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Special Education by:
Rebecca McQuarrie June 28th It’s hard to
feel special in a city filled with other special people. I’m not using special in the sense of short
busses and helmets, but in the sense of being different…unique. It’s even harder when the people you work
with and the friends you spend time with all have exceptional skills that they
were born with and you’re just, well…normal.
They all have ‘Super powers’ if you will. I hesitate to use that term. In a city of “Heroes” it’s definitely overused,
but shooting energy out of their hands and calling up storms qualify as ‘super’
in my book. Me? I’m good with a katana. Big deal.
The only reason I even have that skill is because I was raised by a
‘Super’ Group. When my mother and sister
disappeared, my guardians were concerned for my safety and trained me to defend
myself. Even if I lived somewhere other
than Paragon, I doubt my skill would mark me as special. Who would be in awe of a woman with a sharp
knife? With a
sigh, Zoe set down her pen and closed her journal. She had kept journals as long as she could
remember. ‘Therapy’ is what her
counselor called it, but most days if felt like homework. She had to admit though, that it did help to
vent her frustrations sometimes. The
rest of the time she took it out on the local thugs. Looking up from the park bench where she was
sitting, she noticed a group of them across the way harassing an elderly
gentleman. She quickly and discreetly
stashed her belongings under the bench and headed in the group’s
direction. Noticing that the harassment
was bordering on something more violent, she picked up speed and pulled her
ever-present katana from its sheath. Closing
in on the group, she leapt off the back of another bench and landed in the middle
of the minions. With her steel flashing,
Zoe swung her sword in an arc dealing damage in a wide circle. “I’ll
learn ya to mess with the Outcasts,” the apparent leader said as he landed a
lucky blow. Knocking
the thug off of her with an uppercut, she responded, “While this may not teach
you proper English, at the very least it should teach you some respect.” She then proceeded to clean up the rest of the
ruffians and tag them so they could be transported to the Zig. “Over-confident
punks,” she muttered, as she wiped off her blade and straightened her flack
jacket. “Thank
you so much,” said a voice from behind her.
She turned to see the man she had protected cowering alongside a garbage
can. “It was
no problem sir. Let’s just say it was
therapeutic. I’m glad you’re ok.” “I’m
more than ok, I’m alive. That was
amazing,” he said, and then continued to shower praise on the heroine. “It
really wasn’t much sir, honestly. Would
you like me to escort you to wherever you were heading?” By this time, Zoe was fighting a blush and
glancing around at the people passing by, hoping they weren’t attracting too
much attention. “It
certainly was something,” answered the man.
“Nowadays all you young heroes are all after the head honchos, the big
bosses and Archvillains. Not to mention
being all tied up with Task Forces and such.
I read the paper. I know how it
is out there. No one stops to help the
little guy anymore. As to where I was
going, that doesn’t matter; because right now I’m heading to the nearest
restaurant to buy you lunch.” “That’s
really not necessary….” “Shush. I won’t take no for an answer. My name is Marv by the way. It was a pleasure to be saved by you.” With a
laugh, she took the arm he offered her and said, “My name is Zoe, and it was a
pleasure saving you.” After a
detour across the park to collect her bag, the couple headed to a local mom and
pop diner that served the best Ruben sandwiches in town. The heroine and her temporary charge were
relaxing after their meal with a cup of coffee and a slice of pie when Marv
asked, “Do you miss her?” Slightly
confused, Zoe asked, “Who?” “You
mother.” Growing
a little more concerned, as the topic hadn’t come up during the meal, she
asked, “What makes you think that I don’t see my mother?” With a
look in his eyes that spoke of secrets and knowing and a grandfatherly
understanding, he said softly, “A special young lady like yourself typically
isn’t raised by an overbearing mother.
And if by chance she was, that mother wouldn’t approve and therefore you
would miss her.” “I’m not
special. Look around. There are at least six other heroes in this
diner alone. Most of the people in this
city can save people as well as, if not better, than I can. That makes me normal. If anything it makes me mediocre or
inferior.” “No. Never inferior or mediocre. Don’t let public opinion and envy get the
best of you. If you think that you are
not as good, then work to become better.
I watched you execute Sting of the Wasp and Divine Avalanche flawlessly. Why not Soaring Dragon? Why not Golden Dragonfly?” “I don’t
know those stances.” After a thought
filled pause, Zoe glanced up at him sharply and asked, “How do you know those
names? Who are you?” “A
teacher, if you would like me to be. It
has been many years, and this old body cannot do a lot of things anymore, but
in time it will remember and respond.” “But…why
me?” A look
of sorrow briefly clouded his face and he stared out the window for a short
time before he answered her. “I lost my
own daughter years ago. You remind me of
her. Her mother was not around to see
her become a woman and so I taught her what I could in the short time we had
together. Unfortunately fate had bigger
plans than we, and she was torn from my life long before she should have been. Time may have taken my strength, but it was
the loss of her that stole my spirit.
When I saw you courageously leap to my defense, I saw the same look of
inner strength and pride that once graced Kylee’s face, a looked that once graced
mine. Ack, listen to me doddering like a
senile old man. We learn from the past
so we can teach the future. So tell me
Zoe, are you ready learn?” Not
knowing how to answer him, Zoe took a drink of her coffee and watched him
thoughtfully over the rim of her mug. If
this man was speaking truthfully, then she couldn’t even consider turning him
down. There were few Masters left in the
world, and this man spoke as if he were one, or at the very least, had studied
under one. But, what if it was a trap or
a con? Well, she thought, I’m a big
girl. I can take care of myself. After all, he is an old man. What harm could there be in indulging him? Having
reached her decision Zoe looked at her new teacher sitting across the table
from her and nodded her head in acceptance.
“Where do we begin?” “Why, at
the beginning of course,” he cackled as he leapt to his feet more agilely than
Zoe would have imagined possible. He
tossed down money to cover the bill and headed for the door. “Are you coming my dear,” he asked looking
back at her. |