Question Glyph 4: Putting Pen to Paper

Thursday early evening, Oct 20th, 2016

Bianca and Janine being followed by Mouse, the Spy Kids really need to stop targetting other students due to supposed reputation alone.

Janine gave me a look of disbelief. “You should tell security that they’re stalking you…”

“Do you really think it would do any good?” I asked. But before she could answer, I explained, “And if I did go to security, it would only make more problems for me.”

Darn, the old "tell an adult and it will just make things worse" problem.

Ooo, what magic rune is on this card? A 'look here' spell, sounds perfect for losing a tail with. Seeing Mouse just staring at that spot, too good. Bianca's new lab is almost finished, very nice. Just how many people has Tek Rider told about this lab space? All those security measures to ensure her new lab space isn't found by anyone she doesn't want knowing about it, at a place like Whateley I wonder if it is enough.

Janine could be a security consultant with multi-level security on the doors like this. And magical rune to unlock the door, keypad a decoy, ingenious. Great workshop and place to do homework, Bianca has the perfect place to go when Morgana and Thulia want some alone time. All those wards, as I've said before it is paranoia with the number of enemies Bianca has, in and outside of Whateley.

Hhm, I wonder what the new wards are for. Ouch, each ward uses some essence, just how much does Bianca have tied up in all the wards she has placed so far? Wards on Janine's workshop, Bianca is such a good friend. Bianca has been needing a place she can call her own, so glad she has it now.

Friday morning, Oct 21st, 2016

Aww, falling asleep in class, Powers Theory isn't still done by the teacher who makes it so dull he can put anyone to sleep, is it? Nooo, denying Bianca good chocolate, how can you be so cruel, Morgana? Askinosie, Morgana's sister brought her a real treat.

Janine working on some security stuff for her own lab, if she keeps this up other students will come to her for security tech.

Eddy Walters, AKA Smith, was a gadgeteer who specialized in metallurgy and old fashioned blacksmithing.

Cool specialization, I wonder if he has developed any new alloys.

Janine's growth better not be due to Laura's chocolates, or else there could be trouble in the future. Wondering my Janine has been so helpful to her, heh, I wonder if her thoughts that way about Janine are just to distract Bianca from potential feelings she has developed for her. Ask Laura about what to get Janine, if you ask about bras she is going to tease you about having a crush. Stationery supplies, just how fast does she go through card stock and ink?

Yay, Janine is going on the shopping trip. Wait, the more Whateley students on a trip the higher the odds for hijinks and trouble.

Morgana smirked at that. “About time you two are going somewhere with all this…”

I blinked in confusion. “Of course. We’re going to Berlin.”

My roommate let out an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes in an exaggerated manner. Why she was being so dramatic, I wasn’t sure. But this was Morgana, so who knew what she was thinking half the time.

You may be a girl now, Bianca, but you still are as dense as the densest boy when it comes to certain things.

Crystal Hall, Friday late morning, Oct 21st, 2016

Melody Sheridon, not Chained Melody! And she is going to manipulate Bobby Grace aka Crysis, if she sics him on Bianca I hope she gets in trouble. Eavesdropping in on Bianca and Morgana's conversation, she just keeps getting worse each time we see her.

“Anyway,” Melody explained a bit smugly, “I already have an idea of how we can use this… It would be pretty easy to follow them on their trip, then whisper a few suggestions to the shop owners…” An almost predatory smile formed on her lips. “It won’t take much to get that pasty freak and her friends accused of shoplifting…or worse. I can almost guarantee that they end up in jail…or in so much trouble that that they might even get kicked out of the school…”

She is a real piece of work. Crysis not wanting her to go near Bianca or Berlin on Sunday, oh crap, he is calling his father so Scorn can be told about the trip. This is so much worse than anything I previously expected.

Crystal Hall, Friday late morning, Oct 21st, 2016

Ouch! Laura is rough in BMA, twisting Bianca's arm out of its socket, so glad Bianca has regen. Chicago deep-dish pizza, now why would Whateley only serve one style of pizza with the number of chefs there? Bianca, listen to your danger sense on this, find out who Crysis calls between now and Sunday.

Vic, Jimmy, Tia, and Tavi as an Oompa Loompa, that little VI needs to reign it in sometimes. A Smurf, Tavi, you do realize if you annoy Laura too much she will reprogram you. Yeah, Laura is in a foul mood. A spell to prevent eavesdropping, I'm surprised that isn't one of the first spells all magic students learn at Whateley with the amount of spying and gossip on campus.

Hhm, a way to reuse spell cards instead of them being destroyed after activation or when their duration ends, sounds like a good idea for a long-term project. A single red rose falls in the middle of her food, whoever Bianca's secret admirer is they aren't that skilled. Not more fodder for Morgana to tease Bianca with.

Poe Cottage, Friday evening, Oct 21st, 2016

Ow, hand cramps from all the writing, flashbacks to high school.

“A silence spell…” This was a variation of the spell I often used in the room to keep Morgana’s snoring from waking me up. “You never know when something like this will be useful.”

I wondered how she could sleep with Morgana's snoring. Business with Scrye, could it be to find out what Crysis and Chained Melody were discussing?

Sam Verner aka Tiptoe, another member of the Spy Kids and shows up just then, I wish Bianca would talk to one of the staff about this stalking. Information on the Spy Kids to use against them, good, if they don't like it or try to use the rules against her just remind them they spied on her first and for weeks.

Scrye sounds like she is going to extend an invitation to Bianca when Kerry Swanson aka Cherry Bomb, Scrye's roommate, comes barging in. Kerry is Bianca and friend's escort to Berlin and in the Capes Squad, ack.

“Of course, it was,” Scrye replied in a wry tone. “You blew things up…including a police car. I swear, the only reason that you’re with the Cape Squad was so that you’d have an excuse to legally blow things up…”

Why, why would anyone on the staff approve of Kerry as an escort for students off Whateley Academy campus? Rook to be their escort, too bad the staff tend to be too busy or I would say have one of the teachers do it.

Poe Cottage, Saturday morning, Oct 22nd, 2016

Saturday morning class, Bianca not given much choice on it, ouch. Morgana, tone down the teasing of Laura right now, she doesn't need it. A package for Bianca from her secret admirer, oh boy. A box of chocolates, is this a real secret admirer, or is Morgana paying someone to prank Bianca? Noooo! You never junk chocolate, at least not without testing if it is safe to eat or not first.

Morgana, Bianca is going to get your back for this, revealing her secret admirer and his antics to Tanya and Taka now.

I snorted. “Would you eat something when you had absolutely no idea where it came from?” I shook my head at that. “For all I know, some practical joker tried slipping me some of Laura’s chocolate…”

Anyone who is caught doing that...what the headmaster will do...

“That is a good point,” Morgana admitted. “I kind of wish I’d thought of doing that.” She chuckled for a moment before admitting, “There’s a person or two whom I wouldn’t mind slipping some of that to…”

“See,” I gestured to Morgana. “This is exactly why I’d be stupid to eat any of those chocolates. Hell, they could have been laced with laxative…or worse.”

Those could have had a time-released poison or any other number of nasty stuff in them.

Morgana is right, all that Janine has done for her and Bianca still doesn't see it. Bianca's costume sounds like it is shaping up to be something great. But now I wish to know what idea came to her for it, an emblem or something else.

Saturday morning, Oct 22nd, 2016

Scrye at the Masterminds' clubhouse, Bystander, what does she mean about him being a sick freak? Golden Lion there, Aiesha aka Swandive doesn't like morning meetings, Helen aka Doma Know annoyed at Scrye waiting to bring up a new issue. All the attention on Glyph, from her enemies and allies, makes contacting or dealing with her in private difficult at best. Holding off on recruiting Glyph, heh, they are going to be disappointed as she won't join them unless they have something to offer her allies can't already.

Saturday morning, Oct 22nd, 2016

Carrie Harper in the tunnels.

These very tunnels were the scene of her most recent failures and humiliations.

Her thoughts on failure, so young yet so hung up on this stuff already. Spy Kids gave her the task of following Bianca.

Glyph. The White Lady. The head of her own mob family. Carrie still didn’t see why the school would allow someone like that to attend.

Great, she is one of those students who ignored the message about Whateley being neutral and not a school just for wannabe superheroes.

Mouse on the job with Caroline Voight aka Miss Violet, David Nayer aka Cyber Swarm, and Edward Temple aka Mister Blank. David is right, without a map those tunnels are easy to get lost in, all the more reason to stick to the marked tunnels. Tek Rider is a blabbermouth.

“We appreciate your gracious sacrifice,” Mister Blank told Swarm. “It will be well worth it once we collect the evidence we need to get HER arrested…”

Bwahaha, you didn't follow proper procedure, you idiots. More than likely you would get charged with stalking, harassment, and if you actually get into her secret lab, breaking and entering.

And they try the old secret door in the cleaning closet. Drill worm goes 9 inches into the concrete wall and no door to find, love seeing them fail.

“It means,” Mister Blank explained with a look of annoyance, “that either Tek Rider lied to us…or Glyph closed off the old door completely.”

Darn, smarter than expected, they aren't going to give up.

Crystal Hall, Sunday morning, Oct 23rd, 2016

Aww, poor Janine really seems to have issues with rejection with how she is acting, worried the invite will be taken back at any moment, poor kid. Dodo, Giggles, and Blackberry, Janine seems to have a good group of friends, fun codenames too. Can't believe Blackberry asked for some of Laura's special chocolate, good grief.

“That doesn’t mean that someone might not TRY to sue her,” Dodo reminded me. “People can be real jerks sometimes.”

Unfortunate, but oh so true. And I'm glad Bianca has others besides her teammates and close friends who don't treat her like a villain. Making fun of a cutie like Dodo, these students are going to learn a harsh lesson one day it isn't the strength of your powers, it is how you wield them. Hehe, I should have remembered Giggles just for her form of Diedricks.

Giggles burst out laughing at that. Real laughter, not her Diedricks induced giggles. “Don’t let those Spy Kids hear you saying that or they might start investigating Bianca for wasting chocolate too…”

She's right, those bunch of try-hards would use any excuse to spy on a "villain". Chocolates delivered to Poe, I wouldn't rule out someone from Poe just because of that, they might have done that to make it harder to guess who they are. Uh oh, Bianca is working herself into a tizzy trying to think of all the possible ways and possible suspects.

This was scary, especially considering how many people were after me. I didn’t know whether this was a legitimate secret admirer…which I had a hard time believing…or just one more person trying to mess with me. Honestly, I wasn’t sure which of those two options would have been worse.

At Whateley it could be both, these kids sometimes have strange ideas of what romantic gestures are.

“Cherry Bomb?” Giggles gasped, her eyes going wide. “Your escort is Cherry Bomb?” She shook her head and exclaimed, “You’d be better off taking KARMA as your escort…”

Okay, just how bad a reputation does this Cherry Bomb have?

*hits head on desk* Shades just won't give up. And now hitting on her, no, not Shades! Why did her secret admirer have to be this doof?

The Quad, Sunday morning, Oct 23rd, 2016

*hits head on desk repeatedly hearing Shades talk* He learned nothing about the girl he is trying to woo and is using cliche tactics.

“No, she isn’t,” Shades agreed with a smirk. “She has money and influence… The kind that can get us set up for life…”

And now I want to see him curb-stomped by Bianca once she knows she is a golddigger. Beatdown likes Janine, yet Shades is an idiot and doesn't realize why Janine was jealous when he flirted with Bianca. This is a huge mess waiting to explode.

Crystal Hall, Sunday morning, Oct 23rd, 2016

Morgana, Laura, Bianca, and Janine all ready to go on the trip, but Cherry Bomb nowhere in sight. Laura and Janine know more about Cherry Bomb from the labs, oh boy, this trip is already off to a rocky start. Morgana, no calling Laura Willy Wonka, too soon. Emergency spell cards, Laura and Morgana with extra precautions, after the last trip to town I would hope any Whateley student would be prepared for trouble.

Cherry Bomb calling Janine that nickname because of her real last name and her codename, eesh. Bianca, admit your feelings for Janine, you are annoyed at the teasing of her because of those feelings you've kept hidden even from yourself.

Sunday morning, Oct 23rd, 2016

Crysis, once the staff learns of your information someone who wishes a classmate dead of her leaving the campus you are toast.

Sunday morning, Oct 23rd, 2016

Back to the Spy Kids and Perfume is tracking a scent now, and now she is tracking Bianca's scent, crud. End up at a wall with nothing else, but Carrie brings up the point Bianca might have used a spell, darn it, the newbie is smarter than the older members to bring that up so quickly. An amulet like that without testing it, Perfume is playing with fire not knowing the extent of a magical item's capabilities she intends to use.

Double crud, it works and they found the door. Carrie, don't mess with magic when you don't know what you are doing. And now we see how ingenious the 2nd metal door with the keypad trap is, Mister Blank rushes right in without thinking to check for more traps or misdirects.

Bus to Berlin, Sunday morning, Oct 23rd, 2016

Morgana's reaction to finding out Bianca booby-trapped the door to her lab, priceless.

Morgana gave Janine a curious look. “I understand why Bianca doesn’t like Shades, but what have you got against him?”

Janine blushed brightly before stammering out, “He’s just a jerk is all…”

Definitely jealousy, Janine has it bad for Bianca. Used-car salesman, that is the vibe I get off Shades too.

“Okay, girls,” Cherry told us. “Whateley students have a long and proud tradition of getting into trouble in Berlin…”

“I think you’re supposed to discourage the trouble part,” Laura pointed out.

“Fine,” Cherry responded with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. “Behave. Don’t get in trouble. Yada yada yada…”

“Why do I have the feeling that we’re gonna have to keep HER out of trouble?” I asked.

Yes, you most likely will, Bianca. And I like Cherry, she's silly.

“But seriously,” Cherry said, her expression turning serious. “You all know the drill. Keep a low profile. Stay fairly close together…and that means fairly close to me. And if there is some kind of trouble, get out of the area fast. Don’t play hero or anything like that. I don’t know about Mazarin, but Carson really hated it when students showed off in public…and especially if they tried playing hero.”

After 4 years of Team Kimba and their friends, associates, etc. I bet Carson almost decided to take a vacation for a few years.

Berlin NH, Sunday late morning, Oct 23rd, 2016

Miller has spotted Bianca, Hardcore is running the operation, and his second in command is Martin Gills.

“True,” Hardcore agreed. “But our client specifically wanted a show. It has to look like she was caught in a random robbery and killed in the crossfire. They were pretty clear that it can’t look like she was the intended target.”

Hired assassins, Scorn is too cowardly to send even his own men to take out Bianca. No one better die or these creeps are all toast, as is Scorn, Crysis, Crysis's dad, and everyone else involved in this attack.

Berlin NH, Sunday early afternoon, Oct 23rd, 2016

Buying all those clothes for Janine.

“Um…,” I stammered, feeling her body pressed against mine. I could feel her breasts pressing against me, which made my whole body flush with nervous excitement. “You’re… You’re welcome…”

I was blushing brightly, or at least, I would be if my skin didn’t stay the same white color. Between that and the makeup I was wearing to hide my real skin color, there was no way anyone could see my blush. Thankfully.

Tell Janine you like her as more than a friend already! Just thank yous, these two are so cute and naive. Morgana wanting to go to Seattle, how much of a caffeine buzz will she have after a day there?

Crud, Bianca is all alone right now, this is very bad. Bianca has the right idea, jackets have so many uses for superheroes. Oh good, Morgana is back and has coffee, so Bianca is no longer alone. And back to being alone in the store, Morgana just outside but those few moments could be life or death right now.

It was a women’s overcoat in a sort of trench coat style, and it was all white. It was nearly the same color as my skin and hair, which is why I’d noticed it.

Ooo, like a white version of Carmen Sandiago's famous red trenchcoat.

Dominos and more toys for Janine to set up, nice. A costume like this and they are doing a daylight attack on her, but trying to make it look like a random robbery, these mercs don't seem that smart anymore imo. Two vans of guys all in the same costume, wielding energy weapons, and other weapons, and they think this looks like a random robbery. Even in the Whateley Academy Universe, this seems so out there I don't think anyone would believe it is a random robbery if someone is killed.

“I AM HARDCORE,” the armored figure announced as he came closer. “ALL WE WANT IS THE JEWELRY STORE. IF ANYONE CAUSES TROUBLE OR GETS IN OUR WAY, THEY DIE. STAY EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE AND DON’T CROSS US, AND YOU’LL LIVE.”

Ugh, this is the stupidest plan ever. Cherry Bomb coming through with remotely detonated smoke bomb, very handy. What kind of jewelry robbers use energy weapons that powerful, Hardcore didn't think this all the way through. Cherry setting off an actual explosion and they've lost sight of Laura and Morgana.

Janine leaned over to me and whispered, “I think she scares me even more than those guys do…”

“Yeah,” I agreed, giving Cherry a worried look. “Me too.”

Please say Cherry is in counseling to help her learn to control her love of blowing things up.

Whateley Academy, Sunday early afternoon, Oct 23rd, 2016

Carrie at the Spy Cadets HQ and starting at the fake security keypad they fell for, idiot actually took it, that is evidence against them of attempted breaking and entering. Mister Blank thought his danger sense was warning him about what was on the other side of the door, second-guessing his own sense, sigh.

Mister Blank nodded agreement. “You’ve got that right.” Then he shook his head. “I didn’t think her security would be rubbish, but she’s a mage… I never thought she’d even consider a decoy keypad…”

“Or a technology-based trap,” Miss Violet added with her own nod.

For all their spying on her they never thought to think about what her friends are capable of, that is a poor use of intelligence gathering. Flipside's reality-warping powers can do that, but aren't predictable even to her, sounds like early Scarlet Witch with her Hex power. *eyes bug out* Keep her powers away from magic at all cost.

Carrie just frowned, then cautiously asked, “Isn’t this breaking and entering?”

“What was that?” Perfume asked her.

Several sets of eyes immediately settled on Carrie, which always made her self-conscious and uncomfortable. She was usually able to ignore that feeling whenever she was focused on doing one of her routines, something that she’d practiced doing countless times. However, this was not such an occasion.

“Um,” Carrie squeaked out. “We’re talking about breaking into Glyph’s lab…and we don’t have any kind of warrant. Isn’t that kind of illegal?”

Mister Blank let out a loud snort while Miss Violet responded, almost as though offended by thee question, “This is completely different.”

“Isn’t it always?” Flipside mused.

“We’re the good guys,” Mister Blank blurted out. “She’s the bad guy. It’s as simple as that…”

Mister Blank is an idiot, even police have to follow procedure or evidence is thrown out for being inadmissible.

“At the moment,” Perfume explained, “we are on school property. And Glyph’s hideout isn’t like her dorm room or gym locker. The school didn’t give her that hideout and never gave her permission to claim the space. What she did is really no different than going into some random closet in Schuster and declaring herself the new owner. We have every bit as much legal right to access that space as she does.”

“Exactly,” Miss Violet added with a smirk.

“Then by that reasoning,” Carrie pointed out, just because Miss Violet’s smug attitude annoyed her, “then doesn’t Glyph have just as much right to come in HERE?”

Perfumed smiled faintly at that, Flipside burst out laughing, and Mister Blank gaped at her in disbelief. Miss Violate glared at Carrie and exclaimed, “That entirely different…”

And once again Carrie is actually being the voice of reason and they aren't listening, thinking in terms of good and bad, ignoring the actual laws involved.

Berlin NH, Sunday early afternoon, Oct 23rd, 2016

Well, the smoke worked and Bianca is escaping from Hardcore and his goons at least for now. Make some examples, kill her companions, Scorn and his minions are going to have the hammer of Whateley fall on them for this. And he murdered a man in cold blood, Hardcore needs to be crippled for life or ended now!

Berlin NH, Sunday early afternoon, Oct 23rd, 2016

Janine out of breath, Bianca scared as they lost Laura and Morgana most likely at the last turn, I hope they can find each other and no one else dies today except maybe Hardcore and his men. Janine stops Bianca from going back for them, determined to do it herself, saying they will meet up back at the bus. But trouble has followed them. One of the goons opens fire, has the accuracy of a rookie,

A red hot cheery bomb and the guy throws it back at Cherry, she catches and throws it back, this time setting it off in front of him, I love remotely detonated bombs.

Cherry shook her head. “You two need to get to the bus…” I was about to protest again, but she ordered, “RUN! Run like Wondercute is coming to give you a makeover…”

Ack! The new Wondercute is bad as the old one about that, huh. Janine and Bianca heading to the bus while Cherry goes back for Morgana and Laura.

Lost shopping bags and worried for their friends, this is the worst Whateley shopping trip in a while. Yikes, Janine saves Bianca from being blasted by two of Hardcore's goons, so many close calls. Using a car for cover and only a matter of time before the goons hit the gas tank, oh boy.

Then I realized that my eyes were closed and I was shaking. I forced my eyes open and took a deep breath, reminding myself that this would only get me killed. I wasn’t going to allow that kind of thing to happen again. I wasn’t going to just sit there and watch as people I cared about were murdered… NEVER AGAIN!

I glanced at Janine, who was staring at me as though I could save her. “Never again,” I repeated aloud.

I would be running right now if I were these goons. Darn, nice use of the air power but 1-hour recharge sucks in this kind of situation. 52 pick-up with a bunch of magic-infused spell cards, this is going to be spectacular to see. Magical minefield, those two are going to be in the hospital for the while if they make it out alive.

Rats, the other goon is smart. One pouch for minefield cards, another with a variety of useful spells, very smart. Look here card on the car, and the effect on the goon is awesome, idiot walks right into the mine cards. Bianca finally realizes this whole thing is a cover for a hit on her, now she knows what she is truly dealing with. If any of the boys at Whateley could see what Janine just did to that man they would never pick on her again.

Her earth power can do that, Bianca is a lot more powerful than she realizes. As long as they keep hearing explosions they know Cherry is okay and will get Morgana and Laura back. Guy shows up, Janine explains what happens, he seems to believe it, and Bianca grabs Janine's hand to pull her gently back towards the bus before any more witnesses show up. This has become a huge mess, Scorn should have known better than to try and pull a hit-off in Berlin.

Berlin NH, Sunday early afternoon, Oct 23rd, 2016

Petty destruction just because his mission isn't going as planned, a hothead and unprofessional. The first rule of engagement, expect the unexpected. Hardcore failed to anticipate mutant powers and advanced tech the target and her allies might have.

Berlin NH, Sunday early afternoon, Oct 23rd, 2016

Concerned and wishing to find Morgana and Laura, yet Cherry still wishes she could have brought some of her new inventions to test out in real-world conditions, oh brother.

“I keep telling them that they should let students come fully geared out whenever we go shopping, but NOOOOO…” She mused with a roll of her eyes. “It would make things SOOOOO much easier when these situations pop up…”

She has a point, these situations happen too often to Whateley students, they should get them licensed to carry their gear on any trips off campus already.

Out of bombs and only her secret weapon left, just how many bombs did Cherry have on her? Cherry thinking about the reasons she might have enemies after her, along with everyone else on the trip and those after them.

Cherry knew a little bit about what Bianca had gone through…and who she’d been before she inherited the title of the White Lady, and she felt sorry for the girl. It wasn’t Bianca’s fault that the world took a dump on her old life, and she was just trying to get by. This was why Cherry had been running interference for Chalk Girl on the sly, keeping the other Capes from messing with her.

Glad to see someone in the Capes in the new generation with a real sense of what is right and wrong, not just black and white.

Hardcore walking down the street and still doing random destruction, Scorn is going to punish him even if he escapes and gets out of this intact.

“Hello daddy, hello mom,” Cherry loudly sang, “I’m your ch-ch-ch-CHERRY BOMB!”

With those words, Cherry dropped the F bomb, tossing it at Hardcore. At this range, she couldn’t miss…and she didn’t. The bomb hit him in the chest and exploded in a massive ball of fire.

Bwahahaha, she is nuts and I love it. But..but...how!?! Hardcore is a mutant and very tough, but how did the napalm-like gel go out like that? Energy suppression field in his armor, darn it!

At least after unleashing a lot of firepower Hardcore is walking away, just how did he get his hands on gear like this? Heading after Bianca and leaping like that, is that another feature of the armor, good grief, that think is kitted out. Now she has to go help out Bianca and Janine, I just hope Hardcore doesn't reach the bus.

Berlin NH, Sunday early afternoon, Oct 23rd, 2016

Crud, Hardcore already caught up to Bianca and Janine, this is extremely bad. Chasing them and saying this is nothing personal, Hardcore, your acting is horrible. Crud, a spell to rust things and wasted on a car instead of Hardcore's power armor. Fight dirty, good teacher. Her built-in fire spell, please let it at least distract him long enough for the others to arrive. And of course, it didn't work, energy suppression field designed to deal with fire and/or heat.

Seeming out of options and against an opponent designed to deal with her, please let Morgana show up soon and go dragon mode on him. Hardcore's energy weaker than the last, hhm, seems his armor systems share a power supply including the energy suppression field, I wonder how much power it has left. Either running out of power or Janine is right and his armor's blaster is broken.

Spell cards with that much power and Hardcore only stagger back a couple of steps, unless backup shows up soon, things are looking dire. Janine distraction to the rescue, refusing to leave Bianca, after all this I want these two together. Morgana in dragon form and Laura show up, yay, the calvary has arrived. Hardcore launching at Bianca, dropping all her spell cards but one, please let it be the 2nd rust spell card. He is trying to crush her to death, and she has a silence spell card, arrggh.

Hardcore wasn't even told the true identity of his target, Scorn is going to pay for this one. Hardcore is still doing the horrible acting, trying to make them think this is nothing personal, moron.

“Nothing personal,” I spat out bitterly. “The Messenger said the exact same thing before he slaughtered my family…”

“The Messenger?” Hardcore asked in his quieter voice. His voice was modulated through the armor, but he still sounded surprised.

“He said that when he tried to kill me,” I continued in a cold even voice. “But I killed him first… Then I had his head cut off and sent to the person who’d hired him…”

There was a moment of silence before Hardcore responded, “The Messenger was killed by…” Then he went silent again.

Hardcore now knows who he is dealing with.

Using his distraction she used a red crayon to draw a symbol in his chest, the rust spell from how his armor broke where she kicked it. Oh, fragile spell, now that is much more useful. And Morgana breaks the rest of the armor with a powerful punch, a 2nd punch and it is finished and so is Hardcore. So little of the armor is left I doubt it can be rebuilt. There goes the rest of the armor as Hardcore breaks out of it, and right as he goes for a gun Laura KOs him with her neural neutralizer.

Suddenly, Janine threw her arms around me, making me wince in pain from my tender ribs. “You made it,” she exclaimed, hugging me tighter. “I was so worried…”

“Me too,” I admitted awkwardly.

“I was afraid you were going to die,” she cried out, still not letting go of me. “And I never even got to…”

When Janine abruptly cut off, I asked, “What?”

Janine was still hugging me tightly, though thankfully, no longer around my tender ribs. She was also blushing brightly as she pulled back and looked into my eyes. Then, without warning, she leaned in and surprised me with a quick kiss on my lips. It was just a quick peck, but I gaped at that…and the implications.

Woohoo, go, Janine.

“And I for one am glad you’re not,” Morgana told me. “I’d hate to have to break in a new roommate…”

“Nobody else would put up with you,” I respond with a faint smile.

We are all glad no one else died, besides that poor bystander.

He chuckled at that, looking amused. “Oh, I’m quite familiar with the school…” He looked over at Cherry and added, “I see that you’re just as bad at staying out of trouble as ever.”

Cherry shrugged, not looking the least bit ashamed of herself. “I tried.”

“I’m sure you did,” he responded wryly.

That man from before knows about Whateley and has dealt with Cherry before, no wonder he believed the girls earlier. Bwahaha, Ryan Chambers aka Superhawk, most likely husband of Imp and Karma's father, though not confirmed yet, no wonder he is used to Whateley and superhero craziness.

Rats, no going back for the lost shopping bags as the police are finally showing up. Back to Whateley for paperwork, lectures, and Cherry is most likely right about a lot of detention. No good deed or simply fighting to survive unpunished.