Chapter Text
Doc watched as Ash, one of the ‘heroes’ of the city, hoisted himself onto a rooftop with a few vines, adjusting the giant red hat he wore. Doc grabbed the device next to him, turned it on, and pressed a button.
“Etho, Ash is alone about 70 feet from you and Bdubs,” Doc whispered into a communicator as the creeper hybrid stood up, grabbing a small dagger from the wall of the base. The communicator beeped in response, signaling that Etho had gotten the message. Doc opened the door, stepping out into the chilly night. He headed to where he knew Beef was waiting but stopped when he saw another Hero shining a light on him.
“Hello Creeper,” Morph whispered as Doc felt his mask flying off his face. Doc ducked, hiding his face from the hero’s view. He grabbed his dagger, pulling on the hilt, the blade coming apart to reveal a bubble wand. If Doc were sane, this would not have been the power he chose. But Doc wasn’t rational, so he blew a bubble at Morph, the dragon hybrid getting caught in it and floating upwards towards the sky. Doc ran to pick up the mask the hero had dropped and put it on before snapping his fingers. The bubble popped, and Doc ran. He slid into a small nook in an alleyway, Beef on the other side, and nodded.
A flash of lightning in the sky caused the two to run from their hiding spots, climbing onto the roof where Morph, Ash, and Tek were, the heroes surrounded by the four villains. Morph had made a stone wall around them, but Etho quickly had Morph falling to the ground, fear and panic overtaking the dragon hybrid. Ash rushed to his friend’s side as Tek desperately tried to get the Villains away. And just as Bdubs was about to grab Ash and knock the man out, Etho was hit by a fireball of vines and stone, Tek using his gravity manipulation to throw it, and they had to flee. Bdubs was off first, taking Etho with him, and Doc and Beef jumped down. They ran away, leaving the Heroes stunned.
The group made it back to the old warehouse that served as their base, Ren waiting for them. Bdubs laid Etho down; Ren grabbed the first aid kit, hands glowing with magic. He imagined the burns going away, and he let the magic flow to Etho. Finally, they disappeared, and Etho smiled.
“Thanks, Ren.”
“Welcome, Etho. Let’s discuss what happened later, but this was way too close.” Ren said, and Doc nodded. Bdubs felt his stomach drop as Ren said the last part. He hoped she didn’t get involved. His sister, Gem, didn’t need to get wrapped up in this mess. But, he knew it would happen eventually.
“That was way too close last night,” Xisuma said the next day as the heroes gathered around for a meeting. “Scar, I know you have been against this idea for a while, but-”
Scar cut him off, his voice angry, “Xisuma. She’s 16. She doesn't deserve to get caught up in this. I'll ask, but you will not get her if she says no.”
Xisuma nodded. “Any objections to False potentially joining the hero program as a trainee?”
No one said anything, just silent agreement.
“We’ll know tomorrow. Now, Iskall, did you get a good look at Creeper’s face?” Xisuma turned to the hero, who shook his head.
Xisuma nodded, “Well, now it’s time for patrols. So, Mumbo and Stress, you two go together, Iskall and Tango will go together, and Scar will stay here and be back up.”
The heroes nodded, and as Scar got up, he grabbed his phone and texted his sister. They were close, and Scar knew how much False wanted to fight. He had tried to keep her out of the hero and villain system, but that was hard to do when he actively fought crime every other day. She knew a few of the other heroes and had even met Xisuma. He hit send on his phone and awaited a response. False did have to get their parent’s permission but considering Scar had entered the committee at 17; he did not doubt that she would get approval. He just hoped she wouldn't join at all