Super Sales on Super Heroes 5 -Ch29-

Grinning to himself, Felix scanned the text message with a shake of his head.

Georgia was spamming him right now with a number of text messages. They’d had dinner last night when he came back after meeting with the European union, and he’d met a number of his cousins.

He’d met his aunts, grand-father, grand-mother, and others previously. The cousins had been new.

It’d been interesting and strange to have family members his own age. Ones who had lived a normal life in a corporate-like society.

While he treasured his relationship with Vince, it was different.

The man had been born to a world that wanted to chew him up and spit him out without a care. Or at least, the only care being that he had too many bones and they’d gotten stuck between a few teeth.

“Felix,” whispered a voice behind him.

“Miu!” Felix cheered, turning around and hugging Miu tightly. Holding to her, he pressed her into himself with as much force as he could manage. “Oooh, Miu. I missed you.

“I know I’m the one who sent you off on the mission, but I also missed you badly. I know that’s just weird, but I can’t help it.”

Miu groaned under the weight of his hug, but did try to burrow into him. Pushing her head up under his chin.

“I understand,” she said as her hands moved up against his stomach. “It’s g-good to feel you, my love.”

Felix grinned, kissed the top of her head, then nuzzled at the side of her face until she lifted her chin. Kissing her warmly, he kept her captive there for several seconds. Just kissing and holding onto her.

When he did release her, he could see that was as tense as a taut bowstring. Drawn to a full release and ready to fire.

“Well, with any luck, we can move this along very quickly, and maybe I can steal some time with you,” hoped Felix, grabbing her hand and bringing her over to the table he’d set up at.

They were at a location where they wouldn’t stand out too much for having breakfast. He’d also made sure to pick somewhere both Miu and Mikki could come talk to him.

“It’s really good to see you, Miu,” Faith said from where she stood next to the table.

“Good… good to see you too, Faith. I missed you. You’re a good f-friend,” Miu mumbled with a small hand wave at Faith. “Though I was expecting to see Andiieeeee!”

Miu’s words turned into a partial screech as Andrea practically appeared beside the woman. Her arms darted around the psychotic assassin and hugged her tightly after pressing a brief kiss on the other woman’s lips.

Rocking back and forth, she was visibly manhandling the other woman.

“Miuuuuuu! I missed youuuuuuu!” Andrea called as she rubbed her face roughly into Miu’s neck. Even going so far as to lift the smaller woman off the ground.

Then Andrea pulled away from her and grinned at her in a wild and warm way. Gazing into the other woman’s face, her eyes flicking back and forth.

Unable to be angry, despite the fact that Felix was sure she wanted to be, Miu only grinned back at Andrea.

“I missed you, too,” she said and then gestured to the table.

By the time all of them took their seats, they only belatedly noticed that Mikki was seated next to Faith. At some point, she’d joined them silently.

“Hello,” said the alternate universe Miu. “It’s nice to see you all. I was happy to see the meeting request.”

Miu sat down and then held a hand out across the table to Mikki. Who hesitantly took it, though she was the first to squeeze the other’s hand.

A second passed before they released each other and settled back into their seats.

“I already ordered,” Faith clarified. “We can get right into it.”

“Good,” Mikki said with a deep nod of her head. “I have… almost nothing to report. The… group… is more or less exactly as we’d want them. They’ve adapted to all my policy, rules, and procedure requirements.

“There have been a few troublemakers here and there, but I handle them after speaking with Kit and Lily. Neither were opposed to me having those people lose their access and sponsorship.

“It only took a few people for it to happen to before the others fell in line. It also had the added benefit of getting everyone to agree going forward.

“Everyone’s afraid of losing what they have for the sake of opposing the leadership. I didn’t think you’d care since we’re trying to encourage them into the ‘accepted leader’ role anyways.”

“Just so. Good work, Mikki, that’s well done,” Felix murmured with a grin. He’d taken up Miu’s left hand in his right and was gently stroking his thumb back and forth across the back of her wrist.

“Miu helped me with all of it. Even in the plans that I thought were perfect, she provided a few nudges here and there to make them complete,” admitted Mikki.

“Only because I’ve done it before. The credit is yours,” argued Miu.

“Well done,” Faith said, smiling at Mikki and reaching over to gently touch the woman’s shoulder. It was a scarce, almost insubstantial, didn’t-exist type of touch, but it was probably all Mikki could handle.

From what Felix could see, it didn’t faze her, which was unanticipated from his point of view.

Perhaps she’s growing faster and more stably than Miu did.

That’s a good thing.

“Oh! It’s time for the B&B! I’m sorry, not sorry, but I have to turn this on to support Juno!” Andrea yelled and whipped out a phone. She pulled out a kickstand off its case, stuck it down on the table, and then looked back to everyone else. “Okay! Ready! Continue, please. Thank you.”

“— here! We’ve got our third episode of Bake and Brawl!” came Juno’s voice from the phone. The volume wasn’t that high, but Felix could still hear it. “First though, before anything else, I have to thank my Jupiter for everything. As I always do. My dearest and most kind Jupiter who gifted me with the best job and family I’ve ever had.

“So let’s —”

“Miu? How’s your end?” Felix asked, wanting to not hear what Juno had to say about him.

“Not as good as Mikki’s but not bad. Anya is very… hesitant to listen to anyone. She’s changed and is very stand-offish. Unless you’re charmed and under her sway, she stays pretty far away from you.

“Though she’s getting a little better about that. I tried to stab her, and she reflexively hardened her skin and scales. After that she mellowed out considerably.”

Felix wasn’t quite sure how trying to stab someone would make logical sense in any scenario, but this was Miu. Logical sense was often convoluted and wrapped into itself until it became twisted into something else entirely.

“Good idea,” Mikki offered.

Andrea had the look of a woman who wanted to just nod her head and change the conversation. Faith looked unsurprised and resigned.

“Great, in other words, both groups are where we need them and want them. You two really are impressively well suited to this,” Felix complimented them, looking, from one to the other.

“This helps,” Mikki said and held up her left hand. The Legion ring there was obvious. She’d been given one of the few they had, as she couldn’t wear armor or a helmet while being part of the Guild.

It was made to look a lot like a wedding ring and was worn on the appropriate finger.

“— the champion of the last two matches, Evie, looks like she has the upper hand in the second half of the match today. Those cupcakes got a glow-up I can’t even get close to.

“Especially when Lucille, the champion of our Brawl, made those… very… sus… looking pastries. Lucille… did you even bake these long enough?”

Uh… what?

Looking to Andrea’s phone, he saw it was Juno’s camera view looking over a large table of baked goods. Next to a plate of sad-looking goods was Lucille.

There was a lot of nervous energy in her.

“Uhm… I tried,” confessed Lucille. “I’m really trying Juno. I’m going to be a good Dragon House-wife to the Legate but… it’s going to take me time.

“I’m confident in my strength! Just… just not my… wifely skills. Goldie is doing her best with me. Even I have to admit Evie is really good at baking.”

There was a crunching and chewing sound as Lucille spoke, followed by Juno coughing.

“Okay, legit, I’m not feeling any shame about trying to wol—” Juno’s voice cut off followed by several more coughs.

Goldie came on screen with a glass of what looked like milk.

“No talking with your mouth full, Juno. You also know better than trying to eat something that quickly. That’s unbecoming of you,” chided Goldie, a warm smile on her face. The chat on the side of the screen was filled with Gold Dragon emoji’s that were wearing aprons. As well as an entire screens-worth of heart symbols. “And you’re doing fine Lucille. You’re learning, improving, and really putting effort in. The hardest part is trying!

“Though I do worry for if you can keep up when we start up the other contests. You and I should put in some extra lessons together. Combat is important, but being able to work a line on an armscye is almost just as important. We have lots of combatants, but only so many Dragon House-wives.”

“Yes, Goldie. Thank you, you always brighten my spirits,” thanked Lucille with a small smile.

“The fuck planet is this,” muttered Felix, feeling more confused now than he’d ever been in his life.

“Are you kidding? Juno’s show is great! Everyone loves the B&B. First they bake, Gaia declares a winner, and then they brawl. Where there’s a second-place winner,” Andrea explained, flicking her fingers at the phone as if explaining it. “Evie is dominating everyone. Cathy and Carol do alright.

“Amanda’s a real surprise though. She’s a Blue that just came out of nowhere with some amazing cookies last time.

“They’re going to expand it and have different contests in different weeks. Next week is Sewing and Slaughtering. Goldie’s been teaching them how to mend clothes, as well as breaking down animals for stews and things.

“After that, Goldie told/hinted that it might be laundry and lust but… uh… she said that might not be an episode that Romina can air.”

Nodding his head, Felix shook it.

Goldie had mentioned she needed him for a few hours for a project in several weeks. He now knew to avoid that date like the plague.

“Well, let’s enjoy the show while we wait for the food. Then just… enjoy each other’s company,” he said instead, not wanting to spoil the mood. “This was obviously a meeting that could have been an email, but I wanted to see you all.”

Miu and Mikki both nodded their heads, though they both ended up looking back to the phone.

On it, a beautiful, immaculately put together, and incredibly lovely Gaia was sampling everything on the table with small, cute bites, while holding onto a dainty plate.

Looking at Romina and the camera, she made a hand wave and gave them an underwear melting smile.

Once again, the screen was filled with emojis. This time it was a bunch of Gaia’s face with a smile on it.

Then, there followed an inconceivable number of eggplants.

Endless eggplant emoji after eggplant emoji.

Not that Felix could blame them.

He’d be happy to give her an eggplant at this point, too.

Then Miu squeezed his hand to the point that it felt like his hand might break.

***

Pulling up to his grandmother’s house, Felix paused in the driver’s seat and pulled out his phone. There was a single text message and a missed call.

Flipping it to the message, he glanced it over.

The text was that his mother was late but on her way. She’d stopped to grab dinner for everyone, but that everyone was with her.

Which meant Felix was going to end up waiting here.

The missed call was the surprise though.

Lily had called him.

He realized why at the same time that he thought “why”.

Tapping the button next to her name, he was dialing her back.

She picked up before the first ring could even be sounded.

“And there he is. My dear… Legate,” Lily proclaimed over the line.

Okay… let’s just call her out on this.

If she’s like my Lily, the longer we play this game, the more she’ll be into it.

“You know. Somehow you know. How?” asked Felix, jumping right to the end game of it. “It’s not Kit. She wouldn’t have told you because she would have assumed it’d be better for you two to not know.”

“Ah! You… you’ve ruined it. You really did ruin it,” Lily growled, sounding angry and partly surprised. “Lucian said you’d wreck it because I’d push it too far. You’d get frustrated and just… end it.”

“Ah… Lucian. Hm. If it was Lucian… was he hovering around you?” Felix asked. “Couldn’t get back into his body for some reason?

“Maybe hovering around you when it all happened? That’s probably it. I’d bet on it.”

“Something like that,” hissed Lily. Then she sighed loudly. “Anyways. Thank you for the present. I’m looking forward to trying it out. I feel like I should be worried that you know my measurements so well but uh… Lucian… mentioned you know about my spot.”

“Spunk spot,” Felix clarified. “Yeah. Very aware of it. Now… I’ll have Kit wipe your mind out tomorrow, so you forget all this again, then have her get to Lucian too. Before herself, that is.

“Anything you wanna know before your newly found memories go bye-bye?”

“Would you burn the world for me?” she asked in a strange almost breathless voice.

Looking into the darkness ahead of him, Felix contemplated that.

It was an empty road with only a few dimly lit streetlights on it.

Casting hollow shadows down to the road beneath it. Barely illuminating the darkness beyond to signify of how deep those shadows were.

Only enough so that one could see where the road might begin or end on either side.

I’m traveling a road speeding along through the dark.

“No. Because my Kit would be incredibly hurt by it. She’d feel the guilt of it all on herself even if she had nothing to do with it, other than that it was something that related to her,” Felix explained, then let out a slow breath. “Do you want to keep what you know, or would you prefer me getting rid of it.

“Because I’m sure you also know I’m using you. That I’m using the Guild to my own ends. Pushing you and Kit into the leadership role, if only to get what I want.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line, followed by a cough.

“Wipe it. Me, Kit, and Lucian. Tonight, if possible. Tomorrow morning before I wake up, if not,” Lily answered, then let out a slow breath. “Thanks. For the armor, too. This… looks really well done.”

“Should stop almost all small arms fire. You won’t know anything about this in the morning other than that we spoke, I wished you happy birthday, then told you to stop calling me.”

“Right,” mumbled Lily, who then hung up.

Not my Lily. Not… not my Lily.

Not my Lily.

Complete stranger.

She’s not my… not my Lily.

Felix’s phone started ringing again and he looked to the caller ID.

Jordan Johnson?

And what does our dear newly minted Senator want?

Tapping the accept button, Felix put the phone up to his ear.

“Good evening,” Felix said.

“Good evening indeed. I’ll make this very quick, as I really don’t much care for electronic devices like this,” said Jordan. “Association, good or bad, support or sink.”

“Good, support,” replied Felix decisively. “Politically non-supportive of anyone and everyone. Going against them in any way is a waste of resources.

“Anything outside of that is up to you. The Association Investigative Act is clearly an issue and a breach of the public trust but… that’s more on you, your party, and obligations to your platform.”

“Quite so, thank you for providing me with that small yet needed answer,” Jordan thanked him sincerely. He sounded significantly more at ease in just that short time. “I’m redirecting the entire state’s trash to your landfill and paying you for the work.

“Have a nice night and sleep well.”

“Goodnight,” Felix agreed and turned off the call.

Only to startle in his seat.

His cousin, a twenty-five year old young woman who looked like his mom, was standing at his window. She had a big grin on her face and her hands on the glass.

“Got you!” she teased and then laughed loudly, moving away from his driver’s window.

Laughing, Felix opened the car door and got out.

He was feeling better already.

The Lily of this world wasn’t his Lily. He had his own.

But the family in this world, had no version of him to look at. Nor did he have them.

Melding him to them would be easy since there wasn’t anything there before.

“Felix, oh my god, you should have seen your face,” teased Tara with a chuckle.

“You should have seen yours. It’s what caused the whole problem. You even made me pee a little,” complained Felix, which set Tara into another deep fit of laughter.

Grinning, he followed Tara towards the house. He could see his mother, aunt, and several other cousins already filtering in.

Not so bad… having a familial bond in a place like this. I wonder if there’s anyone Andrea would want to reach out to.

Then again… given what I’ve learned of her… probably not.