1Evil Is No Laughing Matter, Chapter Six

By: Guinevere Richardson

E-Mail: PG-13

Author's Notes: I know I left you hanging for so long that you thought this fic was finished, but it isn't. Truth is I got stolen away by World of Warcraft (it will eat your SOUL!), but now I have returned to City of Heroes. Playing Giggle Girl everyday again reminded me that her story was still unfinished, so I take up the gauntlet and hope to complete it this time around. :)

Chapter Six

Brandon Michaels had just finished taking a shower when he heard the intruder. Glancing at the clock, he saw he only had about ten minutes before he needed to leave for the Hossorns' estate. He really didn't have time to deal with this, but he really didn't have a choice, either. If he were late he could just make up an excuse. After tying the towel around his waist into a secure knot, he silently opened a drawer beneath the sink and retrieved one of the many handy little pistols he had stashed all around the house.

It was better to have the element of surprise, after all.

By the sounds of the booted footsteps–god but this guy had to be incompetent–he was in the hall, almost to Brandon's bedroom. He waited a few more heartbeats before tearing out of the bathroom, legs braced and bringing up the gun to eye level with an ominous click. The apartment was dark, so all he could see was an indistinct form framed in the doorway. The person had definitely frozen, though, at both the sight of him and what he was holding.

"Guys like you make this job fun." Brandon said, keeping the gun trained on the shadow haunting the doorframe. "I mean, breaking into a guy's house unarmed?"

"Is it really breaking in if you have a key?" A single golden key suddenly skittered across the hall to land at Brandon's feet, but the shadow didn't even twitch.

Brandon glanced down in disbelief at the key winking at him from the hardwood floor. The only person who had a key was...

The shadow took advantage of his distraction, knocking the gun out of his hands and knocking him to his back in one quick movement, too quick that even if he'd been expecting it he probably wouldn't have been able to block it. He had to forget about the key–and who had owned it–for the moment and deal with whoever this current threat was.

"Come now, I know you've been training the Hossorn girl, surely you're better than this?"

Brandon wished he could recognize that voice, or even where it was coming from. That the person knew about Risa bothered him–he was usually rather good at keeping secrets. He stayed on the floor like he had landed, listening, waiting...there!

He jumped to his feet, turned, and grabbed the intruder's throat all in one move. Golden eyes glimmered back at him in triumph. "Much better."

He let go as if burned. "...Ani?"

Anileda stretched, as if it had all been a game. "Yes, love, and such a nice welcome too."

Brandon stared slackjawed for a few moments, then his gaze hardened as he realized. "When you threw that key...I thought..."

"That someone had killed me for it?" Ani half-smiled. "How can you kill someone that's already dead?"

Brandon's hardened gaze turned into a full glare. "That isn't funny, and you know it."

"Yes, yes. And I'm aware of the time, too, even if you aren't." She pointed to a nearby clock. "So I'll be quick."

"I haven't seen you...I can skip work–"

"No." Ani interrupted him with a quick gesture of the hand. "Risa Hossorn is more important. She's why I'm here." Crossing her arms over her chest, she leaned against the wall. "I saved her today in Steel Canyon. Serge had her fighting Tsoo, and–"

"Is he insane!" Brandon cried. "Wait a minute–"

"Probably. At any rate, she's fine, and should be arriving at the Green Line station in Talos...now." Anileda smiled. "Pick her up and drive her back, then train." She paused, then added, "Harder."

Brandon frowned, putting it all together, then groaned. "She's going to be a hero? Why me."

"Because you're the best trainer there is, Brandon." Anileda got up from the wall. "She'll be fine. Just keep her on her toes and don't go easy. Oh, and..." She actually smiled. "Be prepared to answer some questions."

"Questions? About.." Brandon stopped. "Dammit, Ani, why do you always have to–"

"Stir up trouble?" Ani eyed Brandon up and down, reminding him of his towel. "Because it keeps things interesting." With another mysterious smile, she disappeared into the shadows.

Brandon sighed, relaxing a little now that one trial of the day had passed.

"Oh, and Brandon?" Ani paused, her amusement at his letting his guard down rich in her voice, "Next time I won't let you hear my footsteps." Then she was gone.

With a groan, he turned back towards the bathroom, he ran through his mind what he could and couldn't tell Risa.

Risa was surprised to see Brandon waiting for her at the train station. Had she told him? No, she hadn't even planned on taking Green Line until Anileda had put her on it. Risa blinked, realizing. Anileda must've gotten to Brandon to tell him where she was. This also gave a great opportunity to ask what she wanted to ask, and by the look on Brandon's face, he already knew.

She waited until they were both inside the car and he had started driving before talking. Taking off her mask, she turned to look at him. Before she could ask, he said, "It seems you've met Ani."

Risa still couldn't get over how ill-fitting the name was for the person. "Yes, she saved me today." After a few moments and he said nothing, she added, "She said she was surprised you hadn't mentioned her."

Brandon sighed, running a hand through his still-damp golden blonde hair. "I hadn't mentioned her because until today, our secret identities were just that–secret." With an arch glance at Risa, he continued, "But now that they're not, at least I know why you suddenly have such enthusiasm for my lessons."

Risa grunted. "I've suspected that you're a hero for a long time now, it's just not something you come out and ask." She shrugged, then sighed. "Alright, it is. What do you call yourself?"

Brandon simply chuckled, and reaching into the middle console of his car, pulled out a sleek pair of blue sunglasses. Putting them on, he said, "I'm The Skilled." Taking them back off, he raised an eyebrow at her. "And you would be?"

Risa pointed to the letters on her chest. "Giggle Girl."

He nodded. "Uh huh...that doesn't seem like you at all."

"It isn't. That's the point of it." Risa looked away from him to watch the road. "So who is Ani?"

"Anileda is...and old friend of mine. I can't really tell you more than that...it's not my story to tell." Brandon smirked as Risa glared.

"That's exactly what she said about you!"

"I know." Brandon's smirk became a grin. "The difference is, I can tell you about me instead."

And with that, Brandon went on to tell Risa a little bit more about what being a hero is like and who he was. Slipping in a few remarks about how it isn't easy worked their way into the mix, even though Risa simply sighed at them. Brandon figured she'd find out for herself–if she needed help, he'd be there, but he wasn't going to babysit her. That was, he decided, what Risa was trying to prove. That she could rely on herself.