The clatter of cutlery, the sounds of chewing. Moonlight streamed in through the window, bathing the small dining room table. A scene that seemed idyllic, almost. Just another scene in the Herbert household.

And it always would, no matter what stirred beneath the surface. There it would remain, beneath the surface.

"Nothing happened this morning when you went for your run, right?" Dad asked. "And how was your first day of school?"

An attempt at conversation, nothing more.

Taylor smiled.

"Of course nothing happened, don't worry." She lied. But that was almost all she did lately. "Besides, even if something did happen, I can handle myself now."

Danny looked profoundly uncomfortable. He had rarely looked comfortable after Mom's incident. But now it was even worse. He always got like this when he remembered her, how things had changed.

"Your powers are amazing, honey. I know that. But you're not invincible. You can get shot or stabbed."

"No. I understand your concern, but really, I could handle it. They wouldn't get close enough to stab me. And getting a gun isn't that easy."

"Okay, but I'd feel better if you didn't go alone. Couldn't you run with some of the Wards? You told me you made friends, that they're good kids."

"Yeah, well. I guess I'll ask them. When we have some free time."

Dad nodded.

"Okay, thank you. That's all I ask. Well, now... Now tell me about your first day, right?"

Taylor smiled even wider.

"I mean... Oh, you know. Nothing special."

—

This was the truth.

After leaving that boy behind in the park, with a life lesson he'd better start applying, it didn't take long for her to find trouble. She was just minding her own business, running, doing her route. And before she knew it, she ended up on the ground.

Laughter. The cackles echoed in her temples as if her head was going to explode. Looking around, for a moment she thought she had hit her head too hard, that she was hallucinating or dreaming. What a coincidence.

And not in a good way, of course. Never in a good way.

"As clumsy as ever, huh?" Emma said between laughs.

This wasn't Winslow. They were on the street, in broad daylight, where anyone could see them. And many other things had changed. Now she was someone with powers, someone important.

If there was one thing she wasn't going to tolerate anymore, it was an insult. For her own good, she had to return them all with twice the fury.

But some things didn't change. That laugh... it was still the same, piercing her very soul.

Taylor knew it was still too soon, but she was already seeing red. She clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palms so hard she almost drew blood.

She was close, she admitted, to making a mistake that everyone present would regret. Because, of course, Emma wasn't alone. She was with Madison.

It was strange to see them together after school. She couldn't imagine them as real friends. She couldn't imagine those creatures having the ability to have real friends in the first place.

And not just Madison. They were all present. Sophia was the one who put an end to the situation before it got out of hand, putting a hand on Emma's shoulder.

"That's enough," she said sharply.

"Huh? What's wrong with you?" Emma was surprised. "Now that she's transferred to a better school, you don't want to touch Hebert anymore or what?"

Sophia snorted, looking at Taylor out of the corner of her eye, with full, unrestrained rage. Rage, murderous intent, rather.

"Don't be silly," she practically spat. "I'm getting bored, you know? Always the same thing and the same person. It was funny back in the day, but we've overdone it. There's no way to top what we did with the locker."

"So that's enough."

Emma grimaced.

"Okay, okay."

"Let's go," Sophia insisted.

What is this?, Loki thought. An olive branch? Don't think it's going to be that easy. Don't think it's possible.

Emma followed Sophia, walking away. And, of course, the insignificant Madison was quick to follow them, without protest. But Emma couldn't bite her tongue, she couldn't help it, she couldn't swallow her pride.

"You got lucky today, Hebert," she spat. "Next time, you'll see."

Taylor slowly got up, fists clenched, knuckles white and slightly trembling. She had been itching to teach her a good lesson. Being honest with herself, she might have seriously hurt her.

If it weren't for Sophia taking on the role of the voice of reason for once... An event that must be among the red comet and the trumpets as signs of the apocalypse.

Taylor sighed. She would have enjoyed it. She would have felt great satisfaction, but only for a few seconds. It wasn't worth it. She had a plan, and what she really needed was to do things right.

Sophia would fall under her own weight. That way she avoided making her look like a victim and kept her own hands clean. When Sophia fell, it would be Emma's and Madison's turn, and that person—if you could even call her that—the bitch who had pretended to be her friend for months.

She would get her damn due too. Loki wouldn't rest until all debts were settled.

—

Her first impression of Arcadia was very good, although of course, a visit to a landfill would have left her with a positive impression compared to Winslow.

Not only was it a more elegant, professional, and well-built school, but the human garbage that undoubtedly roamed its halls at least had the decency to hide it.

At Winslow, too many bullies, belonging to this or that gang, strutted around without fear of consequences, passing around drugs and who knows what else.

Here she would have to get to know people first to make sure if they were trash or not. Although, well, that was just a figure of speech; she wasn't there to make friends.

The only people of interest were the Wards. Now that she was going to Arcadia, she would have much more time for private scheming. And since Shadow Stalker was at Winslow, there would be nothing she could even try against her.

Her first day at Arcadia went well. Vista insisted that she eat with her and the others, so Taylor did as she was told to satisfy her. Nothing more. She was fine on her own.

Part of her expected to see Gallant at the table, but no. The superhero was absent once again. She hadn't asked about him yet, and with each passing day, she was less sure if she should.

Anyway, it was a little annoying that he was absent for whatever reason and could reappear at any moment. But it didn't change anything. It didn't matter. When he came back, she would be ready. That was all that mattered.

The meal was... well, as good as it could have been. Small talk wasn't her thing, although she had been trying lately, at least.

She felt uncomfortable, like the center of attention, and not just because she was the new girl at school.

How many strings would the Protectorate pull to cover up, to not make people suspect that every transferred student was a Ward?

Anyway, that wasn't her job. Once recess was over, Taylor went straight to the bathroom. Vista didn't go with her. She didn't need to.

Good, because little Missy had been trying twice as hard to make her feel included since she confessed that she wasn't exactly used to having friends.

So it wouldn't have surprised her if she had gone with her to the bathroom, if she hadn't stopped talking even then. Lately she talked almost as much as Clockblocker. Well, Dennis. She had to say Dennis, just in case she slipped up.

Getting used to using each name in the appropriate context...

In any case, Taylor arrived at the bathroom, washed her face, and looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't like what she saw. Well, that was nothing new. She went into the stall to do her business. She flushed the toilet and, when she came out, she was no longer alone.

They hadn't made any noise. That, or she had been too lost in her thoughts.

In any case, they were typical teenagers trying to look older than they were. The uniform skirt, even shorter. And, of course, the six girls who had snuck in were smoking like chimneys.

That is, they started smoking after she came out. Otherwise, she would have at least smelled the smoke.

"You're the new girl, right?" one of them asked; only, of course, it wasn't a question. "Fancy a smoke?" she said, extending the cigarette in her direction.

Taylor looked at it and, for a moment, considered laughing in her face. Then she smiled and said:

"Sure, why not?"

She took the offered cigarette and put her free hand in an—previously empty—pocket, from which she took out a perfectly functional lighter.

Loki had many faces.

—

The Wards arrived one by one, almost, so Taylor had to witness several reunion scenes. Somewhat melodramatic. They hadn't seen him in months.

The only thing that caught her attention, that piqued her curiosity quite a bit, was that Dean never gave a direct answer when asked where the hell he had been. Evasions, nothing more.

Loki was a person of curious nature. Although curiosity killed the cat, she liked to count its stripes, so to speak. She was burning to satisfy her curiosity.

She also didn't overlook that Vista was the happiest to see him return. Anyone who wasn't blind would realize that little Missy was in love.

Well, well. Not only a boy much older than her, but she had to compete with Glory Girl of New Wave. What a first love the girl had found.

She didn't want to ask Dean directly. For starters, she would get the same vague answer as everyone else. So, when she saw an opportunity in the middle of the "celebration," Loki pounced on Vista.

"I was starting to worry," she said. "Not seeing him anywhere... Nobody talked about him either. I didn't know how to ask."

"Oh," Vista replied. "I understand how that must have looked like."

"You don't know why he hasn't been here for so many days?"

"He hasn't told me anything more than to everybody else, if that's what you're thinking, but I think I know."

"Oh, yeah?" Juicy. She hadn't expected that.

Missy shrugged.

"Well, probably for the same reason as always. Victoria. They're always fighting. Always breaking up and getting back together." Missy shook her head. "I don't understand what he sees in her and what Victoria doesn't see in Dean. He's good." The girl smiled. "Gallant. There are few men like that left. At least that's what my mother says all the time."

Vista blushed slightly, as if she had suddenly realized that it was a very childish thing to say.

"Girl problems, is that what you think, then?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

Loki nodded.

"And you think they would let him be absent for that, just like that?"

"Sure, why not? It's a serious personal matter. It wouldn't be the first time he's taken a 'mini vacation' for that."

"Aha," Taylor replied, as she watched Aegis throw Dean to the ground, doing some wrestling move on him, most likely poorly imitated. With the power Aegis had, he didn't need to know fighting techniques to take down his enemies.

She had missed the conversation between all those fools, but she assumed that now the glorious leader was "punishing" the wayward sheep for being absent for a long time. Too long. Well, "wayward sheep"... it was hard to say that with Shadow Stalker in the same room.

Loki and Shadow Stalker locked eyes only once. An electric moment. Neither of them would back down. Loki couldn't predict the future, but it was obvious that this wouldn't end until one destroyed the other.

Loki didn't feel guilty, she didn't hesitate. It was Shadow Stalker who had set all this in motion. It was simply time for her to reap what she sowed.

The Wards were going out on patrol, all except Sophia, of course. She had come to the base, probably with the excuse of seeing Dean after so many days. Although, more likely, to keep an eye on him. But she couldn't go any further. Armsmaster had suspended her until further notice, after all.

That's why Taylor greatly enjoyed looking at her and smiling, as she headed to the locker room to put on her costume. It was all conjured by her illusions, with one exception: the mask. That was the only thing that was in her locker.

The Protectorate had insisted on it, considering it important that at least her face was covered by something real in case of emergency, in case she got exhausted in the middle of a fight and her illusions failed her. It didn't seem likely, exactly, but she hadn't felt like arguing about it. It was much easier to just accept it, to put on the damn mask.

Of course, the design hadn't been her idea either, but it fit the Trickster she was supposed to be. The professionals at the Protectorate hadn't done a bad job.

Taylor summoned her staff and her fluid, green costume. Then she placed the mask over her face, adjusting it well.

One more mask.

With each passing day, Shadow Stalker felt more cornered.

She knew what Taylor was doing, of course. She had told her to her face, word for word. But she couldn't think of what she could do about it. What she could even start to do.

So now Sophia was on the sofa in the common room, hands on her chin, trying to think, while she squirmed with frustration. She was a ball of nervous energy, impossible to turn off.

She couldn't go out on patrol, at least not officially. Which was important to her. That freedom... Unleashing her physical superiority and her capacity for violence on acceptable targets. She could breathe easy. Although it wasn't the same as before, thanks to this. And the way Emma made her school life easier, filling it with "distractions" and allowing her to get away with anything...

Now she couldn't even hunt down a few damn criminals with the help of fake arrows. Arrows that couldn't even hurt, or kill. Incapacitate, at most.

"Fuck, what a load of shit," Sophia muttered under her breath.

Anyway, she was alone right now. Everyone was getting dressed, preparing for patrol. She could grab her suit, get dressed, and get out of there to hunt, without the Protectorate's knowledge.

She could. And she was about to do it, but then she considered that that might be exactly what Loki wanted her to do. To crumble under the pressure and self-sabotage in that way.

Sophia shook her head.

"No, no." She shook it again. "I'm not giving her that damn satisfaction."

She didn't know when she had started talking to herself. It was a sign that there was no one who wanted to listen to her.

Sophia frowned, looking down at her lap. She had a lot to think about. Carefully.