[EP008] I swear.

(The scene is Professor Marika’s office. The door is closed and locked, and Tavvy is sitting in a chair nervously. Pavel Marika sits with the back of his chair facing his nervous student.)

Tavvy: I… I can explain.

(Marika sits there, silent.)

Tavvy: Th-there were five of them, you know? And that Baron von Boom guy is a handful enough on his own, and then Omen was throwing shit at me and all of a sudden… boom! I mean, would you have seen that coming?

Marika: In an explosives warehouse? Yes.

Tavvy: The odds were against me! What would you have done?

Marika: Not let any of them leave? Not take so damn long to apprehend them? ANYTHING that was the opposite of what you did?

Tavvy (flinching): That’s harsh.

Marika: Perhaps.

(An uncomfortable silence falls over the room. Tavvy is desperate to change the subject.)

Tavvy: S-so… who’s the girl in these photos here?

Marika: My daughter.

Tavvy (noticing that Marika still sounds displeased): Oh, r-really? Does she have superpowers too?

Marika: …

Tavvy: R-right. Okay. Backing off now.

Marika: I think you need to take your duties more seriously, Tavarius.

Tavvy: I’m very serious about this thing!

Marika (turning around to face Tavvy): So how is it you haven’t arrested any of the villains in this town?

Tavvy: I’ve arrested hundreds of—

Marika: Of petty criminals. Bank robbers, muggers, burglars. Small game.

Tavvy: Well honestly, I think those people are probably more dangerous than the villains around here.

Marika: Perhaps. But the villains—Lady Ira and them, that Quantum kid—cause much more property damage and, to be honest, they reflect on you badly. Not to mention that if you let them get away without being caught, then more villains are going to spring up. They’ll get more daring the longer you let them persist.

Tavvy: I know, I know. I’m trying. It’s just… they’re slippery, you know? And honestly… they’re not like the villains we had in your day. They’re not traditional. I don’t know what the hell to expect from them… Lady Ira honestly tried to hold a conversation with me about my hair dye the other day, do you know that? They just… they throw me off. It’s not just dash in and fight—I can do that! It’s dash in, fight, and have weird fucking conversations where I don’t know what the hell is going on.

Marika: You’re just going to have to learn to deal with it.

Tavvy: That’s really helpful, Professor.

(The phone on Marika’s desk rings. He picks it up.)

Marika: Yes? … Yes. One moment. (he puts his hand over the receiver and looks at Tavvy) I have to take this. You may go. I’ve already left a new jetpack at your apartment—try not to break this one.

Tavvy: Jeez…

(Tavvy leaves, frowning to himself. He exits the building to find his friend Cathal waiting for him.)

Cathal: Damn, man, you look like someone just killed your puppy.

Tavvy: Ugh. That Marika really knows how to make me feel lousy.

Cathal: What is it you do for that guy, anyway?

Tavvy: He doesn’t really want me talking about it. He’s the secretive writer type, you know?

Cathal (nodding): I know the type. My boss is the same way. Is the pay good, at least?

Tavvy: Lousy.

Cathal: Why do you do it, then?

(Tavvy shrugs)

Tavvy: I don’t know. I kind of like doing it, most of the time. It’s fun when Marika isn’t chewing me out.

Cathal: Ahh, I’m jealous. My job pays well, but most of the work’s shit. Especially now, with the new management.

Tavvy: New boss screwing everything up?

Cathal: Seriously.

Tavvy: That sucks…

(Tavvy looks around and sees Selan walking by. He waves.)

Tavvy: Hey! (He pauses briefly, trying to remember her name) … Selan!

Cathal: Oh? Tavvy calling out to a girl…?

Tavvy: Shut up.

(Selan walks over)

Selan: It’s green-hair man! How is green-hair man doing?

Cathal (grinning, amused): His name’s Tavvy.

Selan: Tavvy! Yeah! Selan totally knew that! Toooootally.

Tavvy: Ah… thanks for helping me out the other day.

Selan: No problem!

Tavvy: Are you doing okay? You look a little tired.

Selan: Ahh, Selan had an exhausting day yesterday and is all tired now. You know how it is.

Tavvy: Aw man, me too. Work was crazy.

Selan: Buu for crazy work days!

Cathal: Booooo.

Tavvy: Booooo.

Selan: Well anyway, I gotta go meet my homie, so I’ll see you later, ‘kay?

Tavvy: Okay. Bye.

(Selan waves and skips off)

Cathal: Hmm. Not bad, if you don’t mind the lack of boobs. I approve.

Tavvy: What?

Cathal: Oh, come on. You’re not entertaining the idea of asking her out?

Tavvy: Of course not. I barely know her.

Cathal: Heh. Sure.

Tavvy: Not everyone’s always out for a piece of ass like you are.

Cathal: Maybe you should be. You’re wasting your college experience, staying in and working for that professor all day and night. Go out and live a little!

Tavvy: I’m living plenty! So much so, in fact, that I dare not imagine trying to fit a girlfriend into my schedule.

Cathal: Ah, Tavvy the hermit. A lost cause.

Tavvy: I swear I’m not a hermit.

Cathal: I swear I don’t believe you. (His phone beeps, and he gets it out and reads a text message) Damn, duty calls. I’ll talk to you later, hermit.

Tavvy: Good riddance. =<

Cathal: Hey, don’t be that way! (He starts to walk off) Bye!

Tavvy: Right, bye…

(Tavvy starts walking in another direction, toward his car)

Tavvy: I wonder if my new jetpack’ll be like, super fast? … (he shakes his head) No, with my luck it’ll probably be some crappy old one he had lying around… sigh…

--End: Episode eight