I'M YOUR PUPPET; invincible

chapter 4

    They land on the side of the rocket with ease, bracing on their hands and knees.

    She follows his gaze to the boosting stage as it floats aimlessly, detached from the rest of the rocket. She laughs when he murmurs, "Cool." A moment later, her laughter grows as he pulls out his phone, taking a photo.

    After receiving his orders from Cecil, they sit against the rocket, simply waiting to reach their destination.

    He turns his gaze to her. "Why did Cecil want you to monitor me?"

    "For one, I'm the GDA's space representative. If anything happens in space, I've been the one to handle it." She tips her face away, focusing on the nose of the rocket. "I'm not here to interfere with your job. Just to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible."

    "So, you're like...one of Cecil's main people?"

    She shrugged. "Sure. It's been that way since I was thirteen."

———

    There is a thirteen year old girl. She's small and breakable. Fragile in every meaning of the word. Brown hair and green eyes. Blue and white suit. She looks fit to be a hero of this world, yet she is only a child. A girl.

    It is the only thing they all see when they look at her. This girl, standing before them, in the headquarters of the Guardians of the Globe. They see only the youth of her body and the determination of someone much older on her face. She is not fit for a place like this. Not truly.

        Cecil Steadman stands between them all, introducing them one by one. With a gestured hand, he brings Immortal and War Woman forward. Glancing between the heroes and the girl, he says, "I want you to fight her."

    "Pardon?" War Woman arches a brow. "Is your aim to have her killed?"

    "No," he says sternly. Emotionless. "I want to see how well she can hold her ground."

    Immortal's face twists. "She's a child."

    "And she's stronger than you."

    It is but minutes later that they stand across from her. Arms crossed over their chests, the two beings watch the girl approach. She is much smaller than them in every way, having to tip her head back to look up at them.

    "You want to be one of us?" Immortal questions, tipping his chin up. A show of power.

    She shrugs. "Yeah."

    He throws a punch before she is prepared for it. His knuckles ram into her cheekbone, no doubt cracking it. It forces her head to the side, her body falling with the momentum of the hit.

    War Woman comes at her from the opposite side, swinging her mallet. It cracks into the girl's side, crushing her to the ground.

    For a moment, the room is entirely still. There are no movements, no breaths. There is nothing but the fear racking through their bones that they have irreparably harmed the girl.

   But when Cecil nods his head from the upper platform, there is breath.

    She pushes to her feet with a flurry of power. It is only then that they see the crackle of white along her knuckles and, before he can prepare, Immortal has been thrown across the room.