Missy never realized the difference between domestic and international fame until she got online and found videos of her… like everywhere. Brockton Bay was a place that could be stuck in its own bubble sometimes, so it was a surprise to see mentions of her spread outside the country.

Granted she wasn't like Triumvirate famous or anything but apparently her name was getting around. As were some videos… that weren't showing her in her best moments.

Missy looked at her phone and well…

Topic: I Present To You A Masterpiece
 In: Boards ► Recent Events

Posted On Jan 1st 2011:
See title

(Attached is a link of a video of a small young girl and her Projections dancing or rather wiggling in celebration)

(Showing page 1 of 1)

►GstringGirl
 Replied On Jan 1st 2011:
That's the cutest fucking thing I've ever seen in my entire life

►Dawgsmiles (Veteran Member)
Replied On Jan 1st 2011:
Isn't that Skidmark bleeding out in the background?

►
 Replied On Jan 1st 2011:
This ain't about him

►BadSamurai
 Replied On Jan 1st 2011:
Eh. She's a healer

►Feychick
 Replied On Jan 1st 2011:
My eyes have been blessed

►XxVoid_CowboyxX
 Replied On Jan 1st 2011:
Our eyes have been blessed

►Space Zombie
 Replied On Jan 1st 2011:
Don't be creepy about this Void

►TheProphet
 Replied On Jan 1st 2011:
Aaaand video saved. Can't wait for the GIFs

Unfortunately that video of her dancing had become viral. Even more viral than the videos of her helping out at Lagos, several of which did not show her in the best light either.

Okay she tripped once, there was a lot to trip on after Behemoth tore the place down. And- holy crap did they seriously let her walk around with that bed hair? Why didn't anyone warn her after she took her nap!? Also of course there were a couple videos of her running around with Pixie while healing out in the field and wow, she did look like a little girl doing that. Really needed to fix her posture a little.

And… did someone seriously take a picture of her napping!? Thankfully it got taken off of PHO but Scion only knows where that picture was being spread. Uuuughhh so embarrassing.

"Need to work on your presentation," Morgana commented.

"Why are they making such a big deal about me?" Missy moaned to her friends as she put down her phone and buried her head in her arms. She couldn't stand to look at the screen anymore.

"You're an eleven-year-old girl unmasked cape providing aid and succor in a literal death zone running around with a fairy healer," Dinah said that entire sentence smoothly without a single pause. She continued to stroke Morgana's fur while he sat at the table. Apparently, people wouldn't hear him talking unless they acknowledged that he was a person capable of speech or had been exposed to an alternate reality. Something about perception. "If I didn't know you, I would've been a fan too."

"You're a Magical Girl Missy," Clara commented as she joined Dinah with the petting, their hands overlapping and touching multiple times. Needless to say, Missy's friend's had adored him the moment they met him.

Missy raised a hand, though still kept her head buried. "Okay Magical Girl… that's cool, remember that for matching Halloween outfits."

"Got it!"

"Phantom Thieves would be better!" Morgana exclaimed before leaning into the girls' hands and purring.

"But why me?" Missy asked Clara.

"Most Capes don't have PR appropriate Powers like yours and also aren't as cute as you," Dinah replied.

Missy lifted her head up. "You think I'm cute?"

"Public consensus says yes. We don't get a lot of cute Capes. We don't get a lot of cute, effective Capes. And we don't get a lot of cute, effective, and potentially powerful capes. You're all three. Why do you think people are making a big deal about Legend and Myrddin's offer to join?"

"That got around too?"

"No videos. But plenty of people around to hear and spread it."

Missy moaned again. "I need a PR team."

"You do have one. Me and Clara. Who do you think's been managing your Twitter?"

"Wait what!?" That was news to her!

"I asked. You told us yes!" Dinah replied.

"I thought you were just screwing around!" Missy shouted before she picked up the phone and frantically looked for the account her friends mentioned and-… huh.

Morgana lifted his head and took a look at the screen. "Your friends do good work"

He was right. Not bad actually. Surprisingly professional. And those were some good shots.

"We know what we're doing," Dinah replied smugly.

"It was mostly me," Clara explained. "Dinah couldn't take a picture to save her-"

Missy lifted her hand and snatched the projectile eraser out of the air. "I'm not even- why is it always me!?"

"Cause I'm pretty," Clara sang.

This time no one was there to protect Clara as she was pelted in the forehead by an eraser.

"Ow"

"Now what were we talking about?" Missy asked once she had gotten her retribution.

"Look Missy you either roll with the punches or wait till it blows over if you don't like it. My Uncle does it all the time when he's campaigning," Dinah explained. "Me personally? I think you should use this. You want to be a Hero and now everyone's thinking of you as one."

"They're treating me like a kid," Missy grumbled.

"You won't be a kid forever. They won't treat you like that once you finally grow some boobs."

"Aaaand time to make my exit," Morgana stood up leaped off the table. He then walked casually into Dinah's house. "You girls have fun with the girl talk."

"I have boobs…" Missy commented now that Morgana was gone.

"Clara has boobs," Dinah replied. And yea Clara looked way too smug about that fact. "The point is that if everyone knows you as a kid, then you can make sure they know you as an adult." Dinah rubbed two fingers together. "Long term investment Missy. Have to think about the future and work for it. Once you grow a figure, take advantage of that as a woman!"

"I am feeling very uncomfortable right now," Missy commented.

"We're all girls here. What's the issue?"

"Um." Rory raised his hand, looking awkward from his seat at the table. He had actually been there the first and been at that table the entire time, but nobody had taken the time to acknowledge him. Including Morgana funnily enough.

"You don't count," Dinah replied.

Clara patted his arm in reassurance. "Don't worry. I can count you as a pretty girl."

Rory lowered his hand and continued eating his pie.

Clara shrugged before turning to her friends. "So my birthday party."

"Wait, isn't your birthday in August? Why're we planning it now?" Missy asked.

"Daddy's busy. Out working in New York soon for a few months, so we're celebrating my early birthday next week!"

"Soooo Missy and I are both invited?" Dinah asked.

"Yep!"

Dinah turned to Missy. "No Hero work next week, right?"

"Should be able to get off from patrol, barring emergencies," Missy replied. "Pretty sure Vicky's going to wanna come if I tell her why though."

"Okay she's invited," Clara replied.

"Nice. Anything else we're forgetting?" Missy asked.

"Rory?" Dinah called to her cousin without even looking at him.

"I'll get her a birthday present," Rory said.

"Roooory?"

"A nice one."

"Thanks."

"This is a bad idea Missy."

"It's a great idea! Don't ya think so Clara?"

"This is a bad idea Missy."

"Psh," Missy waved both her friends off. "You guys worry too much. I got this all planned."

"Don't you already have Theia?" Dinah asked.

"That's different! Manipulating space isn't the same as ice skating!"

"Which you've never done before!"

"Semantics!" Missy stood proud at the top of a large hill in Dinah's neighborhood, her Evoker pointed to her head. "Now watch and learn- Jack Frost"

An adorable diminutive snowman emerged. "Hee Ho!" With a wave of his hands ice magic would gather under Missy's feet.

"Not let's go!" Missy shouted as she jumped down the incline, the spell creating a path of ice underneath her feet and quite literally allowing her to ice skate in the middle of spring.

"This. Is. Awesome!" she screamed. The sheer adrenaline of it was amazing. Similar enough to sky diving on Theia but the difference was that here she had some manner of control. Her own effort to remain balanced as she slid down, that would be the difference between success and horrible painful failure.

Missy jumped, spun in the air like a ballerina, and landed on a single foot. Or at least attempted to, she ended up losing balance once her feet touched the ground. Thankfully Theia was there to catch her before her face was allowed to become quite intimate with the ground.

"See. I'm fine!" Missy shouted to her friends who were now running down to check on her.

"The only thing I see is a dumbass!" Dinah shouted as she finally reached and began panting as she grabbed her knees. Wow, Dinah was kinda out of shape. Needed more exercise. "Do you have a death sentence!?"

"Cmon it wasn't that bad. Been through worse," Missy replied. Which was the truth. After everything she had been through a little jaunt down the hill was probably on the lower end of dangerous things she had done.

"And that scares me," Dinah replied as she gave Missy a quick once over. Once she confirmed that Missy was fine, Dinah turned to Theia. "Thanks for keeping her alive."

Theia nodded before fading away again.

"Theia feels like her own person, doesn't she?" Clara commented as the three of them made their way back to Dinah's house.

It was just a quick foray to get out of her house and get some exercise. They stayed in Dinah's neighborhood because it was a gated community and the people here tended to be more private, or at the very least more subtle about the staring and photos they took of Missy. It was paradise compared to anywhere else in Brockton Bay that was either too dangerous to relax or where she would get mobbed by a her a bunch of her fans.

She'd asked New Wave how they dealt with all the attention. Apparently, her best bet was to just wait it out like they did, which she tried to do but it was just taking so long.

Even her own home was no longer safe with random people showing up around the neighborhood or even her house asking for autographs, healing, or interviews. There were only so many threats that her father, Minako, and Shinji could give before Missy decided to just go to Dinah's place instead. Even if they found out where she was, the guards and walls would probably dissuade most of them.

"What do you think school's going to be like Monday?" Missy asked.

"Like your first day back with powers," Dinah replied. "Just ride it out, be polite, ignore the annoying kids."

"And the confessions and love letters I'm getting in my locker?" Missy wasn't entirely against relationships now… She was curious about them after seeing Vicky and Dean, but that wasn't enough to start dating a stranger. Some of those letters were sweet but she didn't know the people that wrote them and the other letters… well they were talking about things that she had seen Dean and Vicky did and those two were in high school. Probably came from some of the students about to graduate but still.

"Ignore them," Dinah replied.

"Have you guys ever… liked someone? Like, like like them?" Missy asked her friends.

"No."

"Yes."

Missy and Dinah turned to Clara, their eyes wide in shock.

"Who!?" Missy shouted.

Clara put a finger in front of her lips. "It's a secret."

"Do you know Dinah?" Missy asked.

"Uh… uh… n-no?"

Why was Dinah stuttering and was she blushing so much? Was the person that Clara had such a crush on a big weirdo or something?

Seeing that she wasn't going to get anything from Dinah, Missy turned back to Clara.

"Do you… need help?" Missy asked.

"Nah," Clara smirked at her. "I've got things under control."

"Oookaay then," Missy replied. She was suddenly very afraid for whoever caught Clara's affections. Clara wasn't a bad girl but she was… Clara.

The sun had begun setting once they had gotten to Dinah's house to be greeted by Morgana and Dinah's parents once they returned. It was night by the time they ate dinner, washed up, and changed into their pajamas. The three of them headed up to Dinah's room, just the girls, while Morgana was off sleeping in the living room.

Sleepovers were nice. Nothing about Lagos, or Hero work, or hospitals. Just friends who were busy braiding Dinah's hair.

"Your hair is really soft, Dinah," Clara commented.

"Have you seen the product she has in her bathroom?" Missy asked.

"You can always borrow some if you want Missy," Dinah said.

Missy shook her head. "Nah. My… mother's already getting me that stuff."

"It's kinda expensive, isn't it?" Clara asked.

"My mom accepted a job at Medhall, so we have more money now," Missy explained.

"That kinda sounds like… reverse nepotism?" Clara commented.

"That's because it is," Missy replied. "They only hired her cause they want me and well… I am doing some work there after school."

"Oh. Are they going to have you help with research?" Dinah asked.

"Nah. Turns out my healing is neutral with most drugs, they don't really interact with each other unless they're both targeting the same symptoms. Probably have me helping out with a clinic."

"It's still good publicity for both sides. You should take advantage of it."

"Whatever." Missy stepped away marveling at her half of the twin tails that she and Clara had been working on. "And done. Thank Scion Minako taught me how to do that."

"Who taught you Clara?" Dinah asked. It was a good question. Clara's dad was single. Apparently her mother ran off when she was just a baby, so she didn't really have much feelings about the woman when asked.

"Daddy taught me," Clara replied. "He learned it online I think."

"Who's taking care of you while he's gone?"

"My Aunt. She's cool. Not as cool as dad but cool."

Missy hummed as she sat on Dinah's bed, happy that Clara had a good family, or at least a good dad. Before Minako and Shinji there was a time when she was actually… bitter of the two of them for the families that they had. Now looking back, it was scary how resentful she had become. It wasn't her proudest moment. Neither of her friends had figured it out thankfully, but sometimes she still felt like she had to make it up to them.

"Minako and Shinjiro are also pretty cool," Clara commented. "I mean Shinji looks scary but I'm pretty sure he's just a big teddy bear underneath."

Missy smiled. "Yep. He is. Give him the right look and you'll have him eating out of your hands."

"Missy. Ew," Dinah said.

"What?"

"Nothing. But yea they seem like interesting people. Even without the whole Hookwolf punching."

Missy grimaced. "I still want to punch him in the face."

"They're your neighbors, right? How'd you meet them?" Clara asked.

"My parents were fighting again and I just wanted to get away. Then I saw Minako outside gesturing for me to come to her place." Apparently Minako had seen Missy before and felt bad for her for weeks at that point. In fact Shinji was pretty sure his wife would've stomped to Missy's home and kicked the door down if Missy hadn't gone to the woman herself.

"You went to the house… of a stranger?" Dinah asked.

"I know it wasn't smart. I just wanted out. So I tried to climb out my window-"

"What!?"

"Yea even Minako thought that was stupid. Especially when I fell. She caught me, invited me to her place for dinner, aaaand… that was it." Simplified version of events but pretty much the truth.

"Was this back in the beginning of fifth grade?" Clara asked.

"Yea… how did you know?" Missy asked.

"You seemed a lot less… angry… less scary."

"What?"

"You were really gruff and mean before. And anytime someone started shouting you just walked away. A couple of the other girls in class just thought you were stuck up."

"Oh… I'm sorry," Missy apologized.

"It's fine. I'm glad you're better now."

Missy let out a deep breath before letting herself fall back first on Dinah's bed. She stared at the ceiling carefully contemplating what she was going to say to her friends next. "I want Minako and Shinji to adopt me."

There was silence in the room for a while. A silence that was only broken when Missy heard some shuffling and felt Dinah sit down next to her. "What about your parents?"

"They haven't been my parents for years. They just fight, use me to keep fighting. I'm tired of them."

"Do they know how you feel?"

"Stopped trying to tell them. They don't listen or they always forget," Missy put her arm over her eyes. "Minako and Shinji do. I love them. I want to be with them for the rest of my life."

It was the truth and the best way she could've said it. She just… wanted to be their family and be able to say that proudly.

"Adoption… will be hard," Dinah commented.

"I know… they're trying but-… I know. My parents won't-"

"You're a famous Hero. It's drama that people are going to make a huge deal about. It'll… be everywhere if it comes out."

"… Fuck," Missy nearly cried. She hadn't thought about that. Cape Groupies, PHO, those goddamn Youth Guard or whatever that kept sending her pamphlets in the mail, they would see what was happening and just make things worse. Everyone involved in the inevitable shitshow would be buried in so much hate, fake sympathy, and conspiracy theories. Minako and Shinji included.

"Fuck PHO- Fuck the Empire- Fucking Everything!" Missy's voice continued to rise with each word. "Fuck the Hospitals, Fuck my Parents-" Missy grabbed the pillow had gotten her and screamed bloody murder into it. She screamed again and again, grateful that the only people to watch her as she devolved into her tantrum were her friends.

By the end of it her throat was sore and she just felt numb. Not angry or sad. Just numb.

Missy felt someone rub her head, so she tilted and let herself lean into Clara's hand.

"Why can't people just leave me alone," Missy muttered. She had always wanted to be a Hero… but not like this. Not to have it just consume her entire life. No wonder most Capes had secret identities, they would've gone mad otherwise.

Neither of her friends had an answer to that and instead just focused on comforting her. It was a good sleepover in the end and a chance to recharge after everything. Still though… there was so much that Missy was going to be dreading on Monday.

Missy examined herself in front of the mirror at Parian's store, marveling at the new gear that she now wore.

"Insulated body suit to be worn under your outfit," Parian explained as she fussed over Missy's clothes, making last second adjustments. The body suit was skintight and worn underneath the blue blouse, knee length skirt, and shorts Missy wore. In addition to her clothes, she also had fingerless gloves, a waistband where she holstered her Evoker and hung her Katana, and her signature SEES bandana on her arm. "Tear and electricity resistant. Won't stop a bullet but that's what the vest is for."

Missy marveled at the custom fit and colored black vest that she put on top of the blouse. It looked tough and it had plenty of pouches to store all sorts of extra tools in it like flashlights, knives, and those smoke bombs Mona taught her how to make. It did all that without being too bulky or heavy either.

"Should stop most small caliber bullets. Won't be able to stop anything like a rifle unless we really increase the weight. There's also an attached body camera as requested."

The body camera was Carol and Shinji's idea. Switched on anytime she went out on patrol, the camera would help protect from any accusations or liability.

"It's fine," Miss replied as she twisted around in front of the mirror. "I patrol a lot so this weight is good. Thanks. How much do I owe?"

"Nothing actually. Your… friend Shinji has gotten me connected with some suppliers of some interesting material I've been working with," Parian replied.

"Shinji does know a lot of… weird people," Missy replied as she threw on the final part of her outfit. A poncho attached to the shoulders of her vest. It was stylish and practical since it wasn't long enough to get in the way of her arms and would easily detach itself if someone pulled too hard on it. All in all, she didn't look quite like the average Cape, but damn if she didn't look the part of a valiant Hero. It was perfect.

"The poncho uses a special cloth that can expand, so you can use it as a makeshift duffel when you need to carry around your weapons without them being visible," Parian explained.

"You're incredible Parian," Missy said as she tore the poncho off her shoulders and tested it out. Yep, it could hold her Katanas in a bundle.

"A lot of suggestions came from Minako."

"Really she came by?"

"Yea. Said she was determined to get you into a proper skirt for your costume."

"… Of course she did," Missy sighed though she did have a small smirk on her face as she said it. "Still this is really good. Like… you really should be famous by now."

"That's the plan," Parian replied as she began to put away her clothes. "Or at least it was. I've been having legal issues with NEPEA-5. It's my onus to prove that my designs are reproducible without Powers and even then there are arguments that my designs as a Parahuman could uproot the industries, which is just a lie."

"That's dumb. The laws are dumb."

"I agree and a few people in the industry agree. But I won't be able to put any of my designs on the runway until I win that case which means I need money for lawyers and legal fees. That and me trying to expand my store and school, it's just been…"

"Overwhelming? Like no matter how hard you or how much you do there's always so much more that's still not finished? And then there are new problems that just keep popping up?" Missy asked.

"… Yes."

"I know the feeling," Missy replied. "Being a Hero's great but, there's always something going wrong in Brockton Bay. Just gotta keep it up I guess, but I think we both need a break."

"I did plan to take a quick vacation after exams."

"High school?"

"College actually."

"Oh. How's that? My friend Dinah keeps telling me to go to College."

"You have more freedom than you would in middle or high school. You pick everything, learn, choose your schedule, what you want do… it can foster independence. But it's also very stressful, especially when you're on your own."

"Do College people actually party a lot?"

"Some of them do. There are a lot of parties in some places, but I only have the time to go to a few."

"What do they do there?"

"Drink, talk, dance, and… other things."

"Adults things?"

"Yea." Parian began to go through some letters piled on her desk. She paused a few letters in and the seal on it was very apparent to Missy.

"Really? Here too!?" Missy said as she stared at the Swastika stamped proudly on that letter.

"Been getting more of these," Parian informed her as she tossed it in the trash. "And… here too?"

"Empire's been sending letters to my house," Missy informed her. "Even had a few recruiters approach but they were vague about it so I couldn't just arrest them."

"Heat on them has been dying out since…" Parian paused as she glanced at Missy.

"Me."

"Yes. And with Skidmark along with Mush's capture out of commission-"

"Oops"

"The Empire's been spreading out and expanding their own drug trade. At least that's what I heard on Campus."

So mess with the Merchants and suddenly the Empire was using this as a chance to make their own moves. Damn how were you supposed to kick out the Gangs if the others would be stronger anytime you went after one?

"Just going to have to start patrolling in Empire territory I guess," Missy replied as she prepared to leave the store.

"That'll be dangerous for you."

"I know. Just give me a call if they start giving you any more trouble," Missy replied before she opened the door and stepped outside.

She took a deep breath and took stock of the people outside already looking at her with curiosity and fascination.

Well… time to be a Hero again.