Good Times Never Last, Bad Times Always Stick Around

"You think that all that time control would make him wake up early then the rest of us... but no...," Jeff stood over his still sleeping friend, "Yo Ng get your time bubble disrupting self up would ya!"

"5 more minutes, Zoe, just shuddit will ya," Sam replied. Maser sensed something was going to happen and quickly got outside the range of Makeshift's time bubble range.

"He did not just almost make me wait 5 minutes by force," Maser said running, out of breath, from trying to escape the terrible bubble. He started to shout to wake up his friend, "MAKESHIFT! DID YOU REALLY FORGET WHAT WE WERE GONNA DO TODAY?!"

Sam woke up, "Oh that's you Jeff, heh sorry, yeah I'll be there in just a minute!"Makeshift then whispered to himself, "Course with me around that minute could be a whole hour and you'd never know it!"

After a few seconds Makeshift was dressed and all ready for what the two friends had planned for today. "Oh I see you're suited up too," Makeshift joked to Maser.

"Hehe, funny, I laugh at that every time you say it, what is that the 20th time this week...?" Maser sarcastically replied.

"Hey you didn't have to stay with me at my parents' beach house you know? I coulda just invited Maive," Sam was joking with his friend. "All's good man just chill like you usually do, no matter how hotheaded you are."

"HOTHEADED! WHAT?!..." Maser was now starting to get annoyed with his friend, but quickly calmed down and just continued on talking to his friend who was laughing at his friend's response,"Anyway we're heading to the beach for some surfing right?"

"Well you are Maser ol' buddy, I'll be checking out the beach babes, and pulling some classic pranks," Makeshift chuckled to himself, imagining all the dirty deeds he could do today.

"Cowabunga to that brotha," Jeff shook his head in approval, "Ya ready to head over?"

"That I am in 3, 2, 1!" Makeshift grabbed an old backpack, stuffed it with odds and ends, put on a new white bathing suit with a red stripe running down the side, and they went out the door towards the beach.

When they arrived at the beach, the boys begin to part ways before Makeshift pulls Maser back to him and draws his attention to a scarlet haired swimmer that had just emerged from the water. "Yo Jeff check out that hotty that just got out of the water," Sam whispered to his friend.

"Eh, yeah, good thing she just got out of the water, because if she didn't she might be too hot to handle," Maser nodded in agreement.

"Whatcha say we go and talk to her?" Makeshift nudged his friend as a signal to come along with him.

"Fine bro, if you really need a wingman, I'll go withcha," Maser acted like he didn't care, but Makeshift knew otherwise. He couldn't see it in his... well in Maser's case... lack of face, but could tell by the way he said it.

"Hey!" Makeshift got her attention, she looked up, then shrugged them off, and turned away. "Well this gal must not know who's talking to her, c'mon Jeff, let's go up and introduce ourselves."

They swiftly try to catch up to her. As they get closer they notice she's wearing a brown one-piece bathing suit with tan highlights, with matching goggles. "Wait a second I know this person from somewhere..." Maser thought it over as they continued to get closer.

"Hiya girl," Makeshift again tried to talk to the girl, she responded the same way she had previously. "I'm just trying to be polite," he continued.

"Not interested, thanks for trying to be polite though," the girl responded.

"What you aren't willing to make small talk? Just some talk what do you say?" Makeshift kept pestering. "Do you at least have a name?"

"Walking away now!" The girl began to, as she said, walk away. Not standing for being ignored, Makeshift activated his powers.

"You ain't getting away from me now miss," he activated his time bubble, walked up to the girl.

"Sam don't! I just remembered-" Makeshift paused time right before Maser could finish his warning.

Before resuming time, Makeshift put his arm around the girl. "Heh now let's get back to real time." He resumed time, "So say girl I didn't catch your name!"

"SAM that's-" Maser was again interrupted before he could finish his warning.

"ALANA!" a guy with fire for hair was heading towards Makeshift and the girl.

"Oh Alana is that your name?" Makeshift said slyly.

"Hmph get off me kid, you obviously don't know who I am," she warned him.

"Yo bubble brain! Get your arm off my sister will ya!" the flame-haired guy growled. "You all don't know who I am do ya?"

"What is he your boyfriend? Or your brother maybe?" Sam winked and smiled at the girl he had wrapped his shoulder around, then smirked at the guy approaching,"one might even your..."

"Kid if you don't want to wind up burnt to crisp, you'll take your arm off me, and get outta here quick," the girl warned him, "otherwise, my brother is gonna cook you like a dead duck."

"Hey you! Punk with his arm around my twin sister! Ya gotta death wish do ya?! Don't tell me you haven't heard of the great Pyrotechnique," the loud, boastful, flame-headed punk shouted towards Sam, "Bane of the Freshmen at the Phaeton Project."

"Can't say I have bro," Sam responded nonchantly.

"Mitch leave the kid alone, he's just a boy," Alana spoke up, "besides I can take care of myself." She grabbed Sam's arm.

"Oh that sissy school, and you have to pick on freshmen? Lame! Oh wait now that I think about it I think I have heard of you from this Messi guy I know, I heard he beat you on his first day at the school," Sam thought back on the time he met EK, and the time after Susie's antics that he hung out with the Homeschools. "Heh you all wanna go?"

"Oh so you know EK do you?" The girl holding his arm asked, "Then did he tell you about me? I'm a member of the Whom, Alana Lively..." She paused, as Sam felt his center of gravity flip upside down, she dropped his head in the sand and continued, "The Accelerant!" Sam then felt what felt like a flurry of rocks hitting his chest.

"Darn Alana that was a bit brutal to do to the guy," Mitch rubbed the back of his head in surprised disbelief.

Sam activated his powers, and though he was slow to get up he stood in disbelief at the pain he felt in his chest. "Man this chick has got some power," Sam said aloud to himself, "woo, time to recover... Oooh prank idea!" Sam went over to the fire-haired brother of his new crush, grabbed the bottom of the black sleeveless shirt Pyrotechnique was wearing. He pulled it over his head and kicked the flame-skull's legs in. "Welp that oughta do it!" He resumed time.

"Woah oof!" Pyrotechnique fell head first into the sand.

"Wait what the?" Accelerant gasped surprised to see her brother in his predicament and boy she had hit into submission standing proud and tall.

"Yo Jeff," Sam called to Maser, " you can go surf now, I think I got things under control here."

"Whatever you say Sam ol' buddy!" Jeff headed off to the waves.

As soon as Jeff left, Mitch's hair started to flare up and burned a hole right through his shirt. "Why you brat!"

"Sam you said your name was right?" Alana asked him, "Come on my brother's trouble if you tick him off!" She put her hand on his shoulder and started to pull him away.

Pyrotechnique stood up, pulled off his shirt, and looked over to the now standing, dark-haired punk he thought might be responsible for his current predicament. "Yo kid, you gonna apologize or am I gonna have to make you pay? That was my favorite shirt!" He then noticed his sister's hand on Sam shoulder, "Welp Alana's hand on your shoulder, that skips apology and goes straight to getting your butt lit up!"

"Quickly," Accelerant put on her goggles, "let's get out of here!" Makeshift activated his powers just as Pyrotechnique sent a torrent of flames towards him.

"Alright Matchstick let's put you on the receiving end of your little gift to me!" Makeshift chuckled as he pulled Mitch over to the flames, "Now will see who the butt of this joke is!" He looked down under the flames and noticed that some of the sand had turned into glass. "Woah nice, hmmm this gives me an idea he took a piece of the freshly made glass and stuck it in his beach supplies bag. He stepped directly into Accelerant's running line and took down his bubble.

"Ah! What again?! How does this keep happening?!" Pyrotechnique roared out in agony as the flames came across his -now toasty, to say the least- hind quarters. Alana ran with all her might, she then heard her brother yelp in pain and looked towards him. Not watching where she was running, nor if she had Sam in tow she ran straight into him at full speed and the two were sent tumbling through the sand on impact.

"Fancy you running into me here, eh?" Sam quipped as the dizzy Alana lay on top of him.

"Wait how'd you- whahuh? Again? Wait are you an-" Accelerant was awestruck to say the least, she couldn't even finish her phrases.

"Emergent, yeah, my full name is Sam Ng, but my friends that know about my powers call me Makeshift," Sam completed Alana's thoughts and told her about what just happened. "Ya see I have the power to generate a bubble in which I slow the speed of time for all but myself, a makeshift time bubble some might say."

"Wait so you used your bubble to play those pranks on my brother, you got spirit kid! Or Sam was your name right? Everything from a few minutes ago is a little fuzzy. You gotta lot of nerve, and definitely some guts to do that to my brother," Alana stood up and reached a hand out to Sam, "so you do all this just to get a girl's attention."

"Uh just the ones I rather like," he took the hand offered as he stood up. "Uh... I'd really like your number if that's alright..." Makeshift got all blush red in the face, as he pulled his hand away."

"You've impressed me enough for that, Mr. Ng," she said throwing her hair back, and removing her goggles, "you got something to write this down on in that bag of yours?"

" Uh yeah hold on," he grabbed a pad of paper and pencil from his knapsack. She took them and wrote a number on the page.

"Make sure to call me tonight, I wouldn't mind dinner," she smiled at Makeshift, "you see the last guy I went out with was EK, though I haven't seen him since he went after Professor Helios and one of the Drama Club geeks, wonder where he went. We quit going out after the Zeroth Spaceship incident."

"Heh, great I've got to live up to Messiah boy's standards..." Makeshift groaned because he knew Accelerant would be tough to impress.

"Just give me a call tonight alright, and wear something a bit more decent," Accelerant chirped, and let's meet someplace neutral so my brother doesn't cause trouble.

"Agreed, because you haven't met my twin sister either..." they went then parted ways for now.

"Yo SAMMMMY!" Makeshift froze in fear as a familiar voice called out to him, "hey brother wait for me!" It was Sam's twin sister Zoe dressed in a pink and white bikini rushing towards him.

"Zoe what did you see?"

"So Sammy who was that girl you were hanging out with? #brothersageek #stunnedsilence #Z03MG #I-"

"Stop with all the incessant hashtags, this isn't social media this is real life darn it sis."

"Oh come on Sammy, you know I'm only kidding. B T Dubs wasn't Jeff with you earlier?"

"Yeah I decided I didn't need him tagging along so I sent him surfing."

"By the way bro I got a nice pic of you when you ticked off that flamey-headed guy!" Zoe pulled a picture of her brother from right before he had activated his powers to stop Pyrotechnique's flames from cooking his goose. Sam's face in the pic had true shock on it.

"Argh Zoe you better not have tweeted that! That girl in the pic-" Sam shut up quick as to not let Zoe know what was going on.

"That girl in the pic is the one that just gave you her phone number..."

"How'd you..."

"Twin thing Sam, hey good for you!" Zoe said smiling cheeky from ear to ear, "I may not always act like I think so, but you're an awesome brother!" She hugged Sam, "Sammy I'm gonna head back to the beach house I'll see ya when you get back!#Ilovemybrother"

After Zoe left, Sam plopped down in the sand and thought for a bit. Noticing the sun was slowly going across the sky he thought he'd have a bit more fun before getting Jeff and heading back to the beach house. An older woman in a red and white one piece suit was sun-bathing on a near by chair. She sat up and pulled out a bottle of sunscreen. She looked over towards Makeshift before looking back down at the bottle of sunscreen. Makeshift thought up a prank there and then. He slowed time in his usual fashion, grabbed the bottle of sunscreen from the lady's hand, pulled a bottle of tanning lotion out of his backpack, unscrewed both bottles poured out the sunscreen onto the sand and poured the tanning lotion into the bottle the lady had prior. He buried the sunscreen he had poured out in the sand. Then walked away and watched his prank start up.

"Mo, looking like a fine devushka you be!" A man in an orange divers suit speaking with a Russian accent came up to her.

"Oh hello Billy, what are you doing here?" The woman answered him.

"I am 'ere to challenge da younglings to, how these Americans say, a foot race," he replied.

"Oh Billy you're not gonna pull one your pranks on one of these unsuspecting kids are you?" the woman now known as Mo started to rub the sunscreen on her arms and all over the rest of her body.

"Oh ho Miss Xie you know me too well, you do," Billy chuckled. "You there," he called over to Makeshift, "boy with red and white swimmy trunks and backpack, care to race me?"

"Dude I don't wanna wipe the floor with ya," Makeshift responded, "don't want to beat on you too bad."

"Well then 'dude,'" Billy said slyly, "hold on a minute, allow me to introduce my friend and I, my name is William Zaytsev, and this lovely lady is Maureen Xie," he gestured to his right at the woman in red and white.

"Ummm... my name's Sam Ng, nice to meet ya, but I gotta-" Makeshift was pulled back by a hand on his shoulder. The Russian was now directly behind him

"Tell you what young one, humor me," Billy suggested, "tell you what, if you can beat me in a race to a location of your choosing, I will give you $20 if you can beat me to your chosen location, you lose you give me nothing but a firm hand shake? What do you say?"

Wait a second free 20 bucks! This is too good! Makeshift felt a scheme coming on. "Alright Mr. Zaytsev," Sam pointed to an eddy of rocks 30 feet from where they were standing, the very edge of the bubble, "that eddy of rocks,

"Alright lad, if that's where you want to go fine with me, just so you know, back in mother country I was known as Billy Stopless!" Billy boasted, "Moxie would you be dear and count us down!"

"Billy! Be fair with the kid," she chuckled, "alright 3, 2, 1 begin." Makeshift paused time, right at the mention of 'begin.' He whistled as he walked over to the eddy he looked back at his opponent somehow he had his hand passed through a dimensional rip.

"Oh so that guy's an emergent! Never thought that old guy had it in him," Makeshift joked to himself, "oh well still the easiest 20 dollars I've ever made. Kinda feel sorry for the old guy though." As he stood on the eddy his eyes came across a hand, punched through another dimensional rip. Makeshift un-paused time.

Billy came through the portal chuckling not even paying attention to Makeshift as he exited the rip. "Oh sorry young one," he said gleefully, "guess I forgot to warn you that I am Emergent."

"Hmm... sounds like what I was about to say," Billy's eyes opened wide in shock as he noticed that Sam was standing next to him.

"Moxie, who became here first now?" Billy called out to his friend.

"It's odd..." she said in disbelief, "I think someone finally beat you to the punchline Billy," she looked over at Sam, "hey Sam you stopped time didn't you? You're an emergent?"

"Yep, so Billy right, do I get my 20 bucks?" Sam asked the man cheekily grinning.

"You won race, you won bet! Dosvedanya American President Andrew Jackson! Hehe!" Billy laughed as he stuck his arm out to give Sam his winning, and then shook Sam's hand.

"Someone finally outpranked you Mr. Stopless," Moxie couldn't help but laugh at Billy's shock.

"Ummm I'm sorry but I gotta go nice meeting you Mr. Zaystev, Ms. Xie!" Makeshift hurried off to fine Jeff.

After about 45 minutes of searching the waves he finally ran into his purple suited friend, "Yo Sam buddy heard from your sis, you got the digits, sick brotha!"

"Yep gonna take 'er out tonight!" Sam shouted excitedly, "Jeff I'll meet ya back at the beach house k? Gotta go set up and all that."

"Gotcha man! Be chill, see you lata and good luck!"

Sam arrived back at the beach house grabbed the glass shard from his backpack and went into his room, he pulled out a carving kit he had asked his parents for a few years back. He kept himself in his room for a good 3 hours working on an idea he had for Alana. Makeshift got on his cell phone after finishing his project.

A girl's voice rang from the other end after 2 rings, "Alana speaking, sorry don't seem to have this number who's this?"

"Oh wow, you gave me your real number... I was beginning to think I actually struck out..." Sam spoke nervously.

"Oh Sam is this you, hey you really did impress me, don't be so nervous okay?" Her voice was calming Sam as he slowly began to put words together.

"Uh... just checking up on you Alana, sorry! So we are still for tonight I guess," Sam, still quite a bit nervous, uttered, his voice cracking and shifting.

"Cute," she giggled, "so yeah do you know where the Grick Dayne Library is? 281 Tempus street? Meet me there in about an hour, it's 6 now so be there at 7. Bye Sam!"

"See you soon Alana!" Sam slouched down on her work bench, thinking about what could go on tonight, Why the library? I was expecting a restaurant or something like that... hmmm? Maybe I am thinking too much-. Mid-thought a knock came on his door.

"HEY SAM! You decent in there?" Someone was shouting at his door. He walked over to the door just as the person continued to shout, "HEY SAMMMMMMMMMM! GET YOUR BUTT-" An orange haired girl clad in a purple skater jacket, and black tee with blue jeans was standing at the door with his sister. Zoe had her eyes shut with a toothy grin on her face leaning in on where the door use to be. "Oh... was that your ear sorry Sam," the loud orange haired friend spoke softly after nearly taking Sam eardrum out with her loud voice.

"Maive! Sis! What is it? Maive what are you even doing here?" Sam rubbed his right ear as he spoke.

"Zoe told me you gotta date buddy, so I thought I might as well help ya look nice!" She winked at Sam.

"Zoe you-" Zoe put a finger to her brother's lips.

"Just pick something out, I want my brother looking good for this girl!" Sam went to his closet and picked out a plain button down shirt and some white dress pants. "What is it with you and the colors red and white bro," she went to the closet and pulled out a pair of black pants and a navy blue button down shirt, "this'll look good."

"Yeah! I like it not too flashy yet draws attention to Shift's eyes," Maive said nudging Sam on the shoulder. "Some girls apparently like the look of guys eyes, I don't get it but meh." Maive looked down, her cheeks getting red with blush. "Uh right getting you ready! That's what we were doing," she exclaimed as she popped out from looking down. "I think my Uncle Johnny had a cool way of fixing his hair when I saw him go on a date with that Tiger Teacher from that stupid school... blech... what does he even see in her... Wonder how Uncle Johnny is anyway haven't seen him since he went through the portal with that purple lady..." Maive pondered for a bit on what her uncle was doing... then stopped and focused on the task at hand, Sam Ng, her good friend Makeshift.

After about 10 minutes of hairdressing,

"You mean like this?!"

"Zoe stop darn it, ow that's my head! Maive?!"

"Quiet I'm almost done Shift."

"Ooooh that does look nice Mai!"

"What did you two do to me...? Wait what time is it?"

"Uh 6:35?"

"WHAT?! Thanks for all the help you two gotta go meet the girl now! I'm out!"

"Wait one more touch! There! Go!"

Sam ran out of his room, and ran into Jeff on the way out. "Yo brotha you heading over there?

"Yeah Jeff, gotta go!"

"Wanna lift?"

"Actually if it's not too much of a hassle, Maive's here by the way, reason I'm looking like this..."

"Alright dude let's go! Cowabunga!" With Jeff's help he made to the library with only two minutes to spare. "Later Sam! Good luck!"

"Yeah peace and all that!"

Sam checked his back pocket, the trinket he had made out of the glass was still there. He sat uncomfortably on the front step of the library, then stood up, then sat back down, then stood up, and so on.

"Someone's nervous!" A familiar giggle whispered in behind the currently standing Sam.

"What? Huh? Uh?" Sam got all jittery. "Oh Alana you're he-" Sam stopped as his eyes were drawn to the sky blue dress Alana was wearing, he thought that it really brought out the vibrant orange tint of Alan's hair, "uh Alana you look absolutely-" He couldn't manage to get out the last word she just looked amazing to him.

"Aww thanks Sam," she chirped in happiness, "I had one of my old teachers who was staying near by help me with my outfit, she was an old beauty pageant queen in Hong Kong. She really knew what she was doing. I see someone helped you out too."

"Uh yeah, they weren't beauty queens or nothing like that, just my sister and a mutual friend, the friend and I have a strictly platonic relationship if you were wondering," Sam looked down.

"Nothing to look down about Sam, it's fine," Alana tried to cheer him up.

"So... uh... why the library?" Sam finally asked her.

"I was the Phaeton Project's Valedictorian the year I graduated, I always use to study in this place, great list of books, this is where my team was formed in school, so it's a great place that represents beginnings to me. It's a second home of sorts, means a lot you know," Alana explained the back story behind the library as clear as she could.

"Um did you have a particular place that you wanted to go on this thing were having?"

"It's a date Sam!" She smiled, "You can call it a date you know?"

"Uh right this... date..." The word didn't roll that smoothly off his tongue as it did Alana's.

"As for an answer to your question, my teacher also did me a favor and said she'd treat you and I to a dinner at this place called Blue Moon. Apparently it has a dance floor too, don't know how light on your feet you are."

"Uh I can dance enough I guess, sure let's give a shot." They went off towards the restaurant.

"Come right in, Ms. Alana plus one, Madam Xie has set you a table on zee left side of zee dance floor," the host who had a very thick French accent greeted them at the front counter ushered them to their seats. "Tonight's event is 'Dance and Sing' a Karaoke event as well as the occasional dance."

Hey cool Karaoke, this could work to my favor, Sam thought as he listened to the man's explanations.

"Here is the dinner menu, Madam Xie recommended this for you Mademoiselle Lively and just so you know Madam Xie is also here, she had a bit of an issue with the sun today, apparently her friend Monsieur Billy has played a, how you say, joke... on her. Something about somehow switching her sunscreen with tanning lotion without her knowing." The host stuck his nose in the air, huffed, and rolled his eyes.

"Oh Billy... what did you do to Moxie now?" Alana groaned.

Sam face went to complete shock, it was that Billy guy and his lady friend from the beach that he had tricked earlier, and it was his prank that Alana's old teacher had fallen for without her knowing. "Uh I hope the lady is alright."

"I'm more worried about Billy, you see Ms. Xie, or Moxie as her codename is, has superhuman strength, if Billy who has the ability to across space and time to another place through dimensional portals isn't careful he's gonna be pound into the dirt again," Alana scrunched her face to the side in unamusement at what she believed to be her past instructor's prank but was in fact her date's prank, "Billy is known to prank various people."

"Even though he's a trickster I bet he's a nice guy though right?"

"I'll leave you young lovers alone, enjoy your meal," the host left.

"Yes, he plays his jokes but he means well, he's also very smart he taught all about my powers when they manifested, now I move quicker then a wildfire through a forest of petrified wood. How about you Mr. Ng? Who taught you how to use your powers?"

"Actually, I was born with them," Sam looked around for the people he had met on the beach earlier. "I never really went to school for them, my group the Homeschool learned by ourselves how to use our powers. So tell me a bit about that group you were talking about at the library."

"I guess the best way to start is to mention Bookworm, he was Abyss' top Acolyte during my year, even salutadictorian, after me. He has a bit of an eidetic memory, which allows him to recall anything he has ever read from a book, he hates new-age technology especially cell phones and tablets. He says they distract too much from what's written in the pages. And how bout a member of your team?"

"That Bookworm guy sounds like someone I could get along with lol."

"Not if you say 'lol'my dear Sam, besides Aaron hardly ever talks to anyone outside the teachers, EK, and our Whom."

"Oh... anyway he and I would at least have something to get along about... my sister..."

"What do you mean by '...your sister...?'"

"My sister Zoe is known as #Z03MG, she put that hashtag in front of her name so people can talk about her on social media if they ever wanted to... she lives on social media, her power is that she can drain electricity from almost any source and use it on our foes. She's so addicted to social media that sometimes she takes power from the lines and if she's not careful she occasionally knocks out power for my home neighborhood. And the way she talks... She adds hashtags to the end of almost everything she says... EK even got ticked off at her, and usually he is pretty calm..."

"Your sister sounds like a handful."

"Guess that's just something we have in common."

"Yeah my brother Mitch can be quite a lot hotheaded when it comes down to it..."

"Is your brother on your team?"

"No he's more a lone wolf, I guess is the best way to put it. After EK scuffled with him on the former's first day of school, I guess he joined the group which later became known as the Drama Club, for a bit, but soon left when a 'group of misfits' stopped him from catching Zeroth with Coax their leader. After tussles with Sunder, Notch, Firerazer, Torrent and his then new 8-Bit Goons, and finally Ms. Modulus."

"Wait I knew I recognized your brother from somewhere! My group and I were the as he said 'group of misfits!'"

"That was you?! Oh my gosh!"

"Yeah us and EK, what happened on your time out with him though?"

"Oh EK, uh should we really be discussing this," now Alana was the one acting nervous. "Alright, he was quiet most of the time, not much of an outspoken person."

"Ah yeah he never really did say much, when I saw him either, though his near silent and somewhat laid back attitude was somehow just nice to be around."

"That's how I felt around him too, eh though we decided to part ways after a little incident with some Daddy-O Eye-Bots and my team's unawareness to us unleashing the Formula, but enough about that how about we finish up discussing our teams."

Sam could tell that Alana really didn't want to discuss her relationship with their mutual hero friend MessiEK. "So you want to continue discussing the teams, I getcha."

"Yeah if that's fine with you."

"Absolutely Alana!"

"Here we go, well next on my team is Bantam. August as he goes by commonly, is Aaron's twin brother."

"Wait there's yet another set of twins within our respective groups besides two of us sitting here and our siblings? If we were characters in a story or something, you'd think that the writer would have some addiction to putting twin superpowered beings into a space where they'd all come in contact with each other!"

"Yeah good thing we're not in a story or anything, otherwise the twin thing would seem a bit overdone I'd say, and this whole point would be a fanfic author's way of joking with the true story's writer and he'd just put this here as a little 4th wall breaking joke to draw the writer's attention. Okay I think we can stop speculation here and just focus on what we were discussing. August has extraordinary strength and has many a mixed martial artist's skills. His body is strong I've seen him take a direct blow from me at full speed and Southside Sentry without even wincing at the same time. He is the only person that Bookworm with which Aaron even talks often. There are only two people I've seen him face, face to face that he's ever been completely brought down. Moxie, his head teacher, and Devastatrix the leader of the EFL."

"Woah he's that strong, because I've been in Concrete man's grip before and I can tell you if I didn't have my powers to escape I would have quite a few broken rips every now and again."

"Oh you know Southside Sentry... wait in his grip? What did you do to get there?"

"Not exactly what I did... You see my friend Maive, the girl that helped me to get changed for this... is known as Quickhit in the field. You might know her uncle Johnny, he goes by Johnny Tinker of the Meanwhiles. Well Quickhit's called that because she likes to skateboard and she does so extremely fast. She messes with Triple S by spinning him around with her speed and somewhat super strength, and all sorts of other stuff... it's a real mess, and my buddy Jeff does not seem to help that much."

"Oh is that the guy in the pink one piece suit I saw with you at the beach today?"

"Uh yeah, Jeff is the leader of the Homeschool. While he's a bit of a rebel and a kid he can be serious at times, I mean it's not really like it's his fault he never got experience the world when he was younger. Jeff's power is that he can produce gas this purple gas that allows him to get around. To be honest I think he has something for Maive, but this is just speculation. His code name is Maser. Jeff is cool and all and he's done well to live his life as chill as he possibly can. Jeff's body is entirely made out of that purple gas he makes, for nearly all of his life he's been nothing but a living gas. It was thanks to Aloysius Zeroth that he has his suit allows him to maintain a human form. He's not a bad guy he just had a rough childhood, so he tries to make up for it by having us pull pranks on the public... even when it's entirely uncalled for. How's your leader?"

"Lucinda A.K.A. Beacon is rather strict. She was Professor Helios' top student during my year, though only marginally better at Firesculpting then me... I was the only one that really near mastered a second school before graduating though. Lucinda has the skills of a great leader, she can pinpoint every little detail that needs to be carried out to complete a mission. Definitely top class in leadership. Speaking of pinpointing her pair is the bending of light into beams and bursts, I've even seen her melt a hole through Zeroth's space station."

"Wow so that's who did that, finally I'm the last teammate of The Homeschools, my main power is to produce a time bubble. Anyone within 30 feet of when I activate my powers is stopped to near dead in their tracks, as I'm sure you noticed upon our little encounter by the way."

"I guess it's come down to me last. I'm the top student of Billy Stopless, while a jokester Mr. Zaytsev is very demanding in his class, he had us run many an obstacle course a day, but thanks to my speed and advance reflexes mixed with my fiery spirit I was able to get around any obstacles that stood in my way... Still couldn't beat Billy in a race though... I heard someone beat him earlier today from Moxie."

"Oh did she mention who beat him," Sam looked away and whistled. He then noticed the Russian fellow he had met on the beach heading over with a highly sunburnt woman that he recognized straight away.

"Ms. Xie, Billy! Over here!" Alana seemed to recognize them too, and immediately called them over.

"Ah there she is Billy, and that boy that she's with looks familiar too," Maureen thought back to the beach earlier.

"Ah Alana, lovely to see my favorite student again dear!" Billy exclaimed. Alana stood up and gave her old teachers a hug. "And who might... Ah wait I know you now too! We met earlier on da beach did we not young man, as reminder my name is Billy Zaytsev, and though she may not look like it, had a bit of trouble with sunscreen lotion, for some reason she thinks was me who cause trouble for her, is beautiful lady Maureen Xie."

"Sam was your name correct?" Sam nodded to Maureen's question, "Well I'm Maureen Xie. I've heard a bit about you from Ms. Lively here. Feel free to refer to me as Mo. Friends usually do." She smiled at Alana, "So did this young man tell you that he was the one that beat Billy in the race I was telling you about? Surely you told him of this."

"Wait Sam was? Wow!" Alana looked over towards Sam, "you used your powers didn't you? I mean with my brother I saw it happening, so someone out tricked the best trickster I know, and it was my date. Someone just got bonus points."

"No hard feelings comrad," Billy stuck out his hand expecting a hand shake. Sam took his hand and felt a jolt running through him.

"Aggghh!" Sam yelped, his hair now standing on end.

"Billy!" The girls groaned.

"I'm alright," Sam gasped.

"Alright kids I'll take the trickster away, have fun!" Moxie dragged Billy away.

After some much enjoyed food Sam realized a song coming from the band. "Hey do you know this song?"

"Woah 'Time of Your Life!' I love this song!"

"I like it too, don't wanna keep my baby in the corner all night, so would ya care to dance?"

"I'm your baby n- oh or you're making a reference to 'Dirty Dancing.'"

"A little slow to the punch there. Surprising for someone with the Codename Acclerant."

"Hey watch what you say or I'll MAKE you SHIFT again from my punches like I did on the beach, Mr. Makeshift."

"Oh no the song, we've been talking so long, let's go."

They went to the dance floor. Alana was surprised that Sam knew all the moves to the dance from the movie, "Light on your feet there Sam."

"Heh I use to dance with my sister when we were younger..."

"Heh at least you did that with her, Mitch just turned me- wah!" Alana's sleep accidentally slipped out from under her. Sam without thinking activated his powers. He caught the slowly falling Alana and resumed time.

"Gotcha!"

"Gee those powers of yours might come in handy!"

"Hey give me a shot and I'll always be there to catch ya!" Sam winked as the song came to an end.

"Hey kid!" The band leader called out to Sam, "Smooth moves ya got there! Whaddoya say? How's your singing voice? Know any songs?"

"Uh... do you guys know 'Accidentally in Love' by the Counting Crows?"

"Sure boy! Git on up here impress your lady!"

"Uh... right well here I go, Alana I'm sorry I am told to not be much of a singer." As Sam approached the stage Moxie and Billy came to join Alana as we watched her date go up on stage.

"What's boy doing on stage, Alana?" Billy asked.

"The band director asked him to sing, Billy, if he sings half as well as he dances, we're about to hear some great singing," Alana said in approval

"So I take it the date is going well?" Mo asked Alana.

"Yes, he's a sweet, nice guy Mo, totally different from Mitch..."

"Heh, well don't go comparing all boys to your brother Alana, he was always a handful! This one most definitely seems to be a good match for you!"

"Were you not dating MessiEK for a time Alana?"

"Billy have you no class, why did I agree to bring you along here...? You don't bring up past dates with either side of a new relationship during a date..."

"I was Billy, it's alright Maureen..., it just didn't work out between us."

"Alana you aren't using... Billy you've got me doing it now... I'm sorry Alana..."

They started to pay attention to Sam's singing again, Sam looked straight in Alana's eyes "Accidentally in lo-o-o-o-ove/Accidentally/I'm in love/ I'm in lo-"

*Bzzzzt* The lights turned out with a sparking sound. A group crashed through the front door of the restaurant.

"It's those guys we ran into in the warehouse, well that red haired lady is missing but the rest of them are here!"

"Sunder, Firerazer!" Moxie clutched her fists.

"Notch and Torrent!" Alana put on her goggles! "I'm ready, I'm heading in!"

"Accelerant wai-" Too late for Moxie to stop her, Maureen called Billy into action, but by the time even Billy could react Alana's stomach had met with the closed fist of Sunder.

"Ala-Accelerant!" Sam yelled as he saw his date flying back after getting hit. "I got you!" Sam stopped time again so that he was directly behind Alana, put on his suit, and grabbed her as if to he were to catch her. He then unpaused time again. "Oof!" He felt the weight of the punch mixed with the opposite reaction of Alana's speed came crashing into him as they were sent flying into the wall behind them.

Alana looked up with a look of haziness on her face. "Sam..." she said weakly as she passed out.

"As long as I'm around Alana, I swear there will always be someone around to catch you." Makeshift stood up, "AS FOR YOU FOUR!" he was angry what happened to Alana he flew into a rage and ran straight at Sunder.

"Hey look it's that kid from when we tried to capture Zeroth for Modulus!" Torrent scoffed. "He isn't even worth our time, Sunder knock this brat out like you knocked that wannabe speedster 'hero.' After all we're not here for them, were here for the Genesis Squadron members."

"Yep on it Torrent," Makeshift was directly under Sunder's next punch.

Idea! He thought as he activated his ability yet again. "Now turn Sunder here and..." he resumed time. Instead of facing Makeshift, Sunder was facing Firerazer as his fist came down.

"OWWWWW Hot!" Sunder now sent Firerazer flying into a nearby empty fish tank which caused Firerazer to lose all his strength and pass out.

"SUNDER what are you doing?! I know you don't get along with Firerazer that much but you're screwing up the plan by punching him now you knucklehead!"

"What I didn't... wait... is that why my hand feels like it's..."

"Oh nevermind Sunder... Notch shoot the brat!"

Notch sent a flurry of arrows towards Sam, he paused time again, this time turning his sights to Torrent. He put Torrent in the direct line of fire. "Welp that'll shut you up smart guy."

Next he stood next to Sunder again. "Agh! Gah! How? Argh!" The flurry of arrows from Notch wound up pinning Torrent against a wooden railing directly behind him... "Sunder look in front of you... wait how did he get there?!"

"Sunder outta the way this gas'll knock out this kid!" Notch pulled out a ball tipped arrow and directed a shot towards Makeshift.

"Wait I wanna finish him!" Sunder bellowed as he readied another punch.

"Wait you two! I figured out what that kid can do! He stop ti-!" Makeshift stopped time yet again since his final plan was in action. He directed Sunder this time to point at Notch and Notch face Sunder the arrow pointing to be in direct contact with Sunder's face. Makeshift then stood over by Torrent.

"-me," Torrent finished his words and then looked over his shoulder, "Notch don't! Sunder no! He's over here?"

"Huh!" the two said looking over at Torrent and the misplaced Makeshift. Without thinking Sunder's fist continued and collided with Notch's mask. This caused Notch's finger to press hard on the trigger of his crossbow in response. Both villains fell to their knees.

"Really man?" Makeshift taunted the struggling Torrent, "This is the best group you could come up with to take out the Genesis Squadron?"

"Shut up!" An annoyed Torrent responded.

"I mean you couldn't even take out me, and I'm only a kid!" Makeshift continued. He then threw out his usual carefree, mischievous attitude, and spoke sternly, "Next time don't mess with me. Or my girl! I'll make you all do a lot worse to each other. Later jerk!" He punched Torrent square in the face causing the cyber striker to become motionless.

"Your girl huh?" Alana whispered in his ear, Sam could hear that she was still a bit fazed from the blow from Torrent. "Thanks for standing up for my honor Sam. That was very cute of you." She leaned in a pecked him on the cheek. Sam blushed and started acting a little woozy himself. He suddenly fell to his knees. "Sam!" Alana shouted surprised as her date slouched, "Sam are you alright!"

"Yeah... I guess I used my powers too much..." Sam said weakly.

"You two, go now! We deal with four mischief makers here!" Billy ushered them on! "Hope to be seeing you again Mr. Makeshift!"

"Same from me," Moxie joined in.

"Hope to see you again soon Billy Stopless, Moxie, pleased to meet some of the great Genesis Squadron," Sam assured them.

"See you later Billy and Moxie," Alana said, "Makeshift and I will see you soon."

This felt the cool brisk sea air as they left the restaurant. "Sam... I'm..."

"Nah Alana I get it, I didn't..."

"No I'm to..."

"Alana will you be my..."

"Girlfriend?"

"Yeah... I just really like you... I've not been in a relationship before so I don't know how to honestly feel, but I can tell I really seem to like you."

"It's the same for me!" Alana paused. "Sam, walk me home please?"

"What about your brother?"

"Mitch, won't be a problem, I promise."

"Alright!" Sam felt new life. They walked slowly towards where Alana was staying. Nervous to give it a shot Sam put his arm around Alana. She quickly latched her hands to his. He flinched expecting her to flip him, but instead she gently nuzzled his arm.

"Welp Sam," she said walking up to the stood of a plain tan painted two story house, "this is it."

She leaned in to give Sam a peck on the cheek. Sam felt another sudden urge to use his powers. He paused time inexplicably, and kissed her on the lips. Suddenly Alana blushed as if her time was unpaused. "Wait Sam did you just..."

"Wait... did my powers... shoot! I'm sorry Ala-" Alana kissed him back. His powers hadn't stopped, they just seemed to, as if by some magic, stop working on Alana.

"Sam would you unpause time please?" she asked him, "There kinda has to be a tomorrow if I'm gonna see my boyfriend during it..."

"Yeah sure thing, oh wait!," Sam reached into his back pocket where the gift he had made was still in tact. " I made something I'd like you to have. You see when I pause an event in time and like to remember it I make things from something I find in the location." He pulled out a heart shaped glass trinket with the name Alana embroidered onto it. "I made this for you from the fire that almost cooked me alive from you brother earlier today on the beach."

"Oh it's wonderful Sam! Thank you!" Sam took the trinket and tied it around her neck. She hugged him tight for it.

"I call it a 'Makeshift Jewel,' I hope you like this one! I made it for you!"

"It's beautiful Sam!"

"Good night Alana." He unpaused time.

As she slipped inside he heard her whisper, "Good night Sam." He stood relaxed and thought on her walk for a bit...

"Alana! Where have you been?! And what's that thing around your neck." Sam heard Alana's brother yell at her as she entered the house.

"I had a date Mitch not that it's any of your business!"

"A date... with who?!"

"That guy from the beach!"

"That kid! It's midnight what were you two doing!"

"We had a bit of trouble at the restaurant, Torrent and the other Mercenaries attacked the restaurant."

"That kid had better not had let you get hurt after that! Did he walk you home you're all nervous and looking at the door! HE'S STILL HERE!"

"Mitch don't you dare do what I think you're gonna do!" Sam saw the front door open and Pyrotechnique was on the other side of it this time. "Sam run!" Another torrent of flames lit up this one even more ferocious then the one at the beach. Sam's face went pale as he didn't know if he could stop time quick enough he turned away and started to pick his feet up to run. He felt his powers kick in right at the flames sea was a nanometer from his right foot! Not wanting this to be the last memory of the night he rushed passed the paused Pyrotechnique ran into Alana, who was back to being paused with a frightened look on her face, and gave her another kiss. She began to move as if resumed again. "Sam... you goofball," she giggled.

"Gotta go! See you tomorrow Alana!"

"Bye Sam, see you tomorrow!" Sam ran out the door.

"Hey where did he go!" Mitch roared! As he saw Sam running down the street about 10 yards ahead of him. "GET BACK HERE KID! I BETTER NOT SEE YOU WITH MY SISTER AGAIN OR I WILL LIGHT YOU UP!"

Sam laughed as he got his place remembering all of tonight's activities. Feeling entirely drained he quickly went to bed.

The next morning Sam awoke and found himself covered in a plethora of pictures. After taking a look at them he immediately knew who the culprit was, "ZOE!" He yelled rushing through the door and into her... "You were there last night!"

"Yep took some good shots of you bro! I like these two with you running away from that flame-haired guy, oh and this one is cute too with you catching your girlfriend and all!" She dragged Sam over to a computer, "LOOK! I made you and the girl a website! #SOKAWAII" On the monitor was a website called brothersageek, it had the pictures that Sam woke up to find on his bed and many more.

"Zoe... come on! I really like her!"

"Heh I can tell bro!"

All the pics had various hashtags and all included #brothersageek...

"Zoe I'm going-"

"Hey Sam," Alana was sitting on the couch in their living room.

Sam swallowed hard and his eyes opened wide... "Alana!" he yipped really not expecting to see her.

"Yep the girl's here! Knew I forgot to mention something," Zoe chuckled. "See you two later." Zoe pushed the two of them out the door. Sam and Alana sat on the stoop and planned today's activities.