Ayo, been a while (again). Not to say up here, so enjoy
Purpose of a Hero
"Get up! You're nowhere close to being done," a harsh-faced man roared. When his only answer was a whimper, the man turned around and glared at the small, frail-looking boy curled up on the ground. His face darkened, and he stomped over to the boy, his foot coming down hard on his splayed hand. "Get up, boy. You've only got an hour left before school, so if you don't want to go with an empty stomach, get off your ass!"
"I… can't! It hurts!" The boy screeched, though he did appear slightly more aware as he tried, unsuccessfully, to push the man's boot off his hand.
"It hurts because you're fighting it. Because you're afraid," the old man said, his mouth curled in a sneer. He knelt beside the boy and grabbed him by his hair, forcing his face nose to nose with his own. "How many times must I tell you? We do not feel fear unless it comes from our victims. Get it through your thick skull!" the boy flinched at his grandfather's harsh tone. When the grip on his hair and the boot on his hand both retreated, the boy drew into himself, making himself as small as possible as his grandfather loomed over him. "Kristensons are above fear, above weakness. Our powers put us on a pedestal above the weaklings that permeate this world. The sooner you let loose your childish inhibitions and embrace our family's gift, the sooner you can take your rightful place by my side."
"I don't want to be a… monster," the boy whispered. His grandfather once again knelt beside him and he braced for a blow that never came. Instead, he jolted as the old man smiled softly at him.
"Not a monster, Franky. A god."
Purpose of a Hero
Frank started as the sound of a chiming bell broke him out of his reverie. He glanced over his shoulder cautiously but relaxed when a short old woman stepped into the shop and waved at the clerk. 'Odd. It's been years since I paid the old bastard a passing thought,' Frank scoffed lowly, not to disturb the other patrons filling the isles around him. 'The girl thinks she has it bad. Compared to what he put me through, my training so far has been almost pleasant. She's lucky. With how soft she is, she wouldn't have lasted one day under his tutelage.'
Frank paused just before a shelf lined with brightly-colored roses in water-filled vases. Curiously, he ran a finger along one of the bouquet's stems and hummed. 'Not quite what I was hoping for, but they've got some life left in them.'
The young woman at the counter smiled brightly as he approached with a pair of bouquets in his arms. "Hey there, James! It's been too long!"
"Yes, it has, Teena. As Marie is always quick to remind me," Frank replied, faking a smile as he placed the bundles on the counter.
"Aw, she won't stay mad at you when you give her these. You've always had a fantastic eye for flowers. Back when you were a regular, my gran and I would always try to guess which would catch your eye. She always said you'd pick the freshest, regardless of type, but I was always on the lookout for you to go off the board," Teena said as she punched away at her keyboard. Frank chuckled and turned his face towards a display of daisies to hide his sneer. 'Always talkative.'
"Be sure to give your grandmother my best," Frank said, placing a small stack of bills down on the counter and grabbing his purchases. He returned the young woman's wave half-heartedly as he left the shop. As he exited, he quickly became aware that someone was watching him and subtly glanced to his left, only to see a small girl staring up at him with a wide smile. He ignored the girl and made his way to his old, worn-out truck. As soon as he pulled out of the parking lot, he let out a breath he wasn't aware he was holding.
'Paranoia. I haven't felt like this since I retired. That encounter yesterday is bothering me more than I'd like. Since when are two teenagers in way over their heads enough to shake me?' Frank growled at the thought. Suddenly the car behind him honked its horn and swerved into the other lane, quickly overtaking him with the driver flashing him a rude hand gesture. 'I'm even losing control over Hate Reaction. This is all Carlyle's fault. Just when I'm finally out of the fight with my family out of danger, he has to pull us right back in. Led the enemy right to our doorstep without a second thought. Why the hell am I taking this risk? I should have kicked them to the curb the moment they set foot in my home.'
Once again, his mind began to wander; only this time, it was filled with the memories of the previous night. 'It's almost scary how similar she looked to Harmony when she went off to school. That was one of our louder shouting matches.' As he pulled into the driveway, he sighed at the sight of his son-in-law standing on the deck, hunched over the railing and staring off into the sky. 'Coward couldn't even look her in the eyes when faced with the consequences of his lies. He'll be lucky if the girl ever trusts him again.' As he parked at the top of the driveway, his gaze turned toward the woods surrounding their home. From what he'd heard, Melody hadn't left her room for her combat training that morning, and the breakfast that Linda had left at her door had gone uneaten. 'If she's anything like Harmony…' his thoughts trailed off as the face of his grandson popped out of his dashboard.
"Gramps!"
"What has your mother told you about phasing into cars, Sawyer," Frank said, though there was none of the usual venom in his tone. The boy grinned widely before disappearing into the hood. The old man rolled his eyes and made sure to grab the twin bouquets from his passenger seat before exiting his truck. "Anyone seen your cousin yet, troublemaker?"
"Nope! She didn't even come back for Grammy's chop suey!" Sawyer answered brightly. Frank paused and gave the boy an appraising look.
"Come back?" He parroted. Sawyer nodded though his attention was clearly more focused on the small toy he'd picked up from the grass. Despite his suspicions about the answer, he tapped the boy on his shoulder and asked again. "Come back from where, Sawyer?"
"Woods! I saw her going out there when I was looking for foxes," the boy said thoughtfully. 'Thought so. Stubbornness certainly does run in the family.'
"If you do see a fox, no petting. Those things'll bite your hand off. Only reason they keep coming around is your grandmother giving them fucking cheese," Frank told the boy, who giggled.
"Fuck!" He cried, drawing a genuine laugh out of his grandfather, who clapped him on the back and gave him a soft push in the direction of the house.
"Thatta boy. Go tell your mom all about foxes and your new word." Sawyer followed his order and ran back towards the house, waving over his shoulder before entering through the basement door. 'His training should go much better. The kid's already a damn natural with the fundamental aspects of Life Drain. Not to mention… he's got a much better support system than the rest of us did.' Pushing away the unpleasant thoughts before they could permeate his mind, Frank set his sights on the forest. 'This can only go well.'
Purpose of a Hero
Despite everything that had happened over the past weeks and due in no small part to her grandfather's absence, Melody was starting to love the forest surrounding her new family's home. The trees had become mostly barren during her stay, but even still, they put Central Park to shame with their beauty. Even the ever-cooling air served to soothe the previous night's anger. 'I can see why mom used to come out here a lot. It's super peaceful when you don't have to worry about a crappy old man and your Quirk not working.' She sighed and pulled her knees closer to her chest, making herself as small as possible. 'Although… having a Quirk that doesn't work is a much better option than one that kills people. I think I'd rather have no Quirk at all.'
She frowned at the thought and hung her head back to rest against the rough bark of the tree supporting the structure. Her line of thinking quickly descended into turmoil. As much as she hated the idea of her Quirk being used to take life, the idea of being without it was frightening. It would be like losing a limb or her sight. 'Without my Quirk, I'd have never gone to the Forge. I wouldn't have met Kira or Andi, or Narruk. My dad would have never had a reason to bring me here… I would have never met my family.' Out of every possibility, the final scared her the most and made her feelings turn bitter. While she couldn't say she held any love for Frank, the same could not be said for the rest of her newfound family.
Linda acted as if they'd known each other her whole life, giving her the first actual motherly presence she'd ever had. Kate's quick wit and firecracker temper had done more to put her at ease than any meditation she'd ever done. Miles was always prompt with tips and advice during training and never held back from complimenting her successes and making her feel better about her failures. Sawyer had become attached to her hip in the short periods they had between her training and his bedtime, dragging her all over the house with his Pro Hero action figures. They had welcomed her with open arms but, while undoubtedly one of the best things to ever happen to her, her homecoming had left her more than a little bitter towards her father.
'How much more is he hiding from me? I don't understand why he lied. There's no universe where it was really for my own good. How is keeping such big secrets going to benefit me in any way?' In truth, she'd always known her father was hiding things. It was very apparent by how little she knew about her parents' lives before she came along. She'd heard more about their relationship from Linda than her father. Then there was his reluctance to tell her anything about his childhood and formative years. No, secrets were nothing new when it came to her father, but she'd never imagined his secrets to be quite so life-changing for her. "What else aren't you telling me, dad?"
"Quite a lot, I'd imagine." Melody started so badly at the sound of her grandfather's voice that she smacked her head against the tree and toppled over the side of the moldy slab of wood. She scrambled to her feet as quickly as she could and whipped her head around to glare at the old man. "Spare me the hateful looks, would you? It's your own fault for not being on guard, or did you forget that I was the one who found you here on your first night?"
"More like I was expecting you to keep avoiding me at all costs," she shot back. Frank rolled his eyes at her and leaned back against a large maple tree. For a moment, the two simply glowered at one another, though Melody felt no rage building in her gut. 'So he can interact with someone without abusing his Quirk.' There was certainly still anger in her, but it wasn't as all-consuming as it had been.
"You skipped morning training," Frank said simply. His nonchalance threw Melody through a bit of a loop. Usually, when he spoke to her, there was an air of loathing or impatience accompanying it. He seemed somehow different than how he usually was, more relaxed. 'I don't think I even want to know what those flowers are for,' she thought, her brow furrowing at the sight of the bouquets.
"Wasn't feeling up to it," she replied cautiously. To her surprise, Frank nodded and began walking towards her, setting the bouquets down on her mother's treehouse.
"Good. That means you'll be at your best for once." The old man stopped a few feet away from her and surveyed the area around the small fort. "You seemed pretty relaxed up until I got here. Much more so than you ever were in the clearing. Who knows, maybe training in a place you are more comfortable in will help?"
"You seriously think I'm still going to train with you?" Melody asked incredulously. Frank gave her an unimpressed look, but said nothing. Once it became clear he was waiting for her to speak again, her anger began bubbling back to the surface, only this time it was completely free of Frank's influence. "You're a villain! You're a murderer! The Villain Index has a whole section dedicated to you and all the people you've killed! And that's only the ones they can confirm, there are dozens more that are thought to have been committed by you! You think I'd be okay having someone like you as my teacher? You're lucky I don't go to the police or Hero Commission!"
"And what a wonderful idea that would be. If you want to throw away the family you've just found then be my guest," Frank replied, his voice cold. Melody scoffed and took a step towards him.
"My life would be better off without you! All of your useless training, you belittling comments, and your insufferable Quirk, I'd be over the moon if I never had to deal with any of them again, so yes I think I could do without you in my life."
"You don't get it do you? When I say you're throwing away your family I don't mean me," Frank said ominously, causing Melody to pause in her tirade. The two were mere feet away from one another now, allowing her to see the clear detached amusement in his expression. Sensing her hesitation and preempting her question, Frank continued: "I wonder how long it would take the Hero Commission to figure out my wife and kids knew about my past for over two decades and didn't once try to report me. A little suspicious, wouldn't you say? Melody paled at the suggestion, her lips pressing together so tightly they turned white. "I imagine they'd have a few questions and even if they played it off like they didn't know, the ensuing scandal would undoubtedly cost your uncle his job and ruin their reputation. That's not even factoring in the family members of my victims who may be looking for revenge. So go right ahead, report me, girl."
"You're a monster," Melody spat, her voice trembling slightly. Frank's mouth quirked downwards, he let out a breath and deflated. In that moment, he truly felt the weight of his seventy-six years.
"My sins have led me to become the person I am today. Despite the blood on my hands, I've put my past behind me and forged my own path, detached from the one set out for me." Frank set her with a tired look and ran a wrinkled hand through his wispy white hair. "I don't regret any of it. This Quirk of ours is a curse, but it has allowed me to keep my family safe. After all I've done, protecting those I love is the very least I can do. As much as I loathe to admit it, you're a part of my family as well, so I'll keep my promise and train you to control Life Drain to the point where my help is no longer required. Besides, I've started to come to the realization that I'm not getting any younger and if anything were to happen to me, someone has to be around to teach Sawyer."
For her credit, Melody kept up her icy facade, though it took tremendous effort considering just how gobsmacked she was by her grandfather's speech. Not only had he seemingly opened up (if only a small bit) to her, but he'd also acknowledged her as a part of his family, something he'd been very adamantly against for the past two weeks. However, she still wasn't satisfied. There was still too much she didn't know. One question, above all else, forced its way to the front of her mind. "My mom knew. Did she ever think about reporting you?"
"No," Frank answered instantly. "If there's one lesson of mine that actually broke through to her it was that 'family outweighs everything'. She believed that more than anything. I think the reason she was so hellbent on becoming a hero was because of that sentiment. She was trying to compensate for my sins." Melody was shocked by the pain in his voice. To her surprise, Frank looked away from her with sadness in his eyes. The past few moments, he'd expressed more emotion than she'd thought was possible. The silence stretched on for a few long minutes before Melody gathered her courage and cleared her throat gesturing to the treehouse.
"I… I think this place'll be nicer than the clearing for training. So what's with the flowers?"
Purpose of a Hero
It had taken most of his remaining birthday money, agreeing to be on dish duty for the next month, and his limited edition, one-of-a-kind, signed Pallet trading card, but in the end, Taiga had managed to convince Dominick to help him out. His classmate certainly wasn't happy about the plan he'd come up with, but based on everything he'd observed and knew about Narruk, this was the best way to get him to open up a bit. 'Besides… catching him off guard means he won't have that giant axe with him. Silver linings!' Taiga thought enthusiastically. "I hope you know this is one of the most idiotic things I have ever seen you do, and that is saying something," Dominick drawled, his brow knit in concentration.
"Drastic times call for drastic measures."
"Yeah, I'll be sure they inscribe that on your tombstone. Ready?"
"As rain!" Taiga answered. As Dominick held up his hands, Taiga flexed his fingers, willing his claws to extend. His classmate gave him one last look — his expression clearly indicating that he thought this plan was idiotic — before he splayed his fingers wide, and a crack appeared in the air just above the practice field. A muffled swear emanated from the crack before a teenage boy fell out of it. To Taiga's surprise, Narruk managed to hit the ground in a roll and was back on his feet instantly. 'Good reflexes on him.'
"And this is where I make my exit," Dominick grumbled as the freshman's angry eyes turned on him. Narruk's mouth opened, but before he could ask the upperclassman what was going on, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and he had to jump to the side as a pair of claws slashed through the air where he'd just been.
"The fuck?" Narruk sputtered. He turned just in time to get his hands up to guard against a kick aimed at his head. He was still trying to get his bearing when his attacker's fist planted itself into his gut, and he was knocked backward. With a growl, he glanced up at the person attacking him. For a brief moment, he thought it was Nathan due to the claws and vaguely cat-like appearance, but Nathan didn't have white hair and red eyes. Nor was he quite as bulky as the student standing across from him. It took Narruk a second to place him, but after a brief pause, a name did spring to mind to match the face. "Taiga? What the hell, man?"
Taiga didn't answer, instead launching back onto the offensive. He moved almost quicker than Narruk could react, certainly faster than anyone in his class was capable of. His blows landed harder, his reflexes seemed more tuned, and his assault was almost overwhelming. Narruk grunted in pain as the upperclassman's claws dug into his side, ripping his favorite pajama shirt and drawing blood. This, it seemed, had been the result Taiga was waiting for, as he stopped his attack and leaped back to put some distance between them. "Come on; this can't be everything you're capable of, can it?"
Taiga Naoto
Quirk: Tiger
Taiga's Quirk gives him a tiger's power, speed, and reflexes, while also enhancing his senses. He's got quite the weakness to laser pointers, though.
Narruk snarled and racked his brain, trying to figure out why he was attacked. He'd barely interacted with Taiga at all, and most of their interactions had been in passing, or they'd been a part of the conversation with others. Not to mention, he'd barely left his room, save for his classes, since the festival. 'So why the hell is he attacking me?'
Another factor was quickly becoming apparent. While it had been initially just as surprised as its host, the wolf within him had recovered quicker and was already fighting to take control. With the full moon just days away, Narruk's state of mind was already strained and Alpha, as it always was, seemed poised to take advantage. He made an attempt to center himself, as one of Melody's methods had said to do, but a flying kick from Taiga connected with his guard and sent him face-first into the ground.
"I thought you were the best hand-to-hand fighter in your year? What the hell is this sorry showing?" Taiga demanded, standing imposingly over his fallen opponent. He heard an animalistic growl from the underclassman as he lied on the ground cradling the side of his head. Taiga frowned and went to step away to give him some time to recover when, out of nowhere, Narruk sprang out at him, slamming his fist into Taiga's knee, causing it to buckle. If it weren't for his reflexes, Narruk's follow-up haymaker would have connected with his head and, judging by both the pain in his knee and the metal object adorning Narruk's fist, it would have put him out of commision. "Where the–? Why do you have knuckle dusters on you in bed? When has someone ever attacked you when you were sleeping?"
Judging by the glare Narruk sent him as he got to his feet, Taiga realized the irony in his question. 'Paranoid little freshie, isn't he?' He thought, kicking out his leg in the air and wincing at the sharp pain. Regardless, and considering the almost primal look his opponent was giving him, this fight was far from over. "Man, you really pack a wallop for someone who's been sitting in his room moping for the past two weeks."
Narruk reacted exactly how Taiga had hoped and threw a wild punch that he easily brushed aside before slamming his knee up into the boy's chest. Instead of winding him, the blow just seemed to make Narruk angrier as he wrapped his arms around Taiga's midsection and threw him to the ground. "I've heard all about the pitiful way you've been acting. Pushing others away, doing the bare minimum in practicals, spending every waking moment of your free time locked up in your room, it's embarrassing that you're even still here with that attitude!" Inwardly, Taiga cringed at the faux-harshness in his voice. He hated being that mean, even if the kid really had to hear it. It had its intended effect, though, as Narruk flinched before charging at him again. 'I gotta give it to the kid. Even when he's off his rocker, he can still fight pretty damn well.' Taiga grinned as he evaded another takedown attempt and smashed his elbow into Narruk's spine as he stumbled past, off balance. "You're jeopardizing your studies and career for what? Because you're sad, you can't control your Quirk?"
"I'm not sad," Narruk growled as he feigned a kick and then drove his fist into the center of Taiga's chest. His upperclassman gasped as the air escaped his lungs and just barely managed to deflect the ensuing knuckle-duster-clad punch aimed at his head. "I'm pissed off!"
"What the hell do you have to be pissed off about?" Taiga asked pointedly once he'd regained his ability to breathe. He blocked each of Narruk's next two punches and retaliated by driving his forehead into the younger boy's. The teeth-chattering blow knocked Narruk backward, but, despite looking wobbly on his feet, he threw himself right back at Taiga.
"I'm pissed because I keep losing control and hurting people I care about!" Narruk roared as he delivered an uppercut to Taiga's chin. While his upperclassman was discombobulated, Narruk targeted the same knee he'd punched earlier with a kick that sent the older boy toppling over. "I'm pissed that no matter what or how hard I try, I still can't control this damned thing in my head!" To Narruk's surprise, Taiga recovered fast and drove his fist into Narruk's gut. Despite feeling the bile rising in his throat, Narruk flashed out his knee, and it connected with Taiga's shoulder, knocking him away and giving Narruk a brief reprieve. "I'm pissed off that the moment I come around to trusting someone, they disappear, and I'm left lost and alone again."
Once again, impressing Narruk with his reflexes, Taiga ducked underneath his jab and grabbed his outstretched arm. For a moment, he felt weightless, unable to do much other than flail wildly as Taiga flipped him up and over his shoulder. Narruk crashed into the ground on his back, winding him, then before he could react, his upperclassman got him in a headlock and began to squeeze. "You're afraid. Afraid that the more you lose control, the more your classmates and friends will start to see you as a monster." Unable to respond verbally, Narruk clenched his teeth and fought to get out of Taiga's hold, but the older boy's grip held strong. At that moment, his strength and anger dissipated, leaving him with an empty feeling in his chest. He ceased his struggle and closed his eyes, but to his shock, Taiga released him.
"W-what?" Narruk wheezed, taking deep breaths as Taiga hopped to his feet. As he stared up at him, Taiga grinned and offered him a hand.
"Thought so. Pretty rational fear in most cases, but in this one, all I can say is that you're an idiot," He said, his voice losing the rough edge and coming out much more sympathetic. Narruk stared up at him quizzically, making Taiga roll his eyes and reach down to grab his arm, forcibly pulling him to his feet. "Losing control is something that everyone with any sort of animalistic Quirk has to go through. At times, we're slaves to our animal instincts," Taiga said, smiling knowingly as Narruk massaged his rapidly bruising throat. "I know it's not the same as having a sentient being trying to take control, but it's close enough that I, and quite a few of our peers here, can relate."
"I doubt flying into a murderous rage is something most people can relate to," Narruk shot back bitterly. Taiga shrugged and lowered himself to sit in the grass.
"Maybe not, but losing control and giving into your most basic instincts is. What about Nathan during the Halloween Festival, huh? The dude went from hot-blooded cheetah to domestic house cat in three seconds flat. Oh, and hey, if you wanna talk about sentient Quirks being annoying, look no further than the little short kid in your class."
"I highly doubt Nathan or Epiphany is capable of causing as much damage as I could if Alpha took control," Narruk replied. Infuriatingly, Taiga just waved him off and began massaging his knee – right where Narruk had punched him earlier. Narruk growled and threw his hands up in the air. "You have no idea what you're talking about! They have no idea what I'm capable of doing… or what I've done. They don't know how dangerous I am."
"Then tell them," Taiga replied; the casualness with which he spoke pinched a nerve in Narruk.
"It's not that simple."
"Then make it. You're so convinced they'll see you as a monster that you're pushing every one of your friends away when I can tell you for a fact they won't see you like that," Taiga said, his tone leaving little room for argument. "And if they do, then they aren't a friend worth having."
"And what about when I inevitably lose control again and hurt someone? Won't they see me like that then?" Narruk asked quietly. Taiga grinned at him.
"Then I'd probably get then an 'I'm sorry for mauling you card,' eh?" Seeing that his attempt at humor was not appreciated, Taiga coughed awkwardly into his hand. "Sorry, but my point still stands. From everything I've heard, no one is holding your lapses in control against you, not even the shouty girl. They've been worried sick about you the past few weeks and I've heard some of their plans to get you back to your old self, and they aren't the type of things a stranger thinks of. I'm sorry to say it, but from where I'm sitting, the only one in this entire school who sees you as a monster is... you."
Narruk set his jaw and focused his gaze on the ground in front of him. Realizing Narruk wasn't going to say anything more, Taiga groaned dramatically and got back to his feet. He clapped his underclassman on the shoulder and gave him a stern look. "Okay, look, I'm not telling you to spill your entire life story or let the skeletons out of your closet. All I'm saying is to give your friends a bit more credit. Trust them, and I'm sure you'd be surprised just how much you mean to them. They know all about your furry little friend and just how feeble its leash is, but they're not worried about it breaking free. They're all worried about you and the effect Alpha gaining control would have over you."
"How do you know?"
"Because I went through something similar on a lesser scale, and my friends were right there by my side through every time I lost myself to my instincts, even when it came at their own expense. My friends are the anchors to my mind; they help me control even the strongest impulses caused by my Quirk. I have a feeling they can be that for you too." During his speech, Taiga noticed Narruk's face becoming increasingly pensive, and he could tell the idea was sinking in. 'Took you long enough, freshie.' He grinned wildly and settled back into a fighting position. "Now, come on, our first patrol is next week, and we are so far behind!"
"Right… sorry about that," Narruk replied. As he slipped into his own stance, his lips twisted into a small smile. Neither boy noticed their audience as they began their second round. Hidden just over the crest of a nearby hill, Lyle swore under his breath.
"Fucking kidding me? All we had to do to make him feel better was kick his ass? We could have done that weeks ago!" He whispered harshly. Beside him, Andrew shrugged.
"I don't think it would have had the same effect coming from us. Besides, I don't want a repeat of the last time I fought Narruk; it would probably just make things worse." Lyle scoffed at him and flipped over onto his back.
"I still say we sneak out one weekend for a hunting trip. That'll get his spirits up and show him just how fucking lucky he is we're buddies." Behind them, Dominick flinched and reached up a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose.
"Lord, I'm getting flashbacks. Y'all are starting to sound like Rune, and that ain't a compliment," he said, glancing over his shoulder at the distant facade of the boy's dormitory. The three boys were all silent for a moment as they watched the sparring match continuing on, blissfully unaware of their presence. Finally, Lyle huffed and got to his feet, making sure he was still out of Narruk's sight, and began walking back towards the school.
"No use sitting around here all day. I've got a pyromaniac to avoid. That idea of his sounds like more of a hassle than I'm willing to put up with."
Purpose of a Hero
Frank gets a bit more fleshed out (while still proving he's awful) and Narruk gets help now that his safety blanket is gone.
Writing this before work so can't do my normal paragraphs so just a few quick notes. Yes the title of this chapter changed. That's because there was a lot more I wanted to do with Mel and her new family than i could fit into this one. Hence, this chapter is "Monsters" not the original title from last chapter's preview had. Second, we are coming up on the 4 year anniversary, so I'm gonna try to get the next chapter out by/before then so we can finally wrap up the Melody training arc. There are only three chapters left until we officially get into the next arc: The Child of Sound arc.
Anyway, thanks for reading!
NEXT TIME ON PURPOSE OF A HERO:
Chapter 57: Into the Veil (for real this time)
