"-how about when Carol whipped my ass?"
Krieg grinned and said "Yeah... that was an interesting time for us both... Although she went by Sprite didn't she?"
Doctor Doctor nodded, the actual ass whipping was swift and his lab originally condemned for the first time. Outside of her hand to hand combat training Sprite could shrink herself into a speck of light that could fly around about as fast as she could walk. Sprite was never a heavy hitter, and while she could get into small spaces the fact she was light made it hard for her to really be a spy. Those facts made it when she died in duty few were surprised it had happened, but most were sad that it did. Heck Doctor Doctor saw Sprite coming. She had infiltrated his lab, and he had spotted her as a speck of light. It's just there was something about staring directly into her light that was disarming as if staring directly at the light of heaven itself. Something in Doctor Doctor's heart moved as he stared... That his weird fetish was doing more harm tha-
"Yeah She went by Sprite, and that light turning into a swift kick to the head quickly ended that fight." Doctor Doctor said. That epiphany of his, if only Krieg hadn't came into the room and forced Sprite's hand. If only Sprite didn't have to kick him unconscious before sending him to jail. Then he may have had a complete epiphany and completely gotten over his odd fetish, but he'd just have to settle for a lesser epiphany as he broke his way out of jail within the first hour of him waking up. "...Yeah, as community service I had to beef up the prison's security system... Wasn't perfect considering the budget but successful escape attempts went down severely... Then I just had to lay low as I got a new lab going." Doctor Doctor continued.
Krieg said "Yeah, least I got back on the payroll relatively fast. I remember the look on your face though, kinda like a smoker going through withdrawal."
Doctor Doctor nodded and said "From what I've heard and researched. Those who looked into her light often became better people. It was a small side effect that was only really noticeable in some of the worst people. However it really was, all that passion I had was just... Gone... I was still tinkering but my drive was just gone."
Krieg nodded and said "Yeah... Prices went up a little and a lot of the buyers weren't happy. Although I was surprised when she was on your operating table."
Doctor Doctor said "Yeah, Carol was in a rather bad state... No idea why she'd try to raid that black market, but... Something about her body so contorted. Her arms and legs so mangled and... It wasn't like with Emily where I was playing around with someone... More it was like looking at a small rat dying in your hand, and it was pleading for it's life... So fragile and yet you have a compulsion to help it." Doctor Doctor remembered vividly when Carol woke up. The hero had jumped ready for action spooked by the sight of one of the criminals she took down having her on a metal table. Then the short recognition that she had been completely healed.
"All assorted injuries from that failed mission are healed, and if you want advice from Doctor... I'd take a 9 month break... give or take." The young Doctor had said.
Sprite asked "What do you mean?"
"Well when I was doing a thorough medical procedure I noticed certain hormonal imbalances... I'd say there's a high probability that you're pregnant." Sprite was on her feet with the Doctor having a glum look on his face while sitting on a small stool.
Sprite looked at the lowly man and said "...And what's got you in a funk?"
Doctor said "Your silly little light messing with my head or whatever... Besides that and my back ally healing services are a bit on the low side thanks to your bust. I'll accept you not ratting me out as payment for my services."
Krieg spoke in the present "And then she came back every week and you had me stock all those weird drinks."
Doctor Doctor shrugged "Hey she was checking to make sure we weren't doing anything THAT illegal, and she was pregnant... She did help me on the right path though, but I'm not sure what convinced her to make me that kid's godfather."
Krieg said "Hey, Red 6 was a clever kid but you made her a smart one. Plus at this point you are one of the most stable of the Protectors."
Doctor Doctor nodded and said "Yeah, I home-schooled the little brat forever... Then Sprite was killed on the job, and then her father went missing in action... It took awhile to get her out of her funk, but I think the Magical Girls helped her out a lot." After that they reminisced about the good times, but Doctor Doctor remembered one good memory by himself when he was sitting in a recliner and falling asleep.
Doctor was in the Protector's building at his new pristine lab. So much glass ware and the chemicals were fully stocked, and there he was with his diploma he had just hung above his desk. It was a proud day and like clockwork there was a knocking on the door and there was Carol who said "Wow, all sorts of test tubes and colorful liquids in here aren't there?"
Doctor said "Yep, and now I've officially got the education to call myself a Doctor so my name isn't even a misnomer anymore."
Carol chuckled and said "Nah, Doctor was the name you were given by your patients. So now you are Dr. Doctor!"
Doctor sighed and said "Seriously, you're making me sound like some super hero. I'm here to make stuff for you guys to use not fight crime myself."
Carol said "That's what I initially thought with my power, but it's amazing what something as minor as turning into a spec of light can do. Who knows what amazing things you could do with that big brain of yours." She walked close to Dr. Doctor and said "Well... it's a real degree, that no one's going to notice. Now for the price of getting you out of the villain's life... How about you become my little girl's teacher?"
Dr. Doctor said "Sure, for what subject?"
"All of them... Come on Dockey wockey, considering she's been living here all her life and who Greg and I am she can't just go to a public school without having a massive target on her back."
Dr. Doctor sighed and said "I guess I could do that. Need me to polish up Greg's sword?"
Sprite put her hand on Doctor Doctor's shoulder and said "Nah, I was just curious. Why are you still in this old lab?"
Doctor Doctor woke up quick with a chill on his back... That was his own mind right? There's no way that was... no way it could've been her... right? She's been confirmed dead, body cremated, and... If she could do this why didn't she visit Red more often? The aging man sighed as he looked out the window at the black night with rain. Well for now he was in this old lab to stay out of the rain and be relatively safe... for the future... who knows?