A Mockingbird In The Crows Nest

The Return

He won't return to a place where he has no support or care. Not after he was given everything he could've ever wanted in those 3 short months he was at the Hero Tower. Not after he was given a real family.

His resolve hardens, and Tommy rattles before lunging at the villain.

He doesn't put up much of a fight without his powers. He claws at Tommy's arms and face as the grapple for the upper-hand; and Tommy eventually rolls on his back and kicks the villain square in the chest. Raptor goes flying and crashes into one of the big screens on the wall. He yelps in pain from the shattered glass digging itself into his wings; but Tommy doesn't stop.

Instead, he sits up sharply and shoots his powers out; curling the wall up around him; trapping him in a cocoon of warped brick and grout. The villain yelps and struggles; and even sucks in a breath for a screech. But it just ends up in a wheezing cough as the power suppressors cut his powers off before they can properly form.

Tommy nods once, shaking a little as he turns to do the same to Static- but he just barely catches a glimpse of electricity as the Lead Villain leaps into the wires of a camera to escape.

Tommy growls; fluffing his wings up in frustration that he got away. But he starts stalking down the subway station to go after him.

"You know you're not a hero." Raptor mocks, and Tommy stops dead in his tracks; but he doesn't turn around. He doesn't want to give the villain the satisfaction of his whole attention. "You know it's true. And now the heroes know it too." He laughs, a little breathless and desperate. "So what're you gonna do? What do you think they'll say when they see you came back as a villain? How do you think that's gonna look?"

His hands are shaking, Tommy realizes; and he forces air into his lungs to try and quell the tremble. He can't listen to him. Won't listen to him. He's just trying to get in his head. But..

"How do you think they'll react?" Raptor continues. "Their beloved little Mockingbird- coming back just to prove he's a parasite. " He spits; and Tommy flinches at his words. "Did you really think you could change? Just wipe away everything we taught you and start fresh? Start anew like nothing ever happened? Like you aren't a parasite at your core?"

Tommy lowers his head a bit; fisting his hands into the sweatshirt as he tries to push the surfacing thoughts out of his mind. He needs to focus. He can't be worrying about if he can be a hero or not. He can't.

..But it's true, isn't it?

He could've come back as a hero. Should have come back as a hero. Or a vigilante or hell- even a rouge. Could've asked Quackity for some gear and come back here a new person trying to help under the mask of a rouge. That would've been believable enough.

But he didn't.

He chose to come back as a villain. Denied all help from the man aside from the necklace sitting heavy around his neck.

He chose this path. And he purposefully left Tubbo and Ranboo in the dark so they couldn't talk him out of it.