Fan-Fiction: Love, No Más

Contributors:
Tri-blade (PID #- 10879)
Macaia's Daughter (PID#- 10890)
Power Bottom (PID #- 11166)

=====================================


The van doors opened, and the self-described irresistible man known to his captors as 'Casa Nova' was led in. He wore a bright orange jumpsuit with the logo of Purgatory Penitentiary on the back and heavy gloves to restrict him from using his dangerous ability. He sighed as he sat down and armed guards took spots to either side of him.

A buzz, then the van made its way off the compound.

"You're quite fortunate, fella," said the guard to his left, "but with the prison at full capacity they chose to move the more well-mannered guests to another location.

"You won't have to worry about that Symptom gal coughing in your oatmeal," laughed the guard to his right.

The only response from Casa Nova was his head looking skyward with boredom.

Suddenly the van was struck, and tumbled over and down an embankment. Guards and prisoner all were tossed in the cabin until the van settled next to a set of pine trees.

"Ugh, what -" started one of the guards.

Casa Nova gained his footing. Somehow one of his gloves had slid off and although he was handcuffed, one freed hand was enough.

"What a serendipitous situation," he smiled as he put his hand to the rear door.

The door was quickly blasted away.

Casa Nova stepped out, surveying his surroundings. The air was cool, but pleasant. He took a deep breath - and re-opened his eyes to see a shirtless man wearing green trousers. Casa Nova had been around enough morphon-powered persons over recent months to not even flinch at seeing the other man's wings spread out from his back.

"Amigo, are you my liberator? If so, let us go forward, spreading our dreams of love to the masses!" Casa Nova strode out, offering his hands.

The winged man's demeanour quickly shifted on hearing the word 'love'. He picked up an axe from the ground before letting out a guttural scream.

Quicker than Casa Nova could react, a grey wave of energy seared towards him.

-

The winged man huffed once, then took to the sky.

"This is Rosa."

"Preciosa," began Analisa's voice in her headset, "Got a strange lead for you."

Rosa slowed the car to near-walking speed, then replied. "Is it about the bow-thief? He couldn't have escaped, could he?"

"Krystal had him encased, but his magic got him out... but no this is about something else."

"Go on, mom."

"We think Cupid was in your vicinity. A Purgatory Penitentary van was attacked. The strangest thing is that the driver and the guards inside,... well, they're all completely miserable and despondent, as if all the joy in the world was sucked out of their hearts. B.A.D.G.E. was able to get a recovery team to treat them."

Rosa stopped the car, oblivious to traffic behind her. A car whizzed past, the driver leaning heavily on his horn in disgust.

"How's Tri? Peter?"

"No word yet, Rosa. Many heroes took a blast in Oklahoma, we don't know if they were hurt or are helping. Comms is too jumbled to get a gauge. But you need to focus on Casa Nova right now!"

"Huh? Why?"

Analisa's sigh was audible. "He's the one unaccounted person from the scene. He was being transferred when the incident occurred. We don't know his status but if he encountered Cupid, there's no telling what may transpire!"

Rosa started to drive again. "Okay. Let me try to reach B.D. or the brothers. Hopefully will have some positive news soon."

"Good luck, preciosa."

"Thanks, mom."

"... love you."

Power Bottom 11166

:Yo, PB,:

PB stretched and rolled out of bed, realised it wasn’t his bed and wrapped a blanket around himself. :What’s up?: He replied to his twin. :I’m searching for Cupid. I thought I found him,:

:But that was no arrow,: Underwatch finished the quip for his brother. :You’re only going to find the Roman version in a bar anyway.:

:You're kidding right? Eros in a gay bar? Shocking!  Why’d you interrupt my breakfast plans?:

:I’ve been tracking other lust/love/whatever manipulators since Cupid was corrupted. Turns out they all have a similar morphonic aura, easily tracked by scrying spell. One of the signatures just changed.:

:From pink to grey?: PB asked

:From pink to grey, and It’s one of your sparring partners:

PB mentally went through several mental lists, recalling the only lust manipulator he had become entangled with, realised he wouldn't mind a round two and asked, :Where is Casa Nova now, other than not in prison?:

:Pack your best urban lumberjack outfit, bro. Tonight you’re drinking at the Wood Mill.:

:Oh joy, You better send me a dozen of the doodads Aunt Kaye gave BADGE to hack our wavelength, I smell a team-up.

:You know it's not a hack, Auntie Kaye is too polite for that. It's more like a subchannel, It doesn't have the "bandwidth" of our natural link. Only thoughts the user is willing to "Voice"and if a real telepath tries to use them as a back door they self destruct.:

The woman in the cowboy hat looked the newcomer up and down and smiled. It seldom took her more than a glass of the old "liquid confidence" to approach men, and the appearance of this handsome stranger had put her in a very good mood. Despite his odd appearance - a dingy grey jumpsuit and non-descript sneakers, he was clearly in great shape and had such a dreamy face.

She sauntered over to him, exaggerating her hip movements.

"Hi, I'm Janie!" she said eagerly. Let me buy you a -"

Casa Nova turned to face the woman. His eyes were cold and blank. Janie's greeting dissolved into a gasp and she stepped backwards.

"There... is..."

He balled his hands into fists, which started to glow reddish.

"no... love..."

Janie ran to the back door, her hat falling to the ground. The others in the bar glanced at the man and immediately scrambled.

"here..."

Rosa ran to the smouldering building. One wall was already demolished and the roof was on the verge of collapse. She immediately scanned for anybody who may be in need of assistance - fortunately it appeared that there were no casualties in or nearby the wreckage.

"What a mess," sighed Rosa. She tapped her comms to brief her mother.

"Ah, rats. Was hoping for your fire-wielding friend," groaned a voice.

Without missing a beat, Rosa smiled, "I was hoping for your much cuter brother."

-

:Dang, I like her. Exceptional taste.:

:Shut up, Leo.:

PB materialized inside the bar dropping to the ground as he heard the words “There...is...no...love... here!”

A reddish energy blast arced overhead striking the “fruit fly” fleeing the bar.  A heartrending wail of despair escaped her lips as a grey pallor spread across her skin, color even bleeding from her clothes.

:Do you think she figured out what kind of bar she’s in?:

:I don’t think she’s sober enough to care. According to reports from BADGE entire cities have been plunged into despair by Cupid’s attacks alone. We need to contain Casa Nova before he expands the grey zone.:

“I know” PB deadpanned to both Casa Nova and his brother.  “I think you’re more about lust anyway. Since you’re not about the dubious consent, right now, should I start calling you Burn Out?”


Casa tossed another flame burst at PB with a yell.

“Oh did you not want people to know about our fling?”

Leon asked :Are you trying to piss him off?:

:Actually, yes. I thought if I could get him to feel anything other than despair he  might regain control.:

:That’s not a bad idea.: Under Watch commented, as PB dodged another blast.

Casa Nova blasted two more patrons who had not yet escaped, they and the other greyed out patrons picked up pool cues, broken bottles and began to advance on PB.

Casa Nova then set the bar aflame.

:So PB,: Under Watch snarked, :You’re in a burning bar, surrounded by controlled bystanders , and facing a former hook up. What’s it going to take to get you to wait for backup? A roof falling on your head?:

The building groaned ominously. PB rolled his eyes :Evidently!: 

PB then tripped over a mop bucket, falling on his namesake and sliding under a pool table.

Water spread, coating the floor, all the patrons slipped and fell to the floor. Shoddy maintenance and the ignorance of a termite problem caused the floors to collapse in oddly specific patches. Holes formed underneath the patrons plummeting them into the basement below.

The termites then became strangely peckish, and consumed the stairs trapping the patrons below.

Casa Nova used the chaos and a conveniently collapsed wall to make his escape. PB drew his throwing knife. Most of the flames were drawn into the blade. Leaving smoldering spots.

Crawling out of the debris, PB exited the building and dusted off his hands.

"Ah, rats. Was hoping for your fire-wielding friend," groaned PB, as he exited the debris.

"I was hoping for your much cuter brother." responded a dark haired bombshell.

:Dang, I like her. Exceptional taste.:

:Shut up, Leo.! Do you have any ideas?:

:I’m full of them. First let’s test a theory. HEY ROSA, CAN YOU HEAR THIS?:

:Qué es esto?: was the reply :You don’t need to yell: Rosa’s psi-abilities evidently allowing her to tap into twin radio without amplification, when invited.

The brothers’ abilities as omniglots let them understand the Spanish and vice versa.

:Do you two have a plan, or do we just double team him?:

:First me and PB switch, the plan depends on how long you think you can hold him off alone?:

:Under normal circumstances I can take him solo, based on your condition when I got here that’s not a given:

PB’s eyes shone with a violet light as Leo took the driver’s seat. He pulled out a dozen Crystalline devices. The violet light infused the crystals. He handed one to the heroine.
:When this is about 12 times its size or starts to chime focus your strongest mental blast through it and at Casa. We’re going to switch back and charge these up while you distract him.:

:Works for me. Good luck.: Rosa replied

:Always. You too.:

The crystal was tucked into her jacket as Rosa looked around. The bar, being far on the outskirts of the small town, had a sizable parking lot and was pretty much surrounded by trees. Suddenly, Rosa saw the likely path taken by Casa Nova, as the grass was of a distinctly different hue. The path looked as though it was going to head towards town, which made it even more critical to subdue him in haste.

"P.B.," Rosa chose to speak directly, "are you able to track me and stay in close proximity?"

"No problem, we're tapped into you, for lack of a better term," came the reply.

:We'll be only a click away,: came the mental addition.

-

"This may not have been the best idea," muttered Rosa as the car trundled down the branch-and-debris-littered path. It was easily one of the most jarring rides of Rosa's life and more than once she had to slow to a crawl in order to avoid the vehicle crashing or tipping over onto its side.

Suddenly the slope dropped and the car was hurtling down an embankment. Rosa yelled in shock.

The car darted across a road and plowed through a chain-link fence. Rosa pushed hard on the brakes but the effect was negligible as the car spun instead.

As Rosa grasped the steering wheel tightly in an attempt to gain control back, she saw a man in grey pass across her line of sight. There he is.

The man threw a fist behind him and an energy bolt shot out. It blasted away a patch of ground immediately in front of the careening vehicle, the car smacking into the exposed section and coming to a halt. Rosa somehow was able to anticipate the collision, bracing her legs to absorb the impact and avoid injury. She couldn't avoid the whiplash, however.

"Ohhh," she mumbled as she crawled out of the car. "this is why I hate driving."

PB unsheathed a throwing blade. A swirling nimbus of wind surrounded him as he took to the air. A flash of light accompanied another blade being withdrawn and PB vanished from sight.

:You ready, Leo?: PB asked his Twin as they “Doubled up” - both intellects were housed in one body. Leo’s body was safely protected in one of the most magically and scientifically advanced panic rooms available.

:Yes but as we integrate the com crystals it will be harder for me to maintain the casting. I’ll need to concentrate:

:Shut my pie hole and hurry, got it.:

PB saw a nearby house aflame and flew to investigate. First responders had yet to arrive, Their resources had been taxed by Casa Nova’s rampage. A child’s scream echoed from the inferno. Without hesitation the child’s mother ran inside the inferno. Another blade was drawn and the fire began to die down. The mother escaped the pyre just as the building collapsed.  The crystal in PB’s grasp took on a pink glow as images of the rescue began replaying in its facets. “A parent’s love,” PB noted to himself.

He tied a silver chain around the love infused crystal, it spun in a circle and stopped. PB flew off in the indicated direction.

PB entered the hospital, unseen and unnoticed he approached the operating room. The air around PB shimmered with heat as he sterilized his belongings and entered the room. The staff worked unceasingly to save the life of their patient. A second crystal flared pink and fused to the first. A third joined them as the inevitable happened and the staff began following the deceased last wishes and began harvesting the organs that would save several other lives.”

Over and over PB followed the tug of the love crystals.  The exchanging of vows replayed in one, the birth of a child in another. Simple everyday acts such as feeding the unfortunate, visiting shut ins infused another. Larger sacrifices of money, resources and time flickered across others. As PB flitted across the city under attack by ennui, despair and depression gathering its inhabitants fought back in small and great acts of compassion, sacrifice and love. These acts danced and flickered across the facets of the now huge crystal. Until finally Leo screamed “:NOW!!!”: 

The crystal flared pink and converted to a sphere of blinding pink energy which vanished as it went to join the last crystal, still in Rosa’s possession.

:Go rest, broski, I’ll go help Rosa: PB told his brother as he went to rejoin the fight

Casa Nova ignored the young woman stumbling away from the wrecked car, but instead stared at a nearby warehouse. He took two steps then threw his hands forward. The twin fire bolts shot through the thick wall, causing the entire building to explode immediately. Brick and metal flew high in the sky and landed across the entire lot.

Rosa held her index and middle fingers together against her forehead, and stared at Casa Nova.

Focus.

"¡Silencio!" she shouted as she tried to hold the man's mind in a Mental Lock. Casa Nova's arms dropped to his side, and he turned to face the young woman. Rosa kept her gaze fixed on him while she felt around in her jacket pocket with her free hand.

Just as her hand brushed on the crystal, she blinked.

Immediately, Casa Nova rushed forward, hurling a fireball.

Rosa dropped to her knees and rolled to the right, narrowly missing being struck by the fireball, which struck the car instead. The car blew up with a loud bang, causing Rosa to involuntarily scream.

Enraged, Rosa telekinetically lifted one of the broken doors and waved her arm. The speed of the object wasn't enough to totally threaten Casa Nova, who dashed to a side - but it bought Rosa a few extra seconds.

"My mom is going to tear into me... but she's going to want to tear into you FIRST!" she screamed as she pulled out the crystal from Power Bottom. She glanced at it, nodded at seeing its size grow appreciably, then held it up in front of her.

"Mamá... dice... SILENCIO!"

Casa Nova froze in his tracks, and his body began to quiver.

“Mama dice, SILENCIO!” Rosa’s command reached PB’s ears as he entered the scene of combat.

The crystal in Rosa’s hand began to resonate  as the last of the love memories PB harvested infused it.  The crystal bent to PB’s will and formed itself into a spear.

“What is it with your family and magic spears?” Rosa quipped.

“I was going for something like Cupid’s arrow but bigger.”

:You couldn’t manage a ballista?: Leo’s exhausted voice snarked in his head as Rosa quipped “Size-queen.”

“Do we really have time to judge my social life?” PB said after a put upon sigh.
 
“The other Heroes have Cupid on the ropes. I have a feeling that if we don’t heal Casa Nova before the battle is over he might be stuck like this.”

:If cupid reverts back when he regains his bow, he could undo the damage he caused and revert the grayed out,: Leo offered.

“He could but the Greek Gods weren’t really big on personal responsibility if,I recall my mythology.” PB opined as he drew yet another Kunai. The knife began to resonate with the love spear, reinforcing the psychic bonds Rosa had placed on the villain

 :”We are not calling it a Love Spear”: Underwatch and Rosa said together.

“I wasn’t going to.” PB lied. “:Bro are you up to shielding my body if I enter his self-scape?:”

:I got you.:

“Rosa, are you good to handle things in the physical world?”

“Si.” she nodded.

“:Everybody chug a Hatoride and gulp a more fun bar. This is it.:”

When everyone signaled their readiness, PB suffused his consciousness  into the psychic Kunai. The knife became less physical and launched itself at Casa Nova as a  shaft of pink energy lanced forth from the “not the Love Spear '' and surrounded the villains form, whilst PB’s Body collapsed as he stated ”I’m going in.”

“:There’s a first time for everything:” Rosa and Leo said in unison.

PB’s body crumpled to the ground, a familiar lavender glow surrounded him as the Earth around him flowed about him encasing him in a rock cocoon. The lavender light etched runes of protection into the encasing stone.

Casa Nova screamed in pain and rage, a grey mist began to suffuse the pink aurora surrounding Casa Nova. The light flared back but the mist returned until it appeared that pink and grey bands were chasing themselves across the captive’s form.

:PB is elsewhere, Rosa, and I’m too tired to maintain a connection from where I am and keep feeding power to the spear. Sorry,you're going to have to…: Leo's Voice faded out.

"Wait, Leo -" Rosa began, but she already felt the mental disconnect take place. She was again alone.

Rosa slowly stepped closer to the still-upright body of Casa Nova, refusing to avert her gaze. Casa Nova's eyes were lidded shut but his body continued to tremble. Onlookers slowly came around the scene, and more than a few took out their mobile phones to try and gain some fleeting notoriety. Rosa ignored their presence.

Stopping less than 5 feet away, Rosa sighed.

"P.B., I hope you're ok," came her whisper, as she continued to hold her crystal in front.

“I’m starting to find their unison commentary annoying.” PB thought to himself.

 He took a moment to focus. This wasn’t the first time he had to enter another person's self-scape.

A self-scape varied for every individual. Gardens and jungles were common. Mountains and lakes weren’t unheard of. Museums, libraries, three dimensional Mandelbrot sets, It could be anything. The writers of Sherlock came close with the concept of a Mind-Palace, but they failed to work the soul into their description. In individuals with a morphonic response the self-scape often served as a bulwark against mental invasion and control.

PB didn’t know what he hoped to find, what setting Casa Nova had grown to house and protect his innermost self.

PB became aware of the change in his environment, centered, and created a”body” for himself. The first thing he sensed was the thumpa thumpa of dance music, the faint smell of forest over the stronger smell of alcohol, the feel of a tropic breeze, through closed eyes lights strobed, pink and then monochrome.

“That’s not right.” PB thought.  

Opening his eyes he expected the flash of light common to clubs. He gasped in horror as the lights on the dance floor were indeed pink but being attacked by a nacreous grey fog trying to obscure them.

“Okay, Carinho, where are you?” PB “called” out.

At his use of the endearment the fog coalesced into a monochrome parody of Casa Nova.

“There. Is. No. Love. Here,” it screamed while attacking the hero.

PB threw his fire and water kunai. The monstrosity bellowed as the Flame and Water blades struck home. The temperature rose and the moisture in the air dropped, causing the construct to vanish.

PB quickly scanned the bar. The fog, which had been banished with the construct, was creeping back in through the windows and the doors.

Knowing he didn’t have long until the grey returned, PB scrambled to find where Casa Nova had hidden his “self.”

Knowing Casa wasn’t fond of more than the occasional drink, preferring to get buzzed off of the emotional highs he created with his partners, PB bypassed the bottles lining the walls. The same with the music in the DJ's booth, music just heightened the experience.

A flash of pink light reflected off of the disco ball, capturing PB’s attention.

“I always knew you were more multifaceted than you pretended to be.” PB quipped.

PB drew his air blade and rose to the level of the sphere. Many facets of the disco ball had been obscured with a grey film. The film swirled with a sickening patina and spread to adjacent facets.

“I don’t have time to be gentle, Carinho.” PB Drew The psychic Knife and plunged it into the globe.
The pink light suffusing the knife flowed into the globe. The spread of Grey slowed.

A hum filled the room as PB focused his attention on the mirror ball, “Okay, PB mused aloud, “either it will shatter,or…”

PB faltered as the knife was drawn into the globe, followed by his hand, “...or I’m going to pull an Alice.”

**********
PB looked around. He was in a bedroom. “Been here, done that.” PB thought to himself.

“Okay you still trust me enough to let me in. Now let’s get you together and fighting,”

“Do I know you? Why are you dressed like that? Carnival is Months away."

PB rolled his eyes. He was wearing his costume but it was a uniform pink. “Great, I'm dressed in Pepto."

“You’re funny, What do I call you?”

“Call me Lance. What would you like me to call you?

“Room service?”

That’s a little inappropriate, considering what we’ve gone through. Would you care to try again?”

“Fine. My name is Casamiro. People usually find me charming and give me what I want.”

“Consider “NO” a growth experience then.”


“I’m not sure I like that. --You seem familiar. Pasivo de Poder is that you? Help me. Help me.”

“I’m here Casa, I’ll do my best but you have to fight.”

The moment of lucidity was lost. Casa’s eyes turned grey.

“Everyone loves me. If you don’t give me what I want, then you don’t love me. If you don’t love me, Then there is no love here.”

“I told you before. I won’t be manipulated by you. Emotionally or Psionically, I love you like a friend,... Now. So I have to share some hard truths. The Pink energy flowed from PB’s hands.”

“You are being manipulated. You are lashing out in a despair driven rage. I hate to victim blame but If you don’t person up and take control of your own life. You are going to be responsible for more things like this."

With each word the power arced from PB to Casa Nova. Tears flowed as Casa witnessed the large and small acts of love PB had harvested.

“There is love here Casa. Not the kind of love you want. After all this time you still think love is something to be commanded, something you’re entitled to. You confuse infatuation for love. You confuse lust for love.”

“I...I don’t…” Casa’s eyes returned to their true color.

“I’m not done yet. You do. Love doesn’t happen in a night. Love is built from a spark. Nurtured with the kindling of kindness and empathy, and then it burns bright. It’s light banishes the dark. It’s heat drives away the cold. But, It can be dangerous, You control fire Casa, you tell me what happens when a flame burns too hot too quickly?"

“It leaves nothing but smoke and ash.”

“And that’s what you leave behind. Before the Legion you were handsome. Before the Legion you were charismatic. Then the morphons came and all you were was a frat boy with an unending supply of ruffies, and a joy of setting hearts and the world aflame."

“How would you know?”

“Because in the other world, Leo and I were you.Until my Dads and their friends “reset” us we had your power and we were no better than you.”

“They had to destroy us and remake us. Powers that be, help me, but I can’t destroy you. I have someone in the real world who can, but I’d rather you pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and take back control of your life. Make yourself someone worthy of the love you want. Fight this thing controlling you. Serve your time. Figure out how to use your powers without harm to yourself or others or I swear to all the powers known and unknown I’ll put you down myself.

In spite of what you’ve done there is Love here. These people who loved in the face of your rage and despair show that. The fact that I’m here in spite of what you’ve done shows that. The fact that you’re still self aware shows that.”

Casa whimpered, “But I never used my powers like that on you.”

“I know. It’s why you’re still alive”

 “My great grand-father is Fire. Heat is my Uncle. Light is my grandfather. My Pops is the Conduit. My Da is what Daedalus AND Prometheus were based on. My brother knows everything and can find anything. If you’d harmed me in that fashion there would have been nothing left of you but myths. The warning kind. You only used your powers to increase what was already there. If you had crossed the line with your powers, with anybody, I wouldn’t have let you walk away...Intact,”

Casa Blanched.”I’m sorry.”

“Prove it. Clean up your mess and when you’re done get some damned therapy”

PB Threw all ten daggers. They arced forth in all directions. There was a sound of breaking glass.

They were back in the Night club. The Mist had taken the shape of Casa and become solid.

“THERE IS NO LOVE HERE!!” It bellowed. The rafters shook.

“No,” The real Casa replied, “But we just have to clean out the ash and smoke so there can be in the future.”

The flame Casa launched at the caricature of himself had a vaguely pinkish hue to it. PB noted the change but said nothing of it. PB drew the fire kunai and Casa Nova’s flame burned brighter and fiercer than before.  

The Grey fought well but never stood a chance.

The pink light flared through the self-scape, other colors returned in its wake.

“See you topside, Casamiro.”

“See you Topside, Lance.”

:He’s Back in control. Here we come.: PB announced to Leo and Rosa.

The voice from her ally was faint, but she sensed it all the same.

As Rosa stepped backwards, the grey mist vanished around Casa Nova's body, leaving only the pink aura. It took the appearance of pulsating slowly, but the body encased within was still.

After a few seconds, the aura disappeared, and Casa Nova dropped like a sack of potatoes, completely unconscious. Nobody except Rosa saw a faint ball of energy flow away from his body and disappear into the rock cocoon.

"Any EMT here? Nurse?" called Rosa to the crowd. One woman timidly raised her hand.

"Come with me, please."

The duo walked to Casa Nova and checked his breathing and for any external injuries.

The nurse said, "His pulse and breathing are okay and no bones are broken. He's just knocked out."

Rosa patted the woman's shoulder. "Good. Stay with him a bit, please. I'm not going anywhere." She then walked over to a groggy Power Bottom, who was seated on the ground with one knee up and the other leg extended. "Hey... you ok? What happened?"

P.B. gave a weak smile. "He's going to be fine." He allowed Rosa to help him get back to his feet. "Is he still going to be Don Juan, Lothario? Perhaps somewhat... but I think now he's regained some of his humanity... more importantly some aspects of empathy that was lost when he first gained morphon powers. Talking about 'love' is one thing... but understanding and feeling actual love... he's on his way back."

Rosa smiled.

The voice of Analisa, louder than the mental calls made between Rosa and P.B. earlier, was then heard as the comms activated. "Rosa! They're taking on Cupid in Paris!"

"Ten-four," said Rosa. "Casa Nova has been neutralised here. If they can stop Cupid's rampage I guess we'll be good. We'll be on our way back to normalcy."

:Well, as far as 'normalcy' counts in this place, anyway,: chuckled P.B.

"I'll advise BADGE for pick-up. See you soon?" continued Analisa.

"Count on it. Love you," replied Rosa as she disconnected the call. She turned to P.B. "What now?"

"I don't know about you but I'm going to get me some R&R, pronto. No rest for the wonderful, you know."

"Wanna go get a drink first?" teased Rosa.

"Next time, but you have to bring Aflima with you. I'll bring someone for you... and we can double-date!"

"You do know he's engaged, right?"

P.B. waved his arm with a flourish. "Hey, if you're not married..."

Power Bottom dematerialized, startling the remaining onlookers.

Only Rosa heard Power Bottom's conclusion... :you're single.:

Rosa laughed, perhaps a bit too loudly. Not that it mattered.