Carol wasn't usually overprotective. With her history as a hero you would think that she would be. She had seen the dark side of people… She had seen what could lurk beneath the surface of a 'normal' person… Even to this day she sometimes awoke in a panic from dreams of memories past. Of people she hadn't been able to save… People she hadn't been able to stop in time...

However even with this knowledge, Carol wasn't over bearing on K.O or at least she hoped she wasn't. Sure she drove him into work everyday and wasn't fond of letting him walk anywhere to far away, but she hoped that was just normal for a mother with a child K.O's age. She was fine with him galavanting around the plaza, and while she did, occasionally, have an urge to interrupt his robot battles (Honestly she had a hard time watching them from the Dojo windows sometimes…) She knew it was important for K.O to grow and flourish. He got knocked on his rump more often than not, but it was all part of growing into a strong hero. Plus he had his friends and Gene to watch his back in the midst of battle, so he was never in any real danger.

That being said, there were some battles she refused to let him face alone. Things like facing Chameleon Jr's father on the roof of the bodega. Carol wasn't happy K.O had roped her into a battle, but she wasn't gonna let him head up there alone. She didn't know Chameleon Sr at all and after meeting him she was glad she had gone. Crazy, suit wearing nut. Who swallows a kid for calling their son names in a food line?!

It was hard to tell where to set the line with K.O's battles. Especially since she had to keep moving it as he got older and improved. Some were easy, like battling component villains, or god forbid an actual supervillain. Some not so, like if she should allow him to stay home alone next weekend while she was at a seminar. (He'd likely want to work while she was gone, so she shouldn't worry bout it.) However, if there was one thing she couldn't stand by, it was people taking advantage of her peanut's naivety and kindness.

Carol smiled as she waved her son off into Garr's bodega and once he was out of sight she turned her eyes to the framing store.

Girls won't mind if I'm a bit late for class.

Carol cracked her knuckles ominously before she went for the entrance. The door jangled cheerily as she stepped inside, spotting the skeleton behind the counter. He looked up, smiling easily to her. "Oh, morning M'am!"

"Good morning." Carol said back happily. She advanced to the counter and looked around.

"Is there something I can help you with?" The skeleton asked, cocking his head.

"Yes actually." Carol nodded. "I'm looking for a bear who works here."

"You mean Brandon?"

"If he's the only bear working here than yes, I suppose so." Carol said, looking around again.

"Hold on, he's in the back." The skeleton marched off to an employee's only door and went inside. Carol looked a little to the left of the door, spotting her reflection in the mirror. She looked calm. Good. She had a lot of practice holding this look when a storm was boiling within. Was one of the first things she learned as a hero. Snapping on villians in a sudden rage usually caught them off guard… In Fact…

Carol stared the mirror dead on and shifted her expression to match the way her guts were burning inside. The mirror didn't last a second before cracking violently.

Good.

Her mask returned as the employee's only door rattled and opened. A large bear stepped out, grumbling and rubbing his eyes sleepily. The skeleton followed behind him, very unimpressed. "I can't believe you were asleep! You haven't worked half an hour yet!"

"Im sleepy when I'm sleepy ok?!" The bear snapped, frowning at his coworker.

This was the guy. Carol had no doubt.

The bear lumbered to the counter. The words on his shirt reading 'What now?' and he leaned on his elbows lazily. "Ok, so you wanted to see me or something?"

"Yes, I would." Carol smiled. "You see you have something of mine."

"Oh?" The bear asked, looking confused.

"Yes, you see I had the most interesting talk with my son last night, over dinner." Carol started, still smiling sweetly. "Apparently he came in here to get a mother's day gift framed and forgot it."

"Oh ummm…" The skeleton looked over some order forms. "I'm sorry I don't see anything like that."

"Guess your son was wrong lady." The bear shrugged.

Carol felt her eye flutter, but luckily neither noticed. "Oh are you sure? He told me he talk to you personally." She kept the smile on still. "Of course,this was before you told him his picture was… what was it you alluded it to? Hmmm…" Carol put on a thoughtful mask now. "Uuuuhhhh- Oh! Yes, I remember." She stared him dead in the eyes. Her smile stayed but the light faded from her expression menacingly. "You compared it to a candy wrapper… You know, trash?"

Brandon was sweating, looking around nervously. "Uh, I dunno what your-"

"Yes, you said his art was garbage and sent him out the door without his picture." Carol continued, leaning over the counter pointedly. "Course I know art is subjective. What appeals to me won't appeal to everyone, but I happen to like my son's art. A lot. So I thought I come in and get it anyway."

The bear swallowed tightly. "Well, ugh, thats gonna be hard…"

"Oh? Whys that?" Carol asked, still smiling.

"Well um… You see…" the bear was mumbling now and Carol grew tired on him. He was like a worm squirming on a hot sidewalk. Her eyes darted to the skeleton and she intensified her stare. Maybe the skeleton was innocent. Maybe he wasn't. All she knew was that bones were more brittle.

They broke under pressure.

The skeleton flinched under her look. They had a miniature stare down with her piercing gaze and his shaky eyes before he moaned, covering his face in a panic and turning away from her, defeated.

"He ate it! He ate the macaroni from the drawing!" The skeleton pointed to the bear wildly.

Carol's stone like eyes slowly moved to look at him, the bear shaking on the spot, scowling at his coworker before wincingly looking back at her.

"You ate it?" Carol asked softly, still smiling.

"Well, I mean, lunch was still fifteen minutes away and I w-wouldn't have lasted that-"

"You ate it?" Carol said again.

"Well…" Brandon huffed, looking like he wasn't breathing easily. "Well, um, yes?"

Carol slammed her hands on the counter. It cracked under her power and both boys jumped back. She took a deep breath. "So you couldn't wait fifteen minutes eh?" She asked, still smiling eerily.

"Y-Yeah…"

"Well that's fine I suppose." Carol said, putting her hands on her hips and turning away. "If its gone, its gone."

Both boys sighed in relief.

"Its just…" Carol paused to collect herself. "Well, its just that you seem to think that its ok."

"W-what's ok?" Brandon asked.

She looked over her shoulder. Her smile dropped but her face was neutral. "Thats its ok that you told my son his art was horrible. That his gift to me was garbage and made him think he was a thoughtless son. Just so you could stuff your face with uncooked, glue covered macaroni when you were gonna eat again ANYWAY in just fifteen minutes of time." Carol turned back to them and leaned over the counter again. Instantly her rage broke through her face and the boys fell back, cowering as the linoleum around them started to smolder, glass breaking violently from the cases around them under the pressure. "THAT YOU COULD JUST HURT HIM AND STEAL FROM HIM AND MAKE HIM EVER THINK HE WAS ANYTHING LESS THAN A PERFECT SON!"

Brandon seemed to find some courage deep inside himself. "G-geeze lady it was just a picture!"

"Just a picture." Carol started lowly.

"Dude, shut your food stuffer!" The skeleton yell whispered, slapping the bear's arm.

"JUST A PICTURE!" Carol yelled now, the linoleum started to melt. The boys clung to each other desperately, shaking and looking ready to wet themselves. "IT WAS A GIFT! A GIFT MY BOY SLAVED OVER TO GIVE TO ME! BECAUSE HE LOVES ME!" Carol reached down and grabbed Brandon by his shirt with one hand, almost choking him as she lifted him into the air easily. "HE IS A SWEET, INNOCENT LITTLE BOY AND YOU TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HIM!"

Brandon withered under her glared before starting to cry. "Yeeeeesss!" He was sobbing. "I did it! I did do that! I'm sorry!"

"Don't kill him, please!" The skeleton below them pleaded. "He owes me like two hundred dollars and-" Carol looked down at him, eyes literal burning fire. The skeleton squeaked. "N-never mind…"

Carol looked around the store and saw the state of the place. Taking a deep breath she calmed herself. All the fire melting away as she steadied her breath. Her arms still trembled with rage, but she dropped the bear to the floor haphazardly and he grunted on impact. Carol looked down her nose at him, disgusted.

"I dunno how you can live like this. How anyone could be so selfish and-and-" Carol narrowed her gaze darkly. "Vile." She turned her back coldly. "How you must sleep knowing that you were so self absorbed that you stole a little boy's mother's day present for monetary gain."

Brandon was still crying, the skeleton rattling in fear.

"I can't make you be a better person, but I can make sure you never do something like this to my son again." Carol started to walk to the door.

"Wait!"

Carol paused, she heard the bear wriggle around on the floor behind her. "I- I am sorry! I do feel bad! Please, let me make it up to you! I- I can make you another picture!"

Carol blew a strand of hair from her face. Her doo had come undone from her headband a little in her fury. "Hmfp. A picture from you isn't the same and you know it…" She spun back to them, both the miserable wretches flinching. "You really want to atone for this?"

"Ye-yes.." Brandon said, though he looked worried about what she would say.

"Then start by being a better person." Carol huffed. "And not just to my son."

Then she pushed her way out the front door, chimes jangling again happily as she did so. Standing outside she took a few deep breaths to calm her inner flame.

Down girl... Easy there. Its over for now.

"He had digestive distress after eating the uncooked gluten product covered in adhesive."

Carol looked down and saw one of K.O's little classmates. Dendy or somethin…

"Oh." Carol said, more surprised that this little girl had seen her outburst than surprised at the info she gave. Carol looked back at the store grumpily, she could make out the boys crawling into the back room quickly. "Well… It clearly didn't teach him well enough."

"No. Thick skulls are hard to penetrate with physical teachings." Dendy agreed, still looking up at her. "Perhaps the feelings of guilt and fear you have instilled in him will persuade a change."

"You can only hope." Carol grunted. Yet she felt herself blush ashemedly. She never wanted to act in such a way in front of children. It wasn't good teachings. "You, uh, won't mention this to K.O will you?"

"Why? You would think him proud that you defended his honour." Dendy commented.

"I'd rather he didn't know his old maw lost her temper… Its not something I want him picking up… Or you for that matter." Carol admitted, rubbing her head

"Rest assured. I hardly express emotions in any situation." Dendy said, adjusting her glasses.

Hm. Thats not very healthy…

"However, I can promise you my silence… for a price." Dendy said, looking up at her.

Uh boy.

"And what do you want?" Carol asked, squinting down at her in suspicion\ and hoping it wasn't expensive.

Dendy paused, looking down with a blush and scuffing her shoe on the sidewalk. Suddenly bashful, she reached into her backpack and pulled something out.

"Wousmypalcar-" She mumbled, hiding whatever was in her hands.

"EH?!" Carol leaned down to her. "Speak up honey."

"W-will you sign my- your- ugh- your pal card for me?" She shoved the card in Carol's face forcefully.

Carol looked it over before chuckling. It was an old one, back when she was still Silver Spark. Kid must have bought it online or something.

"Sure hon!" Carol said, signing it with her chicken scratch. Easiest silence she had ever bought. When Carol handed it back, the girl blushed and looked down at it in awe.

"You just increased the value by 0.34%" She whispered.

"Happy to help! Just remember, not a word to my peanut!" Carol ordered.

"Yes mam'." Dendy nodded.

"Good!" Carol patted her on the head. "Now go off and play. I gotta get to work, ok?" Carol smiled as the girl padded off, eyes glued on the card as she went. Always warmed her heart when a fan politely came up to greet her. Somehow people still knew her name, after all these years. Looking over she paled a bit when she saw the clock. "Aw crap! My class!"

Carol pulled the car up alongside the bodega. Another long day was done, her class had gone home with a few extra aches than when they came in, but they would feel better come tomorrow. She waited only a few moments before K.O slipped out of the store, waving goodbye before he climbed into the car.

"Hi mommy!"

"Hey peanut!" Carol smiled and leaned over the seat to kiss his head. "Hows my cute lil guy?"

"Great! Look athis!" K.O held out a bag in his arms excitedly.

"Whatcha got there?" She asked, looking the bag over.

"It was really weird but before my shift ended Brandon came into the store and gave me all this stuff." K.O reached in and pulled out glitter, a bag of macaroni, glue and an assortment of other craft objects. "Theres even a really nice frame in here."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. He told me that he was thinking about the picture I made, you know the one I told you about? He said he realize it was really good and that I should make more. Said it was like a magic eye poster, whatever those are, and it just took a bit to see it." K.O smiled as he threw the objects back in the bag. "Plus he bought me lighting nachos! I dunno why…"

"Well I'm sure he has his reasons." Carol said simply. She adjusted her rearview mirror, bringing the frame store into view. She could make out a few blurry figures hunkered down inside.

Mmmhmmm.

"I should make him a picture!" K.O said excitedly. "One of him and his boyfriend."

"Boyfriend? You mean the skeleton?" Carol asked, surprised. She didn't get that vibe off of them at all…

"Yeah!" K.O nodded. "I'll draw them together! Oh, I know! I can glue the noodle as Magic Skeleton's ribs!"

"Well I'm sure they'll love it!" Carol said and started to drive away.

"I'll make something for you to, cause I didn't get you anything for Mother's Day." K.O added, looking over the bag again.

"Ah K.O! I don't need a present!" Carol said and hugged him with her one free arm. "Not when I get to have the best son in the world!"

"Mom!"

Carol knew she couldn't really protect K.O forever. Eventually he would get his buns into serious trouble, he'd trust the wrong person or be in the wrong place, then BLAM. I mean that was life, you can't stay out out of danger forever. Carol deeply hoped that K.O's amazing selflessness and innocence wouldn't be his undoing. They were qualities few still held to and she'd hate for him to lose it. However there was little she could do but try and be there, prepare him for a day she couldn't be and just be supportive.

One thing was for sure though. He was definitely a hero already. Maybe not in the sense that the public accepted. Fighting villains and saving cities. He was a hero in the way of a person who inspired other to be their best and do what was right. To make people want to be better… So even if it was just to her, K.O was one of the best heros who ever lived.

And dammit if she wasn't gonna protect him, so one day everyone would see it.

I always felt like Brandon got off too easy in the episode 'Know Your Mom'. So I sent Carol in after him. She dose not ABIDE this nonsense. (Do you think I wrote this too harsh? I sunno)