Chapter 37
The next day.
It was a massive media appearance. They gathered outside of the fake front of the Association. Tables were set up for Amai, Sitch and Alley. The media packed with cameras, microphones and phones. They were gathered early in the morning to get a good spot. Amai was in the back, trying to settle his nerves. "It's not easy for you… I know, but please, let's do this and get this done." Alley said gently.
He nodded, Amai then turned to Sitch and cleared his throat. "I… apologize for not being forthcoming with this."
"We suspected something for a while, after all. I tried to look over your old files but found them gone…" he said offhandedly.
"Enough, let's do this!" Alley called.
They walked out, the cameras flashed every which way that nearly made the whole thing blinding! Yet as they sat down, the media pounced.
"Amai, is this the end of your career?"
"Amai, what will you do now?"
"How long have you kept this a secret?"
"How long do you plan on being a hero now that the world knows the truth?"
Question after question, Alley's head spun alone just trying to filter through the noise. Amai however was a pro at this and managed to calm them down.
"First off, I have no intention of ending my career. I will continue to do everything as I have always done if I am still wanted. If not, I will shift my focus and dedicate myself completely to Hero work, " he said and smiled. "It's amazing, despite the fact that the world has seen this other side of me, the media refuses to focus on anything else…"
"Miss Brawler, Miss Brawler, how long have you known? Was this hidden from you?"
Alley laughed. "You can't hide anything in my family. We have known for a while, yet out of respect for Amai, we didn't say anything for we fear that it would cause more harm than good."
"But you WILLINGLY hired a monster or Mysterious being?"
Alley smiled. "Ladies and gentlemen of the media, can I just ask you one thing… Do you honestly believe that ANYONE in my family would be concerned about this? Do you think Mr. Amai Mask was intending on taking us down from the inside?" she asked.
There was an awkward pause from them. She continued. "Let me say this, would you rather have someone with his abilities, work for us… or against us?"
No one answered her, so instead. They turned to Sitch. "Sitch, are you concerned that the corruption of the Heroes Association has followed you here?"
Sitch was dead serious as he said. "No," plain and simple.
But that wasn't enough for the news media. "Oh come on! You are having MONSTERS defend humanity? You think that's right?"
Sitch took a deep breath. "You need to understand something. I have dealt with this before the Association came to be. Before the fall, the Heroes Association made a new class for these kinds of heroes. The M Class Dragons in case you forgot. The only two members at the time were Garou and his wife Melee Brawler. As such, though out the years before the fall of the Heroes Association, the two worked hard to establish themselves as trust worthy heroes. Has anyone innocent died by their hand after establishing the M Class Dragons? No, their record speaks for itself. You are now questioning the ethics of the Association, run by Alley Brawler. The eldest daughter of Melee and Garou… She alone has put together this Association, the standards we serve the public by are ones she has created by observing the faults and short comings of the Heroes Association." He stated.
Alley was impressed as he kept his composure. The media however refused to let up.
"We are trusting our safety to monsters!" one reporter shouted.
"You have been for the past 8 years…" said Amai Mask. "Have you forgotten your statistics?"
She has to give credit where credit is due. Sitch and Amai held it all together for the press conference. Neither one backed down and yet they handled everything with great dignity!
"Miss Brawler, what is your take on the Neo Heroes? We have had their leader Blue claim that since the Heroes Association fell, what measures were put into place to protect your family are now gone. Meaning, you and your family are classified as monsters. Do you fear that the Neo Heroes will come after you and your family members?"
She paused for a moment. It was true wasn't it? With a deep breath Alley sighed but then said. "With all due respect to the Neo Heroes, we are not going anywhere. I have said before, I welcome their presence for we will have more people out there fighting monsters. If the Neo Heroes wish to focus on my family and eliminating us than to look out for the people of the cities, that will be on them. I have no ill will towards them, but I will say this. If they try and attack those I care about, I will defend them."
The media began to buzz. "That means you will fight them!"
"I said I would defend my family. I am well versed in conversing with people. Violence is not the answer. You of all should know this, and what would it prove if they decided to provoke us? It takes a lot to do so, and one should know the consequences. But as I said, if they rather focus on us than be the heroes the cities needs, that will be on them. Not us."
"Miss Brawler has proven a point." Sitch chimed in. "If energy is directed towards something and someone who is of no threat to the cities, that is a waste of not just energy, but funds as well."
Amai even piped in. "The ideals of what it means to be a hero have changed over the years, we need to accept and acknowledge this as a community and as human beings. Monsters have grown stronger, and we need to become stronger to combat them. You of all people have known my position on the matter. I have tried to abolish the M Class Dragons in my haste and let's say… stupidity in recent years. Only to be proven wrong about them. They fight harder than anyone I have ever known, they aim to take out a threat long before they cause damage or injury. We forget, ever since the M Class was started, deaths, destruction and injuries have gone down drastically"
Mummers were heard from the news people. They were trying to find something wrong with all of this. But so far, they only keep touting the same fact over and over again, monsters are being treated as heroes.
"Miss Brawler, if a Neo Hero were to attack you right now. How would you react?" one reporter asked with a smirk.
"I don't know, depends on the attack." She replied. "I mean, if they aim to kill me, I will certainly stop them. I will have to, for if someone here gets caught in the cross fire it would be terrible,"
"I do believe Miss Brawler has already made her position clear on the matter before, why bring a question like that…" Amai suddenly paused. He stared at this man oddly and then leaned over to Alley. "He's with them, wanted criminal yet part of the Neo Heroes… Underling to one Ryumon." He whispered.
Alley nodded as she began to see this man's hand move oddly.
She began to glow, so did the man. He froze still in her physic aura. "I do believe this would suffice. I would stop them like this, ensuring they couldn't move or reach for their designated weapon… like the one in your back pocket…" she turned him around and revealed the weapon to the media who were now snapping pictures like mad! He carried in his back pocket a gun of all things. "Now, I do believe media personal don't normally carry weapons like this to such events. I wonder why you have one?"
"It's not what it looks like! It's not loaded!" he said and smirked.
But Alley opened the gun barrel and bullets dropped out of it.
She turned to the rest of the media. But Amai decided to step in. "Now then, let's ask a real question here. Are you far more afraid of me defending you, or are you truly content with the idea that known criminals are now going to be the heroes that are to save you when you need to be saved?" he asked aloud. No one answered him. Alley dropped the man rather abruptly as she stood from her chair.
"Is there any other questions?" she asked.
No one said a word. "Thank you for the privilege of your time," said Sitch.
The three stood up and walked into the fake Association front. When the doors closed, Amai took a deep breath and appeared rather surprised. "Good observation, Amai. I thought there was something off about him, but I didn't know for sure…" said Alley.
Sitch nodded in agreement. "I have no doubt we have proven a point, but now I fear we have opened the door for the Neo Heroes to strike back. It's true that there is no protections for you or your family now." He said.
Alley nodded. "Despite it, we will still be the better heroes about this."
"I wish they saw the truth, it is strange though. I could be serpent and the people love me, when I hide this about myself I'm the bad guy."
"Humans can be fickled," Alley snickered. "Let's head in and see how the media is going to spin this… good thing I recorded the whole thing and aired it unedited live so they don't dice our words!"