Sweet tooth or sweet justice? [Exxie]

[Michella Tullia]

Voices scattered as soon as the bell rang for the lunch period to begin. Michella on the other hand, hugged her books to her chest and weaved her way around the masses of bodies. Most of them shoved by her with the anticipation of food, others just swiftly zipped by in hopes of meeting their friends before the next class began. The hallways were filled with so much ruckus that Michella longed for the comfort of the breezeway she claimed with the few friends she had gained over the last few years.

At the end of the hallway, several booths had been set up. Food of different treats and edibles were placed with signs that dictated prices. The rumble of her stomach got her to pause a moment to admire the morsels that adorned the many tables. Each one was wrapped for individual sale and most looked too good to eat. The girl that stood behind the table beamed, it seemed for the customers that greeted her. Silence only came from the meek girl until a sample had been given of one of the brownies.

"That's really good." She dotted on the delectable treat. "Do you make these yourself?" It was a simple question and digging into her pocket, she brought out bills needed to pay for the two bags she'd picked up.

The girl had been someone she knew but never really talked to and the answer was a simple response that she had made them. With a nod, Michella found herself gazing at all the booths before coming to the last one before the doors opened into the cafeteria. At first glance, she didn't really see anything she'd wanted until another sample was pushed in her direction. "Oh, uh. Thanks."

Love at first bite as the icing touched her taste buds. A gentle moan of joy brought a smile to her face. "That was awesome. How much for two?" She didn't need all the sweets, but her uncle Iain would definitely like to have a treat once he got home from work.

Exxie

[Charlotte Ledger]

you should relax and listen to the rain

####

Michella Tullia

Charlotte was at a bake sale.  She wasn't really allowed to have a bakery of her own yet.  Cain said she wouldn't be able to handle a business on her own at her age.  Well, he was WRONG.  But she was respecting his thoughts on the matter.  So a bake sale was pretty good too.  And it was for the school so she didn't mind flexing her skills.  She'd been giving out samples of her icing to people.  The cupcakes matched in how delicious they were, but...well truthfully the icing was cheap and it was good enough to hook most people into buying a cupcake.  Just like it hooked this girl.  Charlotte grinned.

"Five dollars for two cupcakes.  They're decently large, and they're just as good as the icing I promise."  She laughed and then talked to the girl in a bit of an aside.

"Turns out the people in Aegis are all SUCKERS for good baking."  Charlotte was a friendly extroverted sort, and this girl seemed a bit quiet.  It called out to her. 

"Glad you like it though.  The icing's a new recipe.  I decided to combine a few citrus zests and some other various ingredients.  Nothing banned for allergies in the school of course.  Obviously.  By the way I'm Charlotte.  I think I've seen you in the halls before."  Her eyes twinkled in curiosity.  She admittedly didn't talk with people her own age very much.  

you need rain to make a rainbow

► kaigra ◄

[Michella Tullia]

Michella's taste buds danced with the sugary treat. Even after she had swallowed the sample, it still seemed to delight her senses as she questioned the prices. This girl seemed nice. Mentioning something about her friends that were also fond of her cooking adventures. It was a polite thing to show interest in the form of a smile directed to her with a nod. Even though Michella had already purchased a couple of treats not more then five minutes ago, she brought out her change purse to gather the needed currency to pay for the additional cupcakes.

Only there was a problem with that.

One by one, she counted out her coins, mostly quarters, but as she realized that she didn't have nearly enough, she grumbled to herself. "I must have left the rest of my money in my locker." She looked to the girl sympathetically and held out the two dollars she'd already collected to her. "Let me go get the rest from my purse. If you'll hold those two aside for me please?"

She dropped the coins into the patron's possession before slinking off to her locker. Just around the corner, at the end of the hall, Michella took note of two people near the one that was given to her for the entirety of her high school years. It had been decorated inside with pictures of the fun that her and her uncle had done. Horseback riding seemed to be one thing that always put her into the happiest mood and there was several taped to the right side of the locker. Though, as she got closer, she noted that the people inside their locker wasn't one of her neighbors. In fact, she only knew them briefly from a few days ago when she had went into town and they shoved their way passed her and nearly knocked her down.

"What are you doing? That's not your locker." She deemed and when she looked down, a picture of herself smiling greeted her. "That's my locker. Why are you in my locker? Get out!" Her voice was no more assertive then a little mouse confronted by a cat. Though the girl and guy turned their attention to her.

"Oh. I'm so sorry. I was wondering why this didn't look familiar? All these horse pictures? Flowers. And what is this? Barbie clothes? Aren't you a little old for barbie's?" She felt her head dip a little in embarrassment, but also for fear that maybe they'd find out about her abilities.

"Get out of my locker. Now!" She raised her voice a bit more and reached for the tiny clothes in the girl's hand. That's when she noticed that her purse had been ransacked and she wished that she had a more useful power to be able to take control of the situation, but as it was, she could only do so much.

"Fine. Nothing here but a few dollars and barbie clothes. Nothing we want." Throwing the stuff on the ground, Michella immediately went to pick it up with whispered anger.

"Stupid asses..." Just as she grabbed the tiny clothes, she felt a pair of hands on her shoulder roughly lifting her up. Distracted, she felt the pair of hands pushing her. The feel of the cold metal touching her hands as she went into the locker and before she could turn around, the door had slammed shut.

"No... let me out!"

Charlotte Ledger

[Charlotte Ledger]

you should relax and listen to the rain

####

Michella Tullia

Charlotte heard the girl say she didn't have enough money and that she'd get some more from her locker.  To save her a couple of cupcakes.  Charlotte smiled and nodded.  She was going to wait but then had a bad feeling.  Hmm...there was a reason Charlotte had fourth wall knowledge.  It was often completely useless because she didn't get some really important information.  Only when it suited the universe.  Plus she couldn't tell anyone else or risk them thinking she was crazy. 

Charlotte put a sign on her stand saying she was closed for now and would be back.  She took the two dollars the girl had left and went to look for her.  She was in time to hear 'get out of my locker now' and then saw the girl stuffed in a locker.  Her eyes narrowed.  She walked up to the locker, broke the lock and opened it up.  She smiled at the other girl before running after the bullies and kicking one of them in the back of their knees. 

"Hey fuckers!  You don't stuff girls into lockers.  You don't stuff ANYONE into lockers."  The guy who had stuffed Michella in a locker tried to lift Charlotte too and she grabbed his arms and exerted a bit of her super strength.  Not enough to do any real harm but boy did it make him drop her fast.

"You're superpowered!"

"Yup I am asshole.  Invincible Girl, not at your service.  Now leave before I beat you up more and get myself in trouble with the principal.  Because spoiler alert, I really really reaaaalllly don't give a fuck about whether I do."  They scurried away and she grinned, putting her hands on her hips.  Then she turned to check on Michella and that's when one of the braver bullies punched her in the back and then she heard a yowl of pain from them.  She turned her head and laughed. 

"I did warn you, you morons."  And with that she kicked the bully in her chest.  She'd been trained by Aegis, and while she wasn't really an active superhero she occasionally used the knowledge.  She went to Michella and looked at her with a kind smile.

"You okay?  They're gone.  And they won't mess with you as long as you're near me."  She let out a little growl.

"Fucking assholes, taking advantage like that.  I think they dropped your purse over there somewhere if you're looking for that.  If you want to report them for that, I'm pretty sure the surveillance cameras should have caught all that.  Don't worry about me getting in trouble I'm pretty sure I could get out of it anyways."  She grinned.  

you need rain to make a rainbow

► kaigra ◄

[Michella Tullia]

It wasn't uncommon to meet unkind people, but Michella felt her heart beat quicken the moment the hands were laid on her. The feeling of the boy's rough hands jerking her up and then the initial shove had pushed her into the locker. She fit easily, but there was no turning around, but as she felt the door close with a quick slam, her senses began to kick in. She would have no issue shrinking. She'd have no problem finding the clothes that were still technically in her hands, but to be able to get out and if someone had opened her locker and she just disappeared then that would create another issue, especially with Uncle Iain.

"Shoot..." Her breaths became deeper trying to decide. Then something happened outside the locker and she was curious what was going on. In an instant, her door swung open, the lock apparently broken. Stepping out as the light caved into the locker, she turned to meet the girls gaze for only a moment before she had ran off.

Bewilderment came across her face. Narrowing her eyes at the situation in front of her as she watched the girl, who turned out to be the one with the sweets at the table, chased after the duo. As soon he had fallen, she couldn't help but grin at the verbal punishment they were getting. As soon as the girl had turned to address her, Michella tried to scream out but the guy had hit her already. Instead of the sweets girl fumbling and falling, she didn't move.

Confusion settled on her mind. "How?" She began to say and the brave girl had kicked them in the chest. Even though fighting at school wasn't allowed, she couldn't seem to tell her to stop. Karma was a bitch and right now, they deserved everything that was coming to them. When she had approached her, Michella could only stare at her and then duo that took off.

"I'm... ho -" Shocked she didn't know what to say, or if she should say anything at all.

"You okay?" She had questioned her and with a nod, she gestured her thanks.

With a slow step, she bent down to pick up the items from her purse, slowly wondering why they would choose her locker over the others. Why she had been the one to take the blunt of the thievery. "I could... but if my uncle finds out that I was in a fight or anything, he'll -" Her words were cut short and she reached for the coins that had scattered. There wasn't many of them, but one by one, she picked them up.

"Thank you - for what you did, but how do I explain the broken locker." She demonstrated the damaged lock and put her picture back inside. With a heavy sigh, Michella turned to put her back against the neighboring locker and a hand going to her head. "This isn't the first time I've seen them, but I don't think that reporting them is going to do any good."

With a gentle smile, she reached into her purse to extract the missing money she needed to pay her for the treats. "For what I owe you."

Charlotte Ledger

[Charlotte Ledger]

you should relax and listen to the rain

####

Michella Tullia

Charlotte watched the other girl and heard her speak about the broken locker and she scratched her chin to try to figure it out.  They didn't deserve not to get what's coming to them...

"You weren't fighting though.  They stuffed you in the locker.  If you'd be okay with it, I'll report them myself.  I'll get in trouble but it wouldn't be the first time and it doesn't do much honestly.  As for the broken lock...tell the truth.  You were responsible and no-one else knew your combination so to get you out I had to break the lock."  She saw the money offered and shook her head.

"Don't bother just come back to the stand and they're on the house.  I've caused you some trouble too anyways.  I can pay for that combination lock and I will when the staff call me okay?"  She smiled.

"I don't have a secret identity to hide or anything I'm public.  Those bullies were extraordinarily stupid to try to pick a fight with me when I was obviously up for one.  My name's Charlotte by the way."  She raised her hand in a greeting briefly before gesturing for Michella to follow her back to the stall with her baking.  She took a couple of cupcakes off it and grinned. 

"Just tell people about how good they were and we'll be even as far as I'm concerned.  I want to open my own bakery one day."  

you need rain to make a rainbow

► kaigra ◄

[Michella Tullia]

"Stuffed me in a locker." She mumbled with a grin as she remembered the cramped space that was almost about to be her new room only after she had made a comfortable adjustment to the size. Though this girl seemed to want to help no matter what happened to her. That's the last thing that Michella wanted to happen. An offer was given for the cupcakes to be placed on the house and with a shy shrug, she nodded.

"That sounds fine, but I can replace the lock myself. I'll just tell my uncle that I messed it up and had to get it cut off. It's really not big deal and I really don't want you to get in trouble, so lets keep this between you and me, okay? I really don't wanna draw attention to myself anymore than I have to." It was more of a simple gesture that things should just be forgotten but as she put a book back into the locker before grabbing her next class's notebook, she heard the name and that she was public.

The shock in hearing that made her pause.

"Open - you mean your actually powered? I just thought you were unusually strong - but that, you know... it's cool!" It was hard to believe to see someone so open about it and it truly made sense even more now how she was able to break the lock but it was more of a surprise of all things. Her heart leapt with joy. Maybe she could finally confide in someone her own age about the challenges of being powered as well?

As the name of her savior echoed in her mind, she began to follow her. The only request was that she tell people about the treats as if she were some form of open book to greet anyone she came across. A meek grin crossed her lips with a nod even though it would be hard to accomplish. "I'll try my best."

The stall came into view and as she gathered the treats up, Michella stood by idly. "When did you - you know, find out about your gifts? How'd you deal with it?" Her uncle would have a fit for her mentioning or talking about the topic. Around him, it was best to keep things under wrap. Even to never utter a single word about it for fear that it might bring unwanted attention, but what he couldn't hear wouldn't hurt him, right? "Did you have any trouble controlling them?"
Charlotte Ledger

[Charlotte Ledger]

you should relax and listen to the rain

####

Michella Tullia

Charlotte heard Michella say that she would explain it to her uncle that she messed it up and they would keep it between the two of them.  Charlotte shrugged.  It was the other girl's perogative.  If she didn't want to draw attention to herself that was her choice.  Charlotte couldn't help but think that even Michella talking to her would bring attention to her though, and had a spot of regret for that.  But she couldn't stop talking to the girl.  After all, she was a possible friend.  Then she heard the girl's words about her powers, and then the question of when she found out about it and how she dealt with it.  Did she have trouble controlling them?  Charlotte smiled.  By the way the questions were posed she could tell that Michella or someone she knew had powers.  She wouldn't pry because some people weren't open about what they could do, but someone without powers or knowledge of powers in general wouldn't have known to ask those questions. 

"I didn't have all my powers from the beginning.  I got unbreakable skin when I was five, and then got my super strength, durability and stamina when I was fourteen.  I...honestly I didn't think too much about them.  My brother gained powers, and I was raised by Aegis.  So having people around with powers was just my normal.  It wasn't until I was fourteen and got a lot of my powers while I was going to school that I realized...it wasn't the normal for everyone."  She sighed, running a hand through her blonde hair.  That had been an interesting year for sure.

"At first I did have some control issues.  I mean...it mostly involved a lot of breaking cups when I picked them up honestly.  But there weren't always people willing to give me hugs either."  She laughed.

"Eventually I got the hang of it though.  I don't use my powers all that often, but I have control."  Charlotte shrugged, grinning at the other girl. 

"More than my powers I had to get used to the fact that most everyone else DIDN'T have powers.  And that some were jealous.  And some were scared of me."  That had hurt.  She'd luckily had her family of Aegis through it though.  But that whole rigamarole was why she didn't care whether she got in trouble.  Her records were probably already shit. 

you need rain to make a rainbow

► kaigra ◄