Chapter 3: Hero Time? Maybe?

I hate mornings.

Even though I conditioned myself to get up early ever since getting powers, it was still an irritable process. I'd come up with ways to circumvent the worst of it. Music, coffee, shadow-boxing... loads of stuff. A mix of a cold shower and coffee often helped. But, again, it was still a painstakingly long process. It had to be done, though. I knew that if I stopped this routine, I wouldn't get back on it, because I was a procrastinating son of a bitch.

I finished my jog through the Boardwalk and made my way home. As I entered the front door, I was surprised to see Aoko was awake and manning the kitchen. She noticed me enter and smiled. "Okaeri, Bro."

"Tadaima," I murmured back, resisting the urge to smirk. God, I still felt like an anime character every time I uttered those words.

Is that racist? I'm part Japanese. Half-racist?

"Didn't expect you to be up so early."

"Well, I'm off work today so I thought I'd get up and cook breakfast this time. You're always doing it; I wanted to switch things up," Aoko smiled, seasoning some diced potatoes.

"You didn't have to do that..."

"But I wanted to. Seriously, Nikko. I'm the older sibling, I should be the one cooking."

"You're always working late to provide for us and are dead tired by the time you get home. The least I can do is make breakfast for you."

"Agree to disagree,"

I huffed; knowing this debate wouldn't go anywhere, I decided to drop it. If there was one thing us Giha could be proud of, it was our stubbornness. Unfortunately, that also meant we stood our ground in our beliefs, even against each other. It was too early to argue, anyway.

I slipped into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge before taking a seat at the counter.

"Looking forward to school today?"

I paused at her words, contemplated them for a second, and then shrugged. "Meh."

"Mm. You said you made a friend? A boy named Greg? And that girl from the hospital, Taylor?"

"Yeah. Dunno if Taylor'll be showing up today, though. I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't come back till next week..."

"I still don't know who would do such a terrible thing to that girl." Aoko frowned in disgust, shaking her head. "It's disgusting."

"I know." I frowned. Tapping my bottle with my finger. "... I'm gonna look out for Taylor if she does come by today. I think I should start gathering evidence of her bullies and their pranks, if I can rack up enough, Mr. Hebert could sue them. Or the school. Either works."

"Nikko, I'm all for dishing out justice to pigs that deserve it, but please don't try shutting the school down on your second day of school," Aoko muttered dryly as she slid a plate of potatoes, french toast, and turkey bacon in front of me.

I took a bite out of a strip of bacon and gave my sister a cheeky look. "Hey, this might be an easy way to get me into Arcadia?"

She gave me a dry stare.

"Alright, alright. I won't do anything stupid."

"Good."

"Yet."

"Jesus Christ..."

I snickered under my breath and ate my food in silence. Aoko leaned against the counter and stared at the clock as seconds ticked by. Eventually, she looked at me and tilted her head.

"Want me to drive you to school this time?"

I blinked, then shrugged. "Sure, if you're feeling up for it. If you're tired, I'll just bike there again."

"There you go again..."

I paused. "Huh?"

Aoko frowned. "Always... I don't know - downplaying everything. You've always been like that. Doing things on your own. It's not bad to rely on others... to rely on me, Nikko."

"There's nothing wrong with being self-sufficient. And I rely on you enough. Who's paying the bills for this place?"

"That isn't the point - you know I don't mind doing things for you. You just have to ask..."

"And I've told you countless times it's fine. Really, you've been really pushy lately. You were never like this before..."

I trailed off and frowned, clenching my fists.

That seemed to have struck a chord with her, and I somewhat regret uttering those words. Aoko chewed her bottom lip and clenched her eyes shut, tapping her knuckles against the surface of the counter. "... I was always focused on myself when I was younger. Me. Nobody else, Mom and Dad spoiled me rotten - and then you came into the picture, and all that attention just... became divided. I was jealous at the time."

"'Why are they spending more time with him? I was here first. It's not fair. What about me? Why won't they spend more time with me?'. I was a stupid little kid back then. And I was angry... heh, I wanted nothing to do with you at first. I got into my rebellious phase, I was a real pain in the ass..."

I watched as she smiled, slowly opening her eyes and rubbing them with her index finger and thumb, sighing shakily. "... I remember you always trying to come up to me and play and I'd just brush you off..."

"I don't blame you for any-"

She raised her hand to cut me off.

"And it was like that for a while. I was petty childish, and jealous. It was only when I was well into graduating high school that I realized how stupid I was being. But by then I thought it was too late..."

She leaned back, staring at a nearby family photo. I followed her gaze. It was a photo of our Dad, a large, muscular bear of a man with dark skin and dark hair like mine styled in a buzzcut, and a beautiful Japanese woman with dark red hair like Aoko. Our parents.

"And then Mom and Dad died. I thought I lost you, too, during all of that. I'll never forget how afraid I was. That in just a moment, I could have lost everything." she shakily whispered before looking at me with misty eyes. "Nikko... you are all I have left. You hear me?"

"You're all I got. And everything I do, I do for you. Because I want to be better, and because I care. So if I say I'll do something for you, you'd best believe I'm going to try my hardest to make it happen." she firmly stated.

...well... shit. How the hell am I supposed to respond to something like that?

"... sorry."

"Moron," Aoko huffed fondly and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead, ruffling my hair. I didn't have the energy to even swat her hand away, "You don't have to apologize. Besides, I think I needed to get that off my chest."

I did have to apologize, though. Because she was worrying so much about me. And I was gonna be throwing myself into the fire soon. The cape life was a dangerous game, and if you weren't strong enough to run it solo, you'd be digging yourself an early grave. Or at least, that's what the PRT pitches as their little sales pitch for fresh triggers that wanna get in on the hero scene.

I chewed my food in silence. Aoko wandered off and turned on the news. I think I'll go out on patrol tomorrow. It's the weekend, and I'll have free time to do whatever the hell I want.

I paused, looking up from my plate. "Wait, what time is it?"

Aoko blinked, checking her phone. "Uh... seven-thirty?"

. . .

I jumped out of my seat in a panic, tripping over my feet and tumbling to the floor. "GAH! I'M GONNA BE LATE!"

I scrambled to my feet, heart pounding as I grabbed my backpack from the couch.

"Shit, shit, shit!"

Aoko sighed. "I offered to drive you, dumbass."

"No time! Gotta—" I nearly tripped again as I sprinted for the door.

"Keys. Car. Now."

I skidded to a stop, looked at her holding up the car keys, and hesitated. Aoko stared at me, unimpressed. I exhaled. "Fine, but drive like you're not trying to murder me."

She smirked. "No promises."

X-X-X-X-X-X

The drive was mercifully short, though my sister took every opportunity to remind me of my poor decision-making skills. By the time we pulled up to Winslow, I was just early enough to avoid a tardy slip.

"Try not to piss off any teachers," Aoko said, resting an elbow on the steering wheel.

"No promises," I shot back.

I hopped out, slamming the door behind me, and started weaving through the morning crowds toward the entrance. A familiar voice called out before I could reach the doors.

"Yo, Nikko!"

Greg Veder. The most Greg person in existence.

He jogged up beside me, already launching into conversation. "Dude, you will not believe what I saw last night. Two capes fighting near the docks. I think one of them was Circus—maybe—could've been someone else, but there were knives everywhere."

I nodded along, half-listening as I scanned the halls. Aoko's words from this morning still sat heavy on my chest.

Taylor.

I caught sight of her near her locker, moving stiffly, shoulders hunched. She looked exhausted like she'd gotten maybe two hours of sleep. I could feel a flicker of irritation crawl up my spine. Winslow's usual bullshit was probably to blame.

Greg was still rambling. "—And then, BAM, the guy just vanished! Like, full-on ninja mode—"

"Hey, Greg," I interrupted, eyes still on Taylor. "Gimme a sec."

I made my way over, stepping around clusters of students loitering near their lockers. Taylor flinched when she saw me approach, eyes darting between me and the surrounding crowd.

I kept my tone casual. "Hey. You good?"

She hesitated. A beat too long. Then, with a slight nod: "Yeah."

Liar.

My gaze flicked to her locker. It was clean. Too clean. Like someone had scrubbed away whatever prank had been left behind. I caught movement in my peripherals—Sophia Hess, leaning against the wall, talking to some guy while throwing occasional glances in our direction. Emma Barnes stood nearby, pretending to be focused on her phone.

They were watching. Waiting.

I clenched my fist, Spiral Power thrumming beneath my skin, begging for an outlet. Not now.

Instead, I offered Taylor a small smirk. "You sure? You look like someone replaced your coffee with battery acid."

That got the faintest twitch of her lips. "I don't drink coffee."

"Well, there's your problem."

A pause. Then, softer: "Thanks."

For what? Checking in? Being a half-decent person? The bar for human decency in this school was practically subterranean.

Before I could say anything else, the warning bell rang. Taylor muttered something about heading to class and slipped away before I could push further.

As she disappeared into the crowd, I exhaled sharply. Yeah. I'm gonna need to do something about this.

Greg had latched onto me again by lunchtime, spewing another theory about cape identities. I half-listened, letting his voice fade into the background as I worked through my thoughts.

I need a plan.

Taylor's situation wasn't going to magically fix itself. I needed proof. Something undeniable. Enough to get Hess, Barnes, and their little pet gremlin kicked out or, at the very least, put them on blast.

But that wasn't the only thing gnawing at me.

The urge to act—the Spiral inside me—was growing. A whole city full of suffering, and I was just sitting in a cafeteria, eating cold fries.

I needed to do something.

Tomorrow. The weekend. I could start small. A patrol. Something to test the waters before I dove headfirst into the deep end.

I picked at my food, mind racing.

Greg was still talking. "—so, like, what if Kaiser has a secret twin brother who's actually a hero? Think about it—"

I tuned him out.

A plan.

A step forward.

I wasn't gonna let this city keep dragging people down.

Not while I was here.

Not while I had Spiral Power.

X-X-X-X-X-X

I decided to walk home after school. Aoko offered to pick me up, but I declined. I needed fresh air... to just, get my mind straight. The anticipation of what I was about to do the next day had my mind kicked into overdrive. I needed to calm down. It was like I was gonna suddenly start fighting crime today—

I felt something.

A shift in the air.

It was subtle at first—just a feeling. Then, a sound.

Distant, but unmistakable.

Gunfire.

And then—an explosion.

"...fuck, I jinxed it."

The explosion rattled through my bones.

A dull boom in the distance, followed by the faint glow of something burning against the evening skyline.

My breath came out in short, sharp exhales, my heart hammering against my ribs.

More gunfire. The faint sound of screaming.

Somewhere in the city, someone was in danger.

And I was right here.

My fingers twitched. The Spiral inside me pulsed, hungry for motion. The same energy that had been thrumming beneath my skin all day now clawed at my nerves, demanding action.

My hands curled up into fists.

I could go home. Ignore it. Pretend like I didn't hear anything. Like I wasn't already thinking of how to intervene.

But the thought of standing still—of doing nothing—made me sick.

I swallowed hard and turned towards the sound.

'Just a look,' I told myself. 'See what's going on. No fighting, no jumping in blind.'

I kicked off, breaking out into a sprint.

The closer I got, the more the city spoke.

People running in the opposite direction. Cars honking, screeching as they veered away. Sirens wailing in the distance.

By the time I reached the block, I saw it.

A building—some old convenience store—half its windows shattered, smoke curling from the blown-out entrance. A few scattered civilians were ducking behind cars, panicked.

And in front of the store—

Gangbangers.

At least half a dozen, all wearing the telltale colors of the ABB. Some held bats, others had pistols.

And one guy—a stocky bastard in a dragon-imprinted hoodie—was carrying a duffel bag full of cash, stuffing more into it from a scorched ATM.

Robbery gone loud.

I clenched my teeth.

This wasn't just some random crime. This was a statement. ABB had been flexing more lately, getting bolder, expanding their grip. If Lung or his lieutenants were behind this, it meant they were comfortable—confident.

And right now, no one was stopping them.

No cops in sight. No heroes.

Just me.

My heart pounded. My fingers curled, nails biting into my palms. The Spiral in me was screaming now, burning in my chest, filling my veins with purpose.

I had power.

I had evolution.

And I wasn't about to let these assholes burn down a street corner without a fight.

I exhaled, rolling my shoulders.

Alright. Hero time.

I ducked into the nearest alleyway and tossed my backpack off near a dumpster. My hand found it's way to my Core Drill and I ran my fingers along the smooth grooves for comfort. Peace of mind. Stability.

"Drill—on!"

My vision was swamped with blinding green light, as Spiral Power responded to my will and my costume was pulled from the pocket space within my Core Drill. My vision had momentarily gone dark before my visor booted up and gave me clarity.

I exhaled. 'Game time.'

I sprinted out of the alleyway and assessed the situation in front of me.

Half of the dozen gangbangers, most of them carried melee weapons. About 10 of them had firearms on them.

I needed to distract them, keep attention off the fleeing civilians, and minimize any unnecessary damage. Take out the guys with the firearms first.

I moved fast.

ABB goons weren't trained fighters—they were street thugs, relying on numbers, intimidation, and firepower. But that didn't mean they weren't dangerous.

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM THESE CIVILIANS—KIIIIIIIIIIIICK!!!"

My entrance was loud. But that was the point. I needed to draw attention. Make a statement.

I was already in the air when they turned towards me, diving down into a dropkick and slamming my feet into the face of one of the mook's carrying a pistol. My momentum carried me forward, his skull impacted the concrete.

THWACK!

He probably had a concussion. I wasn't too worried about that right now. That's one guy down. Nine more to go.

They reacted appropriately.

"The fuck—?!"

"Shit, a cape!"

No time to waste.

I charged in, feet light, instincts taking over.

One guy raised a pistol—bad move. Before he could even level it, I was already moving.

I grabbed his wrist, twisted hard, and felt the gun jerk loose from his grip. A sharp elbow to the jaw sent him crumpling to the pavement.

"You know, it's standard common decency to, well, not rob a store in broad daylight! Are you guys that strapped for cash?"

Quipping in the middle of a fight. People called that stupid, unnecessary. I called that helping me calm the fuck down. Plus, people were way too serious! Can't a guy have a little fun while saving lives?

Two more rushed me.

I sidestepped the first, twisting just enough to avoid his wild punch. My foot shot out—low kick, side of the knee. He screamed, buckling.

The second guy tried to swing a bat.

Too slow.

I ducked under the arc and surged forward, ramming my shoulder into his chest. He staggered back. My hand shot up—open palm, chin strike. His head snapped back, and he collapsed.

Four down.

The rest finally got their shit together.

The guy in the dragon hoodie—definitely the leader—snarled. "Kill this little shit!"

A flicker of movement—

Gun.

Shit.

The instant I saw the muzzle flash, I moved.

Spiral Power roared to life in my muscles, reacting faster than thought. My body twisted—barely dodging the bullet as it whizzed past my ear.

"Woah, not cool, man! Hasn't anyone ever told you not to bring a gun to a fistfight?!"

I glanced around and blinked, eyeing the other ABB with weapons in their hands.

"... or any weapon, for that matter!"

A second shot.

No time.

My foot slammed down—evolution demands progress.

Momentum.

The world blurred as I surged forward.

Before Dragon Hoodie could get another shot off, I was already in his space. Spiral Power swirled around my fist as I drove it into his stomach, twisting as I poured everything into the strike.

"DRILL—IMPAAACT!!!"

The force sent him flying back, crashing against a parked car hard enough to dent the door. He slumped, out cold.

Silence.

The remaining gang members hesitated, looking between me and their leader's unconscious body.

Then, like cowards, they bolted.

I exhaled, shaking out my hands. My pulse was still racing, my body buzzing with leftover energy.

I looked down at Dragon Hoodie's gun, still on the pavement. Kicked it away.

Sirens.

Finally.

I took a step back, forcing my breathing to slow. My heart was still pounding, but I had to get out of there.

The Spiral in me still wanted to fight. But I wasn't ready to get into it with the cops. Not yet.

I turned, ducking back into the alley before the flashing lights arrived.

As I grabbed my bag and slipped into the shadows, a single thought echoed in my head.

I did it. I didn't expect to get into a tangle with the ABB today, nor was I expecting to make my unofficial debut after school... but I did it.

I fought. I won.

And it felt damn good.

X-X-X-X-X-X

I'd switched out of costume and started making my way home. I decided to cut through the old shipyard through the backstreets. It was quick and easy, and I was swift on my feet, so I wouldn't catch any attention. I hopped on the fence behind an abandoned lot, and my phone buzzed.

Aoko.

I frowned and answered. "Yo?"

Her voice was sharp. "Where the hell are you?"

I blinked. "Huh?"

"Nikko, there was a robbery close to the school! ABB! Are you okay?!"

I made my way through the shipyard and into the streets.

"Yeah, I was getting a soda from the store when it happened. I got out of there quick, I'm cutting through the shipyard now, so I'll be home soon."

There was a sigh of relief on the other end.

"That's—that's good." a beat of silence. "I'm picking you up from school next time. I don't wanna take any chances."

I sighed, scratching the back of my head. "Yeah, that's fair."

"I'll start working on dinner. Be safe, Nikko. Love you."

"Love you too."

I hung up the phone and tucked it into my pants pocket. My gaze tipped upwards towards the sky. The clear blue began fading into a mesh of orange, pink, and purple. The crisp, salty scent of fresh seawater—a trademark smell for Brockton Bay—tickled my nose.

I fought the ABB.

In retrospect, it wasn't that life-changing. But it was my first time-fighting crime in costume. My first time being a hero.

And it felt... amazing. My mind was in overdrive, the adrenaline, the power I felt, the satisfaction in knowing that I had protected people?

This must've been the feeling people like Spider-Man and Superman felt when they saved lives. It was a good feeling.

I made my way home with a big grin on my face.

A/N.

Yo! Been a while since I tapped into this story. Well, new year, new me as they always say.

I've been getting out of my writer's block, much like I did with Sword Saint. So focus on this story died out. Then, I wondered:

"Am I really cut out to write a Worm story of all things?"

Because let's face it, Worm is huge. There's so many characters, so much thought put into this world, that its hard to wrap my head around. I'm a casual fan. I wrote this in the spur of a moment. A burst of inspiration!

There's still a lot I don't know about Worm. I could read the series, and I have, but I got sidetracked by other interests and, well... y'know.

I wasn't expecting this to be a grand piece of storytelling or insanely accurate. Hell, even if I did read all of Worm to get every single little detail right, there's always gonna be someone that doesn't like this story. And it's direction.

There's the audiobooks on Youtube too, but... ahahaha...

I was scared of letting down the diehard Worm fans that saw this fic and expected big things out of it, as unlikely as that is. The human brain is just a bundle of nerves and anxiety~

But then I resolved that I'll just have fun with it! This story isn't my job. It's something I do for fun! People will like it and people will hate it. That's how it is.

Uploads won't be super frequent but I'm not gonna neglect Libera. I'll give it the attention it deserves when I pick up the pen! Metaphorically.

Sorry for the tangent, just wanted to express my thoughts and hopefully gain some understanding. You guys are open to PM me if you ever wanna give me tips on aspects that can be improved, or things I got wrong. Hell, you can do it in the reviews. I don't mind. Just keep it civil. lol.

That's all for today. Have a good day and God Bless!