The sounds of phones ringing resonated in the air. Desks were cluttered with documents. Cabinets were overspilling with files, records and reports. The hubbub of the police station was in full swing, as patrolmen rushed past, trying to make do with the increase in cases that came along with the festive season. But the liveliness was a little too much for a feline teenager huddled in the corner.

Leya groaned, holding an ice pack to her face. How could she have been so careless? The tattoo revelation had stunned her for a moment. But that moment was enough for the Villain to regain consciousness. Although he wasn’t able to use his Quirk, he was able to land a hit. She mentally reprimanded herself. If the tattoo wasn’t going to give her a headache, being punched in the face definitely would.

But at least she was able to hold him down until the police showed up.

“Here,” spoke a deep voice.

Peeking through her fingers, a dark-haired man with a full beard extended his hand, offering her a paper cup of water. His dark grey suit and blue shirt were dishevelled, matching the haggard look in his eyes. Dangling from his neck was a police lanyard, informing his name as Detective Inspector Justin Wilkinson.

“Thanks,” Leya said, hiding her grimace as she accepted the drink.

“That guy clocked you pretty hard, huh?” He shared a concerned look. But his eyes were trained on her, observing and judging her every move. Leya took a long sip. It made her a little self-conscious.

The man let out a sigh. “You know it was reckless to take him on all on your own, right? I don’t think I should have to remind you that you shouldn’t act without the supervision of a Pro Hero—”

“—Hey, what else was I supposed to do?” interjected Leya. “He was putting people in danger. I couldn’t let him get away.”

The Detective shook his head. “Yeah, but a Provisional Hero Licence isn’t an excuse to do whatever you want. We have rules for a reason.”

Leya furrowed her brows. “If I didn’t step in, he could’ve hurt more people.”

“If you didn’t step in, the authorities would have handled it. We were already on our way. A kid like you shouldn’t interfere with our work, especially when it's this dangerous, or you’d be no better than the Vigilantes.” The last word seemed to leave an acrid taste in his mouth.

Leya bit her tongue, forcing herself to stop her rebuttal. So, you’re anti-Vigilante then? Her mind flashed back to the blue barcode tattoo and the consequences that came with the fall of the Veiled Duchess. Dammit! He must be one of the stricter officers. I need to handle this carefully.

Maintaining eye contact, Leya composed herself. “Yeah, but I’m not a Vigilante. I got my licence.” She whipped out her phone, dialling a number. “But if you’re still not happy, feel free to talk to my supervisor.”

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Cool air seeped into a terracotta house, as the backdoor opened. A knackered Scarlett shuffled her way into the kitchen. The idea of snuggling the warm blankets of her bed was the only thing that stopped her from dropping down and falling asleep on the kitchen floor.

“Scarlett, you’re back!” Zero said, with Juno by her side. They both smiled with relief, before their expressions faltered. “Oh my God, why are you covered in so much blood!”

Zero rushed to her sister’s side, while Juno began to shuffle through the cupboards. The blue-haired girl guided Scarlett to a seat, analysing her for any injuries. But Scarlett brushed her concerns away.

“I’m fine,” said Scarlett. “There was a villain attack, but I healed. Leya’s also fine. She went to deal with him. She said she’d be late though.”

Scarlett fought back the urge to yawn. A consequence of using her Quirk was that it drained her stamina. But there were ways to manage the lethargy. Juno presented a slice of chocolate cake from earlier; a sweet treat to help replenish the drowsy girl.

Craving the sugary burst of energy, Scarlett tucked in. The two silently watched her, relieved that she was not harmed. But something else plagued their minds.

“Scarlett,” Zero said softly. “Are you sure you’re alright? You seemed a little upset when you left.”

“You know you can tell us if there’s something wrong, right?” Juno signed.

With a mouthful, Scarlett looked up at the other two. Their concerned faces made it hard to swallow her food. Her chest became a little rigid. The thought of having this conversation made her throat dry. She lowered the spoon in her hand. She didn’t want to disappoint them. She didn’t want to cause them any more trouble. She wanted to make it up to them. But her mind wandered back to her conversation with Leya in the park.

As much as Scarlett didn’t want to admit it, Leya was right. They would understand why she would want to take a step back. It was her fault their lives changed so drastically. But forcing herself to return would only lead to repeating old mistakes.

Scarlett took a deep breath, taking a moment to collect herself. “I don’t want to join the agency. I don’t want to be a Hero.”

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

The girls stared in silence, allowing the information to sink in slowly. The first to break out of the stupor was Juno, who reached for Scarlett’s hand and held it to comfort her. She shared a tender smile, before exchanging a look with Zero. A silent message passed between them.

Zero cleared her throat. “Scarlett, we were also thinking the same thing. We were more worried that you might force yourself to come back.”

Scarlett blinked, before letting out a breath of relief. She hadn’t realised how tense she had been, until the stress from her muscles began to release. “Are you sure that’s ok? ‘Cause if you need me to help with anything—”

“—Scarlett,” Zero said. “We’ll be fine. Your big sisters have got this, so don’t worry.” She gave a wink, turning on the charismatic charm that many had fallen for. “In fact, why don’t you head to bed, while I’ll go and help Leya and show you what we’re capable of.”

Juno rose from her seat, gesturing to the door. “I’ll show you where your bedroom is.”

Nodding, Scarlett followed her sister. Zero shared a smile as she watched the two leave. Their home had begun to feel complete. They just needed their absent sister. If only she knew where she was.

A phone began to ring, dragging Zero away from her thoughts. Rummaging through her pockets, she grabbed her phone. The caller ID flashed on her screen. She let out a soft chuckle as she clicked to answer.

“Hey, Leya.”

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“Detective,” a voice called out.

A worn-out man stood outside the police office, warming his hands with his breath. He turned to see a young woman in blue making her way towards him.

“Ah, you must be the Pro Hero, Zero, that I’ve heard so much about. I’m Detective Wilkinson,” said the man, exchanging his hand for a handshake, which Zero reciprocated. “I heard your music has taken off—that must’ve increased your popularity.”

Zero shared a courteous smile. “It’s only because of people like you, that I get to have time to make music in the first place.” Zero peered behind him, looking for a certain catgirl. “By the way, where is Pantera?”

“She’s getting patched up by the medic,” he replied.

“Ah, I see.” Zero feigned a casual expression, as she assessed the man in front of her. He seems to match the description Leya said on the phone. “Um, Detective Wilkinson, I heard you wanted to talk to me.” Zero shared a thoughtful look. “Pantera mentioned on the phone that you weren’t happy with her work. Can I ask what happened?”

The Detective let out a sigh. “Don’t get me wrong. She’s talented. But she’s very young.” He crossed his arms, before lowering his head. “It just doesn’t sit right to see a kid get involved with something dangerous thinking that they can handle it all by themselves. We’ve all seen what happens when people take it upon themselves to do our work. It never turns out well.”

Zero hummed in acknowledgement. “I agree. Pantera is young and can sometimes act rashly. But her quick reaction is also what makes her exceptional at her job.” She shared a content smile. “Not only was she attacked while she was off-duty, her first response was to apprehend the Villain in order to reduce more casualties. Judging that, things turned out pretty well.”

The Detective met her gaze. “She was lucky this time. She might not be next time.”

The young Pro Hero crossed her arms. “Pantera was deemed qualified to do Hero work when she got her Provisional Licence. Her work ethic is already well known to the public, who can’t wait for her debut as a Pro Hero. You have to agree that we need more Heroes like her who are quick to do the right thing.”

Detective Wilkinson frowned. “Popularity doesn’t make a Hero good at the job. It just means there’s more eyes on you when you mess up because you're being reckless.”

Zero opened her mouth to counter his statement, only to close it. He wasn’t wrong. But did that apply to them at Hope Agency? Before she could continue the thought, she was interrupted.

“Zee!” Leya called out, exiting the police station and jogging towards her sister. Her face was bruised and her arm was in a sling. But she didn’t seem to be suffering from any major injuries. Zero couldn’t hide her look of relief.

“I’m surprised you can still stand,” said Zero. “I heard that you got banged up pretty good that you needed a medic.”

Leya made a face. “I’m fine. I just sprained my shoulder and got a smack to the face. This is nothing.” She gestured to her injuries, causing Zero to chuckle. She opened her mouth to continue talking, only to close it as Detective Wilkinson came into her view.

Zero maintained a neutral face as she noted Leya’s apprehension. “Alright then, how about we head home?” She gestured towards the policeman. “I’ll see you around, Detective. And I’ll make sure to keep in mind what you said.”

Detective Wilkinson nodded, as the two girls left. They walked in complete silence, waiting until they knew they were far enough away to be heard. “What’s wrong?” Zero asked.

Leya lowered her gaze. “The guy tonight—he had the tattoo.”

“Tattoo?”

“Yeah, a blue barcode on his chest.”

Zero did a double take, scanning Leya’s face for sincerity. But the younger girl would never joke about something like that. Zero gulped. “Did you tell anyone about it?”

“No,” said Leya. “I didn’t want people to dig up dirt on us.”

A moment of silence passed. Leya’s eyes filled with concern, as doubt entered her mind. Had she done the right thing?

Zero laid a hand on Leya’s uninjured shoulder. “That was a good call. Most officers who worked on the case resigned, so there aren’t many people who can connect the two.” She leant down, meeting Leya’s eye level. “That means you bought us a little more time.”

“Time? What do you mean?”

Zero exhaled. “A tattoo isn’t enough evidence to be linked to the Duchess. We need to investigate it further. And who knows, if this is linked to what happened on that day, maybe we can figure out the truth and clear our names.”

Zero shared a reassuring smile, which Leya reciprocated, before her expression soured. “Wait, if we need more info, then that means we have to see him.”

Zero chuckled. “Yeah, we do.” Her affirmation caused Leya to groan in repulsion. “So, get ready early tomorrow. We’re gonna give Archie a visit.”

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Hope Agency Hero Notes:

Villain Name: Fission Fist

Quirk: Shock Wave

Fission Fist is not naturally bald. He decided to shave his head because he thought it would make him look more intimidating. Although he finds it annoying to shave his head every day, he thinks he looks super cool now. His mother disagrees.

Furthermore, his Quirk has nothing to do with nuclear fission.