Clocking Out for the day 2NI

Hiro was on the building site and was, admittedly, upset to find it devoid of goons of any shape or size. Surely it wasn’t just that one guy that got sent sailing. Why would there only be one guy here!? Well, he supposed as he entered the stairwell that lead into a dark and unlit basement. If there was a bomb here you wouldn’t want people to be around, would you? Common sense.

Still Hiro was half hoping to hit someone, he hadn’t hit someone in a fortnight. Which was just too long for his taste. He entered the underground and found a bunch of terrible light bulbs hanging from the ceiling. The whole place was pretty much the perfect scumbag HQ which made his blood boil, nothing to hit. He picked up a pipe from the ground, nice and hefty, if there was a thing to hit- god willing- he’d hit it hard.

He missed his mask, he’d have to make do with just the hood though. Didn’t feel right. Where the heck was everyone!? He clanged the pipe against the wall and groaned, someone anyone would be nice. Heck he’d even settle for Grant’s lady friend at this point, just for someone to see in this horrid basement. At the same time...he supposed he should leave soon, warn Grant. He was...mortal? was that the word? He was not at his best right now, if he was too close he might get hurt. Really you’d have to be some kind of idiot to run around underground near a bomb.

Hiro rounded a corner underground, sure the bomb was close now and that indeed he could do something. At the very least he could get someone out of here, he wasn’t one of those newsies. They all had like non interference or something, probably, he didn’t know. He rounded a corner to find a red haired woman in black sat down beside a pillar, all around her were dozens of tied up figures. She noticed him.

“Oh shit!” She said. “You’re like,” Laura knew immediately who it was, the clothes were the same cheap garbage from the Sentinel office. “Another hero!” She said with vigour and a few of the people in the room started to make various, potentially, pleased sounds through their gags. “You get these people outta here kid!”

“What about the bomb?” Hiro asked as he set up a time tunnel, dashing around the room and undoing as many knots and ropes as he could. A few had red wrists, they’d been bound here for lord knew how long.

“I.” The kid was gone, everyone was untied, the kid was back. Fast. Scary fast. “I’m taking care of it. Just like get everyone out, anyway.” She indicated the way Hiro had come, he looked down that way, at the fifty or forty some people here. He could time tunnel them out but it’d take a bunch out of him, multi-people tunnels were something he’d thought about trying and figured he could. But time tunneling himself was easy,if he did it forty times over he’d be wiped. Doing it to himself and FORTY other people?

“I swear to god,” Felicity muttered, “only Dirk can raise kids dumb enough to run toward a bomb. Because here I am bloody doing it to.” Felicity bolted down the paths of the basement, a shield thrown up around herself and Grant, minimal effort, but without knowing how big or bad a bomb this was bound to be the shield could be perfect or just be a soggy tissue for what was coming. She looked to Grant, wondered idly why the most powerful being she’d ever met took today to be a weirdo idiot and not be the most powerful thing ever.

Teenagers, what strange idiot creatures. Evolution had played a cruel joke on her and everyone else with that little age bracket of ramped up hormones and bad ideas. She wasn’t sure where to go but was chasing the wires down the wall. Maybe they’d rigged everyone up to the fuse box, this was already dumb enough that she’d be willing to check it out. Should have stayed outside, avoided all this. But her dumbass cousin ran in.

Dirk’d never forgive her if she let his idiot son die in an explosion. And of course Grant followed her because he’s an idiot. Didn’t stay outside because he also cares about Hiro. Idiots, everyone in this building was an idiot. If she survived this the article would headline “Three idiots, two of which shouldn’t have been there, run into soon to explode building. Experts agree they are idiots.”

That would probably be a bit too wordy. She’d make it fit. They came upon Hiro standing in a doorway with a couple of figures behind him, he was drenched in sweat. Barely able to stand, when he saw them come he looked incredulous.

“Why are you two here?”

“Saving my dumb ass cousin!” Felicity snapped and saw Laura sat against a pillar. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“Taking care of the bomb!” She went on. “I was hoping you’d have these people running out of here, like do your,” she waved her hands around, “shield thing! Come on just leg it, this guy was trying to make everyone go fast and fucked it up.”

“Jeezus,” Felicity scooped up Hiro who protested weakly, “fine I’ll get them shielded where’s the bomb?” She asked and Laura started, looked at the ground. “I need to know like what kind of shield I’m putting up. What did it look like, the yield? Whatever you can tell me.”

“I ate it.” Laura said with a weak smile. Felicity mentally amended that article headline in her mind to be more accurate.

Four idiots die in a tower explosion. That would be a much more accurate headline.

“I-”

“Before you say something smart or stupid! I ate the bomb when it had like two minutes to go, run please as fast as you can!” Laura urged and Felicity just nodded. She began to leg it, the others did not need told. A fine film of something warm enveloped all of them as they ran. A shield of some level. Likely high yield as Laura could actually see it, or maybe it was that dark down here.

Laura just groaned, hopefully it’d be enough. She’d never exactly done...this before. On account of not wanting to imbibe high explosives but...well she panicked. She had no ideas how bombs worked, she had a couple of skills and this one was, shockingly to her, the one that seemed most handy at this point in time. In the quiet moment she had down there in the dark, she imagined she could hear the bomb ticking...but it hadn't’ ticked. Her brain was just being crazy.

She felt a light weight at her side and turned to see the kid with the hair curtain who’d asked her out tonight. He was all quivery, clinging tight to one of her arms. She opened her mouth to speak but clearly the kid had more to say.

“I am so sorry!” He squealed. “I picked today not to use my powers because I wanted to prove that I was asking you out without influencing your mind!” He wailed and squeezed her arm. “But now this is happening! I could blink this out of existence and get rid of it and make it all better and fix all the stupid shit! But, buh, huh,” he was starting to get leaky at the eyes, “but now I’m too scared to fix it and turn it on and save you, my head hurts because I liked you and I know that’s creepy cause we don’t know each other!” He wailed. “I’m so sorry you might die because I asked you out! I suck at this!”

“Dude, calm down.” Laura said with a mix of casual and blankness. “You couldn’t influence my mind anyway.”

“Y-yes I can. You don’t understand-” He whimpered.

“No, seriously. Like you can’t. Infinite mass, which applies to all of me, even my brain. Shit gets lost in there forever, I’ve had mind readers go mad in a black void of infinity. Think about it like this, my natural size is a thumb, right? Well in that size I have what is, for me, a natural capacity of thought. Then, I grow myself to what’s normal for everyone else, thus expanding that capacity. It’s the Mentalist’s Giant Conundrum. The bigger the mass, the more spread out, the harder it is to mind control. Well, I currently am giant sized for what’s normal to me. Most of the time folks with mental fuck powers aren’t expecting that shit, they jump into a giant chasm with, like, miles and miles of no thoughts at all.”

“Uuuh.”

“Yeah, I know. I understand it better when I’m smaller because the synapses and shit don’t have as far to go to get from A to B. At this size I’m a little bit slow mentally. That’s why I don’t let myself grow too big. I don’t want to test the limits of rock stupid to vegetable. You know?” She looked at him, sure that had solved things but no his face was still a tangle of tears and snot.

“That’s...interesting!” Grant managed between a sob. “And I am super happy to know I didn’t and can’t brainwash you, like more than you know.” He said sounding genuine. “But now because I turned my powers off to check that I still can’t help you and you’ve got a bomb inside you that’s gonna go off….soon.”

“Yeah.” Laura said casually, placing a hand on her stomach. “I guess I do. I mean like...I’m hoping infinite mass can hold it. Like...it should. It’s infinite, in like a manner of speaking.” She didn’t get it and that was clearly the wrong thing to say as he started welling up. She growled at him. “Hey don’t you get all teary I’m the one with the bomb gut! You should be like consoling me and telling they’ll make a golden statue in my honour if I bite it.”

Grant stared, taken back. “Would you like that?” He asked and she nodded.

“Hell yeah. Big statue, big as I can grow. MADE of gold. Everyone has to an invite to the funeral, it has to be huge, to commemorate the huge lady we all lost. The big giant hole in everyone’s heart made by my passing.” She placed a hand on her chest and tried to look elegant. Grant just snickered and shook his head.

“I’m so sorry.” He said leaning against her, putting an arm around her waist. “I shouldn’t have asked you out. I keep fucking like this all the damn time.” He said morose. She just flopped an arm around his shoulders and gave him a healthy pat on the back.

“Ah shit it woulda been fun,” she said warmly, “sides I’ll probably be fine. So you shouldn’t say sorry, we’re going out tonight. I ain’t missing Rock, Paper, Schizors again. That bassist is fine,” she bit her lip and made a low moan. “Sides you gotta help me with my look, you’re helping me do,” she tugged his hair, “whatever weirdo magic you can do with your hair on mine. Plus punk pants and boots! You can’t run off, I have no idea how it works.” She chuckled and Grant looked up at her, his eyes big and soft.

“But what if it like...you don’t survive this?” He asked. She just narrowed her eyes.

“You’re way too much of a downer. You work with superheroes, we do this shit daily!”

“But you could die.”

“Yeah? So could you if you keep hangin’ around.” She popped him lightly on the forehead with her palm. “So either get out of here to make your last rights.”

“I don’t think I will,” he said with a measure of certainty. “I mean like I told my powers to turn off and I kinda think they’re humouring me.”

“What are they like alive or something?”

“Kinda,” he said meekly, “I mean sort of. They just do stuff. I’m pretty sure if I was in real danger they’d kick in and save me. I think.” Grant said but his grip o Laura redoubled regardless. “I’m kinda hoping that if they do work and I’m super close to you then they’ll ALSO save you.”

“Oh man. Lucky me. I might get saved.” Laura said ruefully, laughing all the same.

“Yeah,” Grant said, “added benefit of like I have to do this because I feel like it’s my fault this happened and like you know. I get to hug a pretty girl I asked out.If we’re not gonna get a date later might as well have one now.”

“Christ you’re weird.” She laughed. “No wonder you work at the fucking Sentinel. But yeah,” she indicated the room, “you can’t say I didn’t take you to an interesting spot for our first date ever. Nice scenic basement with all the concrete smell and a urine puddle in the corner for atmosphere.”

“Very scenic.” Grant agreed waiting for the boom, or the pop, or the gorey sound of someone violently busting apart into a million pieces. However, it never happened. He held on, then Laura looked mildly uncomfortable for a moment before coughing thick black smoke into her fist. “Is … is that it?”

“Probably.” Laura sounded pretty hoarse. “I think that was supposed to level the city. Fuckin’ a.”

“Well,” Grant said a smile on his face, “probably supposed to level the whole building. Not the city.” He stated and she looked at him, smoke rising out of her nose, expression flat.

“Yeah. I bet. That sounds way less awesome, thanks.” She gave her middle a swift pat. “I felt it, I can confirm it was supposed to level the city. Trust me, I know and nobody else can say I was wrong. Put that in your like article, supposed to level the city and I heroically took it onto and into myself.” She grinned, and the black smoke leaked out of her mouth with every word.

Grant pulled out a notepad and obliged by writing that down.

“No wait shit!” She said taking the pad away. “Don’t write that! Damn it don’t write that! I can’t have people think I’m doing shit like that. I’ll go up the ranks again, never get any damn peace!” She snapped tearing out the page. “You were right, level this building! No this FLOOR. There was one hostage! Aughh,” she groaned and thumped her head against the wall behind her. “Damn it.”

“I thought it was heroic,” Grant said, “very brave.”

“Look I just,” she rests her head in her hands, “don’t want to be a high ranker. That comes with so much crap, all these people chatting in my ear and ughh,” she shook her head, “just whatever.”

“Still brave. I feel super glad you were here, I might have died.”

She looked down at him and rolled her eyes. “Far as damsels go you’re the least shouty one I’ve ever had. That’s a plus for me. Least screamy and least turned out to be evil in end too. You’re down right A+ damsel material man.”

“Oh dear me,” Grant chittered, adjusting his grip on Laura, and letting go with one arm to fan his face, “whatever can I do my great hero?”

“Oh man you’re a natural.” Laura barked and grabbed his face in one hand. “But you gotta always remember to kiss the hero.” She said before smashing her lips against his, it seemed like a great idea at the time. Then something flashed, and they broke apart. Grant hacked up some smog and leaned away.

“Oh shit! That was not romantic at all!” Laura said as another photo went off.

“I dunno,” Felicity said from the door, “it’ll look amazing on page seven.” Grant coughed out the smoke in his mouth as he tried to form words. “Don’t worry about it, kid.” She smirked.

“Where do you think the more load bearing part of this wall is?” Laura asked eyeing a way outside.

“Wwwhhyyy?” Felicity asked.

“I want to cause plenty of collateral damage. I need this to look like an absolute failure so I get knocked down some tiers.”

“I could just write you up really nasty in my article.” Felicity offered.

“Aw, you’d do that for me?” Laura cooed. Felicity indicated Grant with a pen.

“Well my assistant apparently digs you and you did kick a guy through like four industrial finance buildings. Lot of people are pissed about that, I mean a few of those buildings belong to Wall Street big wigs. Not gonna be hard to make you look bad.”

“Oh that’s awesome.” Laura cheered as she stood up. “Thank god. If I got one more text from Youth League I was gonna start robbing banks, little shits never shut up.”

“Should I quote you on that?” Felicity asked with a grin, Laura just nodded. “Not a fan of what comes after C tier?”


“Not a fan of anything about D-Tier.” Laura said. “Just all that blah. blah, blah. Endorsement, emails, team ups, brigades, leagues, comic book deals.” She shuddered. “I’ll stick with having a sandwich named after me at a deli.”

Grant was up and looked to his boss. “Where’s Hiro?”

“Outside,” she said and looked to Laura, the woman just nodded. This was The Sentinel, secret was safe with her. “He tried to time tunnel speed people out, practically threw out his...time...sphincter or what the fuck ever. He’s fine, just achy all over. You can head up and see him if you want, he’d probably appreciate it.”

Grant vanished from the room, powers apparently a thing it was okay to turn on again. Laura tutted and rolled her eyes.

“Oh man the girl you wanna date eats a bomb and you can’t do shit. Some guy passes out and you fly off to his side.” She looked to Felicity who just shook her head.

“He’s a weirdo.” She said. “You’ll like him, he’s nice.”

“He’s so fucking cute.” Laura said. “His hair.”

“Oh no I know. Just..oh I want to hug him. All the damn time, it is so fucking bad for my street cred.”


Antonio turned on the news, mostly out of habit than anything else. He was home and safe now, though there had been a detour with the cop guy and the part of the ride he didn’t spend asleep he spent sitting next to a toothy, wild haired, villain pretty much vibrating with anger while wrapped in sticky webbing. He’d woken up in time to see the blond cop cutting the guy down from a street lamp.

His laptop was charging, he felt like complete trash, and his couch still didn’t have any cushions. He hadn’t replaced his TV yet, so he was watching the news on his phone via the app he’d downloaded but never actually touched until now. They were doing coverage of that event he was supposed to show up at. The one honoring fallen heroes.

He must have slept for a while as that event was supposed to be pretty late at night, time was fancy and mercurial right now so it didn’t matter. He lay in the crevice couch and placed his phone down on it’s side on the table and turned to stare at it. The image was good but the screen was small, everyone was in various states of little or pixelish. There was a few heavy hitters gathered around a big stone memorial featuring a few giant figures and solid basalt with names carved into it.

Standing there at the memorials side was some big hitters, the big guys, the ones on breakfast cereals. He recognized the look of a woman in a thick red coat, hair darker than engine grease and boots darker still than that. The Scarlet Dame, he thinks but isn’t sure. One of the most well funded criminal fighters in the world, practically owns a controlling share in every team out there. Real-estate mogul turned super lady with more ray guns than was sensible.

A thing in dark yellow. It looked like it was wearing glass and was not human, it was jagged all over and stood like a man. The Spectral Star, a living chunk of a dead world that fled to ours as his universe was destroyed. It was a founding member of The Global Defenders. Lame name, cool guy. Ultra mysterious even to the point that most of what Professor Akira told him was heresay. Also said he was one of his best friends, which wasn’t surprising.

There’s Solar. You can’t miss him, bigger than the whole world and with hair of silver. The Ivory Idol, The Platinum Protector, The Prince of Power. He had more titles than Antonio had pairs of socks. He was the big guy, crashed here years ago from a twisted up sun. Did his bit and kept everyone in the world safe for nigh on a century. His daughter, Solaris, stood off to one side every bit as ethereal and elegant as her father was staunch and strong.

Then there was Deep Shadow. Ever mysterious and dark and ohwhatthefuckisthis!

Antonio pinched himself. He was here, he slapped himself. Definately here. He wondered if he’d just been dreaming about having ever been Deep Shadow. That he’d just gotten some nasty flu and fevers were fueling some nasty nightmares. Or, even worse, he’d gone crazy from that woman dying in his apartment. He’d become delusional and was now having a singular moment of clarity.

Another thought that hit him was that he was currently dreaming and that if he closed his eyes and opened them again he’d be at that funeral. Probably without any pants. That was, however, not the case. Only one guy would know for sure. Unless he’d made that up in his head too.

He groped for the phone, knocked it over and dragged it close. He shoved aside the video with a slice of his finger and started texting Prof. He hammered at the touch screen with all the grace of a man on heavy numbing drugs but managed to work out.

Professor! Tell me I am Deep Shadow and I am real and I did not imagine you! There is a Deep Shadow on TV, I don’t want to be at a memorial in my underwear oh god.

He sent this and waiting. Waited. Waited. Cursed the Professor for being an old ass man who texted about as fast as he did anything. He flicked back to the funeral. Solar was at some podium surrounded by dozens of his fellow heroes. He had no microphones because the man had the voice of god. It carried, you could hear that voice in the deep dark parts of your mind if you listened hard enough.

“ What happened during the Invasion of our world was a dark and tragic time. Though the battle was fought over thirty years ago, some wounds remain fresh even to this day. We will never forget those we lost or indeed see their like again. It was through their brave sacrifice and dedication that the world still turns today. Every man, woman and child on this Earth owes something to the brave few that fought that day. The heroes, the emergency services, the boy scouts. All who could threw themselves into danger to save everyone else. We remember them this day.” Solaris spoke on and The Spectral Star shuddered, was it crying?

“On this day we commemorate one more name to the memorial. Though she did not die on that day. Sarah Sonic of Hyper Flight lived on, her team sacrificing themselves to stop the threat. Miss Sonic passed two days ago, though I was in orbit around Jupiter I heard her heart stop, the sheer weight of such a momentous thing cowed me.” He looked down, covered his eyes with a thumb and forefinger, his lip quivered slightly. “It was her fondest wish that when she passed her ashes be scattered here that she might join her team in the great hereafter.”

The scene was tense, Antonio felt something his chest go tight as an older man brought forward a stark white vase to the front of the the assembly.


The momentous scene vanished as the Professors text shoved it offscreen. Antonio really stared at it, just to be sure it was a real text. The rough thing about questioning your sanity was that if you questioned it too hard there was literally nothing that could prove you were sane.

He checked himself for signs of a straight jacket when his phone actually rang. He dropped in on the floor and had to scoop it up quickly. When he saw that the number ringing in was ‘Deep Shadow’ he actually screamed. It was shrill and sounded like something from a tweeny horror movie.


The ceremony was pretty, Alexander had to admit that. Very nice, very lovely. He’d been given an invite to stand up on stage and everything. The Invasion of the Sun Kings was the last big thing he did before he stepped into retirement, was pushed more bloody like. But he’d rather not stand up on that stage, obscure that bloody beautiful monument to all his mates. He promised he wouldn’t cry, he’d be too loud if he cried. Still hurt to see the names on that bit of masonry.

He read down the rows, fifth time he’d done this in his life. A hand lingered on his back. “Hello luv,” he said slowly, “bloody sad state of affairs this. I’m about a minute from crying.”

“Oh no.” Scarlet said to him. “Not at all. Let it out if you got to big guy, this was a fucking tragedy.” She handed him a flask and he drank it. He handed it back and she scoffed at the lightness of it. “How are you doing Atlas?”

“Alex.” He corrected gently. “I don’t wear the fancy britches anymore. Paper’s going great, see you inherited the family gadgets at last. Christ, I used to bounce you on my knee.” He said with a shake of his giant head. He really should send a letter to the original Scarlet Dame.

“Don’t deflect Alex,” she said, “I asked how you are. Not the paper.”

“I’m fine, Scarlet.” He said slowly. “Absolutely fine. If you don’t mind I’ve got a lot of names to read and I’m sure you’ve got other people you can talk to and console instead of a sad old giant.”

“If you want to be lonely that’s fine,” she sounded tired but she walked at his side and caressed his cheek with one hand, “but you’re always going to be my uncle Atlas, who read me stories and lifted up my bed so there’d be no monsters beneath it. I don’t like seeing you hurt.” She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.

“Yer a good kid.” Alexander said slowly as his eyes skimmed the names. “I’ve missed ya, I should write more. But today’s not good for me.” He spoke and she left him be, to look at the names of people much younger than him who had no right to be in the ground. He watched the big wig heroes walking and talking with one another. Solar already tired of this Earth and priming to leave it or go to somewhere else. Whatever he did when he wasn’t giving people the privilege of seeing him.

Alex’s eyes landed on the Deep Shadow stand in. He knew this wasn’t the real guy, because the real guy would come in with the classic suit on, not this souped up get up. Considering that, of the group here, the guy under Deep Shadow’s cowl lost the most from all this, it was funny to him that he didn’t show up himself. Or maybe he had and was just in the crowd as some normal guy. Probably Japanese. He always suspected Deep Shadow was Japanese.

But he never asked. Guy wouldn't of told him and he was pretty sure Deep Shadow didn’t like him, something about those high tech guys not liking the giant tank men. Simple sort of prejudice stuff that was. Still the stand in was doing perfect, standing there away from everyone and not moving or saying anything. Fucking astounding, really into their character.

Alex snorted to himself and stuffed his giant hands in his pockets, thought he heard stitches tear. He took a walk back, he’d done his bit. He felt something pass overhead, the little star girl Solaris floated off down the rows of tombstones. She was probably gonna lay a flower at each one, girl was sweeter than sweetener and had a bigger heart than something big. Alexander didn’t much buy the whole celebrity untouchability of the extended Solar group, but Solaris seemed to have her head square on her shoulders.

He supposed there was good reason for that. He nudged past photographers, Annie from The Sentinel being one, he just gave her a look and she took a photo of him and then went back to taking photos of everyone else. Supposed it did well to be here, did better to be seen here. He’d walk back to town, get in a fight with a bunch of minions, drink a bar, get in another fight, go to work and take out his hangover on everyone that worked for him. Then god willing he’d find time to take a piss.

The suit hurt, oh god it hurt. Daphne Deluca was in a suit custom made for someone else down to the inch. The arms were too wide, the chest too small, the legs….were alright. But moving took a lot more effort than she’d care to admit. Oh god why did she do this? Right, because she and Akira had deep history she couldn’t really ignore. Plus he did take on an aspect of the family business for her that, had she done it, would have put her and their son in constant danger. It didn’t help that she also still loved the man in a weird way. Not like she did Dirk, but there would always be something there for the father of her child. That was probably normal.

‘Incoming call...’ Flashed in front of her face.

“Hello?” Came a sick sounding voice. It was that one guy, Akira’s student. The one she’d met in the apartment that had a woman shot dead on his couch after she left.

“Antonio, right?” Daphne said as gently as she could without wheezing. “Don’t worry. I’m just in the suit for the appearance. You’re going to get it back.” There was a long pause, he probably had no idea who she was and was trying to place her. She’d been told by Akira after she asked him why his understudy wasn’t going to stand here, that he’d had his nanites removed for some sort of repairs. She’d never had the things herself, but she’d heard plenty about how debilitating it was to not have them once you were used to them being there.

“Ok.” He finally said and sounded very meek. “I’ll...let you go.”

“How are you?” She asked, finding herself genuinely concerned the curious about the man Akira felt could actually be Deep Shadow. Especially after he’d gone through so many people to before picking him. “Making sure you stay hydrated?”

“Um.” Came the soft reply.

“How about I fetch you some medicine when I return your suit?” Daphne offered.

Antonio couldn’t figure out why this stranger was being so nice to him. Or if the stranger was actually real. It could turn out to be his mother or something when she returned the suit.

“Okay.” He told her and hung up. It was rude, yes, but he couldn’t handle any more mind fuckery tonight. He opened up the TV on his phone and tuned it into Scooby Doo, he fucking loved Scooby Doo. Scooby Doo would never fucking hurt him.


A figure passed by Deep Shadow inclining their head just a bit, Daphne returned the gesture though it took some effort. She had no idea who it was, someone made of metal with a face full of holes. She had to admit that while this was a solemn sort of occasion, a deadly and terrible thing, a lot of people here looked frankly ludicrous. She had no idea who half of them were.

Still. Stand here for a bit or at least until Akira felt bored hiding and they’d leave. He was here somewhere, he wouldn’t miss today. He couldn’t miss today. He’d just not want to be shown incase a ghost saw him. A real one or one he imagined to exist, who could say? He was somewhere, watching everything and everyone. As was his wont. She’d leave him that.


“I think it looks nice, honest.” Felicity said to the stone statue. “Really, great, fucking no expense spared.” She took a drag from a cigarette, “Shame you’re not a real bloody person isn’t it?” She asked the lonely little girl on top of the memorial. A young thing in a little skirt, with a tiny cape and a lovely head of hair down to her back. She looked to be in midflight, eyes brimming with wonder. Which was easily accomplished as both her eyes were diamonds, shoved into the rock.

“I like the eyes.” She said. A flower landed at her feet and she covered her eyes to look up. Her sister was circling her way down, which always made Felicity think of a dog about to take a nap. She was taking a bit of a risk being seen next to her in her hero get-up, but Felicity smiled anyway and prepared for a very formal greeting from Solaris.

“Hello, citizen.” She said once she’d landed, her hands rested on her slightly cocked hips. “The ceremony will be over soon. You’ll need to move on before you’re ushered out. I’m sure you have a loved one waiting to see you at home.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Felicity gave Solaris a bit of a salute. “I’m expecting them in an hour.”

“I’m sure they’ll be on time.” She nodded firmly and took to the sky again. Felicity watched her go and turned to face the grave, the big diamond eyes looked out at her. She looked at the flower now resting neatly on the rock, the grave was well kept and looked like it was visited more or less religiously.

Felicity got down low and peeked at the name.



“Bollocks.” She said simply and walked away. “Blonde hair shines brighter than that mess.” She ran a hand through her hair and marched off, back to her car and back to her city. She’d dinner for two to get started on after all.