Opening Notes: So despite messing up a bit with the Shard speak, I'm genuinely grateful everyone doesn't seem to care too much about it and were still able to enjoy the chapter as a whole. That aside though, let's get to the interesting stuff shall we?

Chapter 8

Joined Forces

New York City, New York

Abandoned Endbringer Bunker, the Batties' Hideout

September 3rd, 2007, 7:12 PM…

Contessa POV…

Down the hall, take the first door on the right. Code for the door is…

Without fail, Contessa followed her Shard's instructions to the letter as she quickly tapped in the heavily reinforced door's access code into the keypad with a smirk on her lips and a spring to her step. The briefcase she had at her side she picked up just as the large, bank vault styled door began to swing open on their own accord, surprising the inhabitants as they stood and stared at her, pleased as the cat that had eaten the canary.

"Who the fuck are you?!" One of several young women exclaimed while the only man among them simply crossed his large muscular arms over his broad chest.

"I'm here to provide the answer to a question you've been trying to solve since your companion, Silverstrike, was cut down." Contessa smoothly replied as she casually walked over the back of the couch before moving directly towards the corkboard without a shred of hesitation. "Where can you find Bahamut?" It came out as a question, but there was no mistaking the statement in her words as she turned to address the little gang who had some power and capability between them, but not nearly as much as they thought they did.

"And why should we trust anything you have to say?" The muscle packed Brute among them asked as he tried to stare her down.

Contessa was far from impressed though as she tipped her fedora back with a single finger, and said. "Because Maxwell," the Brute tensed at having his name so casually thrown into his face, "I have a vested interest in seeing what the inside of Bahamut's skull looks like, but unlike you, my power doesn't allow for direct confrontations. So…" She trailed off, and held up the briefcase for emphasis before pressing forward, "I'm willing to pay you for your services as well as provide the necessary information so you can track him down, and kill him."

"And what's stopping us from killing you and taking what's inside for ourselves?" The Mover among them asked as she zipped from one end of the bunker to the other, appearing in front of Contessa's face only to pale white as a sheet when she saw she now had a silenced pistol's barrel leveled between her eyes.

Contessa merely smiled at the blonde in front of her. "Because while my power might not allow for direct confrontations, don't think I can't kill you all if you try anything. That and if you try to open up the briefcase without the proper security code, of which only I have memorized, the briefcase will explode, releasing a cloud of radioactive dust that will make this place uninhabitable and the contents contaminated. So unless you want to experience what it's like to have your body die out from under you, I suggest you don't get any ideas." Her smile widened just the tiniest bit. "In which case you'll be begging me for a bullet before the week is out."

"She's bluffing." A spark of electricity warned Contessa that this next moment would be crucial as Emma tried to stare her down. "There's no way someone would carry around radioactive shit like that."

She held up the briefcase and tossed it towards the other woman, who clumsily caught it. "Alright then, open it." The criminal stared at her dumbly at that. "Go on, if you're so sure. I might also not walk out of here without suffering the same, but if you knew who I was, you'd know I don't bluff, and I don't make empty promises."

"The bitch in the fedora. The boogeyman of the Cape world." Max exclaimed, eyes widening as he finally put two and two together. "You…you're supposed to be an urban legend."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm very real." Contessa proudly declared while Emma looked at the briefcase like it was a snake about to bite into her face before very gingerly holding it out as far as her arm would allow. Closing the distance between them, she took the offered briefcase, her smirk having made a comeback, and set it down on the table before sitting on it, her silenced pistol back in its holster as she crossed her arms over her chest. "So…do we have an understanding, Prudence, Emma, Dorothy, Max? Or do you want to see how fast you beg to be put out of your misery?"

"Fuck…do we have a choice?" Max grumbled, all too aware of the answer.

"Oh you can certainly turn down my offer," Contessa assured him, her smile turning toothy as it took on a menacing quality now that her reputation had been confirmed, "but I wouldn't recommend it since I've left instructions to have an anonymous tip called in which will result in this place being raided. Given your association with Silverstrike, and the fact Bahamut is the Protectorate's new golden boy, he'd likely be the first through the door at the head of a PRT assault team, with Chevalier's Lancers at the head of said team. Or…" She tapped on the briefcase underneath her black pants clad ass, "You can take him on your terms. What's your choice?" She knew what his choice would be when Maxwell smirked, his scarred face twisting into an ugly sneer.

Just as her Path had predicted.

Hell's Kitchen Central High

September 6th, 3:15 PM…

Dion Lesage POV…

School was turning out to be even more unbearable the second time around.

While he might've been able to appreciate the effort the teachers put into their lessons, at the same time he wasn't exactly having fun with relearning stuff he hadn't ever needed over the course of his original life, or in some cases already knowing it and just being bored to tears. Even so, learning about Cape history and the effect they'd had on the world, let alone the Endbringers, was turning out to be the best part of his day, and it helped that at least two of his teachers were…quite attractive, to put it kindly. He was appreciative of the math teacher's very notable tracks of land. Unlike the other boys in class though, he wasn't so distracted by the sight that he forgot how to add 1 and 1 together. Or well…he was in high school, a sophomore, meaning they'd gone well beyond simple addition and subtraction, but the point remained unchanged.

That said, it was strangely… relaxing to just sit in school, study, do homework, and everything else just like anyone else. It was a nice, mundane contrast to the rest of his life. Sure, he didn't mind having superpowers, but that didn't mean that he couldn't see how that might complicate things either. For one cutting class to save the city would be a bit telling, to say the least, but that's what the senior heroes were for unless it was an all hands on deck kind of emergency, such as an Endbringer or Slaughterhouse 9 attack. Even then he doubted anyone would notice just one person slipping away to gear up for such a mess, given that they'd be trying to save their own lives at the same time by taking shelter in the nearest safe place they could reach.

That said, he was far from the only Cape in the school.

"You're just popping up everywhere, aren't you?" Astrologer grumbled, outside of her costume for the first time since he'd seen her, yet he recognized the loathing she threw his way the moment she'd laid eyes on him during lunch earlier that afternoon.

He hadn't talked to her at the time, having no desire to aggravate her further, but seeing her waiting for him outside the main entrance by the bike racks made it difficult to avoid her forever. "We're merely attending the same school. I had no way to know you were also attending this place…"

She sighed and blew out a frustrated breath before not quite growling, "Sumire."

"Sumire. Call me Dion."

"I'll call you a fucking faker before I ever use your name." She spat out before starting away from him, her raven hair bouncing against the back of her neck, though she stopped and glared over her shoulder at him before adding, "And don't think you're fooling me, faker. Your 'shtick' is just that, and I'm gonna prove it to the rest of them." He sighed but silently watched her storm away, half expecting a literal thunder cloud to be following close behind her with every step. He really needed to figure out what her problem was though. At least she hadn't spat out his Cape name in front of everyone as he ignored the few curious glances their little exchange had drawn. Whatever her issues, she at least wasn't about to screw him out of his secret identity. For that he was grateful as he got on his bike and pedaled away towards his apartment.

Getting home to relax until his early evening patrol was looking mighty tempting.

The streets of Brooklyn

7:01 PM…

His first patrol started the same way his first day in the city had, with Bahamut jumping across the rooftops. While he would've loved a way to switch between his civilian clothes and his 'costume' without having to the PRT base to get his gear, it wasn't that much of an inconvenience when you had access to people that were able to open portals. Still, while he hadn't noticed it on his first day in the big city, New York wasn't nearly as big as it should've been. There were still skyscrapers, and the streets were still densely packed with people of every race and ethnicity, but there were still signs of destruction and devastation everywhere he cared to look. Some areas of the city were better off than others, but he couldn't help but notice that the skyline wasn't nearly as dense as he could remember from pictures from movies and the like that he'd seen in his old life.

No surprise when you had Endbringers running around though, let alone villainous Capes able to bring down entire buildings. Between those two things on their own, it was no surprise he could see where structures of every size once resided, or where great beams of energy had carved through the concrete streets and sidewalks, let alone any buildings that happened to be in their path. He didn't want to think about the loss of life that'd likely transpired in said attacks, but it was hard not to whenever he saw empty lots or piles of rubble where a building had once stood. Brooklyn was in a bit better shape as a whole, but it hadn't come out unscathed by any means. As if to prove his point that not all was right with the city, he heard a scream from a nearby alley.

Jumping the gap was as easy as breathing as he ran across the nearby rooftop before glancing down into the alleyway, where he saw an older man getting pummeled by a group of young punks. With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, Bahamut landed behind the group, and used his lance's shaft to knock two of them out cold before the rest even knew he was there. He wasn't about to kill every random crook he came across, so there was no need to go all out as he batted aside one man's gun with a spin of his lance before slamming the butt of his weapon into his stomach. At the same time he ducked, spun, and swept another thug's feet out from under him before just as quickly jumping onto his stomach, driving the air from his lungs. Using the downed punk as a launch pad, Bahamut brought the last of them down with an ax kick to the top of his spiked up haired head.

Tapping at his built-in comms in his helmet, Dion wasted no time in calling in the incident as he zip tied the lot of them. Only after he had secured the group did he turn to see the older man had gotten to his feet, his face bruised and battered, but he was otherwise unharmed from what he could see. "Th-thank you! Th-they…they were planning to rob me. I was just minding my own business, and I…I needed to get some groceries on my way home from the office so I stopped nearby when they jumped me. When I didn't…didn't hand over my wallet and my keys to my car, they started to hit me."

"You're alright now sir." Bahamut assured the man. "Can you get to your car alright? I'll need you to wait until the police arrive, but you should be safe there for now."

"Y-yes, I can get there." It was then the older man's green eyes widened to the size of saucers before he grabbed Bahamut's arm and gave him a shake. "Y-you're Bahamut!"

"Y-yeah…I mean yes, I am." Dion stammered out, a bit taken aback by the man's one-eighty from scared almost senseless to excitement. It didn't help that he wasn't used to being thanked for his service with such enthusiasm, even if this wasn't exactly the military or anything. "Can you let my arm go, sir? I do need it."

"Oh!" The man backed up in a hurry, blushing in embarrassment as he quickly stammered back, "S-sorry, just I wasn't expecting to run into you like this. It's a huge honor!"

Bahamut smiled a little at that, before gently shaking his head. "I'm just glad I was here in time. Now go, the police will be here soon." Leaping back up to the rooftop he'd just jumped from, Bahamut frowned as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Turning slowly, he scanned the nearby rooftops, but he didn't see anything. That said, a thermal scan revealed footsteps across the street, on the adjoining building rooftop, but whoever had been there had already long since run off. Frowning at that little bit of news, he made a mental note to keep his eyes and ears open since the fact he hadn't seen whoever had been keeping tabs on him meant they were likely quick on their feet. That he had a Parahuman following him at all was worrisome since he couldn't shake the feeling they meant him ill will.

There wasn't anything he could do about it now, but he wasn't going to make it easy for them either as he let his draconic wings materialize, giving him a greater boost to his mobility. His next leap saw him clear several buildings with a single bound thanks to being able to flap his wings, allowing him to extend his jumps by a large margin. He'd love to see whoever was trying to follow him chase after him now as he continued his patrol, easily covering a block with every jump that followed as he quickly gave the operators back at base an update on his current situation. Better to be safe than sorry after all, and with an unknown Cape trying to follow him, he wasn't about to take any chances on the good chance they weren't friendly.

At least the rest of his night went off without a hitch.

An alleyway in Brooklyn

7:28 PM…

Dorothy Baker POV…

Watching him fly off after he'd nearly spotted her, Dorothy muttered a string of rapid-fire curses under her breath as she clutched the handheld camera she had to her chest. That'd been entirely too close, but thankfully he hadn't spotted her, so she wasted no time in taking a running leap off the edge of the rooftop she was on before skidding several feet across the next one. A good rule of thumb she always had to keep in mind when she was running full tilt like she was now was Newton's First Law of Motion. An object in motion stayed in motion unless acted upon by an equal or greater force. The same was true for her, she had to have several feet of clearance, otherwise she'd end up peeling most of the skin off her face. She'd done that once shortly after she'd Triggered, and that'd been one too many times for her, thank you very fucking much. Just thinking about that day made the right side of her face itch.

Thank God parkour friendly shoes had become a thing in the last ten years.

It was about the only way she could get around anymore without tripping over her own feet as she made another jump, rolling across the hard concrete to further bleed off her momentum. She could run at superspeed all she liked since her power protected her from air resistance, friction, etc, but actually stopping without tumbling ass over teakettle was where she had issues if she didn't know where she was going. A random object in her path or a big enough crack in the pavement could be disastrous as well despite her reaction time having also been improved a fair bit. The Flash she was not, Hell even someone like Quicksilver was probably faster than her in a straightaway, but she could still run circles around most people on a good day. And better still, she was never without at least one sharp knife in a hidden holster affixed to her inner left thigh whenever she was in normal clothes like she was now.

Not that any of that mattered right now as she continued to make her way back to the bunker. That thought led to the reminder that that bitch in that fancy fedora had opened the heavy vault door, where everything she and the others had tried to open it up had gotten them jack shit. If not for the hole Behemoth had blasted through the tunnels and through the roof of the bunker, they never would've managed to take the place over, yet that bitch had walked right through the front door before making her 'proposition'. Worse still, there really had been a dirty bomb in that briefcase, ready to blow had they tried to break into it after killing that bitch. Thank god that shit had been contained in a lead lined container, but it'd still made them shit collective bricks to realize Contessa was every bit as fucking terrifying as they'd all heard to some degree or another. The stupid amount of money they were being offered for Bahamut's head was nearly not worth it since Contessa clearly had connections that they were likely better off not even contemplating.

God she really needed to steal a shit ton of ice cream before stuffing herself silly.

Ice cream was about the only thing that made her feel better when she was stressed anymore. Well…that and really good sex, but Max was lousy in bed, and the other girls in their little gang were either too ugly or not interested in other women. Sure, she could probably pay someone for a night with the money that bitch had dropped in their laps, but she could basically already see the others bitch and moan at her just by thinking about using it for something fun. That and they'd probably need every cent to take down that bastard anyway with what little she'd seen of his combat ability. Speaking of, she should probably refill her ADHD medication so she could focus on a single task at a time for a damn change. Ugh…sometimes having powers sucked total balls since she'd never been this scatterbrained before. Oh well, ice cream first, her medication after that. Hmm…maybe she could get herself a new vibrator while she was at it?

No, prioritize! Medication then ice cream. Medication then ice cream…

Hell's Kitchen

Greta Bailey's apartment building

8:51 PM…

Maria Townsend POV…

Stepping out of the shower in nothing but a towel, Maria sighed contently despite having to go out that evening for another 'appointment' when she'd been looking forward to an easy night in for a change. Their weekend away together had been a much needed break for them both, but it just made her wish she could spend more time with her little girl. Not that Rebecca was up right now anyway though since she had to get up early for another day at the local college, but it still would've been nice to just relax some more with her instead of covering for one of the other women at the Red Lotus Escort Service, a high class club ran by a Japanese woman that'd fled Kyushu the day Leviathan had attacked.

Poor woman still had nightmares about that day from what Maria had heard from a couple of the other girls that sometimes stayed with the older woman, but Makoto Yuki was an extremely caring if stern woman who looked after the girls under her employ. Maria wouldn't have signed onto the Red Lotus when she had if not for Makoto being in charge since the older woman acted like the grandmother she should've had supporting her when Maria's life had been falling apart around the time she'd been pregnant with Rebecca. Her own parents had abandoned her, and her boyfriend at the time had done everything he could to make her life miserable until Maria had managed to get him out of her life, for good. It'd taken calling the police after one punch to the gut too many, but Chris West hadn't come anywhere near her since. But the horror of being forced to sell herself to every sleaze Chris could find to fuel his Tinkertech drug addiction, that would always stay with her since nine times outta ten, the guys he found had been far from kind to her.

She sighed though, taking several deep breaths as she leaned against the dresser in her bedroom to calm her racing heart before she could have a panic attack, again. "It's in the past. You survived, you're free, and you're in a much better place." Maria whispered, the words as much a mantra as they were a prayer. Thankfully she was soon feeling better, although not having to worry about that prick, Silverstrike, certainly helped in its way as Maria tossed her towel into a nearby hamper before pulling out a few outfits from her small closet and the dresser she'd been using to support herself. "Things are already better." She reminded herself out loud, as if by speaking the words they would hold more meaning. It helped, a little at least. And to be fair, things were better, a lot better since Maria hadn't had to pay that shithead another dime since Dion had turned him into a scorch mark on the pavement. Her only real complaint was that that scorch mark was right outside the building's front steps, but that was a minor thing in the grand scheme of things. That he was gone at all was what really mattered because it meant Rebecca was safe, at least from that bastard. She paused though, and glanced where she knew the front door was when she heard footsteps coming down the hall outside of their apartment.

"Did Rebecca forget to close the front door again?" Maria wondered aloud as she got up from her small vanity table before shrugging a bathrobe on. From there it was a short walk to the front of their little home, and sighed when she saw that, indeed, Rebecca had forgotten to get their damned door shut completely. "Stupid rusty hinges." Maria grumbled under her breath, but stopped and peered out between the door and its frame to see who was coming in so late, only to suck in a quiet breath when she saw it was Dion. Smiling at the sight of their new protector, a gentleman and a handsome one at that, Maria couldn't help but lick her lips a little since what she'd told Rebecca the other day had been true. If not for him being two years too young, she'd gladly sit on his face in a heartbeat, among other things if given the chance. Unfortunately she doubted Dion would ever agree since Maria didn't think herself worthy of a nice man like him. She was tainted, unclean, unfit, and not because of her current career path although she was well aware it wasn't exactly ideal when it came to raising a family of any size.

No…such doubts stemmed from the fact she hadn't been strong enough to kick Chris to the curb a lot sooner than she finally had. That she'd let him take full advantage of her for as long as she had, allowing him to leave his metaphorical filth all over her body and soul alike. Assuming Dion was truly who he presented himself to be, Maria wouldn't be surprised to find out his literal light would turn her into a pile of ash if she got too close to him for an extended period of time given her unclean being and all.

She took a step back from the door, unable to look at him any longer. It didn't help that even now her… damaged mind feared what or who he might truly be behind that handsome face. Insinuating possibilities that were less than pleasant to consider, and anything but right to think about the man who saved them from their long time tormentor. But Becca seemed… attracted to the guy, and every time they'd chatted, however briefly, Dion had been nothing but polite and kind even after finding out Maria was what amounted to a high class whore who fucked people for money and expensive gifts depending on how generous a particular client was feeling at the time.

But that might as well be just a kind mask. What would happened if he took it off? What if he took it off around Becca? What could either of them do against someone like that? Chris had been bad, but he hadn't had superpowers. Maria shook her head, frustrated with herself, even now her own filth stained others, stained her daughter's freedom.

What a sorry excuse for a mother she was.

"Are you alright ma'am?" Maria jumped upon realizing Dion had noticed her staring. The blonde youth held up his hands in a hurried placating gesture, and said, "My apologies! I didn't mean to startle you."

Maria sighed and shook her head before opening the door a little more while silently shoving her dark thoughts aside as best she could. "N-no, it's alright. I'm sorry for staring like a loon, Dion." She smiled a little wryly though as she cocked a hip to the side slightly before giving him a feigned, reproachful glare. "With that said, how many times have I told you to call me Maria?"

He smiled sheepishly in response before replying, "Twelve at last count, Ms. Townsend."

Maria clucked her tongue and shook her head with amusement before she beckoned Dion inside, pulling her robe tight before cinching it closed as she made her way to the kitchen. "Maria, you protected us without a second thought, so the least you can do is stop being so damned polite." She teased, even if his insistence on propriety made him strangely endearing despite making her feel old anytime he said 'Ms. Townsend.' "Can I get you some tea, Dion? I've got some relaxing chamomile I've been meaning to brew up before I have to head out tonight."

"It'd be appreciated, thank you." He said with a smile as he sat down on the couch once kicking his shoes off with a groan of relief. "I've been on my feet all day between school and my first patrol today so…honestly having a moment to just sit down is appreciated, Ms….Maria." He corrected himself when she started to shoot him an amused glare over her shoulder.

"Good." She said as she went about preparing the tea. "How was your first patrol anyway?" She asked once she was sure the front door was securely closed this time.

"Outside of tying up a group of punks that were trying to rob an older man, not much happened."

"Are you alright?" She asked, suddenly worried, but his gentle smile was answer enough.

"I'm fine, Maria. I was able to get the drop on two of them before the rest even knew I was there." He assured her before letting his gaze roam over the apartment as a whole. "You have a nice home here, Maria. You've…made it warm, welcoming even."

She smiled softly in response, grateful for the praise even if she didn't think she'd done much to make their place that good. "I don't know about all that, but I appreciate the honest praise, Dion. I'd have Rebecca keep you company, but she's already asleep for the night."

"That's fine, I don't want to wake her up and I should probably get to bed soon myself anyway since I have an early start tomorrow too."

"Not before you get some tea in you." Maria countered, pinning the young knight with her eyes alone, his cheeks turning slightly red under her gaze. She smiled internally at that, even if she wasn't truly trying to seduce him or anything. That she was able to get such a reaction at all was still gratifying to the older woman though. With that thought in mind however, Maria's lips quirked up into a mischievous smile, and said, "Besides, haven't you heard? It's important to stay hydrated when performing…strenuous activities."

Dion's cheeks turned positively rosy once her words sunk in, and he 'coughed' off to the side before quietly saying, "I-I've heard the same thing, Maria."

"Relax." She giggled, defusing the heated tension in the same breath. "In all honesty, I think Rebecca likes you, so even if you were old enough, I wouldn't want to get in the way of you two. I just ask you don't make me a grandmother any time soon."

"I won't, I promise." He assured her, and while a part of her doubted his sincerity, that part she ignored since she knew it was the same part that saw herself as unfit, unclean. Besides, she was much better at reading people these days, so unless he was an extraordinary actor, she believed he meant it. That was a weight off her mind in any event, although the kettle's whistling pulled her attention back to the stove top at her side. "Thank you for…not trying to scare me off though. I get the impression you're rightfully protective of her given…what she's hinted at about…everything you've been through."

Maria sighed tiredly at that, but didn't deny his gentle probing either. That he was trying to be kind about his inquiries helped though as she brought a couple of glasses over to her little living room table before sitting down on the far end of the couch where he promptly poured for them both before she could do it herself. "How much do you know?" She asked once he'd put a glass of the tea in her hands.

He frowned slightly, took a sip, and gave an appreciative hum at the taste before answering her. "...Not much, but Rebecca's insinuated enough to get the point across that…her 'dad', and I use that term very loosely, was a monster."

"That's…not too far off the mark." Maria said with another weary sigh. "I'm just glad he didn't have powers, because Chris…he would've surely wound up in a gang otherwise if it meant keeping his drug addiction fed. I never found out…where he got that first hit, but he was a bad boy when we first met, but I was a dumb kid when I met him as a junior in high school. He was charming, sweet even when he wanted to be, but I didn't have any experience when it came to relationships so the occasional outburst might've scared me, but it wasn't usually directed at me so I…let it go. By the time I realized what he truly was though…"

"It was too late by then?" He asked, to which Maria nodded shakily in response. "I'm sorry. You don't have to talk about it further."

She was taken aback by his quiet, solemn tone, sensing, again, his genuine desire not to upset her further, and that more than anything helped to calm her down as she sadly smiled back. "Th-thank you. The therapist I used to see…she said sharing my experience would help, and it has the few times I've felt comfortable talking about it with other people, mostly the other women in…my line of work. So really, thank you for listening to me, Dion."

"W-well, it's only fair." He deflected with a quick shrug. "I mean, how many people would let someone like me just crash on their couch?" He paused then before looking her in the eye again. "Just… if you ever feel like talking again, you know where to find me. I'll listen." He promised her, his gaze staying fixed on her own eyes until she nodded silently, dumbfounded by the sudden intensity of his words. Only then did his admirable self-control fail him, and his eyes began to stray. Well, at least he tried to look her in the eye, that was more than most people did, and given what she was wearing, or lack thereof, she could hardly blame him. So she simply smiled playfully at him, the glass in front of her lips doing absolutely nothing to hide her amusement from the young man.

Well, in for a penny, in for a pound, and to be honest, teasing him like this was turning out to be more fun than she thought it'd be even if, again, she truly had no desire to steal him out from Rebecca. But again, it was a much needed boost to her self-confidence, giving him something to remember her by, and perhaps a glimpse of the future if Rebecca turned out half as gorgeous in her later years, and Maria was certain her daughter would become so much more than she could ever be. Still, that didn't stop Maria from slowly pushing her leg out, stretching it out in front of her, which in turn pushed her robe open a bit in the process, and watched Dion's widening eyes jump to her exposed thigh. Eyes that soon enough snapped to her chest when she slowly leaned forward, putting her empty cup down on the table in front of them, her still damp hair running down the front of her right shoulder which naturally drew his gaze to her chest where he just stared.

Maria, despite her negative feelings regarding her self worth, even now, couldn't help but revel under his heavy, desire filled gaze until he managed to snap himself out of his stupefied staring. Remembering his manners, he blinked, blushed, and hurriedly drained his glass of the rest of its contents before making a polite exit as fast as his dignity would allow. It was only after he'd clumsily closed the door behind him that Maria snorted out a giggle, tickled pink that she'd gotten such a strong reaction out of the otherwise noble knight styled hero that was literally right across the hall from them. At least he had good taste in women, and whatever her doubts, real and imagined alike, Maria had a good feeling about Dion getting with her daughter, the only light she had left in this world.

But if he did turn out to be an asshole, a monster, well…there wasn't anything she wouldn't do to keep Rebecca safe. Because her daughter deserved every chance to have a truly happy life, a chance that Maria had never obtained for herself due to her own stupidity and naivety. And powers or not, she'd find a way to ensure Rebecca got that chance, even if it killed her. Because Maria loved her daughter, and she'd never abandon her like her own parents had. So all of her worries, her doubts, concerns, and everything else aside, Maria hoped Dion turned out to be a truly good person, for his sake. Because she wasn't above borrowing Greta's shotgun and shoving the barrel up his ass before pulling the trigger. Hell, Greta would likely do the deed herself if Maria asked her.

For her daughter's happiness, no price was too high.

Dion's apartment

9:18 PM…

Dion Lesage POV…

"Damn teenage hormones! I have to go through all this again?!" He grumbled as he glared down at the very noticeable bulge in the front of his jeans. One thing that was never mentioned when he'd first woken up in his new body was that being the Dominant of a god-like dragon apparently also inferred a dragon's 'endowments'. He wasn't obscenely huge by any means, but his cock was certainly bigger than it'd been in his original life, big enough that the tight material of his pants creaked under the strain as he hurried to his bathroom to try and take a cold shower.

A very cold shower at that.

As much as he found Maria Townsend to be downright gorgeous, he wasn't about to jerk one out to Rebecca's mother! Sure, she'd teased him a little without any warning, but it just felt wrong, perving after his neighbor's mom. And while he absolutely had no problem with Maria's 'line of work' to use her own words, he didn't know if his magical power and innate draconic nature would protect against a random STD or something. He doubted he'd actually have to worry about that kinda thing thanks to his ROB's meddling, but even if he didn't catch anything, that didn't mean he couldn't pass something onto someone else. Ugh…it wasn't worth thinking about in any event since he wasn't going to do anything with the older woman.

Not that that stopped his hormonal brain from conjuring up images of the incredibly hot woman even as he tempted hypothermia with how cold he had his shower going. Not that his erection seemed to care.

"Fuck you." He muttered moodily under his breath and sighed. This really wasn't how he envisioned things going this evening. With an aggravated grumble, he turned off the shower, giving up the ghost as it were as he stormed out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. "Fine…you win this round." He grunted, and pulled his cellphone off its charger before going back to the bathroom to take care of his less than little problem. Ten minutes later, he sighed, feeling…better, as he got himself settled down for the night. He really needed to get a Tinkertech fleshlight or something if this was going to be a regular thing with him now because the last thing he wanted to do was scare off Rebecca, or make his mom want to string him up by his balls by moving too quickly on her girl. He might be in the body of a teenager again, but he wasn't about to let his dick lead him around by the nose. That and he didn't doubt for a moment that Maria would kill him if he did anything to upset Rebecca.

Death by angry mother wasn't how he was planning on dying.

The Protectorate Base, Hero's Playroom

September 7th, 4:10 PM…

Sumire Nazuko/Astrologer POV…

Sumire stayed in the corner, content to watch the faker train, or at least pretend to do so. She didn't believe for a moment that he had a genuine desire to become a hero. Even now he kept on wearing the helmet of his costume all the time. She scoffed quietly when a clumsy spear thrust unbalanced him slightly, clearly not going quite where he'd intended it to go. So he had a lot of power, but not as much skill as people gave him credit for. Yet she couldn't deny he was getting better all the time.

Finishing up her own warm up routine, Astrologer sighed and shook her head, wondering what it was about him that set her nerves so on edge. Oh she had a few educated guesses, but she doubted he was one of HIS fucked up children. For one Dion's powers didn't match HIS power even tangentially, since some people born to a Parahuman adopted a similar powerset as their parent or parents though it was, at least from what she knew, rare that a child would get a combination of abilities if both parents were a Parahuman.

She sneered when Bahamut pulled off his helmet, exposing his pretty boy features for the world to see, as if some good looks would be enough to win her over.

She half expected him to pull off his armored chestpiece while he was at it like in those movies that loved showing off six packs and the like. She was almost surprised when he didn't, not that she minded of course. Besides, the pretty boy was vain enough. Seriously, did he think everyone else was stupid? He could at least keep the bulge a believable size when stuffing his pants.

"You ready?" Snapping her focus towards the control room booth, she and Dion focused on Eidolon, the one that was in control of today's training session. At their gentle nods, Eidolon continued. "Then prepare yourselves. You two will work together, or you will fail today's exercise."

"Yes sir." Bahamut predictably replied.

"Yeah…we get it." Astrologer grumbled while giving the bastard a scathing glare from behind her simple mask.

"Very good. Given your previous issues," Astrologer just knew Eidolon was talking to her directly despite being unable to see where his gaze was situated, "this exercise will not include the usual failsafes, meaning any damage you receive here will be potentially fatal."

"Wait what?!" She exclaimed while she distantly noted Dion's eyes had also widened as the implications hit him too.

"You heard me, Astrologer. If you can't get your shit together, then you'll simply be a detriment to the team and will be kicked out of the Wards altogether, assuming you survive today's exercise." This wasn't happening, surely he was bluffing?! This was insane! "We don't have enough heroes for there to be infighting between team members, so consider this your final chance to get with the program." Okay so maybe he wasn't bluffing, but turning off the safety protocols?! That was a step too far!

Not that they got a chance to argue before the arena darkened around them, and an all too familiar skyline began to rapidly take shape around them as a recreated New York City began to materialize before their eyes, but it only took a glance for Astrologer to see that something was terribly wrong since there were thick columns of smoke billowing into the air, and nearly every window she could see had been broken. Worse still, they could hear the cries of people running from something terrible while shouts of defiance, rage, and metal being crushed indicated there was ongoing fighting happening somewhere nearby. "Echnida is loose, and she's been able to clone several villains and heroes alike, unleashing them on the city. The city is lost, so your job is to keep out of her reach, and to save as many people as you can. Begin."

Fuck.

"Do you need a hand getting to the rooftops?" Bahamut asked, holding out a hand that she quickly slapped away.

"Fuck off and die." She spat out before storming away. Training exercise or not, she'd rather let Echidna eat her before letting him carry her anywhere.

"So much for this being a team exercise." She heard him mutter before he took off after her. "We should at least stick together, Astrologer."

"...Fine." She growled, only to duck down at the same time an explosion went off in the distance. "Fuck!"

"Stay here, I'll see what that was." Seeing no point to argue with him, Astrologer ducked into a nearby alleyway while Bahamut jumped to the nearest rooftop. "What exactly is Echidna able to do anyway?" He asked over the radio she had embedded in her left ear.

She was tempted to lie, but as much as she didn't trust him, this wasn't the time for it. Not if Eidolon had been telling the truth in regards to this simulation being a very real threat to their lives. "She can clone any living creature she absorbs, before producing stronger, more violent creations, even Parahumans like us. They're easy to spot since their skin is off-colored, if they don't have visible mutations or deformities depending on how fast she pumps them out. The longer someone's stuck in her writhing mass of flesh, the more likely they end up fucked up in some way. But whatever you do, do not let her touch you. If we end up having to engage, do it from a distance as much as you can."

"Right." She was pleased to hear the disturbed and alarmed note in his tone of voice. Good, he was taking this seriously then. "I'd better keep a low profile then."

"No shit." She said simply, seeing no need to say anything else. Now they just had to hope they got out of this shit show in one piece. If Eidolon really had turned the failsafes off, then the Youth Guard was gonna lose their collective minds when they inevitably heard about this. She wasn't going to take the chance though since the Wards was the only place she really felt safe anymore. Sure, her aunt was doing all she could to help, but HE could just walk right through the front door and smile before making off with whoever he wanted. Sumire gritted her teeth, shoving those bad memories aside as best she could since a distraction like that could get her fucked in a big way. If anything, she was surprised they hadn't already gotten ju-

"Watch out!" Bahamut's shout was followed by several figures crashing through a storefront window at the same time the dragoon plunged through a shattered skylight, lance first. Astrologer could only blink dumbly as he brought down a gray skinned Chevalier before he ripped his weapon free with a yank before just as quickly slashing across another's back in the next breath.

Astrologer didn't think, she simply raised her right hand, and brought it down hard just as the first of the malformed Chevaliers began to cross the street towards her. They didn't get more than half a dozen feet before a multi-colored meteor came down, exploding violently in front of the small group with enough force to destroy all but one of the clones. That one though Bahamut was already impaling with his lance at the same time it was blown onto its back. "We need to move, now."

"Y-yeah." A pale faced Astrologer stammered out as she followed after the knight. She still didn't trust him, but he had just saved her life.

That had to count for something, even if she still wanted to crush his larynx with her boot.

End Notes: So yeah, Eidolon isn't fucking around with our girl here as you can see, although it IS a bluff. He might be a bit of an awkward hardass, but he would never risk their lives just to get them working together. Consider this a bit of a Kaboyashi Maru exam outta Star Trek, they have to believe they're in genuine danger during this simulation for the best desired results. In other news though, poor Dion got teased by Maria a bit lol. Not only that, but the Batties are stalking him, although thankfully Dorothy didn't go unnoticed. Hopefully I did alright getting her extreme ADHD across alright though. On that note, Contessa's up to her usual scheming, so we'll see how our boy stands up to his first incoming trial by fire. At any rate, see ya folks.