Unatomic Stacey
Chapter 5: Tiffany
(Tuesday after school)
I exited school with a sad sigh. I still had a lot to mull over with my mother revealing her true feelings about (towards) me, the new recruit I was supposed to meet today and only being a member of just Literary Club now since I had to quit Sign Language to get Penelope's silence. All this happened yesterday but my feelings and thoughts weren't able to quell down and rest. I got through school okay but I could barely concentrate in classes when most of my mind was elsewhere.
"At least I'm out of school now," I muttered to myself as I dragged my feet along the sidewalk, "now I can just go to the little coffee shop by the alley on the other side of town," she continued, "a trench coat and hat will be enough to hide my identity from prying eyes," she estimated, "I'll just teleport myself there when I'm out of sight," she added.
"Penny for your thoughts?" I heard someone whisper and I nearly jumped out of skin and turned around, "hi."
"Jet you frightened me!" I exploded at my friend who lived in a witch and wizard populated city unlike myself, "aren't you supposed to be going to Wizarding School," I said testily.
"You're a barrel of laughs," Jet responded sarcastically, "what's wrong?" he asked when I looked away.
Suddenly I heard a familiar beeping and nearly screamed outwardly.
"I've got to go Jet," I told him and hurried off leaving my blonde haired seventeen year-old friend alone on the side walk, "call my cell later!" I cried as I turned a corner.
I then hurried into an abandoned store, which was often used by teens to make out since no one seemed to be returning for it (the store).
Unfortunately I ran in on two older teens making out. I quickly muttered an apology and hurried through another nearby door, which led to the upstairs section of the store. After checking for anymore 'unexpected guest', I teleported myself to Degill's Office.
"Atomic Stacey reporting for duty!" I cried and saluted.
"You're late," Admiral Degill hissed, "no excuses!" he shouted before I could explain, "turn around and meet Tiffany Fruit," he instructed and I did.
I saw a petite green haired girl with dark blue eyes that looked even darker against her slightly tanned Caucasian skin. She stood five foot four and looked no more than twelve with her smooth and delicate facial features. She wore a uniform like myself even though she also wore a golden broach that was in the shape of an Egyptian pyramid and an inscription, which looked like two cats fighting. I couldn't help but look at her green hair and I was surprised when she started to laugh.
"It was blonde before if you're curious," Tiffany said to me and I realized that she had a strong feminine voice despite her small frame and innocent face, "I've heard much about you Stacey," she continued, "and I'm glad to be on board your team," she told me and stuck out her hand.
"Are you sure that you're talking about my team?" I whispered to her so that the others wouldn't hear.
"Yes," Tiffany said with a hearty laugh, "Good or bad I love being on a team in the Atomics," she stated, "and besides," she said more seriously, "a not so perfect team really brings me a challenge now doesn't it?" she asked but ended her sentence in a hiss that made me feel uncomfortable.
"Um, yeah," I responded carefully, "did you volunteer or were you selected after some special training?" I asked her.
"Oh no," Tiffany said shaking her head, "I was called personally," she revealed, "my skills and abilities are highly revered on my home planet."
"Great," I said and noticed a slight crack in my voice.
Selected personally! And without prior training or scrutiny? I might as well be working with Atomic Betty! This girl's gonna make me look like a total ass!
"Ahem," Admiral Degill said suddenly and I turned my attention back to him, "now that introductions have been made," he stated and I had to wonder what his definition of introduction was, "let me tell you the mission," he said formally, "on planet Ingnopia which is not far from our own space station," he started, "Maximus is enslaving the inhabitants and forcing them to mine yellow Ingrock, one of the most valuable minerals in the Universe," he told us, "unfortunately, once a certain amount of yellow Ingrock has been mined, the Ing Air will deplete and the Ingnopians will die within twenty-four hours," he said, "and Ingnopians can't LIVE anywhere where there isn't Ing Air and only THEIR planet has it."
"Me and my team will ensure that the Ingnopians are saved Admiral!" I shouted and saluted.
"I will personally see to it that none of the Ingnopians will diefrom air depletion," Tiffany added and I looked to see that she hadn't even said Admiral or saluted.
Who does she think she is! Admiral Degill deserves the outmost respect. Even I don't like him but will show him the deserved respect that his rank demands.
"Carry on," Admiral Degill responded not reprimanding Tiffany for her lack of respect.
My team, the new recruit and I left Admiral Degill's office.
"How come you didn't salute Degill?" Bart asked Tiffany and voiced a question that I also had.
"He's not high ranking where I'm from," Tiffany said dismissively, "he knows that," she added before anymore questions could be asked.
"Oh," Bart said and nodded even though I could see that he like me was still rather confused.
We all boarded the ship and set course for planet Ingnopia. We left our cloud ship in the air and descended in a small craft shaped like a bird which was owned by Tiffany.
"It's good to have small crafts shaped like animals from the planet, "she told us as she drove it, "this craft I've nicknamed Shifto since it can shape shift to any rather popular animal from the planet it's on and also change according to our mission," she boasted, "right now I've instructed it to avoid suspicion," she added.
I noticed that the rest of my team was taking in every word. Even G911 was impressed and he usually isn't easy to impress anything upon. I smiled kindly and pretended to be happily taking in everything she told us. Inside I hated her and I was jealous.
If I could use MY powers, I'd show HER something impressive.
"We've landed," Tiffany announced cheerily and I could barely keep myself from rolling my eyes to the obvious, "you have your disguises?" she asked and the others responded 'yes' cheerily while I did in monotone.
"Is there something wrong?" Tiffany asked me as we slipped on our cloaks to disguise ourselves as prophets.
"She's just jealous," Bart put forward.
"I am not!" I exploded my face burning.
"I wouldn't blame her if she was," Tiffany said surprising me, "you didn't want to be an Atomic in the first place did you?" she asked me and I froze.
"What?" Glenissa asked speaking for the first time.
"What are you talking about?" I asked as I looked around uncomfortably.
"I know Stacey," Tiffany said and I could feel my heart fall to my feet.
"You know nothing," I snarled feeling my anger rising especially when she grinned and I saw happiness dancing in her eyes; I hadn't been truly happy for days and this thing was grinning at me.
"Okay," Tiffany said with a shrug and my anger quickly subsided to confused shock, "if we all have on our disguises let's go meet Maximus," she said and opened the craft.
After she quickly double-checked for anyone nearby, the rest of us exited the craft and followed her briskly.
Soon we came to a red tent with a design of Maximus on it with a crown on his head and subjects at his feet.
He's humble.
We entered the tent with Glenissa at the front.
Glenissa quickly used her cat shape-shifting powers and shape shifted into a black cat with glowing green eyes and razor sharp claws (she can only shape shift into a different cat, nothing more).
"Who are you?" Minimus's rude side snapped as Maximus looked up at us with suspicious interest.
I noticed that Maximus squinted at us but Tiffany had assured us that Maximus wouldn't be able to see our faces because once the cloak was being worn NO one could see who was inside it because the wearer's physical body was cloaked with an 'unseeable' darkness.
"We are prophets oh Mighty Maximus," G911 spoke in a voice, which almost perfected a human high non-mechanical life form.
"That's made up," Minimus's rude side accused.
"Quiet Minimus," Maximus ordered, "please give us your prophecy," he said respectfully but still looked at us apprehensively.
I bet the only reason that he's not calling security is that he knows like the other villains that Atomic Betty is stranded on Pluto fighting an Ice Princess gone bad.
"I prophecy," Tiffany started as she stepped forward and Glenissa hissed several causing Maximus to look at her like he thought she was insane, "that you will be very rich after mining the minerals here," she continued as she waved her arms and I saw pink dust start to fly around her, "if you get the CHANCE!" she screamed suddenly her right hand rose in the air.
I was surprised that Maximus did so as well. He cried out and held unto the throne he had been sitting on as he now floated in the air. The others looked at me in surprise since this wasn't part of the plan. But then a horde of Maximus's soldiers ran into the tent and with the exception of Glenissa and G911; who slipped out to free the prisoners, Bart and I fought the soldiers. I ducked a soldier and kicked another in the face. One grabbed me by my leg and flipped me so painfully on my back that I felt something snap. The pain was intense and as I cringed and slowly opened my eyes to see Bart and Tiffany fighting the soldiers in perfect unison, both fighting and using their physical combat skills in ways I just could not. Then I heard it, I heard laughing. I turned my head (she's in too much pain to stand up) to see a group of Maximus's soldier's laughing at me. LAUGHING at ME! I closed my eyes as my lips started to quiver. I started to feel a tear fall down my cheek, but suddenly I felt another feeling of emotion washing over me. I momentarily felt nothing then I felt what washed over me consume my very being. It was RAGE.
"STOP LAUGHING!" I screamed and felt a strong surge of power escape me and all I saw for a while was white nothingness.
When it all cleared I quickly blinked to get back my full vision. I looked around to see that every soldier was lying on the ground; their bodies twisted, bloodied, and broken, dead. I saw that Tiffany and Bart were looking around in confusion.
"Who did that?" Bart asked.
Tiffany continued to look around then her eyes fell on me.
"Did you do this?" Tiffany asked me and I quickly shook my head.
"Of course Captain couldn't have done it!" Bart shouted at Tiffany, "this had to be the work of a witch," he added.
"And witches aren't allowed into the Atomics," I also added as I jumped to my feet and quickly realized that I wasn't in ANY pain at ALL.
Tiffany looked at me suspiciously. Then she closed her eyes and nodded.
"Let's just get Maximus and head back to the craft," Tiffany stated and I proceeded towards Maximum to cuff him.
But Maximus screamed and clutched unto the still floating throne.
"What's wrong with him?" Bart asked in confusion.
"Maybe he scared of someone," Tiffany voiced and I could pick up by her tone who she likely thought that was.
"Maximus calm down," I whispered to him hoping he'd realize that I wouldn't hurt him, "the dust Tiffany used will wear off in a few more minutes and you'll be back on the ground," I told him, "you're just going to jail, I promise."
"Atomic Betty present and ready to give…." I heard a voice start to say from the entrance, "Oh God," she said as I turned to face her, "what happened here?" she demanded and I noticed that she was pointing at the dead bodies.
I immediately gulped. It finally hit me for the first time that it was I who killed all those soldiers. And judging from all the broken bodies and blood sticking out or seeping through their red armour, this wasn't Maximus's robotic soldier force at all. I had murdered real live beings.
I'm a murderer.
"We don't know Betty," Tiffany responded.
"Are you okay?" Sparky asked and I quickly realized that he was speaking to me and I jumped, "you look a bit pale," he told me.
"Umm, yeah I'm fine Sparky," I responded, "so how did you guys get here?" I asked trying to change the subject.
"The villain had a change of heart and to repay us she made our ship extra fast and Admiral Degill told us to meet you guys here," Sparky said so fast I barely picked it all up.
"So where's…?" I started to ask.
"He stayed behind," Spark said almost excitedly.
"He had tried Earth coffee," Atomic Betty explained and I quickly understood why he was so hyper.
"Let's arrest Maximus," I said but when I turned around I noticed that Tiffany already had him cuffed.
"I was just excited about making an arrest the first day," Tiffany said with a laugh.
I could feel a surge of anger and jealously rise from within me. But I pushed it down. Tiffany arrest Maximus fair and square. I could easily guess who would be the new leader of my group once I decided to retire or if Admiral Degill would finally tire of me totally and give me the boot.
"Great job Tiffany," I said with a smile, "I'm proud of you," I added.
"Well it's not like she needs your approval," Glenissa said as she entered and I glared at her, "well I'm guessing you saved the day Tiffany," she said coldly.
"Actually we all worked together," Tiffany told her, "and the soldiers are all dead for some strange reason," she added as she looked at the dead bodies fearfully.
"They're dead!" Sparky screamed.
"A little slow on the uptake aren't we," Bart said bluntly.
"I'm guessing you guys got to the locals?" I asked formally.
"Yes," Glenissa responded, "the plan Tiffany thought up worked perfectly and every local was saved," she told me.
"Guess it turned out better than when you guys tried to save the Calmanese with me in charge?" I asked her.
"What?" Glenissa asked.
"Nothing," I said, "let's get Maximus to the ship, ensure everything is safe, and then get a ship to come for the bodies," I ordered, "then we can go back and tell Admiral Degill that we were successful on our mission."
"Are you okay ?" Glenissa asked and I realized that my voice had cracked slightly.
I simply nodded and just as G911 entered I directed him outside and followed him silently as I willed my hidden tears to stay hidden for a little while longer.
End Chapter 5
MikariStar: Well you seem to sympathise with Stacey after what happened to her last chapter. Yes the pressure on Stacey is rising and it won't get lower anytime soon. You believe Stacey's MOM is trying to get her a new job so that she turns evil huh? Great theory, you'll just have to keep reading to see if that's true or not. And you think Stacey should worry more about her mother than Maximus. Good point. Thanks for your comments and I'll update hopefully by next week.
Barry I. Grauman: Yes Maximus gave Stacey an offer. Uh when I said Stacey teleported herself to a random place outside her house, I was mysterious about it because I didn't want to give anything away. She actually teleported herself outside her neighbourhood, sorry if I made you think otherwise. Yes this story is getting more complicated as more things into Stacey's way and well pretty much in her face. Calling me by my user name are you
'Barry I. Grauman'? Few bother to do that or call me 'Reggae' for short (I do that often too), thanks for making the effort. Yes Stacey wants to honour her Father and that's really the major reason she's lasted being an Atomic for so long. Anxious about Stacey's next move. This new chapter should make you even more anxious (you'll see). . And you'll just have to wait and see Betty's role in this fic. I'm so excited that you feel that I'm keeping all readers at the edge of their seats. I'll update as soon as possible. Aww, thanks for thanking me about the comments I made last chapter. That was really nice of you. Well thank you for your detailed comments yet again and I hope to get another review from you when I update.
Prominence Flare: Thanks for enjoying the chapter and thinking of it as 'cool'. The whole 'mother hating only daughter' scenario wrenched at you a bit? Awesome! That's what I was going for! Glad you noticed and yes I'll keep going. Thank you for commenting and I'll update soon.