A Guide to Being a Superhero...Therapist? (Guide to Being, Novella Two)

Don't Quote the Sesame Street Video

I narrowed my eyes at Amrita, "How are you this good?"

She laughed with another flip, "I'm a skateboarder. Punk. That kinda girl."

The image of an Amrita with blue and green hair, wearing spikes and ripped up clothes, listening to metal music, and skateboarding shot into my head.

"I see," I bit back a grin.

"Yuh-huh. Anything else?" She walked over to me.

I looked down at my clipboard. My ninja mask stuck to my face, trapping my sweat, and the humidity didn't help.

It had taken me a while to pick a spot to meet with Eric and Amrita. After all, I could hardly bring them to my house. Nor could I go out in public as Firebird for an extended time. I had finally asked Whitney for help, and she'd found a park for rent near my house. A park. For rent. (I swear L.A. is the weirdest.) A part of me still wondered how she had managed that. Another part of me wondered if it would've been better just going to my gym. The sky might have been plenty cloudy, but my Canadian butt was about to die of heatstroke in my stupid suit! I scratched my nose. I will rip this off if I have to go one more minute... I shut off the thought and focused on my notes.

Amrita was more prepared than I had first assumed. She had plenty of muscle and flexibility. She thought quick on her feet, punched well, and could do it without much shortness of breath. I nodded as I scanned my notes.

"I think she's great," Eric said behind me.

I jumped before his voice registered, and I blew out a breath.

"You are so jumpy," Amrita shook her head.

I glowered at her and then at Eric.

"She's not wrong," he smirked.

I muttered under my breath about stupid sidekicks and their stupid jabs about my perfectly wise caution. Eric sat on a park bench.

"One more thing," I looked up at Amrita, "let's fight."

She raised her eyebrows, "Huh?"

"You're going to be fighting supers. Or people with other types of weapons. But that aside, you need to learn how to shut them down," I handed Eric my board and held up my fists. "I will try to blend some fighting styles so that you get a better idea of what to expect."

"Hold up," Amrita chewed her lip. "I really don't want to get pummeled."

I grinned, grateful she couldn't see how devilish it was from behind my mask, "I'm not going to pummel you. I am going to test your strength."

"Ouch."

"You'll do fine," I laughed. "Now -."

She swung at my face. I ducked and punched her stomach. She yelped buckling.

"Don't leave your stomach exposed," I straightened. "Ever."

"Ugh, I hate you," she groaned slowly rising.

"I know," I ran at her, jumping to wrap my legs around her.

She ducked, and I landed on the ground with an "oof."

"Haha!" She jeered.

"Nice," I grunted, getting back up.

"I know!"

We kept going for another five minutes. I switched from martial arts to boxing to different combinations. Amrita tried her best, giving me several hard hits in her own right. But generally speaking, I thrashed her. Until I couldn't handle the sweat anymore. I held up a hand.