Well… it's been a while. I am, in fact, not dead, and I apologize for the three-month hiatus. If I knew it would take this long to get out of a creative funk and write this damned chapter, I would have warned you, but regardless I got it done. I know it seems like the time between updates is getting longer and longer, but I assure you I'm trying to fix that.
I'm tentatively going back to the "every other week" upload schedule, but as always, no promises. I will say that this story will not die. I'm in too deep at this point, and to be honest, I need something to do until this whole covid thing is over and life can get back to semi-normalcy.
I've noticed a few new people following the story over the hiatus, so hello. If you're interested in this story, check out the discord—all sorts of fun stuff over there. Shoot me a PM on here or search Buixy#0273 on discord, and I'll invite you.
Enough rambling, on with the chapter.
Purpose of a Hero
The Maine Mall's food court was packed to the brim with people, even though it was in the middle of the afternoon on a weekday. On a typical day, a place like this would have been perfect for "people-watching"; something that had been her and Nathan's favorite activity over the past few years. However, after the events on the previous day plus one sleepless night, Melody could hardly summon the strength to drink the smoothie her aunt had bought her. Her head ached, and there was an increasing heaviness in her chest, which Frank (who'd been even more cantankerous after their training session) had attributed to her body's repression of her Quirk. Yet, she didn't have the heart to skip out on the "bonding shopping trip" her aunt had been so excited about.
And so, she'd taken advantage of her early start to shower and did her best to hide the seemingly ever-present bags under her eyes. She'd eaten her breakfast, despite having no appetite, and had piled into Miles' pickup truck with her aunt and grandmother to make the half-hour journey. For the entire ride, she struggled to keep her eyes from closing. Once they'd made it to the mall, after her aunt had dragged them to the food court (for what she called "Maine's best smoothies"), it became apparent that her lack of sleep hadn't gone unnoticed.
"You alright there, Moose?" Kate asked suddenly, making Melody jump slightly. She turned her seat to see her aunt and grandmother looking at her with worried expressions. She quickly waved her hand and took a subtle calming breath.
"Yeah, I'm fine. It's been a rough few days with the tournament and the training yesterday," Melody replied, hoping her tone of finality would convince them to leave her alone. She'd already put a lot on her newfound relatives' plates with her Quirk, so she really didn't want to add her recurring nightmares to their list of worries. Kate pursed her lips, clearly not convinced, but seemed to catch on to her anxiousness and smiled lightly.
"If you say so. Alright, any idea of where you want to stop first? There's no telling how long your training could last, so you're probably gonna need a few new sets of clothes, including underwear and toiletries, but beyond that, is there anything else you need?"
"A phone charger and maybe a stop at a book store, if there's one here?" Melody said, her voice trailing off. Kate nodded and got to her feet, dropping her own finished smoothie in a nearby trash bin.
"I know just the place. We can head there once we get you some clothes that actually fit," Kate announced, offering Linda a helping hand as the older woman got out of her seat. Melody frowned but quickly followed suit, nearly bumping into a man that had been trying to squeeze by.
Before they'd left, it had been a challenge trying to find some of her mother's old clothes that weren't several sizes too big, and, in the end, she'd settled on a pair of overly baggy jeans (she'd had to go to the final notch on the frayed belt she dug up to keep them from falling) and a sweatshirt her grandmother identified as a part of her mother's eight-grade cheer uniform (until that point, Melody had had no idea her mother had been a cheerleader).
'Come to think of it… I've learned more about mom these past few days than ever. Dad was always so quiet about her, but it seems like Kate and Grandma are eager to tell me everything there is to know,' Melody surmised, casting a look at her aunt, who was happily chattering away about almost every store they passed. 'There's still so much I don't know, but… mom's starting to feel like an actual person rather than a memory.'
"Here we are!" Kate announced, pulling Melody out of her thoughts. She glanced up and frowned at the – admittedly gaudy – storefront. The mannequins in the front windows were dressed in all varieties of different, colorful outfits, making them contrast brightly against the plain white background. Just one glance at her aunt's visible excitement, however, quashed any initial misgiving she had, and she allowed herself to be yanked through the front doors, much to her grandmother's amusement. "Alright! Mom, you wanna wait out here? You shouldn't be on your feet this long."
"Please, I'm not that old yet. Dr. Randolph is just a worrier," Linda shot back, smacking her daughter's shoulder. Mollified, Kate grinned, dragged Melody to the first rack of clothing she saw and began sifting through different shirts.
"She's really enjoying this," Melody said quietly.
"Humor her dear. It's been a while since she's been able to play dress-up. Poor thing was distraught when Sawyer started taking after his father's style," her grandmother whispered conspiratorially. Melody smiled and took a step over to the nearest display, though that smile quickly vanished when she picked up a t-shirt and noticed the price tag.
"Uh, you sure there isn't another store we could go to?"
"What? Why?" Kate asked, shooting her a concerned look. "Please don't tell me you're going through a goth phase. I was only little when your mother went through one, but I'm still scarred."
"What? No, no, it's just… this stuff is really expensive," she said apprehensively, placing the shirt back on the rack carefully. Kate looked at her quizzically for a moment, scoffed, and threw a different shirt at her. The bundled-up cloth hit her lightly on the head before falling into her hands.
"What? Would you rather walk around buck-ass nude? Come on, Moose, I've got fourteen years of birthdays and Christmases to catch up on," Kate said, smiling lightly and resuming her search through the clothing rack. "Don't worry about the cost, trust me, money is not an issue. Pick out whatever you like and try to act disappointed when you only find a few presents under your tree from us this year, alright?"
Melody, still feeling uncomfortable, looked to Linda once again for reassurance. Her grandmother patted her gently on the back and winked. "Best to just let her have her way. She gets pouty when she doesn't get it."
"I heard that!" Kate snarked, sticking out her tongue and shooting a mock glare at her mother. The childishness of it startled a laugh out of Melody, which made her aunt beam. The woman then abandoned the rack of blouses and began walking deeper into the store. "You pick out some shirts; I'm going to go look for some pants that'll make the boys in your class' jaws drop."
"Wait, what?" Melody spouted, feeling her face become hot. Kate guffawed and shook her head fondly.
"Joking, Moose. I never guessed you'd be a prude with how explicitly open your mother was. I won't get anything too bad," she commented slyly and disappeared behind a rack of hoodies. Once she was out of sight, Melody tried to will away the red in her cheeks and jumped when she heard a chuckle from behind her.
"I haven't seen Kate this carefree in years," Linda said, her aged face splitting into a warm grin. "Miles and especially Sawyer helped, but she's never truly gotten over your mother's death. They were always so close, despite the years between them. Having you around must almost be like having her best friend back."
"People always tell me I look a lot like her," Melody replied, her voice just barely above a whisper. Linda hummed and shook her head lightly.
"I won't lie and say that isn't a factor, but you are very much like your mother in many respects. She, too, was headstrong and bold. She cared very deeply for her friends, as do you if your actions during the festival are taken into account. To her, friends were family and could be trusted above all others, and God help you if you hurt any of them. She also never told us when she was going through something, like losing sleep." Melody flinched, but there was nothing accusatory in Linda's tone. If anything, the woman sounded nostalgic, even a bit wistful. Still, she could not meet the older woman's eyes. "Yet, at the same time, you and your mother could not be more different."
Melody paused in her inspection of a pale red blouse and looked to her grandmother for elaboration. Once it became clear that none was coming, she took a moment to reflect on what Linda had just told her. Headstrong was a word Axel had used to describe her often over the years (though Vanessa preferred "stubborn" or "impulsive"), and it was, in her mind, quite plain to see where her feelings towards her friends lie.
Her reverie was cut short when Linda began to speak again; this time, her voice sounded almost hesitant, embarrassed. "I know this situation isn't ideal for you, so I hope you don't mind how happy I am that you're here. We all are, even if not all of us show it."
"I'm glad too," Melody murmured, feeling her face heat up once more.
Purpose of a Hero
"No, Moose."
"It's too much! Let me put something back; I don't even need this much stuff," Melody protested, trying to make a grab for the pile of clothes, only to get her hand swatted at by Kate. The woman behind the counter gave them an odd look, her price scanner frozen halfway to the nearest pair of pants.
"Oh, come on, you're gonna be here for at least a few weeks, so splurge a little. Besides, it's not even that much! There are like… seven or eight outfits and some pajamas."
"Yeah, and they cost twice as much as all the clothes I have at home," Melody persisted. Kate simply waved her off and reached into her purse after sending an apologetic smile to the cashier. Seeing her aunt pull out her credit card made another wave of guilt wash over Melody, and she hung her head. "At least let me pay you some of it back."
"Yeah? Where are you gonna get the money for that, eh?" Kate shot back playfully. Melody's face fell for a moment before becoming thoughtful again.
"I usually pick up a few shifts in the summer in the restaurant; I can pay you back with that!" Her aunt seemed to evaluate this briefly but then shook her head and handed the cashier her card.
"No time for that this summer. First years have their apprenticeships, training, and summer homework. You're barely gonna have time to breathe." She hadn't thought of that. Mr. Holl had mentioned something to that effect earlier in the year, but with Yonkers and the tournament, it had slipped her mind. "Besides, and I'm saying this for the last time, we haven't seen you in over a decade. Hush up and let us spoil you a little, right, mom?"
"As I said earlier, dear: best to just let her have her way. Less of a headache for us," Linda said casually, ignoring her daughter's indignant "hey!". Seeing she wasn't going to win this particular argument, Melody sighed and, reluctantly, relented. The guilt gnawing at her only increased when she saw the final price of all her new clothes.
"Alright! Where to next?" Kate asked enthusiastically as they exited the clothing store. She didn't wait for anyone to reply before turning and walking off deeper into the mall. "You said you wanted to go to the bookstore, right?"
"Yeah, I need to pick up a copy of Your Quirk and You. I want to see if there's anything in there that could help me," Melody said. Kate nodded and pointed at one of the smallest storefronts they'd seen so far.
"Wait, wouldn't they have a copy at the Forge? Seems like a book they'd keep readily on hand, no?" She inquired as the group began to walk. Melody shook her head and hefted her bag of clothes into a more comfortable grip.
"I checked earlier in the year, and the librarian seemed really put out. Apparently, last year someone checked all the copies out. When they returned them, they were so heavily toxic a hazmat unit had to come in," Melody explained, recalling her experience with the rather crass librarian. Kate nodded as if this were a perfectly normal answer and looked as if she were about to address her mother when something caught her eye.
"Oh! We still need to get you underwear. Wanna do that first?" After the fiasco in the last clothing store, shopping for delicates with her aunt teasing her was most definitely near the bottom of Melody's bucket list. By this point, she knew her grandmother wouldn't help her (she was actually starting to get the idea that the older woman enjoyed seeing her being teased), so she quickly tried to think up a solution.
"Why don't we split up? Kill two birds with one stone? You can go and buy me… more clothes and I'll go to the bookstore and grab the books I need. That way… we can still hit a few more stores before we have to get back?" For a moment, Kate's eyes narrowed, and Melody was sure she'd seen right through her. Instead, her aunt's grin grew sinister, and she started walking towards the store very quickly.
"Good thinking, Moose! I'll make sure to pick you out some cute ones!"
"I'm already regretting this," Melody groaned, glancing up at the pale gray clouds through the mall's skylights. Behind her, Linda chuckled and sat down on one of the benches lining the hall. After leaving her bag with her grandmother and reluctantly taking a small wad of cash to pay for her books, Melody made her way through the sparse foot traffic towards the bookstore.
Stepping inside the small shop was almost like entering another world. Compared to the sleek, modern design of the rest of the mall, the bookstore's warm, almost homey feeling ("Sweeney Secondhand Books," according to the sign out front) was shocking. The single room was about the size of the common area at the girl's dorm and cluttered with floor-to-ceiling shelves and plump-looking armchairs. It appeared as if she were the only one in the shop until she spotted a large, bald man emerging from the back room. Upon closer inspection, Melody was fascinated to see that from the waist down, the man had the body of a serpent. When he saw Melody standing near the entrance, he smiled and greeted her in a gruff voice. "Welcome. Can I help you find anything today?"
"Yeah, I was just looking for a copy of Your Quirk and You by Selina Baumgartner?" She asked awkwardly. She was still getting used to the idea that the Quirk she'd worked so hard to harness was spiraling out of her control. 'At least once I get back, I can give this book to Narruk. Everything I've learned to help him might actually pay off in a different way than intended,' she thought morosely. The man smiled sympathetically and pointed towards a bookshelf situated against the left wall.
It didn't take her long to find the book, the gold etching of the title on its spine made it stick out immediately. The first thing she noticed about the book was how heavy it was. It was massive, nearly as thick as her head, and the size of one of her textbooks from school. Curiosity peaked; Melody balanced the book on one arm and flipped to a random page with the other.
It is still unknown what caused the outbreak of Quirks in the twenty-first century; however, recent studies may indicate evidence of Quirks themselves going as far back as the late ninth century. This includes the currently ongoing study of an 'iceman' from the twelfth century being found to have had a type of longevity Quirk, which allowed him to live between 150-200 years. The man, discovered in the Andes Mountains of Peru, is the oldest known Quirk user.
There are even some theories that Quirks could be the scientific explanation for various folklore from around the world. Although most of these theories don't have much evidence to support them, that hasn't stopped others from making connections. For example, the Jiangshi, a vampire from Chinese folklore, supposedly had the power to kill humans with just a single touch. Certain sects now believe this to be more fact than fiction and claim that the Jiangshi was, in fact, a Quirk using serial killer than haunted ancient China. Of course, this has been met with much criticism from the scientific co–
The passage continued onto the next page, but instead of reading on, Melody frowned and closed the book, a chill running down her spine. Shaking off the feeling, she secured the book under her arm and continued to peruse the shelves. Her hand traced across the colorful collection of spines until it came to rest on one that looked just as large, if not larger, than Your Quirk and You. A heavy feeling blossomed in her chest as she recognized the blocky green lettering. The Hero Compendium. She removed it from the shelf and, almost unconsciously, turned to page 394.
Harmony Kristenson
Alias: Teardrop, the Crying Hero
2274-2306
She was murdered by her sidekick, Miss Vesuvius, in the early morning hours of March 5th, 2306. Teardrop was an exemplary Hero, beloved by many and taken too soon. At the time of her death, she was ranked as the Number Three Hero in the United States.
Melody had always hated her mother's entry. Barely three sentences and forced to share the page with at least twenty other Heroes who had died on duty. The book mentioned nothing about her as a person, none of her amazing feats, her kindness… the family she was leaving behind. It spoke more about her death than her life.
"You alright, miss?" The shopkeeper asked, startling Melody into dropping The Hero Compendium, which landed with a loud thud. Looking slightly abashed, the man's tail circled around and wrapped itself around the book, raising it high enough to where he could grab it without bending over. "Sorry about that."
"No, sorry, I was just thinking too hard. I'll just… I'll get these two," Melody replied, taking the offered book and starting to walk towards the counter. The clerk nodded and slithered ahead of her, taking his place behind the register. As he scanned The Hero Compendium, he stopped.
"You know, if you're interested in the history of hero society, I'd highly recommend The Villain Index by Harvy Kane. I read it when I was in high school myself for a project. It's a very in-depth look at villainy in America. Plus, I can offer you a discount, and you'll get me a pat on the back from my boss, eh?" The man asked, one of his eyebrows ticking up questioningly. Melody chuckled and shrugged, allowing the man to pull a copy of the black book from under the counter and adding it to her bag.
"Thank you," Melody said, handing him the correct amount of money and taking her bag. The man gave her a warm smile as she turned and made her way to the door.
"Have a good one, Miss!" He called as the door swung shut. After a few heartbeats, he glided towards the storefront and locked the door, flipping the paper sign from 'Open' to 'Closed'. With that, he retreated to the backroom, shutting and locking that door behind him as well. The man's nose crinkled as his tail swept through a puddle of cooling blood. He made one last check through the small room before pulling a cell phone out of his waistcoat pocket. "Sir, it's Jormung. Your intel was correct; she was here. I'm gonna need a cleanup crew, but it seems like she has indeed started her training. Do we move on them?"
"No. Phase Two is our priority. Just keep an eye on her for now."
Purpose of a Hero
"Wake up, Moose. We're home." Without opening her eyes, Melody frowned and shifted slightly. While her aunt's voice had woken her, it took a moment for Melody to become fully aware and alert of the world around her. The first thing she noticed was how sore her neck had gotten from the odd angle she'd fallen asleep at, as well as the seatbelt digging into her shoulder. To her surprise, it appeared as if the sun was setting. 'I didn't realize how long we spent at the mall. Not counting the trip there and back, we must have been there for at least four hours,' she deduced while stifling a yawn. "You sleep like a freakin' log. I can't tell you how many times I've woken up Sawyer from yelling at those damned Massachusetts drivers."
"New York drivers are worse," Melody shot back jokingly as she exited the truck and nearly fell right on her face. 'Legs must've fallen asleep. I really shouldn't complain, though. That's the first time in weeks I've been able to sleep with no nightmares.'
"Oh, please! First of all, you don't even drive. How the hell would you know?"
"Language," the teen retorted instinctively.
"Second, I live in Queens, kid. Trust me, 'Massholes' are way worse!" Kate claimed, ignoring Melody's admonishment. Instead of repeating herself, like she'd do with any of her friends at school, she just laughed and shook her head. She glanced back in the truck quickly and noticed the absence of their shopping haul. 'They probably just brought them in while I was asleep. Man… I really need to find a way to pay them back for everything. I wouldn't feel right otherwise.'
"Mom!" A loud, high-pitched screech broke Melody out of her thoughts, and she whirled around just in time to see Sawyer come running around the side of the house, his face completely covered in dirt and the knee of his pants torn open. The boy looked as if he were about to hug his mom, but Kate held out her hand and stopped him halfway. She gave him a once-over before scowling and looking over his head.
"I'm going to kill that man. These are your school pants!" Kate bemoaned dramatically, making her son laugh. Melody allowed herself a small smile as well, which grew when an idea popped into her head.
"I could sew it up!" She exclaimed, capturing her aunt's attention.
"Really? They teach you sewing at the Forge?" Kate asked jokingly, making Melody roll her eyes.
"Trust me, growing up with my dad's training gave me plenty of practice. I haven't had to do it as much since I started school because the support division fixes our costumes," Melody explained excitedly. 'Finally, something I can do to start to pay them back for everything.' As if reading her thoughts, Kate rolled her eyes and directed Sawyer towards his cousin.
"Whatever you say, Moose. Go on, Soy. Change into your jammies and give those to Melody so she can fix them. I'm gonna have a talk with your dad that he isn't going to like," Kate said with a smile, though her words contrasted her cheery demeanor. Sawyer frowned thoughtfully for a moment, seemingly not wanting to leave his mother so soon after her return, but quickly shook the feeling away and ran over to Melody with a massive grin.
"Melly, did you know Aeroblast is forty years old! He's older than mommy. How is he still a hero?" The boy asked as he took his cousin's hand. Melody looked slightly taken aback by Sawyer's quick change of attitude and allowed herself to be dragged through the basement door.
Kate watched the door swing shut behind them and allowed herself a moment of quiet before turning on her heel and stomping up the stairs leading to the second-floor landing. However, she'd only made it about halfway up when she noticed a light on in the small utility shed on the border between the yard and the forest. 'Miles thinks he can hide, does he? Moron shouldn't have picked a place with power tools,' she thought, descending the stairs and starting to march towards the small green structure. As she got closer, though, she began to hear a voice emanating from the shack. The voice was far too deep to be her husband, and it sounded as if whoever was speaking was in the middle of an argument. She slowed her pace once she drew nearer and frowned when she recognized the voice.
"You think? No, that's not good enough, Rat. I need you to be one hundred percent sure on this one. Okay. Okay, calm down. Yes, I know. Thank you for telling me. I'll keep this channel open; let me know if anything changes." Kate stopped at the door just as Carlyle let out a sigh of frustration. There was a soft bang as if he'd just slammed something (most likely his cellphone) onto Frank's measuring table. The man swore quietly and began to pace.
Kate had thought she was being stealthy, but she must have made some sort of noise to alert Carlyle to her presence. The door swung open just as she raised her hand to knock, and the woman found herself facing down the barrel of a revolver. Her eyes widened, and she took a step back, nearly tripping over the bottom stair leading up to the shack. Carlyle stared at her in shock for a moment before letting out another sigh and slipping the handgun back into his waistband. "I apologize. I just got off the phone with an old friend, something he said put me on edge. Are you alright?"
"Am I alright? The fuck is wrong with you? Do you always just pull a gun on people who sneak up on you? I swear you better have a fucking permit for that thing!" Kate hissed, trying to keep her voice low. A brief flicker of amusement crossed over Carlyle's face, but it disappeared just as quickly as it had arrived. "You gonna explain why you're in the shed on the phone? With a gun?"
Carlyle flinched and glanced over at his cell phone, which was indeed sitting on her father's measurement table. The man gave her a sad, appraising look before he let out a breath and sank onto her father's stool (the one he always complained was too hard for his back). He ran a hand through his hair and began to fiddle with the cufflink buttons on his shirt. "They know we're here."
"What? Who? How?"
"The Black Order. An informant of mine just confirmed it. They know I brought Melody here and what I brought her here for," Carlyle said, his voice flat, betraying no emotion. Kate felt her blood run cold and glanced worriedly over her shoulder. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she stepped further into the confined shed and shut the door behind her.
"That doesn't make any sense. Frank made this place practically unfindable. It's not even registered in his name. How the hell did they find us?" Kate demanded, a bit of panic seeping into her tone. Carlyle shook his head and frowned.
"They shouldn't have been able to. The only ones who know where I was taking Melody were Derek Holl and Oddball. Unless they're compromised, I don't know how they could have found us other than dumb luck." Kate took a deep breath and leaned back against the wall, crossing her arms across her chest. Carlyle pondered for a moment, then his eyes widened. "Vesuvius."
"What?" Kate asked angrily, her previous fear and worry dissipating in an instant at the sound of the name.
"She was at the tournament. She's been here before, back when she was Harmony's student. That must be it."
"She was at the tournament? Miss Vesuvius was at the tournament? How the hell do you know? Why the fuck did you let her get away?" Kate roared, no longer trying to keep her voice down. Carlyle grimaced and gestured to the spot where he'd hidden his gun.
"She cornered me along with one of her subordinates. I was lucky she didn't seem to want to kill me. She's… unhinged. Much more so than she was all those years ago. She mentioned Frank in our conversation. She said that once Melody's secret got out…" Carlyle trailed off, his frown deepening. 'It's ironic. Right when I decide to be honest with my daughter and tell her about her Quirk, she goes and awakens it anyway. And on international television to boot. I'm so sorry, Melody, your path to becoming a Hero just became so much more difficult.' While Carlyle let his regrets consume him, Kate struggled to keep her breathing under control.
"Will they try anything? They obviously know dad's here. They can't think they stand a chance against him, do they?"
"From what my informant said, no. He overheard the Black Order's leader telling his operative not to engage. Most likely, they're keeping tabs on all of us. Plague is an idealistic fool, but even he's not stupid enough to attack the Reaper," Carlyle assured her. Kate bit her bottom lip and nodded reluctantly.
"So what do we do? Just let them spy on us?"
"I have a few contacts I can call in that should be able to keep them from getting too close. However, I'd advise against any more shopping trips. Our only hope is that Melody can complete her training before they find a reason to attack."
Purpose of a Hero
'I shouldn't have slept in the car,' Melody thought as she stared at the pale gray ceiling of her mother's room. According to her – now fully-charged – cell phone, it was nearly one in the morning, and sleep, as it so often had over the previous months, evaded her. She'd been the earliest to turn in for the night, and yet she was certain she'd be the last to fall asleep and most likely the first to wake up, and that's only if she were able to get to sleep in the first place. She almost wished she'd plugged in her phone before starting to mend her little cousin's school pants; then, she'd have had the chance to answer the hundreds of missed calls and text messages that her classmates had sent her over the past few days.
'I wonder how everyone is doing? I wonder who won the tournament. Damien wasn't in the best shape after… after fighting me, so I'd be shocked if he was able to pull through. Then again, he is one of the best in our year, right behind Lyon. I almost wish Clara and Payton had gone first. I'd have liked to see that fight. I don't know Payton's abilities all that well since Nathan only ever talks about his embarrassing moments, but he seemed pretty good in the earlier rounds. He's probably in the best shape as well, considering how much of a beating Clara took against Alpha. No matter what, whoever comes out of that fight is gonna be in rough shape. If I hadn't lost control against Damien…'
Melody groaned quietly and turned onto her side, facing the wall. She tried to push away the flurry of thoughts in her head, but whenever she dispelled one, another took its place. The memory of her violent outburst came to the forefront, and she scrunched her eyes shut, trying to will it away. When that didn't work, she changed her focus to a specific part of the memory. Arguably one of her best friends trying to reach out to her despite the danger.
'I wonder how Narruk is doing. Even after everything we've tried, he still lost control again. Well… I guess I can't really say anything. Maybe I'll learn something here that can help him too. The book should help more than anything. I only wish I could have gotten it sooner,' Melody huffed and flipped to her other side, her gaze lingering on the photo of Harmony and her friends before she turned to look out the window at the starry sky. 'I really hope Lyle and Andrew are making an effort to get to him. Other than me, they're the ones who have the best chance of getting him out of whatever funk he's in.'
Melody sat in silence, trying her best to clear her mind for what felt like an eternity before she growled quietly and flung her blanket off. 'I need some fresh air,' she decided as she stealthily made her way to the door. Despite her caution, the hinges made an audible squeak as she pushed open the door just enough for her to squeeze through. As soon as she was out of the room, she paused, listening for any sign that she'd woken anyone up. Instead, to her confusion, she could hear faint voices coming from the living room below. 'That's odd. Everyone else should be asleep.'
For some reason, she couldn't identify, her heart rate increased tenfold as she crept slowly and silently down the stairs, taking care to avoid the fifth from the bottom (which she'd learned earlier squeaked when anyone stepped on it). When she reached the bottom, she saw it was the television making the noises she heard. She let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, but then her throat closed up as she took a closer look at the TV. Without realizing it, she took a few more steps into the living room, her eyes wide.
"–ot quite the toughest Villain I've faced, but he certainly did pack quite the punch. If it weren't for my mentor, it would have been a much more difficult fight." Once her surprise had passed, Melody felt her eyes fill with tears and bit down on one of her knuckles to stifle a sob, while her other hand scrambled to anchor her to a reclining chair. The woman on the TV laughed at something that was said to her by someone else just out of Melody's focus. Any intention of going outside disappeared in an instant as her eyes became transfixed on the screen.
"Mom." Melody let out a watery laugh as she stared at her mother. She'd only ever seen the woman in photos or blurry internet videos, and none of that could have prepared her for the woman she saw. It appeared to be an interview of some sort since her mother was dressed in her full Hero costume. Immediately, she began to study her mother's mannerisms, the things that pictures couldn't capture very well. When her mother laughed at something the interviewer said, it shook her entire body. She spoke animatedly with one hand while the other rested on the arm of the chair she was sitting in, her fingers tapping rhythmically. It was obvious that despite her Hero costume, her mother had put on makeup for the interview, and her hair was braided in a way Melody had never seen before.
"Oh? Couldn't sleep either, sweetie?" The sudden voice behind her nearly made Melody jump out of her skin. She spun around and saw Linda standing in the doorway.
"N-No, I couldn't," Melody managed, feeling slightly overwhelmed. Linda gave her a knowing look and took a seat on the couch. She patted the seat beside her, and it took a moment for Melody to realize she was asking her to sit. She walked over to the couch like a zombie, constantly glancing over her shoulder to check that her mother was still there. Once she finally sat, Linda reached over and squeezed her knee reassuringly. "W-What is this?"
"An interview your mother did, oh maybe six years before you were born. She was still relatively low ranked around this time, so her taking out a big crime family was all over the news," Linda explained nostalgically. Melody, despite her eyes still being glued to the TV, listened intently.
"I didn't know she did interviews," Melody admitted, reaching up to wipe her eyes with her sleeve. Harmony's nose scrunched up on-screen in response to the interviewer's question, and she leaned back in her chair.
"Oh yes, she did quite a few. As much as she complained about the press, she was always keen on the limelight." Linda sent her granddaughter a sidelong look and frowned. Almost as if on cue, Melody spoke up and confirmed her suspicions.
"I've never seen one before. I've looked, but I-I could barely find anything with her voice. The most I could find was that stupid car commercial she did," Melody admitted, her face still split in a smile. For a brief moment, Linda allowed herself to grin along with her grandchild, but that was quickly replaced with a frown. 'Kate mentioned something years ago about there being a lack of Harmony on the internet. I always thought she was exaggerating…'
"I recorded every interview she ever did. From the time she graduated right up until a few weeks before her death. If you'd like, I can have Miles make copies for you?" Melody's face lit up, and she nodded eagerly before turning back to the screen. While she felt a rush of affection for the young girl, Linda still couldn't help but frown. 'I knew you sheltered her Carlyle but to this extent? The poor girl hasn't heard her mother's voice in eleven years, but I know you still have Harmony's home videos. I trust you had your reasons, but from now on, they're moot. I will not let my daughter's legacy die because of your paranoia.'
"And as I understand it, you're planning to take on your first sidekick in the coming months, right?"
"Oh yes, she's a fresh graduate, so I may have to break her in a bit, but I believe she has the potential to be something great."
Purpose of a Hero
Sorry if this chapter was disjointed at any point. I did, in fact, write portions of it literally months apart. Lemme know what you thought. Only three chapters left in this arc (though there are two chapters in between this and the next arc), so let's see if Melody can conquer Life Drain.
I'll try to get the next chapter out relatively quickly, but in the meantime, go watch the Bad Batch if you aren't already. If you're a fan of Star Wars (and especially the Clone Wars), I'd highly recommend it.
Alright, I won't keep you too long. On with the preview:
NEXT TIME ON THE PURPOSE OF A HERO:
Chapter 54: Symphony of Life