Sunrise 04

"I really don't understand why we had to agree to power testing," I muttered as the elevator descended. I had at least calmed down enough that I had been able to dismiss my minions. An hour of talking in close to lawyer-speak would bore anyone to tears.

Miss Militia shrugged. "Think of it as a gesture of good will, Taylor. Your introduction to us has not exactly been off to the best start. Helping us to see the limits of your abilities does bring back some of the trust that you are willing to work with us in the future instead of taking…extreme measures."

"Am I only not being arrested because I freaked out and you found out I'm a cape?" I asked. Kayden's hand on my shoulder squeezed while Miss Militia sighed.

"I'm not going to lie. I am not remotely comfortable with any of this. There were a multitude of actions that could have been taken before resorting to approaching the gangs. I am not like Armsmaster, I can't see any way that that was justified. However," she said, shaking her head, "I can agree that a panicking teenager doesn't think clearly. Had Shadow Stalker not already been healed I'm sure that harsher terms and punishments would've been called for, you are lucky that this is not the case."

"And there are the extenuating circumstances," Kayden said. "The PRT knows that if this is brought before a court you'd get off with a slap on the wrist and lots of people in their organization would lose their jobs. PR is a real deal for more than just Kaiser, Taylor."

"Yes, unfortunately," Miss Militia agreed. "Arguably, it's more important for the PRT."

"Shouldn't being a hero be enough?" I asked. The elevator stopped and the Protectorate member led the way to the gym. "Why the song and dance?"

"In a word: Endbringers." I frowned at that but before I could ask anything she continued on. "We need to make sure that we are able to keep working together with the villains and Independents for whenever the Endbringers attack. Without their assistance, the heroes defending the world would be alone against those monsters."

"Oh." So they had to look like they were in control even when they weren't; otherwise the villains would never trust them enough to go and fight the Endbringers. Well that was…disturbingly political.

"Here's the gym, Cherub, Ms. Russel. I know we aren't going to be able to get the official testing setup for a few days, but this should suffice for a safe place to practice at least. I was told there were a few Wards utilizing it as well."

"That's not my name," I grumbled.

"Well we are in the public facilities now, so codenames are appropriate again."

"No, I mean that's not my name," I said sighing.

She just nodded as her eyes crinkled with a smile as she headed to the door. There was something slightly off about the way she was looking at me, but without being able to see her mouth, I really couldn't tell what it was. Maybe I should give my minion a bandana and practice expressions later. Eh, it wasn't important. The PRT's goal was pretty obvious anyway. Honestly, they could stand to be a bit less overt about getting me used to the Wards and trying to lessen the influence Purity had over me.

I snorted at that thought. At least they didn't know everything about me. Besides, I didn't really mind meeting the other Wards. Clockblocker was always hilarious whenever he was in public and Vista was sweet. I didn't know much about the others, but I had to believe that Sophia was the outlier. They couldn't all be bad…right?

My blood chilled as I walked past Miss Militia and stepped into the gym, my eyes widening at the sight of a far too familiar figure near the bench.

"Stalker, seriously, come on!" a guy with brown hair and a red visor groaned. I recognized that voice too: Kid Win. "They said immediately after you got out of the shower."

"They didn't tell me that," Sophia said. My lip curled as I heard the condescending sneer in her voice.

"Because you were in the damn shower! You're on lockdown! Please! I want to work on my new gun, but I can't go until you go back to the main rooms."

"Fuck you, I'll go when I'm ready."

"Why do you have to be such a bitch?!"

"You're not the one who just got their teeth kicked in and had to deal with Little Miss Holier-Than-Thou for an hour so excuse me if I have more aggression to work out. Go and get Gallant if you want to be a little bitch about it."

Kayden stopped behind me and snarled low. "What is this, Militia?"

"All I knew was that Wards would be present," Militia murmured.

My fists had clenched and I was breathing in long deep breaths. Fucking bitch. I'd have to burn my underwear with her logos now and get new Armsmaster ones. I would not rise to this bait. As much as I wanted to, I would not.

The two Wards finally noticed that they were not alone as the door whooshed shut behind us and they turned. Kid Win just cocked his head to the side and frowned while Sophia stood and started walking towards us.

"New recruit MM?" Sophia asked. Her eyes narrowed behind her domino mask as she got closer. I was surprised it took so long for her to recognize me. It wasn't like I was in a costume. A simple, PRT issued mask didn't do much to hide my identity from anyone who knew me outside. And yet this stupid psychopath had to be nearly three feet from me before she ended up being rooted to the floor. When she did, her lips curled into the mockery of a grin. "Well, well, you little bitch. Interesting timing, seeing you here weakling. Get too scared from school? Finally too much for you?"

"Shut up." I would not fight her. I would not fight her. I would be better than this. I would be better than her. I'd already gotten my revenge.

And yet she's already healed and still pissing off her teammates and it hasn't even been a single day.

"You know, gotta say, you showing up at the PRT now is a bit hmm, suspect. I mean, one Ward gets beaten up, and another shows up afterwards?"

"Shut up." My palms were warm and I could feel the trickle of something sticky seeping between my fingers. I would not summon a minion. I would not. I was better than her.

"Stalker, you're on thin ice. Come on. We need to go back to the dorms," Kid Win said trying to step between us only for Sophia to push him to the side.

"We're not staying for this. Come on, Tay-Cherub."

"That's not my name!" I shouted shaking off Kayden's hand, my eyes never leaving Sophia's.

"Everyone calm down right now," Miss Militia stated, stepping to the side, her hand at her side as her weapon shifted to a baton.

Sophia just smirked. "You're the one who set the fuckers on me aren't you. That was that look at lunch. You know I'm almost impressed, Hebert. I didn't think you had it in you. I thought you would be a sheep until the day you died. And yet…you're still a sheep aren't you? You still couldn't do it yourself. Couldn't get your own hands dirty. You had to get someone else to do your dirty work. Did you trigger from knowing you were such a bad girl afterwards? Going to the Empire messed you up that bad, huh?"

"What's she talking about?" Kid Win asked.

Miss Militia had apparently had her fun. "Stalker! Go back to the dorms. NOW!"

"Maybe if you hadn't threatened to fucking kill me I would've been able to walk away."

"Aww, did I hurt your feelings? Little old me?"

Kayden grabbed my shoulders and tried to pull me back, but I bared my teeth at Sophia. "You took everything from me!"

"Please, all I did was rough you up. If you couldn't deal with that you deserved everything that was coming to you, you pathetic piece of shit. Emma thought up half of the best stuff we did."

Miss Militia stepped forward, leveling her hand at Sophia as her power formed into a small taser. "Stand down. I won't say it again."

"Stalker! Whatever the hell is going on, stop!" Kid Win yelled. He stepped between us again, holding his arms to either side.

"She would never do that!" She wouldn't, it was all Sophia's fault! Emma would never betray me without that psycho whispering in her ear!

"Believe whatever you want Princess." The bitch actually smirked at me.

I could only growl.

"Stop!" Kayden yelled behind me, just as Sophia started forward, dodging around Kid Win and ducking under Miss Militia's taser, her fist swinging towards my head. I didn't even think, my minion sprang forward and tanked the first blow. Sophia's fist wasn't remotely powerful enough to break the cherub and I had the minion follow through. It grabbed Sophia's hand, pushed against the air to knock her arm to the side and did a mini-pirouette around her wrist to fly up her arm, smashing into her nose. Sophia rocked backwards, blood spurting out of her nose as my minion settled on her face, fist pulled back.

"Cherub!" Miss Militia shouted at the same time as Kayden yelled, "Taylor!"

"My name is Hardlight!" I screamed. The minion punched the bitch in the face again, then vanished and I turned my head to stare at Miss Militia. "You wanted me to fight? To show everyone that I'm 'unstable' or something? Well congratu-fucking-lations bitch. Fuck you and fuck the PRT. I should just take my goddamn chances with the Empire at this rate because every time I turn around you bastards are fucking me over. Call me whenever you get power testing set up. If you still want me to work with the rest of the Wards, fine, I'll try. They can't all be psychopaths like this bitch, because if they were this city would already be dead. But I'm not making any goddamn promises anymore and I'm not signing any paperwork. And I'm sure as shit not working with you. Let's go home, Kayden."

"Well done, Hebert. Finally grew a fucking spine," Sophia said, shaking her head and chuckling. "You'll be right next to me with a chain around your neck any day now. A rabid dog like you will end up the same as a predator like me at the end of the day."

"I am nothing like you!" I snarled, twirling on my heel and stalking out of the room.

I was not like Sophia. I would never be like Sophia.

The car ride was quiet. The bandages on my hands were frustrating too.

"Taylor, we're going to have to tell you father something about how you hurt your hands."

"I fell and skidded on the sidewalk."

"He's…not going to believe that, sweetie," she sighed.

"He's not going to ask anything deeper anyway. I don't even know why you stay. He's barely even there anymore. It's like he died when Mom did. How did you even start dating to begin with?" I was being petty and vindictive and I knew it. It didn't change that I wanted to lash out at someone.

Kayden grimaced, shaking her head. "Danny has his good days. You don't really see much of them, because he, well he shuts down at home a lot, but he does have good days, Taylor."

"He shuts down around me you mean."

"I…didn't say that."

I shook my head, not bothering to respond. Instead I stared at my hands. "My minions can fix this in a half hour or so. The cuts weren't deep."

"Do it at night then. Not in the car. That's an easy way to get found out. Wait…you mean they can heal you?"

"Ugh, fine. And yeah, minor regeneration. Nothing to write home about, but I wasn't kidding when I said I feel better when I hold them." I fell silent for another few blocks before finally I couldn't help myself, I had to ask. "Why did she do that?"

Kayden was quiet for so long I was worried she wouldn't respond at first. At last, she said, "Miss Militia is, let's say, 'dedicated'. She fully believes in the American Dream and she's very principled. Kaiser used to say that she doesn't exactly rebel, but she will do minor things to show her displeasure with bad decisions. Things like not averting a meeting between rivals to see how it plays out. I doubt she intended it to go quite that far, if only because she would be worried that it would end up pushing you away from the PRT and pushing me back to my roots. But…still…"

"Yeah…"

"Taylor, I have to ask, when you were yelling about the Empire, were you serious? Being fully Independent with no ties to the PRT at all…it's not safe Taylor. I'd sooner see you in the Empire than I would see you go that route. That would likely end in an early grave. I can do it because I can fly away from danger and I'm one of the strongest blasters on this coast, but you're not at that level yet. If you were truly intending to cut yourself off entirely…"

I shook my head. "No. I was angry and frustrated, but no. I can't go to them. Maybe I can try to seduce a few capes away from them if - like you said - there were some people on the fence about the whole 'being a Nazi' thing, but actually joining them wholesale? No. I'd sooner just move to a different city and find an independent group or something. Maybe try to join the Guild. Narwhal's in the Guild. That would be nice if…you know, things go that far."

"I suppose I could see the appeal there."

"Kayden, the Protectorate, the Wards, they can't…They can't all be that bad…right?" I whispered.

"I hope not, Taylor. Aegis seemed nice at least. He was pretty too, right?"

"Lesbian. Remember?"

She chuckled and reached over and ruffled my hair. "I know. Still, just because you prefer women doesn't mean you can't admire men too."

"He's how many years younger than you? That's just creepy."

"I am literally engaged to your father. I am trying to engage you in conversation, child, and you are not cooperating. I'm scraping the barrel here. Forgive me for delving into the awkward. There's not exactly a plethora of female teenagers that we ran across during our day that I can try to divert the conversation towards."

I snorted. "Wow, you're bad at this."

"You're not going to win any awards either, Miss."

"Yeah, but I at least have the excuse of being 15. What's your excuse?"

"Umm, bad friends?"

"That's a statement of fact, not an excuse."

Kayden laughed and nodded. "This is true. So, quick serious question now that we are basically home: do you want to tell Danny about everything, pieces of it, or nothing at all for now?"

I let my eyes close as I centered myself while we pulled into the driveway. "Is it okay if we don't tell him just yet? I'd…I'd like to figure out…myself before I tell him. He's worried about things as it is. It hasn't even been a month yet…"

"Okay. Whenever you're ready, Taylor, just let me know."

"I will." I pushed open the door and looked back at her, giving her a small smile. "Kayden…thanks."

"Always, Taylor."