6.6

"So, this is it huh?" I said aloud as I looked at the plastic crate that Martin Sills-Jones set down in front of me. We were in my room and I was recovering from another hard spar against Dragon's drones from the rig this morning. It was around noon. I still had bruises…

"Yes. Custom made and finished as per Director Dollerant's request."

I remained silent, opening the box and picking up the mesh body suit and holding it against me. I notice the armored dress in there, as well as my helmet. I set the mesh suit aside and inspected the helmet, holding it in my hands and flipping it around and around. I placed it on my head… it seemed to fit alright. My eyes were still covered by a visor, but the cold kiss of the air on my nose and lips made me feel like I wasn't wearing anything at all.

"You gonna try it on?" He asked as I spent several more seconds just looking at the annoying clothing in front of me, glaring at it for the crime of existing.

"Yeah. Fine." I grabbed the clothes and armor, moving into the bathroom.

I laid the pieces down and began to try it on.

Piece by piece, first the tinker-tech fabric upper piece, then the pants, the bits of metal armor I was still allowed and lastly, the long skirt and upper body vest that went with it.

Finally, I looked at myself in the mirror.

I could get behind the color, but that was about it. Silver, silk-like fabric with a black that was more dark brown than actual black.

My helmet… looked plain. And I couldn't morph it to whatever I want in design. I looked down, seeing the dress around me, all of which was knife and bullet resistant. I could still reinforce it in a pinch, and I probably would do it more often than not given that my mobility largely relied on my strength which also relied on my armor, but… this was definitely gonna take some getting used to.

It was… distasteful. Before, I looked like a knight in armor, legitimate functional armor. Now I looked like some cosplayer at a convention.

I snorted, the acid burning at the back of my throat.

Nothing for it now.

I marched out the door and found Martin standing at parade rest at the side of my room.

"Fits?" He asked, giving me a once over from head to toe..

"Like a glove. A frilly stupid glove." I intoned. I wasn't going to get any sympathy from Martin so frak it. I noticed him press a finger to his ear and look like he was in a conversation.

"Understood. Hebert. You have a visitor today. Glory Girl. She's at the lobby."

Vicky is here?

"Well… Okay, let me just get changed firs-."

"She's… already on her way in. And from… hmmm?" Martin seemed like he was hearing a conversation. "She… wants to see your costume."

"My costume? How did she even… God damnit Gallant." I muttered, hand over my face. One of these days I'm going to hurt him, badly.

"Let her in." I sit down on the couch, struggling not to sigh, arms crossed. Out of all the visitors I have been getting, Victoria has been coming as much as Dad was. Aisha had dropped by once or twice, but it seemed expensive for her to get here, hence the gaps. Last time she actually asked Dad to pick her up so she could hitch a ride with him.

I wait several minutes and the door opened, and here came Glory Girl in costume. "Hey Tay." She smiled, then her eyes lit up when she saw my costume.

"Go ahead, laugh it up."

"No no, I'm not laughing at all." Victoria smiled, as she walked up towards me. "Up. Come on, stand, let's get a good look at you."

She looked like she was enjoying this far too much.

I muttered something unkind towards Galant under my breath.

She reached down, grabbing my hands and pulling me upwards. "Come on. You're gonna have to do this eventually." She laughed.

I stood and Vicky walked around me like some teenaged fashion police drill sergeant looking for a flaw in the uniform.

After a minute or two of silence I was finding to be growing awkward, I decided to break it.

"What's your review oh-so-great Fashionista Fatale."

She blinked, then smiled. "You know what, I'm pitching that name to Parian next time I see her. I never liked her cape name anyway and it fits for a Rogue." Victoria snarked. "Anyways… my personal review… the dress could be have some, less fabric… the skin tight mesh is nice, common, can't do no wrong…" She cupped her chin. "No high heels is good, though I can definitely say you'd get the height advantage over a lot of capes."

'Thank god that jackass didn't push me to wear heels.' I thought.

Then another thought hit me.

"If you suggest I wear heels to anyone in this building - We. Are. Through. Our friendship is over."

She laughed. "Down girl, down. I promise not to pitch high heels to anyone. So anyway, sorry to say but seeing you was only part of the reason I'm here. I kinda came to meet the new Hero Commander with you guys, since she's gonna come up and meet you all before she goes off to her press conference, Mom and-"

"How did you even…" My hand met my forehead. "God-damnit Gallant."

(X)

By the time we made our way to the operation room, most of the Wards were already there, Vista, Kid Win, Gallant, Clock and Aegis. I didn't see Weld or Flechette, they must have gone off on patrol or something.

When we walked in all eyes were immediately on us, I'd taken off my helmet because, frankly, I couldn't stand the thing, and it's not like anyone in this building didn't already know my face.

Dennis made a show of doing a double take. "Hmmm…" He began, scratching at his masked chin. "Something's different…" He snapped his fingers. "I know! You changed your hair!"

I scowled. "Don't make me hurt you."

He held his hands up. "Not the face! I bruise easily!"

He evidently thought I was joking.

Carlos took a second to speak. "It looks good on you, actually."

"The skirt works great with her height." Victoria said with a smile, tugging on a length of one of the silver colored fabrics to show it off before I tugged it back, embarrassed.

I stepped forward. "So where's Mouse Protector?"

"New Boss is on her way." Vista said, playing with her phone or something before looking up towards me. "Hey. Wasn't this costume done by Glenn? He made it so you'd have armor?

I looked at the segmented armor that decorated my left shoulder down to my left wrist. "I wouldn't call one arm armor. And no. Even getting this was a fight."

"Why the left arm and not the right though?" Chris asked. "I mean, you're right han-..." He blinked, apparently coming to the adequate conclusion by himself. "Ahh."

I nodded. "Ahh, just about sums it up."

Clockblocker looked between the two of us. "Uhhh… you guys mind sharing?"

"Dominant hand is, typically, associated with offense, off hand for defense." Carlos answered. "He placed it on the left hand to make it seem that much less dangerous."

Dennis looked between him, Chris and me. "Did I like, miss the memo of some kind of new weekly mind-reading classes or something?"

"To do anything different you'd actually need to be literate." Victoria finally chimed in as she pulled herself away from Dean, smirking at her cheap shot.

Dennis gasped. "Oh! Oh I am laid low by insults. My sensitive, thin skin."

"Stop stalling just because you don't have a comeback ready." Vista put forward.

Dennis seemed to take that as a personal challenge, but whether he was ready or not with a comeback, he was, quite literally, saved by the bell.

"Alright settle down please. Sorry for our late arrival but we were somewhat held up." Dollerant wasted no time speaking as she entered the room.

There was someone behind her, a woman with a black suit, and a short shoulder cape that reached down to her mid-back, navy blue in color. Her mask covered her eyes, the bridge of her nose, and part of her forehead where two round mouse ears were sticking out. Her hair was shoulder length. Outside of her height, probably being able to stand at eye level with my dad, she could very easily blend into a crowd.

"This is the new Hero Commander of the PRT ENE. For those of you who have yet to make her acquaintance, this is Mouse Protector, transferred here yesterday from our holdings in Las Vegas, Protectorate Headquarters Department Twenty-Nine."

"Hello my minio-I mean, Brockton Bay Wards plus one. Soon we will march with legions to take over the city, and then, the world!" She smiled as she spread her arms wide.

Dollerant turned and glared.

"Okay fine." She huffed before clearing her throat, her smile and posture becoming more… normal. "Well since I now have to be a responsible adult. Let's start over. My name-" She gestured to herself. "Is Mouse Protector, as you've heard. And it's a pleasure to make your acquaintances."

Dennis raised his arm.

"Ye-"

"Ah ah. No." Dollerant interrupted. "Put your hand down Mr. Cook. I've already learned better even in my short term here."

"Aren't my questions importan-"

"No."

Dollerant, Missy, Dean, Carlos, and Vicky spoke in complete unison.

Clockblocker looked around the room, huffed and crossed his arms.

"Don't worry." Mouse Protector said, "From that, I can tell that in ten years they'll be making you head of some Protectorate branch somewhere! Like me!"

Dollerant's hand found its proper place on her forehead.

Mouse Protector chuckled. "Alright, alright, I'll be good." She looked at us. "Well, I hope to get to know you all over the next few weeks. But if there's anything you'd like to share now, or ask me, go ahead."

Dennis raised his arm. "Legit question this time! I swear"

"Oh. So you admit the other wasn't a legit question?" Mouse Protector smirked.

"...I plead the fifth. Anyway. You were in Vegas before this, right? Got any interesting stories to tell?"

"This was a legit question?" Vista deadpanned. Dennis seemingly glared at her.

"A few." Mouse protector spoke before anything else could be said between the two. She smiled. "You'll have to ask me when I'm less busy though."

"Ma'am." Carlos spoke. "Forgive me if I sound rude but, have you led a Protectorate division before?"

"Not exactly." She smiled with the seemingly easy answer. "I worked as a deputy lead for Myrddin once or twice when I was stationed there. But that was a week or two at a time at most. My main experience with leading Parahuman teams is in attack groups in offensives. The Teeth, Valefor, even the Slaughterhouse Nine once before. It's not the same, but that's where the bulk of my experience comes from."

Carlos nodded, seemingly satisfied

Chris raised his arm next.

"Yeeeees?"

Chris hesitated. "Well… I… ummm. I don't…"

"Mr. Win. I promise you she won't bite." Dollerant drawled. I couldn't tell for sure, but she seemed mildly amused.

"Ahhh. I don't wanna offend her-I mean you. But."

Dennis slammed his hand down on the table. "Chris has a crush on Mouse Protector! This is a date proposal! Sound the presses!" He yelped as he jumped back, rubbing his shin where apparently, Vista had kicked him.

"No I don't!" Chris shouted, aghast. Mouse Protector slowly turned towards him, and he seemed to realize he'd just insulted his boss. "No, I mean, you're totally crushable but I-No wait that's not what it sounds like."

Dennis chortled through his nose, covering his head from the many blows Vista was raining down on his skull from across the whole room.

"I was just gonna say that your power doesn't sound very powerful. I mean… We have freaking Lung. Ya know. Wrestled Leviathan and told him to bug off? Yeah, that Lung."

"And I had tangoed the Slaughterhouse Nine, left Mannequin stunned and bewildered with my most fabulous art of dance," She snarked back, smiling. She shrugged. "Nah, I'm not the strongest in the world. But I've learned a few tricks. Not to blow my own whistle but, Lung and Kaiser will bite off a bit more than they expected to chew with me."

Chris didn't seem convinced.

Neither was I really.

Lung had beaten me. I think Mouse would be the one biting off more than she could chew if she ever got into that fight…

I blinked.

Was that arrogance mine? Or someone else's?

Raime? The woman's?

I don't even know anymore…

"So, any other questions?" She asked, and I looked up at her. Mouse Protector as the new Hero Commander… Why? Why was she here? Why couldn't any other of the heroes here be Hero Commander? Dollerant picking her own guy for the job? Or was it…

I raised my hand, and everyone's eyes in the room turned towards me. Mouse Protector looked upon me and smiled lightly. It wasn't the humorous snarky smile from before, but a smile as if she expected this.

"Ms. Hebert right? What's up." She asked, my eyes leveled on her.

"You said you were a Ward under Alexandria right?"

"Yup." She nodded.

"Colin was your teammate there, wasn't he?"

"Yup." If she was at all uneasy about that question for whatever reason, she did a remarkable job of hiding it.

"Were you hired to replace him because you're exactly like him?"

Her smile got a little wider. "Well… I could tell you 'no' but would you believe me?"

I said nothing, and I felt the awkward tension from the others.

She nodded. "Nothing I can really say will set you at ease right? So… how about a 'wait and see' approach? Hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised." She smiled, then stood up, marched clear around the table, walking up towards me.

As she reached my side she half-leaned, half sat at the lip of the table and extended her hand.

"That sound fair?"

I looked at her hand and shrugged. "Not like I have a choice."

She was still smiling. "Here's hoping that changes. I look forward to working with ya, Ash." She pulled her hand back without a word about the rather rude gesture of not shaking it.

She looked around the room. "Anyone else?"

This time Vicky was the one that raised her hand.

"Yes Miss Dallon?"

"Yeah, I kinda dropped by because we haven't heard anything from you. Armsmaster worked with us from time to time, so we were wondering if that was gonna change with you."

"Why would it?" She shrugged with her shoulders. "To be honest I'm planning on keeping you guys in the loop more than Halbeard did."

"Oh?" Victoria seemed surprised. "Why?"

"You're useful." She answered simply. "And we're gonna need the backup if we're actually gonna take advantage of their recent ass kicking and beat the shit out of what's left of E-88 and then have Lung overdose on knockout drugs in his soup or whatever. We'll make it up as we go along."

I blinked.

This was the new Hero Commander?

(X)

A while later I was back in my room, my new costume held up on a custom set of hooks and hangers on the wall.

The TV was on, for once, the news showing Mouse Protector's press conference.

If this was gonna be my boss I was gonna keep my eyes on her.

The other Wards were released, let go back to their classes, except for Carlos, as the current captain of the Wards, he needed to make an appearance as well.

I definitely wasn't gonna be shown off there. Not while they were still rebuilding half the damn boardwalk.

Dollerant was on stage now, adjusting the microphone to suit her height. I'd already spied, Dauntless and Triumph there beside her.

"Good evening." She said, her glasses seemingly even bigger than they were in real life with the shining lights around her. "It is my pleasure to introduce to you, the people of Brockton Bay, the latest Hero-Commander for this fine city. Mouse Protector."

There was a polite round of applause and the dark haired woman stepped up towards the podium, smiling. "Thank you. It's a pleasure to be here. And while this is a new responsibility, it's one I plan to meet with all of my accumulated experience and ability."

She stepped back, as the cameras clicked and the assembled group, once again applauded.

"Before I, formally induct the Heroine known as Mouse Protector as the Hero Commander of Protectorate Headquarters Department East-North-East, we would both be willing to accept some of your questions."

I can't see much of the room from this camera, but I can imagine quite a few hands went up as Dollerant actually seemed to look through the crowd in search of someone.

"Yes, you there, third row from the back."

"Yes Director by all accounts. Miss Militia has been acting as the De-facto Protectorate leader since Armsmaster's injury in the battle against the Parahuman known as Surtr. No offense intended to Mouse Protector of course, but why is it that she was not given the position of Protectorate Hero Commander?"

"Yes, it is true that Miss Militia has filled in the role since Armsmaster's injury, and has done so with distinction and competence, but she was not comfortable in retaining the position permanently. She, infact, recommended Mouse Protector when we asked ourselves who should replace Armsmaster."

"So no hard feelings then?"

"No, none at all."

I snorted. Yeah right.

"Yes. You" Dollerant pointed. "Front row with the glasses."

"Yes, this question is for Mouse Protector; Ma'am, you have transferred here from Las Vegas, and while there are some notable gangs there, by all the statistics and research data we've found, the Bay's gang problem is far larger and much more far-reaching. How do you plan to tackle Parahuman powerhouses like Lung and Kaiser?"

"Boy, putting me on the spot here huh?" There was a polite chuckle from the audience. "Not to speak ill of my friend, and colleague, I don't share many of his views, and my policies will be a fair bit different. I… don't wanna look like I'm dodging the question but talking about my future actions and movements against these gangs over a live broadcast isn't exactly gonna help those plans actually succeed."

"I see, and what of the Ashburn situation ma'am?"

That, made me sit up, surprise and more than a little trepidation running through me.

"I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific." Dollerant demanded.

"Ashburn was said to have been Mastered over a month ago. Is she still in recovery? Are you or Mouse Protector planning on utilizing her abilities in future engagements? Has she been classified as dangerous?"

The room suddenly seemed to come alive with a charge of energy and the reporters started murmuring their own questions, the din of voices quickly becoming a multitude of shouts, each trying to drown out the others.

I reached for the remote, suddenly ready to turn it off.

I didn't need or want to hear this.

Before my finger could press the button though, the din of voices fell completely silent, replaced by a single, unmistakeable sound that reminded every single person of their own, fragile existence.

And over the TV, the one word shouted was the equivalent to 'Fire' in a theater.

"ENDBRINGER!"

Arc 6: Rapport

Fin

Next:

Arc 7: Tempest