Snippet #2714825

“I’m just a bachelor… Looking for a partner… Someone who knows how to ride… Without even falling off… Gugh!” Smooth rnb music echoed throughout the entire gym along with the occasional grunt and huff from Jo. If there had been others training with her, she most certainly would have gotten some complaints about her music choice (especially since the last song that played was “Sexual Healing”), but it was the ass-crack of dawn. Even though many of the young heroes had rigorous training regimes, no one was up at 4 AM. But here was Jo, unable to sleep, so she figured she might as well get in some extra deadlifts and squats. So since she was alone, Jo decided to take advantage of this by playing some of her favorite workout music out loud. Earbuds did the job, but they annoyed her by constantly falling out.

There was something about rnb, and rap too, the beat makes Jo want to drop everything and just move. It was like she could feel the chorus coming up from the bottom of her stomach, flowing through her veins. So she released the 100 something pound barbell she was deadlifting, it hit the ground with a satisfying thud, and straightened up. Jo couldn’t stop the music from taking over her body; it coursed up her spine like electricity. And before she knew it, she was dancing and singing along. “Girl when I break you off, I promise that you won't want to get off… If you're horny, let's do it! Ride it, my pony! My saddle's waiting! Come and jump on it!”

“Please tell me you don’t know all the words to this damn song.” A taunting voice caused Jo’s previously relaxed body to go stiff. Before she could come up with some sort of answer or excuse, blood flowed to her cheeks and the tips of her ears, turning them beet red. She whipped around the face her mentor, but got her foot stuck on the edge of the barbell, twisting her ankle and sending her toppling over. Like so many times before, Kara was there to catch her just before she hit the ground. “I’ll take that as a yes. I didn’t know you liked Magic Mike.”

“I do not!” Jo pushed her off with a huff, still clearly embarrassed. “It’s just… a good song.” She crouched down both to take weight off of her ankle and to start removing the weight plates from the barbell.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt your little party, I was just wondering if I could join in.” The older woman laughed before jokingly swaying her hips.

Jo couldn’t help but chuckle. “If Gloomy heard you talking like that, he’d reprimand you again for flirting with your students.” She walked as she talked, putting the weights back on their racks.

Kara took a heavy seat on one of the benches before continuing their conversation. “You’re the one who made it weird. Why are you up anyways? Don’t you have school tomorrow? Or are you mad that pipsqueak beat you last week so you wanna beef up?”

“First of all,” Jo was defensive already, “She’s been training for far longer than I have!” She turned to face her mentor once all the equipment was away. “And I couldn’t sleep.”

“Why?”

Jo frowned before she even opened her mouth. “Jack is sick. Stomach flu.”

“What, catch it over the phone?” Although her comment was sarcastic, Kara knew the response that would follow.

“It doesn’t feel right. I want to help. Mom already has her hands full with work-”

“Josephine Kingston, look at me.” She complied, of course. “Your mother is a grown woman and can take care of herself. You need to worry about yourself. Have you eaten anything? Probably not, right? Cmon, let’s get you cleaned up and put some breakfast in you. You’ll feel better.”

“Alright…” Jo grabbed her phone, cutting off “Bump n’ Grind” by R. Kelly, and she scampered after Kara.

~ Three-ish hours later ~

Jo was clean, filled to the brim with pancakes and fresh fruit, and ultimately happy. There was something about talking to Kara that just felt right. It was like talking to someone her own age that was ten times smarter. They made constant idle chit chat as they drove around, nearing the school. Jo was about to convince Kara to just let her stay home, but that dream was crushed by the fact that Kara had a job to go to anyways. Her position as the physics professor and head of the science branch paid well, allowing her to afford the decently nice sportscar that they were cruising around in.

After parking, the two ladies said their goodbyes and headed in separate directions: Kara to her classroom and Jo to her first lecture. From the moment the professor started talking, Jo was distracted. She couldn’t stop thinking about her family, and a sense of guilt washed over her in waves. She should be there to help them. How could she help the world if she couldn’t help her own family? Jo was so lost in thought that she almost didn’t notice her watch buzzing. Ah, another mission. Let’s see what Gloomy has for us today. Like she’d done it millions of times before, Jo slid out of the hall unnoticed and made her way to a rather abandoned supply closet. A subtle press of her thumb to the knob and it unlocked, allowing her to enter and step onto the warp pad.

Travelling by pad was amazing, but it terrified Jo. What if her powers acted up while she was on one? Would she be torn to pieces? Maybe get ‘ported halfway into a wall… The thought made her shudder. So whenever she warped, Jo stood as still as possible with her eyes squeezed shut.

“Quantum, member B-0-5.”

That robotic voice eased her so much, telling her that the warp was over. A quick costume change, and Jo was ready to go, ready for whatever Gloomy had to throw at her. With a quick catching of her breath, Jo pushed into the room, her wide grin spreading before she could stop herself. “Hello little ones! And Raffy.” She tossed a gleeful smile in her fellow 19-year-old’s direction. “What are we doing today, good sir? Beating down some baddies? Saving some kittens from some exceptionally tall trees? Please tell me, the anticipation is killing me!” Jo’s words practically came out in an amused purr as she looked upon their not-so-little leader, Shadow.