Mr. Gladly stood at the front of the class, giving a lecture about Alexandria and her effect on the cape scene. It was practically the same lecture he gave every time he talked about a specific cape, he just flavored it a little differently. Everything he was saying was basic information anyone with access to PHO already knew, so no one was really paying attention to him.

Before winter break, Taylor always made it a point to give her teachers her rapt attention. She wanted to learn everything they had to teach, and wanted to show them that the current state of her grades did not reflect who she was as a student. The trio would take her focus as an insult and do everything they could to distract her. Even now, when she wasn't paying attention, Madison was still trying to make her life miserable. She was just failing.

Another spitball whizzed past Taylor's head. That was the third time in the last two minutes that Madison had missed a target directly in front of her.

'There must be a pretty serious breeze in here for her to aim this poorly.' Taylor said, the corner of her lip pulling up into a grin as she stared forward at nothing.

'That interior wind is a killer, master. You have to account for it or you're bound to miss your target.' Lancer said in her head.

'Clearly Madison doesn't have a very good teacher.'

'That girl? No doubt. I can't see anyone competent taking an interest in her training. Speaking of…'

'I know. I'm working on it.'

Taylor drew in a slow breath, letting Gladly's monotone voice and the other distractions of the classroom fade to the back of her mind. Taylor had intentionally worn an extra baggy hoodie and pants today. Lancer wanted her to work on what he'd showed her yesterday in school so she could practice working under conditions that weren't perfect.

Though the light they gave off was hidden beneath her clothes, Taylor felt as her arms and legs were strengthened by mana. She held it for a moment longer, then gasped as her control slipped. She frowned. She was still getting the hang of reinforcement. The runes Lancer showed her were far easier for her to use.

'Not half bad, master! You're getting better. I'd even say you're doing very good!' Lancer's voice said in her head.

'Good enough to go patrolling?'

Taylor heard Lancer sigh in her head. 'Master, I really don't see your obsession with the whole patrolling thing. What good does walking down the street in the middle of the day do? In my time, patrolling was designed to keep watch for enemies and make sure our homes stayed safe. In this modern world, all you're going to accomplish is being in the open so your picture can be taken and the villains will know where not to attack. That or letting them know where to set up an ambush for you.'

'The Protectorate heroes do it all the time.'

'Master, I mean no disrespect here, but a good sixty percent of their job is public relations. They need to be seen by the public because it fools people into believing they'll be right around the corner when something bad happens.'

Taylor frowned at nothing as another spitball shot harmlessly past her head. The Protectorate were heroes. They didn't patrol just to put on a show. By showing the villains they were out in force, they prevented a number of crimes from even happening. That was why patrolling was important. 'I still think you're wrong, Lancer. I don't want to argue with you.'

'I'm not too keen to argue with you either, master. Let's agree to disagree.'

'Okay. So, can I go out yet?'

'Not until you can reinforce yourself as easily as you breathe. Reinforcement will keep you alive. Attacking is all well and good, but if you can't take a hit, you're better off staying at home.'

'How long until I master reinforcement?'

'At the absurd pace you're learning everything? Less than a month, maybe even as little as a week.'

Taylor smiled. 'Then I guess I need to work on a costume and a name. What do you think of Spellcraft?'

'As a name? I would recommend you pick something that tells your opponents as little about yourself as possible. You do not want to advertise the fact that you're a magus. If there are other magus still in the world, they likely won't take kindly to one of their number playing the game of capes.'

'Being a hero isn't a game, Lancer.'

'I have a feeling this is another thing you and I won't agree on, master. Tell me, how many times has Hookwolf been captured?'

Taylor pursed her lips in thought. 'Four? It was either four or five.'

'Six actually. With all of his crimes, he should have been sent to the Birdcage four times over. Yet, he is free once more to terrorize the public. The Protectorate could put a permanent stop to him, but they don't. Miss Militia especially could trim the number of villains in the bay on her own.'

'Killing is wrong, Lancer.'

'If Hookwolf was going to kill your father, would you kill Hookwolf to save your father?'

'That's an unfair situation.'

'On the contrary, if you truly intend to immerse yourself in this life, it is an inevitability. Would you kill a villain to save your father?'

'Only if I had no other choice. That doesn't make killing right.'

'I never said it did, master. If you are going to fight people willing and able to kill you, then you need to be willing and able to kill them too. If it comes down to a choice between Hookwolf, Lung, Kaiser, Skidmark, anyone and you? I will choose you every time. I do not have the same reservations about killing as parahumans do. Since it is your wish, I am willing to hold myself back from immediately seeking the lethal option, but I will never hesitate should it be necessary to protect you.'

Taylor didn't know what to say to that. Despite all the training she'd been doing, all the research and planning, this was the first time where it felt like reality actually caught up with her.

Cu was right. Villains would be willing to kill her; they'd be willing to kill her dad. That didn't mean she was okay with the idea of killing people. She wanted to be a hero, and heroes didn't kill. At least, Protectorate heroes didn't.

What was that thing Lancer had said the first night she summoned him? Something about him being the real deal? Alexandria, Myrdin, Caduceus, Fenrir, Gungi, Orion – heroes and villains alike all around the world named themselves after myths and legends, but Cu Chulainn was an actual legend. He didn't put on a suit and don a mask. He was the suit and mask.

Next time they were at the warehouse, Taylor would need to start picking Lancer's brain about the battles he's been in. She knew from reading about his life that his family… That he'd lost a lot. Hopefully, she could learn from him and do better.