Max: Huh!?

His mouth lay wide open in surprise.

Ken simply smirked happily while Rose held her mouth and giggled.

Max: Huh?!

He turned to look at Tiffany, who remained calm and relaxed as she sighed.

Tiffany: I was planning on telling him that later.

Ken: (grinning) Well, I simply wanted to spoil the surprise. Forgive me.

Max: Huh?!

Rose: (giggling) I should have known sooner. Tiff never lies about anything. Never ever.

Ken: Facts.

Max: Huh?!

Ken and Rose nodded in agreement and smiled. After all, they knew their team leader well.

Max: But... but....

Tiffany: (sighs) As per our agreement, you passed the moment your mom said yes. I was going to tell you. But only after I'd told you about the things I wanted you to work on. Your .....

The rest of the words went across Max's head. Unheard and unminded. It was an odd state of pleasure. For some reason, it felt better than the first time.

While Tiffany went on about Max's poor team skills, recklessness, and need to think things through more... Max simply remained silent before exploding off of his seat in a massive boooyah, much to Ken and Rose's delight, but to Tiffany's annoyance.

Tiffany: (sighs) And this is why I didn't want to outright tell him about it.

Ken: My apologies.

Rose: Yay!!!! Congratulations, Max! You did it!

Max: Yeah! I did! Wait! Wait! Do I get a codename? Like... Agent Electro, or.... the Sonic Boom..... or.....

Tiffany: Ugh....

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Ken and Rose simply laughed.

Tiffany: Alright, settle down, Max.

Max: Ok ok ok....

He sat down and impatiently waited, slowly bouncing on the seat like a child.

Tiffany: You are on the team.

Max: Yeah, so....

Tiffany: But on probation.

Max: Probation?!

The words seared through his mind like a bullet through flesh. Probation?

Max: What?! But!?

Tiffany: That's another reason I didn't want to outright tell you that you were a part of the team. I wasn't kidding when I said you were a liability.

Max: But that's so unfair! Besides, I...

Tiffany: No buts, Max. Until I'm certain you can hold your own without having to rely on your "overload," I won't let you join this team.

Max: Eh.....

Max looked to Ken, who simply nodded in agreement.

Ken: Hmmm... fair.

Rose also nodded in agreement.

Rose: Well... I mean... you are still a part of the team, Max. It's not so bad. After all, I really believe you've got what it takes. And after that, I'm sure she'll add you to the team, right?

Max: Mmmmmmm... Do I at least get to go on missions?

Tiffany: You're on probation, so only with my orders.

Just before Max could object, a beeping sound was heard as well as a familiar voice.

Voice: Probation?

Tiffany, Rose and Max: Luke!

Luke: Hey guys, how's it going?

Tiffany: Fine.

Rose: It's going really well. Tiffany let Max join the team on probation.

Luke: Huh... Probation? Makes sense.

Max: Huh?! You're agreeing with her, too!

Luke: Well, to be fair....

Ken: To summarize, Max. Tiffany thinks it would be reckless to add you to the team without some... caution. After all....

Max: But that's still not fair! I just helped out today! That should at least get me something?

Luke: Relax, man. I'm sure Tiffany's just taking her time to make sure. After all, what we do is pretty dangerous.

All in all, even in superhero stories, it made sense for the team leader to take his or her time to allow new members to the team. Though he struggled with it, Max slowly began to accept his new reality.

Max: Ugh.... Fine. I'll do the "probation thing."

It didn't mean he wasn't still upset about it, though.

Tiffany: Good. And now that that's done and dealt with, we can move on to the next part of our discussion.

Max: Next part?

Tiffany: Yeah. Our discussion about what happened today. Normally, simple fights and bouts are nothing to worry about, but today's enemy was unpredictably powerful.

Luke: Agreed.

Tiffany: Have you fully recovered yet, Luke?

Rose: Yeah, that thing hit you hard. Are you ok?

Luke: I'm fine. My body recovers quickly, remember.

Ken: Well, to be fair, your body took a blast from a laser that could disintergrate a building, leaving nothing left. I would say that, had that laser hit any one of us, survival would have been impossible.

A moment passed during which the danger of their previous situation sunk right in.

Luke: I'm fine, though, really.

Tiffany continued with a sigh of relief.

Tiffany: Good. Now then...