Arch Frenemies

Part 4: Trouble In The Galaxy

Toxic had rapidly disappeared under the building. She could have followed him, but Galaxy Girl knew from past experiences that she did not do well in tight spaces; super strength, general klutziness, and old buildings were a bad combination.

The Superhero also suffered from claustrophobia, though she kept this affliction a tightly guarded secret to avoid it being exploited.
The hero was exhausted and sore, and she knew Toxic would be too. He wouldn't be wreaking any additional havoc tonight. Rubbing her shoulder, she took off, soaring out through the hole she had created on her way in.
She flew home, landing behind the dumpsters that concealed the entrance to the Galaxy family's hideaway.

After she glanced around cautiously to make certain of her solitude, she pressed her hand against a brick and the camouflaged secret door slid open. Once inside, the door automatically closed behind her and Galaxy Girl peeled off her mask to reveal the face of her alter ego, Andromeda Avis. She walked through the secret tunnel that connected her father's old base to her family's modest two story house.

The place was as empty and quiet as ever. Typical; Andromeda thought to herself, Grace Avis was a respected magazine journalist who was almost always chasing the latest story in one foreign country or the next. This week it was Brazil, and peeking into the living room Galaxy Girl saw that her mother hadn't yet arrived home. Her father wouldn't be back for a while either; he never arrived home until late at night or in the wee hours of the morning.

Her body hurt as she trudged to her room, her back groaning as she bent over to pull off her boots. Next she peeled the skin tight baby blue suit off her body, careful not to trip over her cape. When she stepped out of her costume, she was surprised to find that her stomach had a boot shaped purple bruise clearly imprinted on it, a mark from where Toxic had kicked her. The Hero's arms and chest were covered in similar ugly purplish bruises.

She examined each one carefully, touching her shoulder just enough to confirm if there was that classic feeling of hurt that only battling Toxic gave her. Even after over a decade of battles with Toxic, feeling pain was still an unusual sensation. The girl felt suddenly grateful that she had avoided a blow to the face, and that luckily her bodysuit would conceal the rest of the evening's battle marks.

Galaxy Girl looked down at the few small scars that she had acquired fighting Toxic throughout her life as Stark City's protector. Though she was one of the youngest members of The Peace League, she had been on the hero path for much longer than most of its members. To the rest of the world, she had to appear as another indestructible protector. Toxic was the only one who absolutely knew she was not.
Slipping into simple white cotton pajamas, she fell into her bed, which like most of the things inside the superhero's room was made out of reinforced titanium. Being completely exhausted, she was out in seconds.

Andromeda was awoken by the sound of her silver communicator buzzing violently from the top of the dresser. She groaned like a dying animal as she fumbled to reach it. She loved her sleep and hated waking up earlier than absolutely necessary, especially as she still felt tired from the previous day's battle. Her blue eyes blinked at the bright screen. It was already 2:00 pm and her stomach had begun to rumble in protest. The message was from the Peace League, a private summons to headquarters.

"This can't be good", a worried little voice in her mind grumbled as she rolled out of bed and stretched, her muscles still aching from exertion. She hurriedly made her way to the shower, spent a few minutes getting some hot steam on her body. Upon stepping out of the hot water, a strange feeling washed over her, like the Hero was forgetting something very important. Wrapping herself in a towel, she walked over to her open closet and was delightfully surprised to find that her suit had been washed and hung up neatly.