It was lunch, but I oddly wasn't hungry. I never really needed to eat since my body was made of pure light, but I enjoyed the comfort foods now and then. Although, I was much too stressed to enjoy it then.
I was sitting with Mei while her voice just blended in with the background chatter of UA's massive cafeteria. My eyes were fixed at the forms Power Loader dropped off as the bold black letters taunted me.
"Rose."
It's not exactly easy to get a parent to sign a school form when they don't even know you're enrolled there.
"Rose...?"
I've forged their signature before in middle school, but this one called for a phone number, and I wasn't great at impersonating my dad over the phone.
"Rose!" Mei called out loudly, waving her hands in front of my face.
"Aahh— what‽" Her sudden interjection startled me and snapped my mind out of a nervous daydream.
"What's wrong?" She asked and tilted her head to me. As someone, I spent most of my time at UA with, I guess it wasn't hard to believe that she sensed something was off with me.
"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to play it off as if everything was alright.
"Well, I was just talking about the mechanics of a sniper rifle, and you didn't seem the least bit excited!" Mei waited for me to explain myself, being utterly baffled about my reticence.
She's got me there.
"Okay. Yeah," I sighed. "It's just these stupid forms." My head rested in my hands as the hopeless thoughts ran through my mind once again.
They can't find out I'm in UA. Not yet.
"Well, why don't you just talk to the professor about it? I'm sure he'd love to help." She added and finished up her lunch. "And if that doesn't work, I'm sure that if we work together, we can build a robot replica of your family!" My friend laughed to herself as the logistics of the scheme set in.
Seeing her be so energetic about finding the most outrageous way to help let me laugh during the stressful moment. Though, I was appreciative of her offer. "That's insane."
"You call it insanity; I call it inspiration!" Mei Hatsume was a big ball of crazy, but I was glad to have that big ball of crazy as my ally.
The bell rang again, and students of UA moved from the hallways into their afternoon classes. I pondered about what to do about the form for the rest of the day until I realized my only option was to ask for help. Which was not something I was looking forward to doing.
"I gotta check on something real quick. So I'll see you tomorrow," I said to Mei as she walked out of our last class with me. I waved bye to her then stood outside the 1-H classroom, waiting.
Come on, Rose. . . just toughen up and walk in there.
I used all my strength to knock on the metal door with my equally metal arm. Professor Q's cheery "come in" welcomed me inside. I ducked my head in and asked, "Is this a bad time?"
"Not at all." Q waved me in as he pushed aside the little robot he was working on— or with. "What can I do for you, Ms. Rosemary?"
I stood by the desk and sheepishly held onto the paper. "I needed to ask a favor of you with no follow-up questions."
"Now, that's the kind of nonsensical demand from a child that I became a teacher to witness," he chuckled to himself and held out his hand for the paper. I handed it to him and looked down while he read it. "So you're wanting me to sign this for you? I'd assume something like that to be highly illegal. Then again, it's nothing more than a permission slip." Q shrugged and quickly signed it.
"That's it?" I asked, surprised my plan went off so easily. I guessed Mei wouldn't have to make clones of my parents after all.
"Is there something else you wanted to request?" Q asked and pushed up his glasses.
I shook my head. "No, it's just— thanks."
Q smiled at me. "Without worries. But, before you go, I talked to one of the teachers in the Hero Course."
"Oh, yeah?"
"Indeed. He teaches 1-A and is well known for expelling his students regularly. Anyways, he mentioned that if a spot or two were to open up in his class, then he'd look for a replacement from another course," Q explained, and my mind froze.
"Really‽ Er– I mean, really?" I tried to mask my excitement, but it was no use. My hands gripped the folded student forms while I couldn't bite back the eager smile across my face. I was once again filled with hope and optimism.
Could this be it? Could I really have my second chance?
Q knew how happy I was to hear his news. He continued, "Yes, and I'll put in a good word for you, but you have to realize that you won't be the only student in line for that opening. Almost everyone in the Support, Business, and General Studies program will be fighting for blood to get in there. So, don't take it lightly. Give it your all, and do your best!"
The determination and excitement pushed my head to nod rapidly, "I will! Thank you, professor!" I beamed and tried to refrain from hugging him.
"You are certainly welcome, but nothing is set in stone just yet. Though, I do hope this helps you achieve your dream of being a pro Hero."
I laughed. "Well, thanks, but I'm not really doing this for me. It's only because once my parents find out I'm a hero, they'll let me back home!" I smiled at him, too excited to remember what I confessed right away.
Q's silence and change in attitude, on the other hand, told me that he heard me loud and clear. He took a deep breath and pointed at a chair for me to sit in front of him.
Crap. . .
I sat down and braced myself for the lecture of a lifetime.
Q faced down, probably wondering where to begin. "Alrighty. For one, please don't ever do something solely to impress others, especially family. Trust me when I say it's not fun. Secondly, how could you know that being a hero will solve everything? And how could you stake all of this on it? And where are you living?" He asked and looked at me, demanding answers and fast.
"Well, uh, I just know, okay? A-and my living situation is...fine." I sat there, avoiding eye contact and wrapping my arms around my stomach. I hunched over slightly and leaned back.
"It is." I insisted after Q didn't respond. His silence once again forced me to talk. "I can't go home, so I rent a storage unit uptown. Okay, it doesn't sound great when I say it out loud, but I swear I'm fine! I have a place and living parents: that means that I'm not technically an orphan."
"Rosemary," Q started, but I refused to look him in the eyes. "I need you to admit that you're downplaying your problems."
"I am not." I quickly snapped.
Q didn't let up though. "Yes, you are. Please, just let me help you out with this."
I rolled my eyes. "I do not need your help. I'm not some charity case, alright? I told you that I'm fine." You have no idea how hard it was for me to have someone pity me, or see me as some poor, orphaned girl in need of saving.
Q didn't get the memo that I wasn't happy with the way this conversation was heading. "I'm not doing this because I feel bad for you," he told me. "You want to be a hero, yes? Then let me help you be a hero, Rosemary."
I can't..I'm not going to accept his charity...
I thought long and hard about how it was the last thing I wanted. But rent was piling up, and I wasn't exactly making a ton of money on my own. People apparently didn't want to buy weapons made by a 15-year-old girl with no form of license or permit.
"What do you want from me?" I asked, taking the second to look up at Q for the first time in the last few minutes.
"Will you let me help you just a little?" He asked.
I finally caved in. "Fine. If it'll stop this then yeah sure, I'll go with you."
Q perked back up to his crazy, cheerful self and smiled. "That is wonderful to hear! In that case, let's get moving. We have to be quick if we want to get you settled in by dinner." He tapped his desk and stood up. I sluggishly picked up my bag and followed him out the door.
So I'm moving in with a mad scientist to become a superhero. Just the high school experience I signed up for.
Well, how's that for cooky? Looks like Rose is getting some help with her current situation, but will she accept the handout? Find out next time on Guns And Roses
This chapter starts out at lunch, so what are your favorite lunchtime foods?
Character Spotlight: Tallulah (Rose) Rosemary
1-H original character
Quirk: Weapon
(Looks just like her except she has pink hair that's shaved on the right side)
Fun fact: she doesn't need to eat but enjoys meats and stir fry