#Sally's fairly passive re: her estranged family in most AUs

[thelastspeecher]

Mearl McGucket kills a politician/hero/someone by their def as Bad that's been making things difficult on Sally and she hadn't had time to take care of herself yet, and makes her favorite flowers grow in a heart shaped patch around the body for Valentine's day. Or just the villain guck parents doing something criminal and cute for their date on Valentine's day.

...I did something a bit different, hope you don’t mind, Anon.  Technically they’re doing criminal stuff, and it happens on Valentine’s Day, but I ended up turning this into when Ma and Pa Guck meet in this AU.  If they sound rather green or inexperienced, that’s because they are.  This happens when they’re still a bit new to the whole villain gig.

              Sallyflew through the open window on the second floor.  She landed softly, a move that had alwaysgranted she was completely silent.  Butnot tonight.  There was a small crunchunderneath her foot.

              Dammit. Sally crouched down to inspect what she had landed on.  She picked it up with a frown.  A seed?  As she looked around, she could see otherseeds scattered across the floor.  Shestood.  I know that this is a farm-heavy district, but fer a building housin’the offices of politicians, they should at least try to keep it clean.  She summoned a small, quiet breeze to allowher to hover an inch or so above the seed-covered floor.  She flew silently down the hall, looking atthe placards placed by the doors.  Come on, come on.  Where’s his office?  She turned a corner and could see a sliver oflight in the otherwise darkened hallway, leaking from underneath a closeddoor.  Bingo.  Sally made her way tothe door.  Just as she was about to reachfor the handle, she heard someone speak.

              “Now, Mr.Turner, ya should’ve figured you’d tick off farmin’ folk with this here bill,”a male voice drawled from behind the closed door.  The voice was languid and warm, likemolasses, but an undertone of venom cut through the words.  “Yer new ‘round here, so maybe ya haven’theard that folks what tick off farmers tend to go…missin’.”

              Shit! Someone’s here already! Panicking, Sally slammed the door with her shoulder, putting all herweight behind it.  The door didn’t budge.

              “Sorry towhoever’s out there, but yer goin’ to have to wait yer turn to speak with thesenator,” the voice called cheerfully.

              No! This is my score!  Sallyslammed into the door again.  Somethingtickled her left foot.  She lookeddown.  A few plant tendrils wereslithering underneath the door.  Plants? How the hell am I s’pposed to get rid of plants?  Sally took a deep breath.  Calmdown.  Just think.  These plants are clearly bein’ forced to growup here.  It’s not a hospitableenvironment, but whoever’s doin’ this has enough power to counteract that.  She pressed her ear against the door.  Thevoice from before had resumed speaking with the senator.

              “Carlisle– can I call ya Carlisle?”  There was abeat.  “Look, Carlisle, yer cityfolk.  Ya can’t possibly understand whatthe folks ‘round here need.”  

              He’s distracted.  All ya have to do is tip the scales in yerfavor.  Make the environment just badenough that the plants die off ‘fore he realizes.  Sally shook her fingers out, loosening hermuscles.  You’ve only done this successfully once, and under lil to nopressure.  But you can do this. She closed her eyes and began to summon thecarbon dioxide from the senator’s room. Molecules of nitrogen, argon, helium, and other trace gases filtered into replace the carbon dioxide being lost, keeping the pressure the same.  Whoever was on the other side of the doorcontinued to talk, not noticing that the plants were slowly suffocating.  Sally looked down again.  The plant tendrils were gone.  She pressed her hand against the door,testing the doorknob.  It opened.  A grin spread across her face.  Niceone, Sally.  She slammed the dooropen.

              “Backaway from the senator,” she snarled.  Theman currently standing before the senator spun around.  Sally felt a slight flush spread across herface.

              Oh, no. He’s cute.  The man had darkhair and a large nose that took up the majority of his face.  His clothes were worn and dirt-stained, likehe had just come from the fields.  Heseemed soft, warm like his voice.  Atleast, he would be if he wasn’t currently glaring at her.

              “Great, asuperhero!” the man said, throwing his hands into the air.  Sally let out a derisive laugh.

              “Superhero?  Yeah, right.” She strode over to the man.  “I’ma villain, mister.  Got it?”

              “Well,I’m the only active villain ‘round these parts.”

              “I camehere to settle a score with Senator Turner.”

              “Toolate, lady.  I got here first,” the mansnarled.  Sally glowered.

              He’s taller than me.  She hovered a couple inches higher.  Better.

              “Don’tcare,” she snapped.  “He’s my score.  Not some two-bit hick’s!”

              “Two-bit-!  I’ll have ya know, my name’s Hemlock.  And I don’t take kindly to city slickerscomin’ in here, haranguin’ me, and insultin’ me!”

              “Don’tcare,” Sally repeated.  She shovedHemlock to the side and floated over to the senator, who was tied to a chairwith vines.  She lowered her face untilher mouth was right next to his ear. “Howdy, Carly,” she whispered. Carlisle’s face went deathly white. “Still think I don’t have what it takes?”

              “P-please,just- just- you can do anything, just don’t hurt me,” Carlisle stammered.  Something wrapped around Sally’s torso andpulled her back, then dropped her onto the floor.

              “I toldya, he’s mine!” Hemlock said.  Sally gotto her feet.

              “No, heain’t.  Under no circumstances will yaget to make him disappear, okay?  I’ve beendreamin’ ‘bout doin’ this fer years!” Sally said firmly.  Hemlock rolled his eyes.

              “What,did he take yer dollies from ya or somethin’?”

              “Did helet the cows out of yer barn or somethin’?” Sally retorted.

              “No, heupped the taxes on all farm-related goods, and proposed legislation that wouldmake it impossible fer farmers to sell to stores.”  Hemlock glared at Carlisle.  “He’s tryin’ to destroy the livelihoods ofpeople.  That’s somethin’ he deserves todisappear for.”

              “And justwho do ya have in line to replace him?” Sally asked, crossing her arms.

              “I ain’ttellin’ ya.”

              “Hmph.”  Sally waved her hand.  A gust of wind picked Hemlock up and slammedhim into the wall, then held him there. “I don’t think I’ll let ya down ‘til ya do.”

              “Park,”Hemlock spat.  Sally looked over,surprised.

              “LuciusPark?”

              “That’sthe one.”

              “Huh.  Would’ve thought a hillbilly like yourselfwouldn’t want some big city fat cat runnin’ his district.”

              “Park’sgood people.  Not like Senator Turner.”

              “Couldn’tagree more,” Sally said.  Another gust ofwind picked up, opening a window.  Shegrabbed the back of Carlisle’s chair and began to drag him over to the openedwindow.

              “No!”Carlisle shouted desperately.  “No!  Please, sis, I’ll- I’ll-”

              “Eat yerwords?” Sally asked.  “No.  You’ll eat pavement.”  She let go of the wind holding upHemlock.  Hemlock promptly fell to thefloor.  Sally lifted Carlisle’s chair andset it on the windowsill.  “Bye,brother.”  She pushed the chair.  Carlisle fell towards the ground,screaming.  She turned.  Hemlock was staring at her, his eyes wide.

              “Ya- yajust-”

              “No, Ididn’t kill him,” Sally said dismissively. “Just scared him a bit.  Nothin’less than he deserves.”  She looked backtowards the open window.  “He’s currentlybein’ carried to the folks what hired me fer this job.  They’ll handle it from there.  But they didn’t have a plan in place fer whothey’d replace him with, so I’m glad you do.”

              “Yeah.  Park’s villain-friendly,” Hemlock said,standing up and brushing himself off.

              “I know.”

              “So,what’s yer name then, scary lady?” he asked. Sally held out her hand for him to shake.  He shook her hand.

              “Sirocco.”

              “Sirocco.  Pretty.”

              “Thanks.”

              “Yawouldn’t’ve happened to know him, would ya? He did call ya ‘sis’.”

              “Hmm.  Must’ve been a slip of the tongue,” Sallysaid dismissively.  Hemlock nodded.  He stuffed his hands into his pockets.

              “So,Sirocco.  How come I haven’t seen ya‘round here ‘fore?”

              “I mostlyoperate out of New York.”

              “Wow.  A big city villain got a job takin’ care ofan Arkansas state senator?  This had tohave been personal.”

              “And ifit was?”

              “No skinoff my nose.”

              “Ratherimpressive, given how large it is,” Sally said. Hemlock’s eyes widened.  He letout a snort of laughter.  “…That didn’tinsult ya?”

              “Nah.  I’ve heard everything ‘bout my honker.”  Hemlock grinned suddenly.  “Say, Sirocco, how’s ‘bout a date?”

              “A-pardon?” Sally asked, taken aback. Hemlock’s grin grew broader.

              “A date.  Since yer kidnappin’ senators on Valentine’sDay, I figure ya don’t have a boyfriend.”

              “Y- you’dbe right.”

              “Howabout it, then?”  Hemlock shook hissleeve.  A seed fell onto the floor.  It promptly sprouted and bloomed, revealingit to be a rose.  Hemlock picked it andheld it out.  “I know it’s a bit bold ofme, but…”

              “I likebold,” Sally replied, taking the rose from him.

              Is this stupid?  Mom and Dad would be fit to fry if ya datedsome farm villain.  Hemlock’s grayeyes twinkled with excitement.  Ya just threw yer older brother out thewindow.  Ya can’t care what Mom ‘n Dadthink anymore.  Sally shook her head,trying to hide a smile.

              “Allright, Hemlock.  It’s a date.”

              “Wait,really?”  Hemlock seemed legitimately surprised.

              “…Yes?”

              “Oh.”  Hemlock blinked.  “Oof. I weren’t expectin’ ya to say yes.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Now I’ve got to figure out where the date ‘ll be.”

              “There’sa nice Italian place in Little Rock that’s also a front fer a villainy operation,”Sally suggested.  “Villains there get a20% discount on their meals.”

              “Oh!  Sal’s.  Yeah.”  Hemlock’s grin was back,but a bit hesitant.  “I’ll see ya atSal’s tomorrow night, at 6:30.”

              “Soundsgood.”  Sally walked over to thewindow.  “Think ya can find somethin’ towear that doesn’t have dirt on it, farm boy?”

              “I’llwear somethin’ nice,” Hemlock said.  “Butyou have to, too.”  Sally grinned.

              “You gotit.”  She dove out of the window.  Winds picked up, prepared to carry herhome.  “I’ll see ya tomorrow,Hemlock.”  Hemlock rushed over to thewindow.

              “It’sMearl, actually,” he said.  Sally smiled.

              “Myname’s Sally.”

              “Prettyname fer a pretty lady.”  Sally winked athim.

              “Justwait until ya see me in a dress.”  Withthat, she flew away.