When Missy woke up in the Velvet Room she had found that it had changed. There was now a small, raised stage on the balcony that she and Igor sat at. A tiny thing really, nothing like the grand stage below, but it was still enough room to dance on. Get a little practice without any judgment.

She looked down at the fancy ball gown that she now wore. A very long and flowing sky blue dress with white frills that she would normally never wear… but felt absolutely natural on her at that moment. It was sleeveless, covered her collarbone, and was paired with a nice set of dainty dance shoes. Soft to the touch, breathable for her skin, and so very pretty. It made her feel beautiful… even if she still needed plenty of time to grow into it.

"Hello again my dear guest," Igor greeted her before gesturing toward the stage. "Would you like to practice? I find that rehearsals, even impromptu ones, can be quite the learning experience."

Missy nodded and she stood up to walk onto the stage. Theodore was already there, waiting for her with a hand held out. She took it. His hand firm was firm yet somehow gentle as he had her into a slow delicate Waltz. Theo slowly and carefully enough that Missy with her complete lack of experience could keep up. They stepped, pivoted, and flowed slowly but smoothly. Speed would come with experience and time, but for now she would allow herself to enjoy this.

"The bonds you form on your journey will be invaluable," Igor explained. Missy used half her attention to keep listening to him, the other half was spent trying to follow Theo's steps. It was quite challenging. "Among many things they will serve as your strength and more of the compendium will open up to you."

That confirmed a hunch Missy had about Pixie. It was nice to hear it confirmed though. To know that the people she loved and cared about would be her strength. She couldn't help but be a bit curious as to who else she might meet in the future and what sort of Personas they might help her manifest.

Theo lifted her arm up and spun her around. Missy let her body twirl freely and couldn't help the giggle that erupted from her mouth as she continued the spin with her own feet. By the end of iit she stumbled from dizziness, but Theo was there to catch her a gentle hand to her back. Thanks to him she remained on her feet and they continued the rest of the dance.

"There will be much for you to learn. Many lessons to impart before you can finally take your place on the true strength. But for now, enjoy yourself. There's so much that you have yet to experience," Igor informed her.

The dance ended and Missy let go of Theo's hand so that they could bow and curtsy to each other.

"And remember that you are never alone."

Missy nodded, closed her eyes, and let herself sink back into reality.

"Your uh, patrol with New Wave… how was it?" Missy's father asked her.

Missy barely acknowledged the man as she looked outside the car window from the back seat. The familiar passing scenery of the bay looked differently to her now. Certain things she hadn't noticed before, mainly the state of the buildings and the people they passed, had become much more visible to her. "Mmm. Fine."

She wasn't really excited to be riding with him, nor was she looking forward to going back to school. After everything that had happened to her in the last two weeks… it just seemed so pointless. Why should she be just sitting bored in a classroom when she could be doing something productive like training or going on another patrol? Clearly she was of better use toward Brockton Bay that way.

"I watched some videos. You saved a lot of people in that apartment fire."

Missy finally turned to look at the back of her father's head. "You did?"

"Yes. It was… honestly I was scared for you."

Like he actually cared.

"I wasn't hurt. Everyone else was in more danger than me," Missy replied.

"That's good. You're a kid and well it's…. Good that the other Heroes there are keeping you safe. I was un…comfortable at first when Carol suggested you go on a Patrol, but it seems like New Wave knows what they're doing."

"New Wave's great," Missy replied and didn't offer anything else for the rest of the ride. Eventually they arrived at Missy's school and she did not hesitate to undo her seatbelt and get out of the car. "Bye dad."

"Yea…See you tonight Missy," her father replied, subdued, before driving away.

As Missy walked towards the entrance she tried to ignore the staring and whispering as she passed. Despite her experience with crowds while with New Wave, there was just something difficult about this. Patrolling among strangers on the boardwalk was one thing, but these people knew her before she had powers and were much closer to her age. It made her feel that much more self-conscious here than out in the streets.

"Hey Missy."

Missy paused and turned to the girl that addressed her. A girl from one of the neighboring classes. They were acquaintances at best. "Yea?"

"Can I get an autograph?"

"Oh." Missy blinked in confusion, before looking and finally acknowledging the pen and notebook being held out in front of her. "Sure."

She signed the page and the girl smiled and thanked before running off to show it off to her friends. And like that some sort of barrier and people that were too scared to approach before were now walking up to her.

"What're your powers?"

"Can you summon your projections?"

"What's New Wave like?"

"You a Master or Shaker?"

"How cool was it punting Hookwolf?"

"Can you sign my arm?"

Missy tried to keep up with the barrage of questions but kids her age were just a whole other breed of excitement. It was bad enough that Missy had reached to her side for her Evoker… only to grab onto nothing. Right, couldn't bring that to school no matter how much she wanted to. Didn't stop her from stuffing it into an inner compartment in her backpack but she wouldn't be able to pull it out while in class.

She was about to put her hand back to her side when someone grabbed it. Missy jumped and made a fist like Shinji had shown her.

"Let go- Dinah!?" Missy immediately relaxed once she saw who had grabbed her hand. She let her friend lead her away. "Warn me next time."

"Tried to," Dinah replied as she continued dragging her by her hand. "Too many people. This was easier."

"It was," Missy admitted as she sped a little so that she was next to Dinah. "How's school been?"

"Fine. How's being a Hero?"

"I have so much to tell you." And so Missy did. Practically blabbing even as they made it class and sat next to each other. Soon they were joined by the rest of their classmates who asked similar questions as the kids in the halls. Thankfully Dinah was able to deflect some of their attention until the bell rang and their teacher walked into the room.

"Quiet," Miss Bright quickly demanded, and they listened. She had that sort of presence. She then directed said presence at Missy. "Hello Missy. Welcome back to class."

"Yea. Glad to be back," Missy replied carefully.

"I hope I don't have to inform you that any use of Parahuman powers in class is forbidden."

"Got it."

Another student raised their hand. "Even the healing power?"

"That would have to be discussed with the school. Until then, no."

Another kid raised their hand. "What happens if there was a bomb and-"

"No more questions. Class will begin soon."

Class was… well boring as it usually was. Having a Persona didn't really change that especially since Missy couldn't use it in class. It also didn't help that she was gone for two weeks and was having to catch up with everyone else. It meant more work for her or else her grades would drop. And if her grades dropped Minako would find out and then… the woman's version of cram school.

Missy had gone through that once. Never again.

So she worked harder than before in order to catch up. By the time lunch came around it was a relief to just shut down her brain and shovel the lunch that Shinji made into her mouth.

"Just get a tutor. They'll save you a lot of time you would've wasted studying on your own," Dinah suggested to Missy after she had told her issues.

"Tutors cost money, Dinah. And I don't want to ask my parents for anything," Missy replied.

"Then come to my house and borrow one of mine."

Missy did her best not to roll her eyes. Dinah meant well but sometimes she forgot that not everyone's Uncle was the mayor or had as much money as her family did.

She was about to change the topic when some random kid decided to walk up to the spot she was sharing with Dinah. It was supposed to be a bit private, away from the main cafeteria, but even then a couple kids still approached them. All of whom Missy had delegated to Dinah to politely send away. Dinah was pretty good at putting people down lightly. Missy preferred a more… straightforward approach.

"You really have to kill yourself to use your powers?"

Missy nearly spat out her drink. Instead, she barely kept it in as she swallowed and wiped her mouth so that she could stare at the idiot that asked that question. "No! Why would I kill my myself!?"

"Isn't that how your power works?" He put two fingers to his head. "Bang. Shoot yourself with a gun?"

"It's a fake gun! If you shot me with a real one I'd be dead!"

"Can't your Pixie heal you?"

"Not while I'm bleeding out from a bullet wound in the chest!" She wasn't sure if she could even heal something as bad as that. So far Pixie's Dia only seemed to work best for smaller cuts, bruises, and burns. It'd take a bit more training with her Personas before she could do anything larger than that.

"So that's it? What's good about your powers if someone could just shoot you in the face? Kinda useless isn't it?"

Missy bristled and was just about to snap at the boy when Dinah grabbed her arm.

"She's more useful than you at dodgeball at least. And less messy," Dinah replied, apparently knowing the boy's name. Whatever happened at dodgeball was enough to get the boy to sputter and turn crimson in the face.

"What did he do?" Missy whispered to Dinah.

"Wet himself," Dinah whispered back though loudly enough so that Steven could overhear. "There was a uh… distinct smell."

"Oh. Ew."

The boy clenched his fists and glared at Dinah. He seriously seemed to be contemplating attacking her until Missy stood up and stared him dead in the eye. Even if he was a bit taller there was no denying the difference in presence between the two of them. He quickly shut down after that and ran away.

"Thanks Dinah," Missy said as she sat back down.

"You're tough now," Dinah commented as she looked at her carefully.

"Really? I don't feel that different."

"You look surlier now. Very masculine," a girl teased as she sat down across from them. This one Dinah didn't send away because they were quite familiar with.

Missy flexed her bicep. "Well, I've been working out since I started using my Persona. Wanna feel Clara?"

Dinah roiled her eyes. "Dork."

"Persona? Is that what you call your Projections?" Clara asked.

"They have names. Theia and Pixie, but yea," Missy replied.

"Pixie was really cute in those videos. Can you show her to me?" Clara asked.

Missy looked around the area. "Not now. Probably after school."

Dinah scoffed. "What. Did you bring your gun with you?"

"…"

"You didn't…"

"It's an Evoker! And uh… noooo…." Missy replied.

"She brought a guuuun too schoooool," Clara sang cheerfully.

"Look don't tattle on me," Missy whispered. "I don't want to get suspended. There are soo many people that would kill me if I did."

"If you know it's an issue then why bring it to school!?" Dinah whispered back.

"It's for getting here and back. I just feel better knowing I can defend myself anytime. Alternative would be trying to stuff my katanas into my bag."

"That does kinda make sense," Clara commented. "She's an Open Cape. Needs to be suuuper careful about Villains jumpin her. Or ya know, just annoying people in general."

"Okay it sorta does make sense," Dinah admitted. "Just don't take it out while we're here."

"Wasn't planning to," Missy replied.

"Is something wrong?" One of the staff patrolling the school happened to walk by their area..

"Nope."

"Nope."

"Noooope."

The man looked at all three of them in suspicion, his gaze focusing on Missy a bit more than she was comfortable, before he finally shook his head and walked away.

"Hey, Missy can I get a fake gun too?" Clara asked.

"… why am I friends with you two?" Dinah asked.

Gym was the last class for the day and one that Missy always looked forward to. Because of that it didn't take her long to get changed into her gym clothes, rush out of the girl's locker room, and run out onto the field. Unlike most of the other girls in her class she enjoyed physical exercise and actively participated in any game or sort they were assigned to play. Today's game after their warm up was soccer and it didn't take long for the coach to pick two boys as opposing captains.

They played rock-paper-scissors and the winner announced their first pick. "Missy!"

Missy blinked in surprise for a moment before walking up and taking her place next to the boy. She was an active person but wasn't necessarily the best player or even on the soccer team, so she didn't think she'd ever get picked first.

"That's cheating! Superheroes shouldn't play sports!" One of the boys who hadn't been picked yet shouted.

Missy grabbed the soccer ball and held it to her chest. "Is my Persona out right now?"

"Your floating ladies? No."

"Then I'm not using my powers am I? I can still play sports." Pretty sure she was banned from anything official though. It was what happened to Glory Girl when she triggered at a basketball game. No more sports scholarships after that unfortunately.

The Team Captain that had picked Missy simply nodded and shrugged. "Can't argue with that."

The captains then continued taking turns picking players, mostly boys first with a few of the active girls following, until the teams were eventually filled. The teams took their place and Missy immediately ran forward as an offense once the game started. It was going well actually for a few minutes until someone started complaining again,

"If you aren't using your powers then how are you this good!?" one of the girls shouted.

"I played like this before I got my powers. Also do you know how much running around I had to do while patrolling?" Missy argued between breaths. "Anyone would get that fit if they went through the same crap that I did!"

Once she caught her breath, she immediately stole the ball from one of the boys and passed it off to one of her teammates.

Missy's team ultimately won the game 2-0. Didn't score any goals herself, but she liked to think that she helped. Certainly worked up a good enough sweat that the shower she had taken in the locker came as blessed relief. So much that Missy ended up staying under the hot water long after Dinah and Clara finished and went to get dressed.

Thank Scion her parents paid for her to go to Immaculata. The money it got as a private school meant that it didn't cheap out on a lot of things, hot water included.

Her body was steaming and her skin pink and flushed when she finally shut out off the water. She stepped out of the shower, a towel wrapped around her body as she made her way to her locker. The only sound in the room was the occasional drip of water and Missy's own footsteps against the damp floor.

Yea she might've overdone, probably the last one out. She picked up the pace, taking care not to slip. She had just reached the door to get to the locker room when it opened and three girls from her grade went through. They stopped in front and barred her path.

"Uh… do you need something?" Missy asked. It might've been the end of the day so she wouldn't be late for any classes, but she didn't want to keep Clara and Dinah waiting that long.

"You must think you're such a big shot now that you're a Cape," one of the girls said.

Huh? "Uh no," Missy replied. Where did they get that from?

"Like you didn't notice all the boys looking at you!" Another girl shouted.

"Everyone was looking at me. What does it matter if the boys do too?" Missy said.

The third girl gasped. "Stop acting like you don't get it!"

"I really don't! Can you guys just get out of the way so I can get dressed?" Missy asked. She was soo tired of boys. It was just boys, boys, boys with most of the girls in class ever since they started the year.

"No, we still need to talk." The girl tried to push her but Missy sidestepped away.

"Just let me through," Missy growled. "Before I make you."

"You really think you can get through us? We heard what you said. You can't even use your Powers right now without that gun. You're just like us."

You know what? Fuck them. Missy glared at the girls. "New Wave did teach me to punch a bitch. And I see three right in front of me."

The girls didn't seem to take her threats well and looked ready to start attacking. Despite her bravado, three on one was never good odds, especially when the only thing protecting her modesty was a towel that she would probably end up losing in the fight. Yea this was going to suck.

"The fuck is going on here?"

All four of them stopped and turned toward the girl that had stepped into the showers. She was older, two years above them, and had quite an impressive glare on her face.

"Nothing," one of the girls replied. "We just wanted to have a talk with Missy."

"Really? Cause it looks like you're about to jump a girl while she's in the shower? You all fruity?"

Huh. What did fruit have to do with anything?

"What the!?" one of the girls immediately turned crimson. "Who would ever go out with her?"

Ooh that's what that meant. Also- "Hey! I'm a catch!" Missy shouted even though she didn't really care about those girls. Still it was the principle of the matter!

"Just get out of here. Otherwise the school knows that they've got a bunch of homos hunting kids here."

The girls all glared until the older girl started cracking her fists. After that they were very quick to run away leaving Missy alone with her apparent savior.

"Thanks," Missy sighed. "I had no idea what their problem was."

"Jealous cause you're a Parahuman and are better than them."

"I am better than them, but not because I'm Parahuman," Missy muttered as she finally got out of the showers and made it to her locker. "They're just idiots. What's your name?"

"Tammi." Tammi looked away as Missy dropped her towel and began to get dressed. "You sure it was a good idea telling everyone your weakness? Stuff like this is going to keep happening."

"Weakness? You mean that I need my Evoker? Better than them freaking out about me suddenly using my powers to destroy the school… Not that I would," Missy replied as she pulled up her skirt. It took a few tries for her to get the clasp on. "Besides, it's kinda obvious I need it. The Villains would've figured it out."

"You planning to pick a fight with the Gangs?"

"Maybe eventually. Still have to get stronger. Pick up a couple more Personas." Missy put on and began to button up her shirt. "Pixie's cool with her healing but I think I need more than that if I'm going to beat up Hookwolf."

"Good luck with that. He's not someone you should ever pick a fight with."

"Can't know until I try… much later. In the future. Eventually," Missy replied, finally dressed. She began to wipe her hair again with her towel. "Why did you help me?"

"Like you said. Saw a bunch of idiots thinking they could mess with a Parahuman and get away with it. Knew how that was going to go."

"Well… thanks for helping me."

"You already thanked me."

"I know, just wanted to say it again."

Missy made her way out of the locker room.

"Yo brat."

She turned around.

"If you ever need help or someone to talk to. I'm there," Tammi replied.

Missy turned around and left with a smile on her face and a familiar beating in her heart. It was nice making a new friend. Speaking of friends…

Dinah glared at her as she met her in the hallway. "I leave you alone for a few minutes."

"You know? Already?" Missy asked.

"Those idiots were talking about it when they got out of the locker room. I was about to run in to check up on you!"

"I'm fine okay? No problem. There was a girl, Tammi two grades up I think, she stopped them," Missy explained.

"Well you better thank her and don't go off alone anymore. It's not safe," Dinah replied.

"I thought you said I was tough? I can handle it."

"I'm worried about everyone else! You know how much trouble you caused before you got powers?"

"I'm not that bad."

"March 27th. Food fight."

"… They never caught the instigator."

"April 16th. The pantsing incident!"

"That dude was a jerk… that just happened to lose his belt."

"I never wanted to see a boy's underwear."

"It was preeeetty funny."

"It's disgusting! Look Hero or not you need to stop getting into trouble at school."

"What's this about pantsing?" Clara asked as she jogged up to them, thankfully interrupting Dinah's lecture.

Dinah rolled her eyes. "Nothing Clara. Now can you help me distract Missy before she ends up destroying the school."

Clara saluted. "Aye aye ma'am."

"I'm not that bad," Missy grumbled.

"You kind of are."

The three of them left the school, ultimately deciding to walk together and hang out for a bit before going to their homes. It was nice being out with them, she had almost forgotten what it was while she was busy patrolling. It was almost scary actually how distant she had become without realizing, how easily she would've split from them if she had let herself get too obsessed with being a Hero. She really had to thank Igor and Theo for reminding her to just… be a girl sometimes.

As they passed by a park a woman suddenly began waving. "You there! The Cape!"

Missy stepped in front of her friends, her hand in her backpack. "Yes?"

"You can heal right? My son just had a bad fall." The woman gestured to a little boy that had apparently fallen off the monkey bars and was now crying while holding his arm.

Missy immediately ran up to the boy with her friends following. Once she was in range she took her gu- Evoker and pointed to her head. She ignored the reactions from everyone looking at her as she pulled the trigger. "Pixie!"

Her Persona emerged and provided some limited succor to the boy that fell.

"My arm hurts," the boy cried once the healing finished.

"That's?" the woman asked. "Can't you do more?"

"The cuts and bruises are gone. But a broken bone is too much for me right now. I'm sorry," Missy apologized.

"Can't you do it again?"

"Wouldn't help." The boy was crying now, which made Missy's heart sink a little. "I'm sorry"

"No… it's fine I just expected… An ambulance is coming here anyway. Thanks for the help and whatever," the woman said before turning her back to her and attending to her child.

"Huh…" Missy stared at the Evoker as she walked away. "I should be able to do more."

"Missy, it's fine," Clara said. "Healers are super rare anyway. You've already done enough."

"It's not that. I just… I can get better at healing. I just need more time and training."

"You're a Trump too?" Clara asked.

"Yea I guess."

"The Gangs aren't going to like that," Dinah commented.

"Actually, I think they're going to like it too much," Clara replied.

"They can like it or hate it, I'm not joining them," Missy said.

Dinah looked at her, concerned. "Sometimes they don't give you much of a choice."

"So then we substitute x and that's your answer," Minako explained as she moved a finger through Missy's math homework.

Missy nodded, did as the woman suggested, then proceeded to do another problem all on her own. Despite certain fears Missy had, Minako was still a principal and a really good teacher at that. Just an hour of tutoring with her and Missy was already starting to make sense of everything that she had missed. Also apparently Minako was a lot more lenient with her tutoring if Missy was the one to admit her problem and come to her first. That was good to know.

"Shouldn't ever be afraid to ask for help," Minako explained. "Better than messing up and having to clean up a huge mess because you were too stubborn otherwise."

Missy nodded, finally finished her assigned work, and pushed it all to the side. It would take some time before she was fully caught but at least she was finally making some good progress.

"You could also ask your friends to help you study. Study groups are great, that's how I did it in high school," Minako suggested.

It wasn't a bad idea in concept, Missy had thought about it as well but… Dinah had her own tutors that made it a bit too stuffy to study around her house and Clara was just terrible at studying. Girl got distracted all the time, played games, did stuff on her computer… and somehow always aced every single test. In fact Missy had the worst grades of the three of them. Not that hers were bad, usually, but compared to those two with their straight A's… Well it was actually pretty infuriating how much effort she had to put in just to keep up.

"I'll… keep that in mind," Missy offered instead as she grabbed the remote and switched on the tv.

Oh there was her being interviewed by channel 5 and then there was her healing people with Pixie. People were reaallly making a big deal about that. A big enough deal that they were straight up calling her the Guardian Angel of Brockton Bay.

Oh no- Do not let that become her Cape Name. Angel was way too cheesy… actually Guardian wouldn't be that bad even if it didn't quite fit.

"Should I, eh, be worried?" Missy asked, gesturing toward the tv.

Minako glanced at the screen. "Possibly. Yes. Healers are rare. New Wave's already shown active support for you, but I'd be careful when you're out on the streets."

"Hmph. ABB won't do anything. Timeline for the Empire's moved up though," Shinji commented. "Also got the other smaller Gangs that might just go grab you if you're not careful."

"Plan's still the same. Go out, get stronger, keep yourself in the public and PRTs eyes. Maybe show off a little so that no one will try anything" Minako replied. "If something does happen, hit the panic button on your phone and make sure you keep your tracking device on you."

"Yep." Missy gave her a thumbs up. "How's things going with my… parents?"

"Carol is having them set up a meeting with the PRT soon. Convinced them though that Power Testing and just getting you registered as an Independent should be enough. No Wards contracts just yet."

"That's cool I guess." Missy clenched her hands. "Do I really have to go with them? Together? In public? In front of all the other heroes?"

"Carol's already set you up for a tour of the Wards while they're at the meeting. You won't have to deal with them most of the time at least."

"It's still going to be embarrassing."

"Yea it is," Minako sighed as she rubbed Missy's head.

A/N

I like to think that Vista in the original Worm had become very distant from her classmates and old friends after her Trigger and having to spend so much time away keeping up a Secret Identity. It's an explanation for why, aside from limited screen time, we don't get much about Missy's civilian life or any friends she made outside the Wards.

This chapter is thus an expansion of what I think Missy's school and social life could've been like, the latter being greatly encouraged in order for her to form the bonds needed for her Personas.

Dinah is perhaps a bit OC but I like to imagine that's what her personality was like before Triggering, getting kidnapped, and then forced into drug-induced slavery for months. Any one of those things could fuck a kid up and mess with their development.

Clara is also an original character who makes Missy and Dinah a trio while adding a bit of chemistry to the group. I have quite a lot of fun writing her so expect to see a bit more of her in the future.