[center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/627389932335529985/643301011670433807/image9.jpg?width=300&height=300[/img][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/627389932335529985/647866492389556234/image0.jpg?width=300&height=300[/img] [/center][center][h3][color=f7941d]Clara Cabello[/color] and [color=f49ac2]Alejandra Jonas[/color][/h3][/center] [hr] [hider=Set up and recap] September 5th Clara was laying on her bed, looking pensive. AJ sat next to her, clenched fist against her mouth. Both of them were looking at the pale man with a receding hairline. This black market hospital was only place Clara could go to. She was a career criminal, after all. If she got arrested, there was a slight chance, however slight, that she would be connected to a string of petty and not-so-petty crimes. If she got separated from AJ for even a little, that would also be bad. Particularly for AJ. And once she was in the system, she was in the system for life. In one way, this was good, because as the powerful underground figure named Doctor Smith was about to figure out, Clara Cabello had gained super powers. This way, nobody in the government could figure out that Clara had super powers. Only Doctor Smith. The bad news was, Doctor Smith figured out Clara had super powers. $50,000 dollars was the price the pair had to pay. Both for the extensive treatment, the risk he took in taking her in while she was potentially contagious, and the cost of keeping this new development a secret. Moreover, he was a businessman, and he sensed an opportunity. Now, they were in Doctor Smith's pocket. Pay him back, or else. Or else what? Bad things, probably. AJ seemed particularly worried. How could they pay it all back? Clara Cabello, however, wasn't worried at all. It's hard to be worried when you have super powers. [/hider] [hr] September 7th Clara Cabello was on a roll. Pick pocketing was a refined art. It took skill, patience, and a level head. And she was good at it. After years of practice, the nineteen year old thief could snatch dozens of wallets a day. AJ built a scanner off of blueprints from the internet that could get a person's credit card info right out of their pocket. She even figured out how to put a device on credit card swipers at various places of business and got their info anyway. And that was before Clara got super powers. Now things were too easy. Over the last month, Clara had been racking up the cash. People were getting paranoid but even wary folks couldn't stop Clara from making off with their money. She was as fast as a bullet, only slowing her hands down so she didn't accidentally break the sound barrier. That's what it felt like, anyway. What was their amibition? Clara, dressed in a black gym crop top, black leggings, and black and white sneakers, bounced eagerly down the street. Her bright orange hair, tied up into a ponytail, bounced behind. Complementing her warm brown skin. Alejandra Jonas followed warily behind, her gloved hands tucked into a baggy green overcoat. Over one of her shoulders was a heavy back pack. [color=f49ac2]"Clara-"[/color] [color=f7941d][i]"Shhh!"[/i][/color] Clara turned around, putting a finger to her lips, easily jogging backwards. It looked like she was going to back right into a stop sign but she moved aside without even looking. AJ winced. [color=f49ac2]"Okay, so-"[/color] [color=f7941d][i]"Shhh!"[/i][/color] [color=f49ac2]"..."[/color] [color=f7941d]"Sh."[/color] Clara smiled, eyes bright. The orange sunglasses resting on her forehead seemed to smile with her. [color=f7941d]"Hey, sorry. You can talk. Just no more AJ doubtin' and whinin'."[/color] [color=f49ac2]"What's that supposed to mean?"[/color] AJ asked, raising her pierced eyebrow. [color=f7941d]"It means- it means shhh."[/color] [color=f49ac2]"Where are we [i]going,[/i] Clara?"[/color] AJ asked, leaning forward. [color=f7941d]"We're going somewhere cool, don't worry about it!" [/color] She responded, still jogging backwards. [color=f49ac2]"You didn't do anything stupid, did you?"[/color] [color=f7941d]"Oh hey look at that, it's fuckin' AJ doubtin' and whinin', who woulda guessed. No, I didn't do something stupid. I did somethin' cool and funny."[/color] [color=f49ac2]"...'Cool and funny'?" [/color] [color=f7941d]"Boom, stop right there."[/color] Clara came to a stop, striking something of a pose. They had taken a couple of turns and reached what looked like a heavy metal garage door.[color=f7941d] "Yeah, AJ, cool and funny. A surprise." [/color] Clara reached inside her top and produced a key. She did a backflip, causing AJ to flinch. Clara landed prone on her back, flipped the key through her fingers and inserted it into a key slot a few inches off the ground. She twisted it, unlocking it, stuck her hand to the garage door and pushed it open with a flick of her wrist. She kipp-upped to her feet and held it open. AJ's mouth fell open.[color=f6989d] "Did you..?"[/color] On the inside was a wooden desk, some chairs, a workbench and a carpet. A somewhat flickering light was attached to the ceiling. AJ glanced around, noticing some other doors that were quite a distance away, spread out, most of them in bad shape. [color=f7941d]"Damn straight. AJ, you and me own this shit."[/color] [color=f6989d]"H...how did you afford this?" [/color] [color=f7941d]"Well, uh, I didn't, exactly. I got a loan."[/color] Clara shrugged. [color=f6989d]"Clara! Why would you do this!? We're already so deep in debt and now we're even MORE in debt! You didn't even tell me first!"[/color] [color=f7941d]"'Cause I knew you would react this way!"[/color] Clara said, smirking innocently. AJ put her hands on her head, obviously distressed, horrified, even. [color=f7941d]"Now, wait, hold the fuck up. Lemme explain."[/color] Clara took a step closer and set a hand on AJ's shoulder. "You gotta trust me on this one. This is good. With this, we'll be able to make even more money, even faster!" [color=f6989d]"How!?"[/color] [color=f7941d]"Because, you'll be able to do your techie stuff!"[/color] She pointed to the backpack over AJ's shoulder. [color=f6989d]"Clara, I'm not-"[/color] [color=f7941d]"Shut up, I'm not even gonna let you talk shit about yourself. I've seen the shit you've put together in a goddamn tent. You didn't even have a place to sit, or work, or keep things, except some shitty back pack."[/color] Clara gestured to the decent sized room around them, buzzing with air conditioning and lights. [color=f7941d]"But with this underground certified, gen-u-ine quality black market little...spot thingy...you'll be able to do whatever you want! You'll be able to do that, uh, build that, those shooter things. Those blue prints you got. Think of what I can do with those!"[/color] Clara's eyes glittered with ambition and excitement. Her dark brown hair filtered into a dazzling red color. [color=f7941d]"I can walk on walls and run super fast, and do this!"[/color] She pointed to her changing hair color, and shifted her focus onto making her skin tone entirely blue. Then back to her normal shade. [color=f7941d]"But if I could grab shit from a distance, and use that sticky stuff to win fights-"[/color] [color=f6989d]"That's risky."[/color] AJ cut her off. [color=f7941d]"Fuck that!" [/color]Clara's eyes literally flashed crimson, a spike of anger shooting up her spine. [color=f7941d]"I'm so sick of you tryin' to hold us back, AJ. Seriously. Do you really think that Doctor Prick is just gonna let us go once we pay his debt? Yeah, right. He'll make stringin' us along priority numero uno."[/color] Clara turned away and hopped onto the walls, sitting on them halfway up. [color=f7941d]"So, yeah, we could sit back, picking pockets and scraping shit off the bottom of people's shoes, and I could run around doing oddjobs for the rest of my life, and you could just sit in some shitty tent tinkering with toys. OR!"[/color] Clara opened her arms. [color=f7941d]"We could make some crazy shit happen! The choice wasn't yours, it was mine. Now tomorrow I'm gonna go all out, hit a tech place, and bring back something for you to work with. And YOU'RE gonna build me some cool shit. Then we pay off our debt, and the world is our toaster."[/color] [color=f6989d]"...Oyster."[/color] AJ corrected, hand on her forehead. [color=f7941d]"Oyster, whatever."[/color] Clara chuckled, crossing her arms and leaning back.[color=f7941d] "Look, I'm sorry. But its like, every time I try to do some cool shit, or push you into doing somethin' cool, you always try to shoot it down. Well, that's not gonna fly anymore. We gotta start makin' plays. If we become powerful enough, that Doctor dick is gonna have to work for us. But I can't do it with just these powers. And you can't do anything with just scrap and a laptop. This...is your lab. Our hideout. Our secret base! So, what, we're in a little bit more in debt. But once you get really going, the gravy train has left the station!"[/color] Clara grinned. [color=f7941d]"Choo choo."[/color] She added, pumping her arm like she was pulling down on a whistle. AJ had crossed her arms, looking around the room. [color=f6989d]"Next time, you tell me before you make a purchase this big. Or take out another loan. We're in deep shit, now, thanks to you."[/color] [color=f7941d]"Alright,"[/color] Clara brought up her hands. [color=f7941d]"But I'm right. This time, I'm right. I'm sorry for not telling you, but you were sittin' on both our hands. We were makin', what, couple hundred bucks a day? Not nearly good enough. With those thingies you're gonna make." [/color]She gestured to her wrist. [color=f7941d]"And, if you just let me go work on some more," [/color]she brought her hands up in exaggerated finger quotes, [color=f7941d][i]"dangerous missions." [/i][/color]She slapped her thighs. [color=f7941d]"We're good to go. Paid back in no time flat, with more to spare. Then when Doc Shitheel tries to leverage us again, we, uh..."[/color] She shrugged.[color=f7941d] "I dunno. I'll beat him up or somethin'. Once we get a rep, people will let us get away with shit. No one's gonna wanna work for him and risk gettin' on [i]our[/i] bad side once we're through."[/color] Clara's skin became spotted a bright, cheery yellow, and she leaned back on the wall. She laced her arms behind her head and crossed one leg over the other. Real casual like. [color=f6989d]"That simple, huh?"[/color] [color=f7941d]"Yup. That simple. AJ, you're a rookie at this kinda stuff. I get you're nervous. But this, is called...it's called...it's called being smart."[/color] She tapped the side of her head, her skin returning to it's default shade. [color=f6989d]"You're an idiot."[/color] AJ laughed, pinching her own nose as she tried to wrap her mind around all this. [color=f7941d]"I might be a dumbass..." [/color]Clara said, trailing off. [color=f6989d]"...but?"[/color] [color=f7941d]"But what?"[/color] [color=f6989d]"...So, I need to get my adhesion projectors up and running real fast, huh?"[/color] AJ walked over to the table and ran her hands over it's smooth wooden surface. There was a rack with many pegs for her to set things on. So she did, resting her back pack on it with a dull thunk. Smiling a little, she scooted the metallic folding chair over and sat down on it. [color=f7941d]"Gotta come up with a better name for 'em. I'll never remember that."[/color] [color=f6989d]"It shouldn't take me too long to build them, if you can get me the supplies. I built a prototype a long time ago with some friends in summer camp." [/color] She smirked, her eyes somewhere else. [color=f6989d]"But it was bad. I've made purely hypothetical improvements on the design since then, but, I've never really had a chance to just sit down and work it out."[/color] [color=f7941d][i]"Aaaaannd noooowww yoooouuu?"[/i][/color] Clara egged. [color=f6989d]"And now I do."[/color] AJ admitted. [color=f6989d]"But this was a terrible idea, and you're a terrible person."[/color] Clara shrugged.[color=f7941d] "You'll see. I believe in you, dude!"[/color] Her hair turned the same shade as AJ's purple hat. AJ furrowed her brow. [color=f6989d]"Is that on purpose?" [/color] Clara brought her hand up to her hair. [color=f7941d]"Uh, yeah...yeah that's definitely on purpose. I'm totally in control of my colors."[/color] She lied. [color=f7941d]"Anyway. I'm thinkin' of hittin' Hard Tech."[/color] [color=f6989d]"It's Hardtcorp."[/color] [color=f7941d]"I've been scoping the place out, it's not [i]that[/i] hardcore."[/color] AJ's eyes glazed over for a second, but she managed to refocus on her friend as she continued.[color=f7941d] "You put all your stuff in here. Go back to our tent at the Underpass. Tomorrow I head out, sneak inside, grab the stuff and get out. By dinner tomorrow you'll have a cheasure trest of loot to work with."[/color] AJ nodded, looking unsure. She sighed. [color=f6989d]"I mean- are you sure?"[/color] [color=f7941d]"Yeah, I'm sure! I got this! I won't get caught. No way they planned for a spider person to break in. Besides, security is a myth made up by rich people so that poor people wouldn't figure out that all walls can be busted down and all locks can be broken. You'll see. I'm right. You're right a lot of the time, but this time, I'm right."[/color] Clara's skin flushed a confident gold, and AJ had no choice but to believe her.