She adjusted herself as the girl’s grip shifted, her arms locked around her neck. Though she wasn’t very heavy, the constant clinging did make her shoulders hurt, but she wasn’t going to complain. She’d offered to help out of her own volition, did she not?

Just below her, some buildings were burning with rage, uneven and uncontrolled, their smoke licking the afternoon sun. The chaos in its scale didn’t seem all that much if you compare it to the vastness of the city, but the way it was scattered it burst, setting off every few seconds or so like targeted artillery, it frightened her the most.

There were dozens of capes tearing through the sky, some moving like lightning bolts others drifting like bubbles. Glowing energy zipped from one street to the next and so on. Speedsters. The inner city looked straight out of an apocalypse movie, and she happened to be in the middle of it. Police vehicles and firetrucks rolled in like marching tank battalions, lights went off flashing everywhere.

What do you think, these pyro freaks even want? She relayed the thought to herself, and her local headmate.

[From what I’ve deduced with my unmatched brilliance, they seem very cult-like.] Sys-chan said. [Purity and flame and that kind of thing, maybe with a little arson on the side.]

She refocused on her task: To the nearest medical center, Greenmeadow Hospital. At least several miles away. Her sense of direction was all messed up. Flying was foreign to her, yet she had a better grasp than she did a few days ago. No thanks to Emery. However, the weight the girl added didn’t help. She seemed lighter at first, but that changed really quickly. She may need to rest somewhere soon.

One thing she noted was that the higher she flew, the faster [Solar-powered Sentinel] drained her. She could only absorb so much from the sun. She really was a pale imitation of her newest ally.

Speaking of. It leveled twice going from [5>7]. She didn’t understand why, but Sys-chan had explained to her: [Your power? It’s like studying for a long exam. Just beating exp into the system isn't going to make you grow. Knowledge is power. You need to write stuff down, and not just what you know.]

Which to her sounded very much like she needed to understand the power from its sources, which meant more lessons.

“Hey, Amber,” she called out, twisting her neck and giving the girl a glance. Her reddish-brown hair flew in her face. Is that why she’s called Amber?

The girl tilted her neck, very weakly, her voice as small as a mouse. “Y-yeah?”

“You okay, you need something. Tell me if I have to stop.”

“No, I’m fine. Thank you.”

Juniper nodded, then regretted her choice to look backward when she shifted off balance, her trajectory going sideways, sending her into a shallow nosedive before she had to pull up like a plane. I need to be careful. For two reasons now rather than one, and it wasn’t like she had a twin-piston engine strapped to her back.

She spotted a tall but low-rise building in the distance, contemplating if she should stop or not.

She restarted the conversation, her tone as casual as she could manage. “So… your ‘uncle’. Can you tell me about him?”

Amber's eyes narrowed and she turned her head away. “I’m sorry, I can’t talk about him.”

Images of him dispatching the two pyro freaks were still very vivid in her head. She wondered if it bothered him at all, that he casually killed two people in front of his ‘niece’. Of course, they were attacked but perhaps there was more to the tale than self-defense.

She exhaled, the pressure of the wind was messing with her throat. She wasn’t going to push her on the issue.

“What about your parents?” she questioned, voice softer. “Where are they?”

Amber whispered this time. “I’m sorry. I can’t say. It’s supposed to be government business. I’d get in trouble if I speak.”

Yikes

She hoped that this little side quest wouldn’t earn her spook or a bogeyman. She nodded.

Then Amber added, “I do miss them, though I haven't seen them in a long time.”

That struck something in her heart. A memory, just after the Revolution. They’d been forced into a temporary shelter. Effy couldn’t understand. She was so small, her face red all the time because of the crying. It was always the same questions. Where’s Mommy? Why isn’t she here? You're not my mommy?

Juniper kept quiet. Knowing full well somewhere in the outskirts of the city her parents were locked away. Serving a sentence they could never escape.

Amber’s words echoed, but she focused on what was in front of her.

Her face tensed when she spotted a red streak floating towards her. Her first instinct was to fly away, but she feared she might have to hurt Amber in her mission to speed up. She couldn’t outmaneuver whoever that was.

“Hold on Amber!”

She dove down for the nearest building, the air whipped her face as she pointed her head below.

The landing was rough–too rough. Her shoes skidded against the rooftop. She managed to put Amber down safely before rolling over. Crashing right beside her.

When the dust settled, she was on the edge.

A woman emerged next to her, the force of her landing cracked the concrete sending out a web of fractures. She had a short bob cut and her face was sharp and symmetrical like those Greek statues, her skin pale. She wore a tight white suit, already ruined with smudges of ash and smoke, she looked wild and raw. Like an amped-up Olympian athlete.

She didn’t look like she was here to talk. The frown on her face said everything. Her face though seemed familiar. She wasn’t acquainted with every cape, before she became one herself she preferred fictional ones as opposed to the real ones.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

[Uh oh, looks like mommy’s pissed,] her system chimed.

Juniper clicked her tongue. Who in their right mind had time for this? She definitely had a superiority complex. The most insufferable trait.

“You!” her voice boomed like thunder, Juniper flinched. “Identify yourself!”

The woman’s boots stomped on the rooftop, as she walked closer. Like she herself was the choir of doom.

Juniper sighed. This was what, the third time she had to introduce herself? She had to fight to keep her voice normal.“Mimicry. Soon-to-be-registered cape. Affiliation: OBB.”

At the mention of OBB, the woman’s frown became a scowl. She shifted her gaze to Amber who hid behind Juniper.

“Unregistered cape,” she hissed, voice rattling in disapproval. “Flying a preteen to who-knows-where? Explain yourself.”

She opened her mouth, and then Amber tugged at her and gave her a terrified set of eyes. For some unexplainable reason, she exactly knew what that meant. ‘Don’t mention her uncle.’

Juniper's anxiety skyrocketed. “I’m taking her to the hospital,” she stammered, breathing deeply to keep herself composed. “She got burned by the maniacs. She’s separated from her parents. That’s as much as I know.”

Renegade. That was her name. A top member of the Sovereign Initiative Of Capes. She is known to be ‘problematic.’

“I don’t trust you no-name,” she said. Voice as cold as her stare. “I’ve never seen you before.”

“L-like I said I’m new.”

“I don’t like your attitude,” Renegade remarked.

She didn’t know if she wanted to laugh or cry. She was somewhere between pissing herself and bursting into hysteria. She’s had a rough start to the day so far. Why should she listen to this cape?

“Y-you’re the one with the stick up your–”

Renegade sped towards her in a fraction of a second. Grabbing her by the collar of her shirt, and lifting in the air. She was dangled around, and Amber fell to the ground, letting out a yelp.

The girl scuttered away, trembling.

[That was a mistake Jun. anyway-] Juniper’s system chimed. [Cast observe on this bitch!]

She complied, as she was held like a caught raccoon.

[Renegade]

[Power: 90]

[Endurance: 60]

[Dexterity: 65]

[Reflex: 85]

[Durability: 100]

[Energy: 53]

[Overclocked Human Physiology: Superhuman strength, speed, durability, and flight, fueled by a unique energy source in her body. The energy replenishes slowly over time but drains faster under certain conditions.

[Most prevalent skills]

[Hyperstrength: Can momentarily lift several tons under the right condition. Strength depends on energy level.]

[Mach level speed: the ability to achieve supersonic speeds in a burst, however, the risk of self-injury is high.]

[Enhanced senses: Superhuman senses depending on the environment.]

[Invulnerability Aura: weakens most attacks used against users.]

She blinked. This woman was a severe threat, she could crush like she was a bag of meat if she really wanted to.

[Juniper hear me out.] sys-chan mentioned. [Start licking her boots, you’re what the previous human generation called, cooked.]

Hell no!

Juniper started squealing. “Wait, let me go, you psycho.” She kicked and wiggled to no avail.

“What did you just call me?” the renegade said like a mad dog.

Juniper coughed. “I said, uh…you’re from the SIOC right?”

“What if I am?” she leaned in closer, really close. Eyes staring into Juniper’s. “At any rate, I suggest you get lost in whatever dump you came from. I’ll take the girl where she needs to.”

“L-Look, Renegade, her uncle personally asked me to–”

Renegade stopped her. Then with a growl, yanked Juniper like a ragdoll swinging her around.

Amber watched in horror.

“Hold still!” Renegade snapped at her, grabbing her face. “Let’s see your full face.

“Stop Ain’t demasking illegal!”

“Illegal?” she smirked. “I am the law here, Vigilante girl.”

Then she tore the facemask she got from Kanako off. Cool air hit her mouth, Her cheeks flushed red.

Renegade stared at her, Her expression shifting from anger to surprise and to a smidgen of guilt. “Y-You’re just a kid yourself,” she muttered. Then hiccuped and shook. The moment was ruined.

Juniper gave a glare. Was she…drunk?

Her mind raced. This was an authority figure, supposed to deal with saving people's lives, an intoxicated cape. It was laughable, a big joke.

She was drunk.

A sudden swoosh in the air could be heard rippling, and golden light shimmered. Her heart leaped with relief.

“Let her go, you old wine aunt!”

The voice was cocky, sharp, and full of confidence, it was mildly annoying but it filled her with hope. Renegade turned, her grip completely lost and she twisted to the hovering figure.

Heliogirl. (Emery.)

She had her golden cape on today, she floated like a flying flame.

“Sunflower girl!?” her voice much more slurred than before, the alcohol hung. She turned towards Juniper. “This one’s been a bit naughty. You gonna get in the way for vigilante garbage?”

Juniper rubbed at her bruised shoulder. She wasn’t trash– drunks were trash, and authority figures with no self-control were trash. She wanted to shout at her but didn’t want to escalate.

“That’s my friend!” Emery shouted. Hovering closer. “If you don’t leave, I’ll let the SIOC Offices know you’re drunk again!”

The drunk cape staggered, her muscles behaving strangely. Bulging, then sagging. “Drunk! I’m not drunk! I’m perfectly raptural and Reabsonal! I– she stumbled. “I’m just doing my b-beauty. Don’t push me or I’ll beat the sh-”

Juniper backed away. Cape fights between brutes and energy emitters always went nasty. She turned to Amber, putting a protective embrace around her.

“Do it, then,” Heliogirl.” shot at her, arms crossed. Glowing sharper, the sun settling behind her poetically. “Honestly it’s pathetic, people are dying, the city’s on fire and you’re playing good cop and bad cop. Go away drunkie, you alcoholic piece of shit.”

Renegade stumbled, breathing wildly. Then stopped. Juniper thought she would lunge, but then she turned away. “Fine, whatever. Have it your way, Sunflowergirl, I’ve got better things to do anyways, than babysit capes.”

Renegade gave a final curse, then shot into the hazy skyline, leaving a dissipating red streak following.

Juniper exhaled, her nerves jittery as she watched the woman disappear.

Emery came up close. Her glow dimmed, gaze fixed in the air. She turned, her expression softened. “Sorry about that. SIOC capes are…well, a fucking mess. They think the ‘Sovereign’ in their agency name means they can do whatever they want.”

Juniper held the broken face mask. “She broke it, I can’t keep my identity safe.”

Emery shifted her head, mildly amused. “No big deal, I’ll get you something better. It wouldn’t hold anyway.”

Juniper held the face mask. To her, it was a gift in a way. She put it in her pocket. It didn’t mean much, but was the last thing she got from Kanako.

Amber peeked at the girl behind her, whose eyes moved nervously. “Hey, who is that? Shouldn’t she be in a school?”

The girl shrank behind Juniper. “She was out with a family member. Got burned in the chaos. Her uncle asked me to take her to a medical center.

Emery raised a brow, her gaze settling on amber. Then she sighed. “And then Renegade decided she was going to harass you. Of course.”

She stood upright, brushing her hands. “Well, let’s get this over with. I came looking for you anyway. I’ll escort you. With your mask off it’s like walking with a kick me sign.”

Juniper hesitated, surprised and shocked. “You came looking for me. And you're planning on escorting me?”

Emery shrugged her shoulders. “City’s a mess doubt more might react like that drunk, as for why I’m here, it’s a story for later.”

‘I’m glad you're here. Really.” she asked her voice coming out quiet.

Emery’s face became unreadable, frowning but settling on a smug smirk. “Of course, someone’s gotta keep you outta trouble. You’re a Pr firm’s worst nightmare, and I consider you a friend."

Emery called her a friend. Twice. Without extra input.

[“I believe this one is what you call a tsundere,”] Sys-chan chimed in cheerfully.

Juniper ignored the system, she gestured for Amber to climb on her back again. Emery floated nearby, impatient but offering support.

Amber clung to her tightly, her hands were trembling. Emery rolled her eyes. “Hurry up. I’m not waiting all day, Ju–”

She remembered the girl was in earshot.

"Mimicry.” Juniper finished for her. "For now..."

PLEASE READ THE NOTE: BELOW!!!