Thursday, September 24
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The TUSSA-Cave was packed. The entire club had gathered, along with Doctor Tennyson, who was overseeing the club elections. That meant, for the first time, that I had time to meet with Tractor-Beam-Girl near the bar, where she sipped on something that Hephaestus had made. I hoped it was virgin, with the professor standing just ten feet away; neither Tractor-Beam-Girl nor I were old enough to drink—legally.
Not that that’d usually stop Hephaestus, but with faculty right there, it might be different.
Tractor-Beam-Girl was telling me about her time in Yorkston, where she’d been part of a youth supers group that was setting her on the right track for a quick rank-up. Her official superhero name was Vicegrip, but trying not to think of her as Tractor-Beam-Girl was impossible, especially when she refused to listen to older, wiser superheroes like me. Still, there was the hope that I’d be able to talk her down from her foolish ambitions, make her not jump Flare the next time she saw him, or something.
Still, she was about the most frustrating super I’d ever talked to. Apparently, her parents were big shots, too, if not in the super world, then in Yorkston’s business circle. That explained so much. She wouldn’t say who they were; no one said anything about their unpowered parents. It was too risky to let others know. That’s how you lost your secret identity. But they were, apparently, involved in Yorkston politics, or MIRACLE planning, or leading the resistance against the New Gotham Accords. Or something like that. I had her on partial ignore, just nodding and saying, “Yeah,” when she paused.
It was a relief when Doctor Tennyson stood up, a glass in hand, and tapped a mic a few times.
“Okay, you all know your two candidates for Tokyexico University Student Superhero Society president. On the right is Springlock, with Milo interpreting. On the left is Sara-N-Dipity. They’re going to give a quick speech, throw out their ideas for the club, and take things from there. Springlock, you’re up first.”
Springlock’s fingers flew, and Milo started interpreting a second later. “Hi, I’m Springlock. I was vice president under Ikenga last year, and I’ve got a great idea of how TUSSA operates. Based on our recent performance in the Orientation Episode, we’ve got a major advantage against either a Tearjerker or Iron Fist-led Student Supervillian Society. Now’s the time to press that advantage.
“So, I’m proposing we push the SSS hard this semester and see if we can make the TU campus safer for everyone. If we pressure them right from the get-go, we can force their operations into the Poudre districts, where they’ll be competing with 3V1L. That’ll force them to fight each other and take pressure off us. We can make it happen before finals this semester and avoid a result like last fall semester.
“Keeping our campus safe is the most important thing we can do, and that’s what a Springlock-led TUSSA would be about. Thanks,” Springlock finished, smiling in her blue catsuit.
Doctor Tennyson nodded as the assembled TUSSA heroes clapped. I thought it was a good speech, but something was missing. It took me a minute to realize what it was; Power War Three was looming in our future, and she hadn’t mentioned it once. Was she trying to run a business-as-usual campaign? Or did she know something we didn’t? Either way, it felt like a big omission.
And it was one that Sara-N-Dipity capitalized on.
“I’m Sara-N-Dipity. Many of you think my power is luck, but it’s not. It’s probability manipulation. I’ve been running the numbers, and they keep coming out the same way. We’re imminently due for the Third Power War. It’s going to be messy, it’s going to be violent, and we’ll need insightful leadership to get through it intact. I can offer that leadership.
“With my plan, TUSSA will ignore the SSS completely. They’re a spent force without Monologue’s guidance, and we’re in a position of power. If they choose to start something on campus, we’ll deal with it, but we’re not waging a full-blown war. Instead, I think there’s an 80% likelihood that we’ll be able to thread the needle between the warring villain factions and come out the other side completely intact.
“We’ll do this by allying ourselves with the professors, working with off-campus super-groups like the Mutual Assistance League—or what’s left of it—and The Triad, and cooperating with the Council of Heroes. I’ll also reach out to the campus APPEAL club and try to come to an understanding with them for the duration, but that’s got a 12% chance of success no matter how I slice it.” She shook her head.
“My plan allows high-league students to participate in the Power War as needed, moves the bulk of the fighting off-campus, and keeps students on campus safe. Through teamwork comes strength.”
More applause echoed through the room, but I didn’t join in. Springlock was my friend. She and I had been through some things last fall, and when I’d needed help, she and Milo had been there for me at Cherry Creek High. But honestly, Sara’s plan felt more like…well, a plan.
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Then she kept talking. The slogan wasn’t the end? “I’ve also just decided that if I’m elected president, I’ll ask Springlock to be my vice president. She’s not wrong in anything she’s said tonight, and I think we can work together to meet both of our goals. She also has valuable experience in-office, and I want to rely on that as your TUSSA president.”
“Thank you, Sara,” Doctor Tennyson said. He clapped his hands. “Okay, heroes. You have fifteen minutes to get your ballots in. I’m expecting a tight race here, so every vote will count. Get your ballots from me, and return them to me when you’re done. No voter fraud on my watch. And go!”
As I waited in line for my ballot, I struggled even more with who to vote for. Springlock’s plan felt solid for a peacetime president, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that Sara’s would actually work if Power War Three started tomorrow. What it really came down to was whether I thought the next Power War was that imminent. If Springlock had three months to plan and get ready, she’d be fine. TUSSA would be fine. Heck, TU itself would be fine.
But if not—if Power War Three did start tomorrow—Sara’s plan was probably stronger. She’d thought about more variables, and she was right. The SSS was a spent force. They’d lost more with Monologue than we had with Ikenga, and unless their new students were phenomenal, TUSSA could handle them with no problems. They also wouldn’t be more than a bump in the road for a resurgent 3V1L.
I looked at my ballot. Springlock and Sara-N-Dipity’s names were bolded, with little checkboxes next to them. I bubbled in a box, folded my ballot in half, and turned it in to Doctor Tennyson.
Springlock smiled at me.
But so, oddly enough, did Sara.
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Subject: TUSSA Election Results
TUSSA Superheroes,
I’m proud to announce the results of the TUSSA elections.
Springlock - 46%, 11 votes
Sara-N-Dipity - 54%, 13 votes
With these results, Sara-N-Dipity will be president for the 2042-2043 year, with an option to continue as president next year should she continue taking classes at Tokyexico University. Springlock will be the vice president.
Expect a TUSSA meeting next week to go over priorities, policy, and formally take oaths of office.
Thanks,
Doctor Tennyson
I sat on my bed, Bianca curled up in a ball with her head on my leg. As I looked at the results, a pit grew in the bottom of my stomach. Sara had won. I honestly hadn’t expected it, and the email below it in my inbox gave me an even worse stomachache.
Subject: Personal Thank-You
Magical Girl Understudy,
I used my power post-voting, and you were the most likely swing vote. I want to thank you for your trust and support. I assure you that I won’t forget that you set aside my choice of sidekicks last year to make the best choice for the Tokyexico University Student Superhero Association.
I’d like to meet with you and Fursona in the next week or so to discuss my vision for your roles in TUSSA’s new plan and offer you a thank-you gift for your trust and support.
Thanks,
Sara-N-Dipity
TUSSA President-Elect
Bianca lifted her head from where it was resting on my lap, looking at me seriously. “You stiffened up. Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?”
“What could you have done wrong? You’re just laying there, playing on your phone, just like me,” I replied. Then I took a deep breath. “No, I’m fine. Sara-N-Dipity won.”
“Yeah, I figured she might. She has a better plan than Springlock, and she didn’t blow off Springlock’s possible help, either. Honestly, I’m surprised she didn’t win by more, but then again, Springlock is hot. That probably swayed a few votes right there. It almost did mine.” Bee wiggled up next to me.
I handed her the phone. “How did she know?”
Bianca read Sara’s email, jaw dropping. “Wow, you’re the traitor! Ha! This is great. I’m not going to tell Springlock, but you probably should. She really wanted this win, and you took a tie from her. Why’d you do it?”
“Honestly?” I paused, and Bee nodded. “Super counseling. Doctor Ayers seemed to think the Power War was coming, and Ikenga thought so, too. If it does, Sara had a much better plan, and, whether or not I liked her, that was more important.”
“So we’re going to meet her, right?”
“Yes.” I shut off my phone. “But I’m not worried about when. I’ve got a lot of other things on my mind.”
“Oh? Like what?” Bianca batted her eyelashes at me, and I burst out laughing. She flushed and sat up. “Hey! Rude!”
“Oh, relax. You know I’ve always got you on my mind. But right now, it’s honestly the Tottergarten Episode tomorrow. You know, we’ve seen a bunch of the Anti-Nap League, but I don’t think we’ve ever seen Felicia Fire.”
“You mean Mindstorm?” Bianca asked. She looked slightly offended that I hadn’t taken her bait, but she lay back down. “We saw her once, actually. I’m pretty sure she was The Present Pilferer in ‘The Grinch’s Christmas.’
“Yeah, true. Okay, we haven’t dealt with Felicia Fire for real, though, and we know she’s our professor undercover. How are we going to deal with that?” I asked.
“Simple. We take revenge!” Bee laughed in an almost maniacal way. When she finally calmed down and flopped onto the bed beside me, she continued. “Seriously, though, this is a chance for us to get even with her for kicking our asses during the make-up assignment last year. All we have to do is figure out how to pin her down by herself while she’s running whatever the Felicia Fire powerset is, and we can take her. Plus, with the kids around, we can’t actually lose—The Narrator won’t let us. It’s the perfect crime.”
“True.” I pulled her in for a hug, then ran a thumb across her cheek. She pushed my hand away, then went in for a kiss before I could stop her, so I ducked my head, giving her a face full of hair and forehead. “Blech!”
I laughed and rolled over. “Let’s shelf this Tottergarten conversation, Bee. Neither of us really wants it right now. Then, I stood up and pulled off my top. Bianca rolled off the other side and started undressing, too, and I couldn’t help but sneak a look. She really was gorgeous in an athletic, firm way.
And for the rest of the night, I didn’t think about Power Wars, the TUSSA election, or the Playpen Patrol.