16 Brave New Girl

Whenever I got nervous or to pass the time, I would often give various quotes to help set me straight. Though often enough, it can be an indicator of how nervous I was.

"Peter piker, no placker, shoot Piper picked a pec of pickled- peck-gosh darn it," I said as I kept messing up over the chatter of my teammates.

I tried in vain to remember the whole saying, but that question would have to have been put to rest at the sound of 3 terrifying words.

"Your up Phazer," Prophecy said in a dominant but encouraging tone as a bus filled with thieves and stolen goods approached at a breakneck pace.

My name is Kate Adams, and I am trying to become a Champion in the second year of this world gone mad. Emphasis on the trying as I ran across the various rooftops of Philly with every bound feeling like the stomach flipping drop of a carnival ride against the brisk late January air. Even with the few weeks, it's been since I started, the new suit still felt a little uncomfortable. It was mostly a green costume with gold-trimmed vertical lines on the chest, belt gloves, shoulder pads, and gauntlets that held the sonar that I used in December. The code name was also a little much. I had pretty much let the others give the honor of naming me, provided stuff like Ghost and phantom wasn't chosen (Brought back way too many memories). Sofia and Chelsea were at it the longest until they decided on Phaser, with a z. I thought it made me sound like a 90's StarTrek toy commercial, but it was better than nothing.

Once I managed to gain enough distance between me and the bus, I used reluctantly used my powers and phase through the roof of the building. After our battle with the Crusaders, after I decided to join this life, my powers had to grow from stable to strong. It was more mental than physical, and I was nowhere near as skilled as the others, and I might never be, but I still had to try and help them and this city!

Holding on to the same feeling I had with Marauder, the feeling of just needing to move, I started to phase right through the building! Floor by floor, I plummeted below no problem until I forgot my first lesson: situational awareness. Which unfortunately led to me being pulled by my hair and falling face-first to the first floor in fear of seeing China. Thanks to super strength, though, as I still managed to run past the many working men and women and gallop into the street. And with the bus seconds away, I guarded my body and phased through.

And with that moment, my second lesson managed to be half upheld: timing while I was able to make it to the bus in one piece while unfortunately crashing right through the back of the bus! With fear bursting through, I instinctively embedded my fingers straight into the bus and pulled myself back in to greet my enemies.

"Stop, the bus, you're all under arrest!" I say with bluffed confidence.

And as the six-armed masked men decided to honor my request, by opening fire. Even though my body was tougher, I didn't want to test if it was bulletproof, so once again, I phased through it all while still keeping myself from sinking and used my third lesson: Restraint. As I walked through the gunfire, I quickly started to unphased one of my hands to grab one of the rifles and use it as a bat to knock some of the men out. But I guess I had followed the third lesson too hard as a fast swerve that, with my intervention, made me get to split my body between a building and the inside of the bus. As panic started to seep in, but for once, I quickly pulled myself in just enough to punch someone who was about to take a shot. And as the man crashed into the window, the last remaining one finally took his shot. Three gunshots rang out the runaway bus, and I didn't have enough time to phase through. I spent a few seconds wondering if shock took place, but it felt like mosquito bites, to be honest.

Deciding not to take other chances, I grabbed the man's hand and sent him colliding with the roof! And using the last bit of my strength, I wrestled the steering wheel right out of his hands and stomped on the brakes at full force! A few seconds of wild tension took place, as the bust continued to slide on the pavement, only to stop in one last defiant stop. With the chaos over, I plumped out of the bus with most of the money in tow (some of it being lost upon my entry). Yet despite the fact, my hair was a mess, and my suit was covered in bullet holes and chewed gum, the people who were nearby, started to cheer. In small droves, people started to come out with their phones and even start to approach, but as the police started to approach, I suddenly found myself inside of the Trophy Case, in the arms of the person who properly introduced me to this world gone mad.

"Sorry I'm late," Derek said with a warm almost infectious smile.

And just like that, all my worries vanished, as all I wound up saying was.

"Don't be, you've always been right on time."

Too bad, our little moment had to be interrupted as Chelsea made her presence known in the form of a clearing of the throat.

"Nice save Derek, but don't you think you should be getting our other teammates before they meet our new friend?"

Disappointed, Derek followed her orders and returned to the field. And soon after, once all of us had assembled, we soon realized that our schedules had all aligned to do something incredibly rare and always fun: highlights. Using Chelsea's stockpiled snacks, we all sat in the room to see all the good that we had done. Even when I wasn't a member of the team, I got to see them on the media all the time, like clockwork, but this was different now. As some of the news stations, some good some bad reviewed over my actions; I realized that my little stunt had already gone viral on various channels and websites.

"I didn't realize we had gotten so popular. Itś kind of overwhelming." I said in disbelief.

¨Well you guys might want to start to get used to it, between the Vacuum and the attack of the super-intelligent cockroaches a couple of weeks back. Philly has turned into a hotspot of helix activity with us being smacked into the middle as the law enforcement starts to adapt. And while you all have shattered every expectation, I don't think it's going to be enough," she said, forebodingly continuing." Your rising popularity is going to attract a lot of media attention, copycats, fame-whores willing to cash in and worst of all: competition."

"You mean people like the Crusaders?" Phil said in almost pained recollection.

"Worse, whoever these Crusaders are they used us to clear out their competition, right now they should lie in wait and take stock over their resources. More chaotic groups, ones with no previous connection to the underworld, are a lot more ambitious and a lot more unstable. Every day I'm getting more reports of everything from religious nutcases to sewer people. This year, we need to be stronger, organized, proactive, and probably most important, be more attuned with the people," she said in a rallying tone.

And while the others continued to celebrate almost unabated, I let the news hangover realizing that in an unbreakable chain, I was the weak link. This meant that even to get close to succeeding; I had to assume the greatest role of my pre acting career: Phazer herself. Over the next few days, I pretty much devoted any free time I had to the Champions. Along with the others, I trained in secret, watched self-defense videos, looked up on the latest Helix gossip, and so much more. It was hell to pay, but considering that these were the people that gave me my new life, it was only fair that I repaid them. And eventually, my hard work took notice like when Sofia, Maria, and Ivan decided to invite me to a team meeting as I walked into the restaurant, I wore my suit underneath, ready for action. Too bad I didn't get much of that as all I got was just that. A conversation. While Ivan and Maria engaged in an interesting discussion, I spoke with Sofia.

"So Kate, have you been having trouble in your classes?" Sofia said casually.

"A little, my timing had gotten better when I phased, but I still don't have it down the pack, but I can probably get it down to a science in a few weeks."

"It's nice to hear you are getting the hang of your powers, but I mean, how are your classes in college?"

"Oh, doing well so far though I've had trouble keeping myself awake."

"Having trouble sleeping?"

"Having trouble trying to sleep, but don't worry, I can handle it."

"That's good to hear, but I don't think all the preparation of the world isn't going to help from my father's fajitas."

"We'll see about that!"

I honestly didn't expect to not talk about "work," but it is still very nice. I was happy that Diablo could make a return and that Ivan enjoyed (maybe a little too much if you ask me). Still, I couldn't let up for even a second as later in the day, as the moon started to shine me, and Derek took our turn on patrol though it was relatively slow as Derek insisted that we would split focus.

"I swear half the time I feel like I'm more a babysitter than a trainer. There this one middle school kid Nathaniel and al he could say was-"

"Sorry to interrupt Wildfire, but don't you think we should recheck Center city, to be sure."

"I already double-checked the area like three times, and for once, I barely hear even a peep. If the city is going to blow up, it isn't going to be today. And if it does, I'll handle it. "

I was honestly surprised at his cavalier response, but overall, not that surprised.

"Man, I wish I could be confident like that, but words like that prove that I can't- ."

"I hate when you do that," he said as he started focusing on me.

"Do what?"

"When you bring yourself down like that, to make us look better. You're not some sidekick Kate; you're a Champion just like the rest of us. We're not your saviors anymore, we're your friends and if there is anything we learned from that God awful night, is that if we are all going to win this, we need to believe that we can be more than what we are, I'm not going to let the future pay for what I can do right now."

And once again, it seemed my world shattered as in many ways, through the costume and powers he was the right, we all used to be ordinary. Maybe that was the only way we were going to get a new normal. But once again, it seemed fate liked to interrupt us as our comms buzzed to life at the sound of our ever fateful leader.

"Heads up, you two are going to have to split up. Wildfire you're going to meet up with the boys, there is a literal 40-foot tall man wreaking havoc near Independence Hall, Phazer, you and the girls got the nutcases destroying Barnes and Noble in Rittenhouse Square," she said as if she was managing 100 crises at once.

We didn't even bother saying goodbye, a passing look saying all that was needed. Once again, I hopped from the various rooftops of the city, now with more purpose, I had ever known. In minutes I arrive with Alchemist and Blackout. Even more than usual, they were on high alert. Both give different responses to why.

"I was going to go on a shopping spree here," Maria said slightly miffed.

"I'm trying to finish a project early, I'm flowing on red bull and a dream," Sofia said adamantly.

With our pre-battle ramping up, we fell into our respective roles. Using my phasing and sonar, I had gotten pretty good at being a scout. And what I saw wasn't that impressive, effectively being a baker's half dozen of helices all dressed in ski masks and white clothes, with an ornate H attached in the middle as they trashed the place. Along the way, they openly established their goal and affiliation.

"Go on my House of Helixes, destroy these shackles of the old world! Teach these lesser phantoms and Purifiers that they cannot stand to the progress of natural selection! Remember that you are the strongest and the greatest of our kind!" the leader said as he kept ranting manically.

Luckily with all the havoc being caused, it gave us plenty of covers to employ a technique I like to call: Stealth Mode. With our new year came an all-new bag of tricks, and something that I was good at. Undercover from the loud noises, we took down all of the men until all the remained was the leader. He still ranted on and on as Maria and I stood back on one of the balconies to set him up for Sofia to take him out. Though I guess my inexperience had left me to forgo my caution, not realizing that in Genesis even the most harmless threats could be dangerous as even with Blackout's blinding lights in the front in harmony with Sofia's quick joust from behind, she still hit an invisible yet violent barrier that sends Sofia flying with her hand flaring up in pain! In a single second, my heart fell into a pit with Maria's anger coming forward in rising electricity.

But we would never know the result of the attack as the leader in a reactionary move flared up his powers to reveal an intense coiling armor of wind! Still blinded by the light, he still raised his right hand to fire a blast of wind straight at us. With only fear guiding my next reaction, I jumped with the quickness of a bullwhip jump us to safety! But the blast was still more powerful than what I thought as the balcony started to crumble right before us! All I could do was try and protect Blackout as we fell back to earth.

When my eyes fluttered open, all I could see was darkness ahead, realizing that the rubble had somehow enclosed all around us in our fall. Thankfully, Blackout was fine but out of commission. Even still panic started to sink in, in desperation, I tried calling her, hoping she would wake up and save us all, to save me. And like a record, I finally saw what Derek had meant, all this time, I thought that I was nothing more than a bystander, nothing more than a phantom in the wind. Except, I wasn't anymore, like it or not had decided to be a Champion in a world gone mad, and now was not the time to start to make a losing streak! Once again, I felt my muscles bulge with untapped power, slowly digging us out of the rubble to greet my final opponent!

Deciding not to lose the element of surprise, I threw a rock straight at the mysterious leader while lunging in with inhuman speed. Yet, in a surprising move, he used the wind on his left arm to block the blow and even avoid my punch! Without even any phase, I automatically blocked a powerful backspin blow that soon explodes right on my arm! Luckily enough, I still had enough sense to phase through the oncoming bookshelves, ending my little joyride by crashing into the final one that was embedded into the wall! A volume of books collapsed on my person! However, I couldn't even get to read the "glory" of Elementals or Paladin my opponent propelled himself with a blast of wind while firing another straight at me!

Once again, fear grasped my body, as I instinctively sank to the ground. But unlike before, there was no real end, instead only a loose set of sights and muffled sounds I can barely keep up with. At first, I kept sinking on and on, until I realized that if I could sink, there wasn't any reason why I couldn't rise. With Phil's words and Chelsea's advice still ringing out, I took in all of my steps in unison, rising right where I knew he would be, and trying to deliver a punch straight to the head. But still, his defenses were almost too strong as the leader once again had the wind from his leg coil to his arm and blocked the hit! What remained of the right arm of my suit soon vanished as I dug my heels in to meet his offensive! As our clash started to blow books and dust away, I still could see the leader push himself to limit, focusing what power he had in one last blast. And in that moment of hesitation, I once again felt the same feeling I had when I fought against Marauder: the same shaking feeling started to take hold in my fist as in one final burst my fist buzzed with power so intense it penetrated the blast dispelling the wind in a single hit! And with my opponent finally defenseless, I took the opportunity in stride, decking him in the face so hard he is sent flying away, crumpling into an unconscious heap.

And as the intensity of the event started to vanish in one fell swoop, leaving my body a tired mess like before, but a victorious mess nonetheless. In a triumphant move, I decided to claim my victory by taking the mask of the opponent I had worked so hard to defeat. Realizing it had been the Cutter, the first enemy that truly introduced me to this world gone mad. But I decided not to dwell on my past and instead focus on the future ahead. Back at the Trophy Case, we once again debriefed on a night's work. While Maria was fine, Sofia still had the more interesting story to tell, as, despite the violent reaction, her protective aura had once again saved her life by turning the surrounding air into a metal glove to protect her, a study for another time. The Giant that attacked the boys were four different men who were all members of the House of Helixes, with reports suggesting that they weren't going to be causing trouble anytime soon. And our "new friend" even made an appearance, with even more weaponry that could prove dangerous in the future. And yet despite that, all we didn't also show a hint of regret instead, accepting the madness as we licked our wounds, celebrated our small victories, and looked toward a new day, ready for anything that this world has gone mad could throw at us.

??? Pov

Even though a year has passed, their people in this new world of ours still couldn't listen to the reality that I knew on day one. Even after a year has passed, people still believe that Chelsea Danvers, the self-made savior of the world, doomed it the day that Genesis started; liars and cowards, every single one of them just insecure jackasses that decided to twist the message that was blaring loud and clear. Because Chelsea, in the end, did save us in the only way she now, by freeing us. She wanted to free us from the dirt and grime of the old world and instead give us one of wonder and amazement. A world where even the smallest of bugs can finally have a voice, and as I once again praised my savior for bestowing to me her light, one of my servants started to barge in.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your prayer, Master Prophet, but your guests have now arrived."

Wordlessly I stopped my prayer, as, like clockwork, I prepared myself to bestow my blessing and make sure that my voice was heard. As I stared at the two unconscious women, I placed a hand on each of their bodies, letting my blessing flow through them in the form of trailing white lines that glowed from my forearms. And in 10 fateful seconds, the essence of the girls started to flow into me all at once and in return mine to them. Once the connection was made, I ordered one of my servants to carry them away as another gave me a status report.

"The diversionary force was a successful master; all of the Champions were in attendance once again, and from it, we saw both their strength and their weaknesses. They may be strong, but with our current forces, I'm confident in our chances."

"If that's the case, my child," I said as my face started to morph into an ambitious grin, "Then it seems it's time to tell the rest of the House and the world that the rapture we've been seeking; has finally arrived."