Blue. An insane amount of blue. That was what Missy woke up to when she opened her eyes. Tall sky-blue columns, billowing navy curtains, and midnight blue seats all overlooking a stage made of wood. It was so weird but there was something familiar about this… Opera House that she woke up in. It felt like she had been here before like she belonged there even if this was her first time here. In fact… this place kinda felt Minako in a weird way.
She wasn't on the stage but rather on the balcony that overlooked it. The stage was empty, waiting for a performer but she couldn't see anyone around her that could perform.
"Welcome to the Velvet Room."
Missy finally acknowledged the strange old man that sat across from her. His pointed nose was insanely long and his eyes looked bloodshot. By all rights she should've been freaked out by how scary he looked but, like this place, he felt familiar.
Next to the old man was a taller blond man dressed in familiar blue. He remained silent as his apparent Master spoke.
"My name is Igor and it seems we have a guest with an interesting path ahead of them."
Missy remained silent. She simply stared at Igor as he spoke.
"This is a room between dream and reality, mind and matter. A room where those bound by a contract may enter. Now then as the new guest, why don't you introduce yourself?"
"… Missy Biron."
"… You have arrived here earlier than most of our other guests, but that is a necessity due to the state of your reality. You will need these years to grow and my duty is to help facilitate that growth until you are ready to confront your fate. Your world's fate."
She didn't need to speak. She knew that he was aware of her answer without a single word leaving her mouth.
"Are you prepared then, to be the Hero that you wish to be?"
Missy nodded.
"Wonderful." Igor gestured toward the man that stood next to him. "This is Theodore. He is a resident of this place, like myself, and has experience accompanying guests like you on your journeys. In fact his last guest, well you've met her already haven't you? An exceptional woman who sacrificed so much and is now on her second lease at life."
Missy didn't have to ask about who he was talking about. Somehow she just knew.
Theo bowed his head towards her. "I'll be happy to serve you… Young Miss."
Missy simply smiled for him. Normally she would get mad at anyone that brought up her age, but he acknowledged it in a way that was respectful and not at all condescending.
"There will be other attendants and guests that you will eventually have the opportunity to speak with. Many exceptions had to be made due to the stakes involved. They too of course look forward to meeting with you."
Missy looked forward to meeting them too,
"Now I believe our time is. We shall part, but we look forward to seeing you again. And do give our best regards to her."
Missy opened her eyes to white this time. A white sterile hospital room with gray walls and filled with all sorts of beeping machines one of which she connected to by an IV. Bleh so ugly and lifeless compared to the Velvet Room… which was probably just a dream?
She shifted in her bed feeling something in the grip of her hand. She pulled it up and found herself holding a large ornate key. It was beautifully engraved and even had a beautiful sapphire gem inlaid at its base.
Well never mind. Not a dream. The Velvet Room, Theodore, Igor, that was all real and apparently Minako had some explaining to do.
Missy put the key on a counter next to her bed, since she couldn't exactly shove it into the hospital gown she was currently wearing, and sat up in her bed. She wasn't confused about why she was here, she remembered everything that led to her stay in the hospital, but wasn't this a bit excessive? She just overused her… Persona after using it the first time. Whatever it was. Maybe Igor should've explained that to her too.
Couldn't exactly get him now though so she went for the next best thing. Missy pressed the button that would call a nurse over and it wouldn't take long for one to appear.
"Ah. You're awake."
"Where's Minako?" Missy asked before describing her.
"Your… friend that came with you? I think she was treated for her bruises and is talking with your parents right now I think."
Arguing with them most likely or at least stopping them from arguing in her hospital room. Which was a good thing, the last thing Missy wanted was for her parents to start shouting at each other while she was still in a hospital bed wearing only a flimsy gown.
"No rush then." Missy laid back down. "Let them get it out of their systems first."
The nurse gave her a sympathetic look. "They'll be here soon. Why don't we give you a checkup? Make sure everything's okay?"
Missy agreed and was quickly asked a bunch of questions about how she was feeling, what she remembered, etcetera.
Physically she was fine. Mentally… well maybe the nurse was right to be worried. Shouldn't Missy be freaking out right now? She should be freaking out actually. Who wouldn't freak out after going through what she had gone through in the last couple of hours? But she was fine. Or at least she thought it was fine. Maybe she'd ask Minako about that too, this was all so weird.
The nurse eventually called a doctor and he gave her a clean bill of health though they did want her to wait for her parents to be the one to discharge her. He also suggested that she visit a therapist that specialized in Parahumans. Which was kinda weird because why would they suggest to her a Parahuman therap- ooooh… She was sort of a Cape now wasn't she? The whole powers and fighting Villains thing, minus the costume. Maybe she'd be able to fight crime with Alexandria one day?
Missy changed into her old clothes, put the key that had apparently gone unnoticed into her pocket, and switched on the tv while she waited. She was busy watching a cooking show which was interesting enough when her parents walked into her room. They looked… disgruntled but her dad's face had immediately softened at seeing her.
"Missy are you okay?" he said as he quickly kneeled down in the bed next to her. He didn't spend long there before her mom practically shoved him aside so that she could have her turn with her.
"Oh sweetie you must've been so scared."
She was… but Missy wasn't going to admit that to her. "Can we go home now?"
"Soon. There's just some… people that want to talk with you."
As if on cue a couple entered the room. Missy's eyes lit up at the sight of them.
"Minako! Shinji!" Missy cried as she jumped out of her bed and ran up to hug the older woman. Her mom looked shocked and then a bit sad, while her father just looked confused.
"Hey brat," Shinji said as he rubbed the top of her head while Minako returned the hug.
They held that hug for a while before Missy was the first to let go to check up on the woman. Her nose was wrapped up and she had several visible bruises peeking out of the edges of her clothes. "Are you okay?"
"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Minako asked cheerfully.
"But you were the one who was hurt!" Missy replied. She yelped as she was suddenly picked up by her armpits and spun around like she weighed nothing. Said yelp developed into a delighted cry before she was finally placed on the bed with messed up hair and a large smile on her face.
"Eh I'm fine." Minako flexed her bicep. "I'm a tough girl and I've been through much worse."
Shinji glared at her. "That's not something to be proud of."
Uh oh. That was probably an argument for them. Unlike her parents though, they knew how to keep it away from her.'
"Missy? Are you sure you're okay with her?" Her mother asked, "After everything that-"
"It's not Minako's fault," Missy quickly defended her. "She was the one who protected me. I was the one who wanted to do something."
"You shot yourself," her mother whispered and even her father looked pained by that.
"It wasn't a real gun," Missy replied. The Evoker felt like one… and gave off enough of an accurate enough representation of a real one being placed against your skull.
"You didn't know that."
"I did."
"Why do you carry around a gun in your purse?" her father asked and glared at Minako.
"A threat and protection," Minako replied.
"And you let my daughter get my hands on it?"
"Kinda busy getting punched in the face by Hookwolf. And it wouldn't do anything for most other people. Missy was just… a rare exception."
"A rare exception!?" Missy's mother marched up to Minako, abandoning Missy to fight with someone else again. "You're the reason that my daughter just tried to kill herself!"
"But didn't we just say she wasn't… really trying to kill herself?" Minako asked.
"That doesn't matter! That gun that come out of your purse-"
Before they could argue any further someone knocked on the door to the hospital room.
"Who's that?" Missy asked, grateful for any interruption from the ensuing argument.
For once everyone in that room was in agreement as to their next course of action, pausing their previous actions and looking at each other in confusion.
Shinji eventually shrugged and opened the door. "What?"
Behind it stood a stern and imposing looking woman dressed professionally in a suit jacket and formal skirt. Her eyes were steely, almost unfriendly looking, and she also looked a bit familiar. But why would Missy know-
"My name is Carol Dallon. I wished to offer my services to your daughter."
"Brandish!" Missy shouted, finally recognizing the woman.
Brandish looked at her and nodded. "Yes, though I'm not acting as a Cape at the moment but as your possible legal representative."
"Oh okay then Carol."
"Mrs. Dallon. Be polite," Minako whispered in Missy's ear.
"Mrs. Dallon," Missy quickly corrected herself.
"How much do you charge?" Missy's father asked.
"It would be pro-bono," Mrs. Dallon replied.
"And why would you do that?"
"Empire," Shinji grunted. "New Wave has experience with them and Missy's situation hits a bit close to home."
Brandi- er Caro- er Mrs. Dallon looked at Shinji carefully before replying. "As much as a lawyer should do their best to be impartial, he has the right of it. A normal lawyer wouldn't quite understand the situation, especially with how the Empire was responsible for such a public Trigger Event."
"Secret Identity is shot," Minako said. "Missy's essentially the equivalent of an Open Cape now."
"Whose fault is that?" Missy's mother hissed.
"Would you stop fighting the woman," Missy's father hissed back. "This isn't the time for that."
"When is!? When she's already taken our daughter from us!"
"Look in a mirror and you'll see whose fault it is!"
Shinji stomped into the space between and quickly pushed them apart. "If you two don't stop fighting like you promised I will throw you both out this room," he stated sternly but not loudly. "Look at what you're doing to your daughter."
They turned and finally Missy huddled into herself on the hospital bed. She made sure not to look at either of them, instead she turned toward Mrs. Dallon. "Do you want me to join New Wave?" It made sense since they were a group of Open Capes.
"We would have to discuss it as a group first," Mrs. Dallon replied cautiously before glancing at Missy's parents who were now bristling at each other. "And it would then have to be something we discussed with you and your… parents."
"So you really came here to be my lawyer? Why would I need a lawyer?"
"One. Even if you aren't officially a part of New Wave, being seen associating with one of our members should act as some deterrent against those who would take advantage of your open identity and young age. Secondly you will need a lawyer once the PRT approaches you, if only to get you a better deal if you do happen to join the Wards or simply to leave you alone as an independent. Though I wouldn't suggest that last option."
"Pariahs the lot of them," Shinji grumbled. "Can't leave a little girl alone."
"No one will. You think the gangs won't try to poach a vulnerable Cape, especially one so young?" Mrs. Dallon asked. "She needs protection."
"That's true," Shinji acknowledged.
"Empire I think will back off for the time being," Minako commented. "At least not act openly. Can't afford any bad press after being responsible for a little blond girl getting her powers."
"Not for long though. They'll come for her again once everyone's forgotten what they've done, like everything else," Carol replied in a frustrated tone.
"It will be time though for Missy to learn how to use her Persona at least."
"You want my daughter to go out fighting criminals!" Missy's mother shrieked at Minako again. "Use powers that YOU forced on her."
"I didn't force anything on Missy," Minako bit back, having finally lost her patience. "And don't talk about her like she's not there. Normally I'd say she deserves to have a voice in this, but not when you're too busy screaming over and anyone else trying to help."
"Jesus woman, let her help!" Missy's father shouted at her mother.
"Help!? She's the reason-"
"That's it," Shinji stated before grabbing both of them by their shirts and dragging them out of the room.
"What are you doing!?" Missy's father struggled futilely against Shinji's grip.
"Letting the lawyer talk to the only adults in this room," Shinji replied before he carried them out with him and then slammed the door shut.
It was now just Mrs. Dallon, Minako, and Missy herself left in the room. Somehow that was enough for Missy to finally exhale, let out everything that she had been holding in, and let her body relax.
Brandish, who had witnessed it all, looked at Missy in sympathy. "Does that happen-"
"Every day," Missy shuddered. "Every damn day. I don't know what I would've done if Minako and Shinji hadn't been there."
"Having to deal with that and being faced with losing one of few people who helped you… that was when you Triggered."
"Triggered?"
"Trigger Events are… the worst moments of a Parahuman's life. It's to be pushed to edge, past their limits until… they break," Mrs. Dallon explained, though it seemed to pain her to do so. "It's how we get our powers."
"Oh…" Missy replied as she looked down at her bed. That explained a lot actually, about why so many Capes were Villains or jerks. Especially Hookwolf.
"It was pretty bad," Missy's eyes went distant. "I felt so useless watching Hookwolf beat up Minako. So when I had that gun in my hand I knew what I had to do."
"Missy no. There should never be a reason to ki-"
"I had to fight, to save her. That's why I got my powers." She looked up at Brandish, her eyes determined. "I want to be stronger. For her and me. I don't want to be helpless again when someone I care about is in trouble. Even if it means risking my death to do so."
Mrs. Dallon looked at her, her eyes still widened. "You're taking this…"
"I have to be better. I have to move on. I can't let what happened hold me back. And I want to punch Hookwolf's stupid face myself for what he did to Minako."
By the end of it Mrs. Dallon looked like she couldn't believe what she was hearing from Missy, which was weird because was what she was saying really that strange?
"Missy's a strong girl," Minako said, shaking the older woman out of her stupor. "She'll still need a little help though which we can give to her."
"Yes of course. She will need help as a Parahuman and with her familial situation I think," Mrs. Dallon quickly recovered.
"I want to get away from them," Missy stated quickly. "I want to get out of that house and live with-" her eyes turned to Minako who quickly noticed.
"Me?" Minako asked.
Missy nodded.
Minako choked.
"I'm sorry," Missy apologized. "I know it's a lot of trouble. I shouldn't have even suggested-"
Minako hugged her and Missy stopped. She simply leaned into her chest. She also made sure not to cry happy tears in front of the hero in the hospital, even if her eyes became a bit wet.
"Ahem," Mrs. Carol coughed after some time, looking a bit red at their display of affection. "It's fortunate that you two get along but it's not that simple."
And that ruined Missy's mood. "I know. It won't be easy."
"Your parents will likely fight you two every step of the way. CPS will require a lot of proof that they are unfit to raise you and even more proof that Mrs. Arisato and her husband can do so properly in their stead. And that says nothing about what the PRT might do in the middle of all this."
"Why would the PRT do anything?" Missy asked. "They're Heroes."
"They need Heroes, ones under their control. They've also in the past taken up custody of any Parahumans that come from unfit households."
Minako's eyes narrowed. "You're thinking they'll throw their hat in the ring assuming we do get Missy away from her parents."
Mrs. Dallon nodded. "The PRT are a necessary institution and any Hero should be willing to work with them to some degree, but they care more about their bottom line than the individual. It would be better for you two to keep this under wraps for now until we've dealt with the current crisis and have built up the foundations for a better case."
Missy sighed. "Everything is so complicated."
"Politics and the court are quite the pain," Mrs. Dallon commiserated with her. "Back to the previous discussion have you two figured out what you're going to do now that Missy's identity is public?"
"Do you still want to be a Hero Missy?" Minako asked.
Missy nodded eagerly. "Yep!" It was a bit frightening thinking about fighting someone like Hookwolf again but she did want to help people. And that was what Heroes did best.
"Alright, the first thing we should do is practice and train with the basics of your Persona. Once you've gotten that down we can figure out our options from there. Do you have a number I can call Mrs. Dallon?"
"Carol, please," Mrs. Dallon replied before handing Minako a business card. "I'll try to speak with Missy's parents about the current case. If they do accept my services though then it would likely be a conflict of interest to also get involved in the matter of Missy's custody. I have a partner in my firm who primarily practices family law, so he'll be better suited to helping you."
Minako took the card and shook her hand. "Minako then."
Carol nodded before looking at Missy. "If it's outside of business then you can also call me Carol."
"Thank you Carol!" Missy chirped.
The door knocked again. Everyone turned to look at it. Shinji wouldn't and he was probably still dealing with her parents, so who was that?
Minako opened the door.
Missy gasped.
"Hello there. Could I speak with Missy and her parents?"
"Yes- Yes!" Missy squealed. That was Miss Militia! She was so cool!
Miss Militia's eyes crinkled at her reaction. Anyone aware of her expressions in interviews knew that was how she smiled behind her scarf. As she entered the Protectorate hero looked at Carol and paused briefly before giving her a polite nod.
"Mrs. Dallon."
"Miss Militia."
"I see that you're offering your services to Missy."
"We're in talks."
"I wish you the best of luck then," Miss Militia replied before turning to address Minako. "Hello Ms-"
"Minako. Just Minako,"
Miss Militia nodded again. "Minako. The PRT has seen the videos of what happened. I appreciate you staying with her, especially after the traumatizing event Missy went through."
"I'm fine!" Missy replied. Seriously? Why did everyone worry so much about her? Minako was the one who had gotten hurt! "I mean it sucks that it happened, but I can't keep beating myself up over it."
"I'm sure you will eventually. We'd like to provide all the help you'd need though."
"How bad are the videos?" Minako asked. "I'm assuming both of you have seen them considering how quickly you got here?"
Both women grimaced, Miss Militia even more so.
"Missy's identity is definitely shot," Carol informed them once again. "And the moment of her Trigger… has caused significant outrage online."
"No one should accept a little girl trying to kill herself," Miss Militia replied sternly.
"But I wasn't trying to kill myself," Missy explained. "I was jus-"
"In moments like that it's hard to realize what you're doing until it's far too late," Miss Militia replied somberly. "Trigger Events can haunt you for the rest of your life. You will need some time to recover, to process what happened and your actions."
"Bu-"
Missy went silent as Minako patted her shoulder.
"There's also an issue that it was a gun that she took out of your purse," Brandish informed Minako.
"It's essentially a realistic prop and I have a license for a concealed carry," Minako explained. "Legally I'm good I think. Could argue that I gave my purse to Missy but well it's easy to argue distress when faced with the Murder Blender. Publicly on the other hand…"
"Some might blame you for it, even if I would place the blame on Hookwolf," Miss Militia replied before looking cautiously at Minako's purse. "I don't think I need to ask but you didn't bring that gun here, did you?"
Minako's silence was telling.
The room grew tense and even Carol looked ready to start shouting. "Why did you bring that in here!?"
"It's important to me," Minako explained. "And Missy will need it-"
Miss Militia sputtered. "Why would she need the weapon that she used to-"
"I do," Missy interrupted her. "I can't summon my Persona without it, I think."
Miss Militia paused. "Your Persona? Is that what you call your projection?"
"Yes. Her name is Theia."
"And why do you need a gun… even just a fake one, to summon Theia?"
"I think it'll be easier if I show you."
The Veteran Hero paused, as if she was arguing with herself internally for quite some time, before eventually replying. "I need to see that gun."
Minako complied and pulled it out of her purse.
In a flash of green light, a copy of it would emerge in Miss Milita's hand. She then began to examine it carefully. "Definitely fake," she said, her hand carefully away from the trigger. "It's strange though, I don't understand the purpose of the mechanism behind it even if I can copy it."
"Tinkertech?" Carol asked.
"No. I don't think so."
"Is it safe?" Carol asked.
"From what I can tell… yes."
"It won't do anything for most people," Minako explained before slowly bringing it over to Missy. When no one objected Missy took it from Minako's hand. It didn't feel as heavy as it did anymore and seemed to fit in her hand better. Was she just getting used to it or did something fundamental about her chance?
Didn't matter now though. Now she had to act.
"So how does this work?" Carol asked.
No hesitation.
"You point it in the air and summon your projection-"
Missy put the gun against her head and fired.
Her head jerked to the side from the force as ethereal light cracked in the air.
"Hey Theia," Missy whispered as her Persona manifested once again. She gazed at her with a smile on her face before eventually looking back at everyone else.
Minako was the only one who hadn't reacted badly. Carol's arms were stretched, and she looked like she had been about to pounce on Missy. Miss Militia on the other hand had a gun, a real one, in her hands that she looked almost ready to use.
Carol relaxed her form, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. "Did you have to shoot yourself to do that?"
"Yes," Missy replied plainly as Theia wrapped her wings around her protectively.
Miss Militia remained tense. "Do you really have no other way to use your powers?"
Missy shook her head. "Been trying since I got up. Nothing happened. I need this."
"That… will not be easy to explain to the public," Carol replied.
Miss Militia finally relaxed her stance. "It won't be easy for people to accept. Even other Capes. Even those that believe her and logically know that's how her power works…"
"Emotionally it's difficult seeing a young girl shoot herself."
Minako remained silent, instead observing their reactions.
Eventually Theia disappeared, leaving Missy alone with just the fake gun again. She started lifting it up to bring her Persona back only for Miss Militia to suddenly lunge and grab her arm.
"You've just gotten your Powers. It'd be best if you went through Power Testing with the PRT first."
"Practicing your powers in a controlled environment would be wise," Carol agreed.
"Um sure I guess." Missy tried not to shift her eyes toward Minako who had been silently moving her mouth. "Could we do that later? I kinda just want to go home. It's been a long day."
"Of course," Miss Militia replied.
"Why don't we go check on Missy's parents. See if they've already gotten the paperwork to discharge her," Carol suggested and gestured for Miss Militia to follow, finally leaving Missy alone with Minako.
It was nice being alone with her now after everything. Comforting. Minako was perhaps the one person in the world now that Missy trusted the most. Someone who could truly understand what she was going through.
"…. So about adopting me-"
"You don't need to ask. It'll take some time and we will have to be careful about it."
Missy nodded before she laid her hand against the weight in her pocket. "Hey can I show you something?"
"Sure. What you got?" Minako asked as she raised an eye.
Missy reached into her pocket, pulled her hand out, and unfurled it to reveal a large ornate key. "Igor and Theo say hi."
Minako didn't reply. She just sat there with a blank look on her face as she stared at the key. She just stared in silence. Why wasn't she saying anything?
"Minako?"
"Huh…" Minako exhaled. "Huh-Bwu- wah-" She inhaled and broke into a coughing fit.
Confusion turned into terror as Missy watched Minako continue to cough, to gasp, to hyperventilate until she turned blue in her face. "Minako!? What's wrong?"
Minako didn't answer. Instead her eyes rolled over and she fell to the ground.
"Minako!"
A/N
Phew this chapter has a lot happening in a single scene. Lots of characters, lots of talking, and maybe a bit too much exposition through dialogue but I felt like they were conversations that couldn't exactly be put off after recent events.
Also if you're wondering about Minako's reaction, then remember what happened to her at the end of her journey and the one that Missy's about to take.
