Saint Joseph School

I was getting a little tired of zapping the Council in Striga Isle and my stomach was starting to rumble a bit too. I thought first about heading to City of Gyros, but I didn't want to go that far. Then I remembered that new place in Striga that I'd heard the others talking about---Mulligans. Why not check it out?

So I flew over to Mulligans, and sat down at a table. The waitress took my order and while I was waiting for my food to arrirve, I looked up and saw Stasis Kiss coming through the doors. I didn't know her that well yet, but I'd seen her around the school and helped out with a couple of missions. I waved to her and she came over.

"Hey Stasis, how's it going?" I asked her. "I'm alright" she replied. I asked what she was doing over in Striga, and she explained that she had to do a restaurant review for Mulligans for the St. Joe's newspaper. I invited her to join me, to which she reluctantly agreed.

"So... you're into writing?" I asked her. "Not really," she replied, "this is kinda the first I've ever done much writing." "Oh... well that's cool."

I caught the waiter as he was going past and asked if he could hold my order and bring out mine when Stasis' order was ready too. She ordered as well, and we went back to talking.

"What do you think of Paragon City and St. Joe's so far?" I asked. "I don't know, they're alright I guess," Stasis responded nonchalantly, "but I could do with a bit more freedom." I looked across the table at her and said "I completely agree. I've always hated restrictions and limitations on me. The Man always looking over your shoulder telling you what to do---who needs it? Though I guess it could be worse." "Yeah, I guess so."

After chatting a bit more, our food came, and we began to eat. I kept trying to make Stasis smile and laugh a little bit, but it wasn't as easy as I thought. I couldn't seem to connect with her until I mentioned the Tsoo. "Of all the enemies we face out there, I'd have to say I hate the Tsoo the most. Well, and the Circle of Thorns, but at least they stay in one place. I can't stand it when you're trying to take out the sorcerors and they're blinking all over the place!" "Me too!" Stasis shouted enthusiastically, "I hate having to chase them down only to have them teleport somewhere else again. I wish they'd just stay still!"

We had a good laugh and vented a bit of frustration while we finished off our food. As we neared the end of our dishes, I spoke up: "I had a really great time. I'm glad we got to meet up like this." Stasis replied with "Yeah, it was pretty good. The food was good, but now I have to write the article about it," and playfully groaned. She started to get up to leave and I got up quickly and added "Hey, umm... we don't always have to just meet up by accident like this right? What I mean to say is, do you want to go out sometime? I know a couple more nice restaurants if you wanted to check them out, or we could take in a movie or something? You know, just to get out of the dorms for a while and DO something. What do you say?" I felt myself blushing a little as I waited for her to reply...

The best thing about Striga, she decided, was the sound of the waves.

Not the hard splash she made in her long easy leaps of course, but the softer murmur where it lapped against the docks, ate away at the pylons and ships. So much about Striga was less than beautiful but the sea was enough for her to love the place. The relentless susurration always made her feel better, calmed the things inside that sometimes got out of control.

Of course, if that failed there was always the Bog and a fast end to any pain at all.

The thump of her boots on the warehouse jetty felt good with a familiar shock up her spine. The dock workers kept their distance with the overseers eyeing her nervously. She wasn't there to cause trouble though, although they didn't know that. They'd probably watched the flash of her across the sky and gotten out of the way.

Not so long ago she would have had a fight on her hands, being here. Now she ran up the gangway plank unmolested, her strides eating the ascent. Things changed. Her security level was just the official recognition of it.

Mulligans was just around the corner from the main docks. She still wasn't quite sure how she'd gotten roped into this, but decided to blame it on Kris. Her quadmate had been the one to pipe up in class about how nobody knew where the hot spots were. The next thing she'd known she'd been assigned to review a fish 'n chip shop for her part of the class project to be submitted for the next printing of the school newspaper. Obviously she'd chosen the wrong moment to close her eyes for a little catnap which was pretty typical of her luck so far.

Well, it could have been worse. She really did like seafood. The three tentacles they'd carved out of that mutant octopus in Independence just hadn't lasted long enough in her opinion. Fried sucker was the best! Maybe this Mulligans place served it as well, although Independence was on the other side of the peninsula.

As she pushed the door open, she wondered if handing in her assignment on an official napkin would earn her authenticity points. She might do it just to make Kris giggle.

It was sort of dark inside although that could have just been the light dazzle in her eyes. It did brighten up after a few moments but not all that much. A surreptitious look around confirmed that it was probably the grime on the windows, which lead to the question of whether anybody had ever bothered to clean them. Although perhaps the view of the Council squads running by every twenty minutes like clockwork might have had something to do with it, it was hard to say. Or maybe the owner just didn't all that much of soap and water.

The place itself looked okay; the red checkerboard tablecloths were cheery enough and a minorly talented artist had attempted a mural of sea creatures on one wall. A few people were scattered here and there, mostly dockworkers by the clothing. A waitress was heading towards her, a tired expression on her face.

"Hey.. Stasis!"

Her name and a waving arm caught her attention. It took a second but memory resolved itself into a name and a fantastic cologne.

"Hey, Electron." The invitation was obvious and she took it with only the pretence of reluctance. If she died trying to eat whatever passed for food in here, hopefully Electron could do the whammy and get her back on her feet again to press charges. She slid into the opposing seat, hoping that the slight stickiness didn't mean she'd have to fumigate herself later. "How're you doing today?"

"Much better now that you're here," he said with a gallant smile. She had to smile back. She'd only met him once before but this seemed to be about what she remembered. The guy probably threw his coat across puddles for girls who could jump over buildings. Boys could be a bit odd that way. "How're you doing?"

"Huh. Alright. No med badge trips today. I was a model of self restraint."

Electron grinned and then flagged down the waitress, plucking a menu easily out of her hands. "Could you hold my order until my friend here decides? Thanks."

All in all, it was an unexpectedly pleasant lunch. Yes, Mulligans did serve fried sucker, although it didn't taste too much like what was served back at the cafeteria. It was fresh though, no arguing that, since she was pretty sure she saw it wiggle a few times in its final death throes. A little spicier than she liked but it came with a generous portion of tartar on the side, which helped with the burn. Electron had stuck with the ubiquitous fish and chips, probably having decided that it was the safest bet.

It was sort of surreal. She wasn't used to doing much more than wolfing her food, nor did she talk during the necessary event, preferring to consume and run. Electron was good company though, obviously trying to make her laugh at his jokes and teasing comments, looking at her face and then glancing away. She tried to pay attention to the food itself but it just.. well, tasted like food really. That probably wouldn't make a good review, come to think of it. Come to Mulligans. We have food. She'd have to come up with something else. Come to Mulligans, where you can't see what you're eating and you'll like it that way. That was probably worse. Maybe she should steal a napkin and figure it out later.

It wasn't until Electron gave up on the usual girl angles and started talking city factions that she was finally able to relax. Turned out they both didn't like the Circle, but hated the Tsoo worse. That silly blinking around - just what was with that anyways? Plain frustrating was what it was. They kibitzed for almost an hour and by the time she'd chased the last bit of sucker around the plate with its dollop of disguising tartar and filched the last of Electron's chips she was feeling pretty good about things. He was a fun person to talk to.

Then, of course, he had to say something silly.

"Look, Stasis. I had a really great time."

She could only nod. She'd had a pretty good time too, all the more pleasant for being unexpected. Sometimes she felt like she was the only one roaming around Striga, seeing the sights. Well, the few sights that there were anyways. One of these days she figured she'd get back here and borrow a Sky Skiff for an afternoon. Zoom around, dive bomb the vampyr. She grinned and that might have been the wrong thing to do. Electron's voice got stronger, a little more confident.

"I'd kind of like to meet you as something other than an accident," he blurted out. She blinked, her grin starting to melt faster than summer snow. "I mean, do you want to go out sometime? Maybe check out a few more restaurants, maybe see a movie or something?" He gave her a winning smile, leaning forward subtly across the small table. "Just to get out and like, do something for a change. What do you say?" He hadn't stammered at all but his face did look a little warm around the edges. He did seem very sincere and earnest though, a far cry from certain other propositions.

And she did like him, she did. Why did boys always have to do this? Just when she was starting to have fun too. Offering to stick an ice cube up his nose just didn't seem to be an appropriate response for once, since he seemed serious enough to be really hurt. Familiar confusion rose in her throat like a mist, equal parts panic and resentment.

Yet... Kris had a boyfriend. A pretty serious boyfriend judging by all the smoochy noises they made whenever she turned her back on them for a few minutes and sometimes even before she managed to get out of range. Even Lycia was hanging out with the Peerless Jade Rooster although it seemed more friendly than anything else, judging by the crowing and posing during patrol runs. How come she was the only one left out?

She opened her mouth... and closed it again. His smile was starting to wilt around the edges but he still looked determined, like he wanted to reach across the table and hold her hand. She carefully pulled them into her lap the remove the temptation. She rubbed a thumb nervously over a set of knuckles, oddly reminded of when Sage had licked them. She tried to forget the thoughts about the soap; that had just been a momentary aberration.

Would it be so bad, really? Do a restaurant, a movie? Maybe find out what all the smoochy noises were about? Kris seemed to be enjoying herself.

She opened her mouth again in the hopes of something other than a squeak. Squeaking wasn't all that dignified and she sort of needed dignity at the moment in order not to embarrass them both.

"Electron .. um, thank you. Really. I've enjoyed myself, I have." Words. Actual, my God, words. No squeaking either. Hallelujah, she was getting better that this.

"But the answer is no, isn't it?" He looked disappointed but it wasn't too bad. A quick glance at his face surprised her with its odd mingling of emotion. If anything, he looked both relieved and determined.

"Please don't take it the wrong way, okay? You're really nice. You let me steal your chips which always counts in my books but I'm just not the dinner and a movie kind of girl. Can't we just be friends?"

She'd used that line so many times that she should probably just have it engraved on a business card. A little traitor video inside her head decided at that moment to run her a little clip of Kris' face after being with Arrow, all glowy and happy. Didn't she want to feel that way too, about someone? Even for a little while? Arresting things in the Bog until she fell down in furious exhaustion didn’t really count.

"Friends. You know something? I've seen you around the grounds; you're almost always in the middle of things and almost nobody knows who you are." Propping an elbow on the table and leaning his cheek against his hand, he gave her a quizzical look. "I listen to the comm channel and it's you but it's not really you." He tapped one finger to his temple. "I know it because this is who I am, and part of what I do."

She had no idea what to say to that so it was good that he continued.

"The dinner offer stands, or a movie, or even anything else that you'd like. I want to get to know you better. D’you think we can work something out?"

She stared into his face and tried to imagine him as something like what Arrow was to Kris. His eyes were warm, a little shy but still he met her gaze without flinching. It was like one of those magic eye pictures, but she couldn't get it to resolve itself into anything she could understand.

Did she feel that way about him? Well, no. But she didn't exactly know him that well, did she?

Across that table, with its silly red checkerboard, Stasis started to smile and then to grin.

"Anything I wanna do, huh? Tell me - how do you feel about Sky Skiffs?"

At first I thought she was kidding. I grinned and was about to comment on her good joke, but realized by the look on her face that she was serious. Sky Skiffs? Well... I guess they did look kinda fun, though some of the magic was taken away by the fact that I could already fly on my own without some high-powered toy. But then I thought 'who cares?!' It might be fun to fly a little sled through the sky instead of just the same old, same old of my own flight. Far more important than that though is that I'd be flying around with Stasis. I was really starting to like her, and this might be the only chance I get to get her to open up a little. To get her to relax enough to see the real me. I don't want to be just another voice on the headset to her... I want her to know me for me. The real me. I knew I'd hate myself if I let this go. I've never regretted anything I've done in life and didn't want to start now---I knew what I had to say.

I suddenly became aware that I hadn't replied to Stasis yet, and hoped I hadn't been sitting there quiet for too long. "You know Stasis," I said finally with what I hoped was a lot more confidence than nervousness, "I think Sky Skiffs would be a lot of fun! We could take a tour all over Paragon, and down over the water... it'll be great!" I smiled and added, "How about later this week? Say... Thursday?" I kept smiling, maybe even smiled a little bigger as I waited for her reply. I looked firmly but caringly into her eyes, and was repeating 'Please say yes, please say yes!' so loud in my head that I was actually a little worried she'd hear me. This was the moment of truth.

"Huh. Thursday? How about oh, right now?" Standing up, she grinned down at the boy. "I'm not doing anything and I've got a belly full of fried sucker that was a little on the lumpy side although its sort of hard to ruin sucker. Let's go work it off!"

He sort of blinked back at her for a moment. Well, he'd learn if he stuck around long enough. Now was always better than later in her opinion. And the prospect of zooming around for the rest of the afternoon in her own personal zoom machine sounded like just the thing to lift a body's spirits.

"C'mon! I'll race you to the 'Raider's warehouse."

Spinning on her heel she didn't wait to find out out if he was following.

"C'mon! I'll race you to the 'Raider's warehouse!" Stasis said as she spun on her heel and dashed out of the restaurant without waiting for a reply. I was a little shocked, but just for a moment. Why not now? 'Live for the moment' was always a quote I've kinda liked. Besides, spontaneity always makes things more fun.

Without another thought, I chased Stasis out the door of the restaurant, jumped into the air and started flying towards the Sky Raider's warehouse. Stasis was already leaping through the air ahead of me, and I had a feeling I knew who was going to win, although it would be close. With a smirk I thought for a split second about putting a tesla cage around her to let me get into the lead, but that'd be cheating, and this was supposed to be fair. I don't think that'd be the best way to impress her either. It didn't make the thought any amusing though, as I couldn't help a short laugh escaping.

Before I knew it the warehouse was in sight and Stasis was still just ahead of me. I made myself invisible and brought my fist sharply against a Sky Raider's jaw, followed up by a lightning bolt to the chest, and he was on the ground. Another bolt of lightning flashed from my fist as I sniped off another guard. With a smile, I turned to Stasis and said "Wow, that was easy," just in time to see the last of 8 Sky Raider bodies hit the ground next to her. "Maybe I really am going about this wrong," I said with a smile, "maybe squishing them really is better than zapping them." She smiled back and I relaxed a little. I could sense things were starting to go really well.

We looked around for a moment before finding the Sky Skiffs, and each hopped onto one as they roared to life. A cry of exhilaration escaped our lips as we zoomed out the door and into the waiting skies of Paragon City. Time seemed to fly by faster than we were, racing around, laughing, and dive-bombing some Tsoo. I was having a genuinely great time, and I had a feeling Stasis was too.

Before we knew it (and far too soon, it seemed) it was getting late and the sun was starting to set. We started to head back to Striga Isle on our "commandeered" Sky Skiffs. I looked over at Stasis and motioned for her to follow me, then put the throttle right down on my skiff and raced away with Stasis' skiff in hot pursuit.

I was headed for a place I knew on the far side of Striga, a quiet little cove I'd found once while hunting for Council where the sunsets are absolutely breathtaking. The way the sunset reflected off of the water just right... it was like nothing I'd ever seen before. I just hoped Stasis would agree.

Before long we were nearly there, and brought my skiff down just out of sight of the cove. I turned it off and watched Stasis do the same, and we both hopped out as the whine of the engines died away. "Ummm... mind telling me what we're doing out here?" Stasis asked skeptically. "It'll be worth it, trust me," I reassured her, "we're almost there." I motioned for her to follow me again, and we walked down the path to the cove.

I could hear her muttering something quietly but as soon as we entered the cove, with the sunset beaming in like something from the heavens, she went quiet. "Beautiful, isn't it?" I asked her, hopefully. There was a short pause, then she replied, "It's gorgeous." Yes! I thought to myself, she likes it! We walked a little closer to the water, and sat down on a smooth rock overlooking the sheer beauty of it all. We chatted for a bit longer while just enjoying the sunset. I inched myself a little closer, trying to gather some courage inside myself. I really like Stasis, and found that feeling only intensifying the longer we spent together. I was starting to think that she has feelings for me too, but maybe didn't want to admit it to herself. Maybe if I just made the first move, maybe that would be the spark. I finally decided that if I wanted to be more than just friends with Stasis, I would have to make the first move. I would have to take the risk. Nothing gets done from sitting back and doing nothing... I could feel my heart pounding as I leaned in and put my arm around her. Neither of us said anything for a moment, until I said "You know, I'm really glad we did this. I feel so amazing when I'm around you. When I'm around you, I feel like I can let my guard down a bit, you know what I mean? Like I feel comfortable around you and just... genuinely feel good." I turned my head and looked into her eyes and continued, somehow finding the courage to keep talking, the adrenaline pouring from my heart. "I've never felt like this about anyone before, and especially since we haven't known each other that long, it's almost a little scary. But a good scary... an exciting scary. That almost makes things even more fun." Taking yet another risk, I reached down slowly and took one of her hands. "I'd love for us to get to know each other more, but... why not get to know each other better as something more than friends? Why not give it a try?" I paused briefly then smiled a little and added, "what do you say?"

Skiffs, she muttered not for the for the first time, really ought to come with instructions..

Although truth be told the flying itself actually hadn't been all that difficult. Possibly due to the higher echelons knowing exactly what segment of society they were recruiting from, it had been surprisingly easy to get past the going to die! going to die! stage to the i'm zooooooooming! part.

And once up the air they'd had a great time; well, except for that one near catastrophe with the bridge support and the totally unplanned but exhilerating hammerhead stall immediately afterwards. The view through the clear paned cockpit had been amazing and her back teeth had all but rattled with the thrust of the twin jets. She'd probably spent more time making incomprehensible gestures out the window to Electron and laughing like a banshee than anything else.

She'd gotten up, she'd figured out the zooming part... down, however, looked to be a little more problematic.

Bah. How hard could it be?. Silly question and one she decided to ignore. Down was sort of inevitability at some point, might as well get it over with. Following the looping trail that Electron was leaving, she pushed the stick thing in the likely direction and did her best to keep up.

______

Walking away from the wreckage felt pretty darned good. Her little ship looked mostly intact on the outside, but that last bounce had been accompanied by a pretty ominous sounding crunch. The torque alone had skewed the craft sideways from her original orientation and looking back it looked sort of drunk, leaning against a convenient chunk of landscape.

Electron was just getting out of his immaculately parked craft though so maybe he hadn't noticed. He didn't say anything anyways as she walked up.

"Mind telling me what we're doing out here?" This side of Striga wasn't somewhere she'd been before, although she might have gone by it a few times. Nowhere even close to the Raiders warehouse though; it occurred that she might have to make an anonymous phone call with directions and forklift requirements. Her Skiff probably wasn't going anywhere in a big hurry.

Electron just ran a hand through his hair and gave her a smile. "It'll be worth it, trust me." He looked like a little boy with a secret. What could possibly be out here that was worth crashing landing for? Just bush and a few trees as far as she could tell.

Curious despite herself she followed since he seemed to know exactly where he was going. It wasn't until they rounded a curve and dropped to a soft sand beach that she understood.

Afterwards she could never be sure if he'd timed their arrival deliberately or if it had just been serendipity. At the time it hadn't really mattered.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

There was a place in Independence that might compare, moonrise over Terra Volta, but here the lowering sun coated everything in gold and haze, sparkled the water with dancing life. She could almost taste it on her tongue it was so real.

The question in his voice was odd. Of course it was beautiful. She nodded and realised that he probably needed something more.

"It's gorgeous." She said it softly, not wanting to tremble the air with disruption. The light turned another shade of glorious as if to answer, the rest of the world suddenly a million miles away. His answering smile echoed the feeling.

The sand shifted beneath her boots and when he sat down on a smoothly worn rock she did as well. It was still warm with sunlight, baking into her bones. The excitement of earlier slipped away to be replaced by familiar, boneless suspension. Beauty did this to her, it always had. She could feel thought sliding between her fingers like a liquid to drop unnoticed onto the sand.

When he spoke, she replied without thinking even as the light danced its slow way to death. His body was warm next to hers, another sort of heat against her side closing the space between them. So far under had she fallen into reverie, watching the failing light, that when he put his arm around her she didn't feel anything but warm.

It was his eyes, she decided. There was no malice in them, no agendas. Nothing but honesty, appeal, and a painful tenderness. She hardly knew him but when he reached out and took her hand she permitted that as well. His voice stumbled a little but she could tell he meant everything he said. His words chased themselves like puppies.

So warm.

His hair was gold in this light. That alone brought her closer to a surface she had almost forgotten. His eyes were a color she didn't recognise.

"I... do not know how to be anything more than friends."

Her voice was the awkward one, still half in the other world of dreamless clarity.

"Stasis, I really like you and I don't want to be just your friend. I'd like to try and be something more."

Not puppy words, not those, not with his fingers squeezing hers and getting warmer by the minute. Warmer as she got woke up and got colder. He leaned in as if to persuade, to cajole, his breath running possessively along her cheek.

Much too close. She awoke from the haze and the dream and he was much, much too close.

"No."

The surge was half bolt, half defiance, up and off the rock to tear her fingers away from his, that warm, heavy arm falling away. Three steps was safety enough and a bitter taste curled under her tongue. Why did boys always have to do this? What was wrong with friends?

She whirled, ready to attack as newly won defenses came back online. They asked and they pushed and they promised things they didn't mean. They implied things they didn't mean, would never mean and it was all some silly, silly game. He'd brought her here just to... to...

His eyes were hurt. The hand that had touched hers was curled into a fist on his lap.

Stasis took a deep breath, there in the last of the light, and when she expelled it it was frost and anger. Not for him though. For herself. She crossed her arms over her chest and tried to remember who she was. It had been silly of her to let down her guard.

"No, I do not want you to be something more. I am happy to be alone."

As soon as she said it, she knew it was the wrong thing because it wasn't precisely true. She could see on his face that he knew it.

"Nobody is happy to be alone. Least of all you."

"I'm by myself all the time." Another half truth. Yes, she was often alone and often by choice. But it wasn't because she was happier so; it was because she didn't want to be anything other than happy around others. Some things were so much better confined to moonrise and self willed destruction.

"But you don't really like it, do you?"

Say the words and it would be done. She'd done it before and it always worked. He would be hurt and he wouldn't talk to her again and that would be that. Boys could be predictable that way. So easily offended, so easily driven off.

She tried to say it, she did. Problem was she just wasn't that good a liar and the seconds slipped away while she struggled to formulate something. When he finally broke the silence there was a thread that she couldn't decipher in his voice.

"You have enough friends." Now what was that supposed to mean? "I'm not going to be afraid to tell you that I don't want to be just one of the many. Don't you see, Stasis? You make me .. feel things I'm afraid of. And I want you to feel them too."

She was already afraid but when he stood up and walked towards her, she refused to run. Crowds made her run; too many people, too much expectation that boiled panic in her throat but there was only Electron here, only the flash of his hair in the failing light. This time he didn't try to take her hands, instead settling his grip around the curve of her shoulders. He shook her mute body once, gently. She hoped the cold was burning his hands.

"I'm willing to take risks to get the things I want. Are you?"

"Yes!" That was anger but it was truth and he smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling.

"Then let's risk this. Let me be more. Let me try to be more."

"I only want to be friends," she said. Why was this such a hard concept? His fingers squeezed her arms.

"I want to be more than that."

He wasn't giving up on this obviously. She looked at his face, not sure what she was seeing. It wasn't exactly confidence. Determination?

"Do you know the best gift I ever got?"

It was a question out of nowhere and it jarred that scary look at least halfway off his face. His eyebrows raised and then lowered.

"No. What?"

"Armor. Freakshow armor. Wachabe got it for me as an apology a little while ago, when he messed up. Not roses, Electron. Not dinner, not movies, not silly romantic beaches at sunset. He got me armor." She let him absorb that for a moment before continuing. "Sky Skiff death matches and falling from the highest places I can reach and armor that maybe will fail in the middle of battle, and you know I'm going to push it farther than it wants to go. That is who I am. I don't want anything else. I don't need anything else."

He took a deep breath. "You haven't said no, though."

She... blinked at him. Say what? Hadn't she just pretty much said no trespassing?

"I'm not going to just stand here and pretend I don't feel what I feel. And I'm going to do my best to make sure you're not alone anymore. I'm just asking for a chance."

It was slow enough but too sudden to stop. A kiss, feather light against her unresponsive lips. A butterfly tingle.

"Think about it. Take a risk."

When his hands fell away, she couldn't do anything at all except stare. She had no idea what was on her face but it must have been good. He stepped back and bowed formally. She couldn't do anything at all but watch him go.

It was full dark by the time she finally roused out of stunned revelation on that cold beach.

"Well... hell."

I had entirely forgotten about the Sky Skiffs waiting out of sight as I leapt into the air and flew. I didn't really even pay much attention to where I was going in particular. One direction was as good as another at this point. I was hardly thinking about that... all I could think about was Stasis, and the time we had spent together today.

I had taken a risk, and hoped it would pay off. I thought it would. Well... I hoped it would. But I thought things went really well, and especially towards the end of the evening... I really thought she seemed to open up a bit. We both did. And there was definitely something between us, something more than just friendship. I smiled as I thought about it, and hoped that something more would come of it. I cared a lot about her, and really did want to be more than friends. I guess only time will tell...

(awwwww...)

(young love kills me every time *wipes eyes*)

Sitting in his dorm room, Mighty Electron sat looking at the case in front of him. It's finally done, he thought to himself as he wrapped it in a silk sheet and tied it gently with a ribbon. Plain, but effective. He knew Stasis would probably appreciate that more than some elaborate wrapping job.

Stasis... he thought of her and smiled. He'd totally fallen for her. Since the first time he saw her in the halls of St. Joe's, he'd had a crush on her, but they hadn't talked much until they met by chance at Mulligan's, that seafood restaurant down in Striga Isle. He didn't know just what it was... whether the stars were aligned just right that day, or there was something in the air, if it was fate, or just blind luck, but something had gone right for him that day. Stasis actually sat and ate with him, and they talked and found they actually had some things in common. Then came the moment when he could sit idly by no longer... he took a risk, and asked her out to a movie or dinner sometime. What followed wasn't exactly what he had planned, but he kind of liked it better that way: Stasis suggested taking some Sky Skiffs for a ride, and at that very moment no less! Mighty Electron took off after her, and they had a blast soaring through the skies of Paragon City, ending that evening with a little surprise Mighty E had up his sleeve... the beautiful sunset as seen from the secret little cove he'd discovered on the far side of Striga one time. They connected in a way neither thought was possible even a day earlier, and took another huge risk and asked her out. Stasis tried to say no, retreating behind her emotional barriers, but Mighty E would have none of it... grasping her hand and somehow pulled her back from behind the barriers before the matter could end. They shared a brief but magical kiss, and though they departed before a firm answer was given, Mighty Electron was confident that she would say yes. He hoped she would.

He'd thought about her a lot over the next few days, giving Stasis some time to come to a decision. He asked her about the upcoming dance, and asked if she would go with him, but she replied saying that she was not planning to go with anyone, but promised to spend some time with him where they could enjoy each other's company. Mighty Electron smiled and thanked her for that, but later thought of something: this dance, this is his chance to show how much he cares. These events didn't come very often, and time was running out. Pretty soon this dance would be only a memory. If he didn't act soon, that memory would be of "just another dance." Well not this time.

Okay... so what can you give to a girl like Stasis to make her feel special? Flowers and chocolates, that's all been done before, and he knew if he even thought about giving her something like that, he'd get an ice cube up the nose. He chuckled and thought no, it has to be something truly special. The armor came to mind that she had mentioned when they were in the cove. She had called it "the best gift she'd ever gotten." A suit of armor? Certainly it would be something she would enjoy, but he'd never been one to follow the trends set by others. No, armor would not do, because it had been done before. Stasis deserved more than some copycat present... something much more.

He thought and thought and couldn't think of a present worthy of the girl of his dreams, Stasis Kiss. He sat down at his computer and was scrolling through some pictures he had on his hard drive. There were some from the last dance, some random pictures from around Paragon City, a couple of the sunset... he smirked when he saw one of Mimi and Kid Lion: it looked like she was checking out Lion's butt! Good times at St. Joe's he thought as he went to the next picture. There was one of him when he first got his school uniform, and other of him looking pretty happy with his new suit he'd bought for the dance. The next picture was one of him running through a cave with some of the other students, probably looking for trolls. He smiled, because he'd photoshopped this picture to make it look like he was holding a lightsaber. Now THAT would be a sweet gift to give Stasis, he thought to himself. Then the gears started turning, and he thought of the perfect gift. "Maybe I can't give her a lightsaber, but why not a sword?" he thought, "an ICE sword!

Now this wouldn't be any ordinary ice sword... no, that wouldn't do. It had to be unique... it had to be special. He made some calls, and found the best mystical weaponsmith in Paragon City.

It cost him a lot, but he convinced the guy to craft him a sword the likes of which have seldom been seen. The water to make the ice was specially ordered in from the farthest reaches of Canada. It was taken from a magic spring deep in the Arctic that produces some of the purest water in the world, and all through the harshest winters, never freezes over. The water I asked for was then blessed by a very old and wise Inuit shaman to allow it to be frozen and stay in that state, and also blessed the newly-formed ice with a spell that would protect she who would wield the sword. The ice was then rushed to Paragon City where the weaponsmith carved a beautiful sword, set it so that it would be hard enough to be a functional and formidable weapon, and further imbued with protective magics. He told me it was one of the best works he had ever done. I also bought a case to keep it safe while I transported it, then asked him for one last favour: I had him carve a special inscription into the blade of the sword, right near the base: To Stasis, Love Mighty E. Simple, but effective. Once he was finished, I thanked him, took the sword and case, and went back to the dorms.

Expensive, but so worth it. He really felt Stasis would like it. He opened the drawer to his desk and took out the card he'd spent so much time on, and placed it in the case with the sword. He blushed but smiled as he thought of what the card said. He closed his eyes, and repeated them to himself, since he knew them by heart:

You drop the bad guys in their tracks,
None can stand in your way!
But that's not why I like you, no...
Not why I'm standing here today.

It's what I see inside you,
In your soul and in your heart.
It's the Stasis that few know,
And I think is the best part.

I ask to let the barriers fall sometimes,
To take a risk and see.
Please reach out and through the cold,
And take a chance with me.

I'm not saying to stop being you,
I'm not saying that at all.
All I want is to be with you...
Please. It is your call.

He blushed as he finished reciting it, hoping desperately that Stasis would like it, that she wouldn't just laugh in his face. Something told him though that she would see how much she meant to him. When she lays eyes on the sword, and hears his voice reading her the poem as she reads it on the card, and hears it flowing from his heart... sees the look in his eyes, she'll know. She'll know that I care, and that I want nothing more than to be with her. He knew he was taking the biggest risk of his life with this, but trusted the fact that things had a way of working out for good people.

------

The day of the dance:

Mighty Electron gave Stasis a call, wondering if he could at least stop by her dorm and walk with her to the dance. She said yes, and he tried to contain his excitement (and nervousness) when he asked if he could drop by around 5, since the dance starts at 6. They agreed on that, and smiling, he said goodbye hung up the phone.

The hours between then and 5pm seemed to drag by until finally, at 4:59, Mighty E knocked on her door. I could see the other girls of Q5 running around getting ready as Stasis stepped into the hall with me, yelled to the others that she'd see them there, and closed the door behind her. "You look beautiful," he said, trying deserately to stay calm and not to look too nervous. To be honest, she looked FAR more than just beautiful, but he knew she didn't want to hear too many compliments, so he kept it simple. Stasis smiled and said, "Thanks, you're looking good yourself." I looked down at my new suit and smiled, thanking her. "So... are we going to go?" she said, and took half a step towards the doors. I smiled and walked towards the wall beside her door, where I'd put the gift so she wouldn't notice it when she walked out. "Actually," I said as I reached down carefully to pick it up, "I have something for you first." I held it out to her and she took it with a slightly surprised and quizzical look on her face. I could tell she was searching for an explanation or a hint of some sort, but he just smiled and told her to open it. He bit his lip a little and thought PLEASE let her like it!! as she removed the ribbon and pulled back the sheet...