City of Heroes

Birth of the Brotherhood

Disclaimer: I don't own City of Heroes.

The Awakening: 4 of 4

Billy Young spent the next few days in the Galaxy City medical center, Edward Taylor filing his injuries under handling a fuse box while standing in a puddle. It was nothing life threatening but embarrising all the same. Word had gotten around college about it and quite a few people had to ask him if he was stupid enough to really have done that. All Billy could do was force a laugh and nod his head to confirm it while covertly glaring daggers at Edward.

Other then the occasional mugging the rest of the week was very quiet. Billy had just sat down for lunch at an outdoor cafe when he noticed Betty approaching, her notebooks in one arm since she'd just gotten out of class. She sat directly across from him and set her notebooks on the table. "Hey.." She said with a smile.

"Hello yourself." Billy said while picking up his coffee and taking a sip of it before setting it down in favor of the news paper his other hand had been holding. He was wearing shades, not out of habit or sudden desire but because his optic nerves hadn't quite healed from what he'd done. As of this moment he questioned the wisdom of his decision. Sure, it had prevented a murder but was a man like that really better off living if he could warp someone so badly like he had Necrose? Besides, he'd gotten away.

"Eden found out what they're doing with that zombie girl. According to the message they're putting her through a rehab program to try and see if there can be anything done to help her mind heal." She said after a minute when he didn't speak anymore. "They've even got MAGI working on it to. If they can this will be a major break through in helping people that are in conditions like her."

"That's good.. though I'd rather not talk about that incident if you don't mind. I was helpless to do anything and when I did it was a nothing but a waste." Billy said abruptly, voice low so people passing by couldn't listen in without them both knowing. His tone was a bitter one, his first moral defeat as a hero was not easy for him to accept just yet.

"But.." Betty started, but was cut off by Edward who'd just walked up.

"Forget it, he needs to figure some things out. Don't you need to be running home anyway for that thing you had to do?" Edward asked his sister, who looked at him in confusion for a split second before understanding dawned on her.

"Oh! The.. thing! Okay, I need to get going then." With that Betty got out of the chair and with her notebooks in hand hurried off.

Edward Taylor watched his sister for a minute before taking her place. Though when he sat down his hard gaze was placed squarely on Billy. For some reason the eletricity user felt the urge to look up from the paper, and found himself staring into eyes that had seen death and suffering on such a grand scale that he'd taken an almost jealous stand over Galaxy City.

The two stared at each other in silence for almost two minutes, trying to make the other flinch first. In the end Billy looked back at the paper, unable to look into eyes that weeks earlier he'd no idea they'd seen another life.

"You need to learn that you can't win them all." Edward said, voice more of the Bard persona then his 'civillian' voice. "No matter what you do, good or evil you always end up harming an innocent in some way. That goes for all heroes."

"Not all heroes.. Statesman-"

"DAMMIT! I mean all heroes! Think about it just for a second and don't let the light of justice help keep you in ignorance." Edward snapped, but it was in a whispered tone. "Fine, we'll use him as a prime example. Statesman defeats a new villian.. throws him in prison for life. Now while Statesman can sleep all cozy and whatever the now incarcerated man or woman's friends are worried, possible family now in turmoil because of that. From just doing anything your actions bring about a thousand different changes in the lives of everyone around you."

Billy dropped the paper in his lap, shocked as he thought about this. Edward took this as a sign to continue, "Even better.. a person becomes a hero because Statesman's their idol and ends up dying. Not Statesman's fault directly because it was that person's choice, but he had a factor in it. I've realized by now not everyone thinks about this but you really need to if you're going to keep trying to make a difference in this world."

That was what Edward had to say and so he left without another word. Billy had been given alot to think about and it had if for the moment brought him out of his funk concerning Necrose. What his once good friend said made alot of sense, better yet it was the truth. There was no way he could think of arguing with it without it being a knock-off of what any other hero had said.

Billy Young stood up, having to do it slowly when his legs complained. The young man sighed and turned, walking off in the direction of his dorm. He had some serious thinking to do and some serious peace was needed.

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Across town Eden Rolt brought herself to a halt, as if knowing there was another person in the shop. Her eyes roamed around, searching for any subtle differences but none came to mind. A frown was briefly replacing the usual mask of serenity. She knew that there was someone here but where?

The shop was closed and Eden was the only one in the entire place including the underground hq. Crystal had gone off to see about what was left in their abandoned chapel and the others were just doing teenager things. One of the sollutions came to mind and her eyes flared with a white glow.

Almost in the same instant a man in a white body suit with green trim along with a green hooded cape with a mask appeared in the aisle of antique mirrors. He was also wearing green boots and upon his arms were golden bracers. Though the hood hid most of his face, when he tilted his head upward Eden was able to see the lenseless mask, showing dark brown eyes.

"Impressive.. that's the first time my invisibility spell has been broken." He said it like she had just done something amusing. It was a dark sort of humor though.

Eden gave him a measuring look before shifting into a better stance, letting her energies be brought to a focused high. "Are you from the Circle?"

"A down to earth gal.. I like that in a woman." He said patronizingly and slid his left foot behind him so his right shoulder was facing her. Despite the light hearted words his power was being prepared as well. "Yes, I am. You know I'm here to eliminate you then?"

Eden allowed the faintest of smirks to cross her face. "I was afraid they would send someone.. older and with more power to confront me. Tell me dog, are your masters slipping or think that little of me now?"

"I'm not a dog fair lady, the name is Shaiden." He said with a witty chuckle and raised a hand, a purple glow starting to come from the center of his palm. "Don't confuse age with incompetance."

The Fallen Saint tilted her head and felt the powers building, reaching out with mental tendrils to get a feel for the power the lad was using.. and her eyes twitched with shock.

"Consider yourself dead!" Shaiden fired a powerful blast the size of a basketball, the release of the energy causing the air to crackle with negative energy. At that same instant Eden cast her own spell.

The resulting clash caused a blinding light. A yell was heard, glass shattering, and a body hitting the ground.

To be continued in: Legends of the Old World