Arc 2: Embers

2.1

Three days after first patrol.

"I'm an idiot."

The tone of my voice, more than the words themselves, was enough to draw out a laugh from Carlos, making him struggle to keep all his food in his mouth.

"There, there." He mocked, laughing even more as I looked up at him with my best possible glare. "It took Chris almost a month before he figured it out. Hell, Dennis knew it early on, then he got confused again about it… how that happened I don't really know. But he managed. Even got so paranoid he started checking on Armsmaster's civilian ID." He consoled.

"I might have beaten his record if I didn't just stumble onto her without her mask on." I growled.

"I don't doubt it. You did seem pretty clueless."

"What's up with you guys?"

I turn my head around seeing Victoria marching up behind me, eyebrow hiked up to her hairline as she looked at the two of us. The others mustn't be far behind in getting out of class if she's already here. They should be around for lunch soon.

"Taylor is currently beating herself over the head because she finally found out who 'Miss Washington' actually is." Carlos smiled.

"Is she still going on with that prank?" Miss Dallon questioned as she sat down beside me.

"She doesn't prank," Carlos clarified, "she just likes to spread the idea that her civilian ID is on the payroll to avoid someone figuring it out by cross referencing payments and employees 'on the books' with facial recognition programs and then going by process of elimination. She also likes to see how long it takes the wards to notice."

"Where I'm from, that last part's called a prank, honey." Victoria replied flatly before turning to me "Don't worry, Dean told me it took Chris almost a month." She said, trying to make me feel better.

"The worst part is its just so… so obvious now!" I bemoaned. "I mean, I never saw them in the same place, they have the same eyes, they both call me 'Hun'! What the hell was wrong with me!?"

"That 'Shiny new Ward' sign was blinding you with the glare." Victoria offered sagely. Then she grinned, leaning in to whisper, "So is what I'm hearing true? You went and beat the shit out of ninja boy last friday?"

I wasn't used to being the center of attention. I don't like being the center of attention. Too many bad memories associated from Winslow. "Me and Vista." It was the best I could come up with.

"Very Nice! Me and Crystal tangled with him once; bastard was a major pain to try and pin down. He ran away there as well, but that was real nice for it being your first time out. Did he try blowing you up too?"

"He tried that with you?" I asked. Trying to use a grenade on Alexandria 2.0 seemed absurdly stupid, even as a potential distraction.

"Nah with Crystal. He knew better than to try that with me. He was hoping she'd get injured and I'd have to back off but she knows how to handle herself. So are you an Alexandria package too?" She asked. "Dean never got too specific about what you could do-"

"Which he shouldn't." Carlos reminded sharply. "The Protectorate and New Wave might cooperate, but it's not his powers for him to be disclosing."

"Oh puh-lease," Vicky waved him off, rolling her eyes. "If I don't find out through just going on patrol with you guys I just need five minutes on PHO once they get word of her."

"I'm on PHO?!" My voice, thankfully, came out as a squeak rather than a shrill shriek. I doubted half the school wouldn't have heard me if it had, given how I was feeling.

"Dunno. I don't think so, but my point with Captain boy here stands that the whole 'keep powers a secret' thing, is kinda moot. So," She rounded on me, eyes sparkling as though she just caught sight of a new curiosity. Infact, that was probably very very accurate. "Tell me all about it!"

Thankfully I was saved as Vicky's head rose up to look above my own. "Amy!"

She, having no secret identity to worry about, flew right up, over my head and grabbed Amy in a hug as the brunette exited the school doorway. "I thought you were gonna be in the hospital again today."

"Can't miss more classes." She smiled softly. "They give me leeway with the hospital work but I know I'm pushing it."

"Would you like some help with the homework."

It took the two sisters, and Carlos turning to look at me for me to realize that the offer actually came from me.

"Uhh...I mean. I'm already working to catch up with the majority of the class since I transferred here from Winslow. So if you're missing assignments or something I could...maybe help?" I shrugged. I was never any good at this sort of thing and the offer had just blurted itself out.

She just looked so exhausted that I hadn't really thought about it before just saying the first thing that came to mind.

"That's okay. I'll take care of it-" Her smile seemed… it was fake.

I made a mental note to ask about this later. Maybe Dean or Carlos knew.

"Hey Victoria!" Some other girls came up, marching through the lunch courtyard like they were on a mission, brandishing their phones like weapons.

"Hey, who's the new cape in the Wards?"

Oh… Oh god why?

If either girl had enough of an attention span to look at my face, they would see it as absurdly pale. Almost sickly pale I was sure.

Victoria turned and looked at the photo displayed on the screen. "Hmm… Dunno, never seen her before."

"That's a girl?" One asked squinting into her phone.

Carlos choked on his meal. I suddenly had to fight down the urge to hurt someone…namely him...badly.

"Of course its a girl! Armor or not that's a woman's waistline!" Girl B pointed out to Girl A who had pegged me as a guy.

"You think she binds her breasts to keep them so flat?"

"Or maybe she's just flat altogether? Poor girl needs some estrogen in her."

Carlos gave an absurdly loud 'sneeze' to cover up the laugh that was just caught behind his teeth.

That… hurt.

I don't have the best figure but goddamnit I don't look like a boy!

"Yeah well I don't know who it is." Victoria answered. "Maybe you should check PHO."

"They're clueless too, at least in the thread that I found. "

"There's a thread!?"

That, came from me. A startled, half strangled squeak I barely recognized. The thought of there being a thread was enough to jar me out of the quasi-depressed funk I was sinking into. It also brought the girls eyes straight to me.

"Yeah! Duh. There was a sighting Friday night of this girl. They posted it on saturday. How much longer do you think it would take?"

A week, a month, Forever maybe? Hopefully?

"Social media moves like clockwork." Girl A said. "Here, lemme get the thread on my phone…"

Great Taylor. Just keep panicking giving out tells that you're that Ward. Just calm down...calm down…

"Here we go. New Ward Spotted." Girl A showed me the thread's opening post, and the picture of me talking with Vista and Dauntless on the rooftop. That girl posted it obviously, as her username "CuteyRuby20" was anything to go by.

Next time I see a camera on me, I'm burning it. Or a throwing it off a building. Vista can help with that. Make it fall a ridiculous distance from only a couple of feet up.

"I'll check it out later." I said, letting the girl keep her phone. I could almost feel myself breaking out in a cold sweat. After all, not every day you're found on a forum.

I noticed Carlos was on his phone a second before he pocketed it. Victoria and her friends chatted up a storm, I felt my phone vibrate.

Capt says you need to escape till lunch ends? Chris

I looked at Carlos and he offered me a sympathetic smile and I returned it with gratitude. Thank you el capitan.

"I'm gonna go get some lunch right now." I said standing up. "I'll see you later." I declared loud enough to not seem like I was hoping that they wouldn't hear me. But not quiet enough to fulfil my goal evidently.

"Fugly Bob's at 5." Victoria pointed my way and clicked her tongue. "And I KNOW you're free Taylor~."

How would she even...God damnit Dean! I can tell Carlos had the same look on his face as I grabbed my backpack. I looked at the silent Amy.

"My offer is still on the table Amy. I'd be more than happy to help you out." The freckle-faced brunette looked up, the soft smile still on her face. It seemed a bit more sincere now but not by much.

"I'll text you to let you know…" She replied. I need to suggest to Victoria to send Amy on a vacation or something. Though with so many islands under constant flood threat just from Leviathan's mere presence, there isn't a lot of places for one to go for fun in the sun. And Amy looks like the type of girl that she would rather die than put on a swimsuit.

Then again, so would I for that matter. I walked away from the table, texting to Chris.

Where are you? Send.

He answered a few seconds later

Down at the school workshop.

I nodded to myself; went to the cafeteria and got a pizza slice and a chips bag. I walked out of the cafeteria and made my way towards the science section of the school. Deep down I felt sort of...cheated. Arcadia has an almost University feel to it, while Winslow was left with leftovers and scraps. It's as if the bureaucracy dedicated all funding towards Arcadia and Winslow was the red-headed step child.

Well, Winslow is burned to the ground and I'm here in Arcadia. There's no need for worrying on the past anymore. Its just that. The past.

I finished my meal as I tossed the empty bag into a trash can and went into the school workshop. I'd never actually been here before. I looked around, seeing a few students working on homework. Usually the loner nerds or people desperate to get their grades back up. Or catch up with the courses like me. Yeah. There are people from Winslow here, I recognize a few. We don't speak. I'd prefer to keep it that way permanently. Most never helped Emma from what I can remember.

Neither did they help me.

I notice Chris working on his own in a classroom with a teacher who seemed to be napping. The Tinker Ward perked up as he heard my presence and gestured to come by.

"Carlos told me what happened." He said lightly, maybe trying to not wake up the teacher. "I need to make something that mutes everything Dean says. Or makes Vicky forget about it. I swear."

"Victoria probably egged him to tell her. She looks like someone who doesn't like being kept in the dark."

"Totally." Chris was working on what appears to be...some sort of laptop. His own?

He seemed to catch my look "It's for extra credit."

"I thought you were good at science and engineering?" I asked curiously.

"I have been doing some English and History homework during the class. Not paying attention. Mr. Roberts caught me. I'm on the honor roll but he said that whatever time I'm using on his watch that isn't being dedicated to his class I can make up for here. Its the best grade I've got so I really don't want him pissed enough to take off points or something. I wanna keep my straight A's there at least.."

"You're a Ward. He has to know that you have an actual job and working hours unlike most students. Ask him to cut you some slack." I said softly. The teacher seemed asleep but knowing my luck he'd just as easily wake up at the worst possible time.

"I'm not gonna abuse my status as a Ward for a free pass." He said firmly, a conviction there. And I felt my respect for him grow a notch even as my own disappointment with myself reared its head. I was even thinking of pulling that card, and now I feel disgusted with myself.

"Yeah...you're right. That was...petty of me."

He grinned, reassurance on his features. "We've all been there. Its freaking tempting."

"I can help you if you like." I decided to extend my impetuous offer to Amy earlier. "We can share notes." He looked my way with wide eyes, filled with hope.

"Really?!" He said, before going back to whispering. "You'd do that?"

"We're teammates. And besides, English is my best subject and History my second best."

"Don't you have German instead of English this semester?" He asked. "How can you help me with that?"

"My mom…" I hesitated for a second. This wasn't a subject I spoke of. "My mom was an English teacher before she passed. So I spent a lot of time reading her English texts and notes"

"Oh…" Chris looked sheepish. "Sorry about that. Didn't mean to...well...you know."

"It's fine. If you can help me in Bio, I can help you in your other two subjects. We can share notes and study together. Deal?"

The hero known as Kid Win smiled and nodded. "Done deal."

(X)

School came and went as usual, and now I am riding in the back of Victoria's convertible with Amy, Dean, and Chris. Carlos and Dennis were going out on patrol and Missy was back at the base on stand-by and probably working with tutors on homework.

While Dean and Victoria were chatting up front, I was looking down at my phone at the mobile version of PHO, and I got to the forum titled "New Ward Spotted outside my apartment!" by CuteyRuby20 And I saw the picture and I began to read the description.

"So I wake up last night to go to the bathroom, then when I come back I hear voices outside my window. I look out and I see Wards! (And that sexy Dauntless) One of them's Vista. But here' there's a whole new face! Couldn't tell if it was a guy or a girl. But I think its a girl, its either a girl or a boy with a girly voice-"

My eye twitched and my urge to kick something was rising.

"Either way, we got a new cool looking hero on deck! They even spotted me! I thought I was going to get yelled at but thankfully I didn't lol

What do you all think? Or are you here on PHO now New Ward?

RealJPlaya: She's decked in some gray looking armor. Tinker, Changer or Brute maybe?

Da-impy1: Oh boy, please let it be a boy who looks like girl please please please.

INFRACTION: Keep such things to yourself. This is for discussion on a new Parahuman Hero, not on what your sexual preferences are.

Okay, now I'm a bit creeped out. Guys are...into that?... Or..or was that a girl? Or someone of a different gender? Thank Scion for that mod!

ForDaH0rd3: That armor of hers doesn't look metallic. More...gravely? Is that Fiberglass or something? Dirt? Tinker-Tech? Do we have another Mush that puts garbage and junk on herself? Himself? I'm so confused!

Dodger12: My dad works for the PRT and he told me that the new Ward may have fire abilities. I even heard the new Ward chased off ABB's Oni-Lee!

Pablel94: Pics or GTFO.

"Damnit…" I mutter, rolling my eyes as my hair flew into my face thanks to how fast Victoria was driving. I saw Chris look my way, as he was sitting in the middle, with Amy on the far right.

Reinbeau1229: Isn't Oni Lee that suicide bomber who doesn't suicide when he should suicide?

Tin Mother: Oni Lee makes clones of himself and has possession of countless of lethal weapons. Said clones can be used as suicide bombers yes.

FreddyTheYeti: So this new Ward can handle that and whatever else the ABB send out? I'm guessing Brute here.

(Also, Cutey; how would you even know Dauntless is sexy? You can't really see his face. He could be completely Fugly under that helmet)

CuteyRuby20: He's sexy damnit! I reject your reality and substitute my own!

Reinbeau1229: Oh. So does this mean she's on Lung's shit list?"

FreddyTheYeti: I...don't think it works like that Cutey…

SilencioDeGrave: I bet the Simurgh did it. She ALWAYS did it. The new Ward, Dauntless being hot, EVERYTHING.

CuteyRuby20: The Simurgh didn't make Dauntless as the #1 hottest Hero in the New England area. STFU. And hopefully the new Ward isn't a girl. I don't wanna loooooose D:

INFRACTION: Don't start an arguement that's off-topic.

"Motherfu…" I shook my head. People were SPECULATING on the chance Dauntless and I are romantically involved, IF I am a girl so they say. Do these people have anything to do with their lives? Besides, I just got to know him THAT NIGHT. And isn't a relationship with a fifteen year old and a late-twenties male, I don't know, Statutory?

Tin Mother: The Simurgh is a Macropsychokinetic. The Endbringer has no ability that would allow her to alter a person's biology or affect a person's biology. Only emotionally and mentally. Anyways, this new hero does have a unique substance on his or her person.

And besides Cutey. You would never have had a chance with him.

"Hey." Victoria's voice brought my eyes up to the front of the car. I realized she wasn't exactly talking to me when she looked to Dean beside her. I wish she'd keep her eyes on the road.

Her next words brought my mind to a screeching halt. "When are you guys gonna do a press release for Taylor?"

"A few more weeks probably." He answered, utterly blase about this horrifying thing that Glory Girl seemed to be pulling out of thin air. What press release?! I never said...No one ever said anything about a press release!

"They probably want to distance her as much as possible with the Winslow fire to keep people from making connections."

"Kinda hard now with that PHO post." Victoria snickered.

"There's a post?!"

"What Press relea-gah!?"

The red car made an absurdly sharp turn that had me sliding into Amy; pressing her between myself and Chris.

"What was that Tay?"

"What press release!?" I nearly found myself screeching, my hand reaching to grasp the back of her seat like claws. "No one said anything about this!"

She looked clear over her shoulder at me. Still driving! "They have to tell people there's a new Ward Tay. What'd you think was gonna happen!?"

"Nothing!" I answered truthfully, almost frantically! "I...I'm not...Does this mean I have to be in front of a camera!"

The thought was almost enough to make me nauseous.

I heard a laugh behind me and turned to see Chris snickering under his breath. "You-You look like-Your face is just priceless!"

"This isn't funny!"

But evidently I was wrong, or my current expression was enough to tilt the odds because soon enough, Amy was chuckling right along side him.

A well of emotions rose up in me, none of them good. Overflowing like a wave. They're laughing at me...they-

The flood of humor that replaces it is so jarring, so alien that before I'm even joining in the laughter. I already know Dean's hit me with something. The anger bubbling beneath the surface of the foreign happiness makes me feel delirious. I turn, looking at him with a soft smile despite the anger that wants to let itself be known.

His eyes meet mine, careful to avoid the others, Vicky too. They're apologetic but the apology means nothing.

Its two minutes later that we fall into silence, Chris is saying how it won't be so bad. How every Ward got a press release when they joined. I only half listened to Clockblocker getting his name in his when we're pulling into Fugly Bob's parking lot.

"Hey guys." Dean says quickly. "Head inside real quick. Now that the cats out of the bag I should take a minute to tell Taylor about some of the specifics of the press release before Piggot and Armsmaster just dump it on her like a sack of bricks."

"Kay." Victoria announced as she finished parking and yanked the keys out of the ignition. "Come on Ames."

Chris opened his door and got out, allowing Amy to slide out of his side.

Vicky and Amy left, Chris sat back into the car.

Dean looked over his shoulder. "Chris? Don't wanna follow Amy and Victoria? This might take a while."

"Nah I'm good. Lines at Fugly's at this hour are longer than this speech anyway so-" He paused, looking at Dean and then to me. "This has nothing to do with the Press release…" It was a statement, not a question.

The silence that fell over us this time was awkward. And I only broke it when I felt I could keep my voice from cracking.

"Please don't do that again."

I didn't look at him, but judging how he shifted in his seat, I could almost feel him cringing. The warmth pooling beneath my chest was a small comfort to my sadness…

But not my anger.

"I'm sorry...I-"

"You blasted her!?" Chris sounded horrified. "What the hell Dea-?!"

"I'm sorry! You know I hate doing it to teammates but-Taylor you...that's the second time in as many school days as you've been a hairs breadth away from going into a panic attack. It was almost too fast for me to react. I didn't think your power would activate fast enough and I…"

He paused. I heard him take a deep breath. "Would you like to talk about what upset you?"

I didn't. I didn't want to talk about Winslow. Didn't want to talk about Madison, Sophia or Emma. Especially not Emma. She betrayed me, took all my trust and tore it to shreds, used what she knew about me to tear me to pieces along with it.

Trust wasn't easy for me to give...not to anyone...when I felt that they'd been laughing at me...that they were taking delight in what was bothering me...I'd…

It had hurt so much more than it should have. Like tearing open a barely scabbed over wound and making it wider.

"Its…" I shut up.

"Taylor...I understand if you don't want to talk about your trigger. None of us like to. I can understand if you don't want any of us to know. That happens as well. But if you don't want to talk to us talk to someone...you can't just keep it bottled up, or hiding it behind your powers. We all need to talk it over at some point. Let it all out. It's unhealthy keeping it all inside."

I nodded. I knew he was right. I should talk to someone...just not him. Any of them.

They didn't have to know. None of them had to know about Winslow.

Chris put his hand on my shoulder and I almost jumped. Gone was the joking face, and here was a face full of concern. "Are you gonna be okay Taylor?"

He sounded so genuine, it was such a whiplash from the sheer rage I'd felt when I thought he was laughing at me. Like Emma had done. I almost didn't have the heart to stay mad at him.

Almost.

"I'll be fine." I whispered, then I opened the door and got out.

…

"Chris. Dean." I called as they exited.

"Yeah?" Chris asked, Dean remained silent.

"Be honest with me…" I looked back at them. "I mean...I know you weren't but I...were you...You weren't...laughing at me right?"

If I was going to reveal my Trigger and all the baggage that came associated with it eventually, I might as well do it slow and steady. And at least give them something to go on. Chris was taken aback, his eyes wide and then his shoulder slumped.

"Of course not! How...is that something that happened when you triggered? People were laughing? Making fun of you?" He asked, his tone sullen. I nodded and his hand went to his face. I heard him mutter "Fuck me" and I knew the answer.

"I…maybe a little..." He answered, and I could see the genuine regret on his face. I was grateful that he didn't lie to me... "But it won't happen again! I-"

"You didn't know." I cut him off. Grateful now more than ever that my power kept my emotions level, the warm feeling cascading through me and soothing me. I wasn't sure I could do this otherwise. "Neither of you did. But I don't do…I'm not good at this...social stuff...and I...I just need to get used to it again is all...I'll try not to lose it or take it personal but…"

"You don't have to worry about it." Chris said in an instant. Dean nodded.

"I'll need to tell this to Missy and Carlos. Brendan doesn't do comedy nor sarcasm well, so he's alright. As for Vicky, I'll...let her know myself." The hero known as Gallant said with his arms crossed.

"It's better if I told the Wards...I...I don't want you making them think I'm made of glass... I just want to...I don't know just let em know that I might be more awkward at this than I've been letting on." I raised my hands up to my face. "You can handle Victoria and Amy. You know them both better" I said. "And Chris." He could tell he perked up.

"Thanks for being honest with me."

"Anytime." His genuine and true. Great, now I feel bad for sucking the fun out of the atmosphere. I looked aside as we began walking towards Fugly Bob's.

"Sorry for bringing the mood down…"

"Don't apologize." Dean answered resolutely. "You have every right, everyone has their baggage from the trigger. Things it takes us a while to get over. Some of us just don't like Shadow Stalker."

Chris nodded beside him. "Yeah don't worry. And I'll make sure Dean doesn't get too distracted by Vicky to just not end up telling her anything."

"Watch it wise guy." Now I felt a chuckle rise out of me at the banter as we entered the door, the mood lightening up. It was good I could enter with a smile on my face at least. I saw the line ahead. It was...quite full, extending nearly to the doorway. Looking around, I saw Amy sitting at a booth, probably reserving our table, and Victoria was waving her arms.

"Hey!" We walked towards her outside the line. "I know what to get for Dean and Chris here. Taylor, what do you want?"

"It's my first time coming here. Mind if I join you in line?"

"Why not. Come on." I stepped in next to her, and I heard the young African-American girl behind me grumble a bit while looking on her phone. I gave a mental apology at kinda sorta cutting in line when it was so unbearably long.

"Okay, Fugly's does burgers, hotdogs, shakes, Mexican foods and salads. What're you up for?" Victoria asked.

"A burger I guess." I mumbled, squinting to get a look at the burger menu hanging over the left side of the counter.

There was a poke at my shoulder, a whisper at my ear;

"Hey Miss new Cape, how's it hangin'?"

I quite literally froze, my back going ramrod straight and I could feel my heart clench and fall to my stomach. My eyes must have been the size of dinner plates as I turned around finding myself staring at the impish smile of the african american girl behind me.

The girl held out her phone, that same fucking picture from last night hanging over it. "This is you right!" She whispered, her soft voice nearly lost in the cacophony of the busy burger joint.

"Hey Taylor what-" Victoria paused mid sentence as she realized I wasn't exactly paying attention right now.

She half turned when I grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out of the line.

"Hey what the hell Tay-"

"She knows who I am!" I hissed out the whisper through clenched teeth, all but pointing at the black girl who had the audacity to offer a cheerful little wave at us.

Vicky blinked. She'd never had a secret identity before so it took her brain a second to think about what I was talking about and the implications therein.

"Oh. Well, shit."

Winslow. It always came back to fucking Winslow! I'm starting to agree with that Silencio guy on PHO. The Simurgh must have been responsible for that school's existence.

I recognized her now. I'd seen her at Winslow. Different classes, maybe a different grade. I didn't know her name then but I damn sure knew it now. Aisha.

She'd been one of the few to see my Ash statues as she'd been making her way out of the building with her group. She'd seen the black red flames as they erupted from the ash.

So seeing me here, standing next to Glory Girl and Panacea didn't really make things difficult for her to put together.

Especially not when my reaction confirmed it.

"This isn't something you can just go around talking about Miss Labourn." Amy was speaking, Victoria wasted no time marching over to the table and plucking her away from Dean and Chris in order to be the negotiator here. Vicky was sociable, but her way of dealing with problems was limited to punching the problem till it stopped being a problem.

"Didn't plan to Miss Medic." That impy little smile still stayed there. "Just curious really. I got no reason to screw over Burnscar-lite." She held her hands up in a placating gesture. "Its all good! Just wanted to confirm is all!"

I had no doubt Dean or Chris were talking right now to either Armsmaster, Miss Militia or Director Piggot over at the booth, filling them in. Did the PRT have protocols and plans in place for this kinda thing?

Suddenly, Vicky's phone rang, a jaunty, cheerful little tune in a migraine inducing pink casing as she pulled it out of her pocket and held it out to Aisha.

The girl looked at it curiously before reaching over and taking it. She looked at the caller ID before hitting the speaker-phone button. "Yup?"

"Ms. Labourn" I recognized Armsmaster's voice. "I understand you've managed to deduce the identity of our newest Ward."

"Bit of deduction. Bit of guessing but you guys confirmed it...well- Burnscar-lite confirmed it."

"That's not my name." I bit out.

"But I like it more than Taylor." She pouted. The glare I was giving her made her relent. "Oh alright. Taylor confirmed it when she kinda freaked out."

"Every student who gave eyewitness accounts of the events at Winslow signed a nondisclosure pact. If you speak on this information-"

"I didn't sign anything." She interrupted. "Never talk to the po-pos'"

I could almost imagine Armsmaster cycling through the PRT records in his helmet before he bit out a terse "So I see…Miss Labourn."

"My name's Aisha. And seriously stop freaking out all of you. I was just curious. I don't want or need or plan on screwing Burnscar-lite over with this. We got a new Ward protecting our fair city from druggies, Nazis, psycho-Asians and everything else in-between. Why would I? Besides, it's a felony to release a Cape's identity to the public. I mean, I didn't do THAT well in class, but I ain't stupid."

She seemed genuine enough. I took some comfort in that.

"You will be brought into the PRT headquarters to sign-"

"Not without my bro and a good Lawyer. Minor remember? I can't sign anything without Guardian or attorney present." Aisha smirked, sounding rather smug about it. She must know a lot about Capes. Cape fangirl?

"...They will be notified we will-"

"Thanks, I'm gonna get a burger now, so I'll go with Taylor when we're done. Ciao~."

She snapped the phone shut.

Amy and Victoria seemed stunned. I shared that sentiment.

"Did you just-" Amy blinked. "Hang up on Armsmaster?"

"Yeah. He important or somethin'?" The Impy smile was there again. That devil-may-care grin which seems like so few people can pull off right.

I couldn't help myself, the wild rollercoaster of emotions I'd found myself on today finally managed to find purchase somewhere, crashing headfirst into the "Just laugh about it damn you" range.

So I did.