The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

I grumbled softly to myself as I approached the building. Frankly, I was a bit nervous. This... wasn’t my kind of gig. Not at all. In fact, my PR agent had pretty much forced me into it. And, given the fact that my MOM was my agent, it’s not as if I could really say no. sigh Ah yes, the perils of working with family.

Taking a small compact from my pocket, I glanced at myself in the mirror, giving myself the once over. Long dark brown hair perfectly styled and combed, check. Light olive complexion skin flawless and blemish-free, check. Hazel grey eyes clear and not even slightly red, despite staying out and partying last night—thank you, Clear Eyes eyedrops, you are a lifesaver—check! Sexy, toned, and all together HAWT body clad in a skintight, form-fitting navy blue and white costume that had all the boys raving over? Check, check, and triple-check! I couldn’t help but grin at that. Whoever this guy was that requested this personal meet and greet, I didn’t doubt I’d have him eating out of the palm of my hands.

Still... all things considered, I’d rather be hanging out with my friends. It was summertime, and most of the kids in my class had left to go on vacation. Before I’d started doing the whole hero thing, I used to vacay with my friends Beverly, Shana, and Krystal in Acapulco, or Venezuela. I heard they say earlier that they’d planned to spend the summer in Vanuatu. Which really burned—I totally LOVED Champagne Beach! But, of course, my mom nixed that idea, saying that I needed to stay in River City and work on improving my standing and public relations and all that.

Hmph. As if I couldn’t have improved my rep with a few dozen pictures of me in a string bikini on those perfect white sandy shores!

Sighing heavily, I slipped my navy blue domino mask over my face, exited and locked my car, then, summoning my powers, lifted off, floating the few yards across the street over to the building for this meeting. Naturally, I could have simply flown here from home, but all that wind tended to turn my hair into an unkept mess. This way, I swooped in from the air, maintaining my superhero demeanor, and still managed to look fabulous upon arrival.

As expected, a team of reporters and several members of the press were onsite, snapping pictures and yelling to get my attention the moment I touched down. I had to fight to hide my smile at that. Mom was pretty damn good at her job; I suppose being the head of a successful Ad Agency really came in handy when managing your daughter’s career. Keeping a stoic expression, I let the throng of excited paparazzi settle in for a few seconds before I acknowledged them. Sighing softly, I nodded to the frontmost reporter, Samantha Thomas, someone I’d talked to before.

“Yes, Ms. Thomas?” I said in a weary tone as if speaking to the press was a bother and NOT something I’d planned and practiced for earlier this morning.

“Dynami! Thank you, Samantha Thomas, from the River City Gazette,” she stated, again, as if I didn’t remember who she was. “Is it true that you’re here to visit Mr. and Mrs. Green’s young son, Robin?”

I simply nodded. “Yes. that’s true. I received a fan letter from young Robin saying that he was sick, but that he’d feel a lot better if I came to visit him.” That much was true enough. The kid’s folks sent his letter to my mom, who of course, just jumped at the idea of me visiting some kid in the hospital. Personally, I hoped the nurses inside had a facemask ready and plenty of hand sanitizer standing by. I wasn’t about to catch some whacked-out disease from some snot-nosed little brat! I answered a few softball questions and was just about to head inside when a new face spoke up.

“Excuse me! Excuse me!” a brunette with glasses burst in. “Maddie Taylor, River City Truth! Tell me, Dynami, is it true that you’re only here as part of a publicity stunt?” she asked, causing me to freeze. “That after your very embarrassing and humiliating defeat facing off with a certain cat-themed villain, your press agent arranged this whole thing to try and improve your reputation?”

I bristled at the accusation, despite it being completely true, but, as trained, forced my outward expression calm. “Miss... Taylor was it?” I replied back, a slow smile creasing my lips. “I don’t know where you get your information, but I assure you, this isn’t some publicity stunt. I received a letter from a sick child that happens to be a fan, and that’s why I’m here. That’s all.”

“I see. And the rumor that it was your agent that contacted the different media outlets with an ‘anonymous tip’ to get us all out here?” the reporter pressed.

I scowled at that. “Excuse me, Ms. Taylor,” I replied, still polite for the moment, “but you just said it was an ‘anonymous’ tip. Pardon me for my high school level English skills, but I believe anonymous means that the person is unknown. Which means you’re just making assumptions.” I smirked at her expression. “I know something about your little publication, Ms. Taylor, and wild assumptions seem to be your M.O. Let’s see... wasn’t it your star reporter, one Motorcycle Maid, that was recently fired? One of her wild assumptions ended up being proven wrong, and the poor dear had a bit of a mental breakdown, didn’t she?” Maddie’s expression darkened. “As I recall, she was found drunk, walking around in the middle of the street in her underwear, singing ‘I’m a Little Teapot’ wasn’t she?” Several other people chuckled aloud at that.

“Actually, Motorcycle Maid wasn’t fired,” she replied back stiffly, “she was put on medical leave. The woman... had a bit of a drinking problem, that’s all. Shameful, yes, but we all have our vices.” She shrugged. “After a bit of time to recover, she’ll be back reporting the news again. Rest assured.”

“Yes, yes,” I replied dismissively, heading to the hospital entrance. “I’m sure we’ll all sleep better at night with that news.” Grinning to myself, I stepped inside, leaving the gossip mongers to their own agendas. It wasn’t exactly ‘heroic’ to turn the tables on the hapless woman that way, dishing out a bit of her own dirt back at her, but it certainly did feel good. The River City Truth’s owner, Betsy.... something of the other... she was something of a shameless hack, more interested in ratings than actually reporting the actual truth. She’d slandered a good many of the city’s heroes, most of whom merely ignored her, too busy doing their jobs to retaliate. It felt really satisfying to pay her back just a tiny bit.

Pushing that aside, I put on my game face, schooling my expression as I made my way down the hallways. Technically, I’d already fulfilled my PR duties just by showing up. Still, I wanted to give a good showing. This kid actually WAS one of my fans. And... to be honest, I wasn’t exactly swimming in fan mail. Even if he was some creepy little disease-ridden brat, I needed to at least give a good impression. I figured I’d sit and talk with him a few minutes, sign an autograph or two, then snap a quick pic of me shaking the kid’s hand, and consider the matter closed. I sighed softly at the thought of the handshake though... I’d likely have to burn these gloves once I left this place.

“Oh, wow! Dynami!” a tall thin sandy-haired man called out to me as I approached the hospital room. My face automatically morphed into a friendly welcoming smile. “I’m so very glad you made it,” he continued, taking my hand and shaking it vigorously. “I’m Daniel Green, Robin’s father. It’s truly a pleasure and an honor to meet you!”

My smile became a bit more genuine at the praise. “Of course, Mr. Green,” I replied nodding. “It’s the least I can do for one of my fans. How is young Robert doing?”

“Er, it’s Robin,” he corrected me, “and he’s fine, just resting. You can go right in. I know he’s very excited to meet you.”

“Oh, yeah, great,” I replied still keeping the smile in place. “So, uh... do I get a mask or something?” I asked, glancing around. Mr. Green blinked, frowning slightly.

“Uh, no,” he answered succinctly. “My son has a tumor. There’s no need for a face mask. It’s not as if he’s contagious or anything. Didn’t you read his letter?” he asked, scowling.

“O-oh! Yeah, right, a tumor,” I replied, laughing softly. “Of course, I just forgot for a second,” I bluffed. “You know, so many fan letters, it took me a minute to remember which one was from your son. It’s all good.”

Daniel Green merely sighed and nodded. To be honest, he’d had his doubts about this so-called heroine from the beginning. Her reputation was far from stellar, coming across as little more than a self-centered, airheaded, bimbo with super powers. Her track record in taking down anything more than common criminals and bank robbers was pathetic, mostly because her penchant for trying to arrange high-profile victories when the media was around and perform for the camera had allowed her opponents to escape, or worse, turn the tables on her. In fact, her last humiliating defeat by a certain cat-themed cat burglar had ended with the would-be heroine hypnotized and strolling around naked aside from a pair of panties, in front of an astonished audience of onlookers.

Definitely not the kind of role model he wanted for his six-year-old son. Nevertheless, the boy absolutely idolized the girl. And he would move heaven and earth to make his son happy.

“All right. You can go right in,” Daniel stated, gesturing to the door. “I’ll be right outside the door. If you need anything or have any problems just let me know. And, well, it’s probably nothing to worry about, but if Robin starts feeling sick or anything, just use the nurse call button beside the bed.”

I kind of went pale at that. “Hey... he’s, um... there’s no reason to think that’s going to happen, right? He’s not going to suddenly keel over on me, is he?”

But Daniel shook his head. “No, no. He’s doing okay for the moment. Knowing that you were going to visit really lifted his spirits. I’m sure everything will be just fine.”

Nodding, I took a steadying breath and opened the door, stepping inside. I... wasn’t really sure what I was expecting. I mean, the kid was sick, locked up in the hospital, after having some kind of operation. I expected a white antiseptic nursery, with machines beeping, lots of wires, IVs, and the thick smell of rubbing alcohol. Instead... it looked more like a typical kid’s room! Yeah, there were a couple of monitors hooked up against the wall near the bed. But the room has tons of posters, and pictures, brightly colored curtains, and stuffed animals and toys abound.

The kid in question... er... Rob? Ricky? No, dammit... Robin, yeah, that was it... Robin sat on the edge of his hospital bed, clutching a game controller, focused entirely on the large flat screen TV in front of him. A vaguely recognized Link from the Legend of Zelda, fighting a pretty hot looking blonde in a skin-tight periwinkle blue suit with a wicked-looking blaster gun. As I stood watching, Link performed some complex leaping spinning slash thing, sending the hapless blonde flying off the screen with a gigantic explosion. “GAME!” the off-screen announcer replied, as the fight apparently ended, with Robin’s character winning a decisive victory.

It was only then that he glanced over at me. His eyes widened as I put on my game face again. “Hey there,” I said, greeting him. “You must be Ri... Robin,” I amended. “I received your fan latter, so here I am!”

Surprisingly, the kid just frowned, staring up at me. “Are you REALLY her? The REAL Dynami?”

“Uh, yeah, of course,” I said, planting my hand on my hips. “Who else would I be?”

“You might be a fake,” he answered, crossing his arms. “My mom might have hired you to come and visit me. My folks think just ’cause I’m a kid, that I can’t tell the difference. Last year, I asked my mom if she could get Dynami to come to my birthday, and she said she would take care of it. Well, the person that showed up was a total fake! She was wearing a wig, and her costume wasn’t even right.” He paused, considering. “Your costume looks really good... but you didn’t do the Thing when you came in.”

I blinked. “Th... the ‘Thing’? What thing are you talking about?”

“You know... the Thing!” he replied confusing me even more. He sighed dramatically. “You know! The REAL Dynami always does the same thing whenever she makes an entrance. She always announces herself to her enemies when she faces them!” He peered up at me expectantly. “If you really ARE Dynami, then you HAVE to do the Thing!” he announced.

Well, I now knew what he was talking about. I just wasn’t looking forward to doing it. Not that it was difficult or anything, just... really embarrassing. Have you ever come up with something new and original, something you thought was really cool, but later figured out it was actually really lame and wished you’d never even imagined it? That’s what this was. sigh I wondered if other Supers had these kinds of issues. I mean, Luminaire came up with that cheesy tagline, calling herself ‘The Light of Justice’ back when she first started out. I had to think she kind of regrets it nowadays. I mean, I heard from a reliable source that the first time she announced herself that way, the criminals literally laughed themselves into getting captured, not because of anything she actually did to them. Now THAT had to really sting.

Still, considering my audience, and the fact that I was pretty much contracted into this meeting, I swallowed my pride and did my ‘trademarked’ intro. Closing my eyes, I channeled my powers, and lifted off the ground, hovering a few inches off the floor. Spinning around, I threw up my hands, then landed, twirling on one foot before landing with a flourish and doing a two-fingered Sailor Moon-type salute. “Beware, criminals,” I said in a cheery, peppy voice, “Dynami is in the house!”

“YEAAAAHHH!! You did it!” Robin yelled, cheering loudly, clapping his hands. “You really ARE Dynami! The REAL Dynami!” he said, staring up at me in awe. I have to admit... it was actually kind of refreshing. I mean, yeah, I have tons of admirers. Or, well, tons of followers on social media, anyway. But most of them are just because of my body. I’m hot, and my costume shows off my appeal.

But this kid... he liked me, as a heroine. It was... kind of strange. Nice... but weird.

“Oh, man! I can’t believe you really came here to visit me,” he said, still gushing as I approached his bed. “You’re my most favorite hero in the entire world! You’re amazing!”

I chuckled at that, blushing slightly. “Thanks, kiddo. That’s really nice to hear. I’m... actually kind of curious. Why am I your favorite? There are a lot of heroes here in River City,” I pointed out. “What made you choose me?”

In response, he sat back on the bed, and reached for his bedside dresser, pulling out a thick binder from the top drawer. “Are you kidding me? You’re awesome,” he replied, grinning. “Here, see?” he answered, offering me the book. “I’ve been collecting articles and stuff about you since you first came out as a hero. My mom helped me scrapbook it all.”

“A scrapbook? Of... me?” I said, taken aback. Curious, I opened the book, then blinked in surprise, staring at a collection of pictures and news articles about me, all arranged and placed with apparent care and concern. “Whoa... I... I don’t know what to say,” I murmured softly as I flipped through page after page. True, I hadn’t actually been doing the hero thing for very long, only about three years now, give or take. And, well... honestly, my track record wasn’t exactly the best. But this kid was really a fan, dedicated enough to take the time to follow all of my adventures these few years.

“Oh! That was a good one!” Robin said suddenly, pointing to the article and picture I was currently showing. I glanced down, then reddened in embarrassment. That one... uuhhh. Not one of my better days. I’d gone up against a major villain, Voltaire, a meta with electrical powers. I have electrical powers too, with the added benefit of being able to fly and having super strength. I figured, yeah, easy win! Instead, I ended up getting my ass handed to me in a bad way. Voltaire might have JUST had her electricity, but she was a fucking virtuoso with them, using them in ways I could have never imagined. In the end, I got beaten, and she escaped with the haul of diamonds she’d broken in to steal in the first place.

“That was a really big deal,” Robin pointed out, oblivious to my embarrassment. “The first time you faced off against Voltaire. What was that like?” he asked, all innocent and nieve. “She has electricity like you. What was it like fighting someone that could do what you could do?”

“It was... an interesting experience,” I grumbled, flipping the page. “Let’s continue down the list... oohhhhh...” I groaned softly, seeing the next one as well. Well... fuck. My battle against Somnulence, that damned tuxedo-wearing nutjob with the hypnotic pocket watch. Now THAT was embarrassing. “You know what, let’s just skip that one as well,” I added, flipping the page again before he could comment. My expression continued to darken, however, as each article seemed to focus on all of my defeats, each one reminding me of things that I much preferred to forget about.

“Uh, Dynami? You’re skipping past all the good stuff,” he complained after a moment.

Irritated, I closed the book, handing it back to him. “Good stuff?” I said, scowling down at him. “What good stuff? All of the articles and pictures in your little scrapbook were all of my most embarrassing defeats!” I complained. “Was that the point? Was this all some little scheme you hatched, to bring me here just to point out all the times I screwed up? Was that it? You just wanted to make yourself feel better by laughing at me?”

Robin’s eyes widened in shock. “What? NO! No, way! That’s not it at all!” he protested. “All of your adventures are awesome! You helped so many people!” He stared up at me, frowning as he saw my confused expression. “You... you really think that is why I collected all of these?” he asked, his lip trembling. “To... make fun of you?”

I felt slightly bad seeing his expression, but I was still kind of pissed. “Well, then kiddo, why don’t you explain it to me then,” I said, handing him back the book. “You tell me what you think is so great about all of these incidents. Why do you think my FAILING and getting BEATEN is such a good thing!”

Quietly, the young boy shook his head. “But, I don’t see these things that way at all,” he said softly. He opened the book again back at that incident where I lost to Voltaire. “This one? You saved that security guard,” he said, pointing out a small line in the article that I’d kind of glanced past. “Her name was Ms. Helen Schmidt. She was one of the night guards at the diamond exchange. When Voltaire attacked, she got scared and ran into her office. During the fight, the office exploded, and she nearly got buried under the debris and junk... but you pulled her free and told her to get out and leave the fighting to you.”

I blinked in surprise. I did recall that, actually, though, at the time, I’d been more annoyed by her presence, feeling that she was just in the way. I’d told her that in a derogatory tone, insulting her really... but from the article, she apparently took it in a different light.

“And this one,” he continued, pointing to the story with Somnolence. “That guy dressed up like a magician or something? He had hypnotized a bunch of people and was gonna make them do a lot of bad stuff and get into trouble. But you appeared and challenged him. You woke them out of their trances, and let them escape while you fought him yourself.” He shrugged. “Yeah, he hypnotized YOU too, but you saved all those other people. You kept them from being used to do crimes and stuff.”

Huh. I... hadn’t even considered that aspect. Honestly, I hadn’t even tried to free those other people. I’d just seen the villain as an easy target and jumped in with my usual fanfare. Waking everyone up and making them scatter hadn’t even been an afterthought, it was merely a byproduct of our fight.

One by one, he pointed out all the little things I’d done in each instance, all the people that I’d accidentally saved, or rescued, all of the little small insignificant good deeds I’d simply overlooked in the face of the ‘bigger picture’ of taking down the bad guys. Like the time Steelskin had sucker punched me, slamming me into a tree, and knocked a cat that was stuck in it safely back down to the ground. Even in the few ‘wins’ I’d managed, I had actually done more in helping people after the fact than actually stopping the criminals. I was... honestly kind of stunned.

My whole outlook had been about stopping bad guys, fighting fearsome enemies and beating them down... showing my superiority, and looking good while doing it. Most of the time, I’d failed that, abysmally, which had only made me feel frustrated and a bit jaded. But this kid... he was showing me that I’d been making more of an impact than I thought, even if the good acts had been unintended.

He paused at the last page, sighing heavily, which got my attention. “Hey, what’s wrong, kiddo?” I asked concerned. “Are you tired or something? Do you need to take a break, or...” I stiffened. “Wait... do I need to call the nurse?” I asked, glancing around for the red call button. But Robin just shook his head.

“Nah, I’m fine. A little tired, but that’s okay.” He sighed again. “I was just thinking about this last one. It was the first article I ever collected,” he said, turning the page. “Your first time showing up as Dynami,” he said with a soft smile. Peering down, I winced, then laughed, shaking my head ruefully.

“O. M. G. oh, man, I remember that,” I said, blushing deeply. “That costume... ugh!” I said, wincing. My debut. I’d wanted something flashy, something that would stand out, so I’d gone with a bright neon yellow full-body suit with deep navy blue accents. Basically the exact OPPOSITE color scheme I now sported... for obvious reasons. Neon glowing yellow is good for attracting attention, but it’s not exactly helpful when your costume is so bright you can’t stare directly at it! Glancing past the picture, I focused on the article itself. “Oh... right. The landslide on the Northside Ridge area,” I murmured, nodding to myself. “I remember that. There was a traffic accident due to a rock slide, and a school bus got hit and nearly went over the side. A bunch of us heroes were on the scene, but no one noticed the bus about to go over the edge. I sprinted over and grabbed the bumper, and pulled it back onto solid ground.”

“Yeah,” Robin nodded, grinning. “I remember. That was MY bus.”

I blinked. “Wait... what? You... you were on that school bus?” I asked, in disbelief.

“Yeah. Jack and Freddy and I were all in the back seat, and we had a real good view. I saw when you flew over and grabbed the back of the bus and pulled us back to safety.” He smiled then. “You saved us all. If you hadn’t done that, we woulda all fallen over that cliff and died. I told my mom and dad all about it when I got back home that day, and I asked all about the woman who saved us.” He frowned slightly. “The news didn’t say much, it mentioned a bunch of people that had been on the scene and helping everyone, but they didn’t mention you. I was mad.”

“Yeah,” I said softly, ruffling the kid’s hair gently. “You and me both.”

That incident really started it all for me. It was my first time going out and using my powers as a hero. It was the first time I’d ever saved someone, anyone, really. It was also the first time I was pretty much ignored by the press. Yeah, there were plenty of big-name heroes on the scene, like Spice Girl and Omega Girl, and Ultra Girl... a lot of freaking OLD WOMEN going around in costume calling themselves GIRL. But there had been no mention of a newcomer, a brave, bold, young rookie in a yellow banana suit, saving a bunch of kids in a school bus.

I’d been crushed. Upset. I mean, even the kids on the bus were all too traumatized or scared or anything to thank me. The EMTs simply rushed them all away to get checked out, and I, the hero, was all but forgotten. My mom had pulled me aside and told me that the problem was that I needed to stand out more. That if I wanted to be taken seriously, if I wanted to make a name for myself, I needed to ‘play the game’. I needed to work the media the way the others did, and get recognized. THEN people would respect me. THEN people would recognize me... and shower me with thanks.

Things had... well, pretty much spiraled on from there. Three years later, I was well known alright, but more as a joke. As a total screw-up and media whore. Honestly, I’d begun to feel trapped in that role. On the one hand, I really truly felt like this was what I was meant to do. That using my powers to help people and fight crime was my destiny. Yet... I was so bogged down in trying to get recognition, trying to get the approval and accolades I felt I deserved that I was actually doing more harm than good.

I’d felt like no one appreciated me. No one cared. And yet, here, now, I was being shown that not only did someone actually care but that he truly understood me in a way that no one, not even myself, actually did.

“Robin,” I said softly, feeling my throat closing up. I... didn’t know what to say. I felt truly humbled. This kid, this six-year-old sick kid in a hospital bed, had completely opened my eyes. “I... I just... um... can I get a hug?” I asked, blinking rapidly, trying not to cry. I really did not want to make my mascara run.

“Sure,” he replied back, opening his arms. We hugged, and I felt something I honestly hadn’t felt in a very long time. Pulling back after a bit, he grinned at me. “So... uh, do ya wanna play Smash Brothers?” he asked, holding up a second controller. “I’m pretty good. I haven’t unlocked everyone yet in the main game, but I’m like seventy percent there.”

I chuckled at that, shaking my head. “Oh no, sorry. I am NO good at those games. The last game I played a few years ago was Pokemon, I think.”

“Oh, I’m got Sword and Shield, too,” he replied, gesturing to his bookshelf, and the rather sizable list of games showing. “We can play anything you want! I just... I don’t want you to go away so soon, okay?” he added in a small voice. “I was really hoping my mom would be back by now to meet you too. She worked really hard to get in touch with your agent lady to get you to come visit, and I wanted her to see you before you had to leave.”

I considered it briefly. “Well, it’s not as if I have anywhere I need to be right now. I usually go on patrol about now... but it’s not like there’s an emergency or anything going on out there. Everything was pretty quiet when I flew in.”

“WOW! Patrol?” Robin exclaimed, eyes lighting up. “That sound awesome! Can I go with you? Pleeeeaasssseeee?” he begged.

I blinked at that. “Ah, er, I... that is... I mean?” I sputtered. Taking a kid with you on patrol, looking for criminals to fight, was reckless at best. Taking a SICK kid from a hospital, was the definition of insanity! And yet... what could I do? The kid was giving me the big puppy dog eyes, and all that... plus I’d just admitted that it was a quiet day, with no hint of criminal activity in the works. I sighed heavily. “Well, maybe,” I said, as he grinned in triumph, “but ONLY if your Dad says it’s okay,” I added, smirking as he deflated slightly.

A quick knock on the door summoned Daniel into the room. I told him what his son wanted, and, naturally, the guy flipped out, saying exactly what I’d thought—that it was crazy, reckless, and totally insane. However, the kid was a pro at getting his Dad to calm down, talking to him reasonably, reminding him that he would be going with me, Dynami, an honest-to-goodness hero! That he would be absolutely safe with me. And that this was what he really REALLY wanted more than anything in the world.

Daniel looked as flabbergasted as I did. Chagrined, he said he’d have to talk to the doctor and see if it was okay for him to leave the hospital. That if he said no, then that was it. No arguments. Nodding in agreement, Robin sat back down to wait, and I followed Daniel back into the hallway. After a bit of conversation, the doctor voicing his own concerns, he reluctantly gave his blessing, to our mutual surprise.

“I can’t believe this,” he muttered aloud, shaking his head. “I seriously can’t believe I’m even considering this.”

“Honestly, me either,” I confided, getting a sharp look from him. “But, well, the kid is pretty charismatic. And he does have a way with words. He’s like a thirty-year-old person in the body of a six-year-old!” I sighed softly. “Listen, Sir. I think this will all be fine. The kid just wants to go flying with me. So I’ll just take him up into the sky a bit, do a nice leisurely flyover of the city, give him the whole tour experience, then bring him back here. Trust me, there’s nothing going on right now. It’s dead out there today.”

Daniel sighed, considering. “Okay, fine. But you BETTER guarantee his safety,” he demanded pinning me with his glare. “My son is the most precious thing in my life. He acts strong and tough, but he’s a very fragile boy. You can go on your little flight over the city, but you’d better bring him back unharmed, without so much as a scratch on him! Do you understand me?”

I nodded. “Absolutely. I swear, I won’t let anything happen to him. Rest assured, he’s gonna grow up to lead a long healthy life.” The dad stared at me then, eyes wide, as if in shock. Abruptly, he turned and walked away. Shrugging, I went back to the kid’s room again.

Well. The little rascal! Apparently, he’d expected our answer, because he’d already slipped out of bed and gotten dressed, donning a jacket with a hoodie, and blue jeans, and was just tying his tennis shoes when we walked in. Either the kid was psychic, or he really knew his Dad really really well. Regardless, I soon had my little partner ready, and we left the hospital, walking out the front before, holding him gently but firmly, we took off into the sky.

Flying really is the best. I have three distinct powers, my electricity, my strength, and my ability to fly, but if I could only choose one, it would have to be this one. Nothing beats being able to float on the wind, gaze down at the city and the people far below, to soar and zip across the sky, free as a bird. I didn’t indulge myself nearly enough, usually more worried about having my hair and clothing ruffled. My image was everything. Or... at least that’s how I used to feel. Streaking across the sky with this kid in my arms, hearing him cheer and scream and yell in pure enjoyment as we flew, I was starting to think there was definitely more to life than looking stylish.

“Having fun, kiddo?” I asked, unnecessarily, smirking down at my little passenger.

“OH YEAH!” he cheered, laughing and kicking his legs. “This is AWESOME! Flying is the best!”

“Yeah, it really is,” I said, circling around towards midtown. Spying Grimalde Towers in the distance, I decided to head that way, swooping down along the base, nearly street level, then circling around the tower in an upward spiral, ending with Robin slapping the top of the flagpole at its peak lightly with his hand. Giggling along with him, I lead us back on a lazy path towards the hospital again.

“That was so much fun!” he said, sighing contentedly. “Thanks for taking me flying, Dynami. You are the best!”

“You’re pretty okay yourself, kid,” I replied back, sincerely. I meant it. This kid had opened my eyes. I’d started the day dreading this meeting, wondering idly how much longer I was going to keep doing this hero thing. Now, in less than an hour, I felt hopeful again. I know, I know, it was just ONE person, one fan, amidst a sea of people that jeered and criticized me. But... as cheesy as it sounded, sometimes you only needed one person in your corner. One person to believe in you, to encourage you, to make all the difference. Sighing softly, I made a decision and turning abruptly, I dropped us down, landing in a small deserted alleyway.

“Huh? Dynami?” Robin asked, confused. “What are we doing here?”

“I... just wanted to give you a treat,” I said, glancing around carefully, making sure we were alone. “Something special,” I added, wincing slightly, suddenly realizing how skeezy that sounded. I was alone in a dark alleyway with a six-year-old, offering him a ‘special treat’. “And, I do NOT mean that in a creepy sort of way,” I added, as I reached up behind me... and removed my mask. Robin’s eyes went wide in surprise as I gave him a smile, brushing out my long blonde hair a bit. “Hi, Robin. My name... my real name, is Kimberly. Kimberly Whitworth. It’s nice to meet you.”

Smiling grandly, he took my hand, shaking it. “Wow. I... I can’t believe you showed me your secret identity!” he whispered softly in awe. “Don’t worry, Kimberly. I swear I won’t tell anyone who you are. Not even my mom and dad!”

I chuckled at that. “I know, Robin. I trust you. That’s why I shared this with you. And... I wanted to thank you as well.” I sighed softly, glancing away. “I was... feeling kind of down before I came to visit you. I was... even considering giving up being a hero.” That got his attention, and he glanced up at me in alarm. “But don’t worry,” I assured him quickly. “Meeting you really helped me. You showed me that I do have a fan out there, someone who believes in me. And that helps me to believe in myself. So yeah... I’m going to stick with this. After all,” I said, mussing his hair again, “I can’t let down my Number One Fan, can I?”

Before he could respond, however, a sudden explosion rocked the area. Moving instinctually, I covered Robin, pulling him against me, glancing around in alarm, only to find we were both safe and unharmed. Lifting off into the air, I quickly scanned the area, finding the source of the explosion merely a block away, coming from a local Wells Fargo. “A bank robbery?!?” I exclaimed in disbelief. “In the middle of the day?”

“Ooh, man! These guys must be nuts!” Robin replied, giving his opinion. “You better head over there and stop ’em, Dynami!”

I frowned, shaking my head. “Uh uh. No way, kiddo. I’m taking care of you today, remember? I need to get you back to the hospital. Someone else can handle whoever’s robbing that bank. Heck, the police are probably already on their way right now.”

“But... but you HAVE to go!” Robin protested. “You’re a hero! And it’s a daytime robbery! People could be inside, hurt, or scared! You HAVE to go and help ’em!”

I bit my lip. The kid did have a point. A strong part of me wanted to rush in there and teach whoever was stupid enough to bomb a bank in broad daylight a lesson. But I promised to keep the kid safe. And there was NO WAY I was dragging this kid into danger. “I can’t just leave you here and go after them,” I told him, turning to head back to the hospital. “I’ll just fly you back super fast and drop you off, then head back this way...”

“No! You can’t!” he insisted, struggling in my arms. “You can’t go! That’ll take too much time! What if someone is hurt and bleeding and dying right now? Remember when you saved me and the other kids on that bus? We needed you right then! If you’d waited, we would have gone over the cliff and crashed and DIED!” He glanced around and pointed. “You can just drop me down there, in front of the ice cream store! I’ll stay there and wait for you to come back, okay?” I faltered, considering. “C’mon, Dynami! It’s an ice cream store! I’ll be okay. Please!”

“Okay,” I agreed tersely, dropping us down in front of the store as he’d suggested. “But STAY HERE! And take this,” I added, handing him my cell phone. “I want you to call your dad and tell him what’s going on. Tell him where you are and let him know you’re safe, okay? Do that, and I’ll be able to focus on the robbers. Got it?” He nodded briskly. “Okay... I’ll be back soon, kiddo!” With that, I sprinted across the road, heading into the bank.

Visibility was less than ideal. A thick smoky haze covered the place. And, unfortunately, the kid was right. A number of bank patrons were sprawled all over the ground, dazed and moaning, some of them bleeding. “Shit,” I cursed lightly, moving to check everyone. Thankfully, none of their injuries were serious, mostly scratches and scrapes, a few twisted ankles and bruises from being knocked off their feet by the explosion. Helping them up, I advised them all to head outside through the huge hole in the wall, and get to safety while I went after the one responsible.

Speaking of which... I had an eerie feeling as I made my way back down the hallway leading to the vault. With the patrons evacuated, the place was suspiciously quiet. You’d have expected to hear sounds of someone working, or talking, the crew of criminals chatting amongst themselves, or at the very least, the sounds of banging or clanking or something, signaling them trying to break into the vault. Instead... all I heard was silence. On guard, I crept my way carefully towards the inner chamber, my electrical powers charged and ready.

“Huh. Well, damn,” a female voice sounded from my left side. I turned, raising my hands, crackling with electricity, facing the person behind all of this. She was rather tall, with light brown frizzy hair, with a streak of silver running down the center, dressed in a dark grey and brown skintight body suit with strange metal studs embedded. More notably, she was holding a weird-shaped gun in her hands, trained on me. “Not exactly the heroine I was hoping for,” she continued, sighing loudly. “Here I go through all the trouble of setting up a daytime robbery, setting off a big loud explosion to attract some attention... and the best I get is some D-lister hero wannabe?” She groaned, rolling her eyes. “Any other day, I’d have had Omega Girl, or Echo and his little ninja slut, or that crazy vampire showing up... though, really, I decided to do this during the day, so she’s probably somewhere asleep in her coffin,” she mused to herself. “Still, I was hoping for someone better than Miss Media Whore...”

I bristled at the insult. “The name’s Dynami,” I replied with a growl, hands arcing with tiny electric bolts, “and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll throw down the weapon, throw up your hands, and give yourself up,” I smirked. “And if you apologize, I MIGHT actually go easy on you!”

The woman merely laughed. “Oh, oh... that is so funny!” she jeered, further pissing me off. “You know, I’m sorry for the insult earlier. You do have one redeeming quality after all. You’re fucking hilarious!” she said, giggling again. “Oh, man... it’s been a really stressful few days, and I did need a good laugh.” Sobering, she raised her gun again. “But, that aside, you’re still pretty useless to me, so I’m going to have to get rid of you now.”

“Oh yeah? Let’s see you laugh THIS off!” I growled, extending my hands, sending twin blasts of electric mayhem directly at the villainess. Or... at least that had been my intention. My jaw dropped as my blasts both dissipated about five feet away from her as if hitting some kind of invisible shield! Confused, I let loose again, watching in dismay as the second blast fizzled out just like the first. Smirking, the woman just shook her head.

“Hah. Hah. Hah.” She laughed mockingly. “Silly little fool. I’m Ms. Machina,” she stated, gesturing idly as two small cylinders I’d thought were trash cans suddenly sprang to life, grabbing my arms and restraining me with metallic tentacles. “I’m the Mistress of all things mechanical and electronic. Did you REALLY think a little hero-wannabe tossing electricity would be a problem for me?”

I winced at that. I’d heard of Ms. Machina. Not originally from River City, she’d recently made this city her home base. And she’d certainly caused quite a stir, making a name for herself. Basically a normal human with no real powers, she more than made up for it with her genius-level intellect and her seemingly endless supply of robots... like the ones currently with the stranglehold on me! I pulled and strained against them, but they were easily in my weight class, able to hold me in place. In desperation, I tried channeling my electricity, trying to fry them or short them out... only to groan inwardly as my shocks were quite literally absorbed by the blasted things, my electricity draining out of me, supercharging them and making them even stronger. Ms. Machina laughed again.

“Wow. Even after I just told you it was pointless, you tried it again, anyway? You’re not too smart, are you, sweetie?” she asked, taunting me. I merely growled, glaring back at her. “Well, you know what? You’re not the hero I was hoping for,” she stated, pocketing her gun, and reaching into her rather large backpack for a strange-looking visor. “But I think I’ll make use of you anyway. You’re obviously not very bright, so not really useful as a minion,” she taunted me, sliding the visor over my eyes. “But if nothing else, I can find a use for you as a living battery... to keep my machines charged up.” She laughed again, switching on the visor, and I gasped as my eyes, and my brain, were blasted with a bright colorful light show.

The lights. The colors.

I was... it was... getting hard to think. To... remember. It kind of... felt like... my brain... had been soaked... in molasses... or... something... I... need... ed... to... do... some... thing...

“Aaaahhhh!”

The world seemed to kind of shudder, and I blinked rapidly, awareness returning suddenly as the visor over my eyes went blank. With a gasp, I found myself still in the back, still held tightly by the two mechanical trash cans. However, I was wet. Dripping wet. And no, not in a sexual way. “Wha... what the... hell?” I sputtered, glancing around. Shock registered on my face as I spied the source of the water, huddled down in the corner behind me. “Robin!” I whisper-hissed softly, angrily. “What the HELL are you doing in here? I told you to stay outside!”

“You were in trouble!” he whispered back, wincing slightly as the sound of Ms. Machina rummaging through the vault’s contents several feet away. “I saw the bad guy put some kinda hypnotizing gizmo on you... and you wouldn’t say anything when I called out to you. So I splashed some water on you to wake you up,” he said, holding up the empty cup he’d taken from the ice cream shop. “Are you okay? Can you get away from those robots?”

I frowned, considering. They were more than a match for me, strength-wise, and they seemed to absorb my lightning, so I couldn’t short them out—

Wait a minute.

“Robin!” I whispered back as a plan came to mind. “I... need your help. Can you go back out and fill up your cup with water again? I need you to come back and this time splash the robots. If you get them nice and soaked, I think I can short them out and get free. But, please, be careful! You can’t let Ms. Machina see you. If you don’t think you can do this, then just call someone else for help—”

“No way! I can do it!” he whispered back. “Don’t worry, I’ll be right back!” he said, sprinting back down the hallway. I sighed inwardly, already regretting my decision. What the hell was I thinking, getting the kid involved in this? I needed to try and get out of this myself. I was putting him in danger. If Ms. Machina came back and spotted him, who knows what she might do? Worse, I was still held tight, unable to move, unable to do anything to stop her from attacking him. I sighed deeply, closing my eyes, and racking my brain for a solution. But I came up with nothing.

The only way I could get out of this mess if with the kid’s help. Pathetic, I know. Here I was, supposed to look after the kid, and instead, I found myself depending on him to save my skin.

“Ah, well, that’s much better,” Machina’s voice called out as she returned from the vault, a large heavy sack thrown over her shoulder. Wincing slightly, I froze, pretending to still be under the spell of that stupid visor. “This whole robbery was merely a setup to lure one of those annoying hero types here into my trap. But, hey, free money is still free money,” she said with a laugh. Walking over to me, she grinned, patting my cheek. “So, all in all, not a total... loss?” she said, faltering at the end. Frowning, she rubbed her fingers together. “Why the hell are you all wet?” she asked, glancing down at the small puddle around my feet.

“Hah! You’re the one that’s all wet!” Robin suddenly shouted, causing her to whirl around. Before she could respond, the six-year-old threw the overfilled up, dowsing the villain, the robots, and myself, soaking us all. Furious, sputtering, Ms. Machina dropped the bag of money, and reached for her belt, fumbling for one of her weapons.

I, on the other hand, had been waiting for that very moment. Having been charging my powers, and gathering my energy, I let out a loud cry as I discharged my load. My electricity flew out in all directions, but as hoped, the water amplified the effect, reducing the resistance of the material and clothing worn to pretty much zero. Ms. Machina let out a scream, and her two robots shuddered and sparked, their insides sizzling from a power overload. Spent, I dropped to my knees, panting, while Ms. Machina, and her robotic minions, toppled over, smoke wafting up from all three.

Well. That was definitely an unexpected turn of events.

When Robin and I made our way back outside the bank a short time later, the police, and a news team, were all on-site waiting for us. We were immediately swarmed and pelted with a barrage of questions. My normal tendency was to play to the media, of course, but I was soaked, bedraggled, and hardly camera friendly at the moment. I simply gave a few curt but honest answers and moved on to talk with the police about what to expect inside the bank. Satisfied, I then took Robin, and flew us back to the hospital once again.

Daniel Green and the doctor were all waiting for us, as well as a very angry-looking redhead. “YOU! You dam—darned stupid fool!” the woman let loose the moment I stepped into view. “What the HELL were you thinking? Bringing my son to a BANK ROBBERY!!” I opened my mouth, only to get cut off again. “I’m going to sue your ass! You and your damned agent! I’ll see you both thrown into jail for child endangerment—”

“MOM! CUT IT OUT ALREADY!” Robin yelled out, shocking everyone into silence. “Stop yelling at Dynami! She didn’t do anything wrong!”

“Honey, no, you don’t understand,” his mother said, dropping down to her knees, meeting him eye to eye. “What this... PERSON did was very wrong and very dangerous. I know you like her, but taking you to that bank was—”

“She didn’t take me to the bank, Mom!” he cut her off. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you! She took me to the ice cream parlor beside the bank.” Mrs. Green blinked, stunned. “When the robbery happened, she wanted to bring me back here to the hospital, but I told her she had to go! That there could be people inside hurt and in danger. She made me promise to stay there at the store, and I said yes... but then I got worried when all the people came out later but she didn’t.” He sighed, looking back up at me. “I’m sorry I broke my promise and went into the bank after I said I wouldn’t. But I was really worried. I had to see if you were okay!”

“Yeah, it’s okay,” I said gently, giving him a smile. “I really wish you hadn’t been there... but I’m grateful that you were. You saved me,” I told him, nodding. “For real. If you hadn’t come along when you did, Ms. Machina would have had me for good. You saved the day, Robin. You were a real hero.”

The boy’s face lit up like a Christmas Tree. “Mom! Dad! Do you hear that? Dynami said I was a hero! She said it! A real hero!” He laughed, pumping his fist in the air. “I actually saved someone! I was... I was... really b-brave...” he said, faltering suddenly. I blinked, alarmed as the boy suddenly went pale. He would have collapsed had his Dad not caught him as he fell.

“Robin? ROBIN!” I yelled in shock as his parents scooped him up and they and the doctor took him back to his room. “What happened? Why did he... h-hey!” I yelped as the door closed in my face. I stood there, stunned, wondering what had just happened. I mean, I knew the kid was sick and all. Obviously dealing with a tumor, and chemotherapy, and all that... it’s no joke. The kid was pretty weak and sickly, that much was obvious. I was rightfully concerned. So, I stood outside the doorway, pacing idly for several minutes, before the doctor finally emerged.

“Hey, doctor, how is he?” I asked. “Robin? Is he okay? Tell me he’s going to be okay!”

The doctor sighed heavily, shaking his head. “He’s... well, he’s stable,” the man replied grimly. “All this excitement tuckered him out. He has very little energy these days, and it looks like he used up most of it during this little adventure you took him on.” I winced at the not-so-subtle accusation. “Still, I don’t think his time is up just yet.”

“Time? Uh, what do you mean by ‘his time’?” I asked, a growing pit of worry forming in my stomach.

“I mean his literal time,” the doctor replied, frowning as he stared into my face. “What? Don’t tell me you didn’t realize. Robin... this kid, he’s dying.” I gasped, stunned. “Miss Dynami, this is the hospital’s terminal ward,” he stated bluntly. “All of the residents in this section are those that are slated to die in the next few weeks or months. Are you saying you didn’t know this?”

“I... no. No! I had no idea!” I said, feeling poleaxed. “My mom, er, my agent... she never told me the specifics... just that I was visiting a sick kid! And... and... his dad... said it was a tumor, that he’d had surgery... was recovering...”

“Yes, he is recovering from surgery,” the doctor clarified. “But the surgery failed. The cancer had already spread, and the tumor cluster causing the problem is in a spot that we can’t reach. Not without killing him outright.” He sighed, shaking his head. “We’ve consulted with various specialists over the past year, but they all agree that the tumor is inoperable.” He managed a wan smile. “Basically the family has accepted this and has come to terms with it, as much as anyone can. All they are focused on now is just making young Robin comfortable and helping him enjoy the time he has left.”

I nodded dumbly, feeling... I don’t know WHAT the hell I was feeling. It was... damn. It’s like meeting a person, getting close to them, becoming best friends, and then, in the blink of an eye, having them taken away from you, never to return. I wasn’t sure what to do, or how to react. I mean... I’d known this kid for just a few hours. Yet... he’d become such an important part of my life. And I’d been an important part of his, even though I’d never known it until now. Finding out that he was dying... that this amazing kid wasn’t going to grow up and one day have a family of his own... I couldn’t think of anything worse in the entire world.

Just then, the mother and father stepped out. Daniel was calm and composed as before, and the woman seemed okay, though her cheeks were wet and her eyes red. Saying nothing, she walked past me, strolling down the hallway, and stepping into the bathroom. I let out a soft sigh. I’d screwed up, and now the mother hated me. Great. Guess I could add her to my growing list of enemies...

“Sorry about that,” Daniel spoke up, gaining my attention. “My wife... she’s just really upset right now. She... didn’t mean to take it all out on you, though.” He let out a sigh. “I’ll admit, when I heard about what happened, I was a bit angry too, at first. My son called me on your cell phone and told me that you’d left him to go and fight some bank robbers. Naturally, I thought the worst... but when he explained that he egged you on, persuaded you that he was okay and that innocents inside the bank were in danger, I understood.” He shook his head. “My son... this whole thing... he’s had to grow up entirely too fast. No kid should ever have to deal with this kind of stuff...”

“I didn’t know he was terminal,” I murmured softly, causing him to glance up at me sharply. “My er, agent... didn’t mention that little detail. I thought... I just thought he was sick. That he’d get better, and go back to school, and you know... grow up.” I glanced away, sadly. “I... just wanted to pal around with him a bit, brighten his day. I didn’t mean to scare everyone this way. And honestly, I had NO IDEA he had come into the bank after me,” I said turning to face him. “You have to believe me! I thought he was safe and sound outside—”

“It’s okay,” Daniel replied in a tired voice. “It’s fine. I... know my son. And honestly... I’m not that surprised. Rushing in there to check on you? It’s exactly the kind of thing he would do.” He smiled sadly. “Ever since he was little, he used to talk about superheroes... and how he wanted to become one when he... grew up.” He sighed heavily. “So I know this was all unplanned, and that you hadn’t tried to make it happen. But I thank you anyway, Dynami, Though you, my son got to live out his dream. Because of you, for just one day, my son got to be a hero.”

I smiled a bit at that. My vision blurred, and I realized I was crying. Wiping my eyes, I gestured to the door. “Uhmm... is it... sniffle is it okay if I go in and see him?” I asked, my voice crackling slightly.

“Of course, go on in,” Daniel replied nodding. “But don’t stay too long. He needs his rest. Today really tired him out.”

Slipping inside, I let out a soft sigh, forcing the sadness of the situation back down deep inside me, forcing a smile back on my face. It was the same thing I did all the time, smiling for the camera, putting on a happy face despite what I felt inside. Yet... this time it felt so much harder. “Hey, kiddo,” I said softly, as he glanced up at me, grinning. “How ya feeling? Back with us again?”

“Yeah,” he said in a tired voice. “Sorry about that earlier. I was really tired.” He moved to sit up in bed, but I shushed him.

“Hey, now, stay in bed,” I said, sitting down next to him. “You’re tired and need your rest.” Once he settled back in, I bit my lip but asked the obvious question. “So... uh... why didn’t you tell me you were... terminal?”

His smile finally faded. “I guess the doctor told you that, huh?” he said, glancing down at his lap. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to trick you or anything,” he stated. “I just... I didn’t want to think about that kind of stuff today, yanno? I just wanted today to be fun, to hang out with you and talk about your adventures and stuff.”

I nodded. I understood that easily enough. No one wants to dwell on bad things in your life that you can’t change. Still, I can see why Daniel walked away from me in a huff earlier when I promised to bring his son back safe and sound, ‘to lead a long and healthy life’. It must have been like a slap in the face. I really needed to apologize to him again.

“So, um... listen, Robin,” I said awkwardly, causing him to glance up at me. “Is there.... is there anything else you’d like to do while I’m here?” I asked. “You, er... wanted to play some video games earlier? Do you... feel up to a game?” I asked.

“Nah. Sorry, I’m really too tired,” he said with a yawn. “I really want to... but it’s like, I can barely keep my eyes open.” He yawned again. “Maybe... you could come by tomorrow, and we could play then?”

I smiled again, a genuine smile. “Yeah, actually that sounds good. I could come by tomorrow after you’ve had a good nite’s rest.” I chuckled. “Hell, kiddo, I might even get a copy of Splat Brothers and play tonight so I can give you some competition when I play you tomorrow!”

He laughed at that. “Silly, it’s called SMASH Brothers, not ‘Splat’ Brothers. But yeah... that sounds like fun. Better practice up, though... I’m reeeeaallly good...”

“I’m afraid there’s no need to practice for that competition,” a new voice spoke. Robin and I glanced up to see a young woman standing just inside the door. She had shoulder-length dark hair, black as ink, and deep emerald green. She was, strangely enough, clad in a long floor-length robe, dark grey with a silver lining. “I’m sorry to say this... but I’m afraid your time’s up.”

“Huh? Really?” I replied, frowning. “Visiting hours are over already?” I stood up and stretched. “So... are you, like, the hospital Chaplin or something?”

The woman smiled, a kind of sad, melancholy smile. “You could say that, yes.” Shaking her head, she turned to face me. “I’m sorry, Kimberly, but I have to take your friend away now.”

“Oh, well, I suppose that’s—” I began, before freezing, eyes wide. “Wait! Wh... wha... what did you say?!?” I yelped, reaching up to confirm my mask was still covering my face. “How... how did you know my name?” My eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Who are you, anyway?”

The woman let out a soft sigh. “My name’s not really important. What is, is my role here today.” She glanced over to Robin, giving him a sad smile. “And... you know who I am, don’t you, Robin?” she asked.

The boy nodded softly, lowering his head. “You’re... you’re the Angel,” he said, trembling slightly. “You’ve come to take me to Heaven.”

“WHAT?!?” I yelled, suddenly wary of the new stranger. “Hey, lady, I think you need to explain your—WHAT THE HELL??” I yelped as I reached to grab her arm... only for my hand to go right through her! I swung again and again, but my hand passed through her as if she wasn’t even there. She giggled loudly, shaking her head.

“Teehehe... could you pleeehehehese staahahahp that!” she protested, stepping back. “That really tickles!” Glancing at Robin again, she nodded. “Are you ready, child?”

“I’m... I’m not s-scared or nothin’,” he said bravely, his voice trembling only slightly. “But... uh... will it h-hurt?” he asked in a small voice.

“Not at all,” she promised, giving him that sad smile again. She stepped forward, walking over to the bed. “Just take my hand,” she said, reaching an arm out towards him. And as I stood and watched, still trying to wrap my head around what was happening, he did so.

“Whoa!” he exclaimed, as she lifted him out of the bed. “This feels really weird and freaky!” He glanced up at me and smiled. “She was right, Dynami! It didn’t hurt one bit!”

“I don’t understand. What didn’t hurt one bit? What are you—aaaaahhh!” I screamed as the dark-haired woman and Robin stepped away... yet Robin still lay there in the bed, eyes closed, as if asleep. “No... no way!” I murmured shaking my head. “This... this can’t... it’s impossible,” I said, refusing to believe this. “You... you can’t really be... the Angel of Death?”

The woman chuckled. “Not THE Angel of Death,” she clarified. “It’s not a specific title given to a specific being. As I said earlier, this is the role I am to play here today. My name is Skuld,” she stated formally, “and I’ve come to take the young boy’s soul to its rightly deserved reward.”

“No! Wait! Please!” I said, reaching for them only to again phase right through them. “Please! You can’t! It’s... it’s too soon!” I protested. “The doctors said... he still had more time! Please! I... I don’t want him to go yet!”

“I’m sorry, Kimberly,” she replied with honest regret. “But in the end, it doesn’t matter what the doctors, the parents, or what anyone else thinks. When it’s your time, it’s simply your time.” She gave me that smile again. “Still, you should be proud. You helped make this young one’s few remaining hours very happy and fruitful. And you helped him realize his dream. Because of you, he got to become a hero.”

“Yeah! I sure did!” he replied with a nod. “Thanks a lot, Dynami...” he said, frowning slightly. “I wish I could hug you, though. But I guess I’m a ghost now...”

Skuld chuckled. “Oh, well, I think I can bend the rules on that, at least. Go ahead and say your goodbyes. But then, child, we must be off.”

“Okay, Miss Angel,” he said, letting go of her hand. Moving back over to me, he reached out his hands, and kneeling down I hugged him... surprised to feel his solid body against my own. “Thank you so much, Dynami,” he whispered softly to me. “I really enjoyed getting to spend time with you today. You really made me happy.” I sniffled, nodding, not trusting myself to speak without bursting out into tears. “But, could you do me a favor? Can you tell my mom and dad that I loved them? And that they made me really happy too? I know my mom was kind of mean to you earlier, but she’s really really nice! So, don’t be mad at her, okay?” I nodded again, barely holding back my tears.

And then, finally, it was over. Robin stepped back away from me and took Skuld’s hand. Then, with a final wave, they both turned and walked through the wall. Literally through it. And disappeared. Suddenly, as if time had been paused and just restarted, I was aware of the sound, a long steady beep. The sound of the heart monitor reading a flatline. I glanced back at the bed, spotting Robin’s body, the shell void of its spirit. It was then that the reality of what had happened hit me. And as the door suddenly burst open, and doctors and nurses burst into the room, I sank down to the cold hard floor. And I began to sob.

Robin Green’s funeral was a quiet dignified affair. When the news aired of the bank robbery, my little buddy became something of a media sensation. Heh. And, I, as usual, became something of a scapegoat. I still remember the title of the news article: Local Heroine Saved From Villain By Six Year Old Boy! My mom, of course, had wanted to set up an interview immediately afterward, to try and spin the whole thing, make it seem like a publicity stunt—as if I had purposely set the whole thing up to fulfill a kid’s dying wish. But I refused. For the first time ever, I stood up to her, and put my foot down! I wasn’t about to throw Robin under the proverbial bus just to try and salvage my image.

As a result, when his obituary was announced, people flocked to the Green’s home, some expressing their condolences, some simply curious, wanting to know all the details about this hero kid. And of course, everyone wanted to be invited to the funeral. Thankfully, the Greens lawyers managed to supress the crowds, and keep it a quiet and private affair, with some family and a few close personal friends. Surprisingly, I was one of the lucky few invited.

The young boy was buried in a closed casket ceremony, which was kind of a bummer, because even dead, I’d hoped for the chance to see him one last time. Mrs. Green explained the reason to me, however, after the body was laid to rest. “We had to do a closed casket,” she’d said, dotting her cheeks with a tissue. “His body was... well...” she’d sighed, shaking her head before continuing. “Robin was an organ donor. We’d talked about it before when he was first diagnosed, and he’d been a little scared at the thought of doctors... taking his body parts to give to other people. But after that day of the bus accident, he came to me and said, Yes, he wanted to donate.” She smiled sadly as the tears began to flow. “My son... six years old, still a child, a baby... but he told me that when he died, he wanted to give his body to other people if it could help save their lives. He really was... a hero after all...”

I certainly agreed with that sentiment. “Mrs. Green,” I began, only for her to surprise me, taking my hand in hers.

“Dynami... I just... I wanted to apologize,” she said sadly. “You know, for what I said at the hospital. I was sad... and angry... and scared. Robin was right—nothing that happened was your fault. I shouldn’t have unloaded on you that way. And... I should have come to you and apologized before now...”

But I shook my head. “No, ma’am. You don’t need to apologize to me at all. I understand how you felt... and I wish I could have taken away your pain instead of adding to it...” I sighed softly, then, remembering Robin’s parting words, I realized I had the ability to do that after all. “Mrs. Green, I just remembered. Robin... I was with him there at the end... and he said something before he... passed.” Sniffling, she glanced up at me. “He... I think he knew his time was up. He... asked me to say... that he loves you and Daniel very much. That you both... made him very very happy.”

“He... he said that?” she asked, tears beginning to flow again. I nodded, my own tears starting. And we hugged, sharing that melancholy moment, strangers, yet bound together by a wonderful and amazing child. Saying our goodbyes, I turned to leave... only to pause as iI spotted a familiar face among the crowd. For a moment, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.. but as I drew closer, I became more and more sure of myself. Moving through the crowd, I approached the young woman, who was talking to a tall dark-haired man in a grey suit.

“...really a lovely ceremony,” she was saying to the man. “It’s so sad, though,” she stated, shaking her head, “so tragic for a child that young to pass away...”

“Well, you would know all about that,” I stated bluntly, grabbing their attention. “Wouldn’t you... Skuld?”

The woman said nothing, but the man frowned slightly, raising an eyebrow. “Friend of yours, sweetheart?” he asked archly.

“Oh honey, don’t tell me you don’t recognize her from the TV,” the woman replied with a small smile. “You’re that superhero, Dynami, aren’t you?” Grinning she extended her hand. “I’m Devon McKinley, and this is my boyfriend, Jimmy Frasier.”

I stared back at her, still frowning. “Really? You must be joking! There’s no way I’m shaking your hand and letting you steal my soul!”

Jimmy’s eyes widened. “Ooookay then,” he replied, nodding. “So she’s one of THOSE heroes, hmm?” he said, eyeing me strangely. “Honey, I think perhaps we should head back out now. I still want to stop by and see the folks before we head back to Portland.”

“Just a minute honey,” she said, “I need a few minutes to speak to my friend first. You go ahead and I’ll meet you at the car.” Shrugging, the man turned and left, leaving the two of us alone. Sighing, she shook her head. “Honestly, Kimberly, I don’t see why you’re so hostile,” she said then, surprising me. “It’s not as if I personally gave the child cancer or anything.”

“So it WAS you I met in that room that night!” I accused. Frowning, I extended an arm poking her lightly in the shoulder. She winced, frowning at me. “Huh... so you’re solid now? What’s the deal? Who the HELL are you? Or better yet... WHAT are you?”

The woman sighed heavily. “So many questions. Well, fine, I suppose I owe you at least a few answers. First of all, yes I’m solid. I’m a living, breathing, flesh and blood person, just like you. And just as it appeared, I was here attending this funeral with my boyfriend, Jimmy. And before you ask, yes, he is also a living breathing flesh and blood person as well.” She smirked. “As for that night... yes, that was me as well. Then, however, I was Skuld, the third Wyrd sister, youngest of the Nornir, and trimmer of the Thread of Life. That night, I was there to do a job, to perform a role. That role just happened to be the Angel of Death. But there was no malice behind it. Just the opposite. I was there personally to make the child’s passing as easy and painless as possible.”

“But... but... you can’t be the Angel of Death!” I protested stubbornly. “And if you are, then how are you standing here right now, acting like a normal person?”

“I told you before. I was performing a role,” she said wearily. “It’s like you, Kimberly, and your role as Dynami. When you wake up in the morning and head to school or spend time with your friends, Beverly, Krystal, and Shana, you’re not in your superhero role, are you?” I blinked at that. “Then, out of costume, you’re just Kimberly Whitworth. But when there is trouble, and the costume goes on, then you’re Dynami.” She shrugged. “It’s the same with me.”

“How... do you know so much about me?” I asked, feeling stunned. She giggled.

“It’s my job to know these things,” she said enigmatically. “I couldn’t really do my job otherwise, could I? I can also tell you something else that might put your mind at ease. Young Robin... you’ll see him again someday,” she said, turning to walk away, “though you probably won’t recognize him then. That boy was a very special soul... one with a very special destiny. And when given the choice to go on to his final rest or come back and be reborn, he chose to return... to have a chance to be a hero again.” She grinned, chuckling at my expression. “I won’t spoil the surprise,” she added just before disappearing from view, “but I will say that when you two do meet again, SHE will definitely still be your biggest fan.”

I stood there for a long moment, taking in her words. This woman... Skuld, Or Devon, Or whomever she was. She’d basically turned my world on its very axis! Life after death? Angels and demons and spirits? Crazy. I’d never believed in paranormal mumbo jumbo before... but I was starting to see that maybe it wasn’t all a bunch of junk after all.

I did take away one thing from everything she’d told me, however. From now on, I was done worrying about my image. I was done caring what everyone else thought about me. From now on, Dynami was all about helping people. Not for the gratitude or thanks. And not for fame or recognition. I just wanted to make the world a better place. And I was going to try my damn best to make that happen.

After all, when I met Robin again, I wanted her to have a reason to be proud of me.