Chapter Text
"this can't be real, right? She's gotta be in some sort of education right now!.."
Vivi spoke with worry, while she was in a very unconventional group circle with Vermillion and Voltiare.
"I mean, I knew she wasn't smart... but I didn't know it was this extreme." Vermillion responded as she glanced at Fireheart, who was sitting and staring at a dictionary.
Voltiare didn't really have much to say... I mean Vivi and Vermillion are still in school... He and fireheart aren't... For similar reasons; so he's probably able to understand why it happens...
I mean... Him and fireheart don't even talk too much anyways. Alone , or hanging out with the friend group. The snowball and the fireball didn't exactly know a lot about each other, other than what the others say about each other... Or by what they see and learn when they hang out as the group.
"well. We can just try to help her out as much as we can?" Voltiare offered an idea... Although basic, it's still something that would help.
Hex was standing beside vivi. She had no idea what was happening or why fireheart being incredibly stupid was so concerning to them. She thought about what vivi said of "needing to be in education right now." Does every teenager go to school, or something? Did the real hex go to school?
they also had nothing to add on about this topic. Considering they couldn't understand why the others were reacting this way too... And also, hex and fireheart don't entirely get along yet... So that's one of the other many reasons hex isn't trying to show even a small hint of empathy right now.
Wait... What? What's going on?! Why are all of the teenagers huddled together in the same room...?
Well... In summary...
Fireheart may or may not have said a word ... A very out of topic word.. in the wrong context... And basically everyone in the group paused and looked at her with a lot of confusion..
Fireheart tried to lie and say it was because English wasn't her first language... Which is technically true, but the minute Vivi asked about her 'english dialect' and fireheart didn't understand.... Vivi almost immediately realized that the girl wasn't even in school at all... And Vivi's just been assuming she was failing in most classes! Or something...
And the sentence she said?... God... It did honestly make everyone laugh a little afterwards.
... It was really funny to think about. You wouldn't expect the sunshine and smiles girl to suddenly go "drugs are a whore! And they're for hookers! " Out of nowhere ...
oh toxin, you horrible influence... This is why people usually don't leave those two alone.
Fireheart was staring with cluelessness at a bunch of books on communication ... And a dictionary... Spread across the floor of the vigilante hideout. She has NO idea what the issue is and she just honestly ... She wanted to impress her friends... Toxin said it would've worked! he said teenagers do cool things ... Like smoking... And getting laid! Whatever that means.
oh god the teenagers are NOT going to be able to take her seriously the minute she asks what those words mean.
After more offside communication the others had, they came back to fireheart. Vivi was the one to take courage to speak first. "So... Rena." She started out cautiously. She knew how standoffish Fireheart can get when she doesn't want to talk about things. "...how much English do you know?"
She hoped that would make sense.
"Well..." Fireheart stammered immediately, scratching the back of her neck. There isn't a use in lying about how long it's been since she was in an actual classroom... But also ... She doesn't want to be seen as more stupid to her friends than she already is. "...I watch videos on how to talk to people and make conversation!"
She defects immediately.
"Detonation, that's not what Vivi meant. She's trying to ask you how long it's been since you've been to school." Vermillion immediately made sure things went back on topic.
Vivi gave Vermilion a small look of "can I please try to do this?" Even though that glance went unnoticed to the vigilante.
Hex and Voltiare were honestly staying out of this interrogation part... For their own separate reasons. A bit behind the magical girl and the fierce hooded demon. Hex and voltiare were standing beside each other as he looked slightly uncomfortable and hex just looked at him like he was crazy.
Vivi took a deep breath. "Yeah, I was trying to say that..." she agreed with what vermillion said. I mean, it's not like the older girl was wrong...
Fireheart only looked more sheepish when vermillion was stepping in as well. Now she did understand that there wasn't exactly an easy way out of this.
"...I think the last year I went was when I was... 8?" ...she doesn't even remember. And that's only like... Second or third grade. "But- I was serious about the videos! I try to learn on my own!"
"Yeah, but do you understand" what most of the videos are saying?" Vermillion tilted her head.
"....no." she looked more disappointed in herself. "But I'm learning- I swear! A lot of my other friends try to help me! The cool older guys I talk to!" That simply wasn't true. By "try to help me" she just means that they talk to her and have a conversation... And she considers that help because of how little she understands a lot of the things they talk about.
None of the teenagers looked convinced. Which, fair enough.
"Wait, I'm confused. How haven't we figured this out sooner?" Voltiare commented, catching the others attention.
"beats me! I guess I'm just lucky?.." fireheart immediately responded and shrugged... Even though that didn't help contribute at all.
Vermilion looked a little confused with Firehearts response again. "You can't just "be lucky" for this long." Which was probably true...
Hex finally caught onto what Firehearts tactic was... Probably because the clone villain used the same technique of masking... Copying other mannerisms and things others say that work in a conversation.
"Probably because the devil got mixed up with what adults think is funny between what we think is.." the gambler spoke up, which caught vermillion and Vivi's attention... As well as Voltaire..
"Are you saying she masks?" Voltiare asked hex quietly. But hex just looked at him in confusion and shrugged. Like hell if she even cared. She just noticed the same thing about her and fireheart awhile ago. "Okay.." voltiare mumbled and went back to watching the conversation go down between the others.
Vivi did realize what hex was trying to say... "Ooh, so that's why we didn't realize! you just mixed up what we usually talk about compared to the others you talk to!"
vivi doesn't really call firehearts friends her friends... Probably because she knows that they're more than that to the other girl... And also the fact that her other friends are older + mostly villains isn't the concern here right now...
... Fireheart looked confused. Not about what vivi said, but about the fact they're instantly realizing that she was just masking to fit in with them... She glanced at Hex and tilted her head... Hex glared and then she looked away.
Vermillion was still thinking about the whole situation and what they could do ... I mean. friends are supposed to help each other, or something. At least that's what vivi says... And Voltaires comment about trying to help her with English... Could work. Taking everything into accountability.
"Vermillion?"
"Whats up, detonation?" Vermillion snapped out of her trance when fireheart called out her name. Waiting to hear whatever bullshit was about to come out of her mouth.
"...what even is a hooker?"
Oh my god. Internally she was trying not to laugh.
The others also immediately looked caught off guard, but they were all also trying not to laugh and shame the girl.
Although fireheart realizes that was probably a stupid question.
"okay. From now on, every now and then we're just going to try and help you with communication, okay?"
Vivi said immediately after taking the minute to calm down.
Fireheart immediately looks unsure. But she knew if she refused that the others would just get more pushy about it. "Well... Okay..."
She nods and peacefully accepts this...
After that day the others immediately jumped into action... Other than Hex..
the teenagers take turns every two weeks spending an hour of their time trying to teach fireheart better English skills... they even made a sticky note quote board for the funny things she said.
Vivi's favorite sticky note was
"When does someone get laid?" - Rena
she was trying to teach Rena terms about jobs... And work. Because Rena does have a job, and also they all technically have jobs as heroes or vigilantes!
"I didn't know detonation was another word for a bomb!" - fireheart
vermillion was trying to teach fireheart some of her own vocabulary she uses... Mostly to help fireheart understand whatever vermillion talks about ... but fireheart was immediately excited when she realized that she was given a nickname also based on something she can do.
"voltiare... Do you snow skate?" - fireheart obviously
honestly voltiare had no idea what words or topics he could teach fireheart on his own... They kind of went off topic and just started reading through the dictionary as if learning every words meaning could help her out actual words together.
...she has gotten way better at talking and understanding what the others were saying! Some of them felt a bit bad... Considering they didn't realize how much she was struggling to understand what was going on and the fact that she apparently didn't understand much other than grade 3 schooling and YouTube videos.
...that doesn't stop them from making fun of her for saying "drugs are a whore!'' though..