"First things first. Time to ditch the Fuzz," Alan announced, not bothering to keep his voice lowered or, in any way, conceal what he intended to do.

"You're going to want to hold onto to me," He smiled at Vain, who dignified the comment with a scowl.

"I'll pass."

"Suit yourself."

It was a credit to them both that Havoc and Winkle actually stopped arguing and paid attention.

Figures that there would be a first time for everything.

"You're going with him willingly?" Winkle snapped, looking royally peeved. "Exactly what kind of stupid are you, Tramph?!"

That's ... Actually, that's a pretty good question.

"Maddison, " Havoc begun, gaining my attention with his pleading eyes. "... I know that it's not in your nature run away from a fight..."

Understatement.

"... and you're kind of upset with me at the moment..." He winced at the hostile look that entered my gaze.

Understatement of the century.

"...But you can't do this." He held his hands up, taking a slow step towards us like he was afraid we would bolt like a skittish animal. "You're amazing, Maddison, but you're a civilian and a minor..."

"You're way out of your depth kid," Winkle grumbled.

All logical arguments.

"You think I don't know that?!" I snapped, bristling up like an angry... mouse, I guess...

"You think I don't realise how crazily insanely stupid this is and that I'm probably going to get myself killed! Do you think I'm just doing this for fun or to prove how tough I am! I'm five inches tall!" I threw my hands up, climbing to my feet.

"If all I wanted to do was save the day, I wouldn't be tagging along and acting as team mascot! I'd go home and not be a burden!"

"Then why are you doing this!" Winkle shouted back.

"Because all my friends are!"

... Okay, even I have to admit that came out a little bratty.

Winkle actually stumbled back, as if I had landed a physical blow, before pointing furiously at his side.

"Maddison Tramph. " He snarled, eyes deadly cold, shoulders hunched. "You get your stupid teenaged ass over here right this instant, before. I. Snap. Because if you make me come over there and fight that idiot myself, just to make sure you don't get yourself killed, I am going to lock you away in an isolation room and throw away the key!"

I crossed my arms over my chest, gaze defiant.

"Sorry Winkle, but if I was the kind of person who valued safety over being a thorn in the side of anyone who ever knew me, then I wouldn't be in this mess in the first place," I smirked, making my expression as cocky as possible and watching the way Winkle started to steam.

"So if you want me to sit back and hide while my friends do something incredibly stupid and dangerous, you're going to have to make me."

While my attention was focused on crushing the sputtering Winkle with superior smiles, Havoc took another step closer. "I knew it, you really are a good kid Maddison."

It was only then that I realised how close the dork of a man had come.

"I'm really sorry, but I can't let you have your way this time." He gave me a small pained smile. "After all, Garmen would surely lecture me to death if I let his star player get hurt."

The shattering sound of glass registered before I realised that Havoc had even moved.

Then Vain's hand spasmed beneath me, and I lost my footing.

I had time to see that Alan was jumping backwards, landing several feet away from where we had once stood before my vision was consumed by fingers.

Even cradled in Vain's hands, I could tell that we were still moving, rapidly backing away.

And each one of Alan's jarring landings was followed by the sound of breaking glass.

"Hold your breath," Alan spoke, voice grim.

I did one better, covering my nose and mouth with my hands, not even needing to ask why.

Damn blue-haired pheromone freak of nature, knowing him, he's going to summon a swarm of lady beetles to devour us.

I felt Vain's fingers tense as he started coughing, struggling to keep me secure without hurting me with the convulsions.

"Don't you dare..." I hissed under my breath, using all limbs available to keep the giant appendages from closing in.

Crush me.

I heard Alan swear, softly but quite creatively. Then the hands were pulled away from me, and I had a moment to feel relieved.

Until I saw that the hand holding Vain's wrist led to the baggy sleeve of a white lab coat.

As Alan had jumped backwards, dodging each vial of pheromones Havoc had thrown, the small man had shot after him, ignoring the chemical smog and catching Alan mid-leap.

Now, with Alan's hands preoccupied with holding Vain, Havoc had used the opportunity to pull Vain's hands apart.

Exposing me.

I realised all this in the split second it took for me to turn my head, in time to see the sharp glow of system blue eyes, before the giant hand loomed over me.

Maybe... Just maybe... I had bitten off more than I could chew with this one.

Havoc got close. Close enough for me to feel the heat radiating from his skin before Alan kicked out with brutal strength, planting his foot in the small man's stomach and sending him flying backwards.

I watched in growing awe as Havoc landed on his feet, hearing the marble floor literally crack as he slid back with the force of the blow. Crouched, he lifted his gaze to focus on me. Intense and without emotion.

... These guys seemed way less scary when they were on my side...

In a single breath, he recovered, leaping forward with superhuman strength.

In the face of Havoc's determination, Alan, in full Floid glory... turned tail and ran.

If my life was a game, I would have a special area effect known as Curse of the Under Dog.

Anyone fighting opposite Team Maddison gets a power boost to all their stat's, a new skill called Bad Ass Scary Face, and a free ice-cream.

"Why aren't you fighting him?!" I cried, clutching the material of Vain shirt as I was quickly pressed into it.

Alan sent me down a friendly smile.

"Unless you have a plan on how I am going to defeat a superpowered genius with my hands tied, whilst making sure that none of us breathes in his airborne sedative, I suggest you refrain from backseat Fighting."

So, in other words.... shut up Maddison. Okay, I can do that.

Running just as rapidly as before, Alan sprinted back through the crowd.

Heading straight towards the railing where the only way forward was to go down.

Please don't jump. Please don't jump. Please don't jump. Please don't jump. Please don't jump. Please please please don't jump.

He jumped.

With feline grace, Alan leapt up onto the railing, not hesitating to throw himself off the second-story balcony.

And if he were a normal person, we would have gone down.

But apparently, down was just too boring a direction for Alan Floid.

Instead of jumping down, or even out into the open space, Alan used his supernatural strength to jump straight upwards, achieving a ridiculous height.

The world turned on its axis as Alan twisted, planting his feet in the wall of one of the third story viewing box's, and shoved us sideways with a powerful kick.

Great, even further for us to fall...

Feeling like I was going to hurl if Alan didn't quit with the aerobatics, I found myself suddenly blinded by the light as the King of the Hill finally reached the destination he had been aiming for all along.

The chandelier.

The huge thing swung violently under Alan's weight as he landed heavily, stumbling slightly as he tried to keep his balance.

Swinging from the Chandelier... God, I hate my life...

From this new vantage point above the crowd, I was finally able to see the result of Havoc's pheromone attack.

Everyone who had been standing in the area where we had once stood was now either on the ground or stumbling around in a drunken haze.

I think that's taking the power of nature a little to far...

Havoc landed crouched on the railing, pausing a moment to stare up at us.

Evaluating his prey.

"Vain, if you wouldn't mind..." Alan murmured, the light of the chandelier gleaming in his calm gaze and making his red hair glow. "I'm afraid I need to send a signal to Alex... But my hands are kind of preoccupied ..."

I looked up I time to see Vain grimace.

"How am I supposed to... "

"Teeth will do..." Alan tilted his head, smile still I place.

Exposing his neck.

Vain flinched, seeming to grow pale even with his stark completion.

"You can't be serious-"

"Time's ticking, Maziric." His smile took on a teasing edge. "Don't worry, I most certainly am contagious, but the upside is that it tends to wear off after a while."

Vain hesitated a second longer before his red eyes hardened with determination.

"... You owe me for this."

Alan's eyes fell upon me, twinkling in a way that let me know I was screwed.

"Sorry Maddison, but you might want to look away for this. I can guarantee you're not going to like this."

... Then why are you smiling?

I was staring up at him in disbelief, but even that didn't prepare me for what happened next.

I'm sure that I was expecting something. Had some idea in my head that would explain what was going on.

Whatever it was, it was wrong, and it evaporated from my mind as soon as Vain shot upward and...

... sank his teeth into Alan's neck.

..Havoc's pheromones must have knocked me out or something because this can not be real...

"Ow," Alan murmured half-heartedly, his only reaction as Vain pulled away.

"Disgusting..." Vain hissed, covering his mouth with a hand.

"I'm sure you wouldn't appreciate the alternative," Alan said, barely above a breath, and my mind shot straight to what had happened between Winkle and Garmen.

Causing me to create a sound very suspiciously similar to a scream.

At the small noise, both Vain and Alan looked down at me, and I kinda wished I had stayed silent.

Vain looked like he wanted to die and Alan... was blatantly amused. Also craving popcorn.

So I, awkwardly, tried to act oblivious.

"Ah... Vain? Please tell me you're not a vampire... Because that plot twist has been done before..."

Vain groaned, the hand covering his mouth reaching up to hide his eyes.

Alan just raises an eyebrow, then, as if hearing something we couldn't, he jerked his gaze down to where Havoc was.

"About time."

I looked down in time to see Havoc leap up at us with more strength than what Alan was seemingly capable of.

Only to have something collide with him mid-air. Knocking him off course and sending both Supervisor and projectile falling to the lower level.

Stunned, I followed the source of the interruption to a very pissed looking Alexander Floid. Standing in the fallen crowd with his arm slowly lowering out of the throwing position. He couldn't have...

"Um... Is it just me, or did Alex just stop Havoc... by throwing Winkle at him....?"

Alan hummed happily, staring proudly down at his brother.

"Alexander always did have a flair for improvision. "