The Thorn Among the Roses

Convince the local Heroes that you are one of them.

Reward: +1 Skill Upgrade point per Heroically aligned person who recognizes you as an ally!

Accept? Refuse?

That one was . . . well, it would serve as a way to tell how well she was blending in with the Heroes she was to meet. No push to Scoundrel, but none toward Villain, either.

“Hey, Big Sister Emily?”

Emily looked over to Athena. The owl girl was wrapped up in a pile of blankets, something that she and Teddy both seemed to enjoy doing. “Yes?” Emily asked.

“Is there anything you need me to do while you head out with Teddy?”

Emily shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. You can just, uh, stay here, if that’s what you want.”

Athena pouted, but only for a moment before wiping the expression away. “But I want to help,” Athena said.

Moving close, Emily dropped to her knees next to Athena, then hesitantly placed a hand on the girl’s head. “Thanks,” she said. “But I think Teddy and I can handle this bit. You can do your own thing.”

Emily imagined that the girl would appreciate a day off, all on her own.

“I’ll leave my laptop here, and . . . well, we don’t have that many books. We can pick some up next time we head out.”

Athena nodded. “All right, Big Sister Emily, I’ll do my own thing. I won’t let you down.”

That was a rather strange way of putting it, but Emily could live with it. Her sisters seemed to have a few bizarre idiosyncrasies at times. Athena with her odd determination to seem smart and mature and Teddy with . . . Teddy could probably serve as the basis for a psychiatric thesis, actually. She had a lot going on in that bear head of hers.

“I’m superready!” Teddy said as she posed in her hoodie.

Emily cracked a grin, then stifled it before she could offend Teddy. “Good! I’m just going to get my pack, and put my shoes on . . . and then retie yours, and then we’re off.”

“You can’t even tie your shoes?” Athena asked as she poked her head out to look at the messy knots holding Teddy’s boots on.

“I can! Knots count as tying!”

Emily shook her head and dropped before Teddy. She tapped her lap so the girl put a foot onto it. “Before we go,” she said as she started to pick away at the knot, “you have a Skill Slot to spend, right?”

“Yeah, I’ve got two,” Teddy said. “Should I use them to get stronger?”

Emily nodded. “Sure. Better now than later. But, ah, maybe just use one, to see what we get? We can save the other for later.”

“Cool!” Teddy said. She stared off into space, then grinned huge. “Oh, cool! My new skill is the best!”