Screw it. I'm done early again, so happy Wednesday!

There's one specific point that I've raised in this chapter that I'm a tad bit unsure about (you'll probably know it when you see it), but considering how OP Worm stuff usually is compared to Bionicle I believe I can have this one. I'm not intending on making it into a habit.
We're getting close though! Two, maybe three chapters then we get to the finale of the Arc, something I've had in my head since the conception of this story, so I'm eager to get to it!
And this now makes two chapters in a row without fight scenes! Yay me for going out of my comfort zone!

Without further ado!

The Masks We Wear Chapter 10

Worm/Bionicle

Forging 1.8

After a somewhat tense phone call with Dad, I found myself following Lisa's hunched form through the corridors of the base, thinking furiously about what sort of questions I'd have to answer when Panacea got here. Wearing only the undersuit, greaves and helmet of my armour, I felt almost naked, in comparison to what I normally wore when in costume.

The plan we'd come up with was a relatively simple one. I'd wait in an alley a short way from where I'd arranged to meet Amy. Shadow Stalker would run overwatch in the event of a double-cross, however unlikely it may be, or the more likely event of a third party interrupting. Once Amy got to the arranged place, I would phone her again, and direct her to me. Obviously, I'd be disguised, since we weren't looking for anyone to know Amy was meeting us. That led to my current set up of barely-armoured with the Kanohi Mahiki, mask of illusion, set on my helmet. Once Amy met up with me, I'd teleport her back to the base, where we could have the talk she seemed to desperately need.

Considering the new revelations about my power, I was having Lisa sit in on the conversation. If between themselves, they could help to solve my problem, then I had no issues answering Amy's questions.

"-to hide your face. It'll also help us put across a more united front if we look like we're on the same team."

I was holding out a spare helmet like the one Sophia, Emma and Myself used: Metallic, smooth and unadorned save for the clamps on the mouth and temples that secured Kanohi to the headwear. Lisa rolled her eyes, taking the helmet in her free hand and ticking it under her arm along with her pad.

"Emma will teach you how to put it on. It's simple really, it just takes some getting used to is all."

I missed her response to that statement as I made sure my 'Artakha' phone was attached securely. I didn't want to lose it in the teleportation. I blew air out my nose, rolling my shoulders as I prepared for the meeting. Stepping through the door into the Teleportation room, I made to move toward the teleportation pad, only to stop in my tracks as I felt resistance. I turned to see Lisa hooking her staff over my shoulder, preventing me from moving. Once I was looking at her, I saw her give me a encouraging smile, her expression sincere.

"Thanks Lisa."

My voice was quiet, barely audible, but she'd obviously heard me, because the quiet and supportive face she wore was quickly wiped away for a cocky, mocking smirk that seemed to be her default expression. She flicked her fingers at me, in a 'hurry along' motion. Snorting at the dismissal, I mentally triggered the Mahiki, my form rippling into my disguise as the illusion took hold.

In place of my helmet and under-armour, there stood a girl wearing a loose white blouse and crimson trousers. A pair of sturdy black boots completed the ensemble. Her face was more angular than my own, with high cheekbones and a smoother chin. Despite the severe image of her face, her gleaming emerald eyes and long rust-coloured hair softened the overall impression, giving her a gentler, more approachable look.

Turning back to Lisa just in time to see the shock face from her eyes, I gave her a nod and stepped onto the teleportation pad. Idly wondering about the similarities to the Star Trek teleportation pads, I knelt down, touching the Kanoka at my feet and the world around me vanished in a flash of light.

When the light cleared, I found myself kneeling in the alley I'd chosen to meet Panacea in, overflowing dumpster and all. Looking down, I was just in time to catch the teleportation Kanoka that served as the second end of the link shrink down to the size of a quarter, almost undetectable against the grey of the asphalt.

The network was one of the ideas I'd come up with to assist Sophia and myself when we were on Patrol. Since we weren't the Protectorate, and didn't have fancy vehicles or a network of early-warning systems to inform us about crime, we had to think of alternate methods. The teleportation network was one of the ways I'd thought of to compensate. Since the Protectorate didn't patrol in the parts of the city nearest the docks, or all that far from the boardwalk really, we'd taken to altering our routes, covering the ground the Protectorate didn't. Of course, when we did fight Parahumans, the Protectorate showed up to share in the glory, but unless there was a confirmed Cape, we had the run of the place.

Of course, being that we were the only people apart from the PD fighting crime, that meant we were run off our feet most of the time in an attempt to respond to all the incidents. Until I implemented the network. Deploying from the base all the time would severely impact our response time. Teleporting from the base to the conflict though? That enabled us to be on top of most incidents within five minutes. Even if we were out in the city at the time, all we had to do was a teleport-chain to the base, then to the battle. Simple. It was the one advantage we had over the Protectorate, at least within our sphere of influence.

I pulled back into the alley, acknowledging Sophia's report, and settled down to wait for our guest.

It was only around ten minutes later when the voice of Sophia rang in my ear, telling me that Panacea was waiting on the corner I'd requested. Rolling my shoulders as I pushed off the wall I'd been leaning against, I scrolled through the communication options on my HUD until I came across Panacea's number.

Showtime.

"Panacea?"

"Speaking. Who is this?"

"Artakha. We spoke earlier. Since you were so worried about being overheard, I changed the venue slightly. I hope you don't mind."

"Fine. Whatever. Where are you?"

"Only a block away. If you turn left and walk around fifty metres, there should be an alley on your left. I'll be waiting there."

I waited for the affirmation before disconnecting the call, dropping back into the shadows of the alley as I waited. It didn't even take five minutes for her to reach me. Peering into the alley, the brunette took a step forward, before realising that she was about to walk into an alley, alone, in search of a mysterious cape.

"Hello? Artakha?"

At the healer's call, I pushed off the wall and strode out into the light. She blinked as she saw my face, obviously anticipating me coming 'masked up' to the meeting.

"Hello Panacea. It's a pleasure to meet you again." I began, trying to put her at ease. "I'm sorry for the subterfuge, but I'd rather no-one knew we'd met. " She nodded at my reasoning, looking around me for anyone behind me, presumably in fear of a trap. "If you'd take this, I can take you to our base. I can guarantee we won't be overheard."

She looked warily at the teleportation Kanoka I'd pulled out from behind me. "What's that?"

"Teleportation disc." I smiled. "It won't hurt you. It's perfectly safe."

With a long-suffering sigh and muttering something about Carol, she reached out hesitantly and took hold of the disc, the pair of us being enveloped by the flash. As the light faded, Panacea stumbled back away from me, bumping into the glass surrounding the teleportation pad.

"Whu?"

"Hey, easy." I soothed, dismissing the Kanoka and reaching over to steady the brunette. She managed to scramble to her feet, leaning on the glass as she caught her breath.

"It's okay. It's a bit disorienting the first time. Just take deep breaths."

"I'm fine. It just surprised me."

I blinked.

"Right. Sorry. Shall we move somewhere more comfortable?"

She nodded.

"Oh. And could you do me a favour and switch your phone off please? I'd rather not it be tracked."

A sigh emanated from behind me, though I was able to see her turn the device off and take the battery out. As I led the way through the corridors of the base, I relaxed my hold on the Mahiki, allowing my illusion to fall off me like water.

"What!?"

I turned, seeing Panacea had stopped behind me, staring at my half-armoured form.

"You're a stranger?" Came the question.

"Hah, no." I laughed, turning full-on to face her. "I'm a Tinker. It's just illusions. I just didn't want to be recognised on the street." There. Let her think I was doing it with hard-light or something. I hadn't lied. I'd just let her form her own conclusions.

"Right." The rejoinder was somewhat doubtful, but she continued to follow me until I'd moved into the living area. Lisa was, of course, there, fiddling with a wireless keyboard, alternating between looking at the object in her hands and the screen on the wall, which currently was pure white. I sighed as I saw she'd somehow found some gold paint, for her helmet was now the same gold as her staff, glinting in the light. Pushing that mystery from my mind, I invited Panacea to sit on one of the sofas scattered about the area with a wave of my hand.

"Do you want something to drink?" I asked, moving over to the kitchen area as I did so.

"Uh, water, please." Panacea tore her gaze away from Lisa to answer, before continuing with; "Why's she here? I thought you said you didn't want to be overheard?"

"I don't." I responded, walking back with her glass of water and setting it down on the table in front of her, before continuing over to the sofa Lisa was settled on, sitting myself down. "But she's a Thinker. I recently discovered some… worrying aspects of my power that quite frankly scare me, so I was hoping between your questions, and her insights, I'd be able to regulate my power better."

A staccato of clacking next to me turned my attention to Lisa, fingers flying over the keyboard, the previously white monitor flashing up with words just a second later. Huh. Clever.

'Hi Panacea! I'm Turaga Fragarach, and I'll be your chaperone for today.'

Seriously?

"You're not a Toa?" She asked, turning to face Lisa. More clacking heralded Lisa's response;

'Nope. My frail body couldn't handle the stress. I'm a Turaga. I'm the chief of this here base. No matter what the others say. '

I watched as Panacea's eyes dulled, resignation flashing through them for a second before she bought her poker face back up. She finished reading through Lisa's text, before looking back toward us, as though waiting for us to ask something. Taking the hint, I leaned forward.

"So, I'm more than willing to answer your questions." I began, confused at the shock, then relief that flashed across her features for a split second. Putting it aside, I forged on. "What I owe you can't be repaid by something as small as a Q and A session, so I really have no problem you being here."

"Huh. Okay then." She seemed to shake herself off before leaning forward, elbows on her knees as she looked directly at me. "How do you have powers?"

I froze.

Light.

Heat.

Pain.

Wind.

Smoke.

The rustling of leaves being pulled across the ground.

The thump of large feet on the earthen floor.

That golden mask, followed by darkness.

I shook myself out of my thoughts in time for Lisa to finish typing, hitting the Enter key with more force than was required.

'Don't you think that's out of order? Not to mention cruel? You don't just go around asking people about their Triggers! Don't you remember how it felt to have Victoria bleeding out in front of you?'

I watched as Panacea's face turned white, before her eyes opened wide in shock and she turned back to me, waving her hands before her as though to ward off our disapproving stares.

"NO!" She cried, horror seeping through every facet of the word before she calmed somewhat, clenching her fists on her knees and biting her lip in consternation.

"No." She repeated more calmly, though no less firmly. "Well, maybe?" She winced, looking guiltily up at me through her fringe. "It depends." She sat up squaring her shoulders and looking straight at me.

"It's you who's the Tinker right? It isn't a lie, you're not covering for someone making the tech for you?"

"What, no! I'm a Tinker, I make my own tech!" My response was filled with no small amount of indignation. How could she even insinuate that? She had no idea the blood, sweat and tears I put into my work. Especially when I had to push against my power itself to do so. How dare she?

She must have recognised something shifting in my stance, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lisa stiffen slightly.

"I only ask because it would have been the easiest answer." Panacea huffed, "When I was healing you, that day when we met, there was something I couldn't explain, something I'd never seen before. You see, my power lets me comprehend the entirety of an organism the moment I touch it. It's what allows me to identify what's wrong with my patients so fast. When I healed you, something was missing. Something you should have had."

"What?" My voice was barely a whisper, although in the oppressive silence that had fallen, it travelled further than any shout.

She seemed to come to a decision within herself, determination filling her eyes as she spoke the words that rocked my world to its very core.

"How can you have powers without a Corona Pollentia?"

Lisa

Lisa's eyes widened beneath her helmet as her Panacea's words sunk in. beside her she felt Taylor stiffen in shock, but she ignored it, letting her power run rampant on the information.

Corona Pollentia: Designation of area of brain used to manage subconscious power control. Corona Pollentia present in every recorded instance of Parahuman Powers. Conclusion: Subject Taylor Hebert is not a Parahuman.

Well wasn't that a shock? Panacea was right; taking the credit for another Tinker's work would have been the most reasonable conclusion. Although the similarities with Teacher… Maybe she'd been granted a power?

Although subject is not a Parahuman, Subject has displayed powers consistent with feats attributed to Parahumans. Subject has not been influenced by Parahuman. Subject has not been granted power by Parahuman. Source of power is different to that of Parahumans.

Wait what? Not only was she not a Parahuman, it implied that her power had a source, outside of whatever gave Parahumans their powers in the first place, something no-one had been able to find out!

Eager to find out more information, Lisa pushed her power further, not even realising she'd been typing the entire time.

Source of power not different source that would be expected. Source of power not encountered before. Source in direct opposition to aim of Parahuman Powers. Power prevents 'Conflict' escalation phenomenon by removing shard aspect of powers, replacing with different energy, leaving functional aspects.

Encountered before? That implied previous exemptions to Parahuman powers being recorded, and something told her it didn't mean in the few years since Parahumans had become known. This was it! She was so close she could taste it!

So focussed was she that she didn't realise that her arm, the one closest to Taylor, had lifted from her side, forming a fist, and hanging there, horizontally.

Warning being sent. Wiping Host's memories.

What!?

Lisa started, blinking out of her Thinker dream, just in time for her to feel an impact on her fist.

Power rushed up her arm, and everything went black.

I shook myself out of my shock, Panacea's face swimming back into focus as I gaped like a fish.

I wasn't a Parahuman? How could that be? Everything I'd read came to the conclusion that I was, indeed, a Parahuman. My Trigger event, my powers, everything! How could this be possible? I gasped in air, trying to calm myself before I hyperventilated. Searching for something, anything, to distract me, I opened my mouth to ask Panacea to clarify when I heard a frantic clacking by my side.

Turning to face the disturbance, and seeing Panacea do the same out the corner of my eye, I saw Lisa typing away at her keyboard so fast her fingers were almost a blur. Reigning my panic in, I took a deep breath and waited for Lisa to finish. What was slightly concerning however, was the way only her arms and hands were moving, the rest of her staying as still as a statue. I turned away from my friend when the screen on the wall lit up with text. Though if I'd thought Lisa's behaviour worrying, it was nothing compared to what she'd written, the text blunt and rushed;

'You're not a Parahuman. Haven't been influenced or granted a Power by a Parahuman. Power comes from source other than source of Parahuman Power. Power prevents third-party influence on Parahumans. You must Link with me. Otherwise this information will be forgotten and Contingencies will be enacted.'

Although I sat frozen at the news, the part of me that emerged in combat spoke through my lips;

"Hold out your hand, make a fist."

I watched, as though a passenger in my own body, as I turned fully toward Lisa as she did as I'd requested, her arm rose, once again being the only part of her body that moved. praying in my heart I wasn't making the wring choice, I regained conscious control over myself as I fed my power into my fist, using it to build a bridge between myself and the girl in front of me.

"Wait a second-"

Ignoring Panacea's outburst, I smacked my fist into Lisa's, pushing my power into her in order to forge a new connection, pouring it in like water through a drain. A split second later, the connection was ruptured as a spike of pain buried itself in my head forcing the two of us apart and onto opposite ends of the sofa as we writhed.

I curled into a ball, hands around my head, gritting my teeth as a whine of agony escaped me. A second later, hands slipped in through the slit Lisa's clawing had opened in my under-suit, and the pain abated. I forced my head up in time to see Panacea head over to Lisa, placing a hand on her bare hand, and the blonde stopped writhing, slumping panting onto her side of the couch.

Watching me staring at her, Panacea immediately leapt up and away from Lisa, fisting her hands in her shirt as she did so.

"I'm sorry for using my power on you without your permission, but you were in pain and-"

"It's fine." I waved away her concern, stiffly manoeuvring myself into a more comfortable position.

"Believe me, I needed it. Thanks."

"Urrghhh." The pair of us turned our heads to the crumpled form of Lisa on the other end of the couch as she propped herself up so she could see us. Although she couldn't speak, the groan she made as she sat back, picking up the keyboard came across fine. She shook her head as though to clear it, before she started erasing the jumble of letters that came from the keyboard hitting the floor when she'd dropped it. She hammered at the backspace, the page flickering up as the characters were erased, before she froze upon coming across her previous message.

I waited a few seconds before I decided to make a comment;

"You don't remember writing that do you?"

The shake of her head was damming. I swallowed at the oppressive feeling that once more crashed down around us.

"Well, at least I'll have good news to tell Stalker."

"So, to recap; I'm not a Parahuman, the reason you couldn't read me before was because my power specifically blocks Thinkers from reading me, and the reason for Sophia's shift in attitude was because I'd removed a master influence, not caused one. Oh yeah, and Parahuman powers are influencing us to fight each other. Anything else?"

The five of us sat round the couches in the living area, unmasked. With what we were discussing, things like secret identities suddenly became a lot less important. With the revelation of the century still flashing up on the monitor, Lisa had gone back to the pad and paper, making notes as she alternated from staring at the monitor, and the paper in front of her.

Sophia had all but collapsed in relief when I'd told her the news. Emma's response hadn't been so happy. The news that her power was influencing her mind was something that she was taking badly. I couldn't blame her. I'd already resolved to Link her before the day was out.

"The fact that your power comes from something else entirely unknown to our powers? Or the fact your anti-Thinker power seems a bit convenient?"

The dry comment came from Amy, slouched over her glass as she rolled it back and forth in her hands. The brunette had been thinking furiously for the past few minutes, and every so often, it would look like she wanted to ask me a question, before she'd baulk, and return to glaring at her hands. Considering what the last question she'd asked was, I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

"And considering what happened to Lisa when she figured all this out, how was she able to get to it in the first place? Surely it would be better to prevent people finding out this information in the first place, rather than forget about it when they find out? Speaking of, how are we even able to hold this conversation anyway?

Scribbling came from beside me, and we all patiently waited the minute it took Lisa to compose her sentences.

'My power was trying to figure out Taylor's power. Considering how it's been cockblocking me, it was more than happy to work on that. I'm guessing it gave away more than it intended to. I only got slapped down when I specifically looked at parahuman powers. And for the rest of us, I don't really know? Taylor said she built her power into the walls of this place, so maybe that protects us from the backlash?'

…

"Eh, as good an explanation as any. We can try talking about it outside, see what happens, but we have bigger issues."

Sophia, for once, was completely invested in the conversation. All of her snide comments and verbal jabs were nowhere to be found, replaced by a laser-minded focus. Something I'd rarely seen outside of battle.

"Right. Bullshit Faraday cage is bullshit." Amy sighed to herself. "So, you're the sole black spot in Thinker predictions because your power doesn't play nice with Parahumans. It's obvious your power was tailor made to mess with us. The fact you can also give power to others also rings a few bells."

"Oh no." I slashed my hand across myself in a defiant gesture. "I've read Harry Potter. You're not gonna start calling me the 'Chosen One' are you? Besides, I can only Link so many times. It's not like I can raise an army or something. Besides, I don't want to be seen as a warlord or some such. I want to set myself up first, get my views across before we think about any over-reaching conspiracy plots or anything like that. Even knowing there's an enemy to fight puts us in a better position than this morning, even if we don't know who they are. At least we can prepare."

"Speaking of that," Amy began curiously, "what are your views? You don't call yourselves 'Heroes', but 'Toa', and you don't like the Protectorate. Why? What does it mean to you to be a Hero?"

I sat there for a moment, contemplating my response. Something like this, one of the core tenants of what set me apart from the rest of the Cape scene before I realised I was different, was not something that could be answered easily. It was more of an internal creed, but I had to try.

"First of all, without getting too poetic about it, there are as many answers to that question as there are stars in the sky. Perceptions change, so what I view as a Hero may not be the same as your views."

"The Protectorate view the mantle of a Hero as someone flashy, out in the open, a white knight if you will. They're constantly visible, in the public eye, and fight the powered threats that seem to be everywhere, up to and including the Endbringers."

"But their insistence at being seen as the 'good guys' means they're unwilling to do what they should. It should be easy to clean up the city, but they let it seep deeper and deeper into ruin with every passing day. They only stick to areas where they'll be seen the most, like the Boardwalk and a few miles out from there. I can't even remember the last time a Protectorate patrol went down my street. Despite the fact they're murderers, they keep villains free on the off chance that they might help out in Endbringer battles, letting them free to make our lives a misery in the meantime."

"There's also the fact that they don't see anything other than fighting villains as a worthy cause. On one of my first nights out, I saw Armsmaster ignore a building on fire, a building with people in it, in order to go to a fight with the Empire. A fight where he didn't even manage to capture anyone. It was only due to the fact that I happened to be there that an entire family didn't die that day. And the Protectorate stood by and did nothing. They could do so much more! I mean, I have things that can cure disease, heal wounds and rebuild cities. How many Tinkers do the Protectorate have on staff? And none of them can see beyond the next power bracket on their laser rifle."

"In short, I see the Protectorate as more an organisation for fighting villains, rather than saving people. They're just another Gang. PR, territory and muscle. It's all the same. The only difference is that they're Government backed."

I paused a second, letting what I'd said sink in, before I picked up my speech again;

"And then there's New Wave."

I watched Amy tense, obviously ready to refute any points I could make against her team, but I soldiered on.

"In many ways you're the same as the Protectorate, with your white costumes and your public image. But there's differences too. The largest of which is your identities are public. Now I think the sentiment is great. Heroes that are accountable for their actions? Great! Now, if a Protectorate Hero gets the book thrown at them for a digression, leading to them being discharged, I wouldn't be surprised to hear a Hero showing up on the other side of the country with a similar powerset. Because we don't know who they are, they can get away with only a slap on the wrist, let their Cape identity take the punishment, and take up a new one elsewhere, scot-free. But the problem with New Wave is just that; everyone knows who you are. Look what happened to Fleur."

I ignored Amy's slight flinch, cringing on the inside at poking at that wound, but this needed to be said.

"And not everyone's family has powers to protect them. It works for your family because everyone can protect themselves, and no-one in their right mind is going to be gunning for you. But not all of us have that protection. And then there's the fact that New Wave is just that; Family. It makes outsiders less likely to want to join, especially if they have to unmask, and what of their children? When they first unmasked, it was fine, all involved had a say in making the decision, but for you, your sister and cousins? You had no say. They made your decision for you."

Leaning forwards, I stared hard into her eyes in order to get the message across.

"That isn't okay. Despite the fact you all seem to have borne the scrutiny well, it could have been a lot worse."

Leaning back, I pushed my hair back over my shoulder from where it had dropped when I leaned over.

"So, in the end, I decided to go my own way. I saw no-one protecting the people around me, so I changed my patrols to do just that. I saw a self-professed 'Hero' ignore people in danger in a bid to increase his fame in a hunt for glory. I refuse to take the title of 'Hero' because I have not yet earned it. I don't want to subscribe to the thought that just because you put on a costume and join a specific group, you are immediately granted a title everyone else in history before now has had to earn. I don't want to be part of an organisation that pumps out heroes like some sort of factory. If I am called that, it will be that I've earned it. Not before."

I took a deep breath to restore the air to my lungs, slightly out of breath after my speech. I hadn't even noticed that emotion had leaked into my voice at the end.

"And if I am to keep true to myself." I finished, calmer now, "To not start on the slippery slope that would lead me to being a villain, I need conviction. A code. One that I abide by, that prevents me from falling, from tarnishing the name I have taken as my own."

The silence that followed my words was charged with anticipation. I set my gaze squarely on Amy, her eyes wide as saucers, her attention firmly fixed on me. I sat there, calmly, waiting to see if what I had said would strike a chord in the girl opposite me, to see if I believed as I did. During the time taken to gather the others together, Lisa had fed her observations on Amy to my HUD, giving me an insight into the healer.

She was lonely.

Her social circle revolved entirely around her sister. She spent so much time at Hospitals in her capacity as Panacea that she legitimately didn't have anyone she could call 'friend' apart from Glory Girl. The knowledge reminded me of the black weeks after Emma's betrayal. I didn't want to let her languish any longer than I had to. She reminded me of myself so much it was painful. Just like the Telekenetic, she had a flimsy support structure. She deserved better. I was hoping we could be that for her.

"Your code." She swallowed, fisting her hands as she asked the question, "What is it?"

I smiled softly at the enquiry. That meant she was interested, or at least curious. Hopefully opening myself up to her somewhat would extend a level of camaraderie beyond the knowledge we both held.

"No killing, unless as a last resort in defence of your own life, or others." I recited the first line, memories floating through my head of nights sat around the fire of my forge discussing the very question Amy had posed earlier: What did it mean to be a Hero?

"To stand beside your sisters-in-arms, to have their back, and to have no role in betrayal. Of yourself, of those you fight beside, and of those you protect."

Emma broke me out of my memories, reciting the second line, eyes burning with determination and regret.

"To keep the honour of your name, and of those you stand beside."

Sophia picked up the chant, the third line delivered with the confidence of her long time as a cape.

"And to be upfront and transparent in all matters."

I closed out the code with a smile, the pact we'd taken flowing thicker than blood between us.

"So, you see, I take this seriously." I commented mildly, "And that is my, no our view. Does that disappoint you?"

"No."

The word came after a few seconds of silence, the brunette's mind obviously whirling, raking over my words, dissecting them in order to better understand me. She was the daughter of a lawyer after all.

"No. In fact I agree with that. I don't agree with all the points you made earlier, but your code, your values?" She looked me directly in the eye. "Those, I have no problem with."

"Good." I grinned. "So, do you have a question to ask me?" I spoke softly, in order to not spook the girl who was slowly coming to trust me. And I her. She flinched, shock flashing across her face for a second before guilt followed it.

"So you could tell huh?" she snorted despondently, her eyes fixed on her knees.

"Ever since you found out what I could do, you've been fighting with yourself." I confirmed. As I spoke, I saw Emma stiffen out the corner of my eye, but she said nothing. The four of us waited in silence for Amy to gather her thoughts, her hands trembling so badly I could see it from where I sat.

"My power isn't healing." She began, true fear on her face for the first time I'd seen. "I'm a biokinetic, I manipulate biology. It's how I'm able to heal, to tell what's wrong with a patient so fast."

She looked up at us, as though expecting us to run screaming from the room. Beyond tensing up at the confession, none of us had moved a muscle. Seeming to take support from this, she picked up her flagging confidence and continued;

"I've been having… urges, visions of what I could do with my power. And the results scare me. You understand right?" The last was spoken as a desperate plea, her eyes locked onto mine, wide with fear.

"I understand."

The simple acknowledgement of her fear seemed to calm the brunette, allowing her to sink back into the couch as I spoke.

"Not all powers are simple, or easy, or conform to the moral boundaries of those who get them. The reason I had Lisa sit in on our conversation was that she realised my power has distinct similarities to Teacher's."

She gasped slightly at the confession, and paradoxically, relaxed slightly, the small kernel of doubt that had remained in her face vanishing at the confirmation that I did share her fears.

"Now, thanks to what we learned, I know that it isn't. I prevent outside manipulation, not cause it. But that doesn't change the fact that I spent hours thinking I'd Mastered one of my friends. That will never go away. I will always have that shadow of doubt hanging over my head. And it's a bitter lesson to learn. How many of my creations could do the same? How long until I would really have Mastered someone, without even realising it, or something worse? It's taught me to be more careful, and to trust in my friends more."

…

"Thank you for telling me."

I looked up into her eyes, and quirked my lips ever so slightly.

"You're welcome."

She smiled.

"So can… can you use your power on me? Please? I… I don't want to do something, become someone I'll regret. Please?"

"Of course." I chuckled, "I won't leave you to that. Not if I can help it. But there's something I need to do first. It's only right."

Turning to my left, to where Emma sat as stiff as a board, resolutely looking anywhere but at Amy.

"Emma."

"Y-yes Mistress!"

My words caused her to jump, jolting out of her thoughts. I smiled, turning my hand palm-up, lifting it slightly in a signal. She all but jumped to her feet in front of me, such was her haste. As she stared at me, I thought about what to say. In my own fear, I'd hurt her, made her feel unworthy, or undeserving of my gift. She didn't deserve that. Especially not with how hard she'd been trying to make up for her actions. She'd need something more formal than what I used with Sophia, and Lisa. Something to make her feel appreciated.

"I'm sorry Emma." I began, shame colouring my cheeks and voice as I spoke. "I was scared. I didn't trust myself, and I hurt you. I'm sorry." All the books I'd read, all the flowery lines from speeches that Mom used to read to me at bedtime fled my mind as I looked at her, instead leaving me with the truth. Blunt. To the point. But it was sincere, ant that counted for everything.

"It's okay." She smiled softly up at me, "You have nothing to apologise for." I disagreed, but she wasn't hurt by it, and accepted my apology. I didn't want to push too far for fear of re-opening old wounds, so I forged on, straightening as I slipped into my 'Artakha' voice, looking my friend straight in the eye.

"Emma Barnes. Do you swear to stand beside us, family in all but blood, and to stand as my sword, to bring honour to the title of 'Toa'?"

She immediately sunk down to one knee, like a knight kneeling before their king, and replied;

"I do Mistress."

"Raise your hand." I commanded, folding my fingers into a fist as her own rose to meet mine. As they touched, finally, my power rushed into Emma's body, her soul almost seeming to eagerly take my essence into itself, making her more than she was.

As the flow finished, Emma leaped to her feet, and I could barely make out the glistening of tears in her eyes before she enveloped me in a hug. I relaxed into her embrace, returning the hug as she continued to chant 'Thank You' into my hair, softly enough I was sure none could hear it. She sniffed once, pulling back far enough for me to see her beatific smile, before she composed herself somewhat, disentangling herself from me as she sat down, her smile still firmly plastered upon her face.

With the long overdue task done, I turned back to Amy, who was looking at me with wonder once more.

"So Amy." I began, feeling a friendlier, casual approach would work best with the lonely girl before me. "Do you feel up to joining us, to being able to call us comrade, and friend?"

Her face lit up in the first smile that I'd seen from her yet, as she pressed her knuckles against my own.

"Yes."

Watching Sophia, Emma and Amy bustle around the kitchen in an attempt to make some dinner, I sunk down onto the couch next to Lisa, the blonde cocking her head in a questioning, pose, her ever-present smirk tugging at her lips.

"I'm fine. Just tired." I capitulated, knowing she wouldn't let me go without answering her unasked question. Her smirk only widened, and I had to question her claims of not being able to read me. "Fine, fine." I sighed, surrendering to the inevitable, "I'm just worried about how much faith everyone seems to place in me. It's hard to live up to it."

Scribbling cut across the noise of the three girls opening the cupboards, and I waited the customary few minutes for Lisa to write, turning my head to face the paper she dropped in my lap.

'But you already are. Their faith isn't unfounded, it's based off what you've already done, and not what they think you'll do. Take Sophia for instance. Her power destroyed her social life. She was adrift, living solely by night as her cape persona. You saved her from that, from a life of loneliness, and she wants to repay that. It also helps she sees you as the strongest person around her. Amy is much like Sophia. She's never really had friends. You saved her from loneliness as well, but you also saved her from herself, when you had no reason to do so. I shudder to think what would have happened if her issues had gone unnoticed.

Then there's me. You've saved my life twice over now, and that's not mentioning what you've done for my mind, and continue to do in order to protect me. I owe you. And so does everyone else. And Emma, well, what isn't there to say?

She went through trauma, something that very well could have triggered her if she were any weaker in spirit. She fights her way through it, finding a way to prop up her destroyed self-esteem, then her worldview gets torn out from under her, and she finds she's betrayed her best friend. Then, when she plucks up the courage to apologise, her fears almost end up killing you by her inaction. Then, when all hope seems lost, you reach out a hand to her, like a knight in a fairy tale, and promise to be her guiding light. Is there any wonder she's devoted to you?

Face it, you're already living up to your own legend. You just need to believe in yourself. We're all here for a reason. And that reason's you.'

I smiled, passing the pad back to Lisa, who accepted it with a nod, as though this was the way the world worked, according to her.

"Thanks again Lisa." I grinned, seeing my expression mirrored by the girl next to me. "Looks like you have to keep propping me up huh?"

Lisa smirked, rolled the page over and picked up her pen to start writing again.

Then the Endbringer sirens sounded.