Fluff

Chapter Forty-One - Not One Bit

Emily didn't like the situation she was in. Not one bit.

Athena winced as she looked at the man slowly and calmly walking their way. "I'm sorry," she said.

"It's fine, sweetie," Emily replied.

It wasn't.

Emily and Teddy were both in-costume, which was about the only thing that had gone right so far. She had Sisterported Teddy over to her side, then went through the humiliating dance of getting dressed in an alleyway.

It wasn't something she enjoyed. Just the idea that someone might walk into the alleyway and catch her bare-legged half-hidden behind some dumpster gave her hives.

She shook her head and pushed that thought aside. She was out here, on the not-so-mean streets of Eauclaire, and there was a known and dangerous villain ambling his way towards her. "Trinity, Athena, get in the alley, go get changed," she said.

The two girls nodded, then darted away.

They'd be safe back there. She didn't want to say it to Athena's face, but Emily was mostly worried about her. She wasn't really fit for front-line combat, even as terrifying as she was outside of a fight.

Then again, Emily wasn't fit for fighting either, and yet here she was.

"Ratt-les!" she called out.

Her voice cracked.

Emily considered turning around and following the others into the alley. Maybe she could just keep going after that. Leave town, maybe?

The villain stopped some dozen paces away. "I remember you," he said. "And the bear-girl too. Can't be bothered to remember your names, but you made me miss out on a decent payday. Didn't even make up for it by giving me a good fight."

Emily licked her lips. "What are you doing in Eauclaire?" she asked.

"Whatever I damn well want to," he shot back. He grinned, bright and confident before itching up and hiding his expression behind her skull-shaped mask. "Are you going to stop me, hero?"

Emily balled her hands into fists at her side. "We will," she said.

"Yeah, you ugly stinky-breath, no-moustache-having money-grubber!" Teddy added. She made a pair of rude gestures with her fingers towards Rattles that Emily had definitely not taught her.

"I... how old are you?" he asked.

Emily was grateful for the stall. She had a plan. It wasn't a very good plan, but it was a plan, and for it to work she needed some time. Or more accurately, Sam and the other girls needed time to get here. The entire plan hinged on Maple and her anti-vibrator.

"She's... young," Emily said.

"Do you think I won't smack her around just because she's a kid?" Rattles asked. He puffed his chest out and started towards her again.

She looked around, taking in the scene, looking for something she could use as a distraction. There was the bar behind Rattles, a few bikes and a single moped parked out front. Next to it were some older shops and a few older three-story apartment buildings. The area was semi-residential. There was a corner store not too far off, with an adjoining gas station, but that was about it.

They were just off one of the main roads in Eauclaire, which meant there was plenty of traffic... about a hundred metres away. The road they were on was basically deserted. She had a few old homes to her left and the road to the right, and an alley behind her.

Nothing came to her.

"Boss? Can I kick his sorry butt around?" Teddy asked. She tried to crack her knuckles and failed.

"Hold on, Ursa Minor," Emily said. "Just... hold on." Teddy glanced up at her, confused, but she stayed put, tensed like a coiled spring waiting to go off.

Rattles chuckled. "Are you playing for time? Waiting for some of your hero buddies to swoop in?"

Emily felt her heart sink. Was she that obvious? "I'm... I'm giving you time to consider surrender," she said. "Your reputation can't afford being ruined by a beatdown by a girl. Can it?"

"We should find out!' Teddy added.

Rattles snorted. "Cute. Real cute."

"Damn right I am," Teddy agreed.

"That's not what I was saying, kid," Rattle said.

"Then who else were you calling cute? The Boss?" Teddy's eyes narrowed and she growled. "You can't have her. You're not good enough to date her."

"What? No," Rattles said.

Emily felt like she should say something, but this was successfully wasting time, and she could use that, so she kept her mouth shut while Teddy went on. "Well, if you're not calling me or the Boss cute, then who?" Teddy asked. "Yourself?" She snorted the kind of snort that spoke volumes about how unlikely the snorter thought something was.

Rattles glared. "You calling me ugly now, kid?"

"I called you ugly earlier. Now I'm gonna call you stupid for not remembering. And then I'll call you ugly again, just to make sure."

"Alright, that's enough. You two planning to run away like cowards yet, or are you actually going to try something? The only reason I haven't ripped your ankles apart yet is because I'm giving you a chance to scurry out of my city."

Teddy looked up at Emily. She nodded slightly.

"Not your city, Rattles," Emily said. "Mine. Ursa Minor, plan B!"

Teddy's eyes lit up. "Finally!" She screamed a scream that turned into a roar as she transformed into a grizzly bear. "Plan Bear!"

The transition startled Rattles, giving Teddy just enough time to charge at him, powerful bear muscles propelling her forwards and into a huge swipe that could have tossed a car aside.

Rattles ducked under it.

He slipped backwards and out of Teddy's chomping range. Then the villain raised a foot up and brought it down in a hard stomp.

The entire street shook, and Emily almost lost her feet as a wave of cracking asphalt slid past under her. A few windows burst from shifting frames and Teddy had to shift her stance to something wider quickly before she was knocked prone.

Rattles jumped back, unaffected by the quivering ground, and with each step, the entire street continued to do its jello reenactment. Teddy, despite her best efforts to stay up, staggered awkwardly around like a drunk bear, and Emily had her arms out, windmilling them around to keep standing.

Rattles chuckled. "You don't measure up, teddy bear."

Emily's heart, already hammering, jolted in her chest. Did he know Teddy's real name? No, no, that wasn't possible. It was just a coincidence. Emily watched the villain dancing just outside of Teddy's swiping range. Then he casually whipped his leg out, kicking Teddy in the snout and making her grunt with pain.

Emily winced as Teddy stumbled back. "Are you alright, Ursa Minor?"

Teddy roared, shaking her head to clear it. It was as close to a 'yes' as Emily expected to get at the moment. She was going to have to give Teddy so many pats later.

Rattles sneered. "This is sad. You're not even stacking up to the heroes. You're just standing there looking useless, and the bear's scarier to look at than to fight."

A car honked and Emily glanced back. There was a familiar minivan down the street. It turned sharp, parking behind a small truck that would hide it away. It seemed like Sam wasn't ready to risk a second car to a super fight.

Emily turned back towards Rattles. Just a few more minutes and it would be over. Less, even.

And then a small miracle happened.

"What the hell is all this?" a woman shouted as she stomped out of the bar. She was followed by a good dozen older men and women in ratty old leather coats, a few plainclothes sorts, and a grinning Athena.

Had she gone around to get help? Emily hadn't noticed her, but she wasn't going to begrudge the help, not now.

"Oh, now there's an audience. Fantastic," Rattles muttered. He spun, arms going wide as he took in the small crowd. "Looks like you're all here! My name's Rattles, and I'm looking for muscle."

Emily blinked. Was he... turning this into a recruitment pitch?

"Eauclaire is under new management. Mine. But I need muscle. I have the cash, and it's the kind of work that comes with all the best sorts of opportunities. Like kicking the asses of little heroes like these two."

The bartender spat to the side. "All I see is a punk with too much money and not enough sense. There's plenty like you around."

Rattle's jaw clenched. "Well, you're fired before I ever even hired you. Not that I want some old bag working for me."

That was probably the wrong thing to say. Emily wasn't great at reading people, but even she noticed all the bikers standing taller at the insult. She looked back again when she heard feet tapping on asphalt. Maple, and two more Trinities were here, and she had her device.

It was time to turn things around.

***