Origins 1-7

"Shit"

I had that cold feeling of fear. I knew where we were, and the fact that I was here plus one villain was most definitely a bad thing. A very bad thing.

"I think I'm going to puke." Tattletale groaned.

Extremely bad thing.

I leaned back to look at her face to see the greenish tint to it. I needed to get her out of here. I thought about the rooftop that had become my launching point for heroing. I focused as I gripped Tattletale's shoulders.

I landed on the rooftop.

Bad news is, I was alone.

I was back in my room an instant later to find it empty and the door to the hall open.

That's not okay.

I rushed into the hall and was about to head downstairs when I heard what was unmistakably the sound of Tattletale throwing up in the bathroom. That slowed me down considerably.

And, if I was being honest, it kinda killed the whole evil villain angle and made her more like just another person.

The door was closed and locked.

As if that could stop me.

I teleported to the other side of the door to find Tattletale curled over the toilet, head over the bowl. I didn't know whether to be mad at her or pity her so I sat on the edge of the tub shower combo and gathered Tattletale's hair carefully and held it gently behind her head.

"Thanks." Tattletale groaned and spit into the toilet. "Ugh my power does not like teleporting."

"Motion sickness?" I guessed. It did kinda feel funky to me the first few time I jumped long distances.

Tattletale nodded and spit the taste out of her mouth into the toilet again. We sat there is an awkward silence broken only by the occasional dry heave by Tattletale.

"Why did you bring me here?" She asked cautiously.

"Accident." I guessed, not really knowing myself. "I didn't know I could jump this far." I stretched my limbs and twisted a bit. No pain or cramps. A jump that far should have left me twitching on the ground. At the very least I should be sore.

"Powers are weird?" Tattletale offered.

"Yeah." My simple, short answer returned us to the awkward silence.

After about another minute she flushed the toilet but kept her head bowed. "You know there were pictures of you on the hall wall."

My blood froze. There were. Mom had always insisted on taking as many pictures as possible of me growing up. Then dad had hung the framed photos all over the house.

"I had suspected already." She continued slowly. "I mean the height was right. Then I heard you speak and that was right too. But what really cinched it was the pictures on the wall."

I tighten my grip on her hair but didn't quite pull it taught.

Tattletale moved a hand to her face and peeled away the mask before turning her head to face me. "Hey Taylor."

Lisa?

I let go of her hair in shock. Lisa. The girl I had met at Fugly Bobs then again at the coffee shop.

What the fuck!?

"You're a villain?" Was my witty reply. Of course she was stupid, Lisa was Tattletale and Tattletale was a villain.

And hell, with a name like Tattletale I could probably kiss my identity goodbye.

"Not by choice." She grimaced. "The villain I work for is the worst kind. If I disobey I can't expect to live long afterwards." She mimed a gun with one hand and put it to her head. "And so I do as he says."

"Who?"

Lisa shook her head. "No way, he is way too connected to just go throwing his name around."

I must have made some kind of face at that to prompt her next remark.

"Listen I'm doing you and me both a favor by not telling you."

"So what? You were a hero or something?" I was still trying to wrap my head around the one and only person I know outside of Winslow turned out to be a villain.

God my luck is just incredible.

Lisa snorted, "Not even a little bit. I got caught stealing by the wrong people and now I'm here." She gestured around her.

"What about your family?" That question caused her some pain, I could see it in her eyes.

"I... I was living on the street at the time." She forced a wry laugh. "That is one perk of my new job, I have my own place now."

"What if you left?"

"He would have someone track me down and kill me." She said as if commenting on the weather. "Putting aside I know too much to let me go, he would do it just so others don't get the idea that it's possible to leave."

"What about your team?"

"They all have their own reasons for joining up. As far as I know he hasn't threatened them but it's not something you spread around."

"You told me." I pointed out.

"Who are you going to tell?"

Ouch.

She took a breath. "I'm sorry that came out a bit harsh.

Yeah no kidding.

"So what are we going to do about this?" She gestured between us.

"I don't know." I honestly didn't. I shucked off my jacket and moved the goggles up to the top of my head while pulling the half mask to hang around my neck.

Tattletale got up and rinsed her mouth out at the sink, using my mouthwash. She could have at least asked first.

"Well we could always just proceed as before, same deal. You leave us alone and I give you a burner phone and the occasional bit of information." She replaced her mask.

"I'm okay with that, but what about us?"

That got a genuine grin out of her. "Get me into your bed once and suddenly it's 'us'?" She teased.

My face heated up at the implication. "That's not what I meant and you know it Lisa."

"I know, I know but it was too easy and you can't just let opportunities like that pass you by." She finished her bit of fun. "I don't think it would be an issue if we were friends as Lisa and Taylor, and as Tattletale and Willow Wisp we just stay away from each other. You know, with the exception of the deal."

I'm not going to admit the word friend caused me some small portion of anxiety, but I wouldn't say it didn't either.

"Would I be able to call Lisa from the burner?" These name differences are kind of confusing.

"Hmm, no, better not. I'll get you two phones."

Two phones. Jesus, I've never even owned one.

"Just the burner is fine."

"Don't worry about it I can afford it easy. In fact what kind of phone you want?"

One that works? "I don't know much about cell phones." I admitted.

Lisa's, no she has her mask and costume on, Tattletale's smile widened in a way that made me nervous. "Then would you mind if I picked for you?"

What the hell why not? "Go crazy."

I thought it impossible but her smile got wider. I probably just made a mistake.

She clapped her hands once. "Okay so let's get me out of here before someone else comes home."

Right. I shudder to think of Dad's reaction to this whole situation.

She stepped close to me and pulled my googles down across my eyes.

"Thanks." I mumbled pulling up the half mask.

"What about the jacket?" She asked.

"Honestly I would hate it if it wasn't for the pockets. I'll leave it here I won't be out for long enough to really need it." I said tugging the hood of my hoodie up to cover my hair.

"Should probably not leave it out though." She pointed out.

Right. Or to leave the empty bathroom door locked. Head in the game Taylor.

I picked up the jacket and reluctantly put it on then lead her back to my room.

She stepped up to me again and put her hands on my hips and I focused on where I wanted to go.

Again I arrived alone.

I growled in frustration. This was so much more preferable when I only had to move me.

I returned to my room.

"Your teleporting proximity is stupid small." Tattletale huffed.

Well excuse the hell out of me.

Tattletale was hugging me again like last time, arms sliding around my middle. I pictured the rooftop again.

And once more I landed by myself. "What the fuck?" I demanded of the empty air.

I teleported back to my room. Tattletale was sitting on the edge of my bed with a perplexed frown. "I don't get it. Why didn't it work?"

I pulled off the stupid jacket. "I don't know." I was just as annoyed at my powers as she was. Probably more so.

"As far as I can tell it's definitely proximity based. A very small proximity but still, it has worked once." She looked up at me. "How do you teleport?"

I shrugged. "To me it feels like suddenly falling. I focus on that and where I want to go. Then," I snapped my fingers for effect, "I'm there."

"Hmm." She made a thoughtful sound. "What about when you brought me here?"

I thought about it out loud. "You surprised me with what ever that was and being so close so I just..." It seamed impolite to say I teleported to get away from her.

"Just what?" She lead.

"Wanted to escape." I said quietly.

"Escape? From little ol' me?" She teased.

"It sounds stupid when you say it like that." I admitted.

"Is it because of the bullying?" She hedges carefully.

I took a moment to breathe. The Trio are in the past. Get over it Taylor. "Probably." I allowed.

"Hmm, so close physical contact unnerves you but your mover power works on proximity. Ain't that a bitch." She mused. "Well except for you can't take me with you on purpose." She corrected.

"Sorry."

She laughed. "Don't be, its kind of funny once you get over the hero villain thing."

I think it's more frustrating than funny.

"So, I'm this may sound a little weird but could I borrow some clothes?" She stood up from the bed.

"Huh?"

She gestured down at herself. "I can hardly walk out of your house wearing this can I?"

"What happened to teleporting?" I asked a little off guard. I hadn't shared clothes since Emma and I were little.

"If you can make it work then I'm game." She said with a look that all but said 'except you can't'.

I pulled off my goggles and mask, setting them on the small dresser. "You don't have to be smug about it." I grumbled opening the drawer with shirts and another with pants, grabbing a pair of pants as I did.

"Are you planning on returning what you borrow?" I asked.

"I may be a thief but I'm not that kind of thief." She said with a hint of indignation.

I gestured at the drawers. "Pick whatever then." Not that there was much to pick from. My wardrobe had shrunk over the years thanks to the trio and growth spurts. Height and not womanly assets unfortunately.

Tattletale removed her mask and began to look through the shirt drawer in an uncomfortably cavalier fashion. She selected a deep purple shirt and held it up to her torso. It was long on her but that was to be expected with my height. I guess it was good enough because next was pants. These she looked over with a frown before selecting a pair of jeans. She moved over to the bed and set the clothing on it before tugging at the neck of her suit.

I turned away to give her some privacy. Geez this was my room. Couldn't she at least have changed in the bathroom? Whatever, just think about it as if it was the locker room. Just do it quickly and get it over with. I undid my belt and push my pants down already grabbing the jean cargo pants I had pulled from the drawer.

When I was done I resolutely kept my back turned until Tattletale, no, she was Lisa now, announced she was done.

Turning around the first thing I noticed was how my shirt strained to contain her breasts and, I noted, she had forgone a bra for her cape costume. The jeans she had picked out hung off her slightly wider hips and I couldn't help but think that life was really unfair sometimes.

"I was going to ask how I look, but your face kinda says it all." She quipped.

I just frowned at her before moving to my closet and pulled out a zip up hoodie and tossed it at her.

She caught it. "Black?" She asked inspecting it. "Is that the only color hoodie you own?"

"Well you could always go without but I was worried you would poke holes in my shirt." I snarked back with some minor amount of heat. "Besides I have other colors, but they don't go with purple."

Lisa snorted at my remark and pulled on the hoodie. As a rule I wear loose fitting clothing, especially when it comes to hoodies. So naturally it fit her chest just fine and practically draped over the rest of her. "In a weird way it's comfortable."

"Like wearing a blanket." I said without thought.

"Yeah, kind of." She examines the the too long sleeves. "Do you have something I can put my costume stuff in?"

"I think there is a backpack in here somewhere." I pushed the hanging clothes to the side and found an old torn backpack. Sophia had yanked on one of the pockets tearing it down one side. The zipper still worked so with some duct tape it was serviceable and I had managed to make it so until the end of my freshman school year.

I passed it to Lisa who eyed it with a raised eyebrow but didn't say anything as she stuffed all her cape stuff in with the exception of a cellphone. That, she tucked into the hoodie's pocket.

"Want to go shopping for a phone?" She asked slinging the bag up onto one shoulder?

I checked the clock on the wall. Only two in the afternoon.

"Sure I guess so."

Author's Note: Thanks for the Fav/Follows! Really, there has been a fair number of you whom have joined us in this Fic and I can't thank you enough for the support.

There has been concern over Taylor joining up with the Undersiders. Not going to happen. She wants to be a hero. What kind of hero? She doesn't know yet, nor has she even had the chance to really be one, but meeting Lisa before meeting Tattletale has pretty well killed the idea of joining the Undersiders with the intention of betraying them to the Protectarate. Taylor is desperate for a friend even if she hasn't realized it yet.