All in a Day's Work

((A quick little story I threw together for my character Timex on Virtue.. it's not quite an origin, but it's an insight.))

The flames were just about out. It looked like Paragon City Public School 37 would live to see another day, much to the annoyance of its students. Timex sat on the curb watching the firemen and medical technicians tend to the kids from the after school programs. His copper gauntlets and fingerprint tank set to the side, he doused himself with some more water from a spray bottle he took from one of the trucks. Yet again he wished he could take off the helmet just for a few minutes. It was too bad Mom never thought to give it air conditioning.

“Hey mister!” Timex swiveled and noticed a little black haired girl coming up to him. “You’re the hero that saved Mrs. Shannon, aren’t you?”

Timex nodded and grinned beneath the faceless helmet. He hoped the monocle didn’t wink too coldly at the girl, whose vitals were beginning to appear to him. Perfectly healthy – but there was something off. A mutant, how about that.

“She’s my favorite teacher, so thanks,” the girl said. She kept her distance, though. “You’re a mutant,” was the followup.

Timex chuckled. “It’s the shirt, right? Nobody wears a shirt that lame anymore.”

“You’re all blue,” she informed him.

“Huh. I guess Hollywood Tans owes me a refund, then.” Timex flashed the lens shutter on the monocle in a mechanized wink. The girl giggled. Timex held out his hand to the girl. “I’m Tim. Everyone calls me Timex.”

“Lisa,” said the girl. She dropped into a mock curtsey and shook Timex’s hand.

“My mom’s name was Leesa,” Timex said, “only she spelled it with two e’s. It’s a very pretty name.”

“I think so,” said Lisa. She took a seat next to Timex. “How come you didn’t take your helmet off? Keeping a secret identity is kind of dumb if you’re already all blue.”

Timex laughed. “Yeah, it is, isn’t it? I need my helmet, though. It helps me see.”

“Helps you see?”

“Yeah, I’m blind. My mom -- Leesa -- made it for me when I stopped growing.”

Lisa peered at him. “So, you’re really strong, you’re all blue – and really small – and you’re blind! Can you fly or anything? Or make fire like that idiot from earlier?”

Timex shook his head. “You saw that, did you? Weren’t you supposed to be doing homework or something?” Lisa stuck her tongue out at him.

A chime went off next to Timex’s ear. “Hang on,” he told his new friend, “I’ve got a phone call.”

“You got a cell in there, too? Cool.”

“Timex,” he answered his call in a subvocal so the helmet would know not to send his voice out the speaker.

“Tim Timerian, you’d better have a good reason to keep a lady waiting. You do realize that it’s almost six-thirty and I’ve been sitting at the Café Crimson for almost half and hour?” Kendra. He forgot about Kendra.

“Oh shi – shinola!” His speaker picked that up, and Lisa giggled. “Sorry, Ken,” he dropped back down to subvocals. “There was this stupid flamer chasing after Hellions.. he set a school on fire.”

“I suppose I can forgive you this time, Blue,” she said, “but you’d better change out of that awful tank top before you get here.”

Timex grinned as she hung up. “I gotta go, Lisa,” he said, and started pulling the tank and gloves on.

“Your girlfriend?” she smirked.

“Something like that.” Timex stood up and offered his hand to Lisa again to shake.

“You should come back and visit,” she said. “You know, in case Flame Boy comes back or something.”

Timex nodded. “I will. You go on back to the EMTs. Looks like they’re rounding everyone up so they can send you guys home.” He waved as Lisa dropped into another curtsey and ran back to where the emergency staff were organizing everyone, then took off to change for what might yet be a salvageable dinner date.