Riverside City Chronicles | Book 1 | Riverside City [Capes & Cowls]

by VanDerHeyden, Paul C.

  “Good morning Arianna, how are you doing this fine morning?” Theo asks sweetly.

  Arianna looks at him and then at his uniform, “Forgot to get a new uniform after your powers showed up?”

  “How’d...nevermind, yeah I did,” he blushes a bit, “can you please help me with this?” He proffers the hanger toward her.

  “Can I? Yes….Will I?” She lets the moment drag out for a few seconds. Then she grins, “Of course I’ll help! I love fixing the uniform from RSCA, they’re not great at tailoring there are they?” She takes the hanger in her hands, looking it over critically. She uses her extra legs and packages up the dress she was working on into a box that she tucks into her waiting backpack, all the while staring at the uniform on the hanger.

  Arianna’s eyes flare a bit purple, “Step into my office,” she says as she walks over to the mudroom beside the kitchen, on the way to the garage.

  “You’re the boss here,” Theo follows her over to the mudroom.

  Arianna pulls the curtain back, blocking sight from the kitchen into the mudroom. “Strip to your boxers,” she says.

  “You could at least buy me dinner first,” Theo laughs as he does exactly as she asks.

  Flustered, she says, “Th-th-th-that’s not what I meant! I just need to put the larger uniform on you to get your measurements!”

  “I trust you, Ari, I was just messing with you.”

  “MEANIE, why should I still help you?” She pouts and asks Theo pointedly.

  “Because you’re my sister and I need help?”

  She sighs, “I guess it can’t be helped.” She spends the next three or so minutes draping the large uniform off of Theo. “Time to get to work!”

  After a whirlwind of activity, Theo finds himself in a perfectly tailored uniform, he looks over to see the purple light fading out of Arianna’s eyes.

  “I owe you a favor, okay? Don’t hesitate to call it in, we’re family,” Theo says and ruffles her already messed up hair.

  “I’ll forget the favor if you tell me your Cape name! Also, you have to braid my hair the next time I ask!” She replies excitedly.

  “I’ll make sure to tell you guys first when I do let everyone know, if I do at all. Also, you know I’m a professional braider with all of you cuties around,” Theo replies confidently.

  “Okay, I’m really hungry, We should go get some of Iris’ pancakes before they’re gone.”

  “I’m in, little sister!”

  Arianna pulls the curtain aside to find a few of the kids at the kitchen table. Iris is in the kitchen making pancakes. Arianna scuttles under the table to get a good seat in the middle of the bench seat, using her spider limbs instead of her knees to keep her dress clean.

  Theo walks over to Iris, “Need any help?”

  Iris takes a moment to appreciate Theo’s newly redone uniform and then beams at Arianna, “You did a wonderful job, Ari, this looks better than it did when we bought it for him, bravo!” She turns and addresses Theo, “No, Teddy, I’m good, grab a few pancakes and then text Kitty for me won’t you?” She winks at him knowingly.

  “Will do,” Theo gives Iris a kiss on the cheek and grabs a plate of hot pancakes. He shoots a text off to Kat and then starts to devour his pancakes.

  After finishing his pancakes, Kat still hasn’t responded to the text. Theo thinks about Kat and sends, ‘Hey, Mom wants you down here for breakfast before school.’

  A minute or so later Theo gets a response from Kat, though not as a text, ‘I’ll be down in a minute, I can’t find my blazer for school, I’ve been looking for over an hour.’

  Theo fakes looking at his phone and then puts it away in his pocket. “Ari, do you know what might have happened to Kat’s blazer?” He looks the girl straight in the eyes.

  “Oh, yeah, I tailored it for her last night around eight to accommodate her ‘Growth Spurt’, it’s laying over on my bed, I can go get it for her,” Arianna goes to get up before Theo holds up his hand to stop her.

  “It’s okay, Kat’s a big girl, she can get it for herself.”

  ‘Your blazer is in Ari’s room, she tailored it for you last night when she got bored,’ Theo sends while laughing and faking typing on his phone.

  ‘That little...all right, I’ve got it now. Wow, this fits so much better, a lot more room in the...chest. I might actually wear this most of the time, it’s just so comfortable. Hold on a second… SHE ADDED POCKETS!!!’ Kat sends excitedly.

  Theo fakes looking at his phone, “Looks like she likes the changes.”

  “Oh good, I was worried when she didn’t come down this morning,” Arianna says nervously, wringing her hands.

  Kat comes into the kitchen at a run, she leans over the table and kisses Arianna on the forehead, “You’re the best little sister, did you know that? Pockets big enough for my phone in my school blazer, I’ll be the envy of all the other girls.”

  Kat grabs some pancakes and works on wolfing them down, standing at the counter while doing so. Theo looks at her and smiles.

  A few minutes later, Theo and Kat are standing at the back door of RAINBOW. Iris is standing with them, “I’ll see you on Friday night, correct?”

  “Of course,” Theo and Kat answer in chorus before looking at each other and smiling.

  “Good, now don’t go crazy with your ‘extracurricular’ studies, you two hear me?” Iris asks/tells them.

  “Heard,” Theo says, though he isn’t sure which ‘extracurricular’ activities she's talking about, Cape work or relationship stuff? He looks over at Kat, who is looking at him with the same confused look on her face.

  “Good, now be sure to make me proud, don’t be late!”

  Theo and Kat head out the door, he unfolds his electric bike and she hops on her longboard, she reaches out and grabs the handle that Theo attached under his seat, just for his new Girlfriend to use.

  They head down the street and make good time, around 20 minutes, getting to RSCA.

  Kiloton stands in front of the large doors, between the statues of the Academy’s founders. He looks at Theo and Kat approvingly, “You’re here at 7, a full hour before classes begin, and in uniform! Good for you!”

  “Wanted to make up for Friday sir,” Theo says sheepishly.

  “Yeah, what he said,” Kat says shortly.

  Theo and Kat head inside toward the elevator bank, three elevators for students and one for faculty, Theo pushes the up button for the student elevators.

  ‘Let’s go check on Dante,’ Theo sends to Kat

  ‘You’re right, I’m not sure how I’m going to look at him after last night,’ Kat sends, her thought voice shaking a bit.

  ‘Don’t forget two important things: One, he doesn’t know we’re Jin and Nightmare, and two, it’s Dante, he’s our best friend, maybe he'll explain it someday. Hopefully not today…’

  The rightmost elevator opens, Kat takes Theo’s hand in hers as they step into it. Theo squeezes her hand gently. He presses the button for the sixth floor and the doors close.

  “We can do this,” he says calmly before giving her a small kiss on the cheek.

  Chapter 26: The Rivalry

  The elevator reaches the sixth floor, with a small chime before the doors open with a grinding noise. Theo and Kat head down the hall towards the boy's dormitories.

  'I'm nervous,' Kat sends as she pulls in closer to Theo.

  'Me too, but I'm not writing him off yet. We have to try and be there for him, maybe that' ll help,' Theo sends back, Kat can feel the hope mixed with dread in that message.

  They finally reach Dante's room, the sound of heavy metal can be heard softly pouring out from under the door, that is if Heavy Metal can do anything "softly". Theo steels himself and then knocks on the door softly. They wait a minute or so, then Theo knocks on the door a lot harder.

  "What?" Comes a voice from inside the room, "Hold on, I'll kill the music." The Heavy Metal stops and the door opens up.

  Dante stands in the doorway wearing just a pair of gy
m shorts, a Claw Technologies exercise machine can be seen against the back wall, the box that it came in can be seen piled next to the garbage can in the kitchenette.

  ‘Claw Technologies, they make the nanotech sleeves of my Nightmare Suit, I wonder what’s special about that exercise machine?’ Kat sends Theo, who gently shakes his head.

  "Come in guys, I was just…" Dante glances down at Theo and Kat's entwined hands, "getting ready… Give me just a few minutes, fresh OJ is on the counter if you want some." As Dante walks away he stumbles over one of the extended bars from his new exercise machine before catching himself.

  Theo and Kat head in and sit down on the couch, still holding hands. Dante looks back at them and then heads into his bedroom, closing the door slowly behind him.

  'That went better than we thought it would,' Kat smiles a little bit.

  'That it did,' Theo squeezes Kat's hand.

  The sound of a shower starting comes from Dante's room, Theo and Kat settle into the comfy couch. After a few minutes, the shower sounds stop and Theo gets a pretty strong whiff of sulfur, like rotten eggs, wafting from Dante's room for a minute or so before the door opens. Dante steps out, dressed immaculately, the perfect image of a young gentleman, his hair is perfectly dry.

  "Thanks for waiting guys, I appreciate it. We should get to Civics to get good seats, not like last year," Dante looks pointedly at Theo.

  "What? My bike ran out of juice, so it took a lot longer to get to school than I thought it would that day! Kat was late too…" Theo starts off sounding offended and ends up sounding guilty.

  "Because I was being pulled along behind you," Kat says smugly.

  Dante laughs, "I'm just messing with you man, we'll be fine this year, Kiloton is teaching Civics 200 and this is our first time taking it, he lets Sophomores pick seats first, then Juniors, and finally Seniors. They get stuck in the front row. Something about if they failed the class twice, they get more direct attention to make sure they can graduate, " Dante explains as he grabs his bag from his desk.

  Theo and Kat get up and grab their bags off of the floor.

  "I'm just glad we have at least one class together, that hasn't happened since we met you in first grade Dante. We keep getting a few classes together in pairs, but never all together," Kat says excitedly, "but this semester we get to have Civics together, so hopefully it's fun!"

  Theo and Dante look at each other and laugh out loud, "That's so like you Kat," Dante says, grinning widely, "You always look on the bright side of every situation."

  "Agreed," Theo collects himself after that random bit of humor.

  Kat sticks her tongue out at the boys, “You guys are so negative, I don’t know why I hang out with you.”

  Theo and Dante exchange a look, then Theo speaks up, “We were the only kids who you couldn’t run over in an argument all those years ago, you’re stuck with us now,” he fist bumps Dante energetically.

  “Agreed, we’re stuck together… though you two are more stuck together than usual,” Dante’s face has a small, obviously forced, smile. Kat reflexively squeezes Theo’s hand, which he returns.

  “Yeah, we were walking home from the ferry after leaving RSCU last night and we got to talking, turns out the feelings we both had were mutual. How lucky are we?” Kat quietly answers, being sure to not look Dante in the eye.

  “I’m happy for you two, really, my two best friends becoming a couple means that I’m not going to lose both of you to different SO’s who don’t like games and eating at Maria’s. As far as I’m concerned this is all good,” he smiles wider at this point, “Now, we need to get to class to pick our seats, so we should get going.” Dante walks toward the door, “You two coming?”

  “Yeah,” Theo glances at Kat, it looks like she’s worn out from the stress of the situation. “Hey Kat, would you go to the classroom and get us three seats together if possible? I need to talk to Dante, it’s ‘guy stuff’, no big deal.”

  ‘You sure?’ Kat asks Theo.

  ‘I have to know. I won’t out you and I’ll try not to out myself. I’ve got a plan.’

  “Yeah, I’ll get the seats, don’t stay too long, Monica’s lackeys will be looking for a group of at least 5, so get there and stand united with me against her 'Court',” Kat’s eyes spark with fire.

  Kat has hated Monica since second grade. Monica expected Kat to bow down to her and when she didn’t, Monica had her “Court” put glue in Kat’s shoes. This was during a time when the orphanage had almost no money, so she had to clean the shoes out and use them for the rest of the year. People called her Sticky for months until Theo and Dante stood up for her. That’s another reason Kat stuck it out with Theo and Dante.

  “It’ll be quick,” Theo promises, he hopes he’s not lying, but this conversation could go south fast.

  Kat heads out the door with her fingers in a peace sign above her head, she closes the door with her other hand.

  Dante’s fake smile falls as the door shuts, “You already got the girl, what else could you possibly want?” His voice comes out broken, like a hurt animal’s cry.

  Theo walks over and tries to put his hand on Dante’s shoulder, Dante ducks aside. Theo plays it off, brushing off his shoulder with the spurned hand.

  “I know we both like Kat, but she and I are going out now, are you and I good?” Theo asks point-blank.

  “I meant what I said, I’m glad our trio isn’t breaking up,” Dante looks down at his hands, a faint shimmer appears around them before he tightens his hands into fists. “I just wish she had picked me, that’s all. We’re brothers, man, nothing is going to change that,” he reaches out his hand for Theo to shake.

  Theo takes his hand and shakes it, it’s HOT, without his stone skin, that would probably have left Theo with a second-degree burn, or worse! Theo shakes his hand in fake pain.

  “Oww man, why is your hand so hot?” Theo asks pointedly, staring at Dante’s hand.

  Dante answers without missing a beat, “Oh, I used this new heated shaving cream, I’m used to it now, so I didn’t realize my hand was still hot.”

  “All right, I guess that makes sense.”

  No, it doesn’t! Dante got angry and superheated his hands. Whether it was on purpose or not, I don’t know. I guess that explains the Claw Tech exercise machine, he always did like to work out angry.

  “We should get going,” Theo says and opens the door.

  “Yeah, we should,” Dante agrees.

  Dante closes his door and it clicks locked behind him as he follows Theo.

  Chapter 27: The Three Amigos VS The Queen of the Academy

  Theo and Dante have a quiet walk to Civics, neither of them talking. They arrive upon a scene that could be in any comic or anime, a tall girl with blonde twin hair drills is standing over Kat’s seat in the back corner of the room. She’s berating Kat about how that seat was for her “Court” and that Kat was sullying it.

  The girl with the hair drills is Monica Gentile, the self-proclaimed “Queen of the Academy”, she definitely has the popularity for it. It doesn’t help that her family owns most of Docktown, mainly the bad parts away from the main docks. The alderman of Docktown goes by the name Popeye and has been trying to prove that the Gentiles are involved in organized crime for years.

  Theo and Dante slip around the back edge of the room, bumping past the rest of the class who are watching this happen. They both look at each other and nod, then Theo goes for the seat to Kat’s front and Dante goes for the seat to her left. They sit down before Monica or her “Court” can respond.

  “Hey, Kat, thanks for holding my seat,” Dante beams.

  “Same, this seat is perfect.” Theo grins.

  “This is ridiculous, I’ll just sit over there, it smells like orphan over here anyway.” Monica points over at the opposite side of the room where a few of the drama kids were sitting. Her “Court” goes over and bullies the drama kids until they come over and sit by Kat. Monica struts over and takes a seat. Her “Court” fills in
the four seats surrounding Monica’s seat.

  Kiloton comes in the door a minute or so after Monica settles in. He looks around the class before setting his gaze on the front row of his class, he stares straight at the two unlucky Seniors in this class.

  “All right, today we’re going to be going over Capes, Cowls, and Hoods,” Kiloton says as he writes those three terms on the digi-board from his tablet. “We will be discussing the social effects of a society in which someone who can fly or lift a car is so normal that it doesn’t even warrant a news story.”

  Theo, Kat, and Dante lean in for the lesson, this was going to be interesting…

  Theo and Kat are holding hands as they leave the class. Mr. Kiloton, as he asks to be referred to in class, had some great points about where he was from, Supers weren’t common at all there. If someone could lift a large boulder or a car, they were considered freaks and were pushed to move to the capital by the people in the small village.

  He also pointed out how much more common Supers were in the U.S., almost 10 times as dense population-wise of Supers compared to other first world countries. This is one of the primary reasons that the U.S. hasn’t had to get into another war since Thunder ended WW2.

  “I’m actually looking forward to that class tomorrow,” Theo says.

  Kat and Dante nod in agreement.

  “His unique perspective as a Cape who was rejected from his home because of his powers is so interesting,” Kat says.

  “I couldn’t put it better.” Dante smiles. “We need to get to Spanish, Kat.”

  “Yeah, let’s go.” Kat kisses Theo on the cheek. “See you later.”

  “Off to computer science for me. I wonder if they’re going to go over C++ again? fourth time’s the charm I guess!” Theo fakes falling asleep before walking to class on his own.

  Chapter 28: Spanish is Hard

  Kat and Dante walk together to Spanish class, conversing in Spanish to get ready for class.

  “I can’t believe they still make us take this class; we’re fluent,” he complains.