Empowered Boy

Ch. 5 The Team Up

Perry was finishing his math homework sitting at his computer in a Cosmic Cash.  He took off his glasses real quick to rub the bridge of his nose.  Sighing he then thought to himself as he typed the answer to the last question, ‘There, wish I could just know all this math like Dennis Walker in the MCD comics.  I know he’s a minor character, but he is the only 10 year old to know how to do cal...’.  Perry’s mind stopped as his mind raced and he saw the answers sort of appear that were to the other questions that the teacher told the class not to do.  His eyes seemed to have a light blue glow about them as they faded.  Upon realization he began to hyperventilate realizing that he just gain a talent from the comics from a minor character!

Moving back he decided to close his computer.  He was just about to do that when saw one of his web tabs update.  He looked at it as he clicked the turn in button for his electronic homework.  Perry moved the mouse to the tab as he clicked it and saw his new donation page that was a day old. 

The account had $2.35 in the donation tab with a single comment.  It showed the face of the girl he had saved from the flaming car during his first act of heroism.  He smiled as he read the comment from Amber Herald: Thank you Mr. Empowered Boy for saving my life.  I tried to walk out of the store to pay you after the event was over.  But people said that you didn’t accept money.  So, I felt blessed by God for your actions.  Then my bff showed me this site where you ask for donations to help fund your events!  I know it’s not much, but right now I’m in between jobs and focusing on my AP classes.  From your number 1 fan and rooter for future events, “God bless you”. 

Perry smiled as he closed his computer after turning it off.  He stood up as he put the computer in the satchel and took off his head phones.  He began to walk outside of the Cosmic Cash with his coffee cup.  He finished it as he threw it to a trash can and the cup hit the edge, but fell in.

Smiling he began to walk as he heard from the distance a fire truck.  He turned his head as he saw the fire truck fly down the avenue towards Alan’s Association.  He focused as his mind showed his room as he opened his eyes and saw that he was in his room.  He put down his computer and began to change into his Empowered Boy outfit.  He looked into his mind as he put on his last quiver to see the Alan’s Association where three heroes were fighting several members of people.  What caught his attention was the 4 floor building that was on fire.  He looked inside to see a man in his late forties trapped under a bookcase that was on the upper floor in the offices. 

In a few moments Perry began to cough as he felt his lungs on fire.  He looked around as he saw the book shelf.  He coughed violently as he thought several times of a hero that could help him in this moment.  Then he saw on the man’s desk a comic that he hadn’t seen in years.  It was a 87th issue of Fire Bomb from Ethos comics.  A hero that was empowered by heat to gain supernatural endurance.

His eyes glowed blue as he grew jealous of the hero’s ability.  He felt his muscles become refreshed and he moved to the bookshelf.  He had a blue glow about his hands as he touched the metal bookshelf.  The bookshelf turned to dust and ash as it went around him.  He directed to the wall as it rebuilt itself.

Taking the man up Empowered Boy felt his eyes nearly pop out of their sockets.  He couldn’t tell what this guy had been doing with his life.  He had no qualms on enjoying life by eating a lot.  But, man did this feel like he weighed about twice his weight.

Empowered Boy moved him out of the office as he took a shirt that was on the ground to the man’s mouth.  He moved through as he finally got to a fire exit door and kicked the door bar.  The door opened as he went to the stair well that had sprinklers hit the wall keeping down the flames.  He figured that the rest of the building either had faulty sprinklers or someone was behind them not working.  Unfortunately he got his answer way too early as he saw a person waiting for him and the employee.

The person said to them with a Canadian accent, “Not leaving the party house just yet are we?”

The person who was standing in front of Empowered Boy was a known villain.  This tall muscular blonde boy with a scar on his eye was known as Aqua Shark.  A villain that is rather famous for being apart of his brother gang the Fire Leopards.  A gang of arsonists that make sure there is no water to stop the fire, thanks to Aqua Shark.  An Able with water manipulation at an efficiency 4.  This was not going to be fun for Empowered Boy, not one bit.

Empowered Boy put down the man as he had the ash of his bow appear.  He moved out of the way from a blast of water as he pulled out and arrow.  The arrow head was a metallic bar with the face of a polygon.  He knotched the arrow as he let it fly at Aqua Shark. 

The villain snicked as he lifted his arms into the air and snapped his right hand.  Water pulled onto the position of the arrow that was just a few seconds from impacting to his chest.  The water knocked the arrow to the floor as it snapped into pieces. 

Empowered Boy leaped forward as the bow vanished into ash and returned to his back waist quiver.  Where there was a zipper that the ash returned to and stayed in it’s compartment.  Empowered Boy’s hands began to heat up as he put them in front of him.  The water that came to Aqua Shark’s defense began to boil.

Aqua Shark’s eyes widened as he saw the hands break through and touched his chest.  Burns came to him as he screamed out in pain and hit the wall.  His eyes went to the back of his head as his head impacted into the wall.  Aqua Shark hit the floor as Empowered Boy tried to land, but slipped as he hit the floor.  He coughed as blood came out of his mouth as he stood up with a shake of his head.

He got up as he walked back up the steps and grabbed the man.  He then hefted up the employee as he walked down the steps.  He got to the final door as he opened it and saw a team of firefighters pull the door open.  One of them helped Empowered Boy and the man out of the building.  Empowered Boy was taken to an ambulance as he shook his head and said to the EMT who was going to check on him, “No, I’m fine.”

Empowered Boy coughed as he no longer tasted blood in his mouth.  He still felt some pain in his ribs as he thought with jealousy, ‘It’d be really helpful to have Biomistress’s automatic healing and regeneration cells.’

The blue glow from Empowered Boy’s eyes faded as his skin seemed to gain some red to it.  the pain and smoke in his lungs began to numb.  On a cellular level new blue cells moved to his damaged rib and began to swarm it.  They were slowly healing it to it’s original state and some of the blue cells went to his lungs.  Beginning to clean his smoke covered lung cells as they made Empowered Boy breath more easily.

With his knowledge of comics he knew that Biomistress’s powers would fully heal him in about two days time.  In the mean time he’d just have to deal with a broken rib and the occasional cough of blood.  Man did he love comics right now.

Empowered Boy saw that the building’s fire was slowly being put out.  He saw one of the ambulances pull out with the man inside that Empowered Boy had rescued.  Empowered Boy began to walk as he saw that the police were corralling the criminals into their trucks.  With his work done Empowered Boy focused as he was about to vanish when someone said to him, “Empowered Boy, do you have a few minutes for an interview?”

Empowered Boy came out of his focus as he coughed.  He saw an older man in his early twenties with black skin.  His eyes were brown and his head shaved bald.  He had a goatee that was in the shape of an upside down triangle.  The man wore a black suit with blue and white pinstripe tie. 

Empowered Boy nodded as the man had a tape recorder near his mouth.  The man introduced himself to Empowered Boy, “Earl Higgins of Gold Chronicle Heroes Column, do you mind giving a few words on your fight with Aqua Shark?”

Empowered Boy told Mr. Higgins, “I’m sorry, but I’m not going to give that maniac and his brother another 15 minutes of fame for setting a building on fire.  What I am going to tell you, is that we’re lucky that there was no deaths today that we know of.  And that a man is returning to his family hopefully in good health.  I hope that all the victims from this fire are home safe by tomorrow for supper.  That’s all I have to say.”

Empowered Boy focused as he vanished in a green light that surprised Mr. Higgins.  The next moment Empowered knew was him being in his room.  He began to take off his suit as he put it in a basket.  He went to his bed as he took off his glasses, putting them by his clock. 

The next thing that Perry knew was that the alarm clock went off.  He hit the off button to his clock.  He woke, refreshed from the day before as he stood up from his bed.  He waited until he was fully awake before putting on his glasses and going to the basket.  He put some shirts and pants that were on the floor on top of his costume inside the basket.  He pulled from under his bed a large blue topped plastic box.  He pulled the lid off to see that he had two pairs of jeans, a shirt, one pair of shorts and two rolled up socks. 

He turned on his laptop and as he clicked on a program.  The camera then showed on the screen his ownself as he looked at his rib.  His body was no longer red with the exception of the small patch where there was a still repairing rib. 

Perry pulled on the green shirt that showed a blue armored knight holding a crossbow.  Perry reached into the box as he grabbed the pair of shorts as he pulled them on.  Taking the socks out he pulled them apart to put them on one at a time.  He finally pulled on a pair of pants as he put the lid back onto the box.  He stuff the box under his bed as he pulled out his long cardboad comic box.  He saw that there were three comics left inside that were in plastic that had ‘New’ in blue written on the plastic. 

Perry tsked as he said himself making a note, “Stop by the comic shop for some new reads.”

He opened his donation page website to see that the money he had gotten had increased.  It was $2.35 last he checked.  But, now it was a great deal of money compared, to $2.35.  It was a grand total of $96.87.  There were two new comments as he looked at them both.

He read the first of the two new comments from George Dickins: Thanks for saving my dad from the fire.  I heard about your name and how you didn’t even take money.  That led me to investigate of if you just forgot.  But, guess what, I found out.  You are a new kind of hero, like some form of donation hero or something.  An Equal Opportunity Hero that doesn’t demand money.  So, I’d like to say thanks in my own way by donating this $69.52.  One weeks worth part time work at Slam and Dine.  Hope you come to eat here some time so I can thank you in person.

The second comment was from a person that used a drawing as their profile named Zelda Kirk: I am not the benifactor to any of your heroics, but I have been stiffed by many freelance heroes.  And when I heard about your way of doing things, I immediately knew I wanted to donate to your cause.  Consider this 25 dollars as a little boost to help you get on your feet and to cover a few loaves of bread.

Perry turned off the laptop as he plugged it into the wall by his clock.  He pulled one comic out and it was a comic of the same blue knight on his shirt.  The comic was titled ‘Bow Knight’, it was the 48th issue and the adventure of it was ‘First Contact’.  Suggesting to the reader that some foreign or alien power was meeting the Bow Knight.

He put the top on top of the box as he pushed it inside.  He a jar that was under the bed and pulled it out.  Inside were some coins and a piece of paper inside that said, ‘Laundry Change’.  He opened it as he pulled out various coins and put them in his pocket.  He put the comic on top of the laundry basket as he picked it up after kicking the jar under his bed. He walked out of his room as he went to the door.  He put on a pair of shoes as he saw Kevin exit his dad’s room. 

Perry said to the man in the bathrobe, “Morning, I’m going to do some laundry.”

Kevin nodded as he put the coffee on and said to him with a yawn, “Alright, remember that tomorrow you resume school.”

Perry nodded as he replied to him grabbing a key from the table, “Yup, going to grab yesterday’s mail.”

Perry put the key in his pocket and walked out the door.  He walked down the stairs as he went to the lobby floor.  There was a door in the lobby that said ‘Laundry Room’.  Perry went to the door as he opened it and got to one of the washing machines.  He pulled out some coins as he put them into a machine on the wall.  He selected a soap as it came out and Perry grabbed it.  He put his laundry into the washing machine and dropped in the soap.  He turned on the machine as he listened to the machine begin to whirl.

He sat down as he began to read his comic.  He waited as he read his comic.  Perry read his comic as he heard the beep of the washer.  Perry transferred his clothes as he waited until his clothes were dry. 

Perry pulled out his clothes as he gave them a look over.  He put them in the basket as he put the comic back in it’s plastic.  He put the comic on top as he walked out of the laundry room.  Went over to the door as he walked outside and went up to a P.O Box.  He looked at the 3C box as he put a key inside it.  He turned the key as he pulled the door open.  Perry reached inside and pulled out three envelopes and a paper.  He put them in the basket as he closed the box and locked it pulling out the keys.  He walked to the door he put in the other key to open the door. 

Perry walked up the steps as he walked up three sets of stairs.  He finally got to his floor as he opened the door to 3C.  He walked inside and kicked the door behind him closed.  Perry put the mail on the kitchen table as he saw his dad up now dressed for work.

Perry’s dad was cooking eggs as he said to Perry, “Perry, breakfast is almost done.  Are you coming to the bus stop with me?”

Perry shouted as he walked to his room, “Be with you in a few minutes.”

Perry put his clothes in the plastic box under the bed.  He put his costume on the bed as he proceeded to get undressed.  He noticed a few tears to the outfit and a scorch mark on the butt.  He touched the clothes with a blue glow to his hands.  The clothes turned to ash and dust as he absorbed their history.  They then appeared in front of him fully clothed and repaired.

Perry grinned as he said out loud, “Why didn’t I think of that before?”

He shook his head as he got back in his old clothes after doing the same to them as he did to his costume.  The ash and dust surrounded him as he was reclothed in the Bow Knight shirt and jeans.  He grinned as he had the costume turn to ash and go into his right pocket.  He grabbed his bag as he put his comic into the long box.  He put both the platic box and long box back under the bed.  Perry put on his satchel as he proceeded to walk out and toss the keys to the table. 

Perry took the plate with two fried eggs that had the yolk cooked into them after the yolk was broken.  He loved how his dad cooked eggs, the blueberry muffins could have turned out better.  But, he enjoyed eating as he finished his food.

Perry stood up as he saw Kevin exit the other bedroom.  He was dressed in a t-shirt and pants wearing his keffiyeh.  Perry asked him as he swallowed the rest of his food after drinking it down with some water, “So, when’s your next project?”

Kevin replied to him as he sat down at the table, “I’m going to be meeting a client tomorrow.  She’s wanting a museum out of that old building in downtown by the Roxy.  I’m going to be looking it over with a couple of the other civil engineers and one of the city’s architects.  A couple of construction workers might be there to give their opinion on it.”

Perry nodded as he stood up and walked out the door with his dad.  The pair closed the door as they walked down the stairs.  They walked to the bus stop sign as they waited for one of the buses to pull up.  They got on the bus as it eventually made it’s way to the bus transit center.

Perry got off with a bunch of other people, his dad included.  Perry eventually said to his dad as he saw him walk to the transit center building, “Have a good day at work.  Love you, Dad.”

Perry’s dad smiled at his son as he nodded said that he loved Perry too.  Perry walked across the street as he made his way to University Avenue.  He got to the comic book shop Heroes Signal.  Perry walked inside as he saw a girl standing behind the counter.  There was also a man sitting at the table that had his laptop out.  The shelves were full of comics and five long boxes were on another table.  It was the last two weeks worth of comics that were ordered in. 

The girl standing behind the cash register was an Ugarian like Ms. Perkins.  Perry took notice that her wing feathers were a mix of blue and orange.  Her hair was a bob of blue hair. She wore a short black skirt showing off her hairy goat reminding legs.  The girls’ pupil and iris absent eyes of green immediately looked at Perry.  The girl wore a backless black tank top with collar.  The girl didn’t have much to speak of curves, but then again that was just a sign that she flew alot.  Perry could see how this species of life inspired people into thinking succubus and satyrs were real.

The man was a human that was rather big weighing probably in the high end of the 200’s.  He had blonde hair in a rat tail with a thin beard wearing a The Professor shirt that was black.  The man in his late forties said to Perry with a friendly greeting, “How are you doing today, Perry?”

Perry replied to him as he grabbed a few comics from the box, “Good, hey what’s this new comic, Eric?”

Eric replied to Perry, “That’s the new series from Sunder.  Cicada is a young alien blood human that has organic shielding powers.  It’s a pretty good read.”

Perry put it in the pile of comics he would buy.  Perry had selected four comics as he said with a sigh, “Not many.”

Perry then asked remembering the Fire Bomb comics, “Hey, I stopped at issue 40 of Fire Bomb comics.  Would you mind if I bought the latest couple of issues and asked you to put together the issues 41 through whatever I get today?”

Eric was a little surprised it seemed as he replied, “Sure, but I thought you didn’t like Fire Bomb?”

Perry shrugged his shoulders, “Eh, just had a recent appreciation of Fire Bomb.”

Eric wrote on his lap top a note to put together the various issues for Perry.  He then said to him, “Well, in two months Fire Bomb comes to an ending.  The comic isn’t making enough, so Ethos is cutting it from it’s line.”

Perry nodded as he replied, “Eh, still it was an okay series.”

Eric asked the girl at the cash register, “Hey Ri, can you find Fire Bomb issues 83 through 87?”

Ri nodded as she went to some of the boxes in the back of the store.  She came back to the counter with four comics as Perry put his comics on top.  He pulled out his wallet as he said to Ri as she was punching in keys, “So, how’s the work week?”

A slight tinge of red appeared in her cheeks as she said eyeing him, “Oh, nothing much Perry.  Just got a letter back from Arthur Lawrence.  I’ve been accepted to classes next fall and the best part is that I got in on the art scholarship program.  Oh and be sure to not tell anyone just yet.  But, Eric and I are going to publish my own comic book.”

Eric said startled and flustered, “Hey, don’t say that.  We don’t even know if we’ll get the money for it.”

Perry replied to the man, “Hey, why don’t I donate a few greens to help the comic?  I mean with such great artwork as Ri’s, I’d love to buy one of her first comics.”

Ri blushed as her right hoof moved back and forth into the floor.  Eric saw this and said to her, “Ri if you could give Perry his discount and service him that would be nice.”

Ri’s thoughts treaded into forbidden path of her sitting in Perry’s lap with his arms wrapped around her waist.  She blushed furiously as she said with a small 'epp' at the sensation of Perry’s hand touching her’s as he handed her his debit card.  She shook her head as she put in the 20% discount as she said to him with a shifting of her eyes, “Would you like to donate to Heroes Signal Comics?”

Perry replied to her stumped by her odd behaviour, “Yeah, uh the price is $17.54, will $2.46 be cool?  Make it an even 20?”

Ri nodded as she put in 20 as the total and swiped his debit card.  She put in a code as a receipt printed out.  She gave it to him as he signed it and listen to him ask, “So, what’s ya’lls first comic?”

Ri said as she seemed to be her normal nervous self, “Uh, it’s called Strider.  It’s about an Ugarian Heroine that is friends with a human.  She fights to protect him while also protecting the city of Altes.  It takes place in a world that is a steampunk verse with various powers.  Strider has been born with the power of Strength manipulation allowing her to plow through titanium walls and making her bo staff invincible from harm.”

Perry replied to Ri as he put his comics in his bag, “That’s sounds like an awesome comic.  Can’t wait to read it and possibly get it signed at the promotion.”

Ri replied to him with a smile, “Well, I’ll make sure your are the first person to get a signed copy.  Even before the promotional.”

Perry nodded as he said to her waving as he walked out, “Well, have a good day.”

Ri waved back at him as she watched him leave feeling two hearts pound rapidly at his departure.  She felt a pang of pain in her chest as she heard the door close and saw him disappear from the window. 

Perry was walking down the sidewalk as he pulled out the new cicada comic book.  He began to read as he was beginning to be fascinated by the simple idea of an orb of tough organic material that could turn matter on the outside into oxygen on the inside.  And he really liked how Cicada used the orb to save five kids from falling debris at a baseball stadium. 

Perry was busy reading his comic as he just faintly heard the zip of someone running past him.  He dropped his comic as he looked to his left and up.  He saw a giant man of blue skin running in his direction.  The man threw his arm at Perry as a funnel of frost shot at him.  Perry thought of the only thing that he knew as he kept thinking of the previous hero he had read about.  Cicada. 

Blue energy glowed in Perry's eyes as the frost consumed him and swallowed him in a frost.  He seemed to have vanished until the frost dissipated to reveal a large chunk of ice.  Inside the ice was a large black orb with green spots on it.  Perry looked at the wall of the orb that he was inside of.  He looked at his back and saw that his shirt was pretty much ruined thanks to the orb that grew from his back to surround him in a protective cocoon. 

He focused as his suit came from his pocket and his current clothes turned to ash.  Perry was now dressed in his costume and had the ash of his street clothes in his back quiver. He had his bow form as he grabbed an arrow and knotched it.  He said out loud more to himself than anyone, “Knowing, heroes, someone’s going to break me out.  And demand money from me, but seeing how that golem of a man freezed me.  He might try to attack us after rescuing.  If I just claimed that I saved myself or Perry Turner.  Then I won’t have to pay anyone.”

The orb shook as it fell down and broke apart.  The organic material returned to his back and changed back into regular flesh.  He saw that the golem was still attacking as Empowered Boy fired his blunt arrow at the back of the golem. 

A little boy jumped in front of an even younger girl as he put on a brave face.  The golem went to attack him as the arrow hit the golem’s back.  The giant growled as he turned towards Empowered Boy.

Empowered Boy took note that the car beside the ice must have broken it freeing him.  He then took note that the golem was coming at him again as he pulled out two arrows.  He knotched them as he aimed up at the golem’s chest.  He let them fly up as they were countered by the golem’s frost cone.

Empowered Boy leaped out of the way dodging the frost attack.  He was about to attack again when a blast of pink aura hit the golem’s back shoulder.  Empowered Boy saw Fox Tail standing as she smiled at him with a wink. 

Empowered Boy blushed as he then shook his head turning to the golem.  He jumped out of the way as the golem punched his fist into the road.  The cicada comic was under his fist as Empowered Boy grimaced thinking, ‘Aw man, I actually liked that comic.’

Empowered Boy grabbed an arrow from his side quiver as he pulled the satchel full of comics to his back.  The satchel got in the way a bit as he knotched the arrow and fired it at the golem’s knee. 

The golem was on the attack with Fox Tail when it felt an impact in the knee.  The golem fell forward as Fox Tail flipped in a kick as pink aura formed around her lower half.  The legs had claws of pink aura fly at the golem kicking it at the chin.  The golem flew back as it hit the ground making the surrounding shake.

Empowered Boy saw that all the people were focusing on him and Fox Tail.  He felt the power that the attention was giving him.  He had the bow returned to ash as he had his hands heat up.  Empowered Boy thrust out his hands as they became a deep red.  He focused as he ran in and attacked the recovering golem.

His hands had a spark of flame appear between them as he slammed the fire ball into the golem.  His hands slammed down onto the icy surface.  The golem screamed as the ice all melted and a man appeared from the thaw.  He was unconscious as he breathed peacefully.  Empowered Boy noticed that the man wore a light green prison like outfit.  He saw the sewn on badge that told Empowered Boy that he was from Montgomery Able Safety Facility.  A place where Ables that have no control of their powers are sent for the better of society. 

Empowered Boy heard Fox Tail squeal as she said cheering, “Oh, yeah, Fox Tail is going to get herself a new set boots after this.  Alright you peeps, I just saved you.  I need 600 dollars for my services.”

One of the people then said pointing at Empowered Boy, “Oh and what do we owe the guy that actually knocked him out?”

Empowered Boy said to the man relieving his concerns, “I don’t want any money.  I just want to help out people.”

People began to shout at Fox Tail as she backed up and said gaining some back bone, “Oh, you going to talk to me like that?  I saved you people, the least you could do is reward me for my work.  I’m just doing my job like any other legal heroine.”

Fox Tail said as she pulled out from her purse a cell phone, “If that’s how ya’ll are going to be.  Then I’m going to sue ya’ll to get my reward.”

Empowered Boy was expecting this to a degree.  But, it didn’t mean he was cool with it.  Fox Tail put away her phone as she said to Empowered Boy, “And don’t think that I won’t find your sponsor and report you.  You were saving all these stores from demolishment.  So, I’ll see your butt on the street soon enough.”

Empowered Boy replied to her as she began walking away, “Good luck with finding three people that donated money to my website.”

Fox Tail stopped as she turned to him as she asked interest peaked, “Excuse me?”

Empowered Boy replied to her with a grin, “It’s going to be hard to get me fired when I’m not a sponsored hero.”

Fox Tail threw her arms in front of her several times as if trying to force something back, “Stop stop stop, you mean to tell me that this was pro bono for you?  Advertisement for your freelancing?”

Empowered squashed his lips a bit as he shook his head, “Nope, I just don all my events free.  If someone needs saving, I drop everything and save them.  Like that young man that was blasted with the frost cone.  If people want to reward me, they can do so at any price they can afford at my website.  Heroesaffairs.gov/empoweredboy is my website.”

Fox Tail’s eyes widened as she gasped pointing at him, “You’re that new hero that refused pay from Tennessee Thunder.”

Empowered Boy nodded as Fox Tail said to him with a laugh, “Oh, that’s rich.  You’ve got to be the poorest hero in history!  Hahaha, well good luck with the groceries hero boy.”

Fox Tail began to walk off as Empowered Boy shrugged his shoulders and went back to the comic book shop.  Once he was sure he was out of sight he ducked into an alley to switch clothes.  He walked into the comic shop to see Ri’s face light up again.  He wasn’t sure what was going on, but he grabbed another Cicada comic.

Eric then said to him, “What happened to the one you just bought?”

Perry said to Eric as he paid for the new comic, “Oh, the comic was destroyed in the fight between that Fox Tail Heroine and some escapee from the Able Safety Facility.  If you could call the cops and tell them that the fight is over.  That would probably be best.  I still don’t have a cell phone.”

Perry put his comic away as he walked out and said to Ri before he left, “See you later Ri.”

Ri smiled as he left once again not wanting him to go.  Still she guessed that she would see him again the same time next week.