Disclaimer: WordGirl belongs to Soup 2 Nuts, Scholastic and PBS. This is a fanfiction that is not a commentary on any written or produced goods or services.
The ship moved sluggishly considering the danger rushing from behind them. WordGirl couldn't seem to maneuver the ship in any way that would give her the needed speed to escape. Surrounded by the dark view all around her, WordGirl felt a little helpless.
"I thought space was supposed to be frictionless," WordGirl bit her lower lip and applied every super essence of her being into pushing the spacecraft. WordGirl was beginning to gain velocity when several more rays struck next to her body. Two punctures were made in the back of the ship. WordGirl could hear the air leaking from the ship as it hissed past her. Anymore attacks and there wouldn't be enough air to even begin the journey home. WordGirl sent a worried glance over her shoulder to see the Thesaurian ships accelerating toward her. "No you don't."
Thru clenched teeth WordGirl whispered a prayer and strove for the speed she had on Monday. She imagined this as that tornado; it was nothing more but wind. The only thing standing between her death and freedom was her. This calamity was but air in need of displacement.
The speed of sound wasn't as hard to hit this time. Her energy fully focused, the ship was zooming thru space and farther from its pursuers. She watched as the vessels behind her grew smaller and smaller; slight worry rising that at any minute they would recover from their slowed pace. After several long moments . . . the Thesaurian ships still hadn't caught up. It was clear that they had given up, were restricted in how far out they could go or . . . perhaps they were afraid to venture this far from Thesauria. WordGirl didn't want to know what it was that could have scared them, it would be best to think they just couldn't keep up. This could work; it was working . . ! But which way was Earth? WordGirl couldn't just quit pushing the ship . . . oh wait,
Being there was no resistance in space WordGirl could trust the ship to keep its pace while she headed back to the control area of the ship. The heroine flew back to the side door and climbed back in. She immediately took a breath to gauge how much oxygen was left. The air was as thin as it had been back at the lake house. That meant . . .
WordGirl held her breath as she combed the ship in search of Huggy and Tobey. Tobey was quickly found in the hallway outside the engine room. He hadn't moved from his position since he felt the ship jolt. In fact, he wasn't moving at all.
"Tobey?" The boy didn't respond to her in the darkness. "Please Tobey, don't play like this." WordGirl placed a hand on Tobey's chest. It rose ever so slightly; he was still breathing. He had passed out, but was still breathing. WordGirl sighed in relief. Gently, WordGirl scooped the boy up bridle style and flew him back to the head controls. There she found the captain hadn't passed out, and that there was a large enough air pocket for the monkey and boy to breath in.
"Huggy, Tobey's out," WordGirl placed the young genius in the passenger's chair and strapped him in. "Is he going to be alright?"
"It's just the body's defense; when air is low the body shuts down to conserve it." Huggy couldn't see the two, but he could easily tell from WordGirl's tone that she was panicked. Little did the pilot know WordGirl's fears were more deeply rooted than the immediate moment they were in. She was fearing that Tobey would do what Todd had. If anything like that were to happen again, there would be no way for her to help him. Becky couldn't stand the thought of losing another friend.
"Huggy we need to get back now," WordGirl began pressing buttons on the control panel. "Did Tobey not fix anything? How are we suppose to find Earth?"
"With a bit of luck I guess." Huggy grabbed the controls and began steering the ship.
"How do you know where we're going?"
o.
Trying to get to the police station by foot was slow. Two-Brains couldn't let anyone see him or they might have him arrested, which as good as it sounded to get a free ride to the station, he wouldn't be able to help much in handcuffs. The man dodged behind another trash can as another person stepped out of his house to enjoy the morning.
"It's just a sunrise," Two-Brains complained as he began crawling around the nearby house. "These people act like they've never seen it before."
No progress was being made by the man, and he knew this plan wasn't going to work. His best bet was to simply make a run for the station and hope that no one would be able to spot him. Oh, because that plan had no flaws.
A similar frustration was playing out back on WordGirl's island. Prof. James Dohickey was inspecting the old crash site of the departed heroine's ship. It was a quiet morning on the island, much to his dismay.
"There's just got to be a way to bring you back." The man walked around the crater again. He wasn't totally sure what he was looking for. Maybe a map or space rock, something to tell him the location of the distant planet WordGirl was being dragged to. But his efforts went in vain, for a whole night and morning of searching had resulted in little more than fatigue. James could hardily keep his eyes open at this point. "All I need is one clue, just one."
The tired man stepped away from the crater and sat with his back against a nearby tree. Maybe a little nap would shake him back up . . .
Shaking? There came a low rumbling sound that made James unsteady even in the seated position. It was as if the sound was able to cause an earthquake, agitating the rocks near James' feet. It was then he was able to locate the source of the sound. The man sent his gaze up. It appeared there was some kind of object falling from the sky.
"My word," the man's eye grew as realization struck. "It's going to crash!" James threw his arms up as if to hold back the object, but even he knew this was foolish. He swallowed hard and tried to brace himself for impact.
The noise of the crash was horrendous. There was no telling what had fallen from the sky for the lone scientist kept his eyes closed tightly during the impact. James couldn't even feel his heartbreak thanks to the clamor, and sheer fear kept his eyes glued shut once all was silent again. Was he dead?
"Well what do you know," That voice; James recognized it immediately. The man opened his eyes to see the subject of his weary search crash landed right back where it had once been; WordGirl, Captain HuggyFace and a disoriented Tobey all stepping back out on the island. "Who could have guessed you'd be able to crash here without knowing where you were going. This really must be your favorite place to crash Huggy."
The monkey chirped happily in reply.
"Wo-WordGirl?" James could blearily speak, and obviously couldn't be heard as the group didn't acknowledge his being there.
"Well," Tobey spoke up as he tried to steady his steps. "What do we do now?" He sounded sick, and understandably so. To him the whole trip was a blank, and the lack of oxygen had given him quite the headache.
"Just relax Tobey," WordGirl came beside the dizzy boy and took hold of his arm to steady him. "I don't need you for what I have to do." WordGirl's voice was somber. Even as dizzy as he was Tobey could hear the strain in her words.
"You're not going to leave me here?" Tobey took hold of WordGirl's hand. He knew this wouldn't be enough to hold her back if she chose to leave, but he was hoping it would be enough to persuade her not to forsake him.
WordGirl dropped her sight to their cupped hands. . . she gave her full attention to the boy, regardless of the futility of his efforts.
"WordGirl, I want to help. I know you're going after the person who took Becky. Please . . ."
"Tobey, I'm a superhero, and this is my city to protect." The girl pulled away from the boy's hold to hover just a few inches away from him.
"Please WordGirl, I want to help!" Tobey wasn't known for doing good. It didn't pay to be good. "It's cost me everything up to this point. Becky, my relationship with my grandmother, and I'm certain my sanity is wearing thin. Please, I have to help you; I have to help Becky."
" . . . You don't have to worry about her, I'm the hero here-"
"You don't have a right to say that!" Tears. "Becky lost her life to-"
"Then it's not necessary for you to lose yours."
"I'm not talking about death you idiot!" Heavy breathing. "For someone who claims to be good with words you clearly don't know how to define them! I have lost my life to this. Becky was my friend and the only person other than my grandmother who has tried to be good to me; tried to understand me. She's shared her life with me, and in that regard, she laid it down. Now I've given up everything to look for her, I've given up my life as I've always known it. You have no right to leave me now!"
WordGirl was stunned. Even James and Huggy were at a lost as they stared at the two young people; their eyes locked in a onslaught of nonverbal arguments. WordGirl gazed helplessly at the boy. The tears fell so quickly from Tobey's eyes it was a wonder he didn't dry up before her. Her heart pounded restlessly as the fears she had become so accustomed to became evident on Tobey's face.
"I'm . . ." She didn't notice she had been crying until she felt the tear drop leave her face and come between her and the boy. "I'm sorry, I have to do this alone."
She was off.
Huggy watched as the young man dropped to his knees and pounded the ground with his open palm. The captain wasn't certain how to respond, and he certainly wasn't sure what was going on. Why had WordGirl left him? She couldn't possibly be thinking about fighting Adler alone! Tobey was clearly distort, emotional anguish visibly washing over him. Huggy had to admit it was a troubling sight. For all the trouble Tobey was worth, this more than made up for it as Huggy saw a side to him he hadn't seen in too many people. Huggy couldn't . . . wouldn't leave him that way.
"Come on Tobey," the monkey came alongside the boy and promoted him to rise to his feet. "You can't help Becky like this."
Tobey looked to the monkey with wonder, then a weak smile.
"How do we get off this island?"
"Excuse me?" Both Huggy and Tobey noticed the voice coming from the professor behind them. The man came to the boy's side and assisted Huggy in helping him to his feet. "If a boat is what you need, I maybe able to help."
"Please," Tobey didn't want to sound like he was a pathetic wimp pleading for help, but at this point, it was useless to try to appear as anything else. "Can we borrow it?"
"Of course but . . ."
"But what? What?"
"Could you, as we're getting the boat, explain to me where you have gone . . . and why you're wearing a skirt?"
o
For it being morning, the air still felt as cold as night. This was probably due to all the rain that week. WordGirl couldn't remember a day where it didn't rain, of course, she hadn't been in the city all week, and she was sick both Tuesday and Wednesday, but now this brisk morning. The sun was raising and was in plain sight despite numerous scattered clouds. When the sun hit those patches of overcast WordGirl could just make out the drizzle falling beneath them. Today was going to be a little wet, but that shouldn't interfere with her plans in the least.
WordGirl flew around the buildings of the city she knew and loved. Just as Nona could navigate the similar streets of her home planet, WordGirl skillfully speed around concrete and brick when-Bang! Her super hearing caught the sound of Adler's weapon. It was like nothing she'd ever heard before; loud and ringing, deafening even at her distance. But another sound accompanied that shot, and this one was horrifying-ly familiar.
"Dad!"
Tim gripped the afflicted arm as the Mings came beside him.
"I suggest getting him some help." Adler carelessly stepped past the huddled adults pulling TJ out with him; the boy's will to fight drained.
"Don't move Tim," Mr. Ming felt queasy as he knelt to the fallen man. "We have to get you to a hospital." Mrs. Ming helped her husband as he tried to lift the wounded man off the floor. Tim groaned in protest, but he did his best to stand. Mr. Ming was concerned about the amount of blood that was being lost from the man's shoulder and he knew Tim's weakness wasn't a good sign. "Todd," the man turned his attention to his son still trapped behind bars. Both children in the cell had looks that simply conveyed fear, and even Claire looked disheveled by the events that just took place in front of her.
"We can't leave them." Mrs. Ming was clearly worried about her son being left 'trapped' with a mad man like Adler, but there was no doubt Tim needed medical attention now.
"Can you carry Tim yourself; I'll stay and look for a key." Just as the words left Mr. Mings mouth Tim's knees buckled under his own wait. He was losing blood at an alarming rate and was now fainting from it.
"I can't carry him," The mother looked back at the faces trapped in the cage, also taking note of the polices' inability to help. "Heck, you can't even do it; this man's heavy."
"Just go," Both parents were surprised to hear their son speak. "We'll be fine. Get Becky's dad to the hospital." Claire nodded to Todd's words in agreement.
Neither parent liked this idea, but Tim wasn't going to get any better. Besides, with the police locked up someone needed to find outside help. Reluctantly, the Mings took up Tim, Mr. Ming holding the man under the shoulders and his wife picking up the weight of his lower back and legs. It was an awkward retreat to say the least.
As the room fell silent, Violet finally released her breath in the form of a gasp. Another, sharper gasp escaped her lips and then Violet found herself sobbing. The sight of her best friend's father as the weapon fired . . . it was too overwhelming for words. And to think, shortly ago that thing was aimed at her. Her tearful gaze fell on the crimson puddles on the floor and another wave of fearful emotion over took her.
"No," the spit collecting in her mouth distorted her word; she cried anyway. "No. No. No. No. No . . !"
Claire embraced Violet fully as the girls legs gave out. Both mother and child slumped to the floor as Violet heaved her frustrations onto Claire. The woman looked to the other youth in the cage to see he too wasn't taking this incident lightly. Todd had turned his back to them and was using the bars for support. But this moment didn't keep, the door to the holding cell was opened once more and Claire turned quickly to look, hoping it wasn't Adler returning.
WordGirl had flung open the door and zipped into the room. She was hovering motionless as her sights landed on the tainted puddles. It was almost as if she hadn't noticed the groups behind bars; the police certainly weren't focusing on her as they continued to struggle with their entanglement. Still, Claire felt a sliver better seeing the heroine.
Todd had taken notice of the girl's entrance as well. The relief he felt was overtaken by the urgency of the situation they found themselves in. And yet, seeing WordGirl alive took away a great burden from that reporter.
"Becky?" His soft tone gently lifted her gaze to him. WordGirl wouldn't deny that he looked awful; his hair a mess, his clothes wet and muddy, his eyes red and tired . . . but he was alive. He was alive. He was alive!
"Scoops! You're alive!" WordGirl was at the bars in an instant reaching in and grabbing the boy's head in slight disbelief. "I thought you were dead this entire time! I can't tell you how happy this makes me." WordGirl didn't even care how curious her action must have seemed to the occupants of the cell, she was so relieved to see him standing there. But the look of worry hadn't removed itself from his feature causing WordGirl to simmer down.
"Adler, he shot your dad," Todd wasn't speaking too loudly, but Claire and Violet were now looking on. Becky's cheerful disposition dropped at his words as she leaned closer to the bars to hear his whispers. "I think your dad'll be fine, but Adler took your brother and he's still got that weapon. You have to stop him before he hurts someone else."
Becky dropped her eyes to think. Why had Adler shot her dad . . . more importantly how would she get TJ back safely while at the same time stopping the city from getting erased? She still hadn't met the man and yet he had made her hate him more. . . she was bitter. No, she wouldn't let her anger cloud her thinking. Todd and her dad were still alive, and she needed to revel in that fact for strength. Just then Becky felt Todd's hand grab one of hers. She hadn't realized she was still holding his head until now, and she was greeted with a smile as she looked back to him.
"Before you go, I want to apologize."
"For what?" WordGirl quickly remembered Saturday morning and how Todd had tried to start this exact same apology. Perhaps now wasn't the time for it. "Look I have to stop Adler now but . . ." After today, he wouldn't ever get a chance to apologize to WordGirl. " . . . I'm not mad at you. I never was."
WordGirl then released her hold on Todd and grabbed the bars. With one tug she ripped them from the wall, she did the same for the police's containment cell and proceeded to the door. She gave one more smile into the waiting eyes of her friends and headed out of the holding room.
WordGirl made it to the main foyer of the police station. She wasn't sure where Adler might have gone, but she knew he probably hadn't left the police station. If his intent was still to capture her, and Tobey, he was here for attention. He chose this place because he knew her friends were here. The only question left was where could the most attention be had . . .
"WordGirl," The voice was authoritative and one WordGirl had never heard before. "I'm Mare Imbrium, head and founder of Far Side Authorities."
Far Side. That was the organization that could erase the city.
"Why are you here?" WordGirl kept her position in the air glancing around the room to make sure Mare had come alone.
"Don't be getting too suspicious of me yet. My business here is Adler, then you. We have a common enemy I presume. Let's talk."
"You just want to erase my city because they know about me, you don't . . ." She was here for Adler? "Wait, you're not here to destroy my city?"
"Don't jump to hasty conclusions. High Law is going to be upheld, but that means I must arrest Adler first and then assess your city . . ."
"If you want Adler I'll hand deliver him to you, but trust me, you won't have to do anything with this city when I'm done." WordGirl continued her flight toward the second story of the police station despite Mare's protests downstairs. WordGirl had to hope Zephyr's assumptions were right. Far Side wouldn't touch the city if she were gone. And now with this Mare lady saying she's going to arrest Adler, well, things were starting to look . . . up?
A man's voice began drifting thru the ceiling; WordGirl knew instantly who it was and she wasted no time answering his call. In a surge of light WordGirl raced to the roof of the station to see the target of her pursuit smiling. Adler had taken himself and TJ to the roof perhaps because Adler found it more public and available to WordGirl. He was standing perfectly composed with TJ still at gun point, but his smile was subsiding.
"Let him go Adler." WordGirl landed only a few feet away from the two. She wasn't sure what the weapon was able to do, yet there was no doubting that Adler would use if he wanted. He wasn't like the other villains she had faced. She could call their bluff; they would never do anything so wicked as to kill innocent people. Sure her life had been threatened before, but even then her villains usually called off their assault.
About a minute pasted and still Adler remind frozen where he was. What was he waiting for? WordGirl glared hard at the man, doing her best to ignore the cringing behavior of her brother.
"I'm serious Adler," WordGirl didn't want to admit it, but his silence was intimidating her. The longer he made her stand there the more worried she was that TJ wouldn't make it out alive. "Mare Imbam, or whatever, Far Side is here for you Adler and I know that if you hurt him you'll be in direct violation of High Law." Adler smirked in response but didn't answer.
The sounds of the waking city began to fill the air as the coolness of dawn gave way to the rising sun. The morning commute of cars, planes, trains and trams composed a cacophony of dissonance. Off in the distance several large rain clouds could be seen forming, but they still had a ways to go before they would reach the city. Below the police station small crowds had gathered to see what it was WordGirl was doing on top of the building, but ignorance of the danger bored them back to their morning routines without worry; new people replacing for just another moment. However, all these things seemed to fade away as WordGirl's heart began to pound for her brother. Adler wasn't moving and she was still at a lose on what to do.
Adler didn't appear untuned to the world. WordGirl knew Adler felt everything was falling into his plan. He was grinning again as he released his hold on TJ. It was a shock to both the boy and the superhero.
What was he do . . ?
TJ fled the madman's grip and ran to the protective care of his city's superhero. WordGirl could hardily hold her daring stance as her young brother clenched onto her cape. WordGirl was baffled as to why Adler had released him . . . maybe knowing Far Side was here was enough to set him straight.
"O-kay, well are you surrendering?" WordGirl still kept her distance as Adler signaled with one finger for her to wait a moment as he tucked the gun between his hip and belt. He then pulled a small device from his pocket and held it flat in his hand. It didn't look like the communication device Nona had given her, but perhaps it was just a different model. Either way WordGirl knew better than to take this 'phone' too lightly. "What is it?"
"Britannica's best technology, and the perfect way to show Miss. Imbrium just how much WordGirl loves her city." He activated the device with just a simple flick of the wrist, and then tossed it to the feet of WordGirl.
"What did that do?" WordGirl grabbed up the device and gave it a once over. She glared to the man. "Tell me." While the two remained in their stand still, Mare finally made it to the roof. She was still at the door, watching the two. TJ sent a glance back to the new arrival before addressing the girl.
"WordGirl, Who's she? What's Britannica ?" TJ was still holding tight to the heroine's cape.
As TJ spoke, the meaning of Adler's word sank in. Erased, Adler knew Far Side would erase the city if Mare felt that WordGirl had contaminated it. Mother Earth was not supposed to have any connection with her kind, and now that Far Side knew she was interacting with the city, (TJ removing any doubt Mare might have had) there was little WordGirl could do to persuade her otherwise.
"TJ, you should leave now." WordGirl pulled aside from TJ.
"But what about Adler he's . . ."
"Now TJ." WordGirl didn't mean to sound so angry, she was really mad at Adler, but she knew TJ's presence was only serving Adler's purpose to its fullest. The boy slowly complied, neither Adler nor Mare looking to him as he left.
TJ's only vexation now was for his hero, and the helpless state both she and himself seemed to be in.
"Adler," Mare spoke as soon as she felt TJ was gone from earshot. "By order of the Queen of Thesauria and on the grounds of High Law, you are to come with me. If not I have several ground forces who are more than willing to handle this the hard way."
"Of course." Adler wore an innocent smile as he extended his hands out to Mare. The woman pulled yet another foreign device out and waved it under Adler's hands; he was cuffed by a energy field of blue light.
"That's it?" WordGirl stood dumbfounded. "You're giving up without a fight?"
"I would never dream of fighting against the order of the queen," Adler's response made Mare nod content-ly, but WordGirl knew better. "I simply hope . . ."
"This thing," WordGirl held the device up for both Adler and Mare to see. "You did something with this; what was it?"
Mare took a step closer to the object and then looked back to Adler.
"Did you use this?"
"No, I simply have it just in case. I know better than to use Britannican technology on Earth. My means for force were strictly from this planet; observe the gun on my person." Adler motioned with his head to the gun. WordGirl was shocked to see Mare simple nod at the gun's presence as if accepting its use as normal. When was pulling a gun on children normal?
"That is an Earth weapon."
"But he was aiming it at people; he's shot people!" WordGirl nearly yelled at the woman, angered that she would side with him.
"I only used the weapon on those who were getting too close to discovering my place of origin or perverting me from getting to you." Adler clearly had prepared his speech ahead of time, but no matter. At no time was it right to . . .
"Then surly your charge is not for misconduct of technology." Mare again seemed to agree with Adler. WordGirl couldn't believe this.
"Ma'ma, this man has blatantly tried to kill me and several other people from this planet," WordGirl put her efforts on trying to talk some sense into the Far Side agent. This woman after all was the one who would decide the city's fate. . . no, WordGirl wouldn't let her decide, the city was going to be safe no matter what. But Adler had to be dealt with first. "He's kidnaped Earth children, threatened me, the princess of Lexicon, broken High Law by talking with several humans and is lying to you which means he's lying to authority. I'm also sure the Queen of Thesauria has her reasons; so this man needs to be . . ."
"You have no grounds for telling me what 'needs to be,'" Mare suddenly boomed causing WordGirl to step back. The girl then remembered what Nona had warned her earlier, the customs of other planets were not like hers. Obviously guns and killing weren't as big a deal for a planet that's been in war for over two-hundred years. Some of Zephyr's words came to her as well. Without mentioning Tobey, there wasn't enough to put Adler away forever. "I will be making any and all decisions concerning arrests on Earth; and I can assure you they will be done in concordance with High Law. Which of course means you have no right listening to the verdict I make for this man."
WordGirl growled under her breath as the woman lectured her. This was not what she had planned. If Mare didn't see Adler as a threat, could she let him go?
"Ma'ma please. I'm telling you the truth. This man has done plenty against High Law and I fear he is trying to bring more harm to my city."
"Your city, eh?" The woman lifted her gaze and looked out at the city scape. "Tell me princess of Lexicon, have you been here long?"
WordGirl bit her lip. She knew where this conversation was going.
"If you plan to judge me or this city, shouldn't Adler not be allowed to hear?"
"According to High Law in regards to Lexicon's minor clauses, you are not yet an adult and therefore cannot claim the rights of one."
". . . What? I'm the princess, I think I have right!"
"A princess who's abandoned her throne," WordGirl lowered her head at Mare's condemning words. "The way I see it, you're lucky I'm thinking over my decision for your city at all. Now, how long?"
WordGirl gritted her teeth. Should she lie? She could say had been living on her ship for the last ten years and only recently had she begun interacting with people, but no one knew she was from Lexicon.
That might work, unless Mare asked how her alter ego came into existence. WordGirl could say that when she was seven she . . . saw evil in the city an secretly started fighting it. No, wait, Adler was still listening. He would refute that lie and, being he was the 'adult' here, Mare would believe him. . . but then again, even if WordGirl told the truth, Adler might manipulate the situation to better suit himself. No matter what she did, lie or tell the truth, she was stuck with another impossible answer.
"Well," Mare was becoming impatience. "Surly you Lexiconians can do math faster than that. How long have you been apart of this city!"
WordGirl took a deep breath, ready to explain what she could when the sound of chaos lifted from the street below. It was as if the whole city were screaming, shouting and . . . crashing? WordGirl turned from the couple and ran to the side of the building. Mare also abandoned her position and came alongside WordGirl. Cars were crashing into one another and citizens did their best to jump out of the way. Looking around, it was easy to spot the darkened streetlights, store venues and broken down cars. It looked light the city was having a blackout that reach much farther than just electrical sockets, but to any electronic in sight.
As WordGirl continued her stare, she felt Mare's hand come down hard on her shoulder.
"The Neutralizing Apparatus, did you activate it?" The woman glared hard at her. For her part, WordGirl had no idea what the lady was talking about. "Did you?" It was then WordGirl remembered the device she had been holding.
WordGirl sent a concerned look in Adler's direction. His smile removed her doubt, he had planned this. Adler wanted WordGirl to look like she had activated the weapon, perhaps as a way to divert Mare's attention. Oh well, it didn't look like it was hurting anyone, so WordGirl hadn't really messed up the city. . . Mare could move on with her ruling, though this incident didn't help WordGirl's imagine any. But just as WordGirl was about to speak, her super-hearing picked up a cry for help. The person sounding unmistakably like Mrs. Botsford, and WordGirl sent her gaze up to the sky. Losing control was a small aircraft.
"Look what you've done by playing around," Mare snatched the device from the unknowing girl's hand. "That flying thing's probably got people on it and it's going to crash; no doubt killing others. I think it's plain to see you've done more harm than good here."
Becky didn't even hear the woman.
"Too bad there's no hero for them; someone who's always been there for them. A shame that you, princess, with all your powers can do little for them." Adler's comments were quickly reprimanded by Mare, but not before the impact of his words sunk in to Becky. If she went to save her mother, Mare would clearly see the need to erase the city. WordGirl was too involved and the people relied on her too much; High Law was breeched. But 'if Far Side sees the princess is dead, and the city can move on without her, there's no reason to erase a thing.'
No more need for thoughts, now was a time for action; WordGirl took to the sky.
Below the police station, a certain mousey villain had finally made it to the disorderly street he'd been aiming for. And with the people in such disarray, Steven didn't even have to worry if anyone spotted him.
"Finally, a lucky break," The doctor watched a few people limp from their cars before setting his sights on the building. "Odd." The windows were strangely dim; in fact, every surrounding building looked about the same. "And an entire block having a car accident; not a coincidence."
Confirming his hunch was WordGirl flying away from the police station and into the sky. Steven followed her flight path to see the troubled plane.
"Is that WordGirl?"
Steven turned to see Claire, along with the children and officers, exiting the station. They lifted their gaze up to the heroine.
"I think she's going to catch that plane."
Citizens betrayed by their automobiles joined in the small group in giving a concerned eye to their heroine. Mare and Adler, confident that the city had no bright future after this heroic attempt, could only watch the princess actions from this point.
WordGirl's daring rescue was easily distracting from any place in the city, especially for her two traveling companions making their way back on the bay. Huggy was the first to spot WordGirl from the small rowboat they now found themselves in. James was the last to notice as he was still rowing the small craft. The three seemed to freeze as they saw the heroics taking place.
Huggy was the most disturbed by it. He knew WordGirl better than anyone, as a good sidekick should. Yet something had changed. Huggy never could have seen their lives unfolding like this. He had always intended to tell Becky the truth about her origins and Lexicon, and how they had gotten there, but the timing didn't seem right and his lies didn't seem wrong. She was only eleven and a kingdom just felt like too much to burden a kid with. Huggy couldn't say whether what he had done was right or wrong, all he knew was he had done the best he knew to do. He had kept her safe this long, and she did have good years with her family and friends. He wouldn't lie to himself now . . . there was no way she would be able to stay here on Earth.
"Oh my, look!" James' sudden shouting brought Huggy's mind back to the present moment. WordGirl had managed to make it to the plane, but . . .
As WordGirl took hold of the aircraft, both Sally and the pilot felt the plane jerk. The plane hadn't stopped moving, it was just being held in the air. Sally was the first to recover from her shock. Placing a hand to her head she looked out the front window to the superhero.
"WordGirl," came her grateful cry. "Thank you!"
"No problem mo- Mrs. District Attorney Botsford." Becky couldn't hold back her smile. Her mom had come back for her; it meant a lot. "Do you two have parachutes in there?"
Sally looked around and then shrugged. The pilot finally composed himself to answer WordGirl.
"As a world class flying ace, I'd like to say that I never pack a parachute."
". . . Why Not!" WordGirl couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"'Cause, that means I'm a scared I can't land this plane under all circumstances. And let me tell you a world class flying ace can land his plane under all- whoa."
WordGirl didn't have time to let the man finish his speech she snatched him up quickly and dropped him off at the nearest building. Now that WordGirl was getting used to using such high velocity, she made it back to the plane before it had a chance to tip downward again.
"Are you ready to go Mrs. Botsford?" WordGirl scooped her mother up without an answer. The two left the plane in a decent a little slower than the pilot's.
"WordGirl," Sally spoke up. "Do you know what's happened to my daughter Becky? She's gone missing and it's taken me so long to get here; has she turned up?"
Becky sighed.
"I'm sure, Becky's fine," WordGirl placed her mother down on one of the nearby buildings and hovered there a moment. "Mrs. Botsford?"
"Yes WordGirl." Worry was still sketched into the woman's face.
"I just want to thank you. You're a get district attorney and I've always been inspired by the work you do. If anyone's like a superhero, it's you."
"Why, Thank yo-"
"I'm sure your daughter feels the same way . . . I've got to stop that plane, but, promise me you'll keep thwarting bad guys no matter what."
"Thwart means to ruin or foil something right? Why would I ever stop foiling crime, and with you here?"
"Just promise."
"I can't make a promise like that," Sally dropped her eyes, and somehow, Becky knew it was because of her. "But you have my word I'll do my best." Sally smiled weakly oblivious to what WordGirl truly meant with her words.
Ignoring the pressure behind her eyes, Becky returned to the crashing plane, this time holding the front and guiding it away from the city. It was clear to everyone below that she was steering it from crashing into building, but what didn't make sense was why WordGirl couldn't gain full control of the aircraft. Why couldn't she just stop it in mid-air and carry it down slowly?
All eyes were on the struggling superhero, native and foreign, and the questions and concerns raised with their fears.
To Huggy, Tobey and James there was no question as to where the heroine was heading, she was 'crashing' the plane back on the island they had just left.
"Quick turnaround!" Tobey nearly tipped the boat as he stood about-faced. "She's going back!"
"Why is she doing that?" Huggy scrunched his face. He couldn't see the logic in what she was doing; at least, not until he saw what happened next.
An explosion, and a big one too. Much bigger than that plane could have produced. As a blast of warm air stretched out over the bay, Huggy couldn't stop himself from what he did next. The monkey leap over the edge of the boat and began swimming back to the island. His frantic pace was stronger than James' ability to get them to shore. Huggy had to know what happened.
Over the city, the rain had finally arrived. Every citizen stood in it however. No one tried to seek shelter, no one seemed to notice. Even Adler and Mare found themselves fixated to their places.
"Why did she . . ?" Adler's mind drew a blank for a moment. Had she just . . . she had the strength to stop it, why didn't she? His eye twitched as he realized what had happened here. "She killed herself so I wouldn't get to."
"Excuse me?" Mare looked back at the drenched man.
"She did that so that I couldn't become king!"
"Then I'd say she played her cards well," Mare breathed out heavily before coming behind Adler, ready to push him down to her waiting focuses. "Though I think she made more of a sacrifice than anything else."
"You're not going to destroy the city are you?" Adler's disgust could be heard.
"I'll have my agents watch it for a while, but if the city can forget about that girl, than I see no reason for its destruction. Besides, there is no way of knowing if the princess shared anything with them now; surly I can't condemn these people to death on a charge without a witness; namely the princess herself."
"I hate High Law."
"And you're going to hate it more after your trial." Adler glared over at the Far Side agent next to him. He still had one card left to play too, and if his assumption was right, it could have him out seeking his revenge sooner than the Queen of Thesauria or princess of Lexicon could have anticipated. WordGirl's death wouldn't affect his original plan to evade his charge of treason, and with this incident far behind him,
"You haven't told me my charges yet." Adler stated flatly.
"To be honest," Mare pushed Adler to the roof door. "The Queen did not give any specifics on your arrest. Aside from the blatant interaction with Mother Earth, I haven't seen your crime worthy to be called treason."
Grin. He would soon be a free man.
"But I'm sure the Queen will explain herself" Mare opened the door and whipped some of the rain away from her eyes.
"Oh, I wonder if she can. Perhaps she was mistaken in her charge." Adler was lead out, unseen by the preoccupied citizens who were too busy trying to understand what they had just seen. They knew WordGirl's strength to be much greater than that explosion lead them to believe. Was she . . ?
The heavy breathing of the crowd coupled with the gentle cries of the confused drove Steven's memory back to Tuesday. WordGirl had put so much concern on herself for her city. She loved these people . . . and even the villains. Shamefully he'd have to admit, her respect for even him was more than he was deserving . . . she couldn't have died in that. He wouldn't let her die in that.
Before Steven could realize what he was doing he was walking in the direction of the bay, then jogging, then full-out running. He had to see for himself. He had to see if the little girl who visited his lab, the hero who had faith in him when he didn't, the friend who sacrificed a normal life for his city, was okay. He didn't notice, but several others had joined him; Claire and the children among them. It seemed the whole city, if not physically, spiritually, had gathered on the shoreline. The explosion they knew was too large for that small plane, but the thought crossed their mind,
"Her ship," Tobey gasped as the actualization hit him. "She pulled that plane into her ship to cause a bigger explosion!"
"That wouldn't make sense," James breathed as he began turning the boat back toward the island. "Why would she crash it purposefully into her own ship? That explosion's enough to even hurt her."
That was all Tobey had to hear. He too jumped out of the boat and began swimming back to the island.
"Please," Tobey babbled between his gulps of air. "Oh please God no." His glasses struggled to stay fixed on his face as Tobey himself struggled with the unanticipated weight of his kilt. His lack of speed caused him to quickly kick off his shoes to lessen his load. And though Tobey never would openly admit this, he was glad his mother had sent him to camp that summer. He had watched the other kids swim in the lake and he was able to imitate them now. One arm over the other, legs kicking wildly.
Just as the boy's hand grazed the bottom of the bay, a sign he was close to the shore, a wave caught him from underneath and thrust him forward. Tumbling head over heal, Tobey washed up onto the island. He didn't waste much time correcting his looks. Tobey simply readjusted his glasses and took off running in the direction of the ship.
The forest was hot, and understandably so. Most of the trees around the place of impact had been burnt or were still in the process of doing so. Luckily being wet prevented the heat from clinging too heavily to Tobey, but he knew that wouldn't last long. His eyes scanned the blazing wreckage before him as he kept a safe distance back. The smell of melting metals and pine trees, or possibly just the smoke, caused Tobey to cough a bit and knell down. He didn't seem to feel the rough forest floor as his eyes once more filled with water. Where was she? Tobey's body was beginning to lose its resistance to the heat and he knew he'd have to go; losing yet another friend. But then a noise.
Captain HuggyFace came running from around the other side of the ship obviously looking for WordGirl. With his costume burnt and his fur a mess, the poor creature seemed more determined to stay with that fire than was safe. Tobey knew he couldn't get as close to the flames as Huggy was; it was amazing Huggy wasn't on fire himself. Tobey could only watch the horrific scene as the panic-stricken sidekick would slowly circum to the smoke and fire. A part of Tobey wished he could run to the animal, but he knew Huggy would fight to stay and he wouldn't come to a messily call of warning. It was a true act of friendship Tobey couldn't bear to observe any more.
Tobey turned to get to his feet, his back facing the fallen sidekick, when he heard another noise seemingly staggering from the ship.