The city was at war with itself. The streets below currently played host to a brawl between anti-Azur protestors and the local police, while, in the dark of night villains struck from every corner, stretching the guilds thin as delta protestors advanced on what meager low-level supes were left to keep them in line. Morale amongst the establishment was at an all time low. Day after day more and more deltas emerged from the woodwork, previously too scared to even show their powers for fear of being forced to choose a side. They were sick of hiding, sick of the fact that if a delta wanted to live inside the law, they were forced to choose between being a guild hero, or peon at one of the abhorrent corporations that bullied all the others behind closed doors into denying delta applicants jobs.

Cops were quitting in droves, heroes were being hospitalized faster than healers could keep them afloat, especially given the fact that many healers had joined the revolution. That wasn’t to say, however, that the fight was anywhere near over. The national guard was on its way, and heroes from neighboring cities were being reassigned to curb the rebellion. Still, the seeds had been planted everywhere, and across the country people were flocking to the streets. The guilds were losing. Azur’s stock was plummeting as employees found themselves unable to even enter their buildings.

Weaver stared out the busted fifteenth floor window, face illuminated by the orange glow of the flames that licked at and climbed the neighboring building. Over and over she couldn’t help but wonder if this really was the way things needed to go. Things were finally happening, yes, but that wasn’t to say there had been no cost. Mass arrests, police killings, guild hero killings, everyday the violence escalated. Every day the human cost swelled. The local economy had ground to a halt, necessities once taken for granted were now woefully scarce. It had been days since it was safe for truckers, or anyone, to drive through the city. Without frequent deliveries grocery stores were running out of food as people stockpiled and consumed faster than goods could be replaced. The poorest neighborhoods were hit the hardest, and while mutual aid groups had done their best to keep people afloat, those in power seemed more than happy to starve out the opposition. It was ugly, but it had to be worth it. Soft footsteps behind her pulled Weaver from her contemplation.

“Is everything ready?” Her companion asked. She turned.

“Charges are set, alarms are going off, traps are placed. They know we’re here, either they come stop us or they’ll lose their entire database on delta civilian identities. Odds are it’s backed up somewhere, but it’ll take days to set everything back up again. And we’ll find that one too.” Weaver approached the woman before her, pulling her into a tight hug. “Are you sure you’re ready for this, Allie? You’re trembling a little.”

“I am. Sorry I just, it’s cold out tonight and, y’know.” She trailed off. “I don’t want to go back there.” Allie buried her face into Elaine’s shoulder, not the most comfortable thing given her armor, but it would have to do.

“You won’t. I won't let that happen. We’ll get through this, and we’ll do it again and again.” Elaine whispered soothingly. Allie smiled.

“And the city will come to fear the crime duo of Weaver and Nut.”

“For the last fucking time, I’m not calling you Nut.” Elaine giggled, rolling her eyes.

“And how many times do I have to tell you that this one’s not a sex joke? Nut is the Ancient Egyptian goddess of night and rebirth. It’s very fitting.” Allie placed her hands on her hips, cocking her head in mock anger.

“Well then start pronouncing it the way the Ancient Egyptians did instead of like the slang word for ejaculate. I’d have a much easier time believing you if all your other recent alias ideas weren’t also dumb sex jokes. You better find a good alias fast or the media is gonna pick for you again.” The two villainesses shared an amused look and a brief kiss, before the sound of boots thundering up the nearby stairway set them both on alert.

“Wanna take bets to see who we’re up against.”

“Nah, you always win somehow. Though I’d hazard a guess that they haven’t sent anyone too important. Faux Slipspace and Faux Arcadia are currently causing havoc across town.” The nature of their copies had yet to be fully explained to either of them, but from what they could gather they were hard light illusions that would lead pursuers on protracted wild-goose chases before escaping into the night the moment things got too hot.

“Well, that should make things easier, almost boring even.” Allie smirked as she and Elaine formed up in the shadows of the darkened hallway beyond the stairwell. Within was an intricate web of tiny portals designed to trip up and disrupt any who entered. There was no greater joy than watching a hero or cop’s boot slip into an invisible hole, then come out the other end kicking said hero or cop in the face. It never got old. In the chaos that would inevitably ensue, Allie would pick off the stragglers one by one with stealthy strikes. It was a far cry from their old fighting styles, but immensely entertaining. Besides, Elaine still occasionally got to do cool kicks and the like.

The door burst open as a swat team flooded the hallway backed by a pair of rookie heroes. “Showtime.” Allie whispered, throwing up a pair of flamboyant jazz-hands before vanishing into the shadows. Elaine would have liked to say the scuffle that ensued was pulse pounding, viscerally intense, exhilarating, but the reality was nobody had quite gotten used to dealing with the two of them as a combined threat yet. They were new, afterall.

Things were over quickly. Their foes were sprawled on the ground, groaning in disoriented pain, when explosions rocked the server room behind them, setting off the buildings fire alarms and sprinklers. Allie dropped a shell of camouflage around herself and Elaine, and the two rappelled down the side of the building. They walked right past the police blockade surrounding the building, found a secluded alleyway to change into civilian clothing, and faded into the night. Another job well done.

“So I was thinking, we haven’t gotten ourselves a proper nemesis yet. I’m excited to finally be an evil arch-enemy. Any bets on who it-?” Elaine was cut off as fire engines, ambulances and a smattering of additional cop cars flew by, Elaine and Allie turned away from the passing vehicles. Elaine Norton and Allison Tailor were still wanted women, afterall. They stayed frozen in place for a few moments, breathing heavily.

“They didn’t see us, right?” Allie’s voice was quiet, shaky. This was their fourth of such outings, but Allie still struggled to shake the fear of arrest and imprisonment.

“They didn’t, Allie, we’re okay.” They both knew that, realistically a few cops whizzing by at full speed wouldn’t have even given two women walking down the street hand in hand a second look, but the threat was there. They could never be too careful. Elaine took Allie’s hand, squeezing it gently, and she began to relax, resting her head on Elaine’s shoulder, but still shivering lightly as they resumed walking to Lexi’s predetermined meeting spot.

Staying cooped up during the day, watching helplessly as the protests unfolded before their eyes had been a special kind of torture for Allie. It was her plan that had led to this happening, and now people were on the streets fighting for her vision, getting hurt for her vision. Having to watch all that from the sidelines, unable to help except when Lexi found them tasks she deemed safe enough, was growing harder and harder for Allie to stomach.

Beyond that neither Elaine nor Allie got to see the sun much anymore, Lexi had blocked the windows in her home to prevent recognition from any possible passers by. In truth, it seemed very unlikely that any more than a handful of people knew either of them well enough to recognize them off the street. Elaine and Allie both had changed their hairstyles and they were sure to keep their faces partially obscured at all times. Not only that, but Lexi had done her best to leverage her connections to sabotage any digital wanted postings regarding the two of them.

Still, both felt cooped up in their dreary conditions, that compounded very neatly with the fact that they were living with targets painted on their backs. It was a miracle Elaine and Allie had both managed to keep in good spirits at all, though each would insist that the other was to thank for the maintenance of her sanity and happiness. Thinking of just that, Elaine pressed her lips against the top of Allie’s hair. Allie hummed in contentment as the stress cleared for the time being.

“So what were we talking about? Nemeses right? Personally I hope our new nemesis is more attractive and interesting than my last nemesis. She was a real bore I swear. We get it, you’re angsty and jaded with a rope kink and can do portals.” Allie giggled as Elaine huffed.

“You’re gonna pay for that one when we get home.”

“Can’t wait.”

* * *

In a secluded corner of a deserted wooded park, Elaine and Allie found the tree Lexi had marked ahead of time, and searched for onlookers. Satisfied in the absence of prying eyes, they simultaneously tapped the call button on the comm pieces Lexi had given them. The night air was still, silent save for the chirping of crickets and the distant wail of sirens. Allie clutched herself, shivering helplessly as the fear crept back into her. The darkness around them was oppressive, what if they’d missed someone? What if they were being followed by someone and that someone dashed into the portal after them and straight into their home?

She felt Elaine wrap her arms around her in a tight hug; Allie leaned in close while her girlfriend stroked her hair and hummed in her ear soothingly. They stayed like that for several moments, waiting, until with a noise somewhere between a rip and a pop, the still air was torn asunder as the fabric of space itself split open. The portal flickered into existence, its illumination mostly obscured by the surrounding trees, Elaine and Allie stepped through. Nobody followed them.

“Fucking hate the cold.” Allie whimpered, her voice was shaky. She held herself again, shivering in the middle of Lexi’s living room.

“I’m sorry, I turned up the heat by a lot, is it still too cold?” Lexi dashed off toward the thermostat.

“No, no, it’s fine. Just had a scare with some cops and the night air was cold and I need a second to warm up.” Allie fell heavily onto the couch, curling up into a little ball as Elaine laid a blanket over her. It had been weeks since Allie’s rescue, but she still couldn’t handle the cold, it reminded her too much of her time in jail.

She was at her worst after missions. As much as Allie tried to keep it together, she knew Elaine and Lexi could both see the fear in her eyes whenever they headed out for the night. Once the fighting started Allie was usually able to loosen up a bit, but as soon as it was over her anxieties would creep back, she would think of all the ways she could have slipped and wound up back there.

It was no use trying to convince her not to go out though. If Elaine was going Allie was going, and there was no way she would let Elaine not go, even if it was scary every time. Being a wanted woman, there wasn’t a lot Allie could do to seek professional mental health help without putting herself at risk. So, for the time being, Lexi and Elaine did the best they could by keeping Allie warm, cuddled, well fed, and emotionally supported after every one of their outings. Moving to do just that, Elaine and Lexi sat on either end of her. Allie set her head in Elaine’s lap, then closed her eyes as her big sister and loving girlfriend surrounded her; she did her best to think good thoughts.

“So, I have some positive-ish news? Weird news, but positive, I think.” Lexi was hesitant, but Allie could tell her sister hoped whatever she was about to say would help.

“What’s the news?” Allie opened her eyes a little to stare at her sister’s sympathetic gaze.

“Well, you two died tonight, officially. That outing was Slipspace and Arcadia’s last hurrah. There’s still a lot of bs we need to do with fabricating the bodies and reports and getting you two new ids, but pretty soon you’ll both be free to actually go outside.” Lexi was certainly right when she said it was odd news, but still, Allie couldn’t do anything but grin. For so, so long she’d lived caged in one way or another. Caged by her old body, by her parents, by hopelessness against a system far greater than she was, by heroes and wanted lists. With help, she had overcome them all, Lexi saved her, Elaine saved her, people all over were waking up to fight against the injustice she’d felt throughout her whole existence, and now finally she might be able to go outside for once without looking over her shoulder constantly. For the first time in her life, Allie was going to be free.

SapphicSounds

We must protect cold Allie.

Hello my lovely readers! If things go according to plan, next chapter is going to be the epilogue. But don't worry, we'll be seeing more of Elaine, Allie, Lexi and Sentinel in the future! Keep your eyes peeled, cause I may be doing a voice reading of chapter 13 as well.

If you wouldn't mind, feel free to check out my Patreon! There you can read the first three chapters of my scifi romance story Complications of Interstellar Dating, which follows Ves, a butch trans woman, and her relationship with her spunky, excitable alien girlfriend, Amaryllis. Perhaps more enticingly, there's a very delicious audio reading of Searching For Normal's full chapter sex scene performed by yours truly (as well as a free sample, if you want to get a feel for it without paying). And lastly, you'll get early access to my writing. You can become a patron for all that, and soon more content here.