[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/krev7SC.png[/img][/center][center][b]Aubrey Adkins[/b][/center][center][b]Pacific Point, California[/b][/center][center][b]June (the present day)[/b][/center]
	After a month since I had moved to Pacific Point, I had already made a few friends.  Besides that group of superheroes, who call themselves the Immortals, I became close friends with one of the other eleven models.  This girl, Emily Prichert, was also from Ohio, who moved out to California in order to pursue a career as either an actress or a model.  However, on the side, she was also taking some night classes to earn a nursing degree so that she might have something to fall back on if her primary dreams did not pan out as she hopped.  Although she’s a year or two younger than I am, we still found a way to bond together, sharing our own experiences in the culture shock that was moving from the American MidWest to Southern California.

	Emily and I sat beneath a pagoda that was located in the courtyard by our apartment complex, enjoying the brisk morning before the day heats up.  I had brought my laptop out with me not only so that I could go through my morning routine, such as emails, social media, and so on, but also so that Emily and I could look up the results of this modeling contest that Viera was running.  At the beginning of each month, after the readership had cast their votes for the month, Viera would release the results.

	“It looks like the results are up now.”  Emily alerted me after she had finished checking Twitter and some other websites.  We both therefore huddled in front of my computer as I loaded up the webpage that contained the results.  After a quick glance at the screen, I saw Emily’s name in the middle of the pack, around 6th place, out of twelve, of course.

	“Hey, look, Aubrey, you’re in 3rd.”  Emily pointed at the top of the list.  I honestly was kind of surprised by this.  Besides maybe two or three of the other models, everyone else was younger than me.  And I’m only 21.  And I’m not going to even mention how the majority of them are taller, have more experience, and what not than me.

	“I wouldn't get your hopes too high, Double A.” We heard Whitney, one of the other Viera models, say from behind us.  She, along with Nicole, had been passing by, probably leaving for somewhere, when they heard the two of us.  “The last two girls who took their clothes off for their solo shoot only had short term gains.  If you don’t believe me, check that list.”

	And sure enough, the two models that she had mentioned where in fact in the bottom quarter of the standings.  And don't get me started on how that part was optional.  Whenever I do find the person responsible for signing me up for this 'job’, I’m going to knock him (or her) out silly.

	“Also, some people might have voted for you by mistake if they had still thought Helen was still Ms. May.” Nicole added.  She obviously meant the girl that I replaced, who went missing due the events of that whole Pax Metahumana thing.  No one really knows where she is.

	“Don't worry about them.” Emily told me after the other two had left, “This is more like a marathon than a sprint.  Plus, this isn't like American Idol where people get voted off.”

	[color=b22222]“My self-esteem isn’t tied to their approval, so I don't care what they say.”[/color]

	“That's the spirit!”  Emily said, “So, let’s see what's this month’s theme will be.”

	Since next month was apparently when the San Diego Comic Con was scheduled to take place, the theme required us cosplaying any fictional character.  At first, I thought I had this in the bag because I [b]am[/b] a superhero.  However, the obvious soon set in because I couldn't cosplay myself.  That probably would let the cat out about my secret identity.  This might be a little bit more difficult than I thought.

	Later that day, I had agreed to pick Kyra from the Pacific Point airport.  A week ago, she had went back east to Tennessee to visit her family and friends, just to spend some quality time with them since she does not see them very often because she had relocated to Pacific Point. While I was waiting for her in my car in the pick-up lane at the airport, I sent a quick text to Will asking for some ideas for the cosplay that I was going to have to do.  He’s into superheroes and video games.  I’m sure he could suggest something.

	I heard a tap on the passenger side door’s window.  When I peered over, I saw Kyra standing outside.  She had her power-nullifier activated, probably because having nine fox tails would be quite inconvenient on a plane.  I therefore leaned over the passenger seat and extended my arm over to unlock the door and push it open.  Kyra tossed her luggage in the backseat and sat down beside me.

	[color=b22222]“So...how was Tennesse?”[/color]  I tried to begin some small talk between the two of us as I drove away from the airport.

	“It was really fun.  Sometimes living far away from home can be taxing, so seeing my friends and family back home was really refreshing.”  She told me.

	[color=b22222]“Welcome to the club”[/color]  I said, referring to the fact that I too was also far from home.  While we were turning out of the main street that lead to the airport, my cell phone began to vibrate.

	“You want me to answer that for you?”  Kyra offered since I was driving at the moment.

	[color=b22222]“Oh, no.  It’s just my boyfriend.  I can text him back after I drop you off.”[/color]

	“Does he know about your whole, um…”

	[color=b22222]“You mean the whole spider thing?  Yeah.”[/color]

	“And how does he feel about that?”

	[color=b22222]“He’s pretty cool with it.  Maybe a little bit [b]too[/b] cool.”[/color]

	“That must be nice.”  Kyra said as she peered out the passenger’s side window.  I was going to press the question further because it seemed like Kyra was kind of bothered by something.  However, my car’s radio, which was not even on, suddenly began playing.  But it was not music that was emitted from the speakers, but someone’s voice.

	“Hello, denizens of Pacific Point.  My name is the Game Genie and I only have one demand.”  The man on the radio said, “I demand that the Blue Blur face me!”

	[color=b22222]“Who’s the Blue Blur?”[/color]

	“No idea.”  Kyra responded to me, “There’s so many new heroes popping up everywhere that you can’t always keep track of them all.”

	“Until that happens, until the Blue Blur comes and challenges me, my little electronical friends will have some fun with your lovely Californian city.”

	“Not another nut job.”  Kyra muttered.

	[color=b22222]“And why isn’t anyone moving?”[/color]  I pressed my palm against the car horn on the steering wheel.

	“Falcon.”  I barely heard someone way head of the traffic say, “PUNCH!”

	The next thing I knew, there was what seemed like a pink marshmallow with red feet tumbling through the air above the cars that were stuck in traffic.

	“What was that?”  Kyra asked.  At that moment, the pink puffball began floating (or rather flying.  I couldn’t tell), back towards whatever had punched it into the sky.  It waved its tiny arms up and down as it flew back.

	[color=b22222]“The more important question is how are we going to get out of this traffic?”[/color]