See My Worm

“From high above, if one was possibly flying over and could catch a glimpse, the two figures offered a surprisingly interesting and most impressive view.

“The normally shorter of the two, though taller now due to the recent purchase of boots with three-inch lifts (we do not talk about it), hunched carefully along the side of the building. Her gaze carefully searching for… something, somewhere. The costume was dark, muted, offering the best to blend in with the dark shadows that seemed to cover the sprawling metropolis in the earliest hours of the morning. Dark blue tights – a bodysuit, actually, broken up from its single monotony with a mouse insignia, colored yellow, over the chest. It could clearly be determined that it was of very nice tailoring, fabric that had proven its worth after having successfully protected its wearer from the threats of knives and other sharp and pointed weapons used upon her person. Black gloves and boots. A long and impressively expensive cape draped over the shoulders. Also of note was the belt that housed the many gadgets and gizmos that had foiled plenty of villains’ evil and nefarious plans.

“Her secret identity was concealed by the helmet that had been gifted to her by her own mentor those many years ago…

“By her side was her ever vigilant and eager-to-learn partner. Dressed of similar quality, though in complete opposite regarding purpose, the younger of the pair was in a muted yellow costume, neither mustard nor canary thankfully, that so well complemented the other. Brown boots and gloves matched the brown and black domino mask that covered her eyes. She, too, wore a belt carrying those few extras that would not fit in the belt belonging to the taller (thank you lifts) and older hero. The perfect sidekick.

“The city at night, especially this night of all nights, was as ripe with the potential for danger as either of the two stalwart and mysterious heroes had ever had the chance to witness. Tonight, much like how the pungent aroma of leftover Chinese takeout wafted upwards from the dented and graffiti covered dumpster below towards the upper reaches of the building where the self-proclaimed Defenders of Birmingham stood vigilant and ever ready; they knew it was only a matter of time before their arch-nemesis, the dastardly Ki…”

“Are you narrating the scene again?”

The costumed wonder otherwise known as The Mouse Protector who was currently standing atop one of the various multiple story building in the financial district of the downtown area glanced over from her perch along the roof’s corner and offered a wry smirk towards her young apprentice. Her smooth motion was only slightly hindered by the helmet she wore, the stylized and ‘currently in litigation for potential trademark theft’ mouse ears only causing a slight impediment to where her sidekick was lounging in the plastic folding chair she had brought on tonight’s stakeout. In any other circumstance, the mentor would have scolded her young and eager student, but that she wished she had the forethought to bring one, as well.

“Uh… no?” Twisting away from her vantage over the streets below, Mouse Protector’s hand automatically went to the edge of her cape and moved it in a dramatic flourish that looked way cool. She ignored how the other girl rolled her eyes at the motion. “I mean, ‘No, Monterrey Jack. I’m merely thinking out loud.’” She said with her hands on her hips in what was supposed to be the heroic pose.

“Mm hm.” Her sidekick offered in a not-so-respectful tone of voice as she lifted her Taco Bell large-sized Pepsi and took a long drink from the straw. “Ahhh. Man that hits the spot.”

“You’re not taking this very seriously, you know.” The older woman complained. “There have been several robberies reported in the area. The Mouse Computer said that this is the most likely spot for tonight to get hit.”

“MP… your quote unquote Mouse Computer is that five year out of date Tinker crap that you stole from the Protectorate office in Houston.” Monterrey Jack laughingly complained. “And you’re still using dial up. We had to leave before the program you’re using finished loading.”

“Come on, Taylor….”

“Hey!” The new hero pointed a gloved finger. “No real names. That’s hero one-oh-one. You know that.”

The mouse-eared hero shook her head. “It’s fine. Really.” She offered at the other’s disbelieving look. “It’s not like there’s anyone out here anyway, MJ.”

“Then why are we out here? Let’s go home and heat up a pizza.”

“You just ate Taco Bell!”

“Well, yeah, but that was just the three taco combo. If I’d known how long you’d be out here giving your Captain’s Log again, I’d have either ordered more or, better yet, stayed at home.”

“You’re my sidekick. I’m the one doing the training here. You hafta follow my directions. It’s in the contract.”

Taylor, dressed in her cheesy colored costume, reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose. She should’ve never listened to that purple clad villain back in Brockton Bay. Of course following the advice of a villain, even a two-bit one like a member of the Undersiders, was destined to lead her into trouble. Three weeks as a Rogue Cape and Taylor had run afoul of the Protectorate and the local Parahuman Response Team and gotten arrested. Maybe jail would’ve been the better option than being forced to join the Wards Program.

How was she to know that drafted service as a Ward in place of possible imprisonment meant that she had to literally turn every decision-making choice in her life until eighteen to the organization? Worse, their Public Relations Department got first dibs at turning a Rogue slash maybe Villain slash unsuspecting teenager into their latest and greatest pet project. Gone was ever the prayer of a cool and edgy hero out to save the day. No, Taylor now was halfway across the country and saddled with the lamest costume and super identity ever… and listed as the ever-dutiful sidekick (not to mention the occasional hostage for the hero to save) to The Mouse Protector.

In Birmingham.

Let’s say that again… Birmingham.

As in Alabama.

Yay.

Oh, how she wished that she’d chosen to try being a superhero in a different way. Any other way.

“It’s not that bad, MJ.” Anne, the secret identity to the Mouse Protector, offered after she sat down on the ground next to the chair Taylor had brought. It had seemed funny at the time. Honest. “I know that you miss you Dad.”

“I do…”

“And I know you got railroaded by the PR guys. I mean, I get that the Cheese name was for me since they were trying to entice me back into the Protectorate.”

“I guess.” She admitted. She sucked at her drink, but was saddened to find it was mostly melted ice water flavored Pepsi now. “It’s not what I expected.”

“It never is.” Her mentor stated. “When I joined into the first Wards Program…”

“God, you are old.”

“Hey!” Mouse Protector slapped Monterrey Jack’s shoulder playfully. “I was very young when I joined. Just a kid, really.” They shared a laugh. “Anyway, I hate it. All these rules and orders and things I could and couldn’t do. I hated it.”

“Is that why you never joined the Protectorate?”

“Somewhat. There were a lot of reasons, but the bureaucracy of it all was a lot to get used to. And since I never joined until now, you can see that I never did really get used to it.”

“Why join now, then?”

“A lot of reasons, but mostly because of what I saw them doing to you.”

“Me?” Taylor’s eyes were wide.

Mouse Protector nodded solemnly. “You… and others that were in the same boat as you.” She paused to look around. “The Wards Program was a great idea. Kids don’t need to be fighting monsters all alone, especially without some type of training. I got hurt a lot more than I should have, got lucky to survive a bunch of shi… stuff in way too many instances where I should have met that great provider of cheese in the sky.”

“Oh.”

The established hero nodded sagely. “I’ve watched the PRT for years use a lot of questionable means to force kids with powers into their ranks. It’s not all bad, but I think that there has to be a better way.”

“So, I shouldn’t have signed up?”

“Oh, you needed to.” The mouse-eared woman smiled. “MJ, you can’t be a part of what you did and not take some responsibility for it. There has to be someone to take the blame.”

“But it wasn’t my fault!” She cried out. “I wasn’t even there at the start of it. It was that girl in purple. And those lizard dog things. Maybe the guy in the motorcycle helmet, too.”

“Yeah. The Undersiders. Tattletale, Hellhound and Grue.” She admitted after a moment. “I know. The PRT knew, as well. Hell, even the media knew, but thy probably got paid to keep their mouths shut. The school definitely was bribed.”

“So they did take advantage of me!”

“Sure. Haven’t you been listening?” The supposed-to-be shorter woman sighed. “The moment the PRT realized that they had a potential Trump Tinker of your level running loose in the city? No way were you gonna get a fair deal. All the Capes knew it. Its why so many of us so-called Rogues and Independents joined. We knew what would happen.”

“Then why…?”

“You’ve got power, Taylor. Like, something real and very, very desirable in your classification. You’d have never lasted alone. If not the Protectorate and the Wards, then another country. Maybe another gang. The Elite. It would have been chaos.” She patted the younger girl’s hand. “I’ve got enough favors owed to get you as my apprentice and the PR Team would have been pressured to make you seem less of a threat.”

“But, they named me after cheese.” Monterrey Jack whined. Mouse Protector smiled.

“They did. But no one is going to look for the Parahuman that did what you did with me of all people. Or in Birmingham, Alabama.”

“But why?”

“Taylor, you’re looking at this all wrong. Don’t look at it as you’re being punished. I actually am pretty darn good at all of this fighting crime stuff, ya know?” She waited until the girl nodded. “I am going to teach you, but it’s not all dark and doom and gloom. We have powers. Powers, Taylor. And we get to dress up in silly costumes and run around saying the stupidest things and people take us seriously. Why not have fun, huh?”

“I guess…”

“No.” Mouse Protector protested. “Not ‘I guess’, but a resounding ‘yes!’” She stood, pulling Taylor up with her. “It’ll be the two of us, you and me, protecting the city from the evil doings of whomever wants to try anything here.”

“There’s no one here.”

“Not yet.” The hero smiled. “Trust me. We make a few appearances around this place driving in the Mouse Mobile…”

“Your eighty-six Camaro?” Monterey Jack offered.

Mouse Protector ignored the comment.

“Stop some crime...”

“What there is here.”

“And soon we’ll be attracting more bad guys than you can handle.” She finished with a flourish.

“Fine.”

“Is that a yes?”

“Yeah.”

Mouse Protector smiled. “Then whaddaya say, ol’ chum? Ready to have some fun?”

Taylor put her hands on her hips, matching the other woman. She glanced over to the Statue of Vulcan that the city was somewhat famous for, before noticing the utter impossibility that there was actual movement down on the street below in the alleyway behind the bank. Were those the actual robbers they had been waiting for?

“I say, ‘Holy Gee Whiz, MP. Let’s go get those bank robbers!’” She pointed to where the bad guys were. Mouse Protector looked as shocked as Taylor felt right then. She gestured for her apprentice to take the lead. “Come on, MP!” She laughed. “Go go Cheese Rope!”

And then the two heroes were off to save the day…