A Super Tight Schedule

Written by Berkhart :: [Monday, 13 November 2006 23:59] Last updated by :: [Tuesday, 20 May 2014 18:51]

With so many extracurricular activities vying for Tawny’s attention, it was hard for the diminutive high school senior to focus on sharpening her super heroing skills. The young Vietnamese American had been advised against applying for the government’s Project PINNACLE, but she submitted her name for consideration anyway. In Tawny’s mind, balancing super hero responsibilities with everything else in her life would be relatively simple.

While one could argue against the merits of transforming an eighteen year old into an unstoppable force, it was hard to dismiss Tawny’s stellar qualities. In the end, thanks to her first rate intellect, exceptional character, and photogenic good looks, she was selected and quickly granted fantastic … some would say godlike powers.

While she hated to admit it, the ambitious young woman’s motives weren’t entirely selfless. Sure, Tawny liked the idea of making a positive difference in the world, no doubt about it, but she also knew that being a super hero would look excellent on college applications. In her mind, it was the perfect community service project.

Unfortunately, between school, student government, and varsity tennis, Tawny found it difficult to find time to perfect her powers. Despite her inexperience, the petite super hero was still expected to devote several hours per week for crime fighting …

Tawny was supposed to have a free half hour between the end of her tutoring session and an interview with a scholarship committee. She had hoped to spend the time by studying for a biology test, but then her “business” phone buzzed.

Rolling her eyes as she answered the call, Tawny received her instructions. “But why do you need me?”, she complained. “I mean, she’s not invulnerable or super strong is she? Can’t the police deal with her?”

In the end, despite her efforts to pass off her responsibilities, the PINNACLE director convinced Tawny to take on the super criminal. Closing her phone in frustration, the mighty Asian took a second to check her watch.

“Great, already 4:08. That leaves twenty minutes to get this done, and make it back for the interview.”

Choosing to save time through bypassing a costume change (she hated the garish thing anyway), Tawny leaped into the air and burst through the library’s second and third floors. While weighing only 110 pounds, her body still blasted through the wood and plaster surfaces without even the slightest resistance. As she plowed through the roof, Tawny grimaced at the frightened squeals her dramatic, and damaging, exit created.

Peeking over her shoulder at the library’s newest gaping hole, she grumbled, “Great, I’m gonna hear about that.”

Putting that mundane problem aside for the moment, the super powered student council president sped toward the financial district. Arriving on the scene within two minutes, she took a nervous glance at her watch, before surveying the scene below.

An obvious commotion was in progress. The streets were already full of onlookers: some panicked, others simply curious.

“Oh wonderful, civilians. That’s all I need,” Tawny grumbled.

Then out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the tell tale blur of a “super speeder.”

Chastity’s little crime spree was already nearing the billion dollar mark. All alone with a central bank’s computer system, she had diverted massive sums of money to her newly created off shore account.

“Maybe I should thank my parents”, she said, “Those computer classes really weren’t such a waste of time.”

As Chastity continued to add millions to her bank statement, Tawny burst in from beneath the floor.

The young Vietnamese woman took a second to brush off her cashmere sweater, and then stared down the super thief. “Can’t you people just make an honest living like everybody else?”

If Chastity was unnerved, she didn’t show any signs of it. “So, you’re that super girl, huh? You look a lot bigger on TV.”

“Whatever, I so don’t have time for this right now.”

Before Tawny finished her statement, Chastity disappeared in a blur. With fifteen minutes left until her appointment, the uber girl was not in the mood for a “chase and catch”. Still, duty called, and Tawny flew through another set of walls in pursuit. Once she made it outside, she saw her quarry was already a quarter mile away. Determined to grab her though, Tawny blasted off with her own burst of super speed.

Catching up quickly, the almond eyed beauty was within a few feet of her foe, when she suddenly made an unexpected turn. Unable to adjust in time, Tawny plowed into and then out of the Bennington Plaza’s second story. Even as small amounts of mortar and steel rained down on innocent bystanders, the woman continued to tumble out of control.

While the skyscraper was big and solid enough to survive the collision, a nearby revolving restaurant was not. Slamming into the tower’s slender base, Tawny’s small frame caused the building to buckle. Rapidly, the metal column groaned, and then began to topple over. Only through quick actions did Tawny save the restaurant and its patrons. Utilizing her colossal strength, she balanced the spire, while quick blasts of heat vision welded the fissures back together. With that complete, Tawny touched down. Even though it would be slower going by foot, she would have better control than in the air. Taking off at a super sprint, her powerful wake sent pedestrians tumbling aside like scraps of paper. In her pursuit, Tawny attempted to avoid vehicles, but when that proved to cost her precious seconds, she got careless. Faced with two semi trucks idling side-by-side at an intersection, the petite heroine straightened her arms as she approached and pushed.

“Outta the way!”, she roared, as she sent the massive trucks hurtling into nearby crowds. Realizing what she had just done, and knowing that Chastity was long gone anyway, Tawny ended her pursuit.

“Dammit!”

The concussion of her angered shriek caused every window within three blocks to shatter. Frustrated, Tawny looked at her watch.

“4:27”

Faced with making her interview or helping the injured, Tawny’s shoulders slumped, and she headed toward the downed bystanders.

“This super hero thing is so not all it’s cracked up to be,” she grumbled.