Opening Notes: Ah gotta love aftermath chapters. This is gonna be a bit rough though if for no other reason than a lot's happened, and a lot needs to happen before we can get to the next parts of this so let's get this show on the road.
Chapter 13
Aftermath
Unknown location, Cauldron Base
September 13, 2007, 5:12 PM…
Fortuna Bianchi/Contessa POV…
It'd worked!
Scanning the PHO boards, Contessa couldn't help the wide smile on her lips as she took some time for a long overdue lunch, having been…admittedly anxious about Dion's success or failure against the Batties, but it'd turned out alright in the end. Sure he was in the hospital after it was all said and done, but he'd fully recover in the next few days at minimum considering the Protectorate's medical division was overseeing his recovery personally. She was a little annoyed the Simurgh was apparently up to something though since she could see a number of posts written by the fake angelic creature, but there wasn't anything even Dragon could do about her PHO presence, so Contessa wasn't about to even try.
So distracted by her phone and her lunch, she never saw Eidolon until he was looming over her chair. "Oh, Dav-"
She just as quickly found herself yanked out of her chair by the front of her smart black suit, and held in front of the man's helmeted face. "Five hundred and eighty people, Contessa! Of those five hundred and eighty, forty-five are going home in body bags!"
"You really want to play the numbers game with me?" She asked him with a single raised eyebrow. "Cause I'm pretty sure I got you beat, unless you care to estimate just how many people his actions will save, living and yet to be born at that?" She tilted her head slightly, daring him to keep this little argument going because even without her Paths' reliability backing her up when it came to anything relating to Dion, she knew more than enough about David to push any button she wanted to get the results she wanted.
"Forty-five people are dead because of your fucking games, Fortuna." David retorted before unceremoniously dropping her back into her seat, knocking her black fedora off her head in the process. That she frowned at, a flicker of genuine anger crossing her face since she really liked her hat. "Were you even sure he'd make it out of that?"
"No."
"And yet you still-"
"The alternative is to rely on an emotionally broken little girl with control over bugs. Bugs." She spat out with an eyeroll quick to follow. "The chances of her succeeding are astronomical, and half the reason why she even lives to fight Scion, and wins, is due to the fact certain people among our own ranks were constantly underestimating her. So as long as Dion's around, I think trusting him to do the job right without going off the fucking deep end like she would before the end of it all, would be far more preferable, wouldn't you, David? Or do you want to put a child into the meat grinder instead?"
"Dion's sixteen, a Ward, he's still-"
"You really are blind to everything except your own pathetic ego if you haven't noticed it by now. And did you forget that I was a child when I started down this Path?" Contessa retorted with a disbelieving shake of her head. "His military-like discipline, his proficiency with guns, his tactical mind? Has none of this come across as strange to you, David?" She knew she had him when he paused, and actually considered her words for several, tension filled moments of silence. Once she was reasonably sure he wouldn't explode on her again, she pressed on. "Physically you're right, he is still a child to use your own words, but mentally? That's a whole other story, David."
"How is that possible?" David finally asked as he sat down in the chair next to her with a heavy sigh.
"Don't ask me, I don't honestly know." She admitted with a slight, careless shrug. "I just know that Dion's not at all what he appears to be. His personality is real enough, his beliefs and convictions are as well, but he's much older than most people will ever know. I'm willing to bet he was a soldier in his first life considering his conduct during the mall incident, and considering we're at war with the Entities, with Scion, that's exactly the kind of person we need. Better yet, I've since become convinced that his power doesn't come from the same place as everyone else's, nor has he been given a Vial, meaning whatever he is, he can't be predicted, he can't be anticipated, and as you well know by now, any Thinker like me who tries to glean his future ends up regretting it." The mere memory of Bahamut's teeth finding her shoulder was enough to make Contessa grimace and rub at the still healing marks embedded in her flesh.
"So… this, all of this is just based on… hope?" Eidolon asked, sounding caught off guard, and who could blame him for that?
"Considering we'd given up on actually succeeding once Hero died?" She asked quietly, letting just a hint of her true feelings slip past her normally neutral, sometimes smug, mask. That more than her words, was what jarred David like a physical punch to the gut. "Dion's the best chance we have, one that doesn't end with literally tens of millions of dead by the time it's all over, assuming something doesn't go wrong between then and now and he ends up dead himself, or worse. But in order to be able to stand against the Endbringers, against Scion, he needs to become stronger. No more safe patrols. You put him where he and the other Lancers can do some actual good, David."
"That's not just up to me, Fortuna." He reminded her, but she also knew he'd give it serious consideration.
"Let me handle Alexandria, Piggot, and the other directors and their own superiors." She said with another shrug as her mask reasserted itself. "Like I said before, the gangs are going to get riled up about this anyway, so you might as well prepare them for that gang war that's coming. Bahumut's reputation as a no nonsense killer of villainous Capes will demand nothing less lest the various gangs appear weak to their followers and to the people they'd seek to control and intimidate."
"...Fine." He grunted, got up, and started away. "You better be right about this Fortuna, otherwise I won't stop with just your hat." She blinked, legitimately surprised he'd threaten her like that, but she pushed it saide. If it made him feel better, then she wouldn't push the issue other than to file it away for later use. He paused in the doorway for a moment though, and looked over his shoulder. "One last thing… what about the Simurgh, you know that thing will have its own agenda."
Contessa shrugged. "That bitch will, probably, although she's as blind as I am in regards to him… and that is only more reason for him to grow stronger. I have a bad feeling she's going to do to him what the Siberian did to Hero otherwise, and I'm not convinced the Simurgh didn't have a shadowy hand involved with that mess since we're talking about it."
"...You aren't the only one." David admitted with a heavy sigh as one of Doormaker's portals appeared in front of him, allowing him to return to the Protectorate base as if he'd never left. Still, Contessa was genuinely worried about the Simurgh's involvement as she glanced at her phone once again, its screen having gone dark due to inactivity. That angelic bitch was the most terrifying and most powerful of the Endbringers, so Dion needed to be so much more. She just hoped he grew fast enough to stand against that monster before she acted against them.
Because the alternatives were not worth thinking about.
New York City, New York
Manhattan General Hospital, Patient Room #21
6:56 PM…
Rebecca Townsend POV…
"Sorry." Dion said louder than was necessary, no doubt due to his current hearing problems. The doctors had assured her that he'd eventually recover his hearing, but for the time being, he'd require assistance just to get through his day to day activities. She suspected that a part of the problem was that he was being placed on medical leave from the Wards, meaning he wouldn't be allowed to go on patrols anymore, or respond to emergency situations, until he recovered fully. "I didn't mean for you to get dragged into this."
"It's alright." She typed out on her mobile phone screen before showing it to him.
"No, it's not." He disagreed instantly. "I nearly got you killed… I got people killed. If you or your mom don't want to-"
"Shut up already, dumbass." She typed down with an eye roll. "It's nice that you want to take responsibility, but enough is enough."
He made a very convincing impression of a fish as his mouth opened and closed soundlessly. He eventually sighed, but she took comfort from the fragile smile that started to appear on his lips. "...Thanks…I still feel terrible about…everything, but just…thanks, Rebecca." She let out a sigh of relief before he continued. "I mean it, really, but I'd also understand if you wanna break things off here, if you wanna stay away. Nobody likes to-"
If words didn't work…
Rebecca got up from her seat and pulled Dion into an awkward hug, pushing his head into her chest and held him there as the young man froze in her grasp, as if afraid to move. She gently patted his head while he awkwardly sat there like a stump. If he couldn't hear her, she could still show him that she cared in other ways. "You idiot." She mumbled under her breath. "I'm just glad we're alright." He didn't return the hug, to her annoyance he just continued to sit there and didn't move at all. "What's wrong?" She pouted as she drew back, revealing his bright red face as he stared up at her with dreamy eyes.
"Maybe getting temporarily deafened isn't that bad." He sighed out as he continued to stare at her.
"What?" She asked before she thought to pick up her phone and typed once again. "Where is that coming from?"
The blush on his face got worse. "Uh… the heart? Also you were kinda suffocating me."
She glanced hurriedly down at her chest, and groaned as she realized what she'd been doing to him. "Shit I'm so sorry!"
"I didn't mind." He admitted, shooting her a cheeky smirk that had Rebecca rolling her eyes again with an exasperated if amused smile. What he said next though she had a feeling she wasn't supposed to hear. "...I wouldn't mind if you did it again though."
"...Really? You're such a guy." She grumbled, but there was no heat to her words. "Seriously Dion, I'm alright. Over five hundred people are alive because of you. And yeah, those assholes might've been there for you, but they just would've gone after someone else eventually. So no, I won't blame you for any of it, because those fucks were going to do something like that at some point."
"Yeah…but I'm not without blame in that mess either." He argued, but held up a hand to stop her from saying anything just yet, "But…you're likely right, that they would've done something like that eventually. Still, I chose to kill Silverstrike, which caused all of this to happen in the first place. That's all I'm getting at, Rebecca."
That much she couldn't really argue against, but that didn't stop her from typing out, "So do you regret saving me and my mom from that asshat?"
"What? No, but-"
"No buts, you idiot." She shot back, and promptly pulled him into another hug, her own face growing scarlet red. "A-at least I found a way to shut you up."
"Mmmmpphhh!" He protested, muffled into her chest as he was, but he finally returned the hug as best he could. That was enough for her to pull back just enough to allow Dion to breathe unimpeded anymore. "...Fine, you win." He grumbled once he caught his breath again, almost pouty, but the playful gleam in his eyes made her giggle at his feigned annoyance with her stubbornness.
"Good. Now be good and don't keep beating yourself up over it." She typed out, earning an eye roll this time, but the solemn, grateful look on his face spoke volumes.
But then a mischievous look appeared on his face, and he asked, "Will you continue to punish me if I don't?"
"Not much of a punishment if you enjoy it." She drawled, even as she tried not to giggle at him.
"I- I'm not enjoying it." He tried to argue, but he wasn't fooling her.
"Right... I totally believe you." She drawled aloud at the same time she typed up the message for him. Before he could say a word though, she grinned and pulled him face first into her boobs again, making him flail half heartedly in response.
She immediately regretted her choice when her mom bustled into the room.
"Becca are you al- Oh... OH... I'll come by later…" Maria all but shouted as she charged in only to take in the situation in front of her, her voice trailing of as she began to back out again. "Sorry for interrupting… Becca, don't forget the condoms, you brought them with you right?"
"MOM!" Rebecca shouted in protest while Dion blushed and tried to sink into the bed as much as he was able to.
"Going, going, I'll distract the paramedics so-"
"STOP!" Rebecca shouted again, freezing her mom to the spot before glaring at the woman. "Get in here already."
Despite the playful gleam in her eyes, Maria didn't say a word as she shut the door behind her before taking one of the few seats that were available once she'd moved it next to her daughter's. Seeing the text on her phone's screen, Maria nodded in understanding once she registered the bandages around Dion's ears before pulling out her own phone. "And how is the hero of the day, Dion?"
"...Better now that Becca's talked some sense through my thick skull." He admitted, giving her a grateful look again that made Rebecca feel all warm and fuzzy.
But that feeling died a fiery death when she saw her mom's smirk. "Talking? Is that what you kids are calling it these days? It certainly looked different to me."
"Mom…" Rebecca groaned while Dion looked torn between laughing and sinking further into his bed.
"Oh hush, I wasn't the one trying to smother him in my chest." Maria chuckled aloud as she showed them the message moments later. "But…I am happy that you're both alright, even if you look a bit flushed, dear."
"Ugh…someone shoot me now please." Rebecca grumbled none too quietly before she found herself being pulled into her mom's side.
"I'm just happy you're alright… that both of you are.. You are going to be alright, correct?" The latter part she directed at Dion, typing it out so that he could understand her words as well.
"Yeah, I just need some time to heal and make sure there won't be any lingering issues."
"Alright dear, do you mind if I stay?" Maria asked, her smile losing its teasing edge. "I'd… I'd rather stay with the two of you for a while, if you don't mind."
"I'm…just glad you don't hate me or anything since it was my fault those…people were there in the first place, so yeah, you can stay, Maria." Dion stated with a gentle shake of his head even as he held up a hand to stop Rebecca from speaking. "I know, and you're right, but like I also said, I chose to take out Silverstrike, prompting their revenge attempt against me in the first place. That much can't be denied."
"Dear, if he starts talking like that again, please continue to smother him until he stops." Maria drawled, and this time, Rebecca only nodded her agreement to the idea while Dion swallowed nervously despite looking more than a little excited by the thought, something her mother naturally didn't miss. "Hmm…might have to come up with something else if he enjoys it, it's not much of a punishment otherwise."
"That's what I've been saying." Rebecca agreed with a huff.
"As much fun as this is," Maria began, her playful smirk turning into a more serious frown, "I mean it Dion. You've nothing to apologize for. You protected us without even knowing who we were. You didn't hesitate to ensure Silverstrike couldn't hurt and harass anyone ever again. Did that cause his fellow gang members to come after you? Maybe, but you stopped them too so they can't hurt anyone else either. Were people hurt because of them trying to get to you? Yes, that can't be denied, but they also wouldn't have stopped at you, Dion. They would've just found some other reason to hurt someone else, no matter who they had to kill along the way to get what they wanted."
"Thank you! I said the same thing right before you came along." Rebecca grumbled as she waved a hand at Dion, who had the good sense not to argue with either of them further. Having said that, Becca couldn't help but mentally note that his hospital gown had shifted a bit, where his crotch was hidden specifically. Where before the cloth, and the blanket above that'd been resting on his body, were now pitched upwards in a very sizable tent. Rebecca quickly looked sideways, blushing anew, even if a part of her felt oddly… pleased that she had had that effect on him. Now unfortunately wasn't the time for any of that. If anything, it was only more reason to be angry with the asshats that tried to kill all of them.
"...Alright, you've made your point." Dion grumbled, but there was no heat to the words as he gave them both a truly warm look despite blinking away a couple tears. "Just…I don't want to be the reason either of you end up getting hurt. I feel bad enough as it is even if I agree with you, those thugs would've just gone after someone else eventually."
"You can't say he isn't stubborn." Her mom said with an exasperated shake of her head which Rebecca matched with an eye roll. "But…you've already done more for both of us than most anyone I've ever known, my own family included, Dion. About the only way I'd ever blame you for anything at this point is if you purposefully did something that'd earn my eternal hatred of your very existence."
"That's…strangely reassuring." He replied, shying away slightly from the way her mother was looking at him. Considering the not so subtle promise of bodily harm she was projecting his way, Rebecca couldn't exactly fault him for being a little nervous. For all of his power, he was still very much afraid of her mother's wrath. "But…thank you, truly. I won't give you a reason." He promised.
"Good." Setting her phone aside for a moment, Maria squeezed Dion's hand, a soft smile on her face, gesturing for Rebecca to come closer as well, holding her daughter's hand too and despite everything that had happened, Rebecca couldn't help but feel herself calm down, to feel safe. She had her mother and her boyfriend with her, and they were alive and well. Eventually the moment passed, and that damnably amused smirk had returned to her mother's face. "So…should I leave you two alone now?" Dion's answer was to playfully chug one of his bed's pillows at Maria's face. Rebecca giggled at the look that got outta her mom, who sighed dramatically but smiled from ear to ear. "Maybe later then."
"I don't know if I should be thankful or very afraid that you're so determined to play matchmaker between us." Dion quipped, earning another amused glare from Maria for his trouble.
"Why not both?" Maria chuckled back before just as quickly typing it out. "Now get some rest while I find us a movie or something." She said, taking the nearby TV's remote before beginning to flip through the channels. Rebecca only smiled as she relaxed in her chair, glad that things were right with the world again, at least for now.
The Protectorate Base, PR Department
Sheva's office, 12th floor.
7:21 PM…
Sheva Alomar POV…
Today could've gone a whole lot worse than it had.
Forty-five people outta five hundred and eighty were dead, but it was only forty-five people thanks to Bahamut's sole intervention. The argument had been raised already that if not for his killing of Silverstrike, the rest of the Batties wouldn't have had any reason to target the mall in their bid to get to him, but while Sheva could agree with the thought, she'd been in this business too long to know it was never that simple. There'd been very clear signs that the Batties would've escalated sooner or later, becoming a legitimate threat to the city at large, so while Sheva understood where Bahamut's critics were coming from, and she even agreed to an extent, that didn't change the facts that those punks would've gone off the deep end eventually, especially when rather than if one of the much bigger gangs would've grabbed them, forcing them to join. The Teeth, those 'Might makes right' monsters, would've especially loved to have had Max Steel, Soundquake, and Shockjock on their roster, assuming the Butcher didn't somehow possess and take over one or all of them to bolster her own already considerable powers that the current host had accumulated up until now. But thankfully the Batties were dead, and the city was just a little bit safer because of Dion's selfless sacrifice and persistence even if Eidolon had had to finish the job he began.
The little bit of video footage that remained made that clear enough on its own.
Even so, Sheva was secretly grateful that no one had gotten a clear look at Dion's face, with him having Primed up the moment he and his girlfriend realized something was wrong. The little video footage that did show his face before the shit had hit the fan had already been erased to ensure his identity remained a secret to the public at large, courtesy of one of Dragon's drones interfacing with the Brookfield Place's central security station console, as had the very few cellphone pictures that those who'd witnessed the fight had been able to snap of the white knight. Not that any of that was her priority, even if it did make her job much easier in the long run. No, Sheva's job was, as ever, to spin the narrative to paint the best picture of his actions that her department could manage. That part at least would be simple since the Batties had attacked him in his civilian guise.
As such, connecting the attack to the E88 murder of Fleur, a member of New Wave, would garner quite a bit of sympathy for Mr. Lesage from the general public. Even the naysayers who said that New Wave's members were all idiots for revealing themselves would agree that this attack on a heavily crowded civilian center was worthy only of absolute scorn and hatred for the villains Bahamut had put down like the dogs they were.
Another angle to consider and play up was that Bahamut had delivered justice quickly and efficiently, keeping people safe. They had one testimony in particular of a family that had been threatened by Shockjock, and then targeted by Max Steel in an attempt to unbalance and injure the young hero. A family with kids in point of fact, something they could play up as they highlighted how deplorable the act was, how innocent this family had been, and how heroic Bahamut had been in his actions. Even if Sheva didn't quite agree with Bahamut taking the role of judge, jury, and executioner onto himself, the fact remained that if he hadn't acted as quickly as he had, those forty-five people that hadn't made it would've likely been forty-nine, if not a whole lot more. Which led to Soundquake, the one solely responsible for nearly every death not counting the guards that had been silently killed during the initial takeover of the Brookfield Place.
Her sonic screaming into the mall's intercom system hadn't been immediately fatal, something else that Sheva's department could bring to the public's awareness. If not for Bahamut and Eidolon's quick thinking, the death toll would've been absolute. Sure, Bahamut hadn't been able to do anything but crawl towards Soundquake's position from what the remaining video footage had shown, but that he'd so doggedly tried to stop her at all was still a huge point in his favor, something Sheva planned to ruthlessly exploit. That kind of determination and resilience wasn't seen near often enough in her opinion. And again, while others had already started to point out the fact on the PHO boards and other places, that Bahamut's actions before Soundquake's fatal scream had been unleashed led to her doing exactly that when she realized the rest of her gang was dead, the counter argument was so simple a child could make it.
That being that Soundquake could've easily done something similar at any time to cover her allies' retreat, disabling and killing who knows how many people in the process. That she hadn't done so before that moment was just insanely good luck, and Sheva had never been comfortable with relying on luck. So making the point that the PRT and Protectorate needed to take harsher measures against villains that had such destructive potential was just good sense in light of the day's events. And honestly, the Three Strike Law was ignored half the time in favor of Birdcaging anyone that could be successfully detained, making it a joke measure in Sheva's opinion since it was so easily bent to the whims of those in charge. So while she didn't and would likely never fully agree with Dion's actions, she also wasn't going to rake him over the coals over it either, especially since the day's death toll could've been so much worse if not for what he'd managed to achieve before help arrived. All in all though, she was just glad nobody she knew had been at the scene, even as her heart went out to those who had lost someone to the day's terrorist assault.
And that was what they had to focus on here, what had been saved rather then what had been lost. The world was already messy enough as it is. Curiously enough though the internet seemed to be working overtime in this instance. With tons of people already sharing the story of what had happened, or at least some iteration of it online. That was hardly unusual in and of itself, but what surprised her how quickly it had happened this time.
From the look of things, a single user called Winged_One, a relatively old account from what Sheva could glean at least as far as the PHO boards were concerned, had shared the story on a couple of similar places, and from there it had simply carried over, spreading like a wildfire. While she couldn't have said why, something about that name had the hairs on the back of Sheva's neck standing on end, even if the comments the account had made seemed innocuous enough. The user simply seemed determined to sing Bahamut's praises everywhere they could. In the end, she let it go, deciding that if this Winged_One wanted to make her job easier, then who was Sheva to argue? Still, she made it a point to send a message to Dragon's people, just in case. That done, Sheva took one last sip of her coffee, and packed up her things for the night. She'd done enough for one day, the rest she could handle in the morning when she was well rested. Besides, last she heard, Dion would be in the hospital for the better part of a week, so they had plenty of time to give him a proper hero's welcome once he was given a clean bill of health.
But for now, her bed was calling to her.
New York City, New York
Manhattan General Hospital, Patient Room #21
September 14th, 10:03 AM…
Dion Lesage POV…
While his hearing had already started to come back, it still felt like he had his head below water, rendering everything muffled and distorted. It didn't help that trying to get up to go to the bathroom was a tricky affair since it felt like every step was being taken on the deck of a ship in the middle of a storm racked ocean, leaving him dizzy and disoriented. If not for the slightly annoyed nurse that was helping him out that morning, who was currently giving him an aggravated glare for having tried to hobble his way to the bathroom on his own, he likely wouldn't have made it. Still, he had a newfound appreciation for those who suffered hearing loss because having his eardrums ruptured, and his sense of balance seriously compromised as a result, wasn't something he'd wish on most people.
It really didn't help when Chevalier was clearly talking a mile a minute with him the moment he entered the room, the other two with him saying something as well and all he could do was see their lips move and wonder what the fuck they were saying. "Will you all slow down?!" He finally exclaimed, holding his hands up to get them to calm down before pointing at Chevalier first. "I still can't hear much of anything, so you're gonna have to use your phones or something."
At least the premier Lancer team had the good sense to look sheepish as Jouster hurried over to pick up the typing pad that Dion had been given to help with communication. "Sorry Big D, but we're just glad you're alive, dude."
Sumire, upon glancing at the message, nodded her head before she snatched the pad away from Evans. "No shit we're glad you're alright. I still haven't gotten the chance to smash your face in."
Dion chortled at that even as he nodded towards Astrologer in acknowledgment. "I haven't forgotten." He assured her before she handed the pad over to their leader at last.
"You did good, Dion. I'm also immensely relieved you're okay beyond some thankfully temporary hearing loss, and that you were able to hold those bastards just long enough for Eidolon to show up when he did." Dion gravely nodded in response to Chevalier's words, though he still felt more than a little guilt for having not saved everyone. "You did the best you could with what you had, Dion." Chevalier added when he noted the pain in Dion's eyes.
Dion for his part sighed but nodded appreciatively. "I know, but I still can't help but wish I could've done better."
"That just means you actually give two shits." Sumire pointed out once she'd gotten the pad back from Chevalier.
"Yeah, Sumire's right." Evans was quick to agree. "'Sides, next time we'll be there with ya, so don't you worry, Big D."
Astrologer smiled at that. It was an expression that made Dion feel suddenly very self conscious. "Oh, I doubt we'll be with him in a situation like THAT." She wrote all too smugly. He didn't know how digital letters could feel smug, but they were dripping with it. "I heard our friend here went on a date, even carried her across the rooftops and all. The superiors weren't too happy about it, but they have more pressing matters now."
"A date?" Chevalier gaped while Jouster grinned.
"Oh yeah." Sumire confirmed with a nod, and Dion knew what she was doing, trying to distract him from beating himself up… by making him wish she would shut up. "Heard his girlfriend's a real knockout too." Then she turned to Dion himself. "Also heard she's older than you. So that's your type? Older women?"
"He got a MILF?!" Jouster muttered, the sheer awe in his expression making Dion feel uncomfortable… then again did getting teased by Maria count?
"My girlfriend's only two years older than me, thank you." Dion drawled, giving the still smug Sumire a flat look. "And even if I was into MILFs, which I will neither confirm or deny, I wouldn't go after a married woman or anything like that." He finished, glaring at Jouster as he did.
Yet Evans' grin only grew as he snatched the typing pad from Sumire this time. "So you say, but I bet if she's got a hot mom you'd bang her too if given the chance."
Dion rolled his eyes and shook his head at the guy while Chevalier and Sumire gave Jouster exasperated glares. "Pig."
"I don't hear him denying it, Sumi." Evans countered without missing a beat.
"Because I'm a gentleman." Dion deadpanned dryly. "Besides, that question is a trap and you know it."
"You're still not saying yes or no." Just like Sumire, Dion wasn't sure how he did it, but Evans' comment just oozed playful teasing.
"As loath as I am to admit it, Evans is right." Chevalier added with an amused smirk appearing on his lips moments later. Great, even their team leader was getting in on the 'tease Dion' train. "But you don't have to answer, besides, I'd rather hear about your new girlfriend anyway. How'd you meet?" And thus the deluge of questions began, although he was grateful for their leader's intervention. Revealing that he'd briefly met her, albeit at a distance, the same day he'd nuked Silverstrike got a number of raised eyebrows. Their real surprise came from the fact he ended up moving into the apartment right across from Rebecca and her mother's, which to be fair had surprised Dion as well at the time. "How in the world did you get that lucky?"
"I've been wondering that since I got settled in." Dion admitted with a sigh and a shake of his head. "And she's smart, real smart. Kind, funny, beautiful. A great person honestly."
"Well while our superiors might be annoyed, I think it was sweet with how you carried her around the city." Sumire practically gushed, her excitement palpable as was the warm fuzzy feelings she was practically radiating by that point.
"That is so weird…seeing her…smile." Evans drawled, earning a dirty look from Sumire for his trouble.
"Fuck you, Evans. I can be happy for Dion!" She growled, only for Chevalier to glare at them both equally.
"Stop it." Chevalier said in an attempt to interject only to have the other two turn on him. Dion didn't need any typed text to know they just told him to shut it. Despite all of their bickering though, it felt good to have his new teammates and friends around him. To know that they were with him and that they cared in their own unique fashions. "Anyway, I heard that they're likely bringing in some healer Cape to deal with your little problem, so you'll be right as rain in a few days at minimum if the rumor's true." Their leader continued eventually.
"I'll bring you your homework in the meantime." Sumire added with a shrug a moment later. "Don't think being temporarily deaf is an excuse to slack off."
"I promise you, she cares." Jouster assured Dion with a solemn face before he added. "Probably… maybe… hopefully… or she just wants your kidneys."
"Damn it Evans!" Dion didn't need to hear Sumire's rebuttal to know what she'd said as she started chasing Jouster around his hospital room, leaving Chevalier to sigh in exasperation at the two of them.
Even so, Dion wouldn't have had it any other way.
Brockton Bay, Massachusetts
Protectorate Base, the Rig, Director Piggot's office
12:07 PM…
Director Emily Piggot's POV…
Staring at the various vid screens in her office, Director Piggot grimaced slightly as one of a dozen old injuries decided now was a good time to flare up. Her close encounter with an S-Class level threat, Nilbog, and his hordes of monstrous, flesh crafted creatures, had seen her as one of only two survivors after the Ellisburg fiasco. She'd gotten off lucky when compared to the dozens of PRT officers, let alone the people that'd been in that town, that had either gone missing, presumed worse than dead, or had been simply cut down by the mad Cape's loyal followers.
Yet seeing this Dion Lesage in action in far better detail this time around made Emily wonder if perhaps she shouldn't allow Amy Dalton to finally heal her ravaged body? At the very least she could have Panacea heal the damage done to her kidneys so she wouldn't be stuck on this damned dialysis machine anymore. But that would require actually trusting any of the Capes that were either with the PRT directly, or were allies of the organization, and given that it was a Cape that had killed scores of their people, there was little chance of that happening any time soon. Besides, Piggot hadn't trusted Capes even before the Ellisburg massacre instigated by Nilbog and his twisted creations, for much the same reason she didn't trust people with power, political or otherwise. It was far too easy to abuse it.
And most people, if given the chance, never failed to do exactly that.
Yet seeing Bahamut as he selflessly put himself at risk despite having been targeted while he was in his civilian guise, proved that perhaps not all Capes were bad news. She still didn't wholly trust him not to one day turn into a rotten apple, but given that he'd been so quick to throw himself into the fray despite having been unarmed, outnumbered, and outpowered as Soundquake proved at the end of it all, there was no doubt in Emily's mind that he'd been the deciding factor between merely forty-five people being put in the ground the other day, and everyone ending up as liquified puddles of gore. And all because he hadn't fucked around and actually took decisive action when it had actually mattered.
There hadn't been any moral handwringing, no hesitation to consider negotiating with the Batties' terrorist actions, he'd just gotten the job done as best he was able with the limited resources he'd had at the time. And taken from someone who was forced to deal with the single worst city in the entirety of the US on an already limited budget that kept getting smaller every year, Piggot could respect the young man for his resourcefulness and resilience until help had arrived. So while she was fairly certain any requests for reinforcements would be denied, again, that didn't stop Piggot from putting in the request with Director Costa-Brown in the vain hope she'd send Dion Lesage to the Bay.
Someone like him could easily dismantle the gangs by taking out their leadership, leaving the remnants to be mopped up by the PRT's troopers and their own Capes at their leisure. The only real threats Piggot could think of that might be able to challenge Bahamut with what they currently knew about his powers could be numbered on one hand, with Lung, the leader of the AZN Bad Boys, being at the top of that list. And to be honest, Piggot knew she wouldn't be the only one that would put good money on Bahamut outdragoning the fiery dragon when the two inevitably met. Of course that was contingent on Bahamut being transferred to the Bay for a sufficient amount of time, so for the moment all Piggot could do was wonder what a confrontation between the two 'dragons' would look like.
Still, whatever the future held for them, Piggot was willing to hold out a little hope.
End Notes: This one admittedly fought me a bit, although I've also been getting my ass kicked by sinuses coupled with some congestion and coughing and just a ton of snot comin' outta me along with some stomach related issues, but that's due to another matter entirely. Still, it's done, and I hope you all enjoyed this little aftermath chapter. I was tempted to have a small scene from another gang from like, The Teeth or something, but I think I like how this turned out with Piggot instead. At any rate, eager to hear what you all think as ever guys and gals. See ya for now!