2.3

I stood beside Mash and Goldolf, who was nervously shifting from right to left in discomfort as the black armored P.R.T. personnel secured the subway. I looked around, seeing the two heroes who had arrived earlier talk amongst themselves. They pointed in the direction Felix Swoop had left and then threw glances at me. My vision was obstructed by another costumed woman.

"You seem tense," the heroine Prism stated as she took a step towards me. Her skintight hero suit was decorated with an array of colors on her arms and legs, as well as belts and a mask that covered the upper part of her face, leaving her mouth exposed. Her blonde hair swayed left and right with her movement. The mask reminded me of Batgirl now that I thought about it, but the mask had lenses unlike the comic book hero.

"I'm fine, really, it's just...uh…" Gotta think of something! "I'm a little nervous after the ambulance thing."

"Yeah, that was highly irresponsible and dumb. Though we can overlook it thanks to your efforts in fending off yet another villain." Prism snorted and gave me a thumbs up. "In my opinion you're good."

"Marvelous!" Goldolf placed his hands on my shoulder and I looked up at him. He was giving a blinding smile and demonstrating his usual swagger, though the sweat rolling down his face, as always, told me how nervous he was feeling. "I had been quite worried that Miss Fujimaru and Miss Kyrielight would've gotten into some serious trouble after the stunt they pulled. Hahaha!"

"The higher ups are still considering the consequences of her stunt." The heroine's words made me wince and Goldolf stiffened. Prism shook her head. "When I say it was irresponsible and stupid I meant it. Stealing an ambulance after rescuing the hostages and leaving an entire group of criminals injured was horrible for the medics, especially the confusion you caused with us trying to determine if the medic you created was the real one or a fake...or the fact that we had to stay with two dead bodies out in the public for longer than what we were comfortable with."

I bit my lip, blinking when I noticed I was looking straight at the ground. It'd been years since someone talked me down this bad and it had me feeling shame. For fuck's sakes, what the hell was I thinking? Well I wasn't and it wasn't my decisions, but still. I clenched my fist and—

"It wasn't Sempai's fault…"

I blinked and looked at the pale haired girl. "Mash…"

The glass wearing Demi-Servant glared at the silent hero. "Sempai saved those people...Sempai has been through enough stress in the past few months...I promised I would protect her, I wasn't going to let her stand in front of something that was hurting her."

"Mash...calm down, really…" I placed a hand on her shoulder, seeing my faithful friend stand in defiance. She shook her head.

"I refuse. I won't let someone judge Sempai unfairly."

I felt a smile tug up my cheeks at my best friend's words. Mash, no matter what or who or where, she was always reliable. Always standing before me like the shield she swore to be for me. I found myself standing straighter and looking at the hero with more confidence.

Prism frowned, cocking her head and then looking at me. "Is she another one of those minions you can create?"

"W-What…!?" My composure was broken slightly at her words and the heroine looked at Goldolf.

"Is he the same?"

She ignored everything that Mash said...because she thinks I can create minions…? Wait is that how they have me categorized!? I didn't know how to feel about that, but— I'm definitely not letting someone think Mash is just a fake!

"She's real, don't treat her like something that doesn't exist!" My tone came across harsher than what I had planned. I took a step back and looked at Mash. The girl let a happy smile cross her lips, and I let out a breath as I focused back onto Prism.

"Sorry…" the heroine amended quickly, taking a step back. "I didn't mean to offend. I'm just curious about your powers, that's all. Again, sorry."

"Don't worry." I sighed, calming myself down and giving the hero a small smile. I need to back off and get negotiations underway. "So...uh, is Chevalier coming here? Or…"

"We'll be transporting you to the P.R.T. building actually." Prism frowned. "There was word of the Teeth being seen near North Bergen, New Jersey yesterday. If our intel is correct then that means they may be coming to retrieve Hemorrhagia."

"And take revenge on me, right?"

"...I can't deny that." The heroine sighed and turned towards the young heroine. "Flechette, are we done investigating where the annoying bird ran off to?"

"Yep." Flechette walked towards us and smiled at me before turning her attention back to the older woman. "Swoop ran down one of the maintenance shafts leading to the old subway underneath. He's probably running off back to Harlem."

"Making him not a priority right now." Prism nodded. "We can arrest him later, though I would like to leave the Adepts to take the brunt of the Teeth attacks for now."

"The brunt of their attacks? Miss Prism...you would leave two villains group to fight that freely?" Mash questioned, her frown making the heroine shift.

"It isn't as we like to do it, but the Adepts seemed to have fancied themselves to be some force of necessary evil for New York. Since they want to play it that way, we let them; it lets us focus on getting the civilians out of the way of the crossfire." Prism crossed her arms. "Besides, the Teeth are focusing back on New York thanks to Felix Swoop apparently taking territory from them."

"You allow villains to do such things?" Goldolf rubbed his chin in thought.

"Of course we don't! We didn't even know that the Teeth had something like that, especially with them being on the move all around the U.S." She sighed and gestured for the stairs that led out of the subway. "Anyhow, let's get you to the P.R.T. building for that interview."

I nodded at Mash and Goldolf, and we followed after the two heroines. I looked back at black military personnel and at the medieval hero as they continued with their investigation. I frowned.

"Are we going to leave the others behind? What if they ambush him?"

"No need to worry about Jouster, he can take care of himself." Flechette looked back with a smile. "The squad of P.R.T. officers are all trained to fight against super powered people, so they'll be fine."

"Besides, Ursa Aurora will be coming here to help prevent that." We reached the outside of the subway, seeing a crowd of people gather around and being held back by more of the military people. An armored black van was waiting for us. Prism turned towards us. "After you."

I got inside the vehicle, noting the simple and effective interior. It reminded me of a SWAT van as I took my seat. Mash and Goldolf followed suit, sitting to my sides. The man was sweating as he looked around. The heroes sat on the opposite side of us, both quiet. There were footsteps, the van dipped to one side and the driver got on. A minute later the vehicle was finally on the move.

Prism looked at us. "I don't want to look like I'm intruding in your personal life, but you aren't from America...are you?"

Small talk...I can get information from this society and the events from out of them. It would also improve my chances with negotiations. And this is the perfect excuse to use for me not knowing stuff. "Yeah, we aren't from America."

"Indeed, indeed!" Goldolf gladly stepped in. "As a man of honor and class I took in both misses when they had nowhere to go! Truly a generous act befitting of the Musik family."

"...right…?" Prism's response made me look at the blond man. He merely coughed into his fist, looking away. "Well if he is your legal guardian then it should make it easier to get you into the Wards. Let's just hope that all the paperwork doesn't take to long, we really could use someone like you in our group."

Paperwork…! Oh shit I forgot about that sort of thing…!

This was problematic, we all had been so busy trying to get things in order that I didn't even consider something as filing paperwork to be an issue. I'd been stumbling forward for the past few days and it was messing with my chances of making things right. Keep it together...handle that issue when you get to it…

"So...what was up with that guy? Does he go around trying to make every pretty girl join his gang?" The heroine smirked at my words and nodded.

"Swoop really likes to think of himself as this big charmer who can get any girl. Problem is he can come off as a creep at times." She leaned forward. "But birdbrain isn't the one leading the gang. He's a lackey who is smart enough and rose through the ranks up to the Third Tier of that group, by picking his enemies well and making himself too valuable to get rid off."

"Too valuable?" Mash asked, tilting her head to the side. Flechette butted in.

"Yup, he somehow found a way into the old subway system and pretty much managed to figure out how to traverse it a few months ago. So with the Adepts playing around and going wherever they liked, things have become a hassle. Especially if everything goes into another Boston Game situation." She sighed, mumbling. "Things in Boston and Brockton Bay are getting heated...the Endbringer attack in Florida didn't help at all with the tensions though…"

"Flechette…" Prism looked at the younger heroine and she winced. I frowned at that. Just how much trouble were the heroes having? It was weird seeing superheroes be put on their back foot. But, I believed they would find a way.

We sat in silence, waiting to arrive at the P.R.T. building. I leaned back and closed my eyes, thinking over how I would negotiate for Solomon's Ring.

Have to think of it as a wedding ring, if I keep thinking it's a Noble Phantasm then I'll lose the negotiations. So what can I reveal? My hands clenched and I took a deep breath. The end of the world is crucial, I can't hold that back. The details are unfortunately lost on me but that fact is something I have to open with. But how would I know this...I would have to reveal that I'm from an alternate world. It wouldn't be the first time I've revealed something ridiculous like I'm a time traveling or from another timeline while I was in a singularity or lostbelt...the question is if they would believe me. I need to show my hand and appeal to that hero, Chevalier's sensibiltivities. Hrm...this is risky and-

My body jerked left, the air rushing out of my lungs as my world spun.

CRASH!

I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth as the vehicle flipped end over end and-

CRACK!

I felt blood rush to my head and my eyes snap open, looking at the upside down Prism. The heroine had blood running down her nose. A groan made me look at Flechette, who had her arms hanging limp.

"S-Sempai…!" I turned my head, looking at the dizzy Mash. I tried to reach for her, then groaned as my arms feel like lead. Letting them drop I looked at the sweaty and shifty looking Goldolf. I groaned and tried again to move. My hands went for my seatbelt, detaching it and letting myself drop-

"Gah!" I landed on my right shoulder and my world turned white.

"Sempai!"

"I-I'm fine! I'm fine!" I gritted my teeth, turning towards Mash. I went to help get the seatbelt off her, being careful not to let her fall. THUNK! I cringed and looked back, seeing Prism had gotten down as well. She moved and helped Flechette down as well. The heroine looked at me as she set the younger girl down.

"Stay here...under attack, we-!"

CRUNCH! PRAK!

Her words were drowned out as the side of the van was ripped off by a large ragged and sharp claw. The vehicle's side was thrown without a backward glance by a monster with bone plating covering its body and snout. The gray and bony monster snarled, planting itself on all-fours and leaning close to us. Prism stiffened and leaned back.

"A-Animos!?"

"Y-yourgh harve shomepin tats mine…!" the creature snarled. It pulled its head back and roared.

I flinched, covering my ears. I looked at the monster and saw movement behind the walking nightmare. Gunmen wearing familiar armor.

Oh fuck me...why the fuck do villains want to take revenge on me now of all times!?