Chapter 4: The Borrower

May 12, 2004

"You're a good one little kid!" yelled the woman who was with Samson. "You might actually be able to slow me down!" She then put her hands on the fire escape's ladder above us and swung up to the platform attached. As I was climbing up the ladder to chase after her, I could make out Meteorman and Samson fighting each other, much like wrestlers, though the dark of night. I really didn't care how they fought, just as long as Meteorman was squaring off against the similarly strong, and dimwitted, man. All I know was after 15 floors, I watched as the woman started jumping on the rooftops.

I then started to climb the fire escape until I realized the obvious, and I started flying after her, who by the time I got to the top of the building was jumping from roof to roof. I think I surprised her, because when I punched her, she went down like a bag of potatoes (and no, I don't believe that women villains should be treated differently than men). We then jumped around the roof for a little white, and I was able to get her in a position where one single kick knocked all of the air out of her. After Meteorman managed to knockout Samson (once again, at least he targeted the right villain this time), we tied them together and Samson brought them to the side of the road for the cops.

May 13, 2004

"And there we have it, Meteorman and Pigmentavian have been able to clean up their mistake, or at least one of them. The whereabouts of the previously stolen jewelry are still not yet known, but the police are currently, with Meteorman's careful watch, interrogating now." The Screen then turns to Terry Mucker. "Thank you Charlotte. I'm glad to see that The story is going as it should. Come back tonight as we discus the..."

"Good job Gabriel," said Dad. "You did a good job." I just smiled, said goodbye, and went out to my car.

"OK, so yesterday in class, Mrs. Spadder had just finished her lesson, and had told her class to discus about the lesson. Well the first one to start talking was Ryan, like always, but he just says, ' I don't know about you, but I'm ready for a good taco.'. Of course none of us knew why he said that, so Mrs. Spadder was like, 'What about tacos?'. Ryan just looks up, and in all seriousness goes, 'Didn't we just learn how to make tacos?'. 'No.' Mrs. Spadder started, 'We're in a Math class.'" I don't know why, but I giggled a little when I heard this "story". "Of course I didn't think much about this when it happened, but now that I look back, Ryan's and Mrs. Spadder's faces were priceless."

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I actually have some insight to the events of last night!" started Ellie. The rest of of just looked at her and silently moaned, knowing that she had a crazy idea about who Pigmentavian was. "I've been looking up people from Centropolis on Namestage, and I found a couple of very promising individuals." Of course, I decided to once again through her off guard.

"Well, maybe this guy doesn't live in Centropolis. After all, it's not unheard of Supers from small towns going off to larger cities to be a hero, even if they just come back. Look at Emberwisp. He comes from the direction of Merchantiles over Faysbury all the time." Ellie just looked at me like I was stupid. "Are you kidding? No one in Faysbury had Pigment's Hair, Eyes, and Skin tone that matches in all three categories. Look at you, you have a similar skin tone, but your hair and eyes are totally different." I just shrugged, pretending that I was beat, and started eating as Jill told another "funny" story about Ryan.

When I arrived at base, Meteorman seemed off... I didn't want to be rude, so I just acted like nothing was different. "So," I started, "are we patrolling tonight? Because I have no homework at all, and tonight would be perfect for that." Meteorman just stood in front of me, as if in though (which is VERY rare for him). Suddenly, "What? Oh, umm... sure..." I just eyed him for a moment, and went on to the bathroom to quickly check whether my hair and eyes were the right colors for being Pigmentavian. Once I got back into the main area, Meteorman rushed right beside me. "OK, so I'm going to go out for patrol. You... need to go to the Headquarters."

"Wait, what?" Normally Supers were only summoned to Headquarters if something was that matter/ if they were in trouble... He just looked at me for a moment, gave a soft smile, and left the lair. I left shortly after, and soon I was on top of Centropolis's NSA Headquarters. When I got there, there was an agent waiting for me. "Pigmentavian, if you would please follow me." He then proceeded to the stairs. I paused a second and then started to follow him: I couldn't help thinking about the last time (and only other time) I had been here. "I'm sure you know of our little issue with the 'Renegade Super'?' I of course nodded, considering he was the reason I was a Hero (or at least right now Sidekick), not to mention the fact that he was almost in the news more than Meteorman and I. "Well," he started as he stopped in front of a large double door, "the director wishes to talk to you about him." He then directed me to walk though the door.

I felt an eerie feeling of entering the same office I had been in day I was told to be suspected of being the illegal Super running around. Once again, the young, black-haired man (who I STILL didn't have a name for) was at his seat. The only difference between the first time and the second time of being in this room was the fact that there was a single chair in front of the desk instead of two. I of course went strait to the chair. Before I even sat down, he started talking. "So, I know we didn't exactly start on the right foot before, so let's start over. I am Agent Bill Estine and the head of Missouri's NSA division. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Pigmantavian." He then put out his hand, and I shock it.

"Now I realize that this is sudden, but I hope to enlist your help in something. I am sure you know about the 'Renegade Super' that has been running around Centropolis. Even though he has shown no interest in wanting to hurt anyone, and has actually been helpful, he must first be punished and then registered if the NSA will ever support him, and trust me we want to support him: he shows great promise. This is where you come in. Your recent tract record has shown that you have great promise, so I personally decided that perhaps you are ready to do some part-time Super work independent of Meteorman." He then paused. I just looked at him, analyzing everything he had said. Independent Super work was a big deal, and normally someone like me who had just started didn't do much of that until years of working with a better Super...

After Agent Estine gave me a communicator to contact Headquarters, he sent me out to look for the 'Renegade Super'. He didn't give any specific areas to find him, because obviously they couldn't find him themselves, but he did said he had been spotted a lot in the downtown area, so I picked a skyscraper to perch on and started patrolling... It was nearly 1 O'clock in the morning when I was about to retire and go off home for the night when I noticed someone in a supersuite on the ground (my supersuite glasses are AMAZING!). I at first didn't think anything of it, but then I realized that I didn't recognize the suite, so I quickly started flying down towards it. I soon realized that the person was trying to avoid me, and I soon realized that anyway one could look at it, I needed to follow this person. I don't know how long it was, but it was a good long chase until I chased the person in the ally... I had soon trapped the person and I realized that the person in fact was the 'Renegade Super'.

"Sir? I know you've been avoiding the NSA, but trust me, you don't want to prolong the inevitable!" The person quickly turned towards me, and I was amazed to see in the full bodysuit's only opening a young woman's (actually more of a teenage) face. "Well I'm sorry, but I definitely don't need to get them involved with whatever is happening with me!" She then ran towards me, which caught me off-guard, and tackled me in the stomach hard. Suddenly she started to fly (which I knew she could, I was just surprised she hadn't flown away from me) and looked down on me.

"You know, I recognize you from TV... you're that new Super who almost took the blame for me. Well, I have a message for you to bring back to the NSA." She then flew back down to my surprised, aching, and leaned forward into my ear. "I am The Borrower, and I don't need you guys." She then flew off. I just grunted from the tackle and laid on the ground for a short period...

May 14, 2004

"And so you let the 'Renegade Super', who is apparently a girl your age named 'The Borrower' tackle you and run off!?" I just sat with my back as far in the seat as possible as Agent Estine drilled me. "That's it! I thought you had more in you, but I guess I was wrong! You know, give back that communicator. Until further notice, you are only allowed to work with Meteorman. I don't even want to see you! Get out!" He then pointed his anger-shaken hand towards the door. I just slowly got up, and walked out, afraid to even talk. When I came into the hallway, a couple of other Agents just looked around awkwardly, apparently having ease-dropped. I didn't even care though, I needed to go out for a fly.

Author's Notes – I know this was short, but trust me when I say the next one will be longer. BE AWARE, some chapters, like this, won't have their own sub-plot (although, really, none have yet), but some will. Because I'm going to SUPER busy during the first half of Summer, don't expect to see anything out for a while. I'm also starting to get more detailed oriented now that the series is established, so you'll see a gradual change in detail as the series progresses.

Also, favorite, review, and/or follow if you enjoy the story. I currently have ideas through the first 15 chapters, but I'm always going to be open to suggestions. If I feel like it'll make since for the story, I'll try to add it. Oh, and I'll try to use my profile to keep readers updated between chapters posting.