~(Y/n)'s POV~
Winter, May, and I ran into a nearby alley to stop and catch our breath.
"(Y/n)...what the hell...was that?" May asked me between breaths.
"I don't know...what came over me. I just...really wanted to hurt those two."
"What? Why? They're top heroes-"
Winter put her hand on May's shoulder to cut her off. "It's probably better if we didn't talk about this."
I put my head in my hands, and let out a long sigh.
"...Right."
After we made sure it was safe, we all walked back to my dorm in silence.
~Time Skip~
The next day, we had all moved past what happened the night before. Cass, May and Winter were here, and we were watching the news when I got a text from Willow.
'Hey, are you free today? Let's hang out.'
'Sure, we can hangout in my dorm.'
I gave her the address, and about twenty minutes later, there was a knock on my door.
"Who's that (Y/n)?" Cass asked me.
"Just a friend I invited over."
I opened the door and let Willow in. Almost immediately I felt a tenseness in the air.
"Oh...your friend is another girl, huh?" Cass asked me, as she walked over towards us. Why do I feel like my life is in danger?
"Uh...this is Willow." I looked at Willow, and she seemed less than thrilled to see Cass, Winter and May.
Maybe I messed up...
There was a moment of silence while Cass was looking Willow up and down, before Winter finally spoke up.
"It's...nice to meet you Willow." Winter greeted Willow, although it was obviously strained.
~Willow's POV~
'Who are these mother fuckers? I thought it was bad enough trying to get Ignite away from that water whore, but with (Y/n) there are THREE??'
"Nice to meet you guys too...I guess."
I followed (Y/n) to the couch, and sat down on the couch where the black haired girl was sitting before.
"...I was sitting there." The girl with black hair said.
"Oh, really? I'm sorry, here." I stood up and Cass took her spot back. "I found a better seat anyways." I walked over to (Y/n), and sat down on his lap.
"Hey Willow? You're gonna get me killed."
"Is that so?" I sat further back into his lap, until my back was against his stomach. I gasped, then grinned. "I don't know, it kinda seems like you like the seat I chose."
His face flushed red, and he leaned forward and whispered. "Even if that may be true, I'm not trying to die here."
"Awww, but it's so comfor-" I felt a hand tug at the back of my collar. Before I knew it, I was dangling in the air. I looked back and saw the girl with black hair holding me up. "Super strength?!"
"Nope, Cass is powerless." I looked at (Y/n), and he looked like he was trembling in fear. Is he really that scared of her? Should I be scared of her?
"This is...her normal strength?"
He slowly nodded, pulling at his collar. One of the girls had a toy knife in her hand, while the other's eye was twitching.
"How indecent can you be?" The white haired girl said.
"I didn't even do anything, you saw what happened, Winter! Right, May?" He turned to the brown haired girl, and his face fell. "May?"
The girl, whose name is May, was twirling a small toy knife with a smile plastered across her face. "Where would you like to be stabbed?"
Maybe I went a little too far...
~(Y/n)'s POV~
After a few tense hours, they started to leave one by one, until it was only Willow and I left.
"...Hey." Willow spoke up. "Can I talk to you about something?"
"What's up?"
"It's about that guy I liked..." Willow was staring at her hands in her lap. "He...won't respond to me anymore. Like he's gone totally missing..." Her hands started to shake. "Was I too forward? Is he gone because of me...?" Tears fell and hit her hands, and she began to tremble. "I scared him off, didn't I?"
I stayed quiet, as she kept talking, barely taking a breath. She turned to me, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Is it wrong for me to like someone else now? Does that make me a bad person?!"
I leaned back, stared at the ceiling, and sighed. "I don't think it makes you a bad person at all? I mean, you're not obligated to like him or anything. If he isn't responding to your feelings, then why should you keep chasing after him? So, no. I don't think you're a bad person for liking someone else." I sat up, and smiled at her. "Don't worry about someone who wouldn't worry about you."
Willow hugged me, and smiled with tears in her eyes. "Thanks, (Y/n). You're right, I should move on."
She unwrapped arms from around me, but kept her head resting on my shoulder.
"This is okay...right?"
"...Yeah. This is fine."
We turned our attention back to the TV.
'I tell her to move on, and yet...' An image of Douse flashed through my mind. I shook my head. 'And yet...I can't even move on myself.'
~Timeskip~
Willow left, and before I knew it, it was time for me to patrol the city.
I went from alley to alley, and couldn't find a single villain.
"Huh, maybe I'll have an early night." I was rounding the corner of an alley, before seeing the familiar glint of silver hair. "Is that...Zephyr?" I saw him pulling something with him. A suitcase? Why would he need a suitcase?
I decided to follow him. After about twenty minutes, we started to come up to the edge of the city.
'No way...is he planning on leaving? Where's Douse? Shouldn't she be with him if they're leaving town?'
"Finally got that overly attached bitch to go patrol a different area. I get I was probably the better lay but holy shit. Now I at least have a chance to bounce. The hero thing was fun and all but with those Twisted wack jobs running around it's just not worth risking my life anymore."
If I still had my fire powers, my blood would literally be boiling right now. 'He's abandoning Douse? He's abandoning this city? After all he's done, he's just going to abandon her?!'
I stepped out of my cover, and took a few steps towards him. He turned towards me, and our eyes locked though my mask.
"Huh? Who the hell are you?"
I stayed silent, walking closer and closer to him.
"Hey, I said who the hell are you?"
"What? A fan can't try and show a bit of appreciation to the local blowhard hero?" I sneered
"Tsk! You don't know who you're messing with. You're just some punk in a coat and mask."
He flicked his arm at me, and a gust of wind pushed back at me, but I kept walking forward.
"Alright, guess you're a little strong. Fine then." He threw his suitcase to the side and rolled up his sleeves. "One last person to shut up in this horrid mess of a city."
He charged at me, and threw a punch at me. I never realized before but he obviously is some kind of self taught amateur. I'm not much better but at least I did some kind of boxing. I sidestepped it, and punched him in the stomach. He clutched where the punch landed, and staggered backwards a few steps.
He stood up straight, then lifted both his hands towards me, cupping his hands together. Slowly, he separated his hands, and a ball of wind kept growing and growing as he spread his arms further and further apart. Then, he spun it, and a strong force of wind started to pull me in.
I tried to use my smoke to push myself backwards, but it would just get sucked in by the wind.
"Tornado Ball!"
'...What a stupid name.'
I gave in, and let my body slowly dissipate. It was a weird feeling to feel myself turn into nothing more than literal smoke in the wind. I felt empty, yet burning hot. Zephyr watched, confused as his tornado turned dark. I never tried this kind of trick even back as Ignite. I wasn't able to become fire, only produce it. Now, this new power allows me to fully become smoke.
Zephyr tried to control the wind, but it was too late. I had already taken complete control over his tornado.
"T-That's...not possible." He took a step back, while I dove towards him. I changed back to my physical self, and punched him in his cheek, sending him flying.
While he was on the ground, I poured smoke into his mouth and nose. He rolled around, clutching at his throat. Suddenly, all the smoke flew out of his body.
"So you can use your wind to empty your lungs from that kinda stuff, huh?"
Zephyr slowly stood up, coughing.
"What's wrong? I thought I didn't know who I was messing with, and yet, not even sweating, and you look like you can barely stand. Is this really Wellview City's top hero?!!"
He put his hand up, and started backing away.
"Listen, let's just talk this out. Better yet, let's just both forget this happened."
"That sounds awfully convenient for the loser of this fight." I immediately kicked him in the stomach, sending him sprawling.
"Please...I have a girlfriend..."
If there was something worse than boiling, that's what my blood would be doing right now. "You mean the girlfriend you were about to abandon?!" I kicked him in his side, causing him to roll away.
I sat on top of him, and started throwing punch after punch. Each one finding its mark somewhere on his face.
"Tell me something, almighty 'hero'! What the fuck were we thinking?! Naming our attacks and calling them out when we're gonna use them? We might as well tell the enemy 'Hey, I'm going to attack you like I did with all the other villains, dodge.' I mean, how ridiculous is that?!"
Zephyr tried to say something, but I kept punching him, the disgusting sounds of bloodied flesh being hit echoed in the alley.
"We save people. We stop people from breaking the law with our powers since normal police officers can't!" I stood up, and kicked him in his gut. "It's like we have to be a cop AND a celebrity at the same time, when nobody can even do either of those correctly!"
Again, Zephyr tries to speak up. His teeth were broken, and his mouth bruised. But through all of that, I saw the confusion that was on his face.
I laughed. "Right, this mask. You're wondering why I'm saying 'we', right?" I rip off my mask and crouch down next to him, and stare into his eyes. His eyes widened in recognition. "That's because you and Douse made it extremely clear that I wasn't welcome as a hero anymore."
Smoke poured off of my skin, pooling around Zephyr and I. I probably looked like some vengeful ghost to him right now.
"And you know what? That little stunt you pulled? Trying to kill me? Thanks. Really, I'm thankful. Now you've got three Twisted running around." His eyes widened even further. "Well, I guess I shouldn't say 'you' have them running around. Douse now has three Twisted running around. After all, it's only natural that the Number Two will become Number One when the current Number One is dead."
His eyes started to fill with tears. He tried to move.
"I'm...so...rry..." He crawled towards me, and grabbed at my ankle. "Pl...ease. I don't...wanna die..."
I quickly placed a hand over his mouth. "Shhh, it's okay. Nobody ever does." I started pouring smoke into his mouth and felt his body start to convulse as he choked. He stared at me pleadingly. "I know I didn't when you threw me off that cliff."
Tears ran down his face as he realized there was no escape for him. This is the end for him.
After a few minutes, I checked his pulse. "Yep...dead. Go ahead and get that break away from Wellview you wanted so badly now." I closed his eyes for him.
I stood up and stretched. "Damn, that really took a load off." I looked around, before something caught my eye.
"Ah...There we go, I can send you back to your natural habitat." I laughed at my own joke.
~Time Skip~
Cass was over, and we had the news playing.
'Today, the body of the Number One hero, Zephyr, was found in a dumpster on the outskirts of the city, with his belongings scattered around him. The cause of death is believed to be asphyxiation from unnatural smoke inhalation. This same cause of death has been found to be the cause of the recent string of homicides over the last few weeks. However, something that points to Sphyx being the culprit even more, is this bloody message found on the wall next to the deceased."
The camera cut to a picture of words written in blood.
'Don't CHOKE on your ambitions.'
"Holy shit..." Cass and I both stopped what we were doing to watch the report, although I had a different reason for watching.
It cut back to the reporter. In the background, I could see a familiar white haired girl break down crying. Douse.
I frowned, then turned the TV off.
"Hey! I was watching that!"
"Sorry, I can't stand morbid stuff like that."
"Come on! Let me just watch it a little longer! We've just lost the second Number One hero we've had THIS MONTH!"
"Eh, I'm sure that Douse girl can handle it."
"...(Y/n)? Are you okay?"
I didn't turn towards her. I couldn't let her see me crying. Did she...cry for me like she is for Zephyr? I shook my head. Of course not. She was the one who tried to kill me.
I wiped my eyes, and turned to Cass.
"Hey Cass. Let's go get some lunch. On me."
Her eyes lit up. "Really?!"
I laughed, and we left to get lunch.
~???'s POV~
I was watching the news, when a report about Zephyr being killed came on.
"'Don't CHOKE on your ambitions.'" Raijū read out. "That's one funny ass joke."
I gritted my teeth, and turned the TV off, then threw the remote at the wall, smashing it.
"Hey! My remote!"
I turned around and left.
"Zephyr...you useless piece of shit."
A/n:
Phienix0629: Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, sorry it took a while to get out, blame my college. From here on, the story is going to get even crazier. Anyways, let us know how you liked it, we read every comment. Thanks for reading!
Trenchcoat: I also hope you all enjoyed, I'm greatly appreciative of each comment that's made as well, they're fun to read and I like to respond as much as I can. I also took a while. Big Army has stuff to do and all. Thanks for reading and keep in mind; Bad Jokes are the Best Jokes.