﹙ TAKE A BITE ★ ﹚

ARIA AND CHERRY HAD RESEARCHED THE ENTIRE NIGHT!

After hours of tireless searching through every inch of the database they had access to, they concluded that part of their scientific method.

First, ask a question. Who really were the Maddens?

Second, make observations. Their odd ways of communicating. The cynicism and casual cruelty in every one of their actions. Finally, the youngest sibling, Colby's, disappearing act.

Third, make a prediction. If one of family members were using powers to their advantage for whatever reason, that meant the others were at least aware, if not having their own. They were villains, she was sure.

Fourth, conduct an experiment. Their research led them to discover one family-sized group of villains that fit the bill. Kraniac, Surge, Havoc, Chaos.

Villains usually went through short periods after they were defeated. They took time to form new evil plans and ways to act them out.

Those particular villains had been M.I.A. for weeks at that point. They never took that long, especially villains that dedicates to what they did.

The only problem? They were missing a kid. Where did Colby fit in their theory with the family of four?

Hartley had gotten super close to the Maddens. It made sense, she was a friendly girl and they were her neighbors.

Aria planned to ask her a couple casual questions after school under the guise of having a crush on Jake to retrieve any information that could prove that they were who she thought they were.

Colby stared at his desk, absentmindedly scribbling patterns on the wood.

It seemed as though hhis entire family was adjusting to their new lives of being boring, regular people. He'd waited his entire life to prove himself, to get a power and join his family in their endeavors.

He finally had it within his grasp and it'd been ripped out of his hands. He'd never get to do what he wanted. The evil he craves lived in his fantasies, the opportunity just out of reach.

He'd never made a suit or chosen a name. They were on the run. That left his dreams far, far in the past. He stared at the back of the girls head.

He couldn't for the life of him remember her name. His only recollection of her was that she'd shown up at his house a couple days earlier to return something. Him and his family had only narrowly avoided being caught.

He couldn't imagine what would happen if they had been caught.

His eyes traced down her back, memorizing every detail of her existence as if it'd be gone in an instant. Some part of him felt like he'd seen her before.

The sound of their names being called snapped tthem both into the present. Colby cleared his throat as he looked away from her while she stirred and sat up.

All around them, people were getting into pairs. That only meant one thing. They'd been assigned a project.

Cherry scoffed and read the instructions on the whiteboard. Find your partner and select any poem of your liking to present to the class.

Her irritation wasn't lost on him as he crashed into empty the seat beside hers, his shoulder bumping into hers purposely.

"Asshole." Cherry muttered, slumping into her seat again.

"Be enthusiastic. Y'know, most girls would be dying to talk to me." Colby commented, his infuriating smile gracing his lips.

"They must have brain injuries."

"C'mon, you've only known me for two minutes."

"And I already think I've reached my limit."

"We can meet up after school to work on this. We'll bond, it'll be fun."

Cherry glared at him but relucted. Fifth step of her and Aria's research, test their theory. Maybe spending time with him outside of class could cause him to get comfortable and slip up.

After an incidental tip from Hartley, Aria and Cherry were sneaking around the school an hour before Cherry had agreed to arrive.

Amy was leading Colby into the center of the school. Jake popped out from behind a wall, dressed in a cheaply made superhero costume.

"Halt, evildoer!" He instructed, hitting a pose. "It is I, the honorable Captain Valor, and I'm here to make you pay for your villainous crimes."

Colby looked between his sister and his brother. "Is this because I pick-pocketed that girl in my class?"

Cherry narrowed her eyes at his words and felt around in her pockets. Everything was in there, even a couple folded twenties, except some bulky rings she'd purchased were missing.

"Go away, Jake." Colby told the costume-wearing boy.

"How'd you know it was me?" Jake slumped into a regular stance. 

"Same shoes, lame costume. And I've never met him before, but I'm pretty sure Captain Valor doesn't wear Harry Styles cologne."

"He might."

Cherry muttered something under her breath while Aria covered her mouth to stop her laughter from filling the otherwise quiet school.

Amy dragged her brother to a corner, which caused the pair of girls to stiffen and press themselves into their hiding spot.

"What are you doing?" Amy whispered to him, glancing back at their brother.

"What we talked about! I'm giving Colby his villain experience." Jake reminded, which caused both girls to almost gasp.

"Well, who gave you total control of the planning?"

"You did! You literally said, 'Take care of it, I don't wanna do any of the work.'"

"Yeah, that does sound like me."

Cherry and Aria shared a glance. They were about sneak off with that comment in mind when the remaining sibling approached the corner.

"We knew you were bummed about never getting to be a villain, so Jake and I wanted to give you a break from your otherwise pointless life." Amy put a hand on Colby's shoulder. "And congratulations, Colby, you just completed your first villain deed!"

"Breaking into private property." Jake agreed.

"The door was unlocked, we just opened it and walked in. I mean, that's not even breaking and entering. That's just entering." Colby corrected. 

"Well, the cleaning crew just went on break, so it's time for us to have some fun!" Jake encouraged, but then straightened up. "But not too much fun, we don't want to make a mess for them." 

"No! Colby, we brought you here to be a villain. So go ahead, knock this clown on his butt." Amy offered, pointing at Jake. 

"Really? I can take out all my years of frustration on Jake?" Colby questioned, looking back at his brother. "What would hurt him the most?"

"A picture from his leather pants phase!" Amy suggested. "Why talk about hurting him, and why not just do it?"

With that being said, Amy blasted Jake into the lockers. Jake lifted up a bench, an object which couldn't have been possibly carried by a human, much less thrown.

Cherry resisted the urge to shout goal as the bench slammed straight into Colby.

Step six and seven of her and Aria's plan had been practically completed in front of their eyes. There was no other way to describe what they'd seen. They'd not only displayed their powers but confessed in words that they were villains.

Colby never getting the villain experience also perfectly explained his spot in the previously thought family of four.