[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/iyJuAe0.png
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[center][b]Aubrey Adkins[/b] | [b]Kensei[/b] | [b]Emily Prichert[/b][/center]
I laid out the now depowered metahuman right next to the other two individuals, whom Pinup, Kensei, and I had defeated earlier that evening. It took some effort from the three of us, but we finally had subdued the burrowing superhuman and removed the Hound’s berserker device from him. While we were busy with the metahuman, the Pacific Point police department had already evacuated the remaining civilians, who had not made their escape at the onset of the commotion, from the 5th Street Promenade.

[color=teal][b]“You two should go now,”[/b][/color] Kensei once again reiterated his opinion, which he stated prior to the third enraged metahuman had appeared. However, Pinup in response placed her hands on her hips and threw some sass back at the samurai.

“Really? Even after we proved our worth by helping you out? What nerve.”

[color=b22222]“Maybe he’s right,”[/color] I interjected. Although I did not want to undermine my friend’s position, I also had to speak up. I could swallow my pride, like a professional athlete, who plays through a concussion, even though his couch should pull him out of the game, but that probably would not be the right call. [color=b22222]“I’m not feeling 100 percent. Even though we go through this one, what if I’m a liability in the next fight?”[/color]

[color=teal][b]“You should really listen to your friend,”[/b][/color] Kensei recommended to Pinup. [color=teal][b]“The threat seems to be neutralized here.”[/b][/color]

“If that’s what you want, then we better figure out a way to ditch the paparazzi,”  Pinup finally admitted after caving to my and Kensei’s suggestions.

[color=teal][b]“I’ll handle that,”[/b][/color] Kensei muttered before retrieving three, small pellets from within his tunic. He then hurled the tiny spheres against the ground. A large plumb cloud arose from the spot where the pellets had impacted against the ground, shrouding the three of us in a chalky haze. At first, I thought that the smokescreen was so thick that I couldn’t see my hand a few inches in front of my face. However, once the cloud started to disperse,  I still couldn’t see my hands, as if they were invisible.

[color=teal][b]“This will provide you with approximately 10 minutes of invisibility. Use it wisely,”[/b][/color] Kensei’s disembodied voice warned Pinup and me. After that, neither of us heard another word from him. I guess he was already making his own escape, too. While I stood there, vainly looking where the samurai had dashed off to, I suddenly sensed something starting to reach towards me. I instinctively sidestepped in the opposite direction. However, just after I took a few steps, it dawned on me. The only other person, who could have been around me, was Pinup.

[color=b22222]“You know, you could have just said something.”[/color]

“I know,” Pinup answered back, “But this is such a weird sensation. It’s like wandering in the dark, but in board daylight.”

[color=b22222]“What are you doing?”[/color] I snapped at her when I felt two hands press up against my spider abdomen.

“I just thought it would be easier if you gave me a ride since we live, well, you know.”

[color=b22222]“I am not a [i]horse[/i]!”[/color] I argued in vain as I felt Pinup crawl up onto the back of my cephalothorax.

“At this rate, if you don’t get going, you’ll be giving the media a money shot whenever this invisibility powder stuff wears off.”

[color=b22222]“Fine—”[/color] I grumbled. I was, however, relieved that her arms were wrapped around my waist. Thank God I didn’t have to tell her to keep her hands low.

With Pinup in tow, I dashed towards a nearby shop building and scaled up its side. Once we were on top of the building, I started to hop from rooftop to rooftop. After the first block or so, everything became a blur. It was the same thing over and over again, except for the few times when I had to scale down to the street level whenever there was not a nearby rooftop within jumping distance. About halfway through our journey, the invisibility that Kensei had given the two of us had warn off, but by that time it was already starting to get dark enough that it would not have mattered.

“Why are we stopping?” Pinup asked when I halted about over a block away from our apartments.

[color=b22222]“While it’s getting late, it is not dark enough for me to sneak into my apartment without someone spotting a giant spider-woman.”[/color]

I then reached down and deactivated my power nullifier. At once, my costume and my arachnid physiology melted away, leaving me with my ‘normal’ human body and the clothes I had been wearing before the attack on the 5th Street Promenade.

“God, that’s so convenient. Wish I had one of those.”

[color=b22222]“You have no idea how much time it saves taking off and putting on clothes while I look all spidery.”[/color]

“So, are we going to talk about [i]this[/i]?”

[color=b22222]“Yes. ”[/color] I answered back, while standing in front of the fire escape. [color=b22222]“But maybe some other time. It has been a long day.”[/color]

“I’ll look forward to it.”

I started to climb onto the fire escape and head down. However, I stopped when I noticed that Pinup was not following me.

[color=b22222]“Coming?”[/color]

“Probably not the best idea for you strolling across the street with a superhero. Kind of defeats the purpose of changing a block away.”

[color=b22222]“Good point. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?”[/color]

I then walked down the fire escape and through the alley way until I reached the nearby street. After a short trek to the Viera apartment complex, I was finally back within the safety of my home. The first thing I did once inside was to throw myself on my bed. It had been a long day. Yet I knew that I was not going to sleep well tonight. Not from the destruction I had seen. Sure, most of the craziness that happened this evening would give the average person nightmares for months, and I’m not saying that my superhero career gives me immunity to these horrors. In fact, some nights, I can only fall to sleep after my spider sense has been calm for several hours. But I was not afraid of physical fears. I’m afraid that I’ll see the same things I saw in my living nightmare.