A Hell of a Time

I was reclined in my new throne, located in the most "throne room" like room of my new lair(finally turned over to me) while looking through certain documents that the PRT had handed over as an apology for completely and utterly failing to be there when the fight had started. Apparently, one of the Wards had just up and disappeared and the sudden emergency had caused some kind of confusion. At least, they were pretty sure that Coil wasn't coming after us, so the Undersiders had moved out of my house. Thank God.

My thoughts, however, weren't on Coil or Clockblocker. They were on the little girl that had attacked us and Lung. The PRT didn't really believe us about the demons and angels and magic, so I couldn't exactly say 'she's the ghost of a little girl trying to repent her sins so that she can move on,' but I was able to say that I was worried about the obviously misguided young heroine who'd claimed to be trying to redeem herself. The PRT, still strangely permissive of me for some reason that I wasn't going to question, had provided documents on female villains and rogues in the right age range as well as a handful of publicized incidents that might have been suitable triggers-especially ones where someone was presumed dead or had been missing for a while.

Despite Lisa's insistence, I discarded Bonesaw more or less immediately. I mean, she was dead so she could be a Prinny... Well, Unprinny. I really needed o look more into this netherworld stuff. But Bonesaw was a psycho-the kind of psycho that other psychos flock to see what they'll do next, a Michelangelo of Murder, a Van Goh of gore, a Mozart of Mutilation, a significantly more morbid Poe. Someone like that didn't just turn over a new leaf, dead or not. Also, Prinnirider was a brunette, Bonesaw was blonde.

Unfortunately, none of the other people I'd been given information on seemed to fit the bill either. They all had powers that Prinnirider hadn't demonstrated, and not one of them had anything even tangentially related to cyborgs or power copying.

I set the papers down and got up to stretch my legs. She'd turn up eventually.

*Meanwhile*

Greg opened his window when he heard the tapping. It was late, very late, but he needed to let his guest in. He opened his window, and an eleven or twelve year old girl climbed in.

"You okay?" Greg asked.

"Yeah. I just kind of botched my first day out," the girl in the penguin hat said. "Being a hero is hard."

"Don't worry about it," Greg said, "you'll do great. You just need to get the hang of it."

Greg had been internet friends with Prinnirider prior to her death. He had trouble beliving her story at first, but when she came to him with such honesty and genuineness in her eyes, she had him convinced and he had to help.

"Thanks," she said. "You're a good friend. And thanks for letting me sleep in your closet, I know that must be a hassle."

"Oh, it's not trouble," Greg replied. Honestly, he could probably just tell his parents about it and they'd be fine with it. "Besides, it's just like one of my Japanese Animes."

"You will force that meme whenever, won't you?"

"Yep!"

and so Prinnirider went into Greg's walk-in closet and went to sleep. She needed to try again in the morning.

She hoped that Greg would never learn who she really was. He wouldn't like her anymore if he did.