The Tuesday night following the capture and death of Geffry Lincoln, the hospital staff and guests of Fresbin Medical were met by a most unexpected guest. Walking in through the visitor’s entrance as casually as anyone else, the massive figure of the Shining Darkness arrived.

With his arms folded formally behind his back, he approached the surprised woman attending the desk and said, “Hello, mam. I know it’s early for public visitation, but if they’re willing to see me, I’m here to visit the children I rescued from Geffry. If they aren’t available, I’m also here to visit one of the families I rescued from Miracle Bridge.”

Utterly stunned, the nurse wasn’t sure how to reply and sat muttering for a moment. Aside from being unsure if he could be trusted, the Super Mask’s entire getup was shocking, and the physique that showed through it looked like something that required steroids. Even so, the Shining Darkness’ most eye-catching feature was his own eyes. Their white glow was truly unearthly, and the nurse really couldn’t look away.

To her surprise, though, the more she looked at the white orbs in the Super Mask’s head, the better she felt. With every second, the physical and mental stress from her shift lessened until they disappeared. After thirty seconds of this, she even felt the stress of meeting him fade as she completely calmed down. Even the knot in her shoulder that’d been bothering her all week was suddenly worked out.

Surprising herself, the refreshed nurse was able to smile and tell Shine, “Of course. I’ll contact the doctors and have them ask how the patients’re feeling. If you could just wait in the lobby until then.”

Nodding, the Shining Darkness responded amicably, “I understand. I can wait. Thank you.”

“Also, whatever you just did, thank you. I feel amazing.”

His composure faltering slightly, Shine responded, “Wha-? Yes, of course. I’m always happy to help.”

Making his way to a chair, the Super Mask didn’t even have a chance to sit down. Almost immediately, everyone in the lobby approached him for one reason or another. An elderly couple, a mother and her young son, who had a cast on his leg, a group of teenagers, and a wheelchair-bound man.

|XXX|

Surrounded by people taking pictures and asking questions, Shining Darkness patiently addressed them, “Hello, everyone. I understand it must be a surprise to see me here, but I have appointments to keep, so I’m not sure how much time I have to talk. Can we stick with one question per person?”

Despite the suddenness of it, the Shining Darkness handled being mobbed with a cool head. Even as everyone started yelling to have their questions answered first.

Taking stock of the crowd, Shine picked who he hoped would be the easiest and crouched down. His sheer size forced some people to back up as he lowered himself and began talking to the kid and his mom.

Meeting him at eye level, Shine glanced at the boy’s cast and asked, “Hello there, bud. Are you here to get your cast taken off?”

Understandably intimidated, the boy backed up behind his mother and nodded wordlessly.

“Was there anything you or your mom wanted to ask me?” Shining Darkness asked, trying to be disarming despite his costume and bulk.

Patting her son on his back, the mother encouraged him despite being visibly intimidated herself, “Go on, sweetie.”

Gulping, the boy stepped out and asked, “C- Uh. Can I- um… Can I be a Mask… A S- Super Mask like you, Sh- Shining Darkness?”

The boy was visibly embarrassed, but Shine still gave him a thought-out answer, “Well… It’s a very dangerous job, but if you work hard to become strong and value helping others above all else, yes. I definitely think it’s possible.” But when Shining Darkness noticed the mother’s nervous glance, he elaborated, “But… That’s not your only option. If you make sure to stand against corruption, then being a police officer or a firefighter can be just as great and heroic of career paths.”

Although the kid seemed puzzled, in the way only a young child would be by a complex answer, his mother seemed pleased at least.

Standing up, Shine started working through the rest of the small crowd.

The teenagers all just wanted autographs and selfies with Shine. Wanting to make sure common people wouldn’t be scared of him, he was happy enough to accommodate. One of the kids tried to reach for Shine’s hood, likely to pull it down and reach for his mask as he signed a paper.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

In turn, the Super Mask finished his signature and said, without turning to his sneaking peer, “My hood has latches in it that’ll keep it from being pulled down and attaches to my mask. Makes taking them off really difficult.”

While the kids laughed at their embarrassed friend, Darkness moved on to the elderly couple.

It turned out that this couple had relatives who’d been rescued from Miracle Bridge. The wife simply wanted to thank him, something that warmed his heart as she took his hand, but the husband wanted to ask Shine if he could strong-arm the hospital to stop robbing his family. Otherwise called ‘charging for their stay.’

Conner might have asked the man if his family had medical insurance, but even his family could only afford that luxury after Death Head started paying him. Truthfully, most of Miracle City’s residents couldn’t afford assurances of any kind.

|X|

It was during his time as Death Head’s sidekick that Conner learned one of the charities the veteran donated to was for the medical expenses of victims of assault and disasters. Flint was still receiving royalties from the Death Head brand and donated sizeable chunks to charity, but that money would eventually start to run dry.

|X|

Empathizing with the elder’s plight and knowing he’d need to start picking up where his mentor left off, Shine told him, “I can’t legally do what you’re asking, sir. But I can at least make efforts to lessen your financial burden by next month.”

“Really?” The older man asked. “Shoot. We can hold out for that, I guess. Thanks, sunny.”

Before Shine could respond further, he felt a wheel strike the back of his leg. Turning around, he saw the wheelchair-bound man had rammed him. His eyes filled with rage. He looked very poor off, dressed in ratty clothing and with a disheveled, graying beard to make up for his bald head.

Annoyed but remembering his lessons, Shine politely said, “Hello, sir. Was there-?”

Cutting the Super Mask off, the man yelled, “Ya damn, idiot! If you really wanna do somethin’ right, why’d ya ruin my family’s life?!”

Puzzled and worried, Shine asked, “I’m sorry? What do you mean?”

Reaching up and grabbing at the Mask’s costume, the man shouted at him, “My son, you bastard! You threw my son in jail!”

Taking a second to piece this together, Shine realized that this man’s son must have been among the hundreds of criminals he’d arrested since gaining his powers. Looking at this man’s face, Shine recognized some similarities to one of the countless faces of criminals he’d encountered. Specifically, a drug peddler pushing on teenagers he’d put away last month.

Grimacing with a twinge of pitty, Shine started, “Sir, I’m sorry, but-.”

“My boy paid for everythin’! Took care a’ me and my granddaughter! Now he’s servin’ ten years and our money’s runnin’ out!”

Waiting for the man to finish ranting, Shine let out a soft sigh from his nose and said, “I’m sorry. But your son was selling cocaine to high school kids. When he’s released, he can look for another job. Until then, if you can’t take care of her yourself, then you should start planning to place your granddaughter into foster care.”

Trying to shake Shine’s superhuman body, the man exclaimed, “Are you fuckin’ with me?! We’ll never see her again, idiot! And what job’ll take a man with a crime record!?”

A bit stunned, Shine had to take some time to think, his superhuman mind coming to a conclusion quickly.

His criminal record can affect that? That’s a thing…? I didn’t… Why didn’t Death Head ever teach me that…? And what about Carl? Dammit, I need to talk to Jericho later… Dammit! Just more crap on my plate!

Suddenly, Shine put his hands on the man’s, prompting, “Don’t touch me, you freak!”

Ignoring the hostility, Shining Darkness said, “Sir… You make a good point.” As the crippled man raised his brow at Shine’s words, he went on, “There’s nothing I can do to help you immediately. However, I have many friends and allies in law enforcement I can speak with. I’ll see what can be done for your son. You have my word.”

Skepticism covering his face, the old man retorted, “You think I’ll believe that bull shit?”

Taking his hands away, Shine put an arm across his chest, bowed his head, and said, “All I can offer you is my word. But please know that I agree with you. If a person has served their time in prison, there is no need to punish them further.”

As the man failed to find words for this sudden turn of attitude, the nurse answered a phone before calling out, “Mr. Darkness? The children are ready to see you.”

Straightening his posture, Shine glanced between the nurse and the crippled man, his body language asking for permission to leave.

With annoyed guild in his eyes, the man waved dismissively while telling Shine, “Get out of here already, you freak! Go entertain some kids or whatever.”

“Thank you,” Shine replied genuinely before walking off.

|XXX|

Once Shining Darkness was gone, Fred wheeled his chair back to where he’d been waiting beforehand. But as he moved, he got annoyed when he saw some of those kids had been filming his argument with the Super Mask.

“Put those damn things away, ya shitty punks!” Fred yelled harshly enough to scare them into compliance.

But as his body tensed with rage at the fleeing kids, Fred felt something he hadn’t felt for twenty years. His toes twitching.

Once he was sure this feeling was real, Fred tried to think about what could have caused this. Soon enough, he was looking at the corner Shining Darkness had turned to leave the room.