Imagine living in a world with superheroes. Imagine being a powerless human, knowing at anypoint one of these immensely powerful beings could completely change your life. You don’t even have the security of living somewhere under the ‘fake villain’s’ domain. Actually, at the moment, it’s years before Intelegant made her appearance.
You know who you are, but right now you’re not you. Right now you're someone that lives in this super world. You’re someone who’s been late to school because a supervillain blocked the road you usually take. As of right now, you’re Avery Brown, and you’re stuck in the center of everything.
Before now, Avery was bland and boring, but with you to spark them, their life is about to get a lot more interesting. Take the day when they met Jackie as an example. It’s the first time you and Avery are together and because you’re there, so’s a kid version of Intelegant.
Avery’s mother left you in the park so she could have coffee with her friends at a shop. The coffee shop is directly beside the playground and the two are sitting outside, where you can see them, so you don’t feel worried about them leaving.
At first you didn’t notice the other child playing on the swings, but once you did you were shocked. She looks different. Her hair is white and her skin extremely pale. Those things alone didn’t make her too strange, what really stood out about her was her eyes; they’re a milky pink.
You walked up to her and said hi. Part of you thought she was the tooth fairy, but you didn’t say that, you just said hi.
She didn’t respond. She didn’t even look at you. She kept swinging like you weren't there. You wanted her to stop. You wanted her to acknowledge you. You yelled that she was mean, but again, she didn't react.
You thought about stepping in front of the swing and forcing it to stop, but your mother told you not to do that. She said it was dangerous.
You huffed and left the girl to her swinging. You thought you could have more fun by yourself anyway, so you tried to. You had a lot of fun playing all by yourself.
You had a great time until you fell off the monkey bars. You skinned your hands and knees. It hurt. You were bleeding. Not knowing what else to do, you started crying. You yelled for your mom, but she was buying another cup of coffee. She didn’t hear you, but someone else did.
The little girl from the swing walked up to you with a first aid kit.
“It’s okay. You don’t have to cry.”
You were surprised by her so your sobs stopped. The tears kept falling.
She knelt down and hugged you. “It’s okay,” she whispered gently. “I can help.” She opened her first aid kit and started fidgeting through it.
You stared at her as she cleaned your stinging wounds. It didn’t hurt as much as you thought it should. You remember thinking she might be magic.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Your mother came over. She was worried. She said she saw the first aid kid and wanted to make sure no one was hurt.
She took over.
The girl waited till she was done to grab her things and run.
From then on every time you’d see her you’d think, she’s weird.
The next time you speak to her. The next time you two interact is today. It’s because your dog ran away.
Imagine a rainy day, the kind of day where it feels like it will never stop pouring. That’s what it’s like today.
You know her name is Jackie. Your mom told you that after your first interaction. You know she’s a member of the Smalls family, the equivalent of town royalty. You know that since her dad died in the bombing, her mom hasn’t left the house. You know that even though she’s sixteen, two years older than you, she’s about to start her senior year. You know that she’s kind, so kind that after finding your dog she walked to your house to return him.
About a week ago your dog bolted out the door and disappeared. After a few days of looking you and your family were starting to think he died.
It’s a rainy saturday. Your parents are working. They run their own restaurant. It’s right by all the new buildings that are being built. Ms. Smalls commissioned many of them. She said that she was going to turn our little town into a destination city. Few people like her idea, but no one can stop her.
You were home alone, watching some TV, when your doorbell rang. You jumped up and ran to it, thinking that maybe someone found your dog. Maybe they saw the address on his tag and brought him home.
When you swung open the door there your dog was, in the arms of Jackie Smalls.
That’s where you stand now, at your doorway, Jackie directly in front of you.
“What are you doing here?” you ask, very impolitely. “I’m sorry,” you try to retract your rude statement. “I just didn’t expect to see you.”
She chooses to ignore what you said. “Is this your dog?”
You look at the shaking terrier. “Yeah.” You feel awkward. “He’s been lost for a week. How did you find him?”
“There are lots of animals in the woods around my house, but no dogs.” She puts him down and he runs inside. “When I heard him I thought someone had strayed from the path. That happens sometimes. I figured I’d help and headed out, that’s when I found him.”
“Sorry if he was a pain. He hates most people.”
She smiles. “I could tell. He hid for an hour before I found him.”
“How’d you know he was there?” You realize that she might not understand the question. “I mean, if he was hiding for so long?”
“I went back inside and there was more barking.”
You chuckle. “That sounds about right.”
“I lured him out with food and pet him a couple times, that’s when I saw his collar. It took me some time, but eventually I got a close enough look to see the address and decided to take him back home.”
“I didn’t know you had a car.” you say like a creep. You kind of are. You stalk all her appearances in news papers and such, that’s why you know that she doesn’t or at least shouldn’t have a car.
“I don’t.” Luckily, she doesn’t seem to notice how creepy you’re being.
“Then how’d you get here?” You really don’t know when to shut up, do you?
“I walked.”
“In the rain!” you shout before you think better of it.
She nods. “It’s pretty out.”
You’re too shocked to speak. She walked over a mile, with your stubborn dog, in the rain, to return said dog.
“Are you stupid?” Why did you just ask that?
She turns from the rain to you. Her pink eyes glare at you. She doesn’t yell at you, instead she turns back around and walks away.
You messed up.