You're gonna go far, kid

4

In the next few nights, Tommy's close calls became very confusing encounters

---

I was walking through an alleyway when someone seemed to detach themselves from where they were perfectly blended in with the wall, swinging a metal rod at my head.

I only had time to sway back, and the rod grazed my forehead with enough power to set my ears ringing.

"Oi!" I exclaimed, whirling and grabbing the rod before it could draw back for another hit. I finally saw the face of my attacker and paled slightly.

WRAITH drew the other stick from his belt, and I was forced to let go of the stick I had to avoid the second one.

"Now I'm sure we can talk this out, big man?" I yelped, frantically defending against the flurry of strikes aimed at me. No response was given. I thought back to what Ranboo had briefed me on earlier that week. WRAITH was an expert with his escrima sticks, but was mainly a reconnaissance and rescue type hero who wasn't often involved in the usual 'chase the villains' shtick. Therefore...

I kept defending until I found a split second chance and took it. My leg shot out, hitting WRAITH in the front of the knee and sending him stumbling. I followed it up with a second kick to the man's hand, knocking one of the sticks out of it, and then spun into a back-kick that made WRAITH fall over.

"Sorry about that WRAITH, but I gotta go. Nice to meet you though, even though you tried to kill me!" I yelled over my shoulder as I made it up to the roof. I ran in a random pattern of turns through streets for a while to make sure that WRAITH wasn't following me, and then continued my shift, mentally high-fiving myself for surviving another hero encounter.

---

"So you attacked him, lost to him, and then he outran you?" Techno snorted and I glared at him.

"Look, it was a bad idea, but I underestimated him."

"Well we aren't any closer to capturing him, but at least you saw him and we have an idea of what we are dealing with," HARPY sighed. "just call for backup next time you see him."

---

I ran into THE BLADE the next night, and I was starting to see their patrol order. HARPY, WRAITH, then BLADE. It made sense, though I was highly jealous that they got nights off when I patrolled every night. Surprisingly enough, THE BLADE didn't immediately try to attack me like WRAITH did, not even bothering to unclip his axe from his belt.

I couldn't decide if I was grateful or offended for THE BLADE so obviously believing that I wasn't a threat.

THE BLADE just jumped up to the roof next to me. I laughed uncomfortably, briefly reminded of a rabbit by his jump, before calling across the rooftop.

"Hey big man BLADE, how's your patrol going?" If he replied to me, I might get a clue as to what he was up to by not attacking. THE BLADE grunted, turning towards me.

"Seen any crime?" I tried again, continuing to ramble when there was no immediate reply. "Finding your way around the city ok? It's a bit complicated, but I'm sure it's easy for a big man like you to figure out..."

THE BLADE just looked at me. I started in surprise when I finally heard him speak.

"You really like to talk don't you?" I stepped back a little, but then smiled beneath the mask. Banter, I could do that.

"And you talk too little in my opinion, but hey we can't all be perfect." THE BLADE snorted and I relaxed a little.

"Careful SHADOW," FRAGMENT warned lowly in my ear, and I hummed under my breath in acknowledgement.

I knew enough about his species as there was a Suidae-Ursi on the ship before it- before I left. Strong and fast, they reminded me of a bear mixed with a particularly angry pig. Igrock- the one on my ship- was much older than THE BLADE, and his tusks much bigger, though no less sharp. I avoided him in his rages, but grew close to him when he was calm. I wondered briefly where he was now.

While I had been on that train of thought THE BLADE and I had been just sitting there in silence. He shifted uncomfortably and I almost laughed as I realised. THE BLADE, for all of his glory in battle and intimidation as a hero, was socially awkward.

As I was pondering how to continue conversation with someone who had the social skills of a brick, my comm buzzed again.

"SHADOW, huuuuge gang meeting going on near that old warehouse, you should wrap up whatever you have going on right now and get to it."

It was then I had possibly the most risky idea of my life. Before I thought too much about it, I was already calling across the roof.

"Hey BLADE, you wanna take down a gang? Cuz I do." THE BLADE looked at me. "You don't have to, I'm sure a big man like you has a lot to do, bitches to get, wives to have-" I rapidly backpedalled. He was still just looking at me.

"SHADOW you really need to get going-" FRAGMENT was talking in my ear.

Finally THE BLADE seemed to come to a decision, shrugging his shoulders and nodding.

It was then I started wondering what I had gotten myself into, but the excited fanboy inside me burst to life anyway. Going on a mission with THE BLADE!

I turned and started leading him across the city, making sure to not go as fast as usual to not lose him. THE BLADE followed, seeming unperturbed.

We got to the warehouse and THE BLADE grunted in the way that his species do when impressed. I chuckled under my breath.

"I know right? Pretty decent turn out for this gang, must be a big deal." THE BLADE looked at me, raising an eyebrow.

"Just wait, let's see what they're trading first." It felt incredibly weird to be the one in charge when literally teaming up with THE BLADE, but he seemed content to follow and I wasn't going to let anyone, even him, mess up a mission by charging in headfirst.

Looking closer I saw the glint of weapons changing hands and internally sighed in relief. If it was anything to do with child trafficking I would get pissed, and slaughtering an entire gang probably wouldn't be the best first impression.

"Just a usual arms trade, nothing big." I grinned at THE BLADE, and his red eyes stared back. "Lets go interrupt, shall we?"

"Lead the way." THE BLADE rumbled, and I was suddenly thrown off by how close we were. He could easily just reach out, and I wouldn't be able to move in time. I shook the thought out of my head. He hadn't made any move so far, we basically had a mini truce going on. Time to focus on the main fight.

---

The main thing I kept getting caught up on was how young SHADOW was. I kept picturing the kids from back home in my head, tusks barely peeking out of their mouths. I kept picturing myself, fighting in a back alley before I got picked up by Phil.

I was surprised when the kid- I was past calling him SHADOW by the point we got to the fight- was able to so easily read me. My snort, meant to convey me being grudgingly impressed, was met with an immediate 'I know right?'. It was probably just coincidence, but it did throw me off.

The kid seemed relieved that the gangs were 'just' doing an arms trade, and that made me wonder what else they did. Must be pretty bad, if an arms trade wasn't a big deal.

At the kid's decision we jumped into the fray, blasters, swords and even a rocket launcher immediately pointed their way. The kid seemed unbothered, easily weaving through the fight.
I kept an eye out as I fought, definitely because I was analysing SHADOW's movements and not out of concern.

The fight was over surprisingly fast.

While my fighting style dictated that I met attackers head on, SHADOW flitted around the room, making enemies bump into each other, stab each other, and in one case even baited the guy with the rocket launcher to shoot at him. He easily jumped out of the way, and the resulting explosion threw many of the gang members into the walls, knocking them out.

I wasn't counting, but the kid took out more gang members than I did while barely engaging them directly, all the time bantering with someone in his earpiece he called 'FRAGMENT'. Probably an ally, and I made a note of the name.

We ended up on a roof after, and I looked at the kid.

"Your fighting skills are very effective." I commented, and the kid's eyes widened. I chuffed quietly, but immediately cut it off. I'm not supposed to be proud of a kid I didn't even know.

"I- uh thanks big man, look I gotta go-"

I nodded. Made sense that he didn't want to stick around, he was probably scared that I'd try to arrest him.

"See you around then." The kid nodded shakily, then turned and sped off across the rooftops. For the second time that night, I grunted, grudgingly impressed.

Wilbur wasn't gonna like this.

---

I stumbled into work the next morning still in shock over the events of the night before. I'd fought a gang with THE BLADE. We had won, and then THE BLADE had complimented my fighting skills, I said bye and he didn't arrest me.

His chuff at the end of our interaction was still annoying me, I couldn't quite remember what the sound meant. Igrock did it to me every now and again, often after we did something big. Was it customary after battle? No, because he didn't do it every time. I shook my head in frustration. I'm sure it will come to me soon.

"Tommy!" Tubbo called out from across the room, flitting over to hug me. The Hymenop and I met when we both started working there the same week, and had quickly become friends. A couple of months had flown by for us and now we basically ran the store together effortlessly, with Tommy on register and Tubbo stocking shelves and dealing with orders.

"Hey big T!" I greeted just as enthusiastically, but then my smile dropped as I took in Tubbo's appearance. "What happened to you?"

Tubbo winced, instantly sobering and reached up to his bandaged antennae. I let myself be dragged by him into the back of the store.

"So you know how I live with my Godfather right?" I nodded slowly. "He got more drunk than usual and..." He gestured to his head and wings which had tape in places that were obviously a little ripped.

I glared at the floor. While Tubbo never named his Godfather, he had alluded to his home life being bad before and I was pissed I hadn't understood sooner. I didn't ask the first few times he came in a bit battered, and I was kicking myself for it.

"I trust you but just, don't tell anyone, yeah?" I nodded again, and pulled the bee-like creature into a hug.

"You're always welcome at mine, Ranboo and I would love to have you over. Call whenever you need it, ok?"

Tubbo murmured a "thank you" that was muffled by my shoulder.

We eventually pulled apart, and I held my hand out for a fist bump again.

"Now let's kick this shift's arse!" I cheered, and Tubbo cackled, completing the handshake.

I shook my head, clearing the murderous thoughts I had about the person who had injured one of my best friends, and began helping Tubbo open the shop.