Chapter Text
Tommy didn’t say a single thing to anyone on the way back to HQ. Well, except for Tubbo and Ranboo. In hushed whispers, he told them what happened. Neither of them could believe it, but they trusted Tommy, and he seemed so shaken up about it that they couldn’t tell him it was impossible.
The green light in the back of his mind was still blinking. He felt like he was being watched. He probably was, because despite the trio walking behind all the other heroes, Zephyr was in the sky, staring down as the heroes marched back. According to Tubbo, the villains all managed to escape. Schlatt had a flash bomb and a code word, and that was all it took to disorient the heroes.
Niche had been stabbed in the shoulder. Caribou had a cut down the side of his arm, and so did Fireball. There were almost too many injuries to count, and it seemed that only Captain and Tommy himself had escaped unscathed. Tommy shuddered at the thought of talking to Captain again.
The heroes entered the HQ. Some of them headed towards the infirm, others to their offices. Tommy, Tubbo, and Ranboo walked in sync to the front desk, their faces solemn. Sally seemed happy. She had a grin on her face that made Tommy nervous, though he couldn't place why.
“Guys! That went so well! Dream has been proven to be working with villains, he’s finally going to be ousted- god, I’ve hated that green piece of sh-” Sally rambled, but she was cut off by Tommy.
“Dream said something,” Tommy interrupted, “He said that- that this was planned. He said to ask you about it.” Tommy kept his voice low, but he tried to be as accusing as possible. Sally’s eyes narrowed, and then she smiled.
“Well,” She said, pushing herself away from her desk, “Come with me and I’ll explain.” That wasn’t the answer that Tommy was expecting, if he were to be honest. Sally held herself high, leading the trio to the elevators. Sally scanned her lanyard, the color of which was white. Tommy had never seen another person in the building with a white lanyard. He had always wondered what it meant.
“Where are we going?” Tommy asked, stepping into the elevator. Sally entered a code into the elevator panels, and the doors slid closed.
“We’re going to the top floor,” Sally said, “I’m the only one who has access to it.”
“Why only you?” Tubbo asked accusingly, “You’re a receptionist…” Sally chuckled. The elevator continued moving up.
“That’s what I wanted you to think,” said Sally.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Tommy demanded.
The elevator doors slid open. Sally stepped through the door, a grin on her face. She spread her arms wide, revealing a giant tech room. Monitors covered the walls, various machines and gadgets sat on shelves, at the center of it all was a giant map table. Pieces sat on it, and Tommy’s blood ran cold as he realized that they were little figurines of his friends. Zephyr stood proud at Hero HQ, his wings spread wide. Satyr stood with a grin on his face on the outskirts of town.
“What the hell is this?” Tommy approached the table, reaching for a piece. Sally slapped his hands away.
“Stop it, you’ll mess up the calibration,” Sally snapped, her pleasant demeanor slowly fading. Tubbo and Ranboo were silent, their faces practically unreadable.
“Calibration?”
“Yes,” Sally said, “These pieces show the locations of all the official heroes, villains, and a few select others that I monitor.”
“W-what the fuck…” Tommy said, staring at his own piece, next to Ranboo’s and Tubbo’s, in the Hero HQ.
“Are you going to keep talking or do you want an explanation?” Sally had an intense expression on her face that made Tommy very nervous.
“I… I want an explanation,” Tommy admitted.
“Very well,” Sally began, “You see, Tommy, Tubbo, Ranboo, my sister had every power imaginable. She was born like that, with the ability to think of a power she wanted to have and to have it. When she was born, she was hunted. I can tell you as much. So she faded into the background, and I took center stage. I protected her from people who wanted to use her.” Sally shuddered.
“I created this organization to have control over the people that would want to lose her. Did you know that Satyr used to be a hero? He found out about all this, the same as you, and tried to take control. I silenced him, destroyed his reputation, and orchestrated his father’s death.” Tubbo and Ranboo gasped quietly.
“I digress,” Sally sighed, “That’s besides the point. I realized, recently, that she wouldn’t be hunted if I had control. It’s almost too easy, really. A little mind control here, leadership there. And, since she has every power, we are also functionally immortal. As long as she is alive I will be as well. Suddenly, a hundred years go by and I’m the leader of this little… Hero Organization. I’m also the leader of the Villain organization. Do you know how this story ends?”
Tommy shook his head. Sally smiled.
“Would you like to?” Sally spread her arms wide, gesturing to all the equipment around her. “This was always the plan! You three are going to usher in a new era of this HQ. If you play your cards right, Tommy, you could become number one!”
“What?” Tommy breathed, “Wait, this doesn’t make any sense! Why would you risk so many lives- destroying city blocks, killing innocents?!”
“There have only been 13 total deaths during hero battles throughout my time here,” Sally said, “Haven’t you ever wondered how the police know about hero and villain fights so quickly? How most, if not all, hero battles happen in abandoned locations and deserted construction sites?” Tommy bit his lip. He had wondered that, in the distant past.
“And all of this is for your sister?” Tubbo cut in, stepping closer to the map.
“Yes,” Sally said, “It’s all for her. Noone can hurt her if they’re under my control…” Sally trailed off. Tubbo furrowed his brows.
“That… kind of makes sense,” Tubbo admitted. Ranboo nodded, in silent agreement.
“But- but it’s-” Tommy stuttered, racking his brain for a reason to disagree with her. It felt wrong, having one person in control, but he couldn't disagree with her. He had always wondered how Hero HQ wasn’t corrupt. The heroes were evenly spread out across the city, from the expensive neighborhoods to the slums. Tommy wondered if that was on purpose. Maybe Sally had to live in crime-ridden neighborhoods when she was younger. Sure, the patrol system certainly wasn’t perfect, but it was good enough at keeping the death rates down.
“If you have any objections,” Sally said, “Voice them now.”
Noone spoke.
“That’s probably for the best,” Sally sighed, turning around.
“Wait,” Tommy said, “Why pretend to be a receptionist?”
“Because no one expects it.” Sally reached under the table and pulled out three new pieces. It was Tommy, Tubbo, and Ranboo, in their hero gear. She switched them out with their current forms.
“Why’d you switch us?” Ranboo asked, finally speaking up.
“Because,” Sally said, flashing them a smile, “You three are now officially heroes. You should go tell the good news to Phil.”
Tommy reeled back. Somehow, the victory felt empty. He thought that he would be overjoyed to become an official hero, but somehow it felt hollow. Without thinking, Tommy turned around and walked to the elevator. Tubbo and Ranboo exchanged glances, then followed him. None of them spoke on the ride back down to the lobby.
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The new list of the tri-yearly hero rankings were about to be released. Tommy and Ranboo sat on the floor of their new apartment, Tubbo lounging behind them on the couch. They usually didn’t watch the news together in the morning before work, but since it was such an important day, all three of them watched the screen intently.
“And now, we have our new Hero Rankings!” The news anchor said. The list showed up on the screen, covering the left side. Tommy’s eyes widened.
“First, we have one of our newest heroes, Theseus! Notoriously nicknamed by Boar, Theseus has advanced quickly along the ranks, and for good reason. He’s quick-witted, and excellent at fighting crime. Second, Captain has finally overtaken Zephyr in their race to second place…” Tommy tuned out the rest of the rankings. He couldn’t believe that he was number one. After all that work, long nights patrolling the slums and upper districts alike, he made it.
He made it. It was a dream come true, ranked among the people he once idolized. Tubbo and Ranboo were there too, placing below Boar in fifth and sixth. He was quite literally living his dream.
Of course, there was still that uneasiness. He was making a difference, but he felt helpless to stop the villains. They were under the control of Sally, and after that first time at the top floor many months ago, he hadn’t been allowed back. He doubted any of the heroes had.
Still, he was making a difference, and that was all that mattered in the end. He loved his job. He kept telling himself that, worried that if he stopped he would quit work altogether. He made it, he made it, he made it. So did Tubbo and Ranboo. So had Phil, Techno, Wilbur, and the rest of the heroes. They all had made it.
Tommy stood up and waved goodbye to Tubbo and Ranboo. They looked a bit confused, but waved him off. Tommy made his way to his bedroom and pulled his two newly-acquired discs from their place on the wall. He looked back and forth between Cat and Mellohi. Tommy picked up the purple and white disc.
With trembling hands, Tommy slotted Mellohi into the jukebox.