Learning To Persheive (a SheZow fic)

	"Hey, Maz."
	"Yeah?"
	"I just had the best idea."
	Guy and Maz were kicking back in the She-Lair, watching some TV, while Kelly was typing away at one of the keyboards near Sheila's monitor. Kelly had spent a good portion of the day trying to uncover information on the shady shopkeeper that she and Maz had encountered the day before. "Ugh...there's nothing on this guy," Kelly sighed. "Whatever he's up to, he's good at it."
	"Just let it go," Sheila advised. "That's something for the police to handle if it becomes an issue."
	"But that's so...irresponsible!" Kelly protested.
	"Your behavior is irresponsible. Surely you have some more important matters to attend to? Homework, for example?" Sheila asked.
	"Homework? Tonight's is easy for me. I can do it in less than an hour," Kelly assured.
	"I'm not going to do it at all!" Guy exclaimed. "So I have nothing to worry about!" Maz and Kelly both stared in disbelief. Kelly's blank stare quickly turned to an irritated expression.
	"So, uh...what's this best idea of yours...?" Maz laughed slightly, trying to avoid eye contact with Kelly.
	"I'll explain on the way! You go, girl!" Guy transformed into SheZow, and ran over to the Shehicle. "C'mon, Maz!" SheZow motioned for Maz to follow before jumping into the driver's seat.
	"Hey, wait up!" Maz sprinted in the direction of the Shehicle before jumping head first into the passenger seat.
	"...Really?" SheZow raised an eyebrow, looking at the almost upside down Maz. "You're getting aHEAD of yourself, Maz. Buckle up." Right after Maz was sitting upright, SheZow hit the accelerator. In just a few seconds, the Shehicle was gone.
	"You're just gonna LET them go, Sheila?" Kelly asked.
	"SheZow's been fighting battle after battle lately. SheBang, SheZap, Coldfinger...I say we let him unwind a little," Sheila suggested.
	"...Okay, you're right about that," Kelly agreed. "Since the shopkeeper was a dead end, how about a little more SheBang research?"
	"Be my guest!" Sheila chuckled.

	SheZow pulled into Megadale Mall's parking lot, parking the Shehicle in a corner. "Try not to...you know..." Maz looked around a few times before continuing. "...Let the Shehicle get hijacked by SheZap again."
	"No worries!" SheZow assured. "Sheila told me that that problem's been dealt with."
	"Oh, like...with an assassin?" Maz asked, grinning.
	"...No. By SheZap-proofing the Shehicle. Don't ask me how, I have no idea," SheZow sighed.
	"So, tell me what this idea is!" Maz exclaimed. "So far, I've figured out that it involves me...and you, as SheZow...and a sort of secluded spot..."
	"This!" SheZow produced the Vanishing Cream.
	"I WAS RI--oh. That's the Vanishing Cream, isn't it? What are you gonna do with that?"
	SheZow chuckled and grinned, narrowing his eyes. "Oh, nothing much. Just scare some people." Still chuckling, SheZow opened the Shehicle's glove compartment to reveal Rick the brick.
	"RICK! That's where you were hiding! You're good!" Maz pointed out. SheZow picked up Rick with his free hand, hopped out of the Shehicle, and put Rick on the car's hood. He then passed the Vanishing Cream to Maz. Maz looked at it, and then at SheZow.
	"We're not in any sort of rush today. You want to do the honors this time?" SheZow spread his arms and shut his eyes.
	"Really?! Alright, here it comes!" Maz squeezed the tube, producing a white, sticky substance that splattered all over SheZow. In the next instant, he had vanished. Maz tossed the Vanishing Cream back to the spot SheZow was, only to watch it vanish too.
	"You're good at that," SheZow commented. "Now grab Rick, and let's go find someone handing out free samples at the grocery store or something. Don't let on that there's a third person. Act like it's just you and Rick."
	Maz nodded. "So what are we--"
	"Just act natural. Let me handle the rest."

	The inside of the mall was rather busy. Maz did his best to stay focused on his task. He proceeded immediately to the mall's grocery store, still being followed by SheZow. Because it was so busy, no one noticed that there was one more set of footsteps that wasn't visually accounted for. It didn't take long for Maz to reach his destination. "Samples, samples..." Maz mumbled, looking around. Conveniently enough, there was a lady offering free samples of something in the bakery section. Maz hurried over, followed by the still-invisible SheZow.
	"Good afternoon!" the lady chimed. "Would you like to try a sample of our banana creme pie?" She held a tray with bite-size samples in individual mini muffin cups.
	Maz's eyes lit up. "Would I?!" Maz smiled as the overly-chipper store employee handed him a sample. Maz popped it into his mouth and chewed happily. "Thanks!"
	The lady smiled. "Isn't it great?"
	"Hey, can my friend have one too?" Maz asked.
	"...Friend?"
	"Rick here!" Maz held Rick the brick up, in front of himself.
	"Umm...that's...just a brick with a face drawn on it, right...?"
	SheZow, still invisible, grabbed Rick from Maz and held him up high. He spoke using his Guy voice. "...Just a brick?!" He then moved Rick closer to the lady's face. "RACIST!" The lady was in shock, and didn't utter a word as her jaw dropped. About half a minute later, she finally spoke.
	"He...help yourself..."
	"Don't mind if I do!" SheZow grabbed a sample and rotated Rick ninety degrees, so that the lady could only see Rick's side. Putting Rick right up close to his own face, SheZow ate the banana creme pie, making it look as though Rick was eating it. "Good stuff! Maz, let's buy one."
	"Good call...Rick!" Maz agreed. SheZow set Rick down in Maz's hand as they continued onward. Maz grabbed a banana creme pie from a refrigerator and then headed to the checkout. The free samples lady rubbed her forehead and was trembling.

	"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
	"HAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!"
	SheZow and Maz were laughing it up as the now-visible SheZow was driving the Shehicle back home. The two had spent around 2 hours pulling various pranks using the Vanishing Cream and Rick the brick. "I TOLD you it was the best idea!" SheZow pointed out.
	"That was just....the greatest thing I've ever seen!" Maz acknowledged. "I mean, the greatest thing I've NEVER seen!"
	"I know, right?! And we got a nice banana creme pie. And guess who's NOT getting any?" SheZow asked with a smile.
	"...Kelly?"
	"You're good!"
	"Too bad Rick can't have any, since he's not allowed to have gluten..." SheZow sighed.
	"Yeah." Maz looked at Rick, who was sitting on the dashboard. "Sorry, Rick. But you'll be eating with us in spirit!" Maz assured.

	The Shehicle pulled into the She-Lair and came to a stop in its usual spot. Maz, holding Rick the brick, jumped out along with SheZow. "She-yeah!" SheZow turned back into Guy before reaching into the Shehicle and grabbing the banana creme pie. He walked toward the TV along with Maz. Maz set Rick down on the ground facing the TV before sitting down himself. Guy sat down as well, but before the TV could be turned on, Kelly stepped in front of Guy.
	"GUY!" Kelly yelled.
	"What? Why are you so mad?" Guy asked.
	"It's probably because we're not sharing the pie," Maz suggested.
	"Well, I'm SORRY Rick got left out! I've tried gluten-free stuff before and...I'm sorry! But it NEEDS gluten!"
	"What IS gluten, anyway?" Maz asked. Guy shrugged.
	"It's not about the pie, although...yes. I WILL be having some," Kelly told.
	"...Okay," Guy agreed reluctantly.
	"But that's not what I was talking about. What have you two been DOING all day?"
	"Oh, you know...that thing...." Guy explained.
	"Coming up with an example is a pain," Maz added.
	"SheZow's Beautility Belt isn't MEANT for causing trouble!"
	"Pffft." Guy looked away. "Oh, big whoop. SheBang's Beautility Belt causes WAY more trouble."
	"Actually," Sheila interrupted, "SheBang's is called the Cuteility Belt."
	"....Huh?" Kelly looked puzzled.
	"Oh, it's just...I thought it would be better if we had a different name for it, since SheBang uses different gadgets," Sheila explained.
	"Good thinking!" Kelly exclaimed. She turned back to Guy. "DON'T. DO THAT. AGAIN!" Guy looked terrified. Maz backed away a little. "Now, how about that pie?" Kelly smiled.
	"Hmmm...now THIS is an interesting little recording," Sheila commented, putting some footage of the inside of a museum on-screen. The three kids watched. At various locations in the museum, several artifacts simply vanished into thin air.
	"Oh, very funny, GUY," Kelly growled. "Didn't you learn your lesson after the whole bank fiasco?"
	"Wait, what? I didn't go to any museums!" Guy protested.
	"Yeah!" Maz stood up and glared at Kelly. "That's not cool, accusing Guy with no proof!"
	"Oh, quit bickering. I already know that SheZow isn't the culprit. See how the items vanish? The Vanishing Cream...the substance produced, that is...cannot itself ever be invisible. It would have appeared on the footage if it were being used," Sheila explained.
	"....Oh. That's a good point," Kelly commented.
	"I accept your APOLOGY," Guy muttered.
	"These items simply vanish, seemingly on their own. This is the work of someone else..."
	"Who, though?" Maz asked.
	"Who cares who?" Guy asked. "Let's just catch them and be done with it."
	"I have to apologize," Sheila commented. "This actually happened yesterday, as well, around the same time. I didn't mention it because I thought there was a possibility of a glitch in my system...not to mention how there was no She-S-P reaction. Or was there...?"
	"No, the only time that happened yesterday was when SheBang was wrecking stuff again," Guy confirmed.
	Sheila sighed. "Your powers ARE still developing, after all. I should have been more vigilant."
	"Don't beat yourself up," Guy told.
	"Yeah, let's just focus on our next move!" Maz added. He smiled at Sheila.
	"The She-S-P can't detect every little crime, especially when no one is directly in danger," Kelly informed. "SheZow can't be everywhere at once. But...what happens twice will happen thrice, right? Tomorrow's Saturday. Guy, why don't you and Maz do a little stakeout at the museum?"
	"Oh, I love steak! I'll bring the HP Sauce!" Maz commented.
	"A stakeOUT. You wait around the area and use your eyes," Kelly corrected.
	"Our eyes. Yeah. Against some vanishing villain," Guy scoffed.
	"It's better than nothing! Who knows, that ability could have a flaw!" Kelly encouraged.
	"Actually, yeah, you're right, Sis." Guy stood up and opened the banana creme pie. "But for now, let's spoil dinner."
	"...Wait! Dinner!" Kelly exclaimed. She looked toward the She-Lair's exit leading back into the house. She looked back and forth between it and the pie.
	"Forget that," Maz laughed.
	"Yeah, this is healthy. Bananas are a fruit," Guy pointed out.

	The next day in the early afternoon, Guy, Kelly, and Maz had assembled in the She-Lair.
	"You're walk it today, Guy," Kelly instructed. "If the crook sees SheZow OR the Shehicle, they might not show."
	Guy sighed. "Okay, that's a good point. You cool with that, Maz?"
	Maz nodded, and motioned toward his backpack that was stuffed full. "I've got everything I need in here. I can change in a public bathroom or something."
	"Guy, if it was anything like before, your She-S-P may not go off. You'll have to use the magic words to transform, when the time is right," Sheila advised.
	"Will do. We're off!" Guy took off and headed out of the She-Lair, followed by Maz.

	Almost an hour later, the two boys arrived at the museum entrance. The museum itself was closed for the day, for a police investigation. "Well, so much for checking the place out," Guy sighed.
	Maz blinked a couple of times. "I thought you hated museums."
	"I do, but I wanted to see what kind of stuff was missing. Maybe find some sort of...connection between them."
	"Dude, you're THINKING. It's scary. Stop."
	Guy playfully shoved Maz. "Oh, ha ha. Why don't you go find a spot to get geared up. I'll keep watch on the museum entrance from across the street."
	"Sounds good. I'll be back before you know it!" Maz assured. He then walked off, looking for a place that was open, and had a public bathroom. About twenty minutes passed before Maz met back up with Guy. Maz was wearing a black suit with a tie, as well as some fake facial hair made to resemble a mustache and goatee. He was not wearing a mask this time. In each hand, Maz held a water pistol.
	Guy tilted his head. "And you are...?"
	"I'm SheZow's new sidekick...Max Paynt!" Maz exclaimed.
	"Max PAYNT? Is that what that smell..." Guy took a whiff, and motioned toward Maz's water guns.
	"Oh, yeah. They're filled with a mix of black paint and water," Maz told. "You know how in comic books, an invisible opponent is often exposed when they get something on them? Like paint, or mud, or something. Now we have an advantage!"
	"Just gotta FIND the guy to begin with," Guy added. The two waited for a while. Maz waited in Guy's original position, in an alley across the street from the museum so he would be less noticeable. Guy waited at a bus stop on the same side of the street as the museum was on. Every so often, a bus would stop, but Guy would wave to it, signaling the driver to continue on. Even more time passed. Guy sighed. At that moment, the door to the museum opened. Maz charged at the door water guns raised, expecting not to see anything. He was surprised, though, when he saw a strange distortion of light, followed by Megamonkey appearing on the staircase leading up to the museum. He held his standard skull-adorned scepter in his right hand, and a bag in his left, presumably full of stolen goods. Guy was nowhere to be found.
	Megamonkey looked at a wristwatch-like device on his left wrist. "Still can't recalibrate itself for different light sources without being shut off first..." He sighed.
	"Stop right there!" Maz shouted. He pointed his water pistols at Megamonkey.
	Megamonkey raised an eyebrow. He looked back and forth. "...No SheZow? Who are YOU, exactly?"
	"I'm Max Paynt!" Maz kept his eyes locked onto Megamonkey.
	"You look weak. No point in hiding myself from you." Megamonkey pointed his scepter, but Maz rolled to the side before Megamonkey could fire, making the shot miss.
	"Megamonkey!"
	Megamonkey turned to see SheZow staring him down. "SheZow, you're late. I was beginning to think that I had outdone you, permanently."
	"Oh REALLY?" SheZow produced his Laser Lipstick.
	"Let me demonstrate." Megamonkey used his right index finger to press a button on the wristwatch-like device. He vanished, along with the items he was holding.
	"That won't work on me!" Maz fired both water guns. The black streams seemed to be hitting something, as they were stopping rather abruptly in mid-air.
	"HAHAHAHA!" Megamonkey laughed. "Fool! This little invention renders me, anything ON me, and anything I'm holding completely invisible!"
	It didn't take long for Maz's guns to exhaust their supply of paint mixture. SheZow lunged at the spot where Megamonkey was, only to be tripped by the invisible Megamonkey and land face first on the ground. "SheZow!" Maz dropped his water guns and ran to SheZow, only for SheZow to be blasted by Megamonkey's scepter and knocked further away. Before he could be hit a second time, SheZow rolled to the side and jumped up, avoiding the laser blast and producing his Boomerang Brush in his free hand. He threw it in the direction the second laser blast came from. Megamonkey avoided it easily enough, as the attack was a little off the mark.
	"Listen for his footsteps!" SheZow told. SheZow shut his eyes and readied his Laser Lipstick once more. Megamonkey took off running. SheZow caught the Boomerang Brush on its way back and followed after Megamonkey. Maz followed as well. There were many other people about; they panicked and ran when they saw SheZow charging down the street with an angered look on his face. Megamonkey's footsteps blended in with those of the local populace; SheZow couldn't differentiate them.
	"Hahahaha...!"
	"Where...?" SheZow looked back and forth as he caught the Boomerang Brush.
	"HAHAHAHAHAAAA!!"
	SheZow spun around and threw the Boomerang Brush once more, nearly hitting a civilian, who was forced to duck. SheZow was shocked at the situation.  "SheZow! Don't lose your cool!" Maz encouraged. SheZow sniffled. "W...wait...you're not crying, are you?"
	"No, M--Max!" SheZow told. He inhaled through his nose deeply. "Even if I can't SEE the paint on Megamonkey, I can still SMELL it!" He ended up looking in Megamonkey's general direction. At that point, Megamonkey took off again. SheZow followed, using his nose and ensuring not to attack while civilians were near. The people scattered as Megamonkey got further away. He turned around and fired another laser blast at SheZow, who saw it coming and deflected it with the Laser Lipstick. SheZow turned to Maz, who was still keeping up. "It's a good thing you dropped those guns, or I might have gotten mixed up."
	"Eh, they were cheap. Hence the small capacity," Maz explained. Megamonkey fled into an alley, attempting to lose SheZow. At this point, there were no people in the immediate area, and thus no unintended targets, and no other footsteps to confuse SheZow. SheZow gave the Boomerang Brush another throw toward Megamonkey. Megamonkey ducked, only for SheZow to let loose a Sonic Scream. Having no room in the narrow alleyway to sidestep, he took the brunt force of the attack, and was sent flying into the wall of a building. His cloaking device was damaged by the impact, and Megamonkey was revealed. He had several patches of black paint on his fur. The bag of stolen musuem pieces, however, had been caught by Maz.
	"Grrrr...SheZow..." Megamonkey stood up and faced him. He tapped an earpiece he was wearing. "Get me out of here, now!" He then raised his scepter and started firing like mad.
	"Look out!" SheZow got in front of Maz and desperately blocked the shots with the Laser Lipstick. A helicopter flew overhead and dropped a rope ladder down, with one end attached to the helicopter. Megamonkey jumped up and grabbed onto it, still firing at SheZow and Maz, forcing SheZow to hold his position and protect Maz from the laser blasts. The helicopter gained more and more distance and altitude. By the time Megamonkey stopped firing, he was well out of range of anything SheZow had in his repertoire, and pursuit was impossible without the Shehicle, which was back at the She-Lair. SheZow was panting.
	Maz carefully set down the bag of museum property and put an arm around SheZow's shoulder. "Relax. It's over."
	SheZow took a deep breath. "....Yeah. Thanks..."
	"I should be thanking YOU! You totally saved my butt there!" Maz exclaimed. "And...sorry. If it weren't for me, you might've been able to go after him."
	"If it weren't for your reflexes, think of all the boring museum stuff that would've gotten broken!" SheZow pointed out. She eyed the bag. "Wanna get that, Maz? Let's go return the stuff and then head home."
	Maz nodded. "Lead the way!"

	About an hour later, at Megamonkey's lair, Megamonkey stepped out of his bathroom, his fur now paint-free thanks to a shower. "I really ought to have had a better escape plan laid out. I was lucky that SheZow had such a useless sidekick with her..." He chuckled to himself as he eyed the remains of his invention: scattered pieces on his desk. "It's no matter. That was just a prototype. A prototype for ONE feature of something....very special. SheZow will never know what hit her!"

	"So it was Megamonkey this time, huh..." Kelly commented. Guy and Maz were back at the She-Lair.
	"Not surprising. He does dabble in technology," Sheila added. "Since he can time travel, it could very well be based on something from the future."
	"He mentioned something about...recalibrate? And light sources," Maz reported.
	"It doesn't matter. I broke his new toy," Guy bragged.
	"Moron. He can probably build ANOTHER one," Kelly pointed out.
	Maz nodded. "And a lot of stuff is still missing from the museum."
	"Boo-hoo. It's still a snoreatorium in there. Less stuff means shorter tours, and fewer people falling asleep on the floor!" Guy laughed.
	"Hey, Guy, what do you say we finish that pie from yesterday?" Maz asked. Kelly burst out laughing. "...What's so funny?"
	"Too bad. I already finished it!" Kelly exclaimed.
	"YOU!!" Guy growled as he charged at Kelly, who fled. The two proceeded to run circles around the She-Lair as Maz laughed at the sight before him.
	Sheila sighed. "I really miss the old days, sometimes."