Mako's Message: Okay, if you all don't know, from what I observed, the problem with the chapter not appearing last time was a widespread site issue. Just like chapters, reviews were being accepted, and I and other authors were getting notified about them, but they were not showing on review pages. I noticed that the reviews I submitted as well as the ones I received today have also not posted to the site. If any of you received an alert about this chapter but got a "the chapter isn't here" message, odds are the problem hasn't (wasn't?) been entirely fixed yet.

Anyway, I seem to have discovered something. The amount of trouble I have getting a chapter started is directly proportional to how long the chapter ends up. Lot's of Marty and Todd in this chapter. Gave them some actual character this time, I think. Perhaps I went a bit too far and they're now out of character… well if you think they are hopefully it's in a good way.

Speaking of what you think, in the interest of improving the story, if there's anything you think I could improve on, or you just don't like, let me know. I'll try to improve it if I can. Don't let that request stop you from telling me what you do like of course. That's important to keeping up the quality too. ~_^


I was hoping I could spend some time with Dave over the weekend. It didn't happen. With all the work I had to do I'm wondering why I thought he'd be free. Especially considering he works most nights.

I saw Marty and Todd on Saturdayy though. Marcus thought I was doing a great job at school so he took me over to Atomic Comics and gave me an extra ten bucks plus bus fare if I needed it. They were sitting a booth doing homework but when they saw me come in they pushed it aside an invited me to come over and sit down.

They were happy to see me. Todd said, "Haven't seen you much since Halloween," as I sat down.

Marty added, "Yeah, lunch has been dull without our little deadpan snarker."

I didn't realize it until then, but I really hadn't hung out with them much since I met Angela. We didn't even get to go trick or treating. I wonder what they did with those costumes…

Anyway, we had a pretty good time. We talked about comics, mostly, but we ended up talking about some of the new heroes out on the streets. The Marty didn't hesitate to proclaim the awesomeness of The Guardian. Todd was leaning towards some guy called The Gentleman, but he wasn't too sure since all he had to go by were a couple witness reports. I, of course, stood by Biker Knight.

Todd was surprised, he said he thought I'd be more into Hit Girl.

I had to fight the smirk off with everything I had, but I managed a straight face when I said, "Eh, she was just a one hit wonder. What's she done since?"

They both had to agree that after such a flashy entrance it was kind of a mystery as to why no one had seen anything of her since. If they only knew.

That of course brought up Kick Ass. Marty though that his disappearance had just been recovering from the beating he took the night of the live stream, but when he hadn't shown up again even months later he thought that maybe he'd been permanently injured.

"Or he just rage quit after that," Todd offered.

Marty shrugged and said it was possible. I countered with, "I don't know, personally, I think he'd be more for a roaring rampage of revenge than rage quitting."

Todd immediately changed his tune, "She has a point, if someone smashed my balls with a baseball bat I'd want to return the favor."

Marty's response to that was priceless, "Todd, no offense, but if someone cracked your nuts you'd lay on the ground and cry like a little girl."

I couldn't help laughing, I apologized for it once I got a grip, but I really couldn't. Todd didn't seem to think it was funny, "Oh, like you'd do any better?"

"Erika nailed me in the balls when we broke up, so yeah, I think I can safely say I could handle it."

I had to back the conversation up then, Marty and Erika had broken up? When the hell did that happen? Why hadn't I heard about this?

Apparently it happened over the last week. Marty had made some request of her that she responded to by kneeing him in the balls, calling him a pig, and telling him they were done. I said that he didn't seem to upset by it.

He just sipped his coffee and said he was, the first two times they'd broken up, (Whaaaaaaaaaat?) but he was confident she'd come back again. I had to know what was going on here so I started asking questions:

"So how many times have you broken up?"

"This will be the fourth time."

"So why are you so confident she'll come back?"

"Two reasons. The first, she wasn't doing much better than C's before we started dating. Now she's getting A's. Second, she loves the cock."

That was more information than I wanted, but it was worth it for Todd's reaction, "Dude! 11-year-old girl! Right there!" he said gesturing at me with both hands.

I couldn't resist, "Yeah, ya cunt. Watch your fucking mouth around the little girl, will ya?"

Marty just raised his eyebrow as he sipped his coffee again and said, "That's what I thought."

He can be such a smug bastard sometimes.

I started laughing at Todd's expression. It really was priceless. I couldn't even begin to describe it. Marty started laughing with me and Todd finally gave in and laughed to. Man those guys are hilarious. I should really spend more time with them.

I went to get something to drink myself then, and while I was waiting for my order this boy who was about my age, maybe a little older came up and started talking to me. He asked, "So, do you like comics…? Or are you here with someone who does?"

I thought it was a weird question but I told him that, yeah, I like comics, and I was here with Todd and Marty.

He asked if they were my brothers, and I just said no, they were friends from school.

He asked what kind of comics I liked, and I said I liked a good old traditional super hero comic. He said he liked those too, and was about to ask something else, I think, when my drink came and I said, "Well, see you around, I guess."

He looked like I'd just swept his legs out from under him, but he finally got it together enough to say, "Oh yeah. Sure. See you around."

When I got back to the table they were opening up the text books again, they stopped to exchange a look, and Marty said, "Popular, isn't she?"

I said, "Who me? What are you talking about? I'm not popular."

"Sure you're not."

I really don't know what he was getting at. If I was popular I'd have more than three, well five, friends…maybe six… should I count Katie? I mean, she annoys the shit out of me, but does that make her not my friend? I mean, we have that "Keep Dave Away From Riley" alliance and all, and we hang out… sorta… She's really just there with Dave and I've never really enjoyed her company. She did come with Dave to the hospital to see me, though. But that was probably just to support- wait…

Didn't Angela say he got in the ambulance with me? So Katie would have had to go to the hospital by herself…

Okay, so I guess the only thing she's done to me is be this perfect, pretty little thing that is so sweet it makes me sick, so… I guess I can try to be nicer to her. After all, she is my best friends girlfriend. I should try to like her.

Assuming I can keep resisting the urge to stab her in the face every time she has one of those "I'm-the-most-perfect-thing-ever" moments.

Anyway, I told Marty to stop being weird and asked if I could see what they were working on.

It was a physics project that I didn't understand at all, but after watching them work out the problems for awhile I started to crack the code. It'll probably be easy by the time I get to that though. They are Juniors after all.

When the sun started to set I decided it was time to head home. They both offered to escort me home. Silly boys. Still, I thanked them but declined.

Hell, I might have welcomed an attempted mugging. It'd be nice to be able to cut loose again.

So I got home, decided to hit Marcus' work out room while I had the chance, then showered and plowed into my homework. Marcus came by just as I was finishing up with food from the burger joint near the station. I love it when he brings food back from there. The burger's are just delicious and thick, and juicy. Yeah, they always seem to end up smashed but you can't taste smashed. Not like you can taste awesome at least.

Before I went to bed I called Dave to see if he was able to do something tomorrow. He said he couldn't and apologized, making sure to note that we'd still be able to go out on out as usual though. He even said we didn't have to train and could just go see a movie or something if I wanted. I told him I actually enjoyed training him, that it was funny working him into the ground, "You scare me, sometimes, Mindy" he said and half laughed and half yawned. I told him he should get to sleep since he sounded exhausted. He agreed and hung up.

I hope he's okay. He's really seemed run over lately, and he didn't respond to any of my texts until after noon again.

Which reminds me. Today has fucking sucked. I stupidly finished ALL my homework last night, and with nothing to do today I tried to sleep in but failed miserably. I finally gave it up at about 10, sent out a few texts, went for a jog, texted Angela, laid on the couch and watched Spike TV for awhile. Drew some pictures. Worked on my staff katas. Went back to the couch to rot my brain on mindless television. I found a new My Little Pony show. It was kinda fun.

Dear God I am bored.