Not a Sidekick {Frost}

[MellowYellow]

With things the way they were right now, a constant stream of supervillains both old and new causing trouble across the continent, and they were at a stage where several superheroes had been killed in big conflicts. C-listers mainly, but the damage to their numbers was problematic. And it led to a drive to recruit and train up younger heroes, as there was no shortage of teen heroes in this day and age.

Steve Rogers, believed by many to be the 'first' superhero (save for those who did a little homework and learned about the original Human Torch) had been more than happy with the idea, and had agreed to work with one budding and excitable heroine from Jersey.

"Down below. By the gas station. See?" He lowered his binoculars, one leg propped up on the rim of the roof. The red white and blue Avenger glanced Kamala's way, pointing to the tall trenchcoat clad figure heading along the darkened sidewalk. "A hat and trenchcoat. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles logic, only a villain thinks they're gonna go unnoticed that way."

He had a liking for Kamala. She was sweet, energetic, and had some real power on her side. For that reason, he felt it was very useful to get her on board and make a real hero out of her.

"And if the stories of Electro committing robberies in this area are true... I think we might have found our man."

 

[Frost]

It was the sort of thing that brought out some rather mixed feelings in the young superhero.

On the one hand, it was a major responsibility. Heroes were dying out there, and contrary to certain beliefs not all heroes came back from the dead. Some would find a way, sure, as it seemed impossible to keep some of the greats down. But others, minor talents by way of mutation, Inhumanity, or something else entirely, those that didn't let greed overtake them to turn them towards spandex-clad criminality... well, they didn't tend to come back.

It was something that Kamala took seriously.

On the other hand.

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD I COULD BE AN AVENGER THIS IS SO COOL AND--

It had been an exciting couple of weeks for Kamala Khan.

-----------

She had at least shapeshifted this time, dressing herself down into something a lot more casual than her supersuit. Her face had been changed as well, darkening her hair, lightening her skin and doing enough of a nip and a tuck to make someone think that, at the very most, she could be her own distant cousin with the contrast turned up.

"See, I don't get it. Couldn't he do, I dunno, a hoodie? Who wears a trenchcoat these days?" Kamala asked, making an impatient "gimme" gesture with one hand to take the binoculars.

"Holy crap, that's a fedora. He's wearing a fedora," she said as she squinted down through the binoculars. "So, what's the game plan here, Cap?" she asked, a smile in her voice. She still kind of internally squeed every time she thought about the fact that she was slumming it with one of the -originals-, for... well, for all the fact that he definitely didn't look it.

"Because I'm pretty sure I could land on him from here."

 

[MellowYellow]

"Dillon might be a little dense when it comes to disguise, but his powers could still be a threat. You're not rubbery like Reed Richards, so you'll definitely get a sting from him." As he said this he left Kamala checking their target through the binoculars, and proceeded to stand on the edge of the roof. He reached back with his left hand and hoisted up his famed vibranium shield, donning it on his arm.

"Fortunately," he tapped the large white star over his pectorals and smiled wryly at the younger woman "I am a little insulated in the old red, white and blue. So I can take the opening salvo at least." Even without the binoculars, his vision was good enough to see the electrokinetic as he came to a halt at the doors of a rather large pawn shop. Rumor had it that the Owl had used this spot as a fence for stolen goods, but with him six feet under there was little risk of retribution against any would-be plunderer.

Assuming they weren't caught in the act.

"Here's what I'm thinking," Cap said. "I'll head in first, draw his attention. He'll be distracted, probably won't expect you at all, and so after he attacks me, I'm sure you can swoop in quickly. And since Max isn't superhumanly tough..."

 

[Frost]

"Yeah, down in Jersey I've tangled with a few guys who are all about the shock and awe," she said with an emphatic wiggle of her fingers. She handed the binoculars back up to him as she peered down over the edge of the building. She was beginning to shift back, her hair lightening and skin darkening until she better resembled her usual self, the mask rising out of her skin again as she allowed her shapeshifting to lapse.

"That stuff is -super- effective on me. Kind of sucks," she said with an exaggerated pout.

"But! If this is how we're going to do it I can totally swing in from the side and wreck his day once he tries anything. Want a hand down? We're kinda high up," Kamala said. Her arm lengthened, offering him a hand he could swing down on.

She had heard a lot about him, but not his tendency to go parachuteless.

 

[MellowYellow]

"Ha. Thanks, but I'll be fine," Steve said, giving her a friendly clap on the shoulder as if she was an old friend from school. He leapt off with a mighty shove of his feet, and on the way down he grabbed onto the nearest lampost. His momentum swung him around and then catapulted him toward the pawn shop. Landing loudly, he aimed his shield up on his left arm, providing some immediate cover.

"Aw shit!" Electro spun around so quickly that his hat flew off, revealing the distinct 'star'-shaped scar that had been burned into his face. He'd ditched his old starfish mask about two years back, but the scar on his face was distinct enough for it to not make a difference.

"Look man, all I'm doin' is stealing stuff that was already stolen! That's... capitalism! It's the American way, right?!"

"Wrong."

Coils of blue lightning lashed from his palms, crashing into Steve's shield. He felt tingles course through his muscles through his suit, tightening up under a sudden strain. Electro had lethal powers, but fortunately he was still a dumb thug at the end of the day and rarely did anything more complicated than 'point and shoot.'