Senator Emily Reynolds had always done everything to further her career by any means. To her supporters, she was a beacon of hope, an ear for the people, and a symbol of what others in the government should strive to be. The winter air in Eelanos was crisp, nipping at the noses of its bustling denizens. As Senator Reynolds made her way through the city's streets, her smile radiated warmth, and her presence drew a crowd. She shook hands with the people, a firm grip, and posed for photos with children and adults, her eyes twinkling with charm.
Sometime later in her office, Senator Reynolds chuckled softly, her laughter genuine. "Oh, Jackson, this is turning out far better than I could’ve ever thought. I've already made the necessary arrangements. Winters need not be bothered with such matters. We'll use her likeness, her success, and the data we've gathered to bolster our efforts in other parts of the state."
Jackson couldn't hide the judgment etched into his features. He understood that Senator Reynolds saw Krey’s Community Center's success as a ladder to climb higher in the political arena. “Must we really ignore Zoey Winters and not simply ask for her support?” Secretary Jackson questioned.
“The girl’s a publicity risk. This is already her second controversy as a fighter, where people actively want something horrible done to her as punishment. I can’t risk someone like that besmirching my name and reputation that I’ve built so far with these people. You have to think long-term, Jackson. From the way she’s going, there’s no doubt that she’s going to get involved in another scandal, while I luckily managed to avoid any controversy over these past years.” Senator Reynolds lit up a cigar as Jackson frowned at the impending smell. “The girl will be good for mentioning to the public, but having her as an ally? If her career turns out for the better, we’ll try and get in contact. If not, I can continue to ignore her existence.” She explained.
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With the city's cold embrace as their backdrop, Zoey and her two young students, Cindy and Jack, ventured forth as the city's publically known heroes. They prowled the streets, their breath forming an ethereal mist in the chilly winter season air. Each step resonated with purpose as they sought to protect their community from the shadows that lurked within. Their destination was a place where crime often reared its ugly head, the dark underbelly of Krey's nightlife. The trio had become a vigilant force thanks to Prometheus’s help, determined to prevent others from racking up the crime statistics in Krey.
As they patrolled from the rooftops, Zoey's watchful gaze lingered on her young students. Cindy, an enthusiast in using fear and violence to deter criminals, had come a long way since they took down Tears’s criminal empire that had reached nearly every crack of the city. She was growing stronger and more skilled as Zoey’s Teaching skill from the Box worked its magic. While all of her students benefited from it, Cindy and Jack were essentially getting extra benefits from it because of the hero stuff.
Jack, a stern but kind-hearted boy, had also grown in both strength and experience. His goody-good nature and enthusiasm for heroism were even known to the people of Krey. While Zoey and Cindy's alter egos were known as well, Jack was in the lead in terms of popularity since he was doing it longer than them. Yes, the children were comparing how popular they were to each other because what else would young children do if not compete with each other when their being heroes?
They finally reached the location shared with them by Prometheus, which took them past a group of rowdy troublemakers, their laughter echoing through the narrow alley. Zoey remained on the rooftop, allowing her young proteges to take the lead. After all, this hero thing was to confirm if they could handle it safely and grow into their own. She was just watching over them to make sure they were doing it safely and not stupidly.
Cindy exchanged a wild grin while Jack simply rolled his eyes. They descended down the building, confronting the troublemakers with confidence. The leader of the unruly group, a burly man with a sneer, eyed them arrogantly. "What do we have here? I didn’t know it was Halloween already." His group laughed at the joke.
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Jack squared his shoulders, his voice steady. "We're here to keep this city safe and clean. That disgusting stuff you brought into the city, we’re confiscating it." Cindy's fists clenched at her sides, her aura radiating with violence and eagerness. "Make this good for me and resist. I dare you." She smiled.
The troublemaker's cronies laughed, but a flicker of uncertainty crossed their leader's face. He had heard whispers of mysterious heroes in Krey, and these kids fit the description. Jack and Cindy's unwavering determination and the confidence that came from knowing they had the skills to protect their community wasn’t as much of a deterrent for adults as they thought. The drug traffickers didn’t understand why they should be afraid of two snot-nosed kids even if they were playing heroes. They were just fucking brats.
Cindy shook in visible joy as the men menacingly laughed as they came closer. “Sure, heroes. I’ll just give you my shit, no problem. After all, I wouldn’t want no trouble with two heroes like you.” The leader chuckled as he reached into his coat.
It was at this that both Jack and Cindy’s pupils dilated like a cat as they rushed forward as instincts guided their movements. The drug dealers were stunned as their leader was taken down in an instant by the two kids. Cindy landed a flying punch to his face that smashed the back of his head on the ground while Jack tossed some object that hurt the guy long enough to prevent him from pulling out whatever he was about to pull out. His eyes glazed over after falling to the ground.
Neither Jack nor Cindy hesitated after moving in to take down the leader. While Jack wanted to convince them to stand down after that showing, Cindy wanted another thing entirely. And that was to put down every criminal here in the most violent way she could, apparently… Jack rolled his eyes as Cindy struck a drug dealer with a spinning uppercut to the jaw that made his legs weak. He collapsed to the ground with no control over his body as she socked him with a finishing straight, knocking him on his back.
One criminal snuck up behind her and grabbed her under her armpits like a baby. The drug dealer immediately regretted this choice of action as Cindy contorted like something out of a horror flick as she snaked around him, wrenching his limbs to bend in ways they weren’t supposed to. Jack had no choice but to rush in to help Cindy as she was putting this guy in a submission move he had never seen her perform before. There was another criminal heading her way to help his friend. It wouldn’t be right to stand by and watch even if he didn’t agree with Cindy’s methods.
Jack used the incredible material of his costume and blocked the brick that was aimed at Cindy. After blocking, he dove in with a single-leg takedown using all of his strength and weight. They both went down to the ground. Despite losing weight, it wasn’t as if Jack got smaller or anything. He was still a big kid, just with more beef than stomach now. Jack reached into his utility belt and tased the man until the built-in safety mechanism kicked in, automatically turning it off because it became too much.
Cindy leaped off the guy who lost consciousness from a triangle choke and ran toward the last remaining criminal with joy in her eyes. Unfortunately for Cindy, he had no interest in being beaten up by children. He quickly ran with all of his might and left behind his friends and the kiddie heroes. Although she wanted to chase and leave Jack to deal with these guys, she still held some rationality. She let out a breath as she centered herself with the meditation technique Miss Devil taught her.
The two watched over the criminals as they waited for the police to arrive. When the police arrived, they waved and immediately departed. The police waved back with smiles on their faces. Although they had their own feelings about children participating in vigilantism, who wouldn’t appreciate someone making their jobs easier? Plus, they did the city a great service not too long ago by taking down Tears. Since things are working out fine, why bother making things complicated?
Hell, even the mayor of Krey praised them for their heroic exploits. If they were willing, he said he would’ve been willing to grant them medals for their work. However, the trio of heroes were hesitant to do any interviews or reveal any parts of themselves to the public. The public didn’t understand why they were so shy about interviews and the like but appreciated the trio of heroes regardless. This was thanks to Zoey believing they didn't need that type of publicity as heroes. If they were going to be heroes, they were going to be heroes for the right reasons, not for fame, acceptance, or whatever else that wasn't justice. It sounded cringy as hell but Zoey had to be responsible for these two. She was the adult, and they were the direct product of her actions. As easy as it would be to let them run loose on the city playing heroes, something inside her refused to allow that. It would've been fine if it was just Zoey by herself doing it, but these were her students.