Chapter 1-3

I could hear engines and sirens in the distance. They were getting closer, as far as I could tell. Guess that's the PRT coming…

I could still make a run for it. With my powers, I could easily hide on the rooftops and quietly slip away. I could even give up the whole cape thing and never call on the armor again. No one would ever know that it was me who nearly killed Lung.

But I'd be proving the bullies right if I took the coward's way out. Mom always said that you gotta own up to your mistakes. If I ran away now…I don't know what she'd think, but she'd probably be disappointed in me. Almost as disappointed as I'd be in myself.

No, I had to stay.

I'd always wondered what it would be like to meet an actual superhero face-to-face. Not that I hadn't seen them before; Dad had taken me to the occasional publicity events, after all. I'd always imagined that I'd be giddy or excited. Right now, I was just too tired and overwhelmed to make sense of what was going through my head. It didn't help that the hero in question was none other than Armsmaster himself on his enormous tinker-tech motorcycle. God, now I had to explain myself to the top superhero in town. The cape got of his motorcycle and looked at me and Lung. Unlike Grue, though, I couldn't read him very well. His suit of armor made it hard to make out his body language and his helmet covered his eyes. All I could see was the lower half of his face, but his expression looked completely neutral. I had no idea if he was going to thank me or arrest me on the spot.

"You gonna fight me?" He called out. He held his halberd, a futuristic-looking pole-arm stuffed with gadgets, defensively. When he spoke, it was strangely calm. I couldn't even hear a change in his breath rate. Then again, this is the kind of guy who started down Endbringers for a living. I probably didn't intimidate him the slightest.

"I'm not a bad guy." I replied. The words felt hollow even as I said them.

"I think Lung over there would disagree." Armsmaster said, flatly. While his expression didn't change, it still sounded like a condemnation, coming from someone like him.

"Look, that was an accident. He said he was going to shoot some kids so I tried to stop him but he tried to kill me so I hit him as hard as I could and I…and I…I'm rambling." I was also shaking like a reed. And looking like an idiot. In front of freaking Armsmaster. Goddammit.

"You're telling the truth." He said, matter-of-factly. There was no shred of doubt in his voice. Did he have a lie detector built into his suit? The cape lowered his halberd and pulled some sort of device out of his motorcycle. He folded it into a cage before placing it over Lung and welding the thing to the ground with his halberd's cutting tool. "Do you need me to take you to a hospital? You look hurt."

"I'm fine." I stammered. "The armor's tougher than it looks."

"Really?" Even with the visor, I could feel his eyes examining me. "Did you make it yourself?"

"No, I didn't. It just sort of grows on me."

"Hmm. Interesting." Interesting? What does that even mean? Is it good, bad, or… "You're a new cape, aren't you?"

"Yes…" I nodded, before nervously adding: "First night out. Haven't even picked a name yet."

"So you decide to go after Lung." I nodded in reply. His expression still hasn't changed. "And it didn't occur to you to call the PRT?"

"I don't have a phone." It sounded so sheepish when I said it. Such a stupid excuse.

Armsmaster took a breath before continuing. "If I understand this right, you went after one of the most powerful parahumans in town on your very first night as a cape without any back-up at all."

"He was going to kill kids…" I replied, weakly.

"Did you save them?" He asked.

"Yes…but they turned out to be a group of teenage supervillains…" I wasn't sure why I said that. It sounded like a stupid thing to say, but… He was the head of the Protectorate. I couldn't lie to him. "They thought I was a villain too."

"Could you have stopped them?"

Could I? I didn't even know what those guys could do. "I…I don't think so…There were four of them and they rode these huge dog-things…"

"Dogs?" Armsmaster asked. "Hellhound was one of them, wasn't she?"

"Yes, and three others…"

"Grue, Regent, and Tattletale." He answered for me. Apparently he knew more about them than I did. "They knew I was coming, didn't they?" I nodded. "Damn. Slippery bastards."

"I could have taken maybe one of them, but all four…"

"Then it's a good thing they mistook you for one." He said. For the first time, there actually seemed to be some warmth in his voice. Armsmaster shook his head. "What you did was stupid. Noble, but stupid." I shivered a little. He was right. "You could have been killed."

"I nearly was." I answered after a while.

"And that's why we have the Wards program. I think we could help you more than you realize." He stated. While it didn't sound like he was trying to pressure me into anything, it was clear that he really wanted me to join.

I couldn't help but blink in surprise. "You're not going to arrest me?"

"Why would I?" I pointed to Lung, and the man shrugged in response. "It's not like you did any permanent damage. You didn't kill him and he'll regenerate. The law allows citizens to defend themselves, as long as they use reasonable force. Sure, if it had been anyone other than Lung, you would be handcuffed on the floor by now, but I know he'll be fine in a couple of days. By then he'll be stuck in the toughest cage I can get my hands on."

It's common knowledge that parahumans are an absolute nightmare for lawmakers. Regeneration or superhuman toughness makes it impossible to determine what 'aggravated assault' actually means these days. Usually, parahumans issues have to be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Apparently, Armsmaster thought what I did was justified. Hearing that from Brockton Bay's top superhero was relieving.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "So, I'm free to go?"

"Unless recklessness has suddenly become a crime, yes. However, I'd like to make you an offer first."

"You want me to join the Wards." The Wards. The under-age branch of the Protectorate. I'd considered joining before, but I didn't want to end up going from one mess of teenage drama to the other. Not to mention all the publicity. Besides, I didn't like the idea of being bogged down by rules and oversight. Then again, looking at Lung, maybe having someone to stop me from crossing the line wasn't such a bad idea…

"Don't get me wrong, you did something incredible today, but it's obvious that you're still inexperienced. No phone, no back-up, and I'm not seeing any pockets on that suit…"

"Hey, I didn't pick it, alright! Like I said, it just grows on me. I don't get to chose what it looks like."

"Ever considered a utility belt?" He replied without missing a beat. I gritted my teeth. I should have thought of that myself. Armsmaster…he was infuriating, but he wasn't wrong. Of course he wasn't, he's probably been a hero longer than I've been alive. I even remember having underwear with his emblem printed on it. "I'm willing to bet that the biggest reason you're still alive is because you got lucky. You have a power, yes, but that doesn't mean you're invincible. Using your power to its fullest potential takes years of practice and training. We can give you that." The speech sounded a bit rehearsed, but I didn't say that out loud. Speaking has never been my strong point and he was the leader of the Protectorate. He's probably said this to god knows how many people. "Look, the truth is that solo heroes don't last long. Sooner or later, you're going to make a mistake or run into someone more powerful than yourself. When that happens, there's a good chance that you won't make it out alive. Your luck is going to run out eventually and when it does, it's over. We can help you. We can protect you from retaliation from the ABB and as a member of the Wards, you'll have the resources you need to realize your potential. To make a real difference."

I shifted a little. Rules and regulations aside, joining the Wards had its benefits and if I'd learned anything from tonight is that I can't do this superhero thing on my own. Still, joining the Wards was a lifelong commitment and came with a lot of strings attached. On the other hand, I hadn't considered what the ABB would do when they found out who got their leader thrown in jail. Oni Lee was still around and he could decide to come after me. Or worse, he could come after my dad instead. "I don't know…It's a big decision…"

Armsmaster smiled. It was a nice smile. Probably designed to win the hearts of everyone seeing him in a newspaper. "Yes, it is. Not something you should make on a Sunday night." I nodded in response. "You should go home. Talk about this with your parents, if you have any. I think you know where to find me…"

I climbed back on the rooftops and ran back home. My head has swimming. I nearly died. I nearly killed a man. But I also took down one of the biggest supervillains in Brockton Bay. And Armsmaster…he may be as blunt as a roofing tile, but I think I actually earned his approval. I…I should be proud of that. No, I was proud of it. I'm a goddamn bona fide superhero! Suck on that, Emma!

I ran the way back with my head held high. Nothing could sour my mood. Not even the pain that came with reabsorbing my armor, or the fact that tomorrow was a school day.