Taylor sighed as she rolled in her bed. Dad had left for work already, and she didn't feel like going to school, not like anyone there actually wanted her there. Turning on her old computer, she spent a few minutes on PHO, admiring the few pixels of herself you could make out in most of the badly taken videos. Heh, Smoker was a badass if he was able to put down Lung so easily. Taylor clicked on one link and instantly closed the tab.

Damn Smoker fangirl and fanboys. They kept posting pictures of that van! ….some even came up with their own art.

Sitting up, Taylor popped a few bones in her back before jumping onto the floor. Starting her pushups, she thought about her fight with Lung a few days before. It was...exhilarating to help beatdown one of the most strongest capes in the city! The day after the fight, Taylor asked her Dad if he happened to know anything about these 'Marines'.

Apparently, they were a new hero refugee group that moved into Brockton Bay. Dad was happy though, the PRT paid the DWA to fix up their antique ship with sails, remodel some old warehouse, as well as fix up the harbor right next to it for the ship. They gave the DWA work, work that they desperately needed. That gave them some points in Taylor's opinion.

She was now doing her sit ups. It was pretty weird that she ran into that short haired lady while jogging a few days ago. Did they know her secret identity?

About ten minutes into Taylor's morning workout, she heard a knock at the door.

That was weird. It's been a long time since they had visitors, aside from Dad's Dockworker friends. Ever since Em-

Taylor pushed that name out of her head and discreetly gathered a small swarm. It didn't hurt to be safe after all, this was Brockton Bay.

She walked down the stairs, when the person behind the door knocked again. For some reason, the knock sounded...polite?

Taylor opened the door slowly, her swarm ready to attack.

"Yes?" Her eyes froze.

"Good morning. I'm your new next-door neighbor." The short, gorgeous lady that was with Smoker was at the door, holding a small basket filled with an assortment of stuff, with a wagon filled with more sitting on the sidewalk. "I just moved in next door so I thought I should introduce myself. This is for you and your family." She extended her arms, offering the basket, making direct eye contact with Taylor.

Taylor swallowed the saliva that had built up in her mouth and nodded. There was no way that she knew that Taylor was the other capr that night.

Taylor took the gift basket cautiously.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself!" The short hair lady bowed her head slightly before quickly looking up. "My name is Tashigi."

"I-Im Taylor." Was all she could reply.

"It's nice to meet you Taylor." Tashigi smiled widely. Taylor blushed softly and nodded. 'Quite brain I'm straight!'

"I-It's nice to meet you too."

"I won't take up too much of your time. Have a nice day!" Tashigi bowed again a bit more deeply. She quickly walked away soon after, not giving Taylor a chance to speak.

Closing the door, Taylor carefully set the gift basket on the table, and jumped head first onto the couch, stuffing her face into the pillow.

"How can this day get any worse?"

After what felt like an eternity, Taylor sat up and looked down at herself.

"Shit.'

Sports bra and tiny sports shorts.

Yup, it definitely got worse.

"Block it."

"Too slow. Strike harder."

"Hya!"

"Don't announce your attack! You're giving your opponent a warning."

Smoker was overlooking the training of Squad One. Tashigi was busy moving into her new home, so Smoker was taking her place today. Tashigi normally handled it, since his fighting style wouldn't mesh well with the average Marines style.

Still, Smoker still remembered the basics. Leaning against the wall, Smoker was personally overseeing a practice fight between Gunderson and Greenhorn Kazuki. Both were wielding clubs the length of a cutlass.

"YAAAAAAA!" Kazuki charged at Gunderson with an overhead strike, who simply blocked it and kicked him in the stomach. Gunderson had served with Smoker since he had been given command of Loguetown's garrison, a good soldier. Kazuki however, joined shortly before their voyage began, and was simply a cabin boy. The boy begged Smoker to be given a chance to join Squad One, instead of being assigned to cleaning duty with Alby.

"You're getting desperate, becoming cornered like a wild animal." Smoker began. Gunderson swung his club, only for Kazuki to charge forward, attempting to tackle him.

He was rewarded with a bruised face. Smoker sighed internally, as Kazuki stood back up again, grabbing his club.

"Again."

"No."

Kazuki turned to Smoker angrily. Gunderson lowered his makeshift weapon and also turned to look at Smoker. The other's near them training also stopped to look at the exchange.

"But Captain!"

Smoker glared at him and said nothing. Kazuki closed his mouth.

"At this rate you won't learn anything, aside from learning how to take care of your bruises. If you can't handle the club, what makes you think you can handle a real blade?"

"But I want to learn how to fight! I joined the Marines to fight, and to be a famous hero! Not to clean floors and shit." Kazuki exclaimed. Gunderson's eyes widened in shock and quickly turned away, the others in the room doing the same. No one talked to Smoker that way.

Smoker stared at Kazuki, who simply stared back.

"You want to be a hero do you?" Smoker stood up to his full height and walked towards the much smaller Kazuki.

"Yes sir."

"Then tell me, Cabin Boy. What is a hero?" Smoker said simply, looking down at Kazuki. Smoker had run into plenty of young Marines like Kazuki. Most of them ended up dead.

"A hero...a hero is someone who protects the innocent and arrests criminals!" Kazuki said confidently. Smoker chuckled as he took several deep breaths full of smoke.

"What you described…" Smoker started laughing louder. "Is a damn police officer." Kazuki's bruised face fell.

"Now tell me."

"What…"

Kazuki, Gunderson, and the others looked confused.

"Is…"

Smoker stared at each and every one of them.

"A hero?"

Silence was Smoker's response. Kazuki avoided Smoker's gaze, as did the others.

"The day you can answer that question, you can call yourself a 'hero'." Smoker said simply. He turned around and walked back to his previous spot.

"Start over again."

"Wha-" Gunderson started. Kazuki's bruise purple face lit up.

"If the Greenhorn is going to be a hero, then he's going to need all the training he can get." Smoker looked at the other nosy Marines. "Back to your own training." They quickly scrambled to their own spots.

Gunderson and Kazuki saluted him, and went to their positions. Smoker didn't pay attention this time.

What is a hero? He certainly wasn't. Smoker was a soldier, a Marine, plain and simply. If needed, he would fight till his dying breath if it meant Smoker could save one more life, one more person.

In Smoker's opinion, a hero fought for a better tomorrow, for those that couldn't.

TWAP. Smoker looked up and grinned.

Kazuki managed to hit Gunderson.

He would be a fine Marine yet, Smoker was sure of it.