Disclaimer:

This work is a piece of fanfiction, created purely for the enjoyment of the fans and not for any monetary benefit.

Rebirth AM 1

Brockton Bay was a volatile amalgamation of chaos and hope, its dockyards cloaked in lingering despair. A dichotomy with which Colin Wallis - better known as Armsmaster - was intimately familiar. His Tinker-modified motorbike snarled beneath him, a mechanical leviathan navigating the urban labyrinth. His sleek blue armor, glinting under the city's halogen glow, served as a beacon of control within the tumultuous boundaries of the south docks and downtown, where the ABB and E88 gangs held sway.

As he guided his bike along the perilous demarcation of gang territories, his helmet's internal communicator crackled to life. The familiar voice of the Protectorate dispatch ringed out. "Armsmaster, we've received a call from an unregistered parahuman, claiming to have captured some members of the E88. We need you to investigate. Assess the situation... and the cape"

The instructions were clear-cut, and the potential outcomes were two-fold. This novice parahuman, already demonstrating an inclination for interrupting gang affairs, could prove to be a substantial asset to the Protectorate's ranks, as well as receiving intel on the cape regardless of them joining or not. Odd that they would send me for this, Armsmaster mused.

The bike's halogen glow mirrored off his visor as Armsmaster revved the engine. "Copy that, dispatch," he confirmed, his voice echoing with a digital resonance within the helmet's confines. "I'm on my way."

The bike surged ahead, its power unchained. The sprawling cityscape - a blend of urban life and gangland graffiti - blurred past him as he sped towards the designated location displayed on his bike's handlebar screen.

To maintain Brockton Bay's precarious equilibrium is my responsibility, Armsmaster mused, to hold back the tide of chaos while kindling the elusive sparks of hope. This parahuman represents one such spark, and it's my duty to fan it into a full-fledged flame.

Colin never had been good at any sort of public relations or social work. However, he was never one to shy away from a challenge. If there was an opportunity to bolster the Protectorate's ranks with another cape, he wouldn't hesitate to grab it.

As he approached his destination, the city's discordance morphed into anticipatory silence. What type of parahuman will I encounter? An ally or another rogue element to keep in check? he pondered.

Upon arriving, Armsmaster cut the engine of his Tinker-engineered bike. The sudden silence devoured the motor's low rumble, leaving only the distant echoes of urban turmoil. He dismounted, his cobalt armor glistening under a solitary streetlamp. He surveyed the scene: four E88 thugs were scattered about, their hands bound by their own clothes. A figure, barely discernible in the dim lighting, stood amidst the mess.

As he neared cautiously, halberd at the ready, Armsmaster called out. "Stand down. I'm Armsmaster, from the Protectorate."

The figure turned, its silhouette slender and tall in the gloom. A young girl, possibly a teenager, clad in a simple black outfit, a piece of fabric obscuring her face, yellow goggles, and a hood pulled low.

Is this all? Armsmaster felt a pang of disappointment. She's just a kid, and by the looks of her patchwork ensemble, still in high school, unfamiliar with professional expectations. And she's likely not a Tinker; they usually display tech elements in their costumes.

Breaking the silence, Armsmaster demanded, "Who are you?" less to determine her identity and more to open up a dialogue.

"I, uh... I don't have a name yet," she answered, a touch of

Truth. HiS lie detection program indicated she was telling the truth. Good Armsmaster thought. Her being an established cape in disguise can be hesitantly crossed off the list.

"Do you have a temporary alias? I'll need to file a report about this, and it would be helpful to have a name to reference," he pressed.

"...You can call me Wind for now" The girl hesitated for a moment "but that's not my official cape name yet"

Armsmaster scrutinized the young woman, mentally cataloging his impressions. Despite her palpable greenness, he couldn't overlook the results of her daring interference. Four E88 members were incapacitated yet unscathed. Fascinating, he pondered. Is her power wind-related? Aerokinesis? A gaseous form, perhaps? The range of possibilities is staggering... as would be the potential headlines tying her lineage to a known player. His mind teemed with thoughts. Given the renowned E88 cape Storm Tiger's aerokinetic prowess, it was inevitable that any white cape exhibiting similar powers would be linked to him.

He voiced his next thought in a blunt fashion. "Your outfit... it's amateurish."

She stiffened, visibly offended. "Amateurish? I don't exactly have a costume designer on speed dial, you know."

"Your lack of preparation is concerning," he continued, softening his tone. "You're young. It's evident you haven't thought this through."

She crossed her arms defiantly. "And what? I'm supposed to wait until I have a shiny costume like yours before I help people?" Her words held a biting edge, but he detected a note of underlying uncertainty.

"No," he replied, "But you need to be equipped, trained, and supported to be effective without putting yourself or others in danger. That's where the Protectorate comes in, or in your case the wards."

"Look, Armsmaster," she began, "I don't need a lecture on how to be a hero. I did something tonight, and I'll do it again tomorrow if need be. With or without your shiny armour."

He couldn't help but feel a twinge of admiration for her spirit, even if it was coupled with exasperation. There was raw potential there, even if she was misguided in her current approach. She was a spark of hope in Brockton Bay's murky darkness, whether she was aware of it or not.

"Listen" he began, choosing his words carefully, "I am not here to belittle your efforts. I'm here because there's a bigger picture. What you did tonight... it's commendable. But it's also dangerous.".

With the tip of his halberd, he gestured towards the unconscious thugs. "You've taken down four E88 members. Do you believe they'll let this slide? You've made enemies tonight. And they're undoubtedly better prepared than you."

She seemed taken aback by his words. For a moment, the defiant girl was replaced by a frightened teenager, unsure of her place in the world. But it was only for a moment. Her spine straightened again, the fiery determination returning to her voice.

"I couldn't just stand by when I saw what they were doing. I couldn't justify not helping people when I could."

"There was a victim? Where, are they hurt? What happened to them?" Armsmaster interjected urgently.

"Their fine…they ran away while I was dealing with these four"

Armsmaster let out a sigh. It was the same story with every new cape. The desire to make a difference, to help, to change the world. It was admirable, really, but without guidance, it could lead to disaster.

"Wind," he said, holding her gaze firmly, "You can't just hope that a victim is uninjured, they could be confused, fleeing while hurt out of fear"

"But-"

"No, you need to listen now. You are not trained, you do not know what you are doing. You are going to get someone hurt". Armsmaster ground out "What if they had a gun, what if they shot that girl in the crossfire, WHAT if they shot you!"

"Well I'd have…I'd have…" the girl droned.

"You'd have done nothing because you do not know what to do. Can you even dodge a bullet, your rags you call a costume certainly couldn't begin to protect you from that". Perhaps he wasn't being the politest with Wind, but Armsmaster had seen enough young heroes die because they weren't prepared.

"Join the wards. We can train you, support you, equip you. Help you make a difference without risking your life or the lives of others."

For a moment, he thought she might agree. But then, the spark of rebellion in her eyes flared brighter. "I'll think about it," she said, the finality in her tone indicating the conversation was over.

"You're making a mistake, You're going to get yourself or someone else killed" Armsmaster bit out, feeling his own anger rise.

"What would be a mistake is doing nothing, You say that I'm going to get someone killed by acting? Way I see it someone would've been killed is if I did nothing" Wind snapped before turning and beginning to walk down the street away from Armsmaster.

"We aren't done here Win-"

"Yes we are". Wind said and began to run, far faster than he would expect of someone her age? Borderline Olympic level sprinting from some random kid in highschool? IMpossible.

As she turned the street and out of sight Armsmaster sighed to himself. Children and their disgusting lack of respect for authority…Director wasn't gonna be happy at the lack of a recruitment.

No the Director was not happy, In fact Colin feared that his briefing had put the Director into some sort of fit as he watched as her face grew red, redder, purple.

"So let me make sure I understand you Armsmaster" Piggot spat.

"You insulted them, berated their abilities, and demanded this new cape join the wards program."

Armsmaster met Director Piggot's harsh gaze with an unflinching stare. "I informed them of the reality of their situation, Director. They needed to understand the dangers and implications of their actions."

"But did you think about how your words might come across, Colin?" she questioned, her tone biting. "That girl is a teenager, not a seasoned hero like you. She's scared, unsure, and you lectured her like she was a disobedient cadet."

"I was direct and honest," he argued. "I believe that's the only way we can prevent these new heroes from making grave mistakes."

"And yet," she countered, "this new hero is out there somewhere, possibly taking on a whole gang without any guidance or protection."

Armsmaster crossed his arms, his face settling into a stern expression. "I offered her guidance, Director. She chose to ignore it."

Piggot pinched the bridge of her nose, a clear sign of her rising frustration. "Your idea of guidance, Armsmaster, needs serious reevaluation. We need to bring these new heroes into the fold, not scare them off."

"Perhaps," he conceded. "But I'd rather scare her into some caution than attend her funeral."

The Director was silent for a moment, her gaze focused on the file before her. "That's a grim perspective, Colin. But this is not the end of this matter. We need to find this Wind girl, before she gets into more trouble."

"Agreed, Director. I'll make sure we find her."

"..."

Piggot's returning silence was such an obvious dismissal that it left Colin embarrassed; it took him a moment too long to realize and begin making his way out.

As Armsmaster reached the office door Piggot called out. "Armsmaster, I'd expect a cape to understand the effects of a trigger event a bit more, and I know you follow the latest publications on Cape Psychology."

Colin continued walking out, still feeling that this was entirely unfair. They knew he was terrible at talking to people.

Velocity was just as available as I was.

Author's Note:

Thank you all for reading this chapter! Let me know if you're enjoying the story so far, and feel free to ask any questions. Would love to hear any thoughts or ideas as well!

Should I try to come up with hints for what the next chapter contains in the author's notes?

Q/A

Draco0905- Yea I never really enjoyed Korra's Universe myself tbh. I'd make longer chapters, but sometimes it just feels like it's a good place to end off and I don't wanna over extend anything.

Glrasshopper- I compared some maps of Brockton Bay to my city, and I kinda eyeballed it and figured she could have easily walked close to or even in empire territory within an hour of walking. And Yea Taylor has just been so elated over her powers that she didn't even think of Storm Tiger (I definitely didn't just not think of that).

JanessaVR-I've got some fun ideas for how she finds out. Can't wait till we get their :)