This is a point of contention that Jay will never ever let go [https://img.wattpad.com/159e58d2400a1cbe30ca0bca43d3ed60b312cc47/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f2d4e675a4939494d4135465431513d3d2d313334323630323338382e313735653863366462326638336333323639383730303336393538322e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

This is a point of contention that Jay will never ever let go.

How does it make sense, at all, to allow irrational children to wield superpowers willy-nilly?!

So of course, because the universe hates him, his new partner is Aquarikid.

"Aquarikid," he hisses, "really? You assigned me to Aquarikid!?"

Darius is unfazed in the face of Jay's outrage, calmly sipping his coffee as he smooths out his dark hair. "Pixamena claimed you...had a lot to say...about how she did her job. We thought you might be suited then to a partner who might benefit from your tendency to give unsolicited advice."

The man sets his coffee down, cold brown eyes evenly meeting Jay's green ones. "Besides, we worry that Pixamena's image was at risk of being damaged by your suggestions."

Jay glares at the man, clenching the shitty chair they had him sitting in. He hates this sterile white room, the stupid faux plants that decorate every surface, and the snobbish look of superiority on the director's face.

He just wants to help people, why won't they let him!?

"I don't understand, all I did was try to do the right thing. I realize now I wasn't as considerate as I should have been, but how was I realistically hindering Pixamena from doing her job?

Darius' eyes narrow. "Quickwit, you didn't hinder her ability to be a hero, but you were threatening her public image as a magical girl. Do you understand what would happen if she lost that title?"

The sidekick folds his arms, grinding his teeth. "I imagine the Network would lose revenue on Pixamena play sets?"

Darius leans forward. "They might stop associating Pixamena with fairy wings and tutus and start associating her with her ability to conjure things from thin air...in any space..."

Jay blinks, thinking for a moment before he realizes what Darius is saying. "So you're saying you're trying to keep people from realizing Pixamena could conjure a pair of heels where their heart is?"

Darius nods. "The Texan Hero Network does everything for a reason, Quickwit. Every persona, outfit, and assigned partner is meticulously thought out...all we ask is that you trust us so you can keep doing what you love; helping the citizens of Neo Houston."

Jay sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Still, do I really have to be partnered with Aquarikid? It's a bit embarrassing to be the sidekick of a child."

The director leans back, steepling his hands. "It's not permanent. We've decided to...shall we say, let various heroes take you for a test run. By the end of the year, we hope that you'll have gained some interpersonal skills and a partner eager to work with you."

The sidekick is fuming now. "So you're just going to keep transferring me from hero to hero?"

Darius stands, straightening his suit. "Exactly. And if you desire to stay contracted with the Network, you'll find someone who actually wants you."

The man makes his way to the door, uncaring of the way Jay's eyes have widened in shock. The director pauses as his hand grips the doorknob, turning to face the hero before making his exit.

"Good luck, Quickwit."

The sidekick slumps over as he's left alone in the room. He thought last week sucked, but he feels things are only going to get worse...

If there's one benefit to the change though, it's that Jay finally has a partner who is excited to work with him...maybe too excited.

Just a few days after receiving the news, he's on the buffalo bayou, driving a boat to his next perilous mission. Aquarikid sways back and forth, the 13-year-old rocking the boat excitedly as Quickwit steers them to their next target.

Aquarikid sways back and forth, the 13-year-old rocking the boat excitedly as Quickwit steers them to their next target [https://img.wattpad.com/fc1e5e5c518e5c8c08891d06691f2ad853181ff7/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f684d7a326b4f317a7a465f4254513d3d2d313334323630323338382e313738316364356132623461346131323935353434363934353837352e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

Jay sighs, trying not to let his irritation show as the Junior Hero's fish-like tail slaps excitedly against the fiberglass [https://img.wattpad.com/5b163bdb92168e2ba9924025caad6262463a549d/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f6962715f42457567466b36676d513d3d2d313334323630323338382e313738316364356330663538646233313136333033333138353738342e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

Jay sighs, trying not to let his irritation show as the Junior Hero's fish-like tail slaps excitedly against the fiberglass.

"This is so cool. Usually, Junior Heroes don't get sidekicks. Are you really a class C hero?" The teen asks, ear fins wiggling excitedly.

The sidekick smiles, subtly gripping the wheel harder. "Yes. They told you my power, right?"

The kid nods. "Yeah, you have like, super-intellect or something, right?"

Jay sighs. "Essentially. So I need you to listen to me, especially on this very important mission...the hostages are counting on us."

Aquarikid nods, grinning with sharp teeth. "Don't worry, I can handle it! I'm really strong, especially on the buffalo bayou!"

The sidekick grimaces. "I don't doubt you're strong...but this isn't a game, you know that right? People's lives are at stake."

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

The dark-haired boy only rolls his eyes, leaning back in the boat. "I know, I know. Great responsibility, great power. Blah blah. It's a bunch of normies we're up against, it'll be fine!"

Jay frowns. "Don't underestimate the enemy. Things can go wrong even with a metric ton of water at your disposal."

"Okay, dad. I think I can handle it."

The sidekick sighs, attempting to focus on steering the boat. He tries to hold in a rant brewing in his mind—the last thing the teen needs is to hear Jay scream about how nonsensical it was of the Network to contract a hero who was only useful near bodies of water.

At least it was true that his partner would be strong out here. The buffalo bayou stretched extensively across Neo-Houston, home to several floating neighborhoods, shopping districts, and even a mall.

Jay studies the spherical structures glistening in the bayou. They were built to withstand the rigors of the bayou, but they still would need to use caution...one wrong move and they could capsize.

Insurance covers a lot, but while "acts of god" may be accepted, "acts of reckless super-people" was not. He'd discovered that the hard way when Texas had thrown his minivan through a vegan cafe's lobby—you'd think a half-horse guy would appreciate people eating black-bean burgers instead of his bovine cousins, but then you'd be dead wrong...

As they arrive at the cargo ship, the hero lifts their boat deck with a surge of water, both hostages and criminals gasping as Aquarikid jumps out and poses triumphantly.

"Never fear, Aquarikid is here!"

Jay sighs, climbing out of the boat. "We're here to negotiate. What do you want?"

Aquarikid looks confused, but Jay just pushes the teen gently behind him. These people have guns...several of them pointed at innocent heads. There's no need to piss them off.

The leader of the criminals steps forward, face grim. "What do we want? We want the Nobis family to remove their damned sticky fingers from every facet of our lives!"

Jay frowns. That was a tall order considering the Nobis family was involved with everything in Neo Houston, from the grocery stores to the Network...The sidekick wonders how to reach the terrorists; fighting them will only bring them back for revenge, or create even more radicals.

"We aren't here to hurt anyone. All we wanna do is make sure everyone stays safe...what can we do to resolve this?"

The leader's face droops, looking exhausted. "Look I don't even know who you are, but we can't surrender yet. We did everything right—we worked hard, did what we were told, believed everything would turn out if we did our best..."

The man's face twists. "And it still wasn't enough. The moment we asked for a better wage and more safety precautions, we lost our jobs here. We couldn't even protest, they sent Massasuaga to break us up! We need to prove that there are consequences for screwing over hundreds of hard-working citizens!"

Jay opens his mouth to say more, but Aquarikid interrupts. "If you won't surrender, you're going down!"

The sidekick tenses as huge globs of water rise from the bayou. "Aquarikid, no! You can't use your powers here, we're in an inhabited channel!"

But the teen isn't listening. The boat rocks to the exclamations of hostages and criminals alike. The screeching sound of metal against glass rings through the air as the cargo ship cracks against the hulls of a bubbled shopping mall.

Jay grimaces. The kid is forcing his hand.

He leaps forward, using his staff to disarm as many criminals as he can as Aquarikid uses his powers to securely bubble up the thugs into spheres of water. Citizens scream as several gunshots ring through the air, but luckily Aquarikid isn't a total idiot, using his powers to stop the bullets with several strong jets of liquid.

Seeing Aquarikid is handling himself just fine, Jay redirects his focus to what really matters; the hostages. He spots a group of them huddled together, about to be assaulted by a burly man with a pistol. Jay charges forward to apprehend the man, using his staff to knock the thug off his feet. He turns to the hostages, gesturing for them to follow him to safety as bullets whiz through the air.

Just as he thinks the fight is over though, more ne'er-do-wells join the battle from below deck, brandishing several high-powered assault rifles.

Jay's mediocre career as a hero flashes before his eyes as the men point the barrels directly at him, but luckily, his partner intervenes. Summoning his strength, Aquarikid manifests a wall of water to sweep away the criminals.

The men shout and scream in alarm as wave after wave pummels the boat and surrounding structures.

The battle doesn't last long after that, and soon the boat is under Network control once more.

However, Jay hesitates to call it a success.

The young hero is grimacing, shaking wetness out of his hair as they walk into headquarters. "I saved everyone! Why are you upset with me?!"

Jay kicks off the glob of algae stuck to his boot. He smells of rancid bayou water and despair. "I told you to listen to me, and you put everyone at huge risk! Do you understand the damage you did to those buildings? Or how about the fact that you half-drowned several of the assailants?!"

"The debrief instructed us to prioritize the cargo!" The teen whines. "And since when do heroes care what happens to villains?"

Jay whips around, eyes narrowed. "Those weren't villains! They were unpowered citizens who were frustrated and angry. We could've negotiated them down, and instead, you sicced a tsunami on them!"

The teen's face is contorted into a snarl as he stomps off to his room. "Anyone who opposes the network is a villain! That's the rule!"

The sidekick opens his mouth to argue further but is cut off by Aquarikid. "I thought this would be cool, but clearly you don't know how to be a hero! No wonder why nobody likes you!"

The kid slams his door in the blond's face, leaving him alone in the hero headquarters hallway.

Jay clenches his fists, swallowing the urge to pound on the little shit's door. He resolves to do the much more responsible thing and make the walk back to his room. His boots squeak comically as he stomps down the flight of stairs to the sidekick quarters.

He throws the door open to his small, bare apartment and begins undressing as he makes his way to the shower. As the hot rivulets of water steam down his body, Jay gives an aggravated sigh.

The blond hugs himself, trying to let the stress seep away down the drain, but Aquarikid's voice keeps haunting him. It's not something he hasn't heard before—ever since he developed his powers, people say the same things over and over; "You ruin everything!" "Why did you have to point that out?" "You're a tactless loser!" "Nobody needs a person like you around..."

The blonde sighs, hands coming to his face.

In the privacy of his own mind, Jay can admit that there was one other motivator for becoming a hero besides helping people; he wants to be acknowledged as helpful and good, for his accursed powers to be praised for once!

But it didn't look like that was going to happen. What would he do if the Network decided he wasn't worth keeping around?

He's pulled from his spiraling thoughts by the sound of a "ding!" from his phone. Stepping out of the shower, he types in his passcode to see he's received a text...from Gannet.

Gannet: hiii it's Gannet!

Gannet: I saw u on TV today, u were awesome!!!

Gannet: i was wondering if you'd wanna get some coffee with me tmrw around 11?

Gannet: i wanna hear all about the fight!

Gannet: if you're okay with it 🖤

Jay is about to press the block button when a brilliant idea hits him. Stygian is the new villain on the streets—a source of fear for both the citizens of Neo Houston and the Network as everyone worries how this new threat will endanger the city...

Stygian thinks he can trick Jay, but obviously, the villain is just as slow as everyone else—what if Jay learned all his secrets, then used them to bring the man to justice? That would show everyone that Quickwit is a hero to be reckoned with!

The sidekick grins, beginning to type.

Quickwit: Hi Gannet!

Quickwit: That sounds awesome. Do you have a place in mind?

Gannet: ...Gannet is typing...

Jay waits patiently, drying his hair as he waits for the man to respond. For some reason, his heart quickens as his phone chirps just a few seconds later.

Gannet: OMG

Gannet: YAY 😄😄😄

Gannet: There's a really good place called Café des Braves!

Gannet: ill pay for u!!

The blond's heart jumps. He's not sure this is a good idea, but he's willing to do anything at this point.

[https://img.wattpad.com/bd8344441b2c87eab21aebae0229fd8147befd10/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f697835707a634d4c3348443877413d3d2d313334323630323338382e313736626263303339353166636235643831313731343232393539332e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]