The tiny bell above the door heralded her entrance into the little convenience store on the corner of 2nd and Manze. Keeping Ossar hidden away in her pockets Tonya slunk to the back where the cold racks were, selecting bottle of whole milk from the array of cokes, Gatorades, and caffeinated drinks lining the shelves. Casting a nervous glance over her shoulder Tonya popped the bottle’s top, holding down close to her pocket.

	[color=8dc73f]“That shall do nicely Miss Tonya.”[/color] Ossar slithered from pocket and made as if to dive headfirst into the proffered bottle, but Tonya pulled it away closing the lip back up and doing her best to hide the fact that the seal was broken.
	
	[color=ed1c24]“Wait,”[/color] she hissed grabbing Ossar from where he was floating and shoving him back into her pocket. [color=ed1c24]“I’ve got to pay for it first. Otherwise it’d be stealing.” [/color]Strolling up to the checkout counter Tonya placed the milk and a candy packet for herself next to the register. A bored, middle-aged women with a very wrinkly face stepped forward, painstakingly sliding the items across the scanner multiple times until an audible beep sounded.

	“Did you see the news young lady?” The women asked, Tonya shook her head. Pointing over her shoulder at a fuzzy old television the woman drawled on, expressing a slow monotone that frustrated the tired and hurried Tonya to no end. “Some crazy man started attacking kids with a whip, twice. It made everyone go bonkers. Police are still trying to figure out what happened, but the local news is crediting Rouge-Bat’s return to stopping him.”

	[color=ed1c24]“What!”
[/color]

	“I know right, it’s been a long time since Rouge-Bat vanished, this city needs a brave hero like him again.”

	[color=ed1c24]“No, it’s bad!” [/color]Tonya argued sweeping her purchased items off the counter. [color=ed1c24]“Those people, they must not be able to remember what happened, so of course when they came around and saw him running away they must’ve thought he’d saved them!”

[/color]	

	“Wha- I don't understand?”

	[color=ed1c24]“Thanks ma’am, but I gotta go!”[/color] Spinning on her heel Tonya marched away, the aged cashier’s patronizing warning to remain careful ringing in her ears as she stepped out onto the street. Munching on her candy and allowing Ossar to have his fill of the milk Tonya inwardly fumed all the way home. Of course the ex-hero would take the credit for defeating Mr. Johnson. The city needed no further explanation than a slight rumor, and would continue to adore him despite his newfangled, albeit unknown wicked deeds. Tonya and her team needed some way to expose the devious scoundrel for who he truly was. And just as she reached home and opened the door to her room, Tonya thought she might’ve figured out just how to go about doing it.