++++++++++++ Chapter 2 : Things were going well

Taylor was certainly grateful for Morty.

Not only too him but for him. The guy came as a saving grace in her time of need.

The Trio's bullying campaign came to an absolute halt since she met him. Emma, Sophia and Maddison didn't even look her way anymore. which at first she could not believe, but after 2 months became clear it was for real. ( The wounds are still there though. One of the reasons she started doing therapy - turns out Morty knew of a very cheap and reliable shrink from his neighborhood)

Now she could actually enjoy going to school. Her grades were back up, and she had company for lunch and After classes... No one other than him actually composed that " company", but that was more the Trio's fault than anyone else's.

And, although not sensible, he was still quite the caring friend. Talking about her feelings and subjects of interest without complaint or judgment.

...

...That, and much more were reasons why she felt so bad suspecting he was a villain.

Aaargh, things were going so well too.

#5 hours earlier#

Morty's House was the definition of, normal on the outside crazy on the inside. Externally, the building where it was located was not so different from her, a bit newer and nicer, but not by much. On the inside though... His TV was bigger than Taylor's closet; his kitchen had more liquor in display on the shelves than any bar Taylor had ever seen; Even his carpet was crazy, all snow white and smelling heavenly like someone had shaved of god's comfort puppy and used his fur to make a carpet.

"Welcome to la casa dourada. My little piece of comfort in this crazy world." He announced, as confident and chill as ever. It always fascinated her on how he could act the way he did while looking and sounding goofier and more awkward than her.

"Ho-How the hell?! Is- Is that TV Tinkertech?" She spitted out still baffled.

"Oh come on, first my watch, them my phone, now my TV. Not everything that is high-end looking has to be Tinkertech, Tay." he shrugged off and moved to the open kitchen. It was one of those modern apartments where the kitchen and the living room. was just one large open spacious room, so he could go to the fridge while still having visual of her sitting in the couch. "Make yourself comfortable, I will get the sandwiches."

Taylor sat down on the ridiculously comfortable couch and waited for her friend to come back with snacks. This was the first time she hang out at a friend's house since... Well Emma, more than 8 months ago. She shook her head as to try to shoo of the painfull memories.

To distract herself she grabbed the remote on the table in front of her and pressed the main button.

"Coming this Winter ...

The two brothers managed to grow old and get to their... Fifties or something.

But now as a completely random and poorly explained fling from one of the brothers comes back with a never mentioned before bastard son... You know the brothers will have to handle business.

But wait there is more! The bastard will, with no reason what so ever also be a superhero... In Mexico!

This winter- No Autumn - No winter ...

... Two brothers - Forever! but not really, as this will be the last movie of the franchise"

Well ... that was the weirdest movie trailer joke she ever saw...

" Hey, Do you want soda or juice with your sandwich? " Mortys nasal voice asked from the kitchen balcony.

"Soda please."

He brought them their food and immediately grabbed the remote, putting it in one of those fancy movie channels one had to pay monthly to have. "Soo... There is a fight club remake starting in 20 minutes. Are we game?"

"Fight Club? is that an action movie?"

"Yeah and no... it is a recent remake of an early 2000's earth Aleph movie. They say it is pretty decent. And since you apparently have not seen the 2000's version, this one will be new's for you. It is pretty much a societal critique mixed with psychology and some good therapeutic violence." He explained, munching on his sandwich.

"Yeah... I think that's fine." In these 2 months of friendship, she still not quite get a hang of how to be normal friends with someone, but she was improving.

Mainly they just spent time like this: devouring snacks; funny talk conversations about various casual topics like capes, real-life philosophy, and their favorite pieces of fiction. Taylor had managed to convince Morty to read some books ( the guy reads really freaking fast) and he had convinced her to give a chance to a bunch of niche Earth Aleph movies.

Morty was smart ( scarily so), cold ( but not in a bad way), and a huge nerd ( not in the Greg sense. In a more positive kind of sense... What was the word? Geek?). And overall Taylor treasured their hang out time.

"God dammit !" Morty yelled as the soda can in his hand exploded sweet sticky liquid in his face and T-shirt. Taylor had to hold of not to laugh at him.

With his clean hand he took of his eyepatch and placed on the coffe table. He used the napkin he was eating the sandwich with to dry some of his face. " I will go clean this shit of and change shirts. " He said simply before exiting the room

Alone and bored it did not take long for Taylor to take the eye patch in her hands. She did not understand quite well why Morty used it since there was no scar or defect sine on his eye... She also had not managed to shake of the weird memories that sometimes - Even If just for a second. Even If he had told her it was just her imagination- The eye patch shined a faint red glow.

For no reason at all she put the soda-wet piece of black cloth in her face.

Her first thought was that it felt more comfortable than it looked. Her second thought was "Why the hell I can see through the eye patch ?!"

Her vision was now partially overtaken by a bunch of graphics and info that looked like someone had put a computer screen's content's through her glasses lenses or something. Her first comparison was that it looked like that one TV show where they had Armsmaster as character and there was a part where we saw the world through his visor... It was... It was Tinkertech.

There was no denying it. Morty's eyepatch was Tinker-made. And it did not look like something you could by from a Tinker on the internet...

Her body felt cold now. Too cold. the possibilities flying through her mind at 1000 miles per hour.

It started with small things. His opinions on heroics and ethical behavior in general. His talks about power and violence felt like wisdom from experience rather them second-hand info... Them the more solid arguments. How he had so much money even though young heroes did not get really paid until they were 18 ... Morty ... Morty could be a villain.

with one swift move, she took the Damn thing of and put it back on the table.

Taylor stood, staring into space for a moment before running up to the door and yelling "Morty, my dad called and I need to go! Sorry, see you later !"

She ran home like she had not run in months. With a sense of urgency and a need to escape.

Fucking why? Things were going so well ...

Autor notes

So... anyone got the "Bad Boys Forever" Reference?

And what do you think of this development

Oh, and for those who think it is weird the bullying would completely stop - remenber, for rick is super easy doing the "Man's in black" thing of brainwashing someone with a simple flash from a tiny device. To evil Morty making the Trio and their friends forget Taylor is a 30 min task