Ravensdagger_Headpats

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Chapter Fifty-Nine Remedy looked at the pile of cash, then up to Maxime.The lady smiled down at Remedy, then wiggled the money. “Take it,” she said. “It’s only fair.”“Okay?” Remedy said as she took the cash. It was a lot of bills. Most of them ones and fives, but some were bigger. That meant that it was a lot of money. Money that people had been putting into the tin next to Maxime’s counter at the front of the flower shop.Remedy had been playing with the flowers out front all morning. It was a whole lot of fun, and Mister Anderson said she could do whatever she wanted as long as what she made couldn’t hurt people.It was like a petting zoo, but for flowers that she made cooler. It was a sweet gig, and other than one teeny tiny altercation with a filthy Panacea fan the morning had been productive, but now it was time to leave and head back home.The others were already heading out, trailing over to Big Sis who was waiting for them while talking to mister Anderson. Big Sis had worked very hard to make sure that they could make a bunch of money to be able to buy stuff like food and things.“Thank you, miss Maxime,” Remedy said to the flower lady. It earned her a single pat on the head. It was an okay pat. She gave it... point two Big Sisters on the pat-scale.Remedy stuffed her wad of cash in one of the pockets of her healer’s robes and started moving towards the others. She took her time though. Big Sis only had so much time to give them, especially now that there were so many of them, so it was normal that she couldn’t give Remedy as much attention, especially since Remedy deserved it the least.She was halfway to the others when something caught her eye and she found her steps faltering.The space that Mister Anderson had brought them in was a sort of square, with a bunch of buildings laid out on three sides and the boardwalk proper, and the ocean of course, on the fourth side. That meant that from the middle of the square Big Sis could keep an eye on all of them without too much trouble. The flower shop she had been playing at all morning was on one corner, close to the water, and Big Sis and her sisters were on the opposite side.Which really just meant that Remedy hadn’t really seen much of the other stores along the route. Like the one she was staring at now.Everything Hero was tucked in between one of the clothing stores where Crochet had done her fashion advice thing and a little cafe. It was a small narrow building with a pretty front made prettier by the posters of Glory Girl taped to the windows.Remedy looked towards Big Sis. She was still talking with Mister Anderson. She had some time.With quick steps, Remedy moved over to the shop and looked in between the posters. It was mostly empty except for an old guy behind the counter and shelves upon shelves of cool merch.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.Grinning, Remedy stepped past the open door and moved right by the counter, the guy behind it never noticing her. That was okay, she was good at not being noticed.The store was roughly divided into five sections. Local Protectorate and Wards, local heroes, out of town Protectorate, out of town heroes, and famous rogues. There was some overlap, but most of the things near the entrance were all from the locals.The New Wave section was the best, of course. They had scarves, medals, Pan-Pan panties, postcards, shirts and hoodies and, in the middle of a row, on a plinth that stuck out of the ground, were the most precious items in the whole store.Glory Girl action figures.She had seen pictures of them, of course. They were small plastic figurines (not toys!) that stood nearly a foot tall. Some were really detailed and had different variations on costumes, others were a whole lot cheaper and looked like plain Barbie dolls with cheap costumes thrown on.Remedy looked at all the cool ones and ignored the lamer ones like the exclusive Panacea models.In the middle, atop a smaller pillar, inside of a thick plexiglass case, was a box, and in that box was a mint condition, limited edition 2010 Glory Girl figurine. She recognised it. The model had been recalled almost as soon as it hit the shelves because the tiny plastic panties that came with it had a tendency to slip off.Remedy stared at the tiny figure of Glory Girl in the box, posed as if blowing a kiss.She really wanted it.The price tag on the box read two hundred and eighty. “It’s so expensive,” she said.“That, little lady, is because it’s signed.” Remedy spun around to find that the shopkeeper was standing at the end of the alley. He gave her a smile and a wave. “Didn’t mean to spook you. Are you interested in the figure?”Remedy was. And she had made a bunch of money today. Maybe enough... She looked at the figurine again, want and desire rumbling in her tummy.“N-no, no, it’s okay,” she said. “Thank you though!” she said before running out of the store.She found Big Sis much closer. “Oh, there you are,” Taylor said with a growing smile. “I was getting worried.”Remedy felt the rumble in her tummy be replaced by happy butterflies. “I was just looking at things,” she said. “Look, I made a bunch of money!” she said as she pulled out the wad of tips she had made.Big Sis’ smile grew and she pulled Remedy into a tight hug. “Thanks, Rem, you’re helping a lot.”Remedy wore a smile for the rest of the evening. She could get the model later, for now helping was more important. It was what she was for.

* * *

Chapter Sixty

Chapter Sixty Crochet carefully lowered the tray down, all the cups jingling and rattling a little because the tray was kind of heavy and hard to lift, but she did good and didn’t make any sort of mess. Miss Bunny Bunch, her newest plushie, hopped into the room with the kettle, a trail of steam wafting after her before Crochet had the plushie place the kettle onto the tray. “Who wants tea?” Crochet asked as she patted down her hands on her apron.The living room was filled with all of her favourite people and also her other sisters. Cheshire and Pop were sitting together on the loveseat, Remedy was on the ground with her knees drawn up and Tattletail was right above her on the couch with Alice next to her. And Taylor, Big Sis, was there too, of course.“What sort of tea is it?” Alice asked.“It’s chai,” Crochet said. “And I have milk and sugar.”“Then I’d love a cup. Don’t be chai with the sugar,” Alice said. “I’ll have a cup too,” Big Sis said.Crochet hummed a happy little song as she prepared three cups of tea. She liked the noise the spoon made as it stirred. It was like a bell announcing that there was good tea to be had. “Here you go,” she said as she gave Big Sis her cup and saucer. Then she did the same for Alice.“Thank you, your tea smells tea-rriffic,” Alice said. “But now that that’s out of the way, should we start this par-tea?”Big Sis took a sip then breathed in the scent of Crochet’s tea with her eyes closed. Crochet, now with a warm ball of happiness in her tummy that wasn’t just from the tea, sat down next to Alice on the last spot on the couch and waited.“We made a good amount of money today,” Big Sis said. “Which is great. It means that we can afford some things. Food, and we can help with the rent. It also means that I can get my sisters some things that they really need.”“Like pats?” Cheshire asked.“Like access to a good school,” Big Sis said.There was a long, long silence. “Can we have the pats instead?” Cheshire asked.“I do not require an education,” Pop said. “I’m probably smarter than all the teachers,” Tattletail said.Crochet shook her head. She didn’t want to go to any school, not if it meant less time at home with Big Sis.Big Sis raised her free hand and the mounting protests calmed down. “I think it might be best if I explain. There are a few good reasons why you should go to school. You all need an education. You’ll have the opportunity to make friends that aren’t your sisters. And there are groups that might try to take you away from our family if they find out you’re not getting an education.”“We’re smart already,” Tattletail said.“We can kill them if they try to take us away,” Pop added.“I don’t wanna,” Cheshire said, and that was the final word on that.“I’m not really giving you a choice here,” Big Sis said. “You need to go to school. So I found a nice private school that we can all visit tomorrow.”If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.Cheshire jumped to her feet and bawled her fists at her sides. “You’re just doing this cause you don’t wanna spend time with us no more!” she screamed.“Is that true?” Remedy asked. Crochet felt Alice sit a little closer to her side and returned the favour by hugging her little-r sister close. “No, it’s not true,” Big Sis said. “Don’t be like that Chesh, you know that I love you, all of you.”“If you loved us then why’re you abandoning us to some stupid school?” Cheshire asked.“Because I need to,” Big Sis said.“Well I don’t believe you!” Cheshire said right back.A few of the sisters, Crochet included, gasped. Then Cheshire crossed her arms and stomped out of the living room. “I’m going to bed,” she said.“C’mon Cheshire,” Big Sis said. “Don’t be that way. I’ll... give you pats?”“I don’t want your pats!” Cheshire said from halfway up the stairs. “I want to stay home and have fun and not go to some stupid school and be away from you all day.” The next Crochet heard of her was her feet stomping up the stairs and the door to Taylor’s room slamming shut.Big Sis leaned back and then removed her glasses to rub at her eyes.“I... I think school might be okay?” Crochet said. She didn’t, not really, but Big Sis seemed to think it was important and Big Sis knew best. “I’m sure Cheshire will come around.” Something clicked. “Does this mean we’ll have to wear uniforms?” “I don’t want to wear a uniform,” Remedy muttered. “We are rather too unique for uniformity,” Alice said.“I don’t know,” Big Sis said. “Look, I just want you guys to give it a chance? It would mean a lot to me. But for now we’ll just look into it, okay? I haven’t said yes to anything yet and we need dad’s approval anyway. That, and I had other news.”“What about?” Crochet asked.“About our home. I... this house is nice, it’s home, but it’s too small for all of us. I was thinking we could get a bigger house, or maybe just another house in the same area with a few more rooms. You could each have a room.”“If Big Sis gets a bigger room we can get her a bigger bed,” Tattletail said.“That’s a good idea,” Crochet agreed. She had lots of arts and crafts stuff she wanted to do and they needed some space to be made. A room all to herself would be nice, especially if she could make it sister-proof. And a bigger bed for Big Sis would mean that they would all fit without sleeping with a faceful of elbows every night.For some reason Big Sis rubbed at her face again. “Yeah, right. Anyway, that was all the news I had. Um, did you guys enjoy working today?”There was a chorus of yeses at that. The work had been plenty of fun. “Good, good.” Big Sis got up. “I’m going to go check on Cheshire. Thanks for being calmer, girls.”Crochet watched Big Sis go, then started packing up her tea stuff. If she was going to go to school, then she would need to make school clothes for all of her sisters. It was going to be great!

Chapter Sixty-One

Chapter Sixty-One Arcadia Middle was not, contrary to the name, the same school as Arcadia. They were in fact two different schools run by the same group of administrators but set on two separate campuses. While Arcadia was a huge sprawling campus with multiple buildings, a large gymnasium and lots of outdoor areas, Arcadia Middle was... Tattletail looked around at the huge sprawling campus with multiple buildings, the large gymnasium and all of the outdoor areas. Yep, it was a nice school. A glance over towards Big Sis showed that she was on full alert, eyes roving over all of the sisters, but especially Cheshire and Pop. Cheshire’s eyes were still a little red around the edges and Tattletail knew that under her puffy-cheeked pout her bigger sister was stewing in a whole lot of resentment. It was way too easy to read her body language, especially with her tail whipping from side to side behind her.“Try to be on your best behaviours,” Big Sis told them as she stepped up to the front door of the school building and opened it up.The big corridor that ran through the school had a bunch of doors to different classrooms along its sides, some of them decorated with colourful arts and crafts. There were rows of hooks too, with backpacks hanging off them and shoes in little cubbies beneath.It was early enough that classes had only just started a few minutes ago. Some of the backpacks were still swaying, and the scrape of chairs being moved around was just a bit louder than the voices of teachers in their classes.There was a woman standing in the middle of the corridor wearing a polka-dot dress that looked very old-fashioned. She had a huge smile on her face and her eyes lit up when Big Sis led them into the lobby area. “Hello, children,” she said in a smooth voice just brimming with excitement.She looked like the ideal of what a teacher should be, and Tattletail instantly hated her.But she couldn’t do anything about that, not yet.No, Tattletail, as the smartest sister, had hatched a devious plan that was absolutely guaranteed to work; just like how her last plan had worked more or less perfectly. It was a simple plan, which meant that its chances of succeeding were even higher. First, she would support Big Sister all the way, reaping good feelings and additional headpats. Then, when they finally entered the school she’d just... let the others be themselves.She eyed the building, taking in the reinforced walls, the multiple security doors and the many cameras tucked into the ceilings. It was practically a small fortress. It wouldn’t take her sisters more than a week to bring the place down.In the meantime, all Tattletail had to do to climb to the top of the pack was be a model little sister. “Hello!” she said to the teacher lady. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.The teacher perked up. “Likewise!” she said. “Miss Hebert, ah, that is, Miss Hebert the eldest, I was hoping to discuss a few things with you? Merely some... paperwork.” Her eyes had lingered on Tattletail’s very fluffy tail, then on Cheshire’s ears which were flat on her head. “I thought you would give us all a tour,” Big Sis said. “As a group, I mean.”“No worries. I brought one of our model students to help,” the teacher lady said before stepping to the side and sticking her head in a nearby classroom. “Miss Biron, they’re here.”The girl that came out of the class was about the same age as all the sisters, with long brown hair and surprisingly muscled arms hidden under the vest of her uniform. She was smiling, bright and cheerful, until she scanned the crowd of sisters.Her smile almost dropped before it returned, but now it was just a little bit off, like when Big Sis asked who ate all of the ice cream and everyone had to pretend it wasn’t a group effort that let them eat the whole tub. “Come along Miss Hebert, I’m certain Miss Biron will take good care of your siblings,” the teacher said as she urged Big Sis into an office.“Right,” Big Sis said as she followed her in.The sisters all looked at each other; Tattletail met Pop’s eyes, then the teleporter faded away.“Did... did she just use a power?” the Biron girl asked.“Nah,” Tattletail said with a growing smile. “You’re just seeing things.”“Someone using powers like that would be a... stretch, wouldn’t it?” Alice asked.Tattletail felt a tiny twinge in the back of her head at that. She was pretty sure the pun hadn’t even been on purpose.“I... I think we should start the tour,” Biron said.“Why?” Cheshire asked. “We know that this is a stupid school already. Ain’t need to walk around it to know that much.”“Because we were asked to?” Biron tried.“Stupid school filled with stupid bootlickers,” Cheshire added.“Aww, come on, Artemis,” Tattletail said, putting some emphasis on Cheshire’s fake name. “Let’s follow Biron here around for a bit, see the whole vista the school has to offer.” She smiled at the suddenly very tense girl ahead of them.It was a good smile.Alice gave her a funny look, then started walking. Remedy and Crochet, both a little more reserved about the whole school thing, followed after her. “This school has a lot more space than I thought it would,” Alice commented idly.Tattletail was still not sure if Alice had caught on, but at least Remedy and Crochet were giving their tour guide some pointed looks. That was enough for her. If the other sisters knew that there was trouble to be had at Arcadia Middle, then they would react exactly as her plan called for.