There were a lot of ways Theo had expected this night to go. He expected it to give him a chance to test his powers. He expected it to be a bit boring, which it was in spades until the Empire house they hit. He expected it to be fun, which it wasn't. He expected he might learn something new about his powers, which he didn't. Hell, he expected both that things would go smoothly and that they would get a challenge. The former was true, the latter wasn't. The one thing he could say with certainty that he didn't expect out of this night was to be facing down his step mother in their Cape personae.
He knew Kayden was still racist, but he had hope that she'd change for Aster. He'd been hoping her leaving the Empire was a change for the better. One that would take a long time, but still a good change. Yet here she was, seemingly defending an Empire safe house. He couldn't help but feel angry. He thought she was doing better and she goes and does something like this.
"What are you doing here, Purity?" Sacrosanct asked blandly from behind them. He didn't take his eyes off the bright glow of his step mother above them.
"I could ask the same of you." Purity said. Her voice was calm and she didn't seem like she was looking for a fight.
"We're just cleaning up some trash. What do you care?" Nihilus asked. In times like these he could really appreciate Sacrosanct and Nihilus' ability to not give any fucks. Meanwhile he felt like he was going to have an aneurysm.
"You're going after the wrong people if you're looking for trash." She said. "The Merchants and ABB are a bigger threat than the Empire."
"I thought you left the Empire, Purity. Trying to strike out as a hero." He said, trying to keep his voice level and calm.
"I… I am. Trying to be a hero." She said tensely.
"Well you're doing a poor job of it. You're still doing the same thing you were as a villain and you didn't even bother to rebrand or negotiate with the Protectorate." Sacrosanct said.
"There are extenuating circumstances you wouldn't understand." Purity bit out. "Getting Kaiser's attention is the last thin you need. Just stop attacking the Empire." She started to fly away, but Theo let his anger get the best of him.
"Or what?" He asked.
Purity stopped, floating still for a moment before turning back to them.
"Or I'll be forced to intervene." She said coldly.
"Really? You'd gladly help a group you left? Why? If you can't attack them you could at least not help them. You might as well still be a member if this is how you're going to operate."
"I may not agree with the way Kaiser does things but the Empire has a lot of honest people just trying to make the best of what they have." Purity said, floating towards us.
"So lynching people is honest? Stirring up hate for people with marginal differences is trying to make the best of a bad hand? Do you even hear yourself speak?" Sacrosanct asked.
"I won't say everyone is a good person but most of them—."
"You could make the same excuses for the ABB. Hell, right now it's true. Some ABB cape is forcing civilians into the ABB under threat of death. How many people has Kaiser or Hookwolf forced into the Empire? How many people work for them that want nothing to do with the group?" Theo said.
"It's not like that!" Purity said with some heat in her voice as she landed on the roof.
"Then what's it like?" Purity opened her mouth to reply but Theo kept talking. "Because it looks and sounds like you're still helping them despite not being a member. It sounds like you never left in the first place. The Empire isn't better than the ABB or Merchants just because they're white. If anything, the Empire is worse, spouting hate for what? Tell me what the point of it all is."
"I… I'm trying to help you. I'm trying to keep Kaiser's eyes off of you. He would stop at nothing to recruit you and that's the last thing you want. If stopping you from fighting the Empire is what I have to do to keep you from Kaiser, then I will."
"If we're going to have to go through you to get rid of all the scum in this city, then so be it."
That was his anger getting to him. He loved Kayden as much as he would love his actual mother, but to say she was trying to make a change in her life and never follow through with it felt like a betrayal. His heart hurt and that made him angry and there was no better place to direct that anger at the moment.
It wasn't actually possible to see Purity's eyes because of how bright her Breaker form was, but he imagined her eyes narrowed as she spoke again, "So be it."
Purity raised her arm and fired a beam of light, which the group easily dodged. Sacrosanct and Nihilus geared up to fight, but Theo raised an arm to stop them.
"Let me handle this." He said lowly.
"Are you sure, Samael?" Sacrosanct asked.
"Yeah." Theo nodded.
"You think you can—." Purity was cut off as Theo flashed towards her and punched her in the stomach, sending her flying for a few feet before she caught herself. She growled before firing two blasts at him, which we easily dodged. Theo rushed at her again and kicked her. She braced for the attack and didn't fly as far or spin out this time, catching herself quickly. She fired another blast from her right hand. Theo dodged and was behind her in a second. She turned the second he dodged and blasted him in the chest with a charged blast from her other hand.
The blow knocked him skidding across the air he was standing on, but didn't do much more. He growled and pulled his hand back to charge and aim an explosion but in his anger he channeled something else. Blueish energy crackled and sparked in his hands, screaming and chirping for a few moments before it condensed into burning blue plasma. He shot his hand forward and was almost surprised as the beam fired.
Purity met the plasma beam with her own, the superheated electrons clashing and lighting up the night sky. Purity added her other hand to try and over power her opponent. Theo met the increase in power with little effort before dashing off, appearing above her and axe kicking her in the shoulder, sending her flying to the ground. The ground cratered beneath her, splintering the concrete in a deep concave. She coughed as air left her lungs and she bounced slightly off the ground before another blast of superheated electrons blasted into her chest, heating the cracked concrete around her. Theo landed and planted a foot firmly on her stomach, a plasma filled hand pointed down at her face.
"Are you done?" His voice was low but not tired.
"No." She tried to push him off, but his leg wouldn't budge. She struggled for a few moments before trying to blast him. He leaned back, letting the heat wash over him as the blast shot harmlessly into the night sky.
Theo put more weight on her stomach, making her cough more air out of her lungs.
"Stop it. You're not going to win. Even if you beat me you'd have to deal with Nihilus and Sacrosanct, who wouldn't hold back as much as I did. Go home, Purity. Think about your life. Think about if this is really where you want to be." He pulled his foot from her chest and stepped back, letting her make her way to her feet.
Purity had a hand on her stomach, hunched slightly.
"You know Kaiser will come after you when he gets wind of this. He's the type of man who gets what he wants no matter what. If he comes after you I can't help." Purity warned.
"I don't care about Kaiser. He can't do a thing to us. You need to get your shit together and figure out what you're doing with your life."
"You don't know—."
"Shut up!" Theo shouted. "I don't need to know you. It's obvious you're bumblefucking your way around with no plan. Unfuck yourself or you're going to be dealing with us in the near future. And that won't be pretty. So go home and figure yourself out. If you attack us again, don't expect the same mercy."
Purity was silent, watching his golden eyes for few moment. She straightened out and backed away, flying off quickly.
"You okay?" Nihilus asked, landing next to him.
"I'll be fine in a bit. Just upset." Theo sighed.
"Why?"
"She's my step mom."
"That makes sense and I feel dumb for never putting that together." Sacrosanct sighed.
"Don't worry about it. I need to head home now so she doesn't get suspicious. You guys can handle the rest?" He asked.
"Who do you think you're talking to? Get going." She tapped his chest with the back of her hand.
"Thanks. I won't ditch out next time."
"Don't worry about it."
—
Theo was glad he left his window open before leaving. He didn't have to bother with taking the elevator up or risking Kayden already being home when he showed up. The last thing he needed was getting chewed out for leaving his sister alone. Speaking of, he left his room, making sure Kayden wasn't home yet and checked in on Aster. She was still sound asleep in her crib, so everything had turned out alright. Going back to his room he decided to change into his pajamas. It was far past the time he usually went to bed, but Kayden wouldn't be surprised if he was still up at this hour.
He pulled his shirt off and switched into a pair of shorts to sleep in, then headed for the bathroom. He considered the fight and his anger. He felt like he may have been a bit too hard on Kayden, but she needed sort herself out. Figure out where she stood in the cape scene. Hopefully his being forceful would kick start her making an actual change for the better. The worst case scenario is that she decided to go back to the Empire. Best case scenario, as far as he was concerned, was Kayden getting it together and working on herself. Her fear of losing Aster was the driving force, meaning Kaiser had something to hold over her head, but hopefully not for long. They'd be taking out the ABB in the next few weeks and the Merchants soon after, leaving only Faultline, who wasn't a threat, Coil, who they'd deal with at Lisa's discretion, and the Empire, who they'd deal with at his own discretion.
He was in the unique position where Kaiser wouldn't necessarily be suspicious of his sudden motivation or interest in how the Empire was run. He'd take it as Theo finally taking after him the way he wants. Kaiser would think he'd won. He might be a smart and cunning man, but he was arrogant. He would take it as a sign he'd won or that Theo was like him after all. It would take at least a few weeks before he realized what was really going on.
Theo left the bathroom only moments after Kayden had entered the apartment. She hadn't called out, assuming the kids to be asleep and was heading towards Aster's room. This gave her a perfect view of the tattoo on his torso. One that she obviously recognized if the deer-in-headlights loon on her face switching between anger and confusion was anything to go by.
The room flashed white from Kayden switching into her Breaker form and Theo dashed to her, grabbing her arms.
"Let me go!" She shouted.
"Stop yelling or you'll wake up Aster." Theo snapped.
"Get off of me!"
"No! Relax! Talk to me, Kayden."
"Talk?!" She struggled harder to get her arms free, but got no leeway. "We just fought! You threatened to kill me, Theo! You threatened your father and the Empire and you want to talk?!"
"Yes!"
"What is there to talk about?! You're just going to turn me in—."
"I would never!" He snapped to loudly, starling her a bit. "I told you before, you're the closest thing I have to a mom and I love you. I'd avoid turning you in for as long as possible because I care about you and Aster deserves to have her mom there while she grows up. Will you just talk with me, Kayden?"
She, presumably, stared into his eyes before leaving her Breaker form.
"You get five minutes."
"Great. Let's sit." He said, letting her go and going around to the couch.
"So talk." Kayden said once they were settled in.
"Why did you leave the Empire, Kayden?" He asked seriously.
"Because I was tired of Max manipulating me. The Empire isn't the place for a child to grow up. I want the best for Aster and Max and the Empire isn't that."
Theo nodded.
"You should know by now I don't share your views." Theo started. "I think it's a terrible way to look at the world. Which was why I was glad to see you get away from that. I hoped you were making a change for the better. Trying to be a better person. Then you show up to stop us handling an Empire safe house, flip flopping between helping them and helping us, and I can't help but feel betrayed. Like I believed in you for nothing. That I was wrong to trust you. I don't want to think I can't trust you, Kayden. It's bad enough I know I can't trust my father."
"I didn't…" She trailed off. "I'm sorry you feel like that, Theo. I want you to be able to trust me. I want you to be able to rely and me and Aster to be able to rely on you. She'll need her brother if her father won't be in her life much. I just… I was with the Empire for a decade. Even before that racism was beaten into me. Wanting to change and being able to change are different things. I want to change, but I'm not sure I can do that."
"I just want you to think about the things you've been doing and make a conscious effort to change. I'm not expecting it over night, but I want you to put in effort. I wasn't joking about getting rid of the Empire. The last thing I want is Aster to end up in the foster system until I'm old enough to adopt her."
"You'd do that?"
"Of course." Theo nodded.
They were silent for a few moments as Kayden thought over what to say. Theo didn't think, letting it all wash over him without moving him.
"So what is your group about? Are you heroes? Villains? What do you do?" Kayden asked curiously.
"Are you interested in joining?"
"I'm not sure. Answer my question first."
Theo rolled his eyes playfully. "We're technically vigilantes. We're on whichever side we want to be at any time. If we have to do some less than legal things to advance our goal, so be it."
"What is your goal, exactly?"
"Removal of all the gangs." Theo said seriously, making Kayden gasp.
"That's not possible. There are only three of you. You'd have to take on damn near every other group in the city."
"There are only three of us so far." He specified, "And we are going up against nearly every group. The only ones we aren't actively going after are Faultline's Crew, and that's because they're just mercenaries. Once the gangs are gone we divvy up the city between ourselves to prevent any other groups moving in. That's the goal."
"You want to control Brockton Bay's underground."
"Not necessarily. A few of us might participate in crime, but some of us won't. The point is just to make the Bay a safer place."
"An admirable goal, if not a difficult one." Kayden sighed, leaning back into her seat. "Before I ran into your group tonight, I was flying around thinking. I very nearly went to speak with Max. I know how that would have ended. Me right back in the Empire. Right back under his thumb. Thinking about it now, our spontaneous meeting saved me from making a huge mistake. I'm glad for it now, despite taking a little beat down. You think you have space for me to join? I could certainly use the change of pace and the direction to help get my head together."
Theo smiled. "I'll ask Sacrosanct, but I don't think she'll outright refuse. So let me be the first to welcome you to the Espada as a probationary member." He put his hand out.
Kayden smiled back, "I'll work hard." She shook his hand.
The two came to an understanding both as Capes and as Mother and Son.
Then the bombs went off.
AN: And thus ends Arc 2. I'm not sure if Arc 3 will be up by the regular schedule time. If it's not, don't worry about it. I might end up double posting if I miss Monday and finish it timely enough. This chapter was originally supposed to be from Purity's perspective, but I went with Theo in the end. This chapter features Kayden and Theo getting closer. Or at least starting to. Make no mistake, Kayden is still racist, but she's willing to change and take the direction the Espada give her. She has a goal now instead of drifting aimlessly trying to cull the ABB. Purity joining the Espada is also going to cause some interesting things at Somer's Rock next chapter.