"So why am I being kicked out, too?" Jess asked as she levitated her few belongings into my waist bag.

"We established ourselves as a team when we took out the Yellowbricks. We were seen fleeing the scene together at the Memorial Hall. Residual notoriety I guess." I shrugged.

"And ya didn't even do it......." She shook her head as her broom disappeared in the expanded depths.

"By the way, apropos Yellowbricks.....check this out." she said, pulled out her phone, opened a video, and handed it to me.

The title was 'Mage Queen Ozma - Then vs Now'.

It started with a clip I had already seen many times.

Ozma herself, in her white gown, the golden OZ crown on her head, and carrying the branded wand. She was facing a man in a torn leather jacket, with strange metallic growths covering his hand. A notorious bad guy at the time, Gunjack.

He lifted his hands and 10 bullets shot out of them at high speed, one from each finger.

The young Heroine waved her wand and the bullets stopped in mid-air. A slight, green glow was visible as if they hit something. Then suddenly they began shifting, stretching themselves thinner and sprouting petals. The steel flowers fell to the ground and at that moment Tin Triumph slithered out of a manhole behind Gunjack and engulfed him.

This was a video of their very first patrol as a team. Gunjack and his pals had been a major pain in the neck, mostly due to their near-perfect Power synergy, but the Yellowbricks separated and brought them in just like that.

The video then shifted to another clip. A very recent one.

A team of bad guys I had never seen or heard of, probably newbies, were fleeing a scene when suddenly the world turned mad.

Hands emerged from the asphalt and grabbed one of them, another was ensnared by a traffic light that bent down and coiled around him like a snake. And the girl carrying the money sunk into the ground of the sidewalk as soon as she stepped on it.

Then, from the air, a woman floated down.

She was noticeably older but it was still clearly her.

She had ditched her white gown and traded it for an emerald green dress. That was not the only green thing on her. Green shoes, green gloves, green nail polish, and green makeup. The only non-green things about her were the golden wand and crown she carried over from her last costume.

"There will be no crime in my city. The Queen of Oz has spoken!"

And the video ended.

"I guess focusing on her magic instead of Hero work paid off...." I mumbled.

"Yeah. Can't believe she came outta retirement 'cause of us. Whatever we do, let's avoid their territory for now. Don't think we have much of a chance against an experienced wizard lady."

I sighed.

"Yes. Yes, I think that's wise."

What a goddamn mess.

After we were done we exited the room.

I put my hand on the door.

"It may have been a windowless shithole...but goddamn am I going to miss it."

Jess knocked on the door of the terrible trio, but she got no answer.

"Guess they're out." she said.

"Not surprising. They do a hell of a lot more work than we do. Don't you have Slugger's number? We'll call them later today and plan a meet-up."

Jess smiled.

Stolen story; please report.

"Yeah. Let's. Can't just leave'em hanging without sayin' bye."

As we left we got well wishes from the few residents currently out in the halls and! with some trepidation, we stepped out of our former home for the last time.

--------------------------------

"A regular apartment building? Ya sure this is safe?" Jess asked as we approached our new base. "How'd ya even get this place?"

"I'm reasonably sure this haunt is safe." I said as I unlocked the door and let us in. "As for how I got it. Let's just say someone took note of my...potential and offered it to me."

Technically true.

When we arrived at the flat Jess smiled approvingly.

"TBH, I was a bit skeptical, but...I can work with that."

As she floated around the premises I began unpacking.

"So....any plans for what to do next?" she asked.

"A few." I mumbled as I brushed against the halo in my bag. "A few."

---------------------------------

"My, my, look who descends from the heavens to grace little ol' me with her presence." Davison grinned as I entered his shop.

"You made quite a stir, MC. Just as thought. Told ya you would get far. But an Enlightened? Live online? Didn't see that comin'."

I quietly walked up to him.

"Well, the only way to go is up, right?"

At my words, he grinned even wider.

"Oh, for sure. Especially for someone with Possession." He lit a cigarette with his synthetic pointer finger. "So, what brings you to my humble abode? I'm sure you ain't here to catch up with an old, dusty supplier."

"Right. I'm here for this." I said and hastily put the sweltering halo on the table.

"My word." he whispered and picked it up with his fake hand. "You interested in completing the set?" he asked.

Without Angelica, there were currently four more active Heroes with a halo. Ailtus, Angelus, Quo Vadis and Aurelius. Fans on the internet called the halo crew 4AQ. I guess it's just 3AQ now. Or maybe 3AQMC.

"No. Not really. Now that everyone knows I have it I may as well actually use it. Can you source me gloves that are cut and heat-resistant or something? Stuff that would allow me to safely handle this thing?"

Davison looked up at me.

"Gloves? Plural?"

I raised my eyebrow.

"Yeah. Of course."

He shook his head.

"But going One-Gloved is part of your style, killer. Guess functionality comes before style. A shame, regardless."

For a moment I didn't know what the hell he was talking about when it hit me. During my trick to defeat Souto, I had him erase one of my gloves. So as far as the world was concerned I had never worn it.

"I'm not a hero, so I don't have to worry about popularity. Do you have what I asked for?"

He waited a few seconds, no doubt pulling something up on his eyes, as he laid the halo back down.

"Markov Deluvian Tech has Flood Gauntlets. Those are gloves that can withstand the hit of a sharp blade and dull heat significantly. I can get you a pair for 300. But on the other hand, Sorcery Solutions sells Eternal Gloves. These things are resistant to anything and everything. Last forever too. Quite a bit more expensive though. I can get you one for 6k. 10k for a pair. No matter which you choose, I reckon I can procure'em within a week or so."

I crossed my arms and started to think. A few weeks ago I'd have taken the Flood Gauntlets without question. But now the situation had changed. I doubt I would be able to continue to do the bare minimum of runs to stay afloat as part of Freakshow. And I was sure whatever they'd have me do, it'd at least pay well.

"Davison....Is it possible to pay in installments?"

---------------------------

I didn't have to wait long when I entered the BHF Bureau. Before I even reached the reception I was hug-tackled by a teenager dressed in toddler clothes.

"Hello, new friend!"

I awkwardly tried pushing her off me, very very gently.

"Alice. Hi. I, uhm.....I was about to ask if one of you was here."

She let go of me and stared up with a wide grin.

"Haunt said you have proven yourself. I watched the videos of what you did! Both things! They were so funny! Weren't they, Mr. Button?" she asked her teddy and it nodded slowly.

"Good. Great!" I exclaimed, trying to sound enthusiastic. "So, what now?"

She took my hand and dragged me toward one of the rarely used exits so we could be alone.

"Before you can join us Haunt needs to know if you'd be a good fit. So you can go help one of us on a small run, isn't that cool?! And if everything works out you can come live in our tent!"

I took a step back. "Hey there, let's slow down a bit, okay? I already have a place. A new one. I'd really like to stay there."

Alice looked at me funny, but then went back to smiling.

"The Freaks live in the tent, silly. But don't worry, some of us have homes away from home too. You can stay there a few times a week. But the tent is your real home. And we're gonna be BESTIES!" she squealed the last word.

I tried to sort the information in my mind. I guess I could manage that somehow. There are ways. I just had to deal with it as it came.

"When is that run supposed to take place?"

Alice jumped in place excitedly.

"There is a small one next month that would've been perfect, but I came in the last couple of days at different times just in case and now I got you! There is one tomorrow morning. Like, 3 in the morning! So lucky!"

Of fucking course.

"You know....I think maybe the one next month would be better. I ordered some gear that lets me use the halo I got as a weapon. I'll be much more effective that way. You don't want me on the test mission if I'm not at my best, right?" I said in a soft tone.

Alice gasped.

"No! Of course not!"

Suddenly she held her teddy bear to her ear. "Oh! Really? That's a great idea!" She was nodding along as she spoke. After she put the bear down her face erupted into a wide smile again.

"Your halo is a stabby cutty thing, right? You used it to cut Lightguy's head off. I have a stabby cutty thing too! You can borrow it til after the run!" she rambled.

"Alice, I need something a bit more....effective than a knife, or scissors or things like that."

Alice laughed.

"Don't be a silly goose! My stabby cutty thing is way bigger than a knife or scissors! Here!"

She held her bear up to me. For a moment nothing happened, but then its stomach split open. I pressed myself against the back wall, sweat running down my forehead.

Instead of the typical stuffing the toy's chest cavity was filled with a black, undulating mass of tendrils and sludge. Small, sharp growths that resembled teeth were visible at the seams where it had ripped itself apart.

Slowly but surely something emerged from the unholy pit.

A handle of some kind.

"Come on. Pull it out. Mr. Button gets tummy aches when he stays like that for long."

Not wanting to upset her and...whatever her little friend was, I hesitantly grabbed the object and pulled it out.

"A katana?" I blurted out, surprised.

"It's a cartoon sword! One of the adults we played with had lots of funny things hanging on his wall. This was one of them. Mr. Button said to take it. You can have it for now. But give it back tomorrow right after the mission, okay?" she said as the monstrous maw closed itself again.

"Right.....right. I...I guess I could use that instead. But aren't you afraid I could just run away and take it?"

Alice giggled and shook her head.

"No, I'm not. Cause Mr. Button puts a piece of himself into everything he eats. So even if you ran, I'd be able to find you right away."

And as the hilt of the sword opened its eye to look at me one thing was made perfectly clear.

I was way out of my depth here.