Though you should know:
This fic is aged four years after the finale. The kids are in high school now and a lot of things have changed - but some things are the same. Scoops and Violet aren't Becky's friends anymore, but Tobey is, sorta.
Fandom: Wordgirl Pairing(s): primarily new relationship Becky/Tobey; established Dr. Two-Brains/Lady Redundant Woman; mentioned Violet/Hunter; proud Victoria/Eileen Words: 1,869 Warning(s): 4 years later; deals with gay rights
"WORDGIRL!"
A chorus sings introducing the new episode after the elongated theme song with the repetitious yet iconic cry, "Word Up". On the screen beside the words are a crowd of four villains: three teenagers and one adult. Narrator clears his throat to announce the words of the day.
"Listen for the words 'compulsion' and 'imperious'."
He then switches his tune from mysterious undertone to excited as the screen changes. Instead of staring at a blue backdrop with words scrawled across the front, it is the infamous two-story blue house being covering in snowflakes. There is already plenty of snow on the ground. It isn't Christmas yet, but winter break is coming early for the kids of Fair City.
"What a magnificent day. The flurry is descending, icicles galore on the Botsford residence this morning. It is a perfect day to be outside, to stage playful battles and go sledding." His voice then turns condescending. "But, since everyone for some reason is inside, let's go there."
Sally, Becky's mom, is sitting on the couch watching her new favorite game show "Wheel of Provoclone". Dr. Two Brains - aka Steven Boxleitner - and Lady Redundant Woman - aka Beatrice Bixby - tied the knot three years ago. They now have their own game show where random audience members become contestants. They are called on stage and asked to spin the "Wheel of Provoclone". If it lands on a yellow space, the audience member must taste a piece of cheese blindfolded and tell what kind it is. If it lands on a purple space, the audience member must give a certain synonym from a range of clues. If the wheel lands on a green space, they get whatever money prize is on the plank. Each contestant has three tries for a cash prize.
"Mom, how can you watch this?"
Becky walks into the living room wearing a lime green halter tank top, blue jean shorts and black sandals. Her long brunette hair is tied in a pony and resting on her left shoulder, with a crimson streak still visible.
"But it's so exciting." Sally answers, not looking over. "I listed the entire family to appear! Can you imagine!?"
"No, whoo." She answers apathetically. "I'm going to Tobey's."
"Becky!" Sally calls out, still not moving an inch from the television screen. "I may be enthralled in this program, but you are not going out like that, young missy."
"But, Mom!"
"Becky, go change."
"Mom, I am fifteen years old. I'm turning sixteen in two weeks! I don't need to listen to you on what and what not to wear."
"Becky, it's snowing."
Becky stares back at her in shock. She moves to the window to see it is in fact, snowing. "Huh. When did that happen?"
She looks over to her mom, still watching the show and not even glancing in her direction. In a flash, Becky swivels and changes her outfit. When she comes to, she is wearing a maroon sweater hoodie, festive green sweatpants and faux furry black boots. She pulls on some gloves as she makes her way to the door and "Wheel of Provoclone" jumps to commercial break. Sally turns to carefully look over her daughter.
"That's better. Say hi to Claire for me."
"Will do."
Becky is bundled up, trudging through the nearly-Christmas sidewalk. She notices TJ not too far off playing street hockey with Victor and their friends.
"Where's Bob?" Narrator has a compulsion to ask.
"He's at Tobey's." Becky shrugs. "He and Claire have been making cookies for the party tonight."
"Ooh, there's a party?"
"Yeah." She answers as if it were obvious. "The one celebrating an early winter break?"
"Oh, THAT one."
Narrator stifles a chuckle. Becky has been talking about the party all week and she is determined not to miss it. The party will start at seven and it is five-thirty pm now. Becky turns the corner when she suddenly hears a cry for help. Using her super-hearing, she listens for a certain name.
".. Hellllp! Eiloria is stealing the gifts and coats from... ooh, pretty music!"
Becky hops into some nearby bushes and places two fingers to her chest. "Worrrd Up!"
Changed into her red-and-orange Wordgirl uniform complete with the helmet, the town's super-heroine flies into action. Eiloria is the combined name of the high school's top witches: Eileen and Victoria. They joined forces two years ago at the start of freshman year. Eileen no longer talks in a childish voice nor dresses in a childish way, though she keeps the purple kitty necklace. Victoria no longer dresses like she goes to boarding school. As Wordgirl arrives to the mall's courtyard, she sees a giant green teenager.
Eileen has long, straightened hair and is wearing a baby blue halter top, a dark plum vintage jacket, and three-quarter length black tights beneath her blue jean mini-skirt. On her shoulder is a blonde teen wearing an insipid pink spaghetti strap tank top and gray yoga pants. Wordgirl finds it strange that it may turn into a blizzard and these girls, however prissy they may be in school, are wearing near to nothing. She flies up to Victoria, snatching the recorder from the blonde's grip.
"Ugh! Of course, you'd hafta sh-show up." She starts shivering from a sudden cold wind. "Fine, lock us up."
"Why are you dressed like that?" Real concern creeps through Wordgirl's voice.
"What do you care?" She fronts, sneering at the flying girl beside her. "Just go about your brainless, mind-numbing save-the-world mantra and toss us away."
"Victoria, why are you acting so imperious?"
She looks back, shocked with her hands on her hips. Eileen looks over, plucking both girls into her open palm, while the other holds a few clothing racks.
"What's a 'perry mouse'?"
"No, not 'perry mouse.'" Wordgirl corrects the tall girl. "Imperious. It means assuming power or authority without justification. Victoria always acts like she is better than everyone else, so she is imperious."
"Oh, am I imperious?"
"Sometimes." Wordgirl admits with a shrug.
"Shut up, Wordgirl. Just take us to jail already!" Victoria is impatient.
"Well, it's the holidays almost. So, if you wanna just put those clothes back, you don't have to"
"No! I refuse to return these clothes!" Victoria screams. "What're ya gonna do about it?"
"Why can't you just put back the clothes?" Wordgirl sounds exasperated. "Or buy them! You're rich!"
"Not anymore."
Eileen admits, setting down the clothes and beginning to shrink. Victoria says nothing. She just keeps her arms crossed, face pouting. Eileen continues to shrink and Wordgirl jumps up to catch the falling teens, setting them all on the sidewalk. In a quiet voice, Eileen continues.
"Wordgirl, we don't have any money. Our parents cut us off."
"What?" Wordgirl is appalled. "You're only sixteen. How could they do that?"
"Our parents found out, about, us." Eileen squirms uncomfortably. "They caught us and threw us out today. We don't have any other clothes and no money."
Becky doesn't fully understand. "Wait here." She flies to return the clothes, buying two outfits as she does so. When she returns, she sees Victoria still bent over in her arms. Upon floating a little closer, she notices Victoria is crying. And Eileen is consoling her. Carefully, Wordgirl approaches them.
"Hey, I got you two something."
Victoria looks up and gingerly takes the offered outfit. It looks cozy and like something she would normally wear. "Why?"
"Call it holiday spirit." Wordgirl shrugs.
She quickly takes Victoria and Eileen toward the suburbs, setting them down on the side of the road and lifting her cape.
"No one is around. You can change here if you'd like."
As the former rich girls oblige, Wordgirl feels left out. She isn't sure what to do. When Victoria finishes dressing, she surprises Wordgirl by giving her a hug in thanks. The supergirl almost lowers her cape but does so when Eileen is dressed. She also gives Wordgirl a hug.
"Thanks, Wordgirl. Merry Christmas."
"Yes, we're not going to make a habit out of this, though." Victoria adds. "But happy holidays."
"Happy holidays you two. Try not to stir up much trouble."
Wordgirl only flies around the block before another scream is heard all about. Before she can hear a name, she hears the mechanical grinding downtown. Sighing, Wordgirl flies to meet her sometimes friend, sometimes enemy.
"Really, Tobey?" Wordgirl sighs, sitting on the single robot's head. "And why one robot. What's this one do? Fly to the moon? Send out rocket boosters? Bake a"
"Shut up." The teen genius groans. "It doesn't do anything but catch your attention. Mother told me to find you and that's what I've done."
"Oh."
Wordgirl sighs sheepishly. Tobey and his mother discovered Wordgirl's secret identity during a scuffle between Sally and Granny May when the latter was retiring from villainy and Sally thought the older woman was attempting to acquire a holy trinity. It had been a strange day. TJ had also found out, but strangely neither Sally nor Granny May had noticed the transformation. Once they near the suburbs and clear the area, they are sure no one is around and Wordgirl changes back to Becky. The teens slide off the robot and it goes to sleep mode behind the garage.
"Who's all coming?"
"I invited the whole class." Tobey shrugs. "Don't expect a lot to show but you and Rose. Maybe Eugene."
"And your mom?"
Speak of the devil. The blonde woman runs out, smiling to Becky and ruffling Tobey's hair. "Hon' good luck with your party. I was just called to be a contestant on 'Wheel of Provoclone.'"
"Have fun, Mrs. McCallister."
"Thank you, Becky. Oh, and your mom is a contestant as well. You two have a good time."
"Thanks, Mother!"
The two exchange glances on what they really think of the hot new game show as the car carefully leaves the driveway. Tobey checks the time on his watch, realizing he is almost late to his own party. Just as Tobey and Becky enter the house and shut he door, there is a knock at it. Tobey opens it and welcomes in Rose.
They put some music on and shed their layers, down to sweaters and sweatpants. Tobey goes to turn up the heat when the doorbell rings again. Becky answers, revealing Hunter and Violet - the school's hottest couple. Becky doesn't say much and Violet hardly looks at her. A doorbell later is Rex, and then Phil and Tommy. Rose answers the door next, about thirty minutes into the party. There stands Emily, shy and careful about coming in. Tobey finds an oversized music-moodulator he's made for this occasion. Everyone gets a chance to put a helmet on and stand in a little bubble room.
However the person is feeling, it will be shown by tinting the bubble's walls and it will be heard by playing music that fits their mood. Someone knocks on the door and this time Tobey answers. He looks at the shivering girls and lets one of them in before walking outside to talk with the other. She rolls her eyes to attempt top bitch nonchalance, but Tobey can see through the masquerade.
"I've got a compulsion to ask you something I've been meaning to ask you all week."
"You want to tear my sister apart!?" Victor and TJ walk by, the former looking ready to launch himself at Tobey.
The blonde boy stares back cluelessly. "What?"
"You just said you had 'a compulsion' and a compulsion is when you tear something away from something else, or tear something apart." He glares at Tobey. "So, you were saying you wanted to tear"
Tobey cuts him off. "No. Now, yeah, I said a compulsion. But you're thinking of an avulsion. A compulsion is when you have an irresistible urge to say or do something. I've had an urge to talk with your sister about something."
"Oh." Victor nods then. "Cool. Can we come to your party?"
Not wanting to deal with them, Tobey nods, gesturing toward the door. The thirteen-year-
old boys run in out of the cold and Tobey pushes his glasses up. He turns back to Victoria.
"Listen, you've been feeling conflicted about something. I can tell. You act all giggly and stuff around Eileen at school, but when you're pretty much anywhere else, you look all depressed and paranoid. Tonight excluded. What's going on?"
She sighs. "Fine. You want the truth? We were kicked out. My parents and her mom caught us in her attic and they kicked us out. We're out of money, out of clothes, out of room. We're broke and we don't have anything. C'mon. Gloat. It's what you're best at."
"Did you really just say someone besides yourself is best at something?"
"Hardy har." Victoria crosses her arms. "Don't you get it, McCallister!? I have nothing!"
"You have Eileen."
"What did you just say?"
"You have Eileen." He responds confidently. "I've seen the way you two are together. Since freshman year. You two are almost attached to the hip. Would I be premature in saying the two of you are together?"
"I, How?"
"How do you think?" Tobey smiles genuinely. "You and she make a good couple, by the way."
"Thanks." Victoria grins, passing him toward his house. "So do you and Botsford."
"Err, how?"
She giggles. "How do you think?"
][][][][][][ Yep, that could've ended better, but I didn't have another stopping point. Ah well. You people will tell me how well I did. I'll be watching the traffic stats! ][][][][][][