The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

It has been a long hard couple of days. I’ve travelled halfway across the country, dodging angry police, costumed super heroes, and ambitious super villains, all wanting a piece of me. The ironic thing is that once upon a time, I’d dreamed about being popular, of having thousands of people clamoring after me. Mom used to always say, ‘be careful what you wish for’, but damn if I could have seen this one coming.

It was almost as if I had a bull’s eye strapped to my back or something! Everywhere I went, I seemed to run into trouble. In Denver, I’d been minding my own business, picking up a few supplies from a small corner grocery store, and was heading back out to my car when I stepped into the middle of a battle between the local costumed hero named Totem, and a walking mountain of muscle calling himself The Rampager. I didn’t know anything about them, wasn’t interested in getting involved, and was perfectly happy to get into my car and drive away, when one of the big guy’s counter attacks sent his smaller adversary hurtling towards the front of the store, where some guy in a wheelchair was just exiting the store.

I reacted instinctively, sprinting in front of the guy, acting like a human shield. Totem slammed into my hard, knocking the wind out of the poor kid. I’d helped him back to his feet, asked him if he was okay, and he’d nodded, shaking the cobwebs—and then he took a good long look at my face and gasped. “Oh shit! It’s you! You’re that Umbra guy, the guy from the news!” he practically yelled, jerking away from me.

Things went downhill from there. As you might guess, it did not turn out well. Figuring me to be a bigger menace that The Rampager, he attacked me, using his mystical animal mimicking abilities. He threw the whole damn animal kingdom at me, until, finally, more than a little pissed off, I clocked him a good one, putting him down for the count. And if you thought The Rampager would be happy that his enemy had been KO’ed, you’d be wrong. The rat bastard sucker punched me from behind the instant I dropped Totem, apparently having the opinion that two notorious bad guys in the same town was one too many.

Getting back to my feet, I shared the fact that we were in complete agreement by uppercutting him hard enough to send him across the county line.

And that kinda set the pattern for my travels. Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas... it didn’t matter where I traveled, I was hunted. And being always hunted, always on guard, always looked upon and despised, even when you try to fucking HELP someone... it wears on your soul. If you reach out to help someone and they slap your hand away, pretty soon you stop sticking it out there. After a while, you stop thinking about bothering to help people. Eventually it gets to the point where you just lose all empathy and concern for your fellow man, where you could watch someone get dumped by the side of the road after getting the shit beaten out of them, and simply walk away.

Okay, so, I wasn’t quite at that point, yet, but it was only by the thinnest of threads.

It was pretty close to four AM when I pulled into Midas City. I was tired, and sore, and in a really really bad mood. I hadn’t been here since I was a kid, and frankly, the last time had kind of soured me on the place. Still, if there was one place an ‘infamous bad guy’ like myself could blend in and disappear for a few hours, it was ‘The City of a Thousand Supers’. At least, that was my theory.

After a week on the road, my wallet was starting to look a little thin. I could have withdrawn money from my account, or used one of my credit cards, but I was trying to stay off the grid as much as possible, and nothing trips up a criminal on the run more than the money trails they leave behind. Since it was summer, I decided to simply park somewhere dark and secluded, and sleep in my car. Entering the warehouse district, I found a quiet deserted alley and parked.

Ahhhh. Sleep: The great release. Closing my eyes, I let myself drift, content at least for the moment to forget about my problems, to surrender to the comforting darkness. More so, I was hoping to try and reconnect with my dream girl again, the one bright spot in my life. I knew that we talked minutes earlier, before that near head-on collision work me, and that she was concerned about me, that she’d tried to give me what comfort and care she could in our shared dream state. I could never remember much of what happened in those dreams, mere bits and pieces, and disjointed images, yet every morning I awoke feeling as if my load had been lifted, at least for a while. And now a days, I would gladly take what joy I could find.

I was starting to drift. just starting to see her face again. She wore a sad smile on her face, and I sighed dreamily as her soft tender hands reached out to caress my face.

“I’m glad you’re all right. I mean... well, I knew you would be okay, but... well, that kind of scared me.” A soft caress, along my cheek, drawing me in even deeper. “James, my love... you’re on the wrong path,” she said softly, her own eyes shining with unshed tears. “I can feel a weakening of your resolve, of your spirit. Believe me, love, I know how you feel... I know how hard things have been for you... but you can’t give up. There’s too much at stake.” She leaned forward to kiss my forehead. “I only wish—”

And just like that, a loud ruckus woke me out of my slumber.

“Wha... no!” I gasped sitting up. “No! NO!!” I yelled as my dream girl faded back into the ether, her words already fading from my memory. The feeling of peace and serenity I’d only just obtained was gone, ripped away in an instant by a loud, high pitched squeal, returning me back to my previous agitated, bone-weary state once more. As I sat there, brooding, the cry rang out again... and I snapped.

“Goddammit!” I yelled, reaching my boiling point. I didn’t care who was disturbing me at this point, or why, I just wanted them to shut the hell up. Getting out of Jenny, I peeked out of the alleyway, and looked across the street, frowning to find no one there. I stood there a moment, wondering if I’d imagined it, when a woman’s scream sounded from somewhere to my left... in the alley on the other side of this building.

Shit... A mugging, from the sound of it. Not that I cared, not much. Frankly, I was at a loss to know who was annoying me more, the woman with her high pitched screams, or the idiot trying to mug her, too stupid to freaking gag her or knock her unconscious! I drew upon my darkness, cloaking myself in shadow until only my eyes showed white, then made my way over to the other alley.

“... scream all you want, bitch,” the man was gloating, one arm around his victim, the other holding a long jagged looking Bowie knife. “There’s no one to hear you! We’re out in the middle of nowhere! Even the costumed crowd avoids this place! No one’s coming to your rescue!”

“Oh God! Please!” the woman squealed, tears streaming down her face. “Oh, God... I don’t wanna die! Please! Just take my purse! Take my money, everything! Just don’t hurt me!”

“You had your chance, bitch!” he chuckled softly, placing the edge of the blade against her throat. “You could have dropped your purse when I told you to, but no... you tried to run. You tried to cry for help! You had to make a big production of the whole thing, so now—”

“WILL! YOU! JUST! SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY!” I yelled, stepping out of the shadows, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. “If there is anything I can’t stand it’s listening to a cowardly little SHIT with nothing but space between his FUCKING legs, gloating, acting like he’s the man!” The mugger lowered his knife, turning his attention to me, and I sent a tendril up out of the wall behind him, taking him straight through the back of his head. He shuddered, gasped, then went limp, the knife dropping from his hands as the light faded from his eyes.

“Oh God! Thank you! Thank you!” the woman began blubbering, sinking to her knees before me. “Thank you so much! You saved my life! Thank you!”

I turned to stare at her coldly, reaching out a pitch black hand towards her. “And who said I was here to save you?” I asked her quietly, sending a tendril from my hand through to the middle of her chest. Okay, now, I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it when her eyes darkened from blue to black, crossed, then fluttered closed... but it wasn’t as much the pleasure of dominating her so utterly as it was the serenity of having finally shut her up. In fact, I even took a deep breath and sighed, finding a moment of contentment in the silence.

“Really. You think you’ve seen it all, and then someone actually does something this incredibly stupid.”

Momentary silence, it appeared. I glanced up at the roof of the building to my left, spying a tall thin girl carrying a softly glowing stick. The girl rolled her eyes as she stepped down the alleyway. She wore normal enough clothing, but what set her apart was the rune staff she held rather casually at her side.

“I mean,” she continued casually, “she screamed loud enough for me to hear her two blocks away. No offence, but maybe you should practice robbing a Seven-Eleven, and come back to Midas after you’ve grown up a bit.” She did have one fairly big disadvantage: she was alone. However, she was an unknown, a wild card... a counter spell as much in name as in practice, and she had learned to know this city in ways she never thought she could. She just hoped she wouldn’t need to call for backup. “Why don’t you be a good little crook, scurry along, and I’ll chalk this up to you being new at the anti-hero thing. Here’s a hint—the hero part is the more important part. Too much anti, and you’re just an asshole with powers.“

I sighed deeply, shaking my head. No matter where I go, I always run into the same problem. “I suppose it was too much to hope for,” I said aloud, eyeing this new adversary, “... a quiet night of solitude for a change. Tell you what. I’ll cut you a break. You leave, I leave, and I’ll forget about your little insults... we’ll just ‘chalk it up’ to you having no idea who the HELL yer dealing with and the kind of mood I’m in right now.“

Still cloaked in shadow, I withdraw my shadow tendril from the unconscious girl, letting her slide to the ground. “And allow me to clarify a few things. First of all, I’m not robbing or mugging her. I saved her loud screeching ass from the true criminal. That would be that guy, lying over there, drooling all over himself.” I gestured idly over my shoulder. “I did that, by the way. Secondly, I didn’t come to this city to pick a fight... it’s kind of rude to introduce yourself by insulting someone.” I glared, scowling at her. “I suppose I could have pointed out the fact that you’re carrying around a stupid looking walking-stick-slash-night-light, and that you’re dressed like a refuge from a Gamers convention. But I decided not to go there. Because that would be rude!“

The girl scowled back at me. “See, that only works, if you don’t go there.” She looked down to the man on the ground, and nodded, staff held more defensively. “I said I wouldn’t warn you again, but I also have no problem NOT making this into a big fight. Silver Girl doesn’t like it when I cause collateral damage anyway. Now...” Very carefully, she stepped closer, glancing at the woman on the ground. “Leaving a woman on the ground is hardly safe for her long term health. So, if you don’t mind, I’ll just take her away, to make sure she makes it through the night.“

Silver Girl, hmm? Guess she hasn’t heard the news that Sarah’s still missing... wonder how she knows her? Oh well... “Fine with me. Take the other one while you’re at it. I don’t care. Just don’t expect me to wait around for you to come back to finish this ‘discussion’...” Withdrawing my shadows back into myself, my true form emerged, and sliding my sunglasses back over my face, I turned to walk out of the alley.

And I’m nearly run down as some maniac on a motorcycle pulled up! Or... what? Hey... wait a tick? Speaking of ‘Silver Girl’, this kid was not a bad knock off. She was entirely too young... the hair was too short, but close to the right color... eyes were right... uniform was white, but the style was off... too different. And her skin is just too pale—hardly silver at all.

Hmmm. Seem to remember something about a girl named Patina running around a few years back, one of Aunt Sarah’s old friends that kinda went off the radar a while back. Maybe she’s in town to help... fill the void?

The biker chick pulled right up to the alleyway, her foot sweeping out the kickstand as she hopped gracefully to the sidewalk. She walked right past me, heading into the alleyway without a second glance, so I continued on my way. Not that I minded, the less contact I had with ‘capes’ in this city, even the faux hero knock-offs, the better.

Besides, what I really wanted was to get back to Jenny, and get some sleep. At least, until she opened her mouth and spoke, freezing me in my tracks.

“Hey! Counter Spell! Turns out the jewelry store robbery? Shop owner forgot his keys, and his wife’s resized wedding ring. Broke his own window...”

Counter Spell rolled her eyes. “Yeah, you’re off playing cops and mistaken robbery while I’m stuck dealing with Mr. Brooding...” Counter Spell lifted the woman up into her arms, gesturing at me as she did. “Think we can leave this crook here though, or tie him to a lamppost... I’ve always wanted to do that...“

“That’s not safe as it sounds and... hey, wait a damn minute...” The silver haired girl blinked, eyes flashing silver as she snapped her fingers dramatically, sending a small spark out in front of my face. Not threateningly close, but enough to definitely get my attention, and back me up a step. “Brooding, huh? You know... you remind me of someone...”

Growling at the perceived attack... as well as from the inherent brightness of the light, I reacted instinctively, cladding myself in darkness once more, whirling around, assuming an offensive pose, shadow tendrils forming. “What the hell?!?” I yelled, exasperated. “You too, huh? WHAT? Do I have a goddamn ‘Kick me’ sign on my back or what? Why the FUCK does everyone seem to want a piece of me tonight?”

For a second, maybe two, the white dressed girl assumed a similar pose. Sparks slid from the tips of her fingers, twirling around her hand... before they poofed away, and she nearly doubled over laughing. “It... oh hell, it IS you!” she chortled, which only pissed me off all the more. And if I’d had any lingering doubts about who I was facing, her all too familiar laughter put them to rest as well.

“If you’d have called ahead, we could have met a little more pleasantly...” Seeing I hadn’t relaxed my posture yet, she rolled her eyes, stepping a little bit closer, the spark still floating in front of my face withdrawn back to her hand, where she pretended to hold it up to her lips and ‘whispered’ loud enough for me to hear. “Don’t mind Jimmy. He’s just cranky.” The spark poofed away as the others had, in a small burst of light, making me wince despite my shades. She smirked, her lips twisting in an annoying familiar grin. “Hell of a way to treat a cousin.”

Slowly, I relaxed, dropping my hands and shaking my head. Damn. Cousin, eh? It’s definitely her, but... Electrum dressed up like her missing mother? Different look, different costume, less golden and more silver... but that voice? I’d know Aurora LaSilvas’s voice anywhere. Dropping the stance, but keeping up my shadow form, I sighed.

“Ah shit... so this is the perfect end to the perfect day,” I groaned softly, shaking my head. “‘Golden Silver’... the one and only super I honestly did NOT want to run into tonight.” I hate my luck. I’m here less than an hour, and the kid with the walking stick I’m nearly about to blast turns out to be HER partner! At least she hadn’t sent a barrage of sparks at me. Yet. “Um... interesting costume change, Electrum. And the hair, the eyes... and, well... all of it. Nice. Different, but nice.” Crossing my arms, I leaned back against the edge of the building. “So, cousin... how is this going to play out? You here to take me in?” I shrugged at her blank look. With ’Rora you couldn’t always tell if she was trying to pull something over on you, or if she was honestly clueless. Or, maybe I’m just really bad at reading her. “I don’t believe in coincidences—bad luck, yeah, but not coincidences...”

“Take... you... in...?” Aurora blinked, very slowly, stepping a little closer. Why hasn’t he gone back to normal? she thought frowning. Surely he didn’t still think of me as a threat?

Counter Spell walked up next to her partner. “You know this guy, ’Silver?”

“Yeah... you could say that. For now, just cool down a bit. I’ll explain later... but... really.” Facing me again, she forced a slight smile. “I was kind of considering a hug really. I’m sort of crashing with my other cousin, and my partner here, but I’m sure we can roll out the couch. Just means no late night Elvish sessions. And I go by ‘Silver Girl’ these days, not Electrum... because... well... Mom’s missing and...” Her eyes dimmed, very visibly, before she looked back up from the ground. She took another step towards me. “Something gives me the feeling you’re in trouble... wanna talk about it somewhere... less public?”

I frowned, taking a step back along the side of the building. “So... you’re NOT here to try and capture me and bring me down?” I asked, dubiously. “You... REALLY have no idea about the fact that pretty much EVERY ‘cape’ in the entire country is dogging me? That there’s a warrant for my arrest? That the State Police have a ‘shoot on sight’ order concerning me?” I blinked, still seeing the confusion in her eyes. “You, the heroine that used to listen to the news and police scanners for any sign of trouble so you could be the first one to rush off and save the day?” I laughed ruefully. “Geez, ’Rora... what have you been doing the past few weeks, living under a rock?“

Aurora frowned, staring down at the sidewalk again. “Wow, you sure make me wish I was.” Her arm shimmered slightly, going metallic. “You know, I kinda miss when I used to get angry all the time. It’d feel great to see how you’d feel about a metal fist somewhere sensitive.” She took a deep breath, then released it. “I’ve been... busy. Patrolling... looking for some sort of sign...” Her expression hardened. “You know what? You have the world thinking your mom’s dead, and then you can start giving me shit! Plus, you’re halfway across the country. You think anyone HERE cares about something that happened in River City?” Her tone was obviously compensational. She knew she should have known. Still... She looked up, frowning, turning a fist metal to slam it into her other, which followed suit. “Maybe I oughta kick your ass... but later. If people are after you... you’re coming with me.”

Alright. I’d put my foot in my mouth. She was obviously still hurting over her mom being kidnapped. OF COURSE she’d spent every waking moment out scouring the city, looking for clues and trying to find her. True, I was upset about Sarah’s disappearance too. We all were. But, she was only an unofficial Aunt to me—she was Aurora’s mother. Her last living biological mother, anyway.

Damn. Insensitive jerk. I need to apologize to her, once this is over and done with.

Counter Spell moved a little closer, the woman still in her arms. “Wait, wait, wait, he just said—”

“Shoot on sight notice? Yeah,” Aurora said, turning to face her partner. “You remember how we met, right?” Counter Spell frowned a little, but didn’t respond. “So,” my cousin said, facing me again, “you up for having a friend in the world, or do you want to egg me on to see if I CAN kick your ass?“

I chuckled again, ruefully, shaking my head. I’ve always loved her spunk. I was physically more powerful than her in pretty much every way, but if you could win a fight in pure spunk and determination alone, she’d win every damn time. Her partner, on the other hand...

“Aurora... Silver Girl... maybe you should tell ‘Robin’ there to run along back to the ‘Batcave’... you’re my cousin, so you can get away with this shit—up to a point, anyway,” I added, raising an eyebrow. “but the slack I cut you doesn’t extend to her! I’ve been hunted, attacked, hounded by every Tom, Dick, and Harry in a costume since even before I left home. I’ve restrained myself, held back, because I know, deep down, they’re only trying to be the good guys in this whole mess... but I am near my breaking point. And you two are STOMPING on my last frayed nerve.“

“Counter? Get her somewhere safe, we’ll talk later... k? I promise. You know how I am about family, but...”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sidekick duty anyway. I won’t tell Mina. but if anything happens to you...” Counter Spell took a few steps away, and then... poofed herself away, into a small cloud of smoke. With a sigh Aurora melted away her metal, and stepped a little closer, reaching out to put a soft pale hand on my shoulder.

“You won’t hurt me,” she said softly. “I know you won’t. Maybe you’d hurt her, and maybe you want to hurt me, but for one thing, let me explain how my powers work. I’m as fragile as a normal right now. Take a swing, and if I don’t want you hurt by the whole on-metal thing on an instinctive level, I have to choose to will it. I won’t.“

I stared into her eyes for long moment, eyes that I used to know as a deep comforting brown. They were silver now, like her hair, all a part of her LaSilvas legacy, I supposed. Not that I was one to talk. The last time we’d seen each other in person, I’d still had blue eyes and dirty blonde hair, like Katie’s, with only a few strands of black intermixed.

We both bear the marks of our powers... on the inside as well as out.

I finally released my shadow form, standing before her ‘unarmored’ as well. “Frankly, I’d rather you go full metal, and the two of us just duke it out, but... Fine. You wanna talk so badly, let’s talk.” I pulled a step back from her, holding up a hand “Just know, cousin... if you even pretend to THINK about sparking me, I’ll drop you like a bad habit. Okay? I’m being serious here. Sorry, but paranoia has been my best friend... my ONLY friend, for a long while now...”

Aurora looked more than a little hurt, and slouched back. “look, I’m... I’m not my mom. She could probably pull that off, but I’d much rather this ended with us working together to help you out. I probably can’t convince you of that, but... It’s true.” She frowned just a little more, staring back into my eyes. “But... what the hell did you do? And not what people think, not the ‘woe-is-me’ version, what literal actions did you take? I want to help. You were always a little distant, but never... Come on, this is me. Aurora. The angry little girl? Who is being more rational than you? This is all kinds of messed up.“

A little distant? To the first real crush I’d ever had as a child? I opened his mouth to reply, a biting scathing comment on my lips... then sighed, deflating. Beaten. She had no idea... she never had. “Damn... how do you always DO that?” I asked plaintively. “How the hell do you disarm me of the anger that’s been driving me all this time with just that sad pouty face and those soulful eyes? Brown, silver, doesn’t matter, I just can’t stay pissed when you look at me that way...” Shit. I’m saying more than I meant to. I glanced down at the ground, taking a deep breath to compose myself.

“Since you asked... and by the way, you’re the only person in the world who HAS asked my side of things... I made a mistake. A simple, stupid, spur of the moment mistake. I’d given in, believe it or not... decided that maybe you and your mom, and Katie, and my folks... that maybe all of you were right. That maybe I was what I was for a reason... that with great powers comes yadda yadda yadda... I decided to go for it... I embraced the life of a costumed hero.

“I actually trained, ’Rora. I exercised, got in shape... I learned martial arts again. I practiced controlling my powers. I even started going out on patrols again... the whole nine yards.” I stared hard at a small piece of gravel between my feet, avoiding my cousin’s gaze. “So, one day, I come across this really nasty piece of work that called herself Nytro...

“She was attempting to rob the city’s gold depository... she was working with some other Supers to keep Mr. and Mrs. Albinn busy... she’d used some device to brainwash the guards, and the other employees... and was making them load it into her getaway vehicle down in the basement... so I stepped in to stop her... and learned firsthand why she calls herself Nytro.” I growled softly at the memory, slapping a fist into the palm of my open hand. “She blew me up... twice. Nearly brought the building down around me. But I managed to stop her from getting away. So, she’s lobbing bombs at me in the middle of the street, with cars and people around—”

Aurora raised up her hand this time, soulful eyes looking very focused, forceful, her expression looked a lot more heroic and less crushed. “Let me guess... collateral damage? Someone get killed? It’s not a good thing to do, you feel horrible about it, but you don’t go running. Unless there’s more?”

I nodded sadly. This was the worst part. “It wasn’t just collateral damage ’Rora. I... I did it. Me.” I swallowed to get past the lump forming in my throat. I’d never actually spoken to anyone before about what had happened that day. “I’d stopped Nytro as she was making one last bomb... she was trying to make a deal, asking me to surrender... but I was angry. Royally pissed. Madder than I’d ever been before in my life! I mean... She’d blown me up, nearly killed people in the process, and was trying to talk her way out of it. I wanted... I wanted her to suffer. I even said as much to her, out loud... if you’d seen the news anytime in the past few weeks, you’d have seen it. Some guy caught the whole thing on video,” I added, bitterly. “Anyway... I thought her bomb would just, I dunno, poof away when she went down, but it didn’t... so I picked it up and threw it somewhere... somewhere I thought... was safe.

“It... the bomb... there was a van nearby... a mother with her four kids... going to soccer practice or something I dunno... she’d apparently pulled up behind another abandoned vehicle to watch the battle... I didn’t know she was there! I swear, Aurora! I’d checked the area before I shadow drained Nytro and she wasn’t there!” My hands had clenched into fists without me even realizing. “Not that it matters anyway. Dead is still dead. And it’s my fault. MINE! I should have just... I dunno... thrown it up into the sky or just held onto it... I’m resilient enough to have taken the blast...” I finally met her gaze. “I made a bad choice, ’Rora, and five people died for it...”

Aurora frowned, nodding along. Her expression hadn’t changed as she listened, if anything, it just became a little more of the same. “You hate yourself for it. You kill five innocent people. A mother, and her children. And you hate yourself for it.” She nodded again. “So now, while you feel like absolute crap, and make it so the people who care the most about you are probably worried sick... you decide to run across the country, and have made it so instead of trying to save the world, or go after people who wouldn’t be standing here, talking civil with me... they’re hunting you.” She paused for a long time before looking away, shifting her pose to her back foot, arms crossing over her chest. “Does that sum up? Am I about right?”

I blinked, then blinked again, looking up at my cousin in shock. I’d expected sympathy... a hug, kind words... not this. “’Rora? I... I don’t... I thought... I mean...”

She glared at me, narrowing her eyes. “What? You expected me to feel sorry for you? Because you ran away, and now people think you deserve to be America’s Most Wanted...? I’ve been driving myself to the point of exhaustion, trying to be half of the woman my mother was, while trying not to give up hope! You... You think no Super has ever accidently killed someone before? If there’s a mother, and four kids... there’s could be a husband out there you hurt—or another kid. Did you even bother to think of anyone else...?” She shook her head. “I’ll give you empathy. I’ve been there. I’ve... seen what I’m capable of... but... what can I say? I never thought of you as a whiner, Jimmy. I thought you were better than that.“

Shock and confusion turned to anger, and I glared right back at her. I was so pissed I trembling... and noticing the cracks in the sidewalk forming underneath Aurora’s feet, it was all I could do to restrain my little bad luck demons was destroying this entire block.

“Empathy?” I spat at her, growling softly. “You’ll give me your empathy? Cousin, you can take your EMPATHY and shove it up your... you have NO FUCKING IDEA what I’ve been through!!! Running away? Damn straight I ran away! Not because I was SAD or AFRAID... not for MYSELF, anyway! I left... because I didn’t want my family dragged into this mess with me! And that included YOU as well, you arrogant little bitch! How DARE you ask me if I ever think of anyone else... it’s ALL I’ve been doing up ’til now!”

Dust fell onto my shoulders as something atop the building I was standing against cracked. I forced myself into something resembling a calm demeanor. “For what it’s worth, Goldie, you haven’t got the slightest clue what it’s like to be me. You’re literally the city’s golden girl... loved and adored by the public at large... you’re Silver Girl’s daughter.. the toast of the freaking town!” I sighed. “I’m America’s Most Wanted... and not in a good way. Which, in the grand scheme of my life, is really just par for the course!“

“And you’re Omega Girl’s son!” She scowled back, finger jabbing into my chest. She was little, even with her boots, and she had to look up to me. But she was good at making it seem like she was ten feet tall... which she was nowhere near, and never would be, even with platform heels. “You think she isn’t looking? You think Katie... Luminaire isn’t looking? You dragged them into this by running! If you’d stayed, they could have stood beside you... and if you wanted ME out of this... you chose the wrong city to stay in. The city loves me? People don’t seem to know I’m around half the time, and the other half... Silver Girl? You know how fun it is being the daughter of the woman immune to mind control? You know how many people love to line up to see if her replacement can cut it? You... I’ve been used against my own sister, my own friends... I’m not a ‘golden girl’ at all!” Her eyes were wet in her passion. “I’m struggling to hold on. And when people like you GIVE UP, it makes that a lot harder!“

“But you’ve never KILLED anyone!!” I roared back just as fiercely. It occurred to me that anyone walking by this area would probably rush off to call the police, but I didn’t care. “You think you know what it means to be the world’s whipping boy?!? Bullshit! No matter how much you may have hurt Nebby, or your friends, or your parents... it wasn’t permanent! And guess what? It WASN’T YOUR DAMNED FAULT, if someone was pulling your strings! Those five dead people ARE my fault. There’s no way to undo it, no instant fix, no reset button.” I grabbed her by the arm, making her look me in the eye. “And for all your troubles, all your problems, at least you HAVE someone! You have your partner. You have Sylvia... if you want her! If you’re not stupid enough to keep putting her at arm’s length!” I sighed, letting her go. “Yeah, I have a sister as well... and a loving mother and father... but it’s not the same! I’m always APART from them... ALWAYS separate. No one can EVER be close to me, ’Rora... not without putting their life at risk. And No One understands what it’s like... “

I look a few steps back then whirled around to face her again. “Look at me!” I yelled, cloaking myself in darkness. ”THIS is who and what I am. I... I’m a harbinger, ’Rora! I bring nothing but pain and destruction... and death. It’s all I’m good for... all my powers are good for!” I laughed bitterly, anger giving way to sadness. “The one time I actually TRIED controlling my luck twisting ability... tried actually USING it? I bring down a fucking meteor shower and burn down a building! I was fooling myself. Me, a hero? Hah! What kind of ‘hero’ would I have made anyway?“

“If no one understands you... make me understand.” Her anger all dripped away, replaced with what seemed like exhaustion. A bit of sorrow along the edges perhaps, but much more just... exhausted. “I’m the reason that a dangerous psychopath can now control women’s minds just by holding up her hands. I’m the reason my entire team was recruited to help a crazy mastermind’s scheme to change the whole world as she wished. I can take a punch, I can fly, and I have sparks. You can bring down meteors?” She shrugged. “Nifty. You’re alone? Katie would never turn her back on you. Lacie would never turn her back on you. Yeah... you killed someone... and you can’t fix that. No one can... but... really...? Do you think we’d all abandon you?“

“You would if you were smart,” I said in a low soft voice. I sank to the ground, leaning with my back against the wall of the building. I was too emotionally drained to maintain my anger. Aurora wasn’t the only one exhausted. And... now that the red haze in my vision had faded, I could see that my sweet cousin was hurting just as deeply as I was. She was just better at hiding it. I knew only some of what she’d been facing recently, knew just the bare bones of the incident involving that demented doctor using ’Rora’s former lover and teammate to torture her and Sylvia. Apparently there were deep issues she was still dealing with... things that, like myself, she wasn’t ready or able to deal with on her own.

“’Rora... I’m sorry,” I said reaching out a hand to grasp hers. “I didn’t mean to snap at you like that. I know you’ve had it hard too... I really do. I’m just saying...” I closed my eyes. “Do you know what it’s like to dive headlong into something without the slightest thought for your own self... to do everything in your power to help someone, to save their life... only to have them look at you in horror, and run away from you... like you’re a monster? It’s just... I’m tired. I’m tired of putting out my hand only to get it slapped away... I’m not looking for a thank you, or anything... I’m just asking not to be spit on.” I opened my eyes, still staring down at the ground. “Is that... is that so much to ask?”

She glanced up, smiling sadly with a shake of her head. “You don’t need to apologize to me. I was a little... harsh. You know my temper. I’m sorry... But... I’m not smart. Neither is the rest of your family...” She reached out for his hand, giving it a tight squeeze. “I’ll give you my hand, if you’ll take it. And... my thanks. For talking to me. For doing what you do...? You messed up, and... yeah, you should hate yourself for what happened. Shows you’re human.” She squeezed my hand again. “But you seem to be confusing killed with murdered. You made a risky choice... you have to live with it. I won’t call Lacie or anything like that, but... I won’t let you give up on yourself, either. Which means... either you work to clear your name so you can spend the rest of your life trying to make up for that mistake, or...” Aurora grinned, moving to sit beside Jimmy on the wall. “...When an impossibly strong force of heroes come after you, they lock me up right alongside you.“

I smiled despite myself, shaking my head. “You see? Stubborn gold plated numbskull... that’s what I didn’t want you involved... I was only in the city for the night... I was planning to drive out in the morning without even calling...” I chuckled softly, taking the sting from my words, “but, the truth? I appreciate the offer... and the encouragement. I don’t like the idea of having you in the crosshairs with me... but I have to admit, it helps a lot to know I’m not going through all this alone anymore.” I ruffled her hair. “You know, you’re a lot smarter than you give yourself credit for... and you don’t give yourself nearly enough credit. Mind if I ask, though... why the wardrobe change? Why call yourself ‘Silver Girl’? You’re not your mom, ’Rora... and frankly, I always thought Electrum kind of suited you.”

“Wardrobe change? Actually... it was a gift from the last time I got my brain sizzled up nice. It looks nice, and... Midas needs a Silver Girl. I need a Silver Girl... Maybe I was better at being Electrum, maybe, but... Mom meant something to people. She’d been through a lot, but she helped people. She’s not as strong as Omega, she’s not as well known, but... she’s special. I won’t let people think she’s gone... I can’t.” That obviously included herself... but she did smile a little bit at the ruffling. “You know, that wasn’t just an offer. You’re stuck with me now. But... after you get a night’s rest. Even if I thought we could just walk down to the police and have it be that easy... doing it this late at night? I wouldn’t blame ’em if they opened fire. Not exactly office hours, yanno?“

Ouch. Definite ‘mommy’ issues going on here. Aurora always idolized her mom growing up, and rightly so. As Silver Girl, or just Sarah LaSilvas, she was an extraordinary woman. But... Aurora was extraordinary in her own right. She’s glossing over it a bit, no doubt for my benefit, but... dressing up like Sarah, calling herself Silver Girl... the way she’s dealing with her mom’s disappearance...

I sat quietly for a long moment, thinking, considering, choosing my words carefully... then with a deep sigh, rose to my feet. “Thanks, ’Rora. I appreciate it. I just hope you don’t regret your decision after I finish talking. I know your temper well enough to know I should probably gather my shadows... but I think you’re a lot older and wiser, and more mature than the last time I insulted you and you sparked me into a puddle on the ground... so I’ll take a shot.” Taking a deep breath, I continued on before she could interrupt.

“’Rora... hon... I love you. And I love Auntie Sarah, too. You know that... but, well, what you’re doing... how you’re handling the lose... this isn’t right. I’m not dissing Aunt Sarah by any means... but... she wasn’t as great as you make her out to be. Frankly, hon, no one is as great as you make her out to be. Yes, she’s a great heroine, and a great mom... hell, a pretty cool Aunt too... but you’ve kinda put her up on a pedestal as the do-all, be-all model to try and emulate.” I sighed, seeing her expression harden. “I can understand you wanting to remind the world that Silver Girl still lives. If something had happened to my mom, I’d go off the deep end a little bit too, and scour the world trying to find her. But, um... you don’t have to try and take her place. Midas City... its needs Electrum just as much as it needs Silver Girl. Don’t you think?“

“...Maybe. Maybe you’re right...” She stayed sitting a little longer, letting her metal melt over her hands, flexing her fingers, and then letting it melt away. “Maybe I’ve been a little consumed in needing to find her, in needing to live up to her, in... a lot of ways. But for right now...? This works for me.” She stood up, slowly, brushing herself off with a little sigh. “You and my cousin need to stop being so right all the time. Maybe I just spent so long trying to be my... other mom... that this is my lame attempt at exploring the other half of my heritage? I don’t know. Everyone says I’m smarter than I look. Maybe they’re right, Jimmy. Maybe you’re right. But I am also as stubborn as I look—and right now... this is what I want to do. Which means... its gonna happen. But I promise to think about what you said.“

Well, I wasn’t going to let her get away with that. I shook his head emphatically. “Don’t just think about it, ’Rora... take it to heart. Like I said, I know you, hon. One of the reasons we get along so well... heh, when we get along, that is.... is because we’re so much alike in personality. You can say the words, maybe even convince yourself of them, but in the end you’ll always go back to your old rationalizations.” I smirked. “Aurora LaSilvas... you may be a daughter of Athena, but yer dad must have been Atlas with all the weight you carry on your shoulders.

“You know.... we both seem to have issues for asking for help if we need it. We learned Sarah and Valerie were missing a few weeks ago—not from you or Sylvie, but from the NEWS! Really? We had to learn about that from CNN? I mean, geez... I would think you guys would have come to us first! Dad’s got this nifty little satellite system in orbit that he uses to keep track of... um... certain wayward children that tend to get themselves in trouble... heh, and me too, I suppose. And mom? She left within two days of the news report, went back to her ancestral home to do that.... magical.. communion thing she does...“

I shrugged. “My point is, you’re not alone, ’Rora. You reminded me of that very fact yourself a few minutes ago. You don’t have to do everything yourself. And it’s NOT a sign of weakness or a failing, to ask for help. Maybe... if I had, I wouldn’t be head deep into the mess I’m in right now...”

“Okay, point, point,” she conceded. “But Sarah’s still missing. Who knows how long it’ll be before we find her, if...” She shook her head, standing up a little straighter with an entirely too proud of herself grin. “One little detail though... I’m a daughter of Pallas. Supposedly... but... that doesn’t really matter. You’re right. We both need to admit we aren’t alone. Anything your family can do, you know I’d be grateful... am grateful... but let’s not make this about me, huh? I mean, I appreciate it, but... you’re in dire straits. I’m just having an identity crisis.” She shrugged. “I’m only twenty years old. I’m supposed to.“

I nod, frowning slightly. Pallas Athena, hmm? Never could keep the Greek Pantheon straight in my head... too many conflicting stories. Norse mythology is soooo much easier.

“Okay. I’ll accept your help. And, honestly, sleeping on your couch does sound better than spending the night with Jenny. As for the help, not sure how it’s going with the satellite search, but mom’s, well... you know. That place, it’s some kind of alternate dimension or something, time is all wonky there. For all I know, she’s already found Aunt Sarah and is coming back to tell you where, but won’t be back for a month.” I frowned slightly. “Did I mention that I HATE magic enough times? It just makes my head hurt.”

“You think you hate it?” Aurora held out her hand, making a small flock of sparks melt out of her fingertips before twirling them in a circle. “It’s useful, but sometimes I don’t know what I’d give to have my armor be a suit like a certain someone we both know... but come on. We’ll go on home, you get couch sleep, and then we’ll fix this up. And don’t worry about Counter. She just doesn’t know you like I do.“

I scowled, gesturing with my arm, which blackened... creating three small orbs of shining darkness, and tossed them, juggling them one-handed. “Counter Spell, huh? Well, I suppose I know what her abilities focus around... did I mention the whole hating magic thing? Coulda sworn I did.” Another quick gesture, and the shadows withdrew back into me. “So what’s her story, anyway? I thought you were through with the whole team/group thing after the... um... " Shit. I didn’t mean to go there. “...incident. Sorry. I was trying to avoid talking about your old team....just forget that last part. Rewind. Erase.“

Aurora shook her head and smiled. “No, no, you don’t need to apologize. What it comes down to is... She needed me. She wanted a chance to turn her life around. You do what we do, and turn down a request for help like that...? Damn, if half the people I stopped made that request, I wouldn’t need to do much about the other half. She could double cross me, but... I’m stubborn. Do I want to be in another team? Probably not like before, at least not yet... but... just between you and me. I miss it. But come on, you don’t really need to hear all this from me... let’s get going, we can talk more when we’re home.”

I agreed, smiling slightly. It was kind of strange... but I actually felt hopeful. A lot of the tension I’d been feeling was gone, just having someone in my corner. “Okay. I’ll follow you in Jenny, though... no way in hell I’m riding on the back of that glittering death machine. ‘Specially considering the way you drive! But... maybe if you’re bored, later, I’ll tell you about my one-and-only attempt at a crime fighting partnership.”

Taking out my car keys, I made my way across to the other alleyway and slid into my car... then followed my cousin out into the heart of the city.