Chapter 75 - Boy-Rival

"Well... Guess we're off to I4 then... Together..." As Lucas gives his hesitant parting, Willy fetches his three inexact supe likenesses from where they were neatly placed on the shelf under the coffee table, leading the way out of the door that Lucas holds open for those whom are leaving.

Miss Calculated has set about gathering her belongings and cleaning everything up, giving a nod of farewell to the doggo and three people on their way out the door.

On the other hand, her twin has decided to express solidarity with the rotating blocks she controls, pivoting her own position on the couch. She settles down with her knees resting on top of the backrest, her bent legs hanging freely down the back, her hair stretching to try to touch the fine carpeting of the floor. She merely gives a grunt of acknowledgment to the fact that they are leaving.

One of the perks of the uninvited party member is that she leads them through the most direct route over next door, blatantly guiding them through the employee-only passageways. Who could possibly stop the two strength supes with a speed supe, and would even bother to try doing so, given that they're surprisingly not actually causing any trouble?

While trying to convince Lucas to consider having an indoor pool built if he plans on staying at the upcoming HQ location for a long time, Miss Masher leads them out of the employee entrance for the front room of the International Identification Integration Incentive Local Office.

Overall, physical construction and layout are rather similar to the Municipal Clerk's Administrative Center, sharing similarly enclosed service counters and elaborate supporting Corinthian columns, as well as other such décor as before.

As they enter the room there is a curious hum from one of the said service counters nearby, after a short pause, there is a brief exclamation as well.

"Oh! Hey Mash!" Clearly having recognized Miss Masher, a cheerful feminine voice happily calls out to her. Recognizing the voice in kind, Miss Masher gains a toothy minus one smile, grabs Lucas's left arm, and drags him over to the source of the voice.

As Lucas stumbles from being unexpectedly yanked in a direction, 427 merrily laughs at his misfortune as he struggles to right himself, still being pulled along throughout the process.

Collectively reaching their goal, Jonathan and Willy arrive without much delay, all while maintaining far better balance.

Miss Masher excitedly waves at the woman behind the protective glass once she's nearby.

"Hey, Nat! I wasn't sure if you'd be in today, great!" As she exchanges her greetings, it's a good thing there weren't any other patrons nearby, as she surely would have just barreled over them and shoved them out of their way.

Seated inside the sealed service counter is a young woman in a similar white button-up blouse uniform as Miss Calculated. With elaborate makeup painted across her gently tanned and brightly smiling face, she sports a side-shaved hairstyle, the short left side showing a natural strawberry-blonde and the chin-length right side dyed to a pale pink. As if her hair didn't make her favorite color sufficiently known, the matching soft pink contacts certainly serve to emphasize the point.

As she gets a good look at the man that is being dragged around by her friend, her lively expression gains a very clear element of craving gossip. Raising a pink-manicured hand over her mouth, she lets out a small gasp as her eyes widen, staring at Lucas.

"OH MY GOD MASH! DID YOU FINALLY GET A-" As she starts enthusiastically winding up her question, Miss Masher answers equally enthusiastically, but with a decidedly different choice of words than what was probably being implied.

"Yes! Meet Xenoclast, my new rival! This is Natalie, my best friend!" As Miss Masher gives introductions, there is a flicker of obvious disappointment across Natalie's face, though she recovers fairly quickly.

Lucas's clear relief greatly exceeds her level of disappointment.

'I think I would have just had a rollback right on the spot if she said what I'm pretty sure Nat wanted to say just then.'

[Hmm, I think you're shameless enough that you wouldn't die from embarrassment. Though you'd certainly test the hypothesis, I'm sure.]

'...I hope we never find out.'

[Ouch, so cruel to such a gentle maiden's heart.]

'GENTLE MAIDEN'S HEART MY ASS! SHE NEARLY RIPPED MY ARM OUT JUST NOW! JUST TO SAY HI! HOW THE HELL IS SHE BEST FRIENDS WITH SUCH A GIRLIE GIRL!?'

[Tsk tsk.]

While the two ladies probably didn't notice it, Lucas didn't miss the choked-back giggle from behind him.

'Remind me to ground him later for laughing at me!'

With his firm declaration of parenting intent, 427 merely laughs at him.

[Are you going to ground me too?]

'I would if I could! Jerk!'

Needless to say, 427's laughter has grown in intensity, to Lucas's dismay.

-----

Lucas kills this chapter: 0

Lucas total kills: 7

Lucas deaths this chapter: 0

Lucas total deaths: 10

Lucas current GDV: 8.95 (+.01 net change)

Lucas's fame level: 2.5* (Mostly just local)

Lucas's hero suspicion level: 1* (Only highly paranoid people)

Jonathan kills this chapter: 0

Jonathan total kills: 5

Jonathan deaths this chapter: 0

Jonathan total deaths: 2

Jonathan current GDV: 1.96

Jonathan's fame level: 1.75* (Just local)

Jonathan's hero suspicion level: 1* (Only highly paranoid people)

Supervillain social circle size: 10

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Little character theater:

Jonathan, struggling not to openly laugh at Lucas: Yeah, rival, that's totally what she thinks of you!

Willy, parking his fuzzy little butt on the ground nearby: Bark! Bark bark? ...Bark?

Lucas, wanting to punch a hole in the ground to curl up in and hide inside of: Just having her think it could be the case is enough to aaaaaaaaa-

427, laughter intensifying: [And here I thought you were upset about being single?]

Author, nodding sagely: To be fair, the human manifestation of pink bubblegum tries to ship anything she possibly can to her friend, it's a bit of a running joke.

Mr. Quacks, now scolding the author for having the follow-up chapter be short: Quack!