Payback Is a B-!

The Declan Residence
Washington DC.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Shortly after dawn

Hank's little brother, Jay Declan, is yelling at Leanne. All those girl clothes scattered on his bed and floor, well, after calling the MPs on Hank, he deserves some payback.

A tingle ran through his head, and he saw a small bush covered in purple flowers seemingly grow out of the floor in the corner of his room. The ever-present scent of flowers increased.

Oh god, the girl in the images at the start of the story, is the one with flowers on her, the former Jay who has become a girl since manifesting? That would be priceless; the perfect payback for the little brat on how he treated Hannah when she was becoming male and Hank.

Ouch! Never run when a mess is around you; you always end up hurt. Leanne is doing what Hank secretly wants to, but would get in trouble for doing to Jay. A broken nose from hitting his face on the floor, yikes. Okay, manifesting is either speeding up his healing a lot or he has regeneration.

He hated crying, but everything was working against him, and it felt like he was crying every single day now at some new humiliation. Scrubbing his eyes, he unwillingly went to the full length mirror, hating everything he saw. He wasn't supposed to look like this. He wasn't supposed to be dressed like this. He wasn't supposed to feel like this.

Ouch, now I'm starting to feel sorry for the little brat.

The big blue eyes, the freckles, the shaggy caramel blonde hair his mother had insisted couldn't be shaved or even cut short, only trimmed into something the hairdresser called a pixie cut, the stupid girlish face with chubby red cheeks, a tiny chin, and big red lips, she shouldn't be there.

Started to turn into a girl at the start of December, just how quickly did she change? Okay, that next paragraph drained any pity I have for Jay. Little brat always wanted to be an only child, even though he is the younger one, from the sound of it. Jay, you are an idiot who knows nothing about mutants. Hank didn't infect you; you just manifested over the summer, and by late September, it was obvious you were turning into a girl.

Calla, cute name.

That was something else that had changed; once his body looked completely like a girl, his mother had started treating him like one. Instead of knocking and waiting to make sure he was dressed, she seemed to think it didn't matter if he was naked or in his underwear.

Ugh, it doesn't matter if it is a father with his son or a mother with their daughter, you need to respect their privacy and bedroom.

Oh, so that is what Leanne did. Calla said she didn't want to go to Whateley, so she unpacked her clothes to give the new girl an excuse. Too bad that never works. She is being sent to Whateley to learn how to control her powers. I hope Whateley can handle Calla and her attitude. An A cup, and Calla thinks it is huge. Wait until she is at Whateley and sees some of the other girls. Hhm, they should have her tested to see if she has a wool allergy with how she is reacting to those tights. Cute outfit, poor kid is going to have to adapt just like Hannah did when becoming Hank.

Not even some old T-shirts to keep; dang, mom wasted no time in forcing Jay into becoming Calla, her new daughter to replace Hannah since she became Hank. No jeans, plain shirts, or hoodies; Calla is in girl boot camp, nightmare mode! Got sick and changed faster, so going to Whateley mid-year instead of in the Fall. Oh boy, I pity any boys who try to hit on her. If she can manifest any plants based on the small brush cover in purple flowers that grew out of the floor, imagine anything poisonous she could manifest.

“Really? What happens when you make flowers erupt from the floor? Or appear out of thin air? How will you explain that?”

Guiltily, he avoided looking at the corner of his room where the small bush still innocently sat. It would vanish in a few hours without any trace, but for now it was healthy and giving off a rose-like smell - the same smell that he gave off naturally and got worse whenever he sweated.

Manifested plants that last a few hours and give a rose-like smell, interesting powers so far. And with that being Calla's natural smell, she won't have to mess with perfumes. No loss of strength or endurance, more flexible, and better reflexes. So probably an Exemplar 1, 2 at best. Hank has gotten bigger and taller. Just how tall is he now?

Calla, Hank is smirking over this because of how you treated him when he manifested, including sending MPs and a tank after him! But he is a good guy, I doubt he will make your life hell at Whateley; the guys and some of the girls hitting on you will be more than enough. Jay, you have to get used to your new name and the fact that you can't change back. The clothes, though, your mom shouldn't have thrown you into the deep end of being a girl so soon.

Jay, this is how Hank is with all girls who haven't made themselves enemies of him or his friends. Ugh, making Jay's things covered in flower patterns when possible because of their [until he calls himself Calla in his mind, I will keep to neutral pronouns for Jay] powers is ridiculous. Nothing will ever be good again, oh, Jay, never think that way.

Berlin, New Hampshire,
Berlin Airport,
Early afternoon

Aww, Jay, not everyone is as intimidating as their appearance makes them.

“Are you going to be as much trouble as your brother was last year?” the guy asked.

“No. I'm better than he is,” Jay said. He knew Hank would do something to hurt him, probably by saying he should be a boy instead of a girl, but he was ready to fight if he had to.

Jay, with that attitude, you will be getting into trouble faster than Hank ever did. Adam, aka Stormwolf, introduces himself to Jay, and Adam is treating you like that because he is an Exemplar 7.

Oh boy, don't call Leanne a brownie out loud, Jay. Jay, your mother needs to realize her ideas of a 'proper lady' are outdated, and you can wear whatever you want. Jay, meet Pippa, someone you will want as a friend, and definitely not as an enemy. I'm with you, Jay. I made out some of what Pippa said, but the rest I can't understand; different country, different slang for things. Finally, get Pippa to speak in a way we can understand.

Tell each other about their powers, a Mutt-L-E 6 made with workshop tools and available materials, oh boy. Readies is slang for money in Britain; no wonder you need a translation book or app to understand all the local slang. Jay's assessment of what Pippa is like is spot on. Both of them are the Junior High class, and ouch, I think I got what nonces mean, but the rest threw me.

Jay couldn't help but smile at the loud and proud girl. He might not understand half of what she said, but she seemed cool. “Sure, Pippa. Us new kids need to stick together.”

These two together, my "Danger, Will Robinson, danger" alarm is going off. I just hope Jay doesn't convince Pippa that Hank intentionally harmed her.

Gloves with inbuilt heaters, I wish I had those when I lived in Germany for 3 years. Pippa, Jay didn't act scared from bad words because you were using British slang for things, and they didn't know what you were saying. Aww, reminded her of Lily, and Pippa doesn't want to look sad or upset about it. Oh, great, because of Jay's reaction to Hank, now Pippa thinks Hank did something bad to Jay.

Hank doesn't look down on others, just his obnoxious little sibling.

“What'd I tell ya, you watch me back, I watch yours. I might not look like much, but they don't call me the Dastardly Daughter for nothing,” she made sure to snigger just like Dick Dastardly from the old cartoon she enjoyed. She had to keep up appearances after all.

Oh, that laugh is going to get Pippa some attention, whether she wants it or not. Imp, when she hears it, will drag Pippa into a chat about Wacky Races, given a chance.

Blossom was already taken, so Jay's codename is Fern. They got off easy. Aww, Pippa likes the smell of Fern's flowers.

“Dosh, cash. I'm gonna 'ave to talk like a journo on the telly, ain't I?”

Calla reluctantly nodded. “Yeah, if you want to be understood, you'll have to not use so much slang. I think I'm catching most of what you're saying, but I'm honestly guessing a lot.”

So many slang terms for cash. She snuck a device through airport security by disassembling it, clever girl.

a mostly non-lethal spring gun that looked like jewellery

Oh, she is going to have fun on the ranges with that.

“Little toy I made, but 'ad to hide from the bizzies at the airport. It shoots the ball bearings when I want, and it really stings.” She didn't say that that was its weakest setting. It could also leave a hole in a blert that'd need stitching up, break bones, or shatter a skull if she needed to deal with a nonce.

And this is one of the reasons I consider her one of the most dangerous Junior High students, if not in the top 20 most dangerous students on campus.

Bizzies mean police, yobs is a guy who is being an idiot, and cob on means angry; I would love to learn the origins of this slang. Down to her spring gun and zap gloves, at least she has the workshop. Gah! Why did you have to suggest Jay do that with her power?

“Ya should, lass. Get a wanker an' put a flower in his mouth and throat, an' he's gonna be too busy to bother ya. Can ya make thorns?”

“I don't know, I never tried. It's just so useless, what's the point?"

"Nothing is useless, specially if ya put a thorn bush 'tween someones legs. Just gotta be tricky 'bout it." Grinning, she thought of other ways to use the flowers. “How 'bout wrapping someone up in one o' your bushes? Make it really tight to so they can't move.”

Jay, you have a highly versatile power and I would be afraid of you if you learned how to truly wield it. And Pippa is giving you ideas on how to do that!

Some members of the MCO are good guys; besides, human trafficking and sex trafficking, I think even some of the worst members of the MCO would want to put a stop to that. Pippa, after what they did to Lily, tried to do to you, and have done to other girls, they deserved everything you did. Too angry to be scared, Pippa, that is going to get you into trouble you can't get out of on your own someday. Oh no, Pippa has learned about BMA, sim training, and superpowered teams. We have gone to Defcon 3 of potential trouble.

Whateley
Headmistress Carson's Office

Why were Hank and Jay called to Mrs. Carson's office? Ah, ask if there will be any problems if they are both placed in Poe.

Hank was the one always causing problems, not him.

Jay needs help to deal with these delusions of Hank persecuting them. Ack! Hank is stuck giving Jay the tour of the school and telling her the rules; please don't let this backfire on Mrs. Carson. Jay, always tell the truth about how you feel when Mrs. Carson asks.

“I had asked both of you to tell me the truth,” Carson said, sounding disappointed. “Lancer I had thought better of you. Fern, in this office truth is the best policy, remember that. Clearly the feud between you is going to be a problem. Having you in the same cottage might help you overcome it, but it will just as likely make it worse. To avoid that problem, Fern you will be in a junior high room in Dickinson cottage. That will give you both the space you seem to need.”

Please say that isn't the same cottage that Pippa has been placed in. A magical oath to not tell about each other being a changeling, good, one major issue taken care of. Please be civil with each other. And Jay, don't lie to Pippa about what Hank has done and get her targeting him. I wonder who will be giving the meeting for the new students this year. Jay, your irrational jealousy of Hank is going to cause you trouble.

Crystal Hall
Early Evening

Some of the new students are eating an early dinner together. Ewe and Pippa are chatting up a storm, and Chain Mail seems shy and quiet. Kaylie, aka Haze, is sitting across from Jay.

The rest of their little group had skipped supper to get some sleep after long trips or to set up their rooms.

I wonder who the other new students are. Kaylie, aka Haze, yay! Alyss 'cousin' is finally at Whateley. Jay, how dare you say that when you have Hank at Whateley with you. Jay, none of what Hank said about Whateley was exaggerated.

Oh, Jay, if you join the JROTC, you will be seeing a lot more of Hank and encountering people who won't take your badmouthing him well. Jay, there is no supposedly. More than a few Whateley students have been involved in taking down criminals and supervillains. Neither of the girls you think are cute or beautiful will give you a chance once they get to know the real you, Jay. Oh crud, did Ewe tell Pippa about what happened with her and her baby? Yeah, best to let Pippa cool down before chatting with her again. What! Jay considers his mom's food better than Whateley's food. They either love their mother that much, or, I'm hoping I'm wrong, we have an Oedipus complex going on.

Mary Sheppard, aka Ewe, came before Christmas to get settled in, aww. Ack! More slang! She can understand Pippa, okay, so we have a group starting to form. *head is starting to spin* I can't follow what they are saying. Pippa expected car chases and gun fights on the way to Whateley; she needs to read up on the U.S.A. instead of believing what she sees in movies and TV shows. Aww, the thought of needing cash to get Rae a proper memorial monument. Mary's spirit needs to learn that feeling sad and guilty won't change what happened.

The story of how an asshole older guy who got her pregnant and ran off 3 days after he slept with Mary. No wonder Pippa was angry. Her parents were horrible, and I forgot she lost Rae when she manifested while in labor. I wish her parents could have gotten caught plotting to murder Mary after she manifested.

“Well, if any blerts or yobs bother ya, let me know,” Pippa proudly proclaimed. “I protect me mates and I’ll teach them wankers what happens when they mess with the Dastardly Daughter.”

If her parents dare to try and come to Whateley for Mary, I don't think they will leave alive if Pippa finds them first. Oh boy, what happened with Calla to set her powers off to such a degree and has her embarrassed?

Jay strikes up a conversation with the quiet boy. Chain Mail's real name is Peter Key, and he lived on the streets of L.A. before coming to Whateley. I wonder how he ended up on the streets. Jay chatting with Peter has them realizing there are a lot of things they take for granted. Picked up off the streets by the Hollywood All-Stars, what happened with his parents that he was on the streets in the first place?

“Uh, just some three-in-one shampoo,” Jay admitted, wondering how the conversation had turned to his hair.

That got a real reaction from the massive boy, a very unexpected look of sheer horror. “Oh no, girl! That's why you have so many split ends. That pixie cut works great for you, framing your face, the bangs making you look a little shy, it's perfect. But if you don't care for your hair, it won't care for you. In a month or two, it'll look dead and it will be constantly tangled.”

Oh no, this kind of conversation will definitely set off Jay. Hair care advice and Chain Mail seems happy. He began to talk about skin care, but a familiar and annoying voice rang out. It's Hank, isn't it?

“And on Christmas Eve when the big meany, Healthy Living Machine was holding Santa hostage, we were about to get it to surrender him and hand over all the elves, and kids when a little girl offered it a doughnut. That kind of spoiled everything as HLM went on a rampage over sugary foods,” Jade was saying loudly enough for everyone to hear her annoying voice.

Oh, I forgot Jay met Jade on last year's Parents Day, didn't they?

Oh god, Jade said that about Calla. No wonder Jay lost control over their power.

"Um...” Chain Mail said, “do you want me to get rid of the bushes. I can rip em up pretty easily.”

“No,” Jay muttered, his voice muffled as he hid his head, “just leave them there so I can die in peace.”

Jay, trust me, other students have embarrassed themselves as badly, if not worse, than this over the years.

Jade called Jay that, and said they became so cute.

“She's still the same brat,” Lancer said, shoving his burger into his mouth, while grumbling in disgust.

The smile that came to the tiny girl's face would have made any bully she'd tangled with in the past, run in terror. “Really now. And she's here at Whateley where so many accidents can happen.”

“Jade,” Hank warned. “If she ignores me, I'm going to ignore her.”

“Aw, just a few small pranks. She's such a mean doo-doo brain, who is always mean to you.” Jade gave him her best puppy dog eyes.

Sighing again, Hank asked, “If I tell you not to, you'll do it anyways, right?”

Looking away, she muttered, “Maybe.”

Oh no, Jade, you don't want to do this with Pippa as Jay's friend. At least Hank curtails the worst of it. I hope this just becomes a prank war and nothing worse.

Dickinson,
Lights Out

Seesh, Jay, get the stick out of your butt and learn to be a kid again. Pippa is her roommate, and they are the Odd Couple in how their sides of the room are. Ugh, an expensive makeup kit for her 13-year-old son-turned-daughter; Jay's mother needs a serious talking to about boundaries and getting into the 21st century. Oh, so the makeup kit was Hank's Christmas gift to Jay; passive-aggressive gifts to mess with each other, their parents should have gotten these two into counseling years ago.

"Hate it. My mom made me learn the basics, and as soon as we were done I washed it all off."

"Do ya mind if I use it sometimes? Won't use much, just sometimes when I want ta put some slap on and fancy meself up." The girl paused, seeing his confusion. "Put some makeup on."

Let Pippa use the makeup, shoot, share it with the other girls in the cottage and it will be gone before the school year is out and you can tell your parents the truth; that you shared it with friends. Pippa is a good friend to Jay. I hope she can help Jay drop the issues they have with Hank.

Oh boy, that reaction; Jay is still attracted to girls. Pippa still has a scar on her stomach from the knife attack, interesting.

The junior high rooms were on the first floor, at the far corner of Dickinson so they had privacy away from the front door. There were just three rooms, a good size bathroom that five girls could use at once, and a shower that could hold two people at a time. It was clear they didn't expect many junior high students.

Yeah, it is rarer to have that many junior high students at once for each cottage than it is to have a lot of Changelings at once. Jay isn't a full physical girl; does that mean Jay is still changing?

That thought made him grateful about something, at least he wouldn't have to worry about getting a period for at least another year.

Yup, still changing. Pippa's way of sleeping reminds me of how my brother slept.

“Well here I am,” he said quietly. “At the freak school with my brother. I don't know how it can get worse, but I'm sure it will.”

Jay, you are going to make a lot of enemies if you don't drop that attitude, and fast.

Schuster
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Morning

Ouch, being bumped into by people in a rush in hallways of a school, I don't miss that. 5 minutes early, and she has Mrs. Hawkin as her student advisor, I wonder what she is like. Pippa, don't automatically assume someone will be snarky and angry with you. Sit up properly, she is 13 and short, she needs to angle herself to see over the desk. Show some respect; respect is earned, not given.

Remedial English, I don't like Mrs. Hawkin's attitude right now. She is speaking British English, you arrogant U.S. American, and I say that as a U.S. American.

Mrs. Hawkins stood up as well, glaring down at her as if she was intimidating. “You will sit down this instant and keep your voice down, child!”

An adult who automatically thinks children should show adults respect, and do what they say; I can't stand her type, especially in any position where they work at a school.

Art Class

Carson is there about Pippa, she thinks Imp will like her. A rather thick folder, oh boy, they know what she really did, don't they?

Raising an eyebrow, Imp flipped open the folder and immediately broke into a grin when she saw the picture of a young girl who seemed be cosplaying as a gender bent Dick Dastardly. “Dastardly Daughter? She's got good taste. What's she in trouble for, putting up a detour sign in the teacher's parking lot, hoping she'll win the race?”

Oh boy, so that was just the start of Pippa's rant we saw; the girl has a mouth that would make sailors blush.

“She needs an advisor. She has a knee jerk disdain for authority figures. Police and MCO, she'll listen to up to a point, since she's smart enough to want to avoid a prison cell. But teachers and anyone who can't arrest her, are seen, and treated as enemies until proven otherwise. Looking at her paperwork, most teachers seem to have dealt with her in the past by ignoring her, since she mostly stayed quiet in class, when she showed up, and did just enough to pass.”

Imp, from this description, you are the only one who can be her student advisor. Plus, she sounds like your daughter from another mother. Oh boy, the police report, and it covers what she did to the grooming gang. Oh, good, someone else to put the stuff into the system.

“How am I suppose to top the name Dastardly Daughter? It's almost as good as my own name.”

You can't beat the classic cartoons for inspiration.

Over an hour stuck in an office alone with her thoughts, eep. Saying that line to Pippa, I can't believe you went with the old "Devil's deal" bit, Imp. Straight to Junior High English, Imp knows how to talk to troubled kids. The Yob, now there is a British supervillain name if I've ever heard one. Good batch of classes for a half-year of junior high at Whateley.

“That I cannot do, despite all my Impish awesomeness. Junior high kids can only take survival, but knowing how to avoid problems, hide, and run away is important. It lets you come back later and get revenge. I sometimes teach that class, and I used skills that they teach to survive for decades as a supervillain. So, we'll make a note to have you in survival in the spring term, and next year you can take Basic Martial Arts. Then you'll know how to run away to kick butt another day, best of both worlds.”

Learning to run and regroup so you have an advantage in a fight instead of sticking it out in a rough situation would help a lot of students. Art class with Imp in the spring, every workshop student should take it. Imp is the perfect advisor for Pippa, she knows some of where the girl is coming from and even knows some British slang. I wish every student could have a teacher they could connect to like this.

Powers Testing Lab
Mid-morning

A bush 8 feet tall and 10 feet in diameter, pretty big bush, Jay might be a lot stronger than they think. Dr. Jean-Michael Aranis is doing the testing, and boy, is he pushing Jay to test their limits.

Once the tingling sensation left, he saw a patch of thickly entwined wild roses that formed a messy hedge eight feet long, maybe three or four feet wide, and four feet high.

Jay, your power is stronger than you think, plus you have a versatile power. That makes it a lot more useful and potent, once you learn how to use it, than you realize. Your attitude towards your power and towards Hannah will hold you back.

A moment later he looked and saw a large thorn covered hedge covered in his flowers, it was bigger than the rosebush he had just made, a quick look and he guessed it was about the same volume as his largest flower bush.

“Hm. As expected, your manifestation has an easier time creating it's unique flowers,” Dr. Aranis said. “Manifest a climbing hydrangea with your flowers in place of its own, you can use your first manifestation for support.”

I wonder what they will call Jay's unique flowers. Those vines wrapping around each other show that your power isn't weak. And you forgot all of Pippa's suggestions.

Ouch, the regen test; 30 seconds to heal all of them, a low regenerator 3.

“Your previous power testing in October didn't list any regeneration, and had you as likely to become an exemplar 3, maybe even a 4. Now you're an exemplar 2. You had a severe case of meningitis in November, correct?”

Shit! No wonder Jay changed so fast, and he seems weaker than expected. Jay's Exemplar trait was stunted because of it, rare, but it happens, ouch. Great, instead of being glad to be alive and having regen, Jay is jealous of Hank and thinks it isn't fair once again.

Jeans and a little blue shirt, Mom will find out of Hank does, unless Hank is feeling nice. Ah, stuff for JROTC. Mule wants to talk to Jay.

“I'm Mule, head of the Grunts and Cadet Captain of the Whateley JROTC. Your father sent a message saying you're going to join us, and he'd like us to give you a chance with the Grunts, the JROTC training team.”

Oh boy, Jay, don't reject this training team just because Hank is on it. Range 6 to have a chat, good spot.

“Lancer barely talks about you, and when he does, there's no love there. Seeing you yesterday with him, I noticed it seemed to be mutual. Can I ask what it's about?” Mule said it casually, seemingly not judging Jay on it, just curious.

Trying not scowl, Jay took a moment to think about what to say. “Sibling rivalry that got out of control. If you want to know more, you'll have to talk to H- Lancer.”

The sibling rivalry is more on your side than on Hank's, Jay.

“I can. But I'm not sure if he can.” Jay winced as the words slipped out.

Jay, you always lay the blame on Hank and never take responsibility for your own actions or words. Keep the drama at home; you have already brought it here with how you didn't tell Pippa why you don't like Hank. Seesh, always wanting to prove themself against Hank, Jay needs counseling, past tense.

Whateley grounds
Early Afternoon

A winter wonderland that was Whateley, now say that three times fast. Yes, some states get very cold in the winter. Maybe come up with a heater for your jacket, that would be a good idea. Pippa is on her way to powers testing. Ah, this is before any entrance from Dickinson to the tunnels was made. Someone is bullying Ewe and trying to get the baby bottle with Rae's ashes from her! Boy, even I got the gist of those insults Pippa threw at that boy; if he understood them, he would be furious.

Shock glove charged and ready. Oh, it is Buster. That asshole needs to get expelled already. Rushing to grab her, Buster is going to regret this. Pippa got a small shock, but man, did Buster get blasted and can't move because of the electrical shock. Good, Ewe, and Rae are okay; Buster needs to learn to stop bullying others. Aww, no show of her powers testing.

Crystal Hall
Suppertime

Who did Jay get as her student advisor? Ouch, some of the last people for supper due to Pippa just getting out of powers testing.

He'd only decided to eat an actual supper because Pippa had sent a message telling him to come eat or she'd drag him to Crystal Hall by his ear.

Good, Jay has a friend who will keep them alive.

“Found out something interesting about me powers. They can't decide if I'm a 1 or 2 exemplar. The eggheads said I'm right on the edge, a wee bit better at endurance an' shite, but I'm never gonna be a tough lass. Bit devo'd, about that, some muscle would be nice, but it's good being able to handle some bevvy without passing out easy.”'

Who knows, power testing isn't always completely accurate; sometimes you need more testing in the future to get a more accurate assessment.

“An' they found how me devising makes reality go in a tizzy. Something about getting more energy outta things than it should. So springs being ten times as good, wee little batteries powering a big motor, that kind a thing. Sounds right to me, when you're small like me, ya gotta have twice as much energy, twice as much brains, and twice as much guts as everyone else,” she said, sounding quite proud of herself.

Interesting form of devisor trait.

“Exemplar 2, regeneration 3, manifestor 3.”

“OK, you're stronger than me. Ya said you're in the Cadets, so ya know 'ow ta fight, right?”

Jay, that is better than most of the Underdogs and some of the other students as well. Stop comparing yourself to Hank, Jay! Pippa, what do you mean by that?

Dickinson Basement
Evening.

Okay, which girl is using a fake knife to repeatedly kill a dummy?

“Ya got bad blood with your brother. I don't know why, it don't matter. Ya need to learn that shite like size and strength only matter for figuring out 'ow ya take down the wanker. I'm guessing you're brother is a lot tougher than ya. But you're tougher than me, and I don't 'ave me toys to play with. So I wantcha to see 'ow I don't go down easy.” Putting her fists up, she grinned.

Watch it, Jay, she is a scrapper. Fast, and brutal, never fight fair in a real fight. Gah! They both fight brutally, but that bite. Pippa, save that for a real fight; human bites can easily get infected.

“OK! I think that's enough, you're both about to turn what looked like a friendly spar into a cage match.” The plain Jane lass who had been disembowelling a dummy with a fake knife stepped between them with her hands raised.

“That was a little rougher than I thought it would be,” Calla said, rubbing the spot where she'd been bit.

Still grinning, but also blushing a little, Dastardly rubbed her bruised cheek. “Sorry, wanted ya to get angry, stead a down in the dumps. It was working.”

“I thought girls hugged things out,” Calla said, sounding a bit whingey.

“Hugs are for Nancy boys,” she replied, still grinning.

Bwahaha, Pippa will never be a 'normal' girl. Jay, Pippa won't attack you for no reason, but a taser is a good idea. Plain Jane, I should have known the girl with the knife was Jane, aka Just Me.

“I saw, you have the basics, but you're too slow, and you leave your left side open too much." Jane turned to Dastardly. "And Dastardly, you're a brawler. You can take a punch, but that will eventually get you killed, especially with your size. Would you both like some help?”

“Hey! I've been in scraps before and came out OK!” Dastardly said, feeling insulted by the know-it-all.

“I can tell. I like the part about cheating, you're right that fighting fair gets you killed. But you still need to learn to dodge. Come at me.”

Pippa, take her up on the offer and learn from Jane. I saw Pippa being flat on her back the moment she tried. Good, fighting lessons from Jane for Pippa and Jay. Jay, lying to Jane about what happened between you and Hank, and what you did shortly after he manifested, will bite you in the butt later.

“Well,” Jane finally said,” that's interesting, at least he's the weakest person in Team Kimba. He's a PK superman and a tough exemplar. If it was one or the other it would be easier, but if you fight smart and have tricks you can take him.”

Heh, she has seen what Jade can do. Hot water with security for taking out a PK brick before Christmas; who was it she took out, trying to remember, but just can't seem to. Never mind, I remember that fight in the Crystal Hall, that idiot was asking for it.

“Pepper spray? He's a brick!”

Jane nodded. “And his eyes are a big weak spot, you blind him and run like hell to security. Unless you're ready to kill or maim him, survival is the important thing. I'll give you a number for a gadgeteer called Incognito. Send him a message tonight or tomorrow saying I want him to introduce you to Alchemical. He makes a really good set of self-defense sprays, I'm pretty sure he's selling them now.”

Oh boy, Jay had better not twist things in their mind to say it was self-defense when he is the one who attacks Hank. Jane is going to help Jay see what their powers can do, uh oh.

Jay, if you think everyone who wants to help you has to have some catch involved, you are never going to trust anyone.

Oh no, not Geist, she likes to spin things in the worst way and leave out details. She has nothing to do with what her father did, Geist, as far as you know, the sins of the father don't fall upon their children. And you left out the opponent she had was Coiunterpoint, who was trying to kill her and wouldn't stop until she nearly killed him; he kept getting back up and coming after her. Geist, you sicken me, trying to make Jane out to be the villain when she fought for her life in that match and would have died if she didn't do all that.

“I'm Geist, I'm with the Intelligence Cadet Corp, we keep track of the really bad students on campus and make sure they don't commit crimes. She's one of the worst.”

One, that is not what you do, and two, your intel on people tends to paint them as villains because it is incomplete or highly biased.

“I'm not afraid of you. I'm going to catch you in one of your crimes, or find proof of your murders, and get you arrested.”

Weren't the Spy Kids warned about doing this kind of stuff by Imp when she was made staff advisor for their club? Geist has been following Mischief around, good grief, she needs serious help.

“I'm the new Survival TA. They asked me to show them what I can do, and liked my demonstration. It's more interesting than mopping the cottage, so I signed the papers before supper.” Jane looked up at Geist and gave a truly evil smile. “I'm going to make sure you get really good at running and surviving.”

The annoying girl turned pale. “You're the TA? Are they crazy?!”

“Don't worry, I won't use any real weapons on you outside of the sims.” Somehow Jane's smile became even nastier. “I had to promise to avoid annoying Doyle too often.”

Oh boy, that took the wind out of Geist's sail.

“Yes. My father was a monster, who taught me everything he could before he was killed and I went into hiding. In the combat finals, I was placed with the wrong opponent. He tried to kill me, so I had to seriously fight back. I almost killed him, but I mostly held back. If I'd wanted him dead, he would be. Instead I gave him a warning to leave me alone. Afterwards he was expelled and is now in a prison cell charged with aggravated assault. It would have been attempted murder but they want to keep the spotlight off of me, so they went with a lesser charge that was easier to prove, and doesn't require me to say anything.”

Good, that psycho Counterpoint needed to be removed from Whateley before he killed someone.

“Not really. I don't have to be looking to make them as long as I know where I want them, and sometimes they appear behind me if I get startled or annoyed.”

“OK, try this, make a flower appear in the box.”

Looking at the box, Jay tried to picture a flower appearing in the dark space. His mind tingled and he broke into a smile. “I think it worked.”

Opening the box, Jane pulled out a small flower. “Good work. If you manifest a flower or two in someones mouth or clothes, it will definitely distract them. If you can make some thorny flowers, putting them into a person's pants and shirt will really cause them problems unless they're a brick. Practice manifesting flowers in smaller and smaller bags and boxes when you have the time.”

This expands on the ideas that Pippa was giving Jay earlier; I said Jay's power was versatile and dangerous once they learned how to use it. Ouch, at least it is a weak solution and won't affect Jay for long.

Dickinson
Lights Out

Ouch, 12 times in the eyes, being a higher-level Exemplar doesn't beat the experience that Pippa has. Yeah, you stand no chance against Jane.

The freshman kept telling them that surprise and paying attention were the most important parts of surviving against a stronger opponent or multiple ones. And Jane had proved it by managing to avoid every attempt by him and Pippa to get the 'pepper spray' even close to her face, even when they worked together.

At least you are learning from an expert. Jay, more than a few men use self-defense sprays, especially when faced with a much stronger opponent. Even Batman has used it.

But Jane used it, and she'd explained how it was the easiest way to slow down bricks without having to carry around explosives, dangerous chemicals, or lethal weapons. The way she had casually mentioned acid, gasoline, and phosphorus grenades as examples of permanently dealing with most bricks, as if they were something you would normally keep in your pocket, was kind of disturbing.

You don't want to know why Jane knows these things, Jay. Mass and size can make a huge difference in a fight; enough skill can potentially overcome it, but it is best not to risk it unless given no alternative.

Pippa, when you fight, you fight to win. Never spar again unless your friend is in protective gear.

“Pippa, how come you aren't afraid being so small and weak?” he asked.

“Being afraid don't help none,” the girl replied matter of factly. “Sure I may get hurt by some yob or nonce. But it gives me a reason to come back harder and nastier, so they can't do it again. Ya put me down, it just makes me angry. An' I don't fight fair.”

And this is one reason I consider her one of the most dangerous devisors at Whateley. Please, no burning down any of the dorms on campus for what one or more idiots do. Freaked out and gotten the army chasing after him for a week, you called them on Hank! Said a dangerous mutant had broken into your home while your parents were gone, if I recall correctly.

Pippa, while that is good advice, giving it to Jay about Hank is going to end badly.

He wasn't Jay anymore, and never would be.

Silently he thought to himself, 'I'm Calla, I'm a girl.'

Turning to look at Pippa, Calla said, “Thanks. That actually helps a lot.”

“Happy ta help,” her roommate said, smiling up at her.

Finally! I was wondering how long it would take Calla to accept who she is now and that she would never be Jay again.

This story hit a lot of emotions. Jay changed in ways he didn't want, not accepting them, blaming Hank like he always does, his parents trying to force the matter instead of letting Jay adjust to being a girl and to a new name in his own time. If he weren't such a brat to Hank, always blaming him for things, he would get more sympathy from me. But those thoughts near the end, thinking that Hank freaked out and was on the run from the army for a week, were all Hank's fault, make me wish Jay/Calla would learn to accept her part in that mess.

Pippa is the perfect friend for Jay/Calla, someone no-nonsense who will stick up for her friends no matter what, but also make them take care of themselves and convince them in her own way that they need to take action or change when needed. Sparring with her sure worked for a while; I'm glad Jane intervened and is now training those two. Plus, Pippa is a friend Ewe needs, someone who won't judge and will just be there when needed.

Hank is still upset with Jay/Calla, and with good reason. But I doubt he will do anything to his sibling unless Jay/Calla starts it first. He even warned Jade not to go too far with her pranks. Now, if only someone could get them to truly talk about their issues and work things out.

Jay/Calla's power ratings are a lot better than she realizes. Plus her plant manifesting power, imagine if she can do all the things Pippa and Jane have suggested to her. If she can manifest different flowers and plants, I wonder if she can manifest things like poison ivy, oak, or sumac. Or if she can figure out how, even pollen from different types of flowers and other plants. It is scary the potential her power might have, and yet she thinks it is weak.

I can't wait to read more with Pippa and Calla in the future, and everyone else.