“So what's the prognosis, Doc?” Linh asked, “Is my heart managing?”

  Linh sat on one of Doc’s exam tables as the woman thumbed through the results of Linh's monthly checkup.

  “Your heart is fine,” Doc said, “But I’m afraid your skull appears to be so thick it’s terminal.”

  “Uhhh, what?” Linh asked, puzzled.

  “Don't think I didn't see those bags under your eyes young lady,” Doc replied, smacking Linh on the top of the head with her tablet.

  “I believe you are under my express instructions to not run yourself ragged. And yet, you can barely keep your eyes open when human.”

  “I’m fine!” Linh protested, “I slept for like, three hours last night.”

  Doc simply stared at her. Linh flushed under the woman’s gaze.

  “Really,” Linh said, “It’s fine. I get Moon Energy, I can pull all-nighters for a week.”

  Doc raised an eyebrow. “Do these all-nighters typically include mortal combat?”

  “Uhh, no, but…” Linh began, but Doc cut her off.

  “Regardless of how much ‘Moon Energy’ you have, or how many ancient herbal remedies you imbue, they are not substitutes for rest,” Doc lectured.

  “I can manage,” Linh countered, “I have work to do and people to save, I can't just lie around.”

  Doc sighed, placing her tablet on the nearby counter before taking a seat across from Linh.

  “Do you know who the most important person to protect is?” Doc asked.

  Linh frowned, “Uhh, the Prime Minister?” she guessed.

  Doc shook her head, “No. I’ll give you a hint. They're a petulant little rookie who cannot listen despite the enormous things attached to her head that she claims are ears.”

  Doc grabbed one of the offending ears to illustrate her point, causing Linh to yelp.

  “Ouch!” she protested, rescuing her ear.

  “Those are sensitive,” she muttered, rubbing it gently where Doc had pinched it.

  “Then you should use them,” Doc countered. “Tell me, what happens if you collapse from exhaustion while on a mission? What happens if someone needs your help, and you are too tired to get there because you stayed up all night doing homework?”

  “Uhh,” Linh said, dumbly. Doc ignored her and carried on with her lecture.

  “People die. That's what happens. And unlike certain idiotic bunnies, they don't get better.”

  Linh winced.

  “But I can't just rest,” she protested, “what if something happens?”

  Doc sighed again.

  “Then the others will handle it, or did you forget what happened before you got here?”

  Doc's tone softened.

  “Linh,” Doc said, “You may be immortal, but you are not invincible. Take care of yourself or I will ground you.”

  Linh looked at her shoes.

  “Okay,” she whispered.

  Doc nodded, satisfied.

  “Now,” she said, “You will spend the entire day tomorrow sleeping, after which you will call Jasmine and the two of you will go do something relaxing. Like a movie.”

  Linh’s head snapped up.

  “I can't miss school,” she said, “I have a test!”

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  Doc smirked, “Fortunately for you, your grade on that test has already been submitted. You got a 93, well done.”

  Linh stared.

  “Did you cheat for me?” she asked incredulously.

  Doc rolled her eyes.

  “Linh, you do your homework in the base basically every day, I am well aware of your academic ability,” she replied.

  Then, after a pause, she added, “Though I did bump you up a few marks because your teacher is a prat.”

  Linh stared even harder.

  Doc looked at her, and waved a hand.

  “Now shoo, I have better things to do than lecture you.”

  Linh scooted to the edge of the table and popped up to her feet. She went to leave, but hesitated.

  “Thanks Doc,” she said, wrapping her arms around the woman in a hug.

  Doc patted her on the back, “You’re welcome. Now get out of here.”

  Linh released her, and headed out, leaving Doc to mutter about pig headed rabbits behind her.

  Linh was just settling down with a book when her phone rang. She sighed when she checked the caller.

  She accepted the call.

  “Rookie, I need you,” Douche said without preamble.

  “I’m off duty,” Linh said, “Doc’s orders.”

  Douche scoffed, “Screw that. This is more important. Get here.”

  Linh hesitated. She really didn't want to annoy Doc again. But she did owe Douche for saving her…

  “Fine,” she said, “But you're explaining it to Doc.”

  Linh frowned when she arrived at the address. This was… some kind of school? A small cluster of buildings surrounded by a tall fence. She could hear the sound of shrieking children somewhere behind the building, which had a big sign on it saying “Eastcliff Early Education Centre”.

  She double-checked the message Douche had sent. It was correct, he had sent her to a school. She wasn't entirely sure if she could just… wander into random schools, especially since the gate was closed, but Douche had claimed it was urgent. Besides, she was a super hero, surely that made it okay, right?

  “This better not be a joke about how young I am,” she muttered.

  Making a decision, she hopped the fence, then up to the roof, deciding to have a quick look before she dismissed it as a prank. Looking around, she could see a cluster of excited kids all surrounding a tall man, who seemed to be wearing a cheap knight costume of all things.

  “What the hell?”

  She had no idea what she was expecting, but this certainly was not it. Still, he had asked for help, so it was probably important.

  She went to hop down from the roof, but thought better of it. She didn't want kids imitating her, so instead she teleported, landing in the field in a shower of petals.

  Several of the kids spotted her and squealed, pointing.

  “Ah! There she is!” Douche exclaimed dramatically, pointing his cheap plastic sword at her. Most of the kids had their own swords or helmets on, the smallest most adorable army of warriors Linh had seen.

  “The princess has arrived!”

  Linh was extremely confused now, but she made her way over to him anyway, greeting the kids as they rushed over to her. She could see a small cluster of what was probably teachers and parents standing to one side, watching with smiles on their faces.

  “Hey kids,” she said to the little tykes crowding her, then she looked to Douche, who was approaching her with a big box.

  “What's happening?” she asked, desperately needing an explanation.

  “We're playing Knight!” he said, as if that explained anything.

  “We needed a princess to rescue, so I called you over,” he continued in a weird stage voice she had never heard from him before.

  “Rescue from what?” she asked, looking around.

  “From the wolf!” one of the kids shouted.

  “Wolf?” Linh asked, looking down at the bright eyed kid. Well, barely down. Some of these kids weren't much shorter than she was, she noticed with embarrassment. She was so jealous of Jazz. She wouldn't have this problem.

  “Wolf,” said a voice behind her, and Linh turned to see Grimstep emerging from her shadow, dressed in a terrible wolf costume. The kids all squealed and ran to hide behind Thunderdude.

  “That's right!” Thunderdude said, “The scary wolf has kidnapped the princess, and we must save her!”

  The kids cheered, brandishing their costume weaponry, and Linh made eye contact with Grim, hoping for a little more context on what the hell was happening. Of course, it was Grim, so instead he just handed her a plastic tiara.

  She examined it for a moment, before shrugging and putting it on. Guess she was playing Knights now.

  Linh squealed and ran, giggling like a preschooler as Grim growled like a wolf, chasing her and the pack of kids. Douche dangled from the flagpole, being poked by another group of kids, all of whom wore wolf ears. They had been running around for nearly an hour now, and as much fun as they were having, Linh could tell the kids were getting tired. The cluster of parents had also grown, so she figured it was probably about time to wrap this up.

  “I’ll stop you!” she yelled dramatically, ushering the kids behind her as she turned to face Grim. She pointed the magic wand that she had gotten from… somewhere, she couldn't remember where, at him.

  “What are you going to do, Princess?” Grim demanded in his best growly voice. Which, to be fair, wasn't too far removed from his usual speaking voice.

  “This!” Linh said, striking a pose, “Moon Princess Beam!”

  “I hope this works,” she thought, trying to push some moon chi through the wand. She hadn't done this since she was playing Magical Girl with Jazz in Primary School. Luckily, she hadn't lost the touch, and a beam of bright, but harmless moonlight shot out of her wand, enveloping Grim.

  He howled, and began to sink into the ground.

  “Nooo, I’m melting!” he declared as the kids cheered.

  “Good work Princess!” Dude called from where he was being held by ropes of shadow. They abruptly faded, and he fell heavily to the ground, landing on his face. Linh winced, tough as Douche was, that had to be unpleasant.

  Still, he popped up, and the parents and kids had taken the hint that the game was over.

  Linh watched the parents retrieve their respective offspring with a smile on her face. That had been fun. She had no idea what it had been, but she had enjoyed herself.

  Footsteps alerted her to the arrival of Thunderdude at her side.

  “Thanks for coming Rabbit,” he said, removing his knight helmet.

  “Sure thing,” Linh said, “Although…”

  “Although why am I screwing around at a school?” he finished, and Linh nodded.

  “I mean, I’m kind of surprised you’re allowed within 50 metres of a school…”

  Douche snorted.

  “It's part of the job,” he explained.

  “Community outreach. We want kids to feel safe around supers, especially heroes.”

  Linh nodded once more, that made sense. She could remember having a super hero visit her school when she was younger, just like how the cops or Firemen would. Though, that didn't explain everything.

  “Why the game though?” Linh asked, “Shouldn't you like, give a speech or something?”

  Douche gagged, “Yeah, fuck that. Not my style.”

  Then his look turned… gross. Linh followed his gaze to see him leering at one of the teachers.

  “That is definitely my style though…” he muttered.

  Linh sighed. Douche will be Douche.

  She punched him in the shoulder, putting enough force behind it that she could be sure he felt it.

  “Save the sleaze for the bad guys,” she admonished, and Douche chuckled.

  “Think she’ll give me detention if I misbehave?” he asked, and Linh rolled her eyes.

  “I think Kestrel will rip your ear off if she makes a complaint,” Linh replied.

  “And if she does,” Linh continued sweetly, “I’m not rescuing you.”