Chapter 10: Birds of a Feather
The moon hung heavy in the sky above San Fransokyo as the group, sans Oh and dressed in their civilian clothes, made their way across the campus of SFIT.
"Well, I've got to say, I wasn't expecting this was the way my night was going to go," Violet commented with a smile before examining one of her arms, using the other to hold her skateboard, "I could have gone without the injuries though."
"As long as you follow Dr. Lieber's instructions, your injuries should heal in a short time," Baymax instructed.
"I'll keep that in mind," Violet said with a chuckle before she turned to face the others, "And thanks for, you know, reading me in on everything tonight. I know it's not how you all would have wanted to do it, but I appreciate you guys trusting me. Try not to be too mad at Fred about it?"
"It's no problem," Go Go replied with a shrug, "I'm sure I'll find a reason to be pissed off at him again soon enough."
"Hey," Fred complained, causing the others to laugh.
"I have to ask though," Hiro spoke up, "The way he told the story, Fred made is sound like you had been looking into us. That you were trying to figure out if we were the Big Hero 9."
"Well, that's because I sort of was," Violet admitted awkwardly.
"Wait what?" Wasabi questioned as he blinked in surprise.
"Why?" Riley inquired.
"I was asked to look into who the Big Hero 9 by a certain government agency," Violet replied as she awkwardly scratched the back of her head.
"Oh no," Fear whispered.
"The AVL wanted you to look into us?" Honey asked in shock.
"Oh man, we're totally getting arrested," Wasabi groaned as he ran a hand over his face.
"Nobody's getting arrested," Violet assured them as she waved her hands in front of her, "I can't really go into why the AVL wanted me to look into you guys, but I promise that it's good news."
"You can't tell us anything more?" Tip questioned as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Not really," Violet replied, shaking her head as she gave the group an apologetic look.
"Well, that's mysterious and slightly ominous," Fred commented before shrugging, "But I'll take it over getting arrested."
"Anyway, we should probably get going," Hiro said, "I think crime fighting has taken up enough of our night already."
"Yeah," Tip agreed with a sigh, "Some of us have a math test tomorrow."
At that, Riley groaned and put her face in her hands.
"I've got to get some homework done myself before I pass out," Violet stated with sigh, "So, I should probably get back to my dorm."
"I'll walk you there!" Fred offered quickly, before pausing awkwardly as everyone turned their attentions towards him, "If you, uh, don't mind, that is."
"No, Fred, I don't mind," Violet replied, giggling as she shook her head, "I think that sounds pretty great actually."
"Hey Violet, before you go, are you around this weekend?" Go Go questioned with a pensive expression.
"Yeah, I think so," Violet replied as she quirked an eyebrow at Go Go, "Why?"
"Because, I'm taking this one out for a girl's night," Go Go said as she stepped next to Honey and wrapped her arm around the taller woman's hip, "And I was wondering if you wanted to join us."
"Go Go, I'm really not sure I have the time…." Honey began to argue half-heartedly.
"You're making the time," Go Go stated sharply as she gave Honey a hard look, "This whole thing of running yourself ragged has gone on long enough. I'm drawing a line in the sand. We're going out this weekend."
Honey looked down at Go Go for a moment before whatever resistance she had flowed out her face and shoulders and she smiled wanly at her friend.
"Alright, Yuri," Honey agreed as she wrapped her arm around the shorter girl's shoulders in a one arm hug, "I think a night out sounds pretty great."
"Awesome," Go Go replied as she pulled away from Honey before she turned to look at Violet and pointed a finger at the younger woman, "So, you in, Freshman?"
"After watching that, I feel like I don't have much of a choice," Violet answered with a laugh, "Yeah, I'm down."
"Good," Go Go stated with a smirk, "I'll send you the details about it later."
"Actually, would it be cool if I invited this friend of mine to come with us?" Violet asked with a pensive expression, "She's from Modesto, and she said it's been ages since she's gotten to come here."
"Sure," Go Go answered with a shrug, "The more the merrier."
"Awesome," Violet said with a grin before she began to back away from the group, "Anyway, I really do need to get back to my room so I can get some homework done."
"No problem," Wasabi replied with a shake of his head.
"We'll see you later, Violet!" Riley called as she waved at the young woman, earning a wave in reply.
"I'll catch you guys later too," Fred said as he followed Violet away from the group.
"Now, you treat that nice girl with respect, young man," Go Go said, smirking as she pointed a finger at Fred.
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Wasabi called after him with a facetious grin.
"Make good choices!" Honey declared with a motherly tone and a beaming smile.
"Man, you guys are the worst," Fred groaned as Violet stifled a laugh with her hand.
Then, with a final wave, the group turned away from the direction Fred and Violet were headed in and began making their way across campus.
"You know, for someone who was sent by a secret government agency to spy on us, I'm really starting to like Violet," Hiro commented with a smile, earning chuckles from his friends.
Later,
As they walked through the concrete corridors of her dorm, an awkward silence had fallen between Violet and Fred. Reaching one of the doors, Violet paused in front of it, prompting Fred to stop as well.
"Well….this is me," Violet said, indicating towards the door with her head.
"Right," Fred awkwardly as he nervously scratched the back of his head, "I guess this is the part where I wish you good night."
"I suppose so," Violet replied as she rubbed her arm with her hand and looked away from Fred, "Can I ask you a question? One that has the potential to make me seem a little….nuts?"
"Go for it," Fred answered with a encouraging grin.
"Would it be weird if I said I had fun tonight?" Violet asked as she turned her gaze back towards Fred, a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth, "I mean it involved a hostage situation where we got shot at."
"I know, right?" Fred confirmed with a chuckle, "But no, I don't think you're weird. I had a great time too. I always do when I'm, you know, superheroing."
"But that's weird, isn't it?" Violet asked with an incredulous smile as she leaned back against her room's door frame, "People shouldn't enjoy throwing themselves into danger like that."
"We're not like most people," Fred argued with a shrug, "Especially me and you, given our families."
"I guess," Violet chuckled as she folded her arms, "I do have to say, as far as first dates go, this has been one of the best I've been on."
"Wait," Fred said, blinking in confusion, "Did you….Did you just say first date?"
At that, Violet averted her eyes again, her face turning red as she allowed her hair to conceal part of her face.
"Look, from what I've learned from my parents, people like us kind of have to take these things where we can get them," Violet explained quietly, "My mom and dad were fighting crime the day they were married. They said that they consider their first date to be when they teamed up against-"
"Bomb Voyage!" Fred answered, earning a bemused smile from Violet, "Sorry, but I am a bit of a nerd."
"I gathered," Violet chuckled, "But you get what I mean, right?"
"I suppose," Fred replied as he scratched the back of his head, "Though I thought we were still doing the whole "getting to know you" thing?"
"Fred, we literally shared our biggest secrets with each other tonight," Violet pointed out, "If that's not enough to garner a date, I don't know what is."
"O-Okay," Fred stated nervously, "It was a date then. A good one even!"
"Yeah," Violet giggled, her cheeks having taken on a firmly rosy hue.
"So, you down for a second date?" Fred inquired, "Dinner, movie, maybe beat up some muggers in an alley if we can find the time?"
"Hmmm, I'll have to think about it," Violet replied playfully, feigning a thoughtful expression as she tapped her chin with her finger, "But I'd say your odds are pretty good."
"I'll take whatever odds you give me," Fred said with a charming smile, "Luck's been in my favor lately. After all, I just went on a date with a superhero who also happens to be a very pretty girl."
"Thank you," Violet replied with a laugh and a roll of her eyes, though Fred noticed her face was almost completely red now, "Though you're really pushing your luck now."
"Just telling the truth," Fred said with a shrug, a blush on his cheeks as well.
"Well, anyway, I really do need to get some work done tonight," Violet stated half-heartedly, "I'll see you later?"
"Absolutely," Fred answered with a wide grin.
"Good night, Fred," Violet said as she smiled at him.
"Good ni-" Fred started to answer, but was interrupted as Violet leaned forward and pressed her lips to his cheek. His eyes going wide as his voice died in his throat, Fred could only stare at Violet as she pulled back, and winked at him before stepping into her room and closing the door behind her.
For a few moments, Fred could do nothing but stand and stare at the wooden door before him. Then, blinking slowly, Fred raised his hand and touched the spot on his cheek where Violet had kissed him. As he touched it, a megawatt grin formed on Fred's face. Turning from Violet's door, Fred began walking back the way he came, whistling happily to himself and clicking his heels together as he rounded a corner.
As the same time, in her room, Violet giggled as she flopped backwards onto her bed. Alone in her dorm room, Violet lay on her bed, grinning up at the ceiling as she went over the day's events in her head. Fishing her hand into the pocket of her jeans, Violet pulled out her cellphone and quickly called one of her contacts.
"Hey Mom," Violet said as she held the phone up to her ear, "Can you talk?"
Pausing, a confused look formed on Violet's features.
"Are you busy?" Violet inquired, "It's kind of loud where you are."
Meanwhile,
"No, honey, I can talk," Helen replied as she sat on a metal bench along a similarly metal wall, "Your father is just having a bit of a work out session right now."
Letting out a grunt of pain, Bob flew a short distance through the air before landing on the blue, padded floor and rolling to a stop. Picking himself up, Bob, dressed in an old grey United States Army t-shirt, navy blue basketball shorts, and a pair of red, padded gloves, glanced around in order to regain his bearings.
The room he was in was a massive one, with a ceiling nearly sixty feet tall, and a matching length and width. The walls, floor and ceiling were covered with uniformly square metal plates that were gunmetal grey in color, with bright fluorescent lights shining down from above.
Currently, a large section of the floor near the center of the room was a foot lower than the rest and the metal panels had been replaced with blue padding. Standing near one of the ends of the section, roughly twenty feet away from Bob, was Susan, shrunk down to human size and dressed in a black tank top with orange along with side and matching yoga pants along with gloves similar to Bob's own. She currently had her white hair pulled back into a ponytail and a wide grin on her face.
"How was that?" Susan asked as she bounced excitedly on her stocking feet, hands raised in the semblance of a boxing pose.
"Not bad," Bob replied with a good hearted chuckle, rolling his right shoulder as he got his own sock clad feet under him, "You pack more of a wallop than I was expecting."
"It's because I'm just as strong as I am when I'm big," Susan explained with a shrug.
"How's that work?" Bob inquired with a quirked eyebrow.
"Basically, Doc wasn't able to get rid of all the extra mass I gained when I became Ginormica," Susan explained as she pointed to the device on her wrist, "So he made this to basically contract the space between my molecules instead. Which means that when I'm smaller, I'm denser too."
"Pretty cool," Bob commented with a nod of understanding.
"Eh," Susan replied with a shrug and a so-so motion of her hand, "It's nice being able to be just under five feet again instead of having to be just under fifty all the time, but it means if I want to sit in a chair or sleep on a bed, it has to be reinforced to hold my weight. And don't even get me started on wearing heels."
"That sound rough," Bob said with a sympathetic nod, "But being that strong at this size does have its advantages. I'm guessing that being that dense also makes you pretty tough too, huh?"
"I'm pretty much bulletproof," Susan confirmed with a nod before a thoughtful expression crossed her face, "What does it feel like when you get shot, by the way? For me, it's this weird tickling sensation."
"It kind of itches for me," Bob answered with a smirk, "Anyway, seeing as you have pretty much the same powers as I do, I think I might be able to teach you a thing or two."
"You know I'm not exactly new to this whole superhero thing, right?" Susan questioned with a quirked eyebrow, "I'm betting I know more than you think."
"Alright," Bob replied with a smirk as he lifted his hands up in a boxing pose, "Show me."
Grinning, Susan balled her hands into fists and rushed at Bob. As Susan ran at him, Bob bent his knees to lower his center of gravity, never taking his eyes off her. Reaching Bob, Susan threw a punch at the man's head, but he easily ducked the attack, crouching low and throwing his shoulder into her stomach. As Susan let out a cough of surprise, she was unable to stop Bob as he lifted her off her feet and tossed her over his shoulder. Susan spent the next dizzying moment flipping end over end before landing hard on her back, choking in pain as the wind was knocked out of her lungs.
"You we're right," Bob said as he turned to look at Susan, who lay on the floor, fighting to catch her breath, "That whole density thing does make you pretty heavy. Doubt someone without super strength could have pulled that off."
Susan glared at Bob as he looked at him upside down, gulping down lungfuls of air.
"Look, having similar powers means I know what it was like being the one who had strength that no one else could match," Bob went on as he walked around Susan so she could look at him rightside up, "The problem is that eventually, you do run into someone who's as strong as you, and when that happens, you need to know how to fight with your head."
"Okay," Susan coughed, before taking Bob's hand as he offered to help her back to her feet, "So maybe I can learn a thing or two from you."
"I'm sure there's some tricks you can teach me too," Bob replied as he pulled Susan back to her feet.
"Yeah, probably," Susan replied with an enigmatic smile. Then, grabbing Bob's arm with both hands, Susan dropped onto her back. Caught off guard by the move, Bob was pulled forward as Susan planted her feet against his chest, bending her legs against his weight. Then, as she continued to roll backwards, Susan released her hold on Bob's arm and pushed him with her legs, launching him into the air. Bob flew a short distance before landing hard on his shoulders at the far end of the padded area, his knees flanking his head as he lay in a crumpled, upside-down position.
"That was for that heavy crack," Susan stated as she rolled back to her feet and pointed at Bob, smiling mischievously at him before she made her way out of the padded area. Bob could only sigh and roll his eyes before going through the process of righting himself.
Walking over towards where Helen was sitting, Bob saw Susan putting on her sneakers nearby.
"Alright, Violet, I'll talk to you later," Helen said into her phone as Bob approached, "Love you too. Bye."
"Was that Violet?" Bob questioned as he walked up.
"Perceptive as always, dear," Helen commented with a smirk.
"How is she doing?" Bob asked as he put his shoes on.
"Good, good," Helen replied as she slid her phone into her pocket, "She had a pretty eventful night, actually."
"How so?" Bob inquired as he and Helen began making their way out of the large room.
"Well, she found out who the Big Hero 9 are, met a nice boy, and stopped a hostage situation," Helen explained, ticking off the points on her fingers while a mischievous smile spread across her features."
"Wow, that's great!" Bob said with a laugh before a confused expression formed on his face as he and Helen exited the room, "Wait….what was that about a boy?"
Susan couldn't help but chuckle to herself as she undid her ponytail and ran a hand through her hair. A buzzing sound catching her attention, Susan looked over at the black gym bag sitting on the floor nearby. Rummaging through it, she retrieved a cellphone, which she grinned at before holding it up to her ear.
"Hey, Violet!" Susan greeted happily, "I just heard your parents talking about you!"
As she listened to Violet's reply, Susan pulled the strap of her gym bag over her shoulder as her lips spread in a cocky smirk.
"Yeah, I was sparring with your dad a little bit," Susan answered as she made her way out of the room, "Totally kicked his butt, by the way."
Pausing again as she entered one of Home Base's labyrinthian, concrete corridors, a pensive expression crossed Susan's face.
"This weekend?" Susan questioned thoughtfully, "Yeah, I'm free this weekend. I'm free most days, actually. All I really got going on in my life right now is superhero stuff."
Another pause and Susan's expression turned hesitant.
"Are you sure I wouldn't be intruding?" Susan asked with a worried tone, "I mean, they're your friends, and I'm sure I'm at least a few years older than any of them."
Susan paused again and rolled her eyes.
"Trust me, I remember being in college," Susan stated, "To anyone still going to classes, twenty-six is ancient."
Susan paused one more before chuckling.
"Alright, if you say so," she said, her grin turning excited, "If your friends will have me, I would love to spend a night on the town in San Fransokyo."
A/N: Took me a little while to get this chapter out, but I had a lot of fun with it. Hope you guys enjoyed it as well! As alway, feedback and critiques are always welcome, so please review! Later!