Opening Notes: While I'm still currently going back and forth between having our boy join the PRT/Protectorate or not, I can at least get this chapter going in the meantime. At any rate, enjoy folks.

IMPORTANT EDITS HAVE BEEN MADE! While the majority of the chapter is the same, the talk with Legend doesn't involve Dion being press ganged into the PRT. Now that I've had some actual sleep for a damn change after two days, nearly three with having trouble getting a full night's sleep, I reread what I'd posted previously for chapter 3 and I wanted to kick my own ass for being such a jackass on how I handled that whole scenario. Still, hopefully this version's better guys and gals. If you think I should stick with the old version, or run with this one, by all means let me know, as well as any criticisms you might have in general of course, but unless a ton of people hate how I edited this, I'll likely just stick with this one. At any rate, sorry for the trouble folks.

Chapter 3

Settling In (New/Updated version)

New York, Protectorate HQ

Triumvirate Meeting Hall

August 27th, 2007, 4:12 PM…

Keith Kennedy/Legend POV…

"Eidolon's not gonna be happy about this." Technical Officer Daniels' last remark before Legend had left the control booth still rang in his ears long after what data the Playroom's sensors had been able to gather about this Dion Lesage's impressive array of powers had been sent to Director Costa-Brown and the rest of the Regional and Assistant Directors that reported directly to her. Having seen Dion's abilities firsthand, he could see where Daniels was coming from, although he hoped Zachariah, Zeke to his close friends. With that said, Keith wondered just how many people Zeke actually called friends, with how obsessed he was with saving as many people as he could, would accept that there was someone that might be one of their more powerful Capes in recent years.

All that aside, a part of him wondered just where the tech team had found the inspiration for so many of that particular simulation's holograms since he was pretty sure there hadn't been an Earth Bet Final Fantasy game since Japan's destruction back in 1999 no thanks to Leviathan. Sure, they had access to Earth Aleph, and Earth Bet's citizens constantly got transmissions of new shows, movies, and other forms of media from the alternate Earth, but he wasn't sure if Aleph's Japan was still around off the top of his head, or if they had any Final Fantasy games at all for that matter. He'd have to ask them later once he wasn't in a meeting to go over what they'd learned about this Dion. With that said, he was sure that Dion was either seriously into LARPing, or he had some screws loose not unlike the Fairy Queen after she'd Triggered, or Myrrdin for that matter.

As such, it'd seem safer to go along with his possible delusions so as not to needlessly upset him. Even so, Myrrdin was harmless given his heroic standing despite believing his power was genuine magic, so if Dion needed to think of his power in a similar light to deal with whatever his Trigger Event had been, then he wasn't about to try and convince him otherwise. Besides, he otherwise seemed to be a genuinely kind and compassionate person if the way he'd responded to Legend's grief over Hero's death was anything to go by, although his boyfriend, Arthur, might give him some crap about letting another man touch him. It'd be all in good fun of course, but the thought still made Keith smile for a moment before he forced himself back onto the task at hand, his green eyes moving to the wall of video screens before him.

The agoraphobic Theresa 'Tess' Richter, otherwise known as Dragon, an honored and respected ally of the PRT and the Protectorate alike and one of the world's best Tinkers, second only to Hero himself in Keith's humble opinion, Director Rebecca Costa-Brown, and Regional Director Emily Piggot, along with a number of other vaunted individuals, stared back at him as one by one, they finished going over the footage and the readings they'd managed to acquire of Dion's combat prowess.

As such, he wasn't all that surprised that it was Dragon that spoke first, nor was he surprised by what she chose to focus on first given her own namesake and interests in the same, "Bahamut, I believe that was the name of a draconic Summon from many of Earth Bet's Final Fantasy games up to 7. Given his attire and fighting style, he also seems to lean towards their 'Dragoon' class, which was made famous from FF 4 if I recall correctly. Given his age, it seems likely he's played the early games as well, and his Trigger Event might've influenced his choice to follow a similar path, either as a means to deal with the trauma, or out of simple choice. A psych eval would be required to determine the truth of his mental state to be certain."

"Whatever his mental wellbeing, his prowess with that lance can't be understated." Costa-Brown stated next as she pulled up some of the footage for emphasis. "Nor should his Breaker, Changer, and Blaster powers be understated either, especially since he's a high level Mover on top of it all. Flight, speed, extraordinary balance, and his precision is uncanny."

"We might want to include a Brute rating to him as well since he tore through every enemy your people threw at him with ease." Piggot intoned as the woman pursed her lips, her gaze focused entirely on the Airbuster segment of the footage. "The fact that he's a grabbag is a concern however since no one's heard of him before now."

"Grabbags might be rare, but they normally don't go unnoticed." Legend agreed, finding it odd that no one had seemingly heard of Dion before his sudden appearance in New York. "And he hasn't exactly been discreet, which makes his sudden appearance all the stranger." The fact he didn't wear a mask made him wonder if he was a New Wave supporter, although, as far as he knew anyway, Dion had so far only given his real name to Keith himself and by extension, the rest of the PRT. Even if he hadn't though, the only family he really had was an uncle back in Silverton, Oregon, and from what their Thinkers had uncovered, Dion had been allowed to emancipate himself after the man's wife had tried to torment the lancer one too many times.

"It could be as simple as him training in solitude so as not to hurt innocent bystanders." Dragon offered as a map of his hometown appeared on their respective screens. "There's plenty of woods and isolated hunting cabins where he grew up in Silverton. He could've found a quiet place away from other people easily enough once he Triggered, most likely after his parents were caught in the crossfire of a gang attack during one of their trips to the nearby city of Salem."

"Not that anyone here's bound to ask him when he Triggered anytime soon, let alone what the circumstances were surrounding it." Legend pointed out since most people were tactful enough not to ask about that particularly sensitive subject for a Cape. Because to put it simply, Trigger Events were highly personal, and were, nine times out of ten, extremely traumatic. Sometimes the person never fully recovered from their Trigger Event, while a rare few completely went insane from the enormous amount of emotional, mental, and oftentimes physical strain of it. "With that said, his willingness to kill Silverstrike at least makes sense when one considers how he lost his parents."

"There is that, but he shouldn't be allowed to walk away from that without consequence." Piggot argued, earning a number of agreeing murmurs from most of her fellows.

"While I agree," Legend began, drawing everyone's attention once more, "he was also defending himself. The few witnesses that saw their altercation all agree that Silverstrike and his two lackeys were preparing to take everything Bahamut had on him. I'm not saying he shouldn't face consequences, only that the circumstances at the time should be taken into consideration."

"Agreed." Dragon said next, "besides, Mr. Bryson had slipped away from police and PRT custody several times before. While I don't agree with the loss of life, his future was bleak no matter how you look at it."

"Mr. Lesage's future consequences for his actions aside, a conversation we will have soon, we need to keep on task." Piggot retorted.

"Indeed. While knowing exactly when and why he Triggered would be beneficial, it's hardly necessary at this point in time. I for one am far more interested in what he'll do now." Costa-Brown stated evenly, ever the intimidating leader of their entire organization.

"You've given us an account of his abilities, but what of his character?" Piggot inquired, her reputation as being the pragmatic if paranoid head of operations in Brockton Bay as present as ever.

Still, this at least Legend was happy to answer. "While more time would be needed to truly say with any certainty just who he is as a person, my initial read of him has been wholly positive despite how he responded to the now deceased Silverstrike. Given what he's told me and what I've noted of his personality so far however, I think it's safe to say that, as a whole, he's exactly as he presents himself. A noble knight, simply trying to protect the innocent and avenge any wrongdoing he might come across. Again, whether that's partially due to his Trigger or just his playing to the role he's given himself is currently unknown, but even if it does turn out it's just part of his public image, he strikes me as being otherwise genuine in his desire to help."

"We'll have to wait and see then." Costa-Brown stated before letting her gaze fall on him and him alone. "Even if he doesn't officially join the Protectorate, having him willing to work with us would still be to our advantage in the long run since, as you well know, we need all the help we can get." Legend really hope she wasn't saying what he thought she was saying even if, outwardly, he nodded his head in understanding. "For now, keep us apprised of any further developments with this Bahamut."

"Yes ma'am." Legend waited a moment as each of the vid screens turned off as each of the attendants signed off before running a hand down his masked face with a weary sigh. He really hoped Rebecca wasn't hoping Dion would join Cauldron, or that she wanted Keith to try and recruit him. Something about the knightly hero struck him as being unwilling to join the shadowy organization, and while Legend himself knew very little of just what they actually did, he knew enough to have had more than a few sleepless nights over what he'd long since uncovered. With that said, it wasn't like he was in a position to do anything about it since he'd benefited from Cauldron's vials that had given him his powers in the first place. If he tried to expose them, they'd just expose him in turn, if Doctor Mother's strange fedora wearing girl that was never far from her side didn't do something to stop or slow him down to let the senior Cauldron member to escape.

And to be perfectly honest, with what he knew of the true enemy, trying to fight the very group that had made him into who he was now seemed like the height of stupidity since Cauldron was the only group that truly comprehended the threat Scion and the Endbringers actually were. But like Dion, Keith didn't like that he'd given up part of his soul, essentially, just so he would be in a position to make a difference every time he went out as Legend. He too was a noble sort, willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of others if it came down to it, but unlike Dion, Keith had given up a part of himself. Something that, again, he didn't think Dion would ever do.

Then again maybe he was wrong.

After all, there'd been a time where he too would've thought he would never do such a thing. And as he'd told his superiors, he hadn't spent near enough time around Dion to know anything about him for certain. Still, a part of him hoped he was right about the young man, that he was indeed as unyielding and steadfast in his convictions as he'd so far presented himself to be. Because there weren't enough people like Dion around, and they were in sore need of those willing to lay down their lives for the people of their world rather than be in their line of work simply for the fame and respect some thought they were owed, among other selfish reasons that were too many to count. All in all though, Keith was intensely curious to see just who Dion turned out to be in the days to come.

4:47 PM…

Dion Lesage/Bahamut POV…

Having gotten a shower after his little test, Dion sighed contently as he strapped the last of his armor back onto his person before finding an out of the way place in Hero's Playroom to run a whetstone along the edge of his lance, one eye on the trainees that had since entered the arena while he otherwise focused on the task before him. Despite his long day, he felt rather happy about how things had turned out so far even if he would've handled Silverstrike in a far less permanent fashion if he were given a chance to do it over. But he knew that'd never happen, so he resolved himself to live with what he'd done to the gang member.

So lost in his thoughts, it took him a little bit to realize he had an audience.

When he did, Dion looked up from his work with a smile, only to frown when the three that were watching him all wore similar expressions of wariness if not outright fear of him. Why? Was it his previously unseen abilities, or something he'd done during the examination? Whatever the case, he couldn't let this stand, so he slowly put his lance off to the side, and put his whetstone away before offering the three watchers a friendly nod and a smile. It thankfully had the desired effect as the trio began to approach, albeit slowly, cautiously. Given their youthful appearances, he was willing to bet they were Wards, the under eighteen division of heroes that worked under the Protectorate heroes and their superiors.

Astrologer he recognized immediately, although the other two were mysteries to him. The medieval knight themed hero at her side, along with a youth in makeshift armor, both regarded him with a mixture of wariness, but at least the fear had gone for the most part. It was the latter, a simple club affixed to his right hip that went well with his makeshift armor, that spoke first. "Huh…no wonder Jouster wanted to get a closer look at you. Chevalier, it's nice to meetcha, Bahamut."

Dion's smile grew in response as he shook the boy's hand. "The same goes to you Chevalier, Astrologer, Jouster."

Chevalier's armor might've been cobbled together from whatever he could get his hands on, but he'd done well from what Dion could see. Whether it was partially due to his power, or simple ingenuity, he couldn't have said, but as for the boy himself, who couldn't have been older than seventeen since he was still in the Wards given the patch on the armored plate on his right shoulder announcing as much, short blonde hair peeking out from beneath the boy's helmet that looked like it belonged to a SWAT officer given the transparent visor that covered his face, obscuring it for the most part. Still, there was a certain charisma about him that made Chevalier easy to notice, and even easier to get along with.

"Where'd you learn to use that lance?" Jouster wondered next, Dion's gaze shifting to the medieval knight themed hero in turn. He was probably the youngest of the three before him, at maybe thirteen years old at a rough guess. Dark skinned with bright, amber colored eyes and dirty blonde hair, his helmet's visor was up, revealing how excited he was despite his earlier nervousness.

Regardless, Dion was happy to answer the question as more 'memories' of his youth in this world finished playing out behind his eyes, "Well that-"

"He killed Silverstrike," Astrologer cut in, both boys shuffling uncomfortably at the reminder while Dion sighed but didn't deny the charge, "he'll be lucky if he isn't detained." His gaze had since fallen on the raven haired girl before him, her icy colored eyes full of her disdain for him and what he'd done. Asianic and slightly pale skinned from what little he could see of her face behind her mask, he had a feeling she'd grow into a beautiful woman once she finished maturing. Even so, for one so young, she already seemed quite hard and unyielding, a fact Dion found strangely disheartening long before she none too quietly added, "As he should be."

"I acknowledge my wrongdoing in regards to the young villain," Dion began, Astrologer's scowl softening with surprise, "and I wish I'd not have reacted as harshly as I did, but if I am to pay a price for stopping him from trying to harm anyone else, then I'll pay it. However, I won't apologize for doing the right thing."

"Don't mind her," Jouster began as he leaned an elbow onto Astrologer's shoulder despite the glare he received in turn, "she's always had a stick up her ass for as long as I've known her."

"You've only known me for three weeks, Jouster." Astrologer bit back as she pushed him away from her.

"Exactly." Jouster quipped, only to get an elbow jab into his side for his trouble from the understandably irate girl at his side.

"Ugh…can you two not be at each other's throats for two minutes? You're making us look bad in front of the new guy." Chevalier grumbled before giving Dion an apologetic look. "Sorry about them, they've always been like that."

"It's fine." He assured Chevalier. "We might be striving to become heroes worthy of the name, but we are, first and foremost, still children in the eyes of our elders. Therefore, acting as such from time to time isn't a bad thing."

"How old are you again?" Quipped the young knight though Dion was sure he wasn't entirely joking.

"Only sixteen, but I've been told I'm an 'old soul' by people that knew me." He said with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "To put a long story short, things…got to be too much with my uncle's new wife."

The three shared a look, before Chevalier sighed in understanding. "You wouldn't be the first with family troubles, believe me." Yet despite his calm veneer, Dion noticed how his right hand clenched into a fist before he forced himself to relax just as quickly. "Let's just say joining the Wards…it's been more helpful than I would've thought, and leave it at that for now."

Astrologer shook her head before starting away. "Why waste your breath in the first place, Chevalier? He's not going to be here long."

"You don't know that, Astrologer. Besides, you're here, aren't you?" He called out after her, bringing the girl up short as she froze mid step. "Or do you not think people like you and him deserve a second chance?"

"I didn't murder someone." She spat back as she whirled to face him, the stars and sparkles on her black bodysuit glowing brighter in response to her rising anger.

"No, you just left someone to die." Chevalier retorted.

Astrologer closed the gap between them moments later, a stormy look on her face as she all but shouted, "He was abus-!"

"Stop." All three froze as Legend moved towards them. Dion had no idea how long he'd been within earshot, but it didn't matter either as he quickly took control of the situation as he regarded the young girl first, a soothing if commanding note to his voice. "Astrologer, just walk away and take a moment to calm down." The girl looked ready to say something, to shout at Chevalier some more, but she instead stormed away from the group without another word. He'd since turned to Chevaliar next, his disappointment palpable long before he opened his mouth. "You should've known better than to antagonize her like that, Chevalier."

"...Yeah I know." The boy sighed in acknowledgment. "She was badmouthing Bahamut though!"

"And as leader of our premier lancer team, it's your duty and responsibility to be better. To lead by example by holding yourself to a higher standard, not just for the sake of the public, but also for the sake of your team. Cutting her down as you did by bringing up her past wasn't the way to go." He paused just long enough to put a gentle hand on Chevalier's shoulder. "Wanting to protect an ally and potential new friend is admirable, but not at the expense of your teammates who you must be able to trust with your life when the chips are down."

"Yes sir." Chevalier quietly replied, but the gentle squeeze that followed had the young man perking up a little.

"So…awkward first meetings aside, what are you doing here, Legend?" Jouster asked once he felt safe to chime in.

"I'm here for our new friend." Legend said as he nodded his chin towards Dion. "We never did get that statement."

"Ah, my apologies. I let myself get caught up in…everything." Dion admitted sheepishly, earning a chuckle and a smile from Jouster and Legend respectively.

"That's to be expected. We did get you into the Playroom rather quickly after our arrival." Legend agreed before starting away, the silent request for Dion to follow all too clear. Jouster gave a wave before going off to do his own thing. He liked Jouster he realized, Chevalier too, so even if he didn't stick around, he resolved to hopefully forge a lasting friendship with the two of them if nothing else. "But my superiors reminded me that I'd yet to properly do my job by asking for your side of events." He opened a door and led the way down another hallway until they reached a small conference room a few moments later. While he was reminded of an interrogation room in any police precinct building, Dion wasn't too nervous since he'd done nothing wrong, mostly.

Sitting down across from Legend, Dion relaxed in the simple office chair he'd been given while the senior hero turned on a nearby portable camera near the table between them. After stating his hero name for the record, Dion did the same before Legend asked him, "How long have you been in New York?"

"Only a few hours at present." Dion replied without a second thought. "I've traveled a long way to be here."

"Clear across the country, all the way from Silverton, Oregon, certainly qualifies as a long trip." Legend wryly agreed as he leaned back in his chair, perfectly at ease. "How'd you get here though, especially dressed like that?"

Dion chuckled this time as another burst of 'memories' gave him the words he needed. "I only dressed in my full regalia once I got here. As for how I got here, my uncle Byron helped pay for a plane ticket most of the way while I took the bus to the edge of the city. From there I simply jumped from rooftop to rooftop, going unnoticed since most people never look up. It wasn't until I used my phone to try and find somewhere to stay, possibly long-term, that I ran into the one you call Silverstrike."

"So you simply found Samwell Bryson by happenstance?" Legend likely already knew the answer, but he was simply after confirmation, both for his superiors and for the police most likely.

"Indeed. He and two of his companions were standing around the front doors to the apartment building I'd settled on for the time being. When I asked them to let me through, the one you call Silverstrike began using his power in a threatening fashion while making his intent to take what little I had to my name quite clear. While my response was far harsher than it needed to be in hindsight, I simply defended myself as best as I was able." He didn't volunteer unnecessary information on the off chance something he said would bite him in the ass later, but he was probably being a little too paranoid. Even so, with how exhausted he was, it was probably to err on the side of caution.

"Did you know he was a villain beforehand?"

"...No." Dion admitted with a sigh, his voice a sorrowful whisper despite the steel just beneath the surface in every word that followed. "But after my parents were killed in the crossfire between two rival gangs when I was thirteen, I wasn't about to take any chances."

Legend didn't say a word, but Dion looked up and saw he wasn't judging him. If anything he looked sympathetic, perhaps even a touch sad that Dion had found himself in such a situation in the first place. Taken aback by that, Stephen didn't know what to say, but he thankfully didn't have to say a thing as Legend reached up and turned off the camera before standing to his feet. He was even more surprised when the older man quietly walked around the table, stopped by his chair, and put a hand on Dion's shoulder. "We'll get something figured out for you until you find a place of your own, assuming you don't stick around. For tonight though, you're safe here."

"Th-thank you, sir." Dion replied, swallowing the lump in his throat before offering him a grateful look.

Legend returned his gratitude with a gentle squeeze of his shoulder before leaving the small conference room. Stephen…Dion sat there for a few moments, just gathering his thoughts before he quietly left as well. Even if he knew that his past in Earth Bet was different from his past in his original world and life, still 'remembering' all of that had left Stephen pretty torn up all told. So much so he didn't realize where he was going until he found himself in what looked like a bunk room for the on-site staff or the heroes who simply decided to stick close for one reason or another.

"Hey, you alright?" Dion whipped his head around to see Jouster looking up from a book he had in his lap. "You've been staring off into space there for a hot minute."

"Oh…my apologies, Jouster, it's just…been a long day." Dion said before sitting on the bottom bunk across from the young 'knight'. Seeing the title of the book, Dion raised an eyebrow, "Harry Potter?"

"Yeah, finishing my summer reading list." The boy said with a shrug before marking his spot in his book before setting it on the pillow. "So…you wanna talk about it?" He awkwardly asked.

"...Not particularly." Dion said with a sigh. "I appreciate you asking, but…I think I've talked enough about…everything."

"Hey, no problem, but if you change your mind, you know where I be." Jouster's faux accented and playful tone aside, Dion smiled a little in return.

"I thank you, but I mostly just need some rest and time to get my head wrapped around…everything that's transpired since my arrival." He assured his counterpart, who shrugged again.

"Meh don't sweat it. I'm a nice guy like that, just ask anyone but Astrologer. She's always been a bitch to everyone, but given what she's likely been through, I can't exactly blame her for being such a pain in the ass." Dion didn't ask for further details about the girl in question, and Jouster didn't provide them, nor did he dwell on that sensitive subject for long. "So, where you from?"

"Oregon. Yourself?"

"Hey, I'm a Jersey kid." Jouster replied, adopting his earlier accent that made Dion think of a South Park episode he'd seen. "But no, I ain't like those idiots on Jersey Shore or anything, but you've come a Hell of a long way. Was your home life that bad? Wait, no, nevermind, you already said you didn't want to talk about all that."

Dion smiled sadly, but waved a hand in gentle dismissal. "It's alright. And…let's just say that I love my uncle dearly, but his wife…was less than understanding."

"Oomph, sorry to hear that." Jouster's largely obscured face was still able to convey his sympathy for Dion's plight readily enough. "If it makes you feel any better, you're in good company since nearly all of us have a story full of crap we've had to deal with."

"I see." Stephen knew that much at least, but he didn't ponder that fact for long. "I don't know how long I'll be here in the base since I do want to find my own place, but for tonight at least I'm being allowed to stay until I can get my feet under me."

The young lancer for his part was all smiles as he slapped a hand on Dion's shoulder once he'd reached out to him. "In that case, while you're still here, you can show me some of your sweet moves!"

Dion laughed at the boy's eagerness to learn what he could potentially teach. "I've never taught someone before, so it'll be a learning experience for me too. Still, I'd be happy to train with you if the opportunity presents itself, Jouster."

"Well in that case, I think you and I are gonna get along great!" Jouster exclaimed as he wrapped an arm around Dion's shoulders. Despite the circumstances surrounding his being here, Dion could only smile in agreement.

Maybe being with the Wards wouldn't be such a bad thing after all?

End Notes: Blegh…not entirely happy with how this one turned out overall, but hopefully it was better for some of you given a few comments I got that pointed out a few issues with the last chapter. That aside though, I'm pleasantly surprised by how many people have turned up for this one, even if it's not been near as many as there'd been for Goddess Effect or A New and Marvelous Goddess, which I WILL be updating with [USER=34624]Nomad-117/USER] once things settle down a bit for both of us. I have like, three more appointments this week to get through first, and while none of them are serious or anything, it's still a bit of an annoyance as you can imagine, on top of some lingering drama with a certain asshole as I've mentioned in previous updates on other stories. At any rate though, two things before I forget.

Number one, I decided to end the chapter here because I honestly can't decide who would end up mentoring/serving as a kinda parole officer for our boy here. I've gone back and forth between Miss Militia, although she'd be only a little older than Chevalier if my rough guess as to her age is accurate, Legend since he DID vouch for Dion during that meeting, and a couple other people. So I think I'll let you guys give a few ideas if it's all the same to you, maybe you'll suggest someone I hadn't even considered?

And number two, I know things kinda moved pretty quick in regards to his having to serve community service for the Protectorate and all, but given Cauldron's influence all over the world, and the PRT's own ties to local law enforcement and the like, it made sense that they'd be able to figure something out pretty quick. With that said, this way we kinda get a glimpse of both sides, forcing him to remain with the PRT for a while before having him go solo, although by that point he'll have left a lot of positive impressions with most everyone he works alongside. I'm still eager to hear what you all think about all this of course, let alone who you think he should meet next, hero or villain alike, or if you feel like suggesting OCs or writing up PHO comments regarding his first tentative sightings, go nuts I say lol, but just wanted to let you all know my thought process overall. At any rate, take care folks, and may the blessings of the Mothercrystals go with you.