My World My Justice Ch.23

-Rumi Usagiyama, Mirko-

It was another day, late morning as Mirko perched on top of a surprisingly stable tower of scrap metal and rusted vehicle parts. She'd laid down a piece of cardboard so the rust wouldn't leave unwashable orange stains on her costume - learned that lesson the hard way after her first week in this damn city. One leg dangled over the edge as she watched the strange training session below.

The big guy was busy crushing ship hulls with his bare hands, compressing all that twisted metal into perfectly uniform cubes before stacking them like some kind of demented construction project. The sound of groaning steel echoed across the boat graveyard with each squeeze of his fists.

"Damn..." she whistled low. She'd been lurking on PHO forums long enough to read all the wild theories about cape power levels, and True Might had been the latest hot topic, because obviously he would be. Claims about him lifting entire buildings had sounded like typical internet bullshit at first. 

Now? Those estimates were starting to look conservative.

A savage grin twisted her lips as she remembered how his punches had felt during their boxing match. The bastard had definitely been holding back, and yet she felt that warm metallic taste. She wanted that unrestricted rematch more than ever, like the first time they met. That must have been his real not holding back punch.

Her attention shifted to the girl struggling with a washing machine. Taylor Herbert - or was it Hebert? The pronunciation was kinda identical, and Rumi had never bothered to check the spelling. The kid had become minor celebrity news after True Might launched his crusade against Winslow High School on her behalf. That whole thing had been pretty crazy- swift, brutal, and completely one-sided once True Might's legal team got involved who had undeniable evidence. So everyone sided with the rising star, even the fatty Piggot.

Rumi briefly wondered if she could get him to help her sue her insurance company, a small favor, then dismissed the thought. Too much paperwork, too many meetings with stuffy lawyers, even if that lawyer was Brandish. She was finally free from those corporate parasites and didn't get tied down again with more bureaucratic bullshit; she was still salty that she missed getting some food with the big guy because she needed to fill out paperwork.

The girl had been training with True Might for weeks now, maybe over a month. Rumi hadn't kept exact track - she just observed when the mood struck her or she was passing by. The brat's stamina had definitely improved since that first day of jumping jacks, but watching her current technique made Rumi's eye twitch in irritation.

"Rookie mistake…" she grumbled, her ears flattening against her head. The girl was pulling with just her arms and back instead of engaging her legs and core. It was like watching someone try to punch with a closed fist around the thumb; painful and stupid.

She could ignore it, yes. Playing teacher wasn't her style, and dealing with snotty brats was a headache she didn't need. But things had been quiet lately since True Might beat the living shit out of Stormfront, with some help from Mouse Protector. Essentially, crippling the Empire in so many ways. Although, that woman made her tick for some reason. 

Soon after the twerp of Oracle had gutted the ABB in her massive operation with lots of independents, including her, and Rumi was getting restless since things were now relatively peaceful, not even a purse snatcher. So she'd tracked down True Might through Oracle (the precog was useful for more than just villains and bad guys alerts), hoping to catch him for another challenge.

Then an idea struck her. 

If she helped speed up the kid's training, maybe their sessions would wrap up faster. Less time with the brat meant more time to challenge True Might to races, arm wrestling, or whatever else she could think of. It was a trade-off - endure something she didn't want to do so she could do more of what she did want.

After a moment's deliberation and an exasperated sigh, Rumi launched herself from her tower, landing with a solid thud.

"Oi, kid!" she called out sharply. "You're doing it all wrong."

Taylor dropped the rope and spun around, her brown eyes going wide. "I... Mirko? What are you doing here?"

"Watching you destroy your spine, apparently." Rumi strode over and snatched up the thick rope, slinging it over her shoulder. "You're using your arms and back like some kind of amateur. That's how you end up in therapy before you're twenty."

She positioned herself properly, feet planted wide, legs braced. "Legs do the heavy lifting - literally. Grip with your feet, drive up through your core, then pull. Your arms are just there to guide the load, not carry it."

To demonstrate her point, Rumi began pulling the broken washing machine with fluid, efficient movements. The heavy appliance glided across the uneven ground as if it weighed nothing, covering a significant distance before she reversed direction and brought it back to the starting position. She dropped the rope without breaking a sweat; it was so easy. And she trained with those massive wheels that were as big as her.

Taylor watched the whole thing with rapt attention. "Oh... so I should have been using my whole body, not just my upper body."

"Finally, she gets it." Rumi snorted, rolling her shoulders. She pointed to her distinctive white rabbit ears. "See these? Yeah, they're part of my power. People think they just make me look cute and give me some kind of enhanced hearing, which is kinda true. But you know what really matters?"

She flexed her arms, then slapped her own thigh with a sharp crack. "Muscle is muscle, kid. Powers help, sure, it helped me to get that brute rating but if you don't train your body, you're dead meat the second you face someone who knows what they're doing. Relying entirely on your powers is what idiots do, and fools don't live long in this business."

Taylor nodded eagerly, a spark of understanding lighting up her eyes. "So technique and conditioning matter more than raw power?"

"Now you're thinking like a real fighter." Rumi crossed her arms, allowing herself a satisfied grin. The kid was sharper than she'd given her credit for. "Alright, since I've got time to kill and I'm feeling generous, I'll help fix that disaster you call form. Looks like the big guy forgot to cover the basics but can’t blame him he got pretty good results too with you."

Taylor's face lit up with genuine excitement. "Really? You'd train with me?"

"Don't get too excited," Rumi warned, though her tone lacked real bite. "I'm not going easy on you just because you’re the big guy trainee. You want to keep up? Then you better be ready to work for it."

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

-Daniel, True Might-

So, everything came to an end rather quickly in a matter of days, which should have been an expected outcome instead of weeks if not months of legal battles and audiences and court dates. A no contest.

And it wasn't only because Carol Dallon was a damn good lawyer with an ironclad case, thanks to Futaba, but also because I pretty much have the public on my side. Or perhaps the government to some degree, although that would be a stretch, since I've become a rather influential figure despite operating in a single city.

So that makes me an influencer... shame on me.

Either way, Taylor Hebert got her long-awaited justice.

Emma Barnes and Madison Clements got hit with the full weight of the legal system, as minors. Both got permanent marks on their records, mandatory transfer to different schools, substantial fines, and they're required to pay civil reparations to the Hebert family. The amount was significant enough that their parents are looking at second mortgages.

Of course, one could argue they should have been thrown in prison or beaten or whatever punishment to try to get even for what they did to Taylor. But since I'm True Might, a hero who personifies justice and all the fluff or hamm that comes with it, no matter how much I hate it.

So everything was as fair and by the book as possible—punishment that fit the crime without letting emotion guide the process and remaining impartial.

Though I'll admit, seeing their faces drain from color was somewhat satisfying.

Obviously, the one who got it the worst was Sophia Hess, also known as Shadow Stalker. She was pretty much unmasked, her cape identity going public, which put the PRT under intense scrutiny. They looked like accomplices to everything Sophia had been doing behind their backs, making them appear incompetent at best, criminally negligent at worst. Mostly this fell on Emily Piggot because at the end of the day, she's the head of this branch. Big PR hit to the organization, though they're trying to keep the actual capes separate from the bureaucratic fallout to save some face.

Which I can agree with that, the system is fucked not the individual.

But what really surprised me was learning about the federal laws regarding purposefully causing trigger events. Turns out there are extensive statutes in place with equally harsh punishments, which makes complete sense when you consider the sheer random nature of these events. It would be catastrophic if someone triggered and their power turned out to be explosions or radiation emission. Entire city blocks could be vaporized in an instant.

Since Sophia was identified as the primary architect of the campaign against Taylor, and with everything else they uncovered that some members from the PRT had been actively trying to hide, she's looking at serious time if not life in a Parahuman prison. The prosecution is treating her case as the example they need to send a message since she was also a public figure.

It's the only way for the PRT to limit the damage they've already suffered. And there have been some voices that are already calling for Piggot's replacement, but the woman will only leave that seat if she dies.

Futaba is trying to dig deeper into that, but she actually prefers that Emily Piggot doesn't get replaced right now. Apparently, that would leave Thomas Calvert—aka Coil—as the most likely candidate to become the new PRT ENE director. And that would be bad news for everyone, because of course it would fucking be.

So in other words, Sophia Hess absolutely hates me.

And I can live with that. 

She was the same type that would have tortured the old me back when I was a skinny, scrawny guy. Everyone has problems and ways to deal with them, but that isn't an excuse to use others as punching bags or torture them for entertainment.

If there's any consolation for the little sociopath, it's that unlike the vast majority of kids who get sent to juvie and then transferred to adult prison and forgotten, she'll actually receive the psychological help that's mandated in these cases. Assuming she doesn't age out of the juvenile system before her appeals run out.

Though given the federal charges, that's looking unlikely. Since the PRT ENE is getting reinforcements.

The school administrators and everyone else involved got the full weight of the law dropped on them too, but they're not really important enough to remember. Negligent supervision, failure to report suspected abuse, violation of student welfare; the usual litany of charges that comes with systematic institutional failure.

One might think they all got off lightly, that it wasn’t enough, but Taylor is happy and thankful at the end of the day, and that's enough for me. 

Mostly because that meant that I completed one of my main company missions 'Long Awaited Justice'. And this just netted me the full 70 credits.

So I quickly used 50 credits to pay a good chunk off my debt and kept the rest as emergency funds. Having a financial cushion feels good. Never know when I might need to buy something crucial or keep making loan payments if the credit flow dries up.

As I finish compressing another cube made out of an abandoned ship hull, the twisted, rusted steel groaning one final time before settling into a perfect cubic shape, I place it carefully on top of my growing tower of compressed trash, now standing as tall as I am.

Sixteen cubes in total, made from various scrap materials all compressed and tightly packed. Obviously not entire cars or ships compressed into single cubes; nobody would be able to lift those.

After that, I slide my hands under the makeshift metallic pallet I'd fashioned as a base and lift the entire tower with zero issues. The only thing I have to worry about is maintaining balance, so the tower doesn't crumble.

I carry the tower of trash toward the edge of the graveyard, where somebody will pick it up by tomorrow morning, still don’t know who did it but probably it will be the government waste management or something. By then, all this scrap will be gone, probably to be processed and recycled into something useful or just disposed of in the proper way.

Community service at its finest.

As I set the tower down with a heavy thud that sends a small tremor through the ground, I notice something unusual back where Taylor is training by moving heavy washing machines. 

She isn't alone anymore.

I blink, making sure I'm seeing this correctly. Mirko, the rabbit hero who usually spends her time looking for fights, is standing next to the high schooler—actually teaching her. The rabbit-eared woman is teaching the girl.

That's definitely a surprise. I didn't think she'd be the type to help with something like that.

But there she is, showing Taylor the correct form and even demonstrating by example. And from what I can see, Taylor is paying rapt attention, the same focused attention she gives when I'm instructing her.

Huh. Maybe there's more to that woman than just the adrenaline junkie persona.

So naturally, I make my way back toward them, raising my hand in greeting as I approach.

"WELL MET, NOBLE MIRKO!" I boom across the boat graveyard, my voice carrying easily over the open space. "Your presence brings great joy to this humble training ground! Now we may all unite in our righteous crusade against the forces of evil!"

Both Taylor and Mirko turn toward me as I close the distance. Taylor's face lights up with that eager expression of hers, and she raises her fist enthusiastically.

"For justice!" 

"What fortuitous timing indeed!" I continue, gesturing grandly toward the duo. "To witness my rising flame of justice being stoked by a fellow warrior of righteousness! Together, you shall create an even mightier blaze to illuminate the path of heroism!"

‘Thanks, brain. Really outdid yourself with that one.’

Mirko rolls her eyes, but I catch the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Yeah, yeah, big guy. Your brat here was about to wreck her spine with that shoddy form, so I figured I'd fix it before she ends up in a bed."

'Your brat.' Well, that's not inaccurate at this point. Although it would be more like a protégé.

"I was doing it wrong for weeks," Taylor admits, looking slightly embarrassed, scratching her cheek. "But she showed me how to use my whole body instead of just my arms. It makes so much more sense now."

But she was doing properly when I was cheering for her, or maybe she changed when alone.

"Of course it does," Mirko says with a smirk, crossing her arms. "Technique beats brute force every time. Well, most of the time." She glances at me pointedly. "Some people are just walking cheat codes."

Heh, true.

"You speak wisdom, friend Mirko!" I proclaim, striking a heroic pose. "For even the mightiest strength is nothing without proper foundation! A hero must master both body and spirit to truly serve justice!"

Taylor nods eagerly. "Exactly! I can do whatever you throw at me!"

Mirko's grin turns predatory. "Oh, is that so? We'll see about that." She looks between Taylor and me. "How about we make this interesting? A little three-way training session. See if the student can keep up with both teachers."

I have a feeling that she will be challenging me with the excuse of training. But obviously, True Might doesn’t cower against a challenge.

"EXCELLENT PROPOSITION!" I declare, thumping my chest. "Let this day mark the forging of an even stronger champion of justice! Through shared trials and noble effort, our bonds of justice fellowship shall grow ever stronger!"

Taylor pumps her fist again. "Yes! For the true flames of our justice!"

Mirko stretches her arms above her head, letting out a satisfied groan. "Alright, cool. You both agreed, so let's start with something easy like—"

However, she stops dead in her tracks, her rabbit ears twitching and swiveling toward a specific direction. Her expression shifts from casual confidence to sharp alertness as she frowns, focusing intently on a specific direction.

I follow her gaze but see nothing for a moment, just the usual maze of rusted metal and debris. Then a piece of scrap falls off one of the larger piles with a metallic clang. Which is way too much of a coincidence.

"Is something wrong?" Taylor is the one to ask.

"I heard somebody, not something," Mirko says curtly, her stance shifting into a more combat-ready position.. "Someone's been sneaking up on us this whole time. Real amateur hour stealth work."

She's pretty perceptive. Those ears aren't just for show.

Before I can respond with some booming declaration about confronting lurking threats, Mirko beats me to it.

"OI!" she shouts toward the scrap pile. "WE KNOW YOU'RE THERE! COME OUT NOW OR I'LL KICK YOUR ASS!"

There's silence for the first few seconds, tension building as we all stare at the pile of debris. Then a black-gloved hand slowly emerges from behind the scrap, followed by a second one, both raised in clear surrender.

"Okay, okay! Don't shoot! Wait, nobody has guns here, right? Right?! Actually, some do but those heroes aren’t here so it’s okay!"

Finally, a head appears; revealing a man in a skintight black suit with a distinctive white half-mask covering part of his face.

Oh, for fuck's sake.

I instantly recognize that costume. Twice, the third member of the idiotic trio of Brockton Bay that includes Uber and Leet.

"H-hey, not trying anything bad here!" he calls out nervously, staying behind the cover of the scrap pile. "I just wanted to make sure you wouldn't, you know, immediately attack me! Give me a chance to explain! Though attacking first and asking questions later is pretty standard hero duty!"

Mirko just crosses her arms, her expression clearly annoyed. "Well, you've got about ten seconds before I decide you're wasting our time. Start talking or start running."

"HOLD, MY NOBLE FRIEND!" I declare, stepping slightly forward. "A True champion of justice always listens before acting! Speak your piece, misguided citizen! What brings you to seek an audience with the forces of justice?"

At least let's hear what he wants before Mirko punts him into the next district. And she is itching to do it.

Twice visibly relaxes at my words and slowly approaches, hands still partially raised. "Thanks, True Might! I really appreciate this! Though I totally understand why she's suspicious—I would be too in your shoes!"

"Get to the point," Mirko growls, clearly impatient.

"Right, right!" Twice stops a safe distance away, fidgeting nervously. "Look, I... I need help. Just me. And I know how that sounds coming from someone like me, but I'm kind of desperate here!"

Mirko raises an eyebrow. "What about your two shithead partners? Where are Uber and Leet?"

Twice's shoulders drop in defeat, and he lets out a heavy sigh. "They... they left. Packed up everything and just... left. Flew to South America a few days ago."

Both Mirko and I pause at that. Taylor looks confused.

"Wait, what?" Mirko asks, clearly not expecting that answer.

Twice rubs the back of his head awkwardly. "Yeaaahhh, they got scared shitless after the whole Earthshard thing almost killed them. You know, when that psycho cape nearly buried us alive in concrete? Well, they took all the money we made from our job and savings before buying plane tickets out of the country! Since we had a joint account... well, I've got nothing now!"

"Hold on," Taylor interjects, looking between us in confusion. "Uber and Leet actually left Brockton Bay? Just like that?"

"Yep!" Twice says, trying to sound cheerful but failing. "Can't really blame them, honestly! I probably would've done the same thing! But they didn't exactly include me in their plans, which kinda hurts, but whatever! Friends, right?!"

"So you need help because you're broke?" Taylor asks, trying to piece together the situation.

I just listen to get the full picture.

Twice makes a so-so gesture with his hand. "Not exactly? I mean, I'd figure out the money thing, eventually! I was kind of the one managing the finances for our group. Done it before! But the real problem is that I need protection from the ABB."

"What?" 

"Yeaaahhh," Twice draws out the word nervously. "Somehow they found out I'm Japanese, and apparently that means I should be working for them! When I told them I wasn't interested—politely, I swear!—they sent Oni Lee after me!"

That's actually serious. And how can they keep doing that despite they had their hands full lately?

Mirko's expression shifts from annoyed to curious "Oni Lee? Lung’s pet assassin? They sent him after you?"

"Two times this week!" Twice exclaims, his voice cracking slightly. "Do you have any idea how terrifying it is to have a guy who can make explosive clones of himself hunting you down? Because it's really, really terrifying! Also kind of ironic given my power! Those two got my clones, and he just went straight to maim them!"

"Evil indeed!" I shout. "The forces of evil have methods that are both cruel and unjust! No soul should face such persecution simply for trying to follow the shining path of justice!"

Twice nods frantically. "Exactly! I just want to lie low and maybe figure out a way to get out of the city without getting blown up! Is that too much to ask?!"

Well, this explains why he's desperate enough to approach me. Being hunted by Oni Lee is basically a death sentence for most people.

Mirko looks at me, then back at Twice. "And you came here because...?"

"Because True Might's got a reputation for helping people who ask nicely! Like he helped those ABB capes weeks ago!" Twice gestures enthusiastically toward me. "He's always screaming 'justice this, justice that!' So he's the safe bet at the moment, since the PRT thinks I'm a Master and they consider all Masters as villains that should be sent to the Birdcage! And Leet's past comments and arguing on the forums didn't help one bit!"

Wait, what ABB capes? When did I—oh right, that thing when Mirko and I attacked their territory and ended up helping Dusty Ash and the Gust boy who were strong-armed to join the ABB. Now they are somewhere in the United States as new capes.

However, Mirko frowns, crossing her arms. "How can you NOT be a Master? You make clones or duplicates of whatever you want to call them, and you can control them and use them. That's literally what a Master is."

Twice frantically shakes his head and waves his hands. "No, no, no! I'm not a Master! I can't directly control my duplicates! I got into deep shit when my younger self tried to control my copies—almost created a full rebellion against me! I barely saved myself from a nasty free-for-all deathmatch!"

Okay, even if he is saying this I don't really know the specifics guidelines or rules about power classifications beyond the very basics, but this is starting to sound complicated and technical.

Mirko just snorts dismissively. "You're lying. I've seen the videos online of your little trio's 'adventures,' and that looked pretty much like direct control to me. Aka, a master."

And she is cracking her knuckles and showing a savage grin.

"I only give suggestions to my copies!" Twice tries to explain desperately, his voice rising in pitch. "And yeah, my clones seemed controlled in those videos, but all the videos on the internet are without context. That was because we all shared the same goal—like not dying to that Nazi psycho girl! When I create duplicates, they have their own autonomy and personalities identical to the original! It's like having identical twins with the same memories!"

That’s an explanation, but I don't really know how the classification system works. Like, super strength and durability make me a Brute. I thought a Master would be somebody capable of controlling others, not creating autonomous copies. If what he is saying is true.

Mirko tilts her head, looking skeptical, then steps protectively in front of Taylor. "Prove it then."

"Okay, fair point!" Twice says, reaching into a pouch on his belt and pulling out a measuring tape. "I can show you right here, right now, how my power works if you'll let me! Just need to take some measurements!"

Mirko looks at me questioningly. I give her a reassuring nod, though I keep myself ready to intervene if this goes sideways.

Although the chances of that happening is so abysmally low.

She sighs and groans in defeat, probably disappointed that she doesn’t get a chance to fight. "Fine. Get it over with. But this better not be something creepy."

"Cool!" Twice exclaim before he starts taking measurements of Mirko from a respectful distance. Then he asks a few questions about her height, weight, and other physical details. And other questions like favorite food and opinion on certain things.

Mirko answers them with growing annoyance and impatience. "This better not be some weird fetish thing or I'll introduce you to the business end of my boot."

"Nope, just need accurate data! Trust me on this one," Twice nods and gives a thumbs up. Then he extends his hands, and a brownish substance shoots from them almost like thick liquid. 

Ah, it's mud.

From that , another Mirko rises to her full height. completely indistinguishable from the original, down to the last detail of her costume and expression. Who quickly looks at Mirko and lets out a long whistle. “Nice.”

"Whoa," the original rabbit hero says, blinking in surprise as she start checking herself out.. "That's... actually pretty impressive. Damn, I knew I looked good but not this good."

Taylor stares in amazement. "It looks exactly like you! Even the scuff marks on your boots!"

I agree. That’s pretty cool power, not gonna lie.

But then Twice clears his throat loudly getting everyone's attention. "Hey, Mirko clone! Show me your—"

"DON'T YOU DARE FINISH THAT SENTENCE!" both the original and clone Mirko shout simultaneously.

And immediately, the clone spits directly on Twice's masked face, her expression twisted with disgust and rage.

"I should kick your teeth in!" the clone snaps, taking an aggressive step toward Twice, while he stumbles backward with both hands raised in surrender.

"Whoa, whoa! It was just a test! Just proving a point!" Twice protests, wiping spit off his mask.

Well, that definitely helps his case about not being able to control them.

The original Mirko stares at her clone, then at Twice, then back at her clone, her expression shifting from anger to genuine curiosity. "Okay... that's actually exactly how I would have reacted. Same timing, same level of disgust, everything. And fuck you, creep."

"See?!" Twice says, still wiping his face. "I can't control them! They react exactly like the original would! My copies have their own free will and personality! Though getting spit on wasn't part of the plan!"

The clone crosses her arms, mirroring the original's posture perfectly. "Maybe don't ask creepy questions next time, dipshit."

"I can see sincerity in your words, misguided citizen!!" I finally speak up. “This is truly a first step towards the righteous path of redemption and becoming another ally of justice!”

I don’t really think so, but it’s the best response for now.

“Huh, it is weird to see you now, big guy.” The clone holds her chin. "Yeah, this is weird. I remember being the original, but I also know I'm a copy. It's like having two sets of the same memories and feeling like being in two places at the same time." And then she turns to look at Twice. “This isn’t permanent, right?”

Twice shrugs in an exaggerated manner. "They usually dissolve after a while, or if they take too much damage. So don't worry about that! Though that would be kinda awesome, not gonna lie."

Mirko is still examining her clone with obvious curiosity, walking in a slow circle around her duplicate. "This is seriously weird. It's like looking in a perfect mirror that moves independently."

The clone shifts uncomfortably under the scrutiny, her rabbit ears twitching with obvious awkwardness. "Okay, this is getting creepy now. Can I be creeped out by myself? Could you maybe stop staring? Or better yet, could you just dissolve me already? This is just weird."

"Yeah, fair point," Twice accepts readily and snaps his fingers. The clone immediately dissolves into a puddle of greyish mud that quickly evaporates.

The real Mirko blinks at the empty space where her duplicate had been standing. "Huh. That was... actually pretty cool. Weird as hell, but cool."

Twice straightens up hopefully, looking directly at me. "So... can you help me now? I know it's asking a lot, but I'm kind of running out of options here! And by running out, I mean I'm basically at rock bottom!"

I rub my chin as I start thinking about it, mostly what I can actually do to help. I don't really know how to handle this personally—I'd have to talk with Futaba about it since sending him to the PRT obviously isn't a good option given what he said, and I don't want to send this guy to what amounts to a death sentence in the Birdcage.

Before I can respond, Twice takes a deep breath and makes another sudden decision. "Look, I'll even unmask and reveal my identity to you! Right here, right now!"

That catches Mirko completely off guard, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "Wait, seriously? You're willing to go that far?"

I share that surprise. He jumped to that offer way too quickly. I know that capes guard their identities with their lives, after all.

"I know it sounds desperate because it totally is!” Twice quickly tries to rationalize his offer, gesturing frantically. “But I know I can trust you, True Might! You've got a reputation for justice and helping people! And obviously I'd only reveal it to you—just you! Well, unless you think the others should know too, but that's your call!"

I let out a hearty laugh and reached over to give him a strong pat on the back that nearly sent him stumbling forward.

"I commend your courage and determination in seeking to make amends for past mistakes!" I boom approvingly. "I can see the potential within you to become another flame in the great fire of never-ending justice!"

"So you'll help me?!" Twice asks, hope flooding his voice.

"OF COURSE I WILL!" I give him a confident thumbs up.

Mirko rolls her eyes at my theatrical response. "Here we go again with the justice speeches..."

"That's so cool!" Taylor exclaims.

I turn to look at Mirko and Taylor, my expression becoming more serious despite maintaining my heroic posture. "Since this request was made in trust and good faith, I must honor it and ask for privacy during our discussion!"

Mirko clicks her tongue in mild annoyance but nods understanding. "Yeah, yeah, secret hero business. I get it." Taylor also nods, though she looks curious about what we'll be discussing.

The rabbit heroine suddenly grabs Taylor by the shoulder with a predatory grin. "Well, while the big guy handles his charity case, I'm gonna teach you how to jump good."

"Wait, what kind of jumping—" Taylor starts to protest, but moments later they both disappear in a blur of motion as Mirko literally carries her away to another section of the boat graveyard.

Well, that's one way to clear the area. And that girl will be fine with the rabbit hero.

I pretend to pull out my phone, actually summoning it from my pocket space, and quickly type a message to Futaba explaining the situation in brief terms.

Her response comes back almost immediately: 

'Put him on speaker.'

The call comes through moments later, and I answer, turning the phone so Twice can hear.

Twice looks hesitant as he glances at me, but I give him a reassuring smile and nod.

"Friend Oracle," I say into the phone. "We require your glorious expertise to help a misguided citizen find the path to justice!"

"Yeah, got it. Twice, right? Talk to me. What's the full situation?"

Twice launches into his explanation again, this time for Oracle's benefit, detailing Oni Lee's pursuit, his partners abandoning him, and the fallout from their job in Empire territory, which pretty much confirms that it was Contessa who paid them to poke the nest so I would come to rescue them. However, then he adds something completely new.

"But it isn’t the ABB I’m worried about," he pauses as he gulps. "Just yesterday I saw from a camera that was destroyed that a group had broken into my old hideout. They didn't look like gang members though—more like soldiers, or mercenaries. Professional types with military gear and everything!"

There's a long moment of silence from the phone before Futaba sighs heavily, and I can practically hear her rubbing her temples.

"...Those were Coil's men."

"C-COIL?!" Twice shouts in shock, his voice cracking with terror.

Even I raise an eyebrow in surprise. I thought that man was incapacitated due to my company's defenses screwing with his power, hence he didn’t show up all this time. That would mean he's back in action, or maybe Lisa failed despite being given his name and location and she is dead or she hasn’t made a move.

"Listen very carefully…" Futaba continues, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "Lung getting his hands on you would already be catastrophically bad. Think about it—an army of Lungs that could raze the entire city, or infinite numbers of gang members or use you to create more girls for his disgusting farms. There's no limit to the damage he could cause to this city. This is clearly a response to everything I was doing to weaken them, getting you would help them to bounce back stronger than before."

That sounds bad.

"But if Coil gets you? That's straight-up game over for this city. Coil could instantly expand his operations everywhere, get unlimited resources for his schemes, and basically become unstoppable. Our big himbo here will survive it, but a LOT, and I mean a LOT of innocent people definitely won't. And the PRT will be gone."

"Holy shit," Twice whispers, holding his head in his hands with dawning horror. "I... I didn't think of any of that. I just thought they wanted me for small-time stuff! Territory disputes and petty crime! Not fucking mass murder!"

He quickly reaches up and pulls off his mask, revealing blonde hair and gray-blue eyes with no eyebrows in a square-shaped face. He has visible traces of facial hair over his mouth and at the bottom of his chin—clearly a full adult, somewhere in his late twenties or early thirties.

"J-Jin Bubaigawara!" he declares desperately, his voice cracking. "That's my real name! My real identity! So now what the hell should I do? I really, REALLY don't want to be captured by any of them, much less die!"

"Well, shit…" Oracle's voice comes through the phone, echoing my exact thoughts. "Let me think of something quick."

No kidding. 

There's the sound of rapid typing through the phone before the geeky girl continues. "Okay, I've been monitoring PRT personnel changes since the whole Winslow lawsuit thing and my contacts and let me tell you something quite obvious. The PRT ENE took a massive hit to their staff numbers after they opened that can of worms."

I check my surroundings again.

"I mean they had to clean house, big time," Futaba explains, her voice taking on that analytical tone she gets when she's processing data. "Turns out a good chunk of their personnel were either directly corrupt, complicit in cover-ups, or just generally incompetent. They used the scandal as an excuse to fire a lot of dead weight, but as a consequence of that now they're severely understaffed. And if you are wondering why I’m telling you this is because we have your identity so I think it is pretty obvious that I don’t have to explain to you why, right?"

Jin looks confused at first but nods. "Okay, but what does that have to do with me? I told you that the PRT wants me Birdcaged!"

"That's where it gets interesting," Futaba continues, and I can practically hear her grinning through the phone. "The PRT are opportunistic as hell, and they wouldn't miss a chance like this. Even with Director Piggot being notoriously anti-cape, she'd still be forced to accept what her superiors tell her to do."

"I'm not following," Jin says, looking between me and the phone.

"Think about it, clone boy," Futaba says patiently. "You can make perfect duplicates of people, and you're not actually a Master since you can't control them. That makes you incredibly valuable for filling personnel gaps. Need more security guards? Clone some. Need administrative staff? Clone some. Need people for dangerous situations? Send in clones instead of risking real lives."

Oh. That's... actually brilliant.

"INDEED!" I boom, the implications hitting me. "Your power could be used to serve justice and protect the innocent! Rather than being seen as a threat, you could become an invaluable asset to lady justice!"

Jin's eyes widen as he processes this. "You mean... they'd actually want me? Not as a prisoner, but as an employee?"

"Exactly," Futaba confirms. "And here's the kicker—True Might could vouch for you. As much as Director Piggot probably hates to admit it, our big himbo's word carries significant weight these days. His reputation is golden, and if he personally recommends you for rehabilitation and employment..."

She trails off, letting the implication sink in.

"That is not a bad idea at all, my friend!" I declare, my mind already working through the possibilities. "Your redemption could serve as another shining example of my glorious justice to other misguided souls! From villain to hero, walking alongside the path of justice!"

Plus, it would get him out of danger from both the ABB and Coil. Armsmaster and Dragon would keep him around, and Coil must have lost plenty of his moles since Piggot cleaned house.

Jin looks stunned, running a hand across his hair. "You... you really think they'd take me? "

"Listen, Jin—can I call you Jin?—your crimes are pretty small-scale compared to what most villains do in this city," Futaba says pragmatically. "Property damage, some theft, public disturbance. Uber and Leet would have been sent straight to jail because they hurt a lot of people in their stupidity. And so far in your file, you have nothing that screams 'irredeemable monster' or a psychotic mass killer, or a giant turd. Plus, you came to us asking for help instead of doubling down on villainy. I would have sent Glory girl on your ass if you did tho."

She would have broken an arm or leg, most likely.

"That's gotta count for something, right?" Jin asks through a strained smile.

"IT COUNTS FOR EVERYTHING!" I proclaim, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "The first step on the path to redemption is acknowledging the need for change! You have already taken that step!"

"Okay, but what about the whole 'running from Oni Lee' situation?" Jin asks. "I can't exactly walk into PRT headquarters while there's a bounty on my head."

"Leave that to me," Futaba says confidently. "We can work something out."

"Plus," Futaba continues, "think about it from their perspective. They're desperate for personnel, you have a useful power, and taking you in makes them look good for the damaged PR department. So this will be a boost to their image."

Jin runs a hand through his blonde hair. "This is... this is way better than anything I was hoping for. You really think it could work?"

"I think it's your best shot at staying alive and maybe even doing some good," Futaba says bluntly. "Better than running from teleporting suicide bombers for the rest of your probably very short life. Or never see the light of the day."

"INDEED!" I agree enthusiastically. "This path offers not just safety, but purpose! The chance to use your abilities in the service of justice and protection of the innocent!"

Jin nods slowly, a tired smile starting to form on his face. "Okay. Okay, yeah. Let's do it. Where do we start?"

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

-Futaba Sakura, Oracle-

Futaba sat with her feet propped up on her desk, absently chewing on the end of a pen while staring at her screens. Her mind had wandered to a problem she'd somehow overlooked until now: Jin. Or Twice, depending on which personality was fronting at any given moment.

How had she completely forgotten about him after Daniel went to save the trio? A guy with that kind of power had serious potential—he was literally a one-man army capable of doubling anything, including himself. The limitless possibilities were mind-blowing, yet somehow he'd slipped through her mental catalog of important players until he'd unmasked himself to her and Daniel during that awkward encounter earlier today.

At least he didn't seem mentally unstable like his canon counterpart had been, just a little eccentric. But there was definitely some kind of split personality thing going on based on their earlier conversation. Twice had sounded confident and boisterous while Jin appeared more shy and nervous when the mask came off. From what she remembered of the original timeline, he'd suffered severe psychological issues stemming from overusing his power until his clones had turned on each other in a brutal free-for-all. Apparently none of that had manifested here, as he'd stopped himself in time. Either way, it was definitely a good thing if they were going to work together.

Still, she hadn't been lying about Coil being a complete game-over scenario if he got his hands on Jin. Coil already had virtually infinite resources through his split timeline thingy, but with Jin under his control? He could run even more perfect simulations, kidnap every cape in the city and use Jin to clone them so nobody would notice they were missing. Or clone himself to expand operations to multiple cities simultaneously. He could even use a clone to completely separate his civilian identity from his cape identity, making it impossible to ever connect the two. That would force any opposition to go directly after him, giving him more than ample time to escape or just blow half the city out of spite.

Yeah, she was definitely worried about that possibility. Coil still maintained his grip on parts of the PRT, though thankfully she'd managed to incriminate many of his moles—both the knowing collaborators and those who were unaware of their compromised status. It had sucked throwing some potentially innocent people under the bus like that, but it was a necessary sacrifice to buy more time and reduce his influence within the organization.

She shifted position, crossing one leg over the other as she continued mulling over the situation. The pieces on the board were shifting rapidly, and she needed to stay three steps ahead of everyone else if she wanted to—

Her secure phone suddenly vibrated against the desk, making her nearly jump out of her chair. She quickly repositioned herself, bending forward and almost launching her feet off the desk as she sat up properly. Her glasses slid down her nose, and she caught them just before they could fall completely off her face.

Grabbing the phone, she checked the message. It was from one of Lisa's alternate accounts.

'I accept.'

Futaba's face split into a wide grin as she quickly typed back.

'Cool beans.'

“I knew it, girl. I knew it.” 

She slid back into her original position; the chair creaking softly as she leaned back and propped her feet up on the desk again. With her hands clasped behind her head, she gazed up at the ceiling with a satisfied grin.

It felt good to finally take the first step to become those super cool shadowy bosses.

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

AN: Futaba won't be seated and wait all the time right?

And Mirko has a big brain time