Until the crowd had completely left, Pinky had helped the woman collect her purse items, though she did look at him funny. She probably wasn't used to seeing superheroes everyday. He perked up when he saw Brain all wobbly-woogly down the sidewalk. Waving goodbye to the lady, he skipped over to his chubby hubby. "Citizen! Zort! Did you see which way the criminal went?"

He held his hands to his head, steadying enough to glare at one of the spinning Pinkys. "No. I didn't."

"Oh. Poit. Well, then we must go after him! Come, citizen!" Super Mouse spun in a circle, having a tough time deciding just where to stop, then pointed in a random direction. "My mouse senses tell me it's that way." Latching onto the smaller mouse's wrist, he proceeded to drag him along after him.

"Stop it! You're not going to go after him." It was an actual criminal. He was absolutely not going to allow his husband to go chasing criminals, not real ones that could actually cause injury. "I'm sure he's learned his lesson."

Pinky kept walking, but glanced back at The Brain. "He didn't even get a timeout!" How could you possibly learn your lesson without at least having to sit in a corner for five minutes? The taller mouse pouted. "And it's my job to go after him. I'm the superhero. And not just any superhero, but Super Mouse! People are depending on me, whether to protect their lives or their purses or their lost socks. I'll be there." He placed his fist over his heart and looked to the sky. "Besides, it hasn't been an hour yet. Troz." He didn't actually know if that was true, but he hoped he could stretch it out for as long as he could.

"I don't care if it hasn't been an hour yet. You don't know where he's gone and even if you did, he's entirely too fast for the pair of us to keep up with." Brain knew that digging in his heels every chance he got wasn't helping speed the process up, but he detested being dragged about and Pinky knew that. This imbecilic game was going entirely too far. "We are not chasing him down."

Pinky tried harder to pull him along, frowning at his husband's reluctance to even attempt to catch the bad guy, only giving up when it became clear to him that Brain really wasn't going to budge on it. Letting go of his wrist, the purple clad mouse crossed his arms stubbornly. "I had him right where I wanted him too. Zort." How was he supposed to clean up the town if they got away? Kicking at the ground, he stared at his little superhero boots while he sulked for a moment. It was a very quick moment though, because superheroes never sulked! He'd catch the next crook! Where there was a will there was a way! "Fine, citizen. There are plenty of other shifty thrifty people around here, we'll just catch a different crook," he stated decisively, continuing down the sidewalk without waiting to see if Brain would follow. Crime never slept after all, and neither would justice!

Scowling, mentally counting down the minutes before this fiasco of an hour was over, Brain went after his ridiculous husband and tried in vain to ignore how much it bothered him when Pinky didn't even look back. While previously at least tolerable (and even amusing at times), the megalomaniac was beginning to strongly dislike this superhero persona of his. Pinky never took the lead and he certainly never went anywhere without making sure it was alright first. Not only was he doing both of those, he was being so foolish about catching criminals and halting crime. He was a mouse, not a crime-fighter. The Brain could only hope that there weren't anymore crooks to catch.

The sound of sirens had Pinky's ears perking. Super hearing powers activate! "Naaaarf." A fire truck turned a corner up ahead and the caped crusader turned his gaze upward. There was a giant cloud in the sky, right above a couple of buildings and growing bigger by the second. He gasped, hands flying to his cheeks before he pointed accusingly at it. "Cloud monster!" He should've known it was only a matter of time before the alien monsters showed up. "Trying to rain on everyone's parade! Zort! Not today!" Zoom! Whoosh! Off went Super Mouse to stop the monster from doing... whatever it was clouds did. It was a dark, black cloud, not a fluffy, white one, so he knew it must be evil.

That was far worse than a purse snatcher. But surely Pinky wouldn't be foolish enough to... It was Pinky. "Wait!" Brain scrambled after his companion, eyes wide. "Stop!" A fire. There was nothing Pinky could do in a fire except be burnt to a crisp.

Pinky did stop eventually, but it was around the corner and because he had to take a moment to gape at the fire in front of him. Blue eyes stared and ears perked up straight up in attention. The taller mouse gasped, "Egad, citizen! That cloud monster set the building on fire!" How rude! It was a building people lived in too! He had to save them! "With my super deluxe fishing grappling hook-majigger and my fireproof undershirt, I shall rescue them!" Super Mouse glared up at the cloud of smoke. "You hear that, mistah? If you can't take the heat, don't make a fire! Narf!"

"You are not going near that building." Brain grabbed the tie of his cape, yanking him down to eye level. "The fire department is already on the scene, and they will take care of this. Not you."

"But I'm here too and it's my job to save the day." Pinky blinked at his husband in confusion, then tried to pry his hand off from where he was holding him. "It's a day and there's saving to be done! Poit."

"It's their job for now." Brain grasped his wrist instead to pull him along, back towards the lab. "They're trained to deal with fires and the rescuing that goes along with it. You, however, are not."

What was Brain talking about? He was a superhero! Didn't he know that superheroes were specially trained? They saved everyone from everything. It was Pinky's turn to dig his heels in and pull back. "I can't just leave them, citizen! It's not right!" Twisting his wrist this way and that, he slipped free and darted over to the fire truck. He'd use the ladder as a launch point and swoop in the open windows to save whoever was trapped. There were always people who were trapped that the firemen couldn't help. Like a baby or an old lady or a cat. Or a munchkin from the lollipop guild.

"No!" Brain chased him down, just managing to grab onto his tail before he could climb the ladder. "I said you are not to go in there!" He would just get himself hurt, Brain was sure of it. Not even Pinky's special brand of dumb luck could keep him safe in that building.

Super Mouse used his super strength to latch onto the leg of the ladder. "Citizen!" he whined, fighting against the tugs on his tail while reaching up for one of the rungs. But he was too small, he couldn't quite reach when the lower half of his body was being pulled in the opposite direction. He could've used his super strength or super speed on him to get free, but it was his husband and he didn't want to hurt him. It was just very hard to understand why he wouldn't let him do his job. He had no problem with it back at the lab and he saved people from burning buildings all the time! "Let go!"

"Absolutely not. Under no circumstances are you to enter that building. Let the firemen do their jobs; this isn't a game." Brain tugged him again, trying to get him away. "If you don't come away from there right now, Pinky isn't going to get a single kiss for an entire month. And that is a lot of tomorrow nights."

For a moment he hesitated. Even for just one tomorrow night that was too much for him to handle. But... it wasn't a game. He really was trying to be a real superhero. And it wasn't fair that Brain brought his secret identity into the mix! He had to keep what Pinky wanted and what Super Mouse wanted separate, that's what being a superhero was all about in the end. You couldn't be selfish. Even if it meant not getting to kiss your husband...

Pinky sniffled and let go of the ladder, preparing to tug his tail out of Brain's grasp when something clicked. "Poit. You only don't want me to go in the building, right?" he asked, hopeful and eager. "What if I use my super birthday candle whirly wind leaf blower power to blow the fire out?"

The smaller mouse's ears went flat. Super bir- Idiot. "As long as it doesn't require you to go anywhere closer than you are now to those flames."

"Narf!" He nodded, satisfied that he could do his hero duties and his husband ones at the same time. Facing the fire, he took a deep breath and puffed out his chest. Inwardly he counted down from three, only he forgot how far away three was from the end of the alphabet, so he decided to go for it somewhere around L.

As he blew as hard as he could, the firemen turned on the hose closest to the two mice, blasting them off into the wall of an adjacent building before turning its spray onto the fire. They bounced off the wall and onto the pavement, only to be trampled by more firefighters who charged forwards to help any victims. Super Mouse recovered quickly and sat up to look around, beaming at his work. The fire was mostly out now, his super powers saved the day again!

Brain rose far more slowly, popping back into his normal shape for that second time that evening. Except this time, water sprayed from his ears at an alarming rate until he could shake his head and only have droplets clinging to his fur. He glared first at the building, then at his husband in his ridiculous outfit and that ridiculous persona and that ridiculous... everything!

This was all ridiculous and it was time to put an end to it. If he was going to be trampled, it was going to be for a far better cause than this. And the only cause worthy of him being flattened was the world, which is what they should have been doing. He shook himself out, yet another degrading thing to occur to him that evening, and it only heightened his anger. "Come. We're returning home."

"Oh, not yet, citizen. There are still people who need to be saved! Crime to be caput!" Pinky pumped his fists into the air. He was just getting warmed up! He'd never felt so capable before! If he could get a lady's purse back for her and stop a whole fire in such short amounts of time, surely he could save everyone in the world in a few tomorrow nights! Maybe even one! Getting to his feet, he reached back for his cape and twisted it to wring the water from the fabric. "Super Mouse does not rest until everyone is safe and sound!" Though he always did have trouble finding the mute button on the remote.

"I don't care!" the smaller of the two snapped. "This has gone on more than long enough for one evening! Now come along." He began to storm down the sidewalk, grumbling about water damage and fools not looking where they were spraying and idiotic husbands.

"Wuh..." Super Mouse stared after Brain, releasing his damp cape. The weight of the water making it smack against his back and stick. "What are you talking about, citizen? Don't you want the world to be safe and full of justice and world peas?" His husband had to be joking. There was no way he didn't care about saving innocent people, right?

Brain glared over his shoulder, fed up that his usually loyal companion was being so argumentative. "Of course. Anyone with sense would want that. But that has nothing to do with you endangering the pair of us with all of this Super Mouse nonsense!"

Wet fur stiffened and his back straightened, blue eyes wide behind the mask. "Nonsense? Poit..." His expression fell into a frown and puffed out his chest defensively. "It's not nonsense! I know what nonsense means, and it means something... umm... something that it's not!"

"It is nonsense, Pinky! And I've had more than enough!" Brain turned back, placing his fists on his hips to keep from reaching out and strangling the poor excuse of a masked vigilante. He couldn't frighten a turnip, let alone an actual criminal. And a turnip was at his IQ level. "As far as I'm concerned, your hour of playtime is over. And you and I are going to return to the lab this instant."

Pinky stepped back as if he'd been slapped. Brain knew he wasn't supposed to reveal his secret identity! He knew! Out of habit, he held onto his tail and twisted it as he looked at his scowly husband. Why was he so mad? They were the good guys and they were winning. "I'm not playing," he stated firmly, mimicking the megalomaniac's stance and placing his own hands on his hips, his tail straight and alert now. "And I'm not going back. Not when there are still people who need me."

"Of course you're going back. I told you to." Incredulous, Brain shook his head. "I allowed you to come out and play this game of yours outside instead of enacting tonight's plan. Which is what we should have been doing. You know better. So come along. Now."

"It's not a game, Brain!" His heart quivered as he tried to ignore what it meant when something was only a game. "It's real!"

"Don't be more ridiculous than you already are, Pinky. This is not real. You don't have superpowers. And I am going home, with or without you." He spun around again, certain Pinky would follow if he just left.

"I'm not Pinky! I'm Super Mouse!" he yelled after him, hugging himself tightly. "Go on home! I can help people all by myself! I don't need you! Superheroes don't need anyone!" And Super Mouse didn't. Brain wasn't special to Super Mouse, his words didn't hurt his feelings. Not one bit. Brain was just an ordinary citizen. That was all.

But even though Super Mouse didn't need to cry or feel sad, Pinky did. Turning on his heel so Brain wouldn't see any crying just in case, he stared straight ahead and pretended not to hear how Nibbles said he wasn't a real superhero either. Nibbles was mean and a liar though. His husband wasn't supposed to be either of those things.

"Well... I... That's fine! I'm returning home without you then. Feel free to get... flambayed!" Brain was too angry to feel the way his heart throbbed at the words, and Pinky's behavior was too bewildering to allow him to come up with an appropriately scathing insult. "And your outfit's ridiculous," was the best he could come up with. "The cape and mask worked just fine. You looked less imbecilic." He stormed off quickly, still dripping from the violent spray of water and fuming mad.

Lip quivering and eyes full of tears, he pinched a bit of the fabric of his supersuit and tugged on it to glance down at all his hard work. He thought purple was a very nice color. Waiting a moment or two to see if Brain would say sorry, Pinky turned around just in time to watch him turn a corner and disappear. "Poit..."

His ears fell while he debated between the need to chase after the smaller mouse and his responsibility to the world. "Brain?" he called out, taking a step forward, but it was only the one step. If Brain didn't want to be part of Super Mouse's life, then that was fine. It was less dangerous for him anyway. They could talk later, and maybe as Pinky he could cheer his grumpy-growly chubby hubby up.

"In the dark of the night, fresh from the produce aisle, Super Mouse set off on his next do-gooding destiny," he narrated to himself, marching away from ACME Labs.

-8-8-

Idiot. Idiot, idiot, idiot! The moment he entered the lab, the megalomaniacal mouse stormed right over to the drawer he and Pinky stored their towels (washcloths) and began to scrub at his fur. The absolute nerve of Pinky to have just... disobeyed him like that! For his silly game.

He glared at the windowsill as if his wayward husband would pop over the top full of apologies and promises. Like he should. But there was no one, so his ears flattened, his poor mood doubling. Squished multiple times by multiple people. It was almost a good thing they'd been sprayed, else he'd require several baths to get rid of all of the germs. He supposed he should take one anyway, and he would just as soon as he accomplished a few things.

Tonight's plan would just have to be set aside to use another night. He marched over to the blueprints once satisfactorily dry and began to roll them up for storage. If "Super Mouse" truly wanted to do some good for the world, he would revert back to Pinky and aide him in global conquest. His success was what would make the world a better place.

Not an ignorant boob who thought he had super powers... Though Pinky's odd on-again off-again telepathy could understandably lead him to believe he had powers. He just didn't have the ridiculous ones he liked to believe in. And he was probably going to get himself killed, chasing criminals and putting out fires and... and who knew what else.

The fool would most likely do something like... attempt to defuse a bomb. That would only be good for a laugh, from a safe distance at any rate. Because he would snip the wrong wire or just run out of time and that would be the end of Super Mouse. Except... That would also be the end of Pinky.

The thought made him shudder, dampening most of his anger. It hadn't exactly all been his husband's fault, he mused, tucking the rolled up plan under his arm. He started for their cage, frowning to himself. No, the tramplings had been the cause of human error as they usually word. And perhaps he could've convinced Pinky to return to the lab had he used tact rather than force. When it came to Super Mouse, tact was what usually worked best. He took that particular persona seriously.

Brain looked back at the window, ears flattening from worry rather than irritation. He took it very seriously, if this evening's events were any judge. The bomb theory flitted into his mind again and, while unlikely, there were plenty others to take its place. He'd just have to go and locate Super Mouse after he put this plan away.

"Pinky," he sighed, still gazing towards the window, "you're such a fool..."

"Oh, but you can't hold that against him, can you? He's just too cute." A sneer-like tone sounded from within the cage, from their bed. "He's like a puppy. Easy to please."

Brain spun on his heel, instantly on guard. No one ever just snuck into their cage. It... it was their cage! Why had this unbearably rude mouse chosen their cage to enter? No one ever did and absolutely no one was allowed in their bed. His fur bristled. "Clearly the intelligence of the mice here gets lower and lower each night. You've wandered into the incorrect cage and I strongly suggest that you vacate immediately."

The dark-furred mouse arched an eyebrow. Really? This guy? How was there any competition at all? Oh, right. He was dealing with a nitwit. Nibbles sat up from where he'd been lounging, sliding off the bed and purposefully rumpling the blanket. "Oh, no. I am quite certain this is the cage I want to be in," he remarked as he looked around. "You are The Brain, aren't you? You see, I've been meaning to talk to you about your... pet."

Brain gave him a bland stare, mind more on the thought that now he'd have to waste time washing these sheets. "I have no pet."

"Oh? I'm sorry," Nibbles apologized, but the false air in his tone implied he was anything but as he crossed the cage to the wheel and gave it a casual spin. "I was under the impression that the pretty, little, blue-eyed idiot belonged to someone. Well, if that's not the case, we have no problem and I'm sorry for wasting your time. Do you know when he'll be back? We have some unfinished business." The gleam in his eyes had nothing to do with business and everything to do lechery.

"I said I didn't have a pet. I said nothing about having a husband." So this was Nibbles. Of course Pinky would befriend a behemoth. "And get your filthy hands off of his wheel this instant."

He didn't spin it again, but he dragged his finger down the curve of the wheel slowly and deliberately. The corners of his lips twitched down and his brow creased. "Not much of a husband if he's got the thinking capabilities of a rock," he muttered, tail flicking to the side, then stood a little straighter and surveyed the smaller mouse. "You are aware it's against a mouse's nature not to take on multiple mates when in captivity? I mean, you," he growled as he glared at Brain, "can't possibly fulfill all his needs by yourself. You don't even play with him."

"What Pinky lacks in typical intelligence, he makes up for in other things. I've heard you insult him more than enough times, so cease." Multiple mates in captivity - bohemian twit. "As for what's 'natural' or not for our specie, Pinky and I are above such baser instincts. We're in a monogamous relationship, which you are clearly no threat to as he came directly to me after your attempted debauchery." He wasn't even going to go into fulfilling Pinky's needs; their relationship was their business.

"Not a threat?" Cracking his knuckles, he advanced on Brain with a cruel smirk. He'd had a feeling it would turn out this way. "We'll see about that. I want your "husband", and I always get what I want." Nibbles grabbed a fistful of the megalomaniac's fur at the back of his neck and hauled him up. "Luckily, I have you to help me with that. A good superhero can't ignore a damsel in distress after all."

"I am in no way a damsel," Brain snapped, plans fluttering to the floor of the cage in a heap as he attempted to free himself. "Release me this minute! And, to keep you informed since you're clearly on the dense side, you'll never get your disgusting paws on Pinky! He's mine!"

"Not for long," Nibbles hissed. He let his own piece of paper flutter to the floor to join Brain's plans, then strode out of the cage with his captive. "Not for long."

-8-8-

He'd been stepped on. Kicked. Smooshed. Completely ignored.

Not one of those bank robbers had feared him or Lady Justice. And they got away. Well, the police had caught them a few blocks later - he'd chased them down despite his tail and ears and pride hurting only to find that his job had been done for him. So, while he was happy to see them face the consequences, the part of his heart that hadn't broken when Brain left fell to little itty bitty bits.

Still damp and now tired and hurt, Pinky... just plain old Pinky, shuffled home to the lab where his husband was, hoping he'd be less mad enough to help him dry off the rest of the way and listen to him apologize. He hadn't meant to waste their night, he really wanted to be a superhero. Superheroes were special and important and did good things. Brain would be proud of him if he was a good superhero.

Sniffling loudly, Pinky nudged the window open and wandered in. As he took off his mask and flung it to the side, he looked around for the familiar large-headed mouse. "Brain, you were right." Not that his smarty husband wasn't usually right, he just didn't want him to be right about this. "I don't have any powers... poit. I'm sorry."

When no answer greeted him, the lanky mouse tilted his head curiously and made his way towards their cage. "Brain? Oh, Brain please don't be mad still!" he pleaded upon entering their home, at first ignoring the papers on the floor; his husband did have the tendency to create clutter. "Brain? Troz..."

Pinky used the edge of his cape to wipe at his eyes. Where else could Brain be? Did he leave to take over the world without him? "Egad..." he sighed, turning his gaze down towards the plans scattered over by the door of the cage. His ears perked slightly. Perhaps if he looked at his plan thingy, he could find out where Brain had gone to and then surprise him! Brilliant!

He plucked up the roll of paper, uttering a soft "narf" as a paper not in Brain's usual scribbles fell off of it. Blue eyes squinted as he tried to make out the letters, gasping loudly when he realized the first word was "Dear".

Then he read the rest of it.

"Dear... Super Mouse?" Pinky's brow furrowed, tongue poking out the side of his mouth. "I have your hamburger. If you know what's good for him, you'll come to the big ol' bridge behind the lab. No police. Just you and me. We'll be waiting. Sincerely... Evil Doctor Professor Nibs. Your new archvillain." As he finished reading, he hugged the letter to his chest and gasped again. "Oh no! Not my hamburger! Wait. Poit. I don't have a hamburger." Scratching the top of his head, Pinky reread the note. "Oh! Narf. Silly me, that's not an a! That's a q! It says "husband"!" His smile at his triumph faded in an instant. "Brain!"

Whoever this Evil Doctor Professor Nibs was had crossed a line! No one kidnapped his chubby hubby and got away with it! Not if Super Mo-

Pinky deflated some, his gusto losing some of its gust. And o, just so it didn't have to be lonely. "But... I'm not Super Mouse anymore. How am I supposed to save Brain if I'm not a real superhero?" He looked down at his costume and across the counter at his discarded mask. Then his gaze shifted to their cage and everything in it that they shared. As marrieds. Pinky clenched his fist and the note crumpled. "Maybe Super Mouse can't save Brain, but Pinky can!"

Darting out of the cage to grab his mask, his enthusiasm had to be cut short yet again. "Egad! How on earth am I supposed to find this 'bridge behind the lab'? Hm? That could be anywhere! Zort!" He threw his hands up in the air and glared at the note, noticing smaller print at the bottom of it. "PS: Look outside the window, you moron." Pinky did. "Oh! Narf! I found it!"

Egad! The Evil Doctor Professor Nibs kidnapped Brain! How rude! Well, with Super Mouse on the job, then there's not way Pinky's chubby hubby love can't be saved! Unless Super Mouse doubted himself for some reason after a fight with said chubby hubby and figured he wasn't a real superhero thus rendering his powers null and void... wait? You're saying that's exactly what has happened? Oh...

Poit.