and jeans, also with a red sweater and leggings underneath. William put on a simple grey pea coat with dark slacks. 

"So how are you guys going to disguise yourselves?" I asked, remembering we only had one disc left, and if it was up to me, Ava had definitie priority. I felt a prodding on my mind, which told me Ava didn't really approve of that thought. 

"We don't have to. Stevie's powers in addition to her knowledge in stealth can keep both of us out of sight for as long as necessary." He said. Still not knowing what his powers were, I set out to ask, but soon enough had dropped the subject. I couldn't decipher quite what it was, but something made me feel like this was touchy subject for him, and he didn't want to talk about it.

"See, my powers are almost that of a spider's, sort of like Spider-Man, minus the webs and plus some other stuff. For instance, I'm really strong, look-" Stevie spoke, picking up the bed from one side and throwing it from her, which earned a look from me and a smile from her- "And I can climb on walls. But one of the coolest things is..." She trailed off, clearly thinking about the best way to describe it.

"Well, you know how some spiders, when they make their webs, they make it in an enclosed area, usually with a bit of greenery in the background? And sometimes, they also rearrange their bodies in a way that mimics the pattern of their web, so it's hard to see them. In fact, I've walked into a few little guys in my lifetime. Anyway, I can also do that: you know, I can find a way to blend into my surroundings." Stevie finished, catching a breath. My bottom lip curled and I shrugged, impressed by this power. 

"So usually during training I make excellent marks for stealth training. I can pick up William, climb somewhere, and camouflage the two of us so that nobody's the wiser. Perfect for surveillance missions." Stevie finished. William smiled at her, a brief flicker of a change in his expression. It was clear he and Stevie had a very long history together, and it was clear that nobody was going to get between him and her. 

What with the recent developments between Ava and I, I found myself wondering if we ever looked at each other in that way.

"Well, it's getting pretty dark. We should get going before Jensen blows a fuse." I said, not doubting that he kept track of our every move. If we were late, I wouldn't put it past the guy to tell us off for it.

"Yeah... Come on, guys. Ava, you've gotten your disc, correct?" William asked, looking her way. When she nodded, we all left the room together, walking down the hall and out the hotel. When we passed the front desk, Rude Reception Lady looked at us like she couldn't believe anyone as well-dressed as us would bother getting a room here.

In somewhere around twenty minutes, we'd found ourselves by the front entrance of the preserve, where Ava and I had stopped to implement our disguises. Stevie, who was insistent on showing how well her powers worked, quickly grabbed William and climbed up a nearby pine tree. In only a few seconds, Stevie had somehow located the darkest patch of the tree, sat cleverly among the branches and leaves, all in just such a way that even looking straight at her, you wouldn't necessarily know she was there. I was impressed.

Which, of course, meant I felt the sudden desire to show off. After Ava had popped the lozenge into her mouth and was fully transformed, I changed into a bald eagle, soaring up into the air and finding gusts of wind to float upon. It felt incredible as usual, but I knew it wasn't the animal I'd chosen for this point in time. Just as Stevie and William returned to the ground, I did the same, and changed from the eagle into a plain brown horse.