Sorry this one took a while. I kept flip flopping on how this encounter was going to go.

Crimson felt a little strange as he walked down the street by himself. He tried to keep his usually calm facade. He had a bad habit of stuffing his hands in his pockets when he was anxious. He walked out of people's way on the sidewalk and stopped briefly to look over his shoulder. He hesitated for only a second and then kept walking forward.

Mickey's Diner was the oldest standing building in Sinclair City, and it was almost a trailer. But he'd heard they had excellent chili cheese fries. Not that now was the time for chili cheese fries, he wasn't going to get any on his good suit. This meeting could get very ugly very fast, but he doubted it. He knew his sister.

Adriana realized how stupid it was to tail their leader as soon as she had him in her sights. Who wouldn't notice the blue girl on the street? Even with a hoodie and her hands in the pouch of her sweater. But this was important. There was no way that she could back out now. She couldn't shrug this away and she couldn't call for backup from a team that had a hard enough trusting its members as it was.

As she watched him she noticed some strange things. Crimson didn't really seem to be acting like himself. It was as though he wasn't paying quite as much attention to the world around him as he usually did. Unless it was morning and he hadn't had his coffee yet, he always seemed to have an eye out for anything. But as he shuffled closer to the diner he watched his feet only occasionally looking up.

Then Crimson stopped.

Adriana stiffened.

He started to turn.

Adriana looked around desperately for something to make her look away. She saw the electrical post beside her with a "Lost Dog" sign heavily taped at eye level. She made herself look busy reading this sign until Crimson stopped paying attention. He started to walk again. Adriana sighed and was once again reminded why she wasn't on the team for her stealth.

Crimson was on the move again. He went into Mickey's Diner. Adriana followed discretely as well as she could in the small resturaunt. She wanted to be close enough to eavesdrop, but she couldn't get too close. Crimson sat down at a red vinyl booth. Adriana sat down in the booth beside him. There was no one there yet, but from what he told the waitress who came to take her order the other person was still expected.

Adriana waited for a moment and as though the meeting had been purposely decided to be dramatic a woman walked into the diner. Well, she was no more of a woman than Adriana was. She was probably the same age as her, but she certainly wasn't dressed so young. She was barely covered up in what looked like a makeshift bikini made from skins and strange green leather. Only a mini skirt kept it from being an actual bikini. There was an emerald gem in her belly button. Her boots were nearly up to her knees. She had Crimson's matching green eyes and mocha colored skin, and even though her hair was a bit lighter she looked very much like Red. More so than Crimson did.

Adriana hurriedly covered her face with a menu as she walked by. A hoard of men watching her walk away. She sat across from Crimson.

"Good to see you, Crimson," she said.

Crimson shook his head at his sister.

"You couldn't come dressed like a civilian, could you?" Crimson criticized.

"Neither could you. Honestly, how many sixteen year olds wear a suit? You look like you work for the MIB," his sister said. Crimson's coffee was delivered, he thanked the waitress with a nod and then returned to the conversation.

"You didn't forget my birthday, did you? I'm seventeen," he corrected playfully. Emerald smiled at the friendly brother and sister banter.

"Happy birthday, Crimson," she said softly.

"Happy birthday, Emerald," Crimson said raising his mug to her. Emerald turned to the waitress.

"Can I have an iced tea?" she asked sweetly. The waitress nodded. She then turned to the booth beside their where a blue girl looked as though she was completely fixated on the menu.

"Can I get something started for you, Miss?" the waitress asked Adriana. Adriana flinched immediately thinking she'd been caught. Then she caught herself and started to relax her breathing again.

"Um, water would be great," Adriana whispered. The waitress looked at her oddly, but wrote down her order.

"Ems, how did you get away from Dad, if you don't mind me asking?" Crimson asked. Adriana's brow furrowed as she listened. Dad?

"It was complicated," Emerald said looking down at the table top. She shrugged. "I really shouldn't tell you."

"How is he?" Crimson asked.

"Idealistic. Stubborn. Obsessed with Mom... and you. He's been dabbling in new powerful magic," she said. Crimson cocked an eyebrow and snorted.

"Magic that could make the entire Agency fall asleep?" he asked.

"Actually, that spell was mine, not his. You and I are a lot alike. I like to slip under the radar too rather than make a big scene. Although that seems to have changed for you. How's the super hero business treating you?" Crimson laughed. He shook his head.

"It's not super hero business. It's the latest project designed by the Agency to keep me from falling into old habits," Crimson said. Ems chuckled. Adriana frowned thoughtfully at this. What did he mean? Why were they talking about magic? Spells? Old habits?

"You know, Crims, it doesn't have to be like this," Ems said seriously. Crimson was quiet for a moment.

"I'm not giving into him," Crimson answered shortly.

"Here you are, Miss." Then all of the sudden a waitress brought her a water! Adriana jumped sending the water flying to the ground. Without thinking she made the water freeze and hang in the air. Adriana barely had enough time to let the water melt and fall to the floor. She closed her eyes and cursed her skittish blunder. The waitress looked at her oddly. The brother and sister were quiet.

"I-I'll clean that up," the waitress said nervously.

"Sorry," Adriana said blushing underneath her hoodie. When the waitress was gone she slumped in her vinyl booth. She just wanted to die right then and there. Maybe Crimson hadn't noticed it. Hopefully his sister hadn't noticed it.

"Excuse me. I have to use the little girl's room," said Emerald as she rose from her seat. Adriana was quick to hide behind her menu as she walked by. The second the door closed behind her Crimson rose from his seat and stood over her booth.

"If you wanted to spy on me, you should have sent Ghost. You have no right to be here!" Crimson seethed slamming his hand down on her table. Adriana would have been apologetic. However, she had this thing about people yelling at her.

"If you weren't acting so suspicious I wouldn't have to spy on you!" she retaliated.

"You have no place in my personal life," Crimson said. Adriana scowled at this.

"And you have a lot of explaining to do," Adriana said. Crimson narrowed his eyes. She narrowed her's right back at him. The two were interrupted as the entire building shook and the entire side of the wall crumbled to pieces. Before Adriana could react, Crimson grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her out of the booth as a clawed hand swiped at her through the cloud of dust.

People screamed and ran for the exit. As the dust escaped through the new opening in the diner it slowly revealed Ems angry face. And she seemed to be riding a giant lizard. It's pointed snout stabbed at the two super heroes forcing Adriana and Crimson to back peddle quickly. Its mouth opened and snapped at the two until Ems barked a command.

"You didn't trust me, little brother," Ems said holding the reigns in her hands. She scowled menacingly. "I'm hurt. But lucky for me, I didn't trust you enough to come alone either."

:-D Good Times