A Hell of a Time
Apparently, there's some Tinker who specializes in mass producing high-quality salves and ointments. I learned this as I was sitting in a makeshift medical tent in Snake Face's parking garage, while a paramedic of some sort rubbed tinker-tech burn salve on my laser burns. Completely honest, the salve burns worse than the lasers.
I looked to elsewhere in the half-assed med bay/parking garage, and the mercenaries I'd beaten up being treated for broken bones and the like. I asked the paramedic, "you don't think I killed any of them, do you?"
"If any of them were dead," the paramedic began, "they wouldn't bother treating them. Just relax." That was less than comforting to hear.
I saw a couple of PRT agents frogmarching Snake Face in the direction of a PRT armored vehicle, probably to take him into custody or whatever. I noticed that he was holding an ice pack to his groin. Then I noticed Armsmaster, in his blue armor, heading towards me.
"Akuma," the blue-clad hero said to me on approach, "I've got some questions for you." The leader of the local Protectorate gave what seemed like a forced smile, "just to make sure we've got a few details straight."
And so Armsmaster asked me about what happened from my perspective, about the two assholes coming to my house and implicitly threatening me to come with them, about being driven around town and about the boss asshole's offer, and about how Snake Face threatened to have my Dad-I hadn't said anything about Sicily-killed if I didn't work for him, and about how I'd kicked Snakey's ass, and those of his thugs, when one of his Mercenaries ran in and said that the Protectorate was here.
"At that point, I figured the best thing to do would be to keep him busy, so he couldn't get away. I'd been getting some really Creep vibes," Armsmaster didn't look like he got what I meant, "from him. I didn't trust that he wouldn't have my Dad killed out of spite."
Other than Sicily, the only things I didn't mention were Snake Face's accusation, that Assault was a former villain that had broken people out of Birdcage transports, and his mentioning that the PRT knew about what Sophia had done to me. I... If that was true, the heroes would lie about it. If it wasn't it didn't matter, so I didn't ask.
When I was finished recounting what happened, Armsmaster gave another smile. "You've done quite well for yourself, Akuma. I'll be recommending that you be among those credited for Coil's capture."
...It was then that I realized that on my second day as a hero, I'd defeated a supervillain... And I'd just been congratulated for it by Armsmaster! Armsmaster had been one of my favorite heroes when I was as younger, I even used to have a pair of panties with his logo on them! I smiled as a sensation of giddiness overcame me, and stopped dead as I realized that Armsmaster and the paramedic were staring at me.
"Are you alright," the hero asked me?
"Yeah, it's just, the realization of what I just did hit me."
"You're proud of your first villain take down." It was a statement, not a question. "I remember my first capture." The hero smiled and crossed his arms, "you should eat a good meal or practice a hobby you enjoy soon. The first thing you do after your first time will be something you remember for the rest of your life."
That sounded oddly sexual. I don't think he meant it to sound like that, but...
A question suddenly came to mind, and, wanting to change the subject I blurted it out. "Can I have this place?"
I couldn't read Armsmaster from the bearded lower half face I could see, but after a moment he simply replied: "We'll see."
Around this time the paramedic started putting bandages over my many many laser burns. When he finished, I asked, "are we done?"
"There are some bruises I've noticed," the paramedic answered, "and I'm not sure there aren't burns under your clothes. I honestly think that you should go to the hospital for more thorough treatment."
I grimaced. "I, I'll be fine I think." I stood from where I was sitting and proceeded to walk around like I wasn't covered in painful laser burns and burn slave that stung like a bitch. "Besides, I've got school in the morning"
The medic wasn't convinced but the leader of the locale protectorate came to my rescue. "It's my understanding that Akuma is a Brute. If she says she's fine, she's probably fine."
The medic rolled his eyes and walked off, muttering something about "fucking capes," so I left the makeshift medical area... and then realized that I had no idea how to get home from here. I ended up looking around for a bit until I found myself by Armsmaster once again
Before I could say anything, he simply said: "you need a ride home." I nodded, unsure how to answer otherwise. He pointed over to the far end of Snake Face's parking garage, to his motorcycle. "Wait over there."
Again unsure how to answer, I simply walked over to the motorcycle and waited. Armsmaster's was a Tinker and his Bike was Tinker-Tech. It's almost as famous as the Halberd at his back... Completely honest, if I was standing this close to the bike as a normal civilian, I'd probably be nerding the hell out right now.
After what felt like about five minutes, Armsmaster came back up to me, did... something or other to his bike and a helmet popped out to the side, which he handed to me and... no way.
"I'm going to take you home," the blue-clad hero said, "that helmet might be a bit uncomfortable for you. It was made under the assumption that it'd be worn by someone with normal human ears, and for that, I apologize."
Oh my god. Oh, my god, this was happening. I was going to get to ride Armsmaster's Motorcycle and this is the best day ever! I put the helmet on and got on the back of the bike, my arms over armored Cape's shoulders at his insistence("I don't want people getting any ideas"), and with an engine roar that I felt vibrate in my soul, we went screaming off into the night.
A Hell of a Time
Half an hour later, I was up in my room, finally changed out of my costume into some civilian clothes-well, my pajamas, while watching a stuffed penguin with peg legs put my laundry away for me. Sicily said that it was a prinny, some kind of servant demon, but then she went on about how cute they were and basically didn't explain anything else about them... Though Dad seemed to recognize them. Anyway, Sicily apparently had a contingent of them all to herself and had summoned them in an attempt to rescue me, but by the time she got them organized the PRT had called back to answer Dad and told them that the situation with Snake Face was under control, so Sicily set them out to do chores in thanks for Dad letting her stay here.
She and her prinnies had hidden in the basement when I go home. Armsmaster had spoken to Dad and me for a bit. He explained some things about the Unwritten Rules that capes followed and how Snake Face broke them by going after me when I was at home and by threatening Dad, so we shouldn't have to worry about stuff like that very much in the future. He'd also said something about spinning the incident and my involvement in Coil's take down to make sure, before asking me to reconsider joining the Wards. I told him I'd sleep on it.
Sicily came into my room, and the Prinny bowed and left with a "dood."
"Taylor," my young cousin said, "you're hurt." She gestured to my bandaged burns. "I can help with that if you'd like."
"How?"
The strange-eyed angel pulled out that book she'd had earlier, flipped open a few pages, and muttered something in a language I didn't catch, and suddenly I found myself blinded by a gentle white light. My vision cleared and I found that my burns and the pain they caused were gone.
"Sicily, what... magic." My mother was a demon and my second cousin is an angel. I really shouldn't be surprised that healing magic exists.
"Yep," the angel replied. "So... You're a superhero."
"Yeah." The incident with Coil had cemented it. Even if I was still unsure, I more or less had to be a hero now.
Sicily gave me a hopeful smile. "Can... I be your sidekick?"
I blinked... Eh, she's got magic and if she's anything like me she's probably tough. "Sure, why not."
My young cousin jumped three times "Yes! Yes! Flonne is going to be so jealous!"
Suddenly the phrase "Demon Angel Sicily has joined your Party." I blinked again and... fuck it, I'll figure it out in the morning.