I was a little surprised that Sarah excused herself when we landed in Tokyo. She made a quick trip to the bathroom and I changed clothes before she came out with the same happy smile on her face. When she saw that I had changed out of my costume and now wore civilian clothes, her happy smile changed to a forced one.
I knew what that meant, so I blurred and changed back into my costume, only without the cape. Her smile changed back to a happy one, so I offered my arm and she took it as I led her on a little walk around one of the parks that was near the city center. She chatted about her life and I nodded and made sounds of agreement when she asked me something.
When it was time, I led her across the park towards a bar that had a dance floor. Her happy smile didn't change as we were let in right away and then we were hopping around the dance floor like fools. She had several drinks and then she admitted to me that she loved my muscles and my costume, because it let her see a whole lot of them at the same time.
I didn't let my dismay show, because I had hoped that she wasn't that shallow. I knew she was turned on by my abilities; but, I had assumed that she liked me for me, because we had made the date before she saw me in my costume or knew what I could do. I was disappointed that she couldn't see Connor through my Supreme identity, which put her firmly into the fan category.
I still took her to the top of the Tokyo Skytree when we were finished dancing at the bar, as promised. I did not try to kiss her or anything, however. Sarah caught on immediately and her happy smile disappeared completely.
“You're not happy.” Sarah whispered as she looked out over the Tokyo skyline.
“Unfortunately, no.” I said without taking her hand. “I'm not feeling any connection between us.”
Sarah gave me a forlorn look. “Was it my admission that I liked your muscles that turned you off?”
I shook my head. “Lots of girls like the muscles. It's kind of why I worked so hard to develop them.” I said and then sighed. “I don't want to say the reason.”
Sarah turned to face me. “It was because I said that.”
I turned to face her as well. “No, it was... it was because you only said that.”
“What do you mean?” Sarah asked and looked a little confused.
“I could be anyone. Anyone at all. As long as I had muscles that you could look at and touch, it doesn't matter who I am or what I am.” I said and her face lost all expression. “You don't care if I want to save the world or kill everyone in it. All you see is my body and all you care about is what you can do with it if I let you.”
Sarah's face didn't change from the blank state and I knew that I had guessed correctly.
“I think I better take you back.” I said and she opened her mouth, then she closed it without saying anything. I picked her up in a princess carry and she didn't put her arms around my neck to hold on, which meant I had made my point.
Rather than leave in the normal way, I lifted up into the air from the balcony and flew over Tokyo. Sarah didn't look around at anything and just kept her gaze on her clasped hands in her lap.
I held in my sigh and flew us all the way back to Endeavor's agency. I landed and set her on her feet, then held the front door open for her. We signed in and went to the elevator. She held a hand up to stop me from getting onto the elevator with her and I nodded and the doors closed. I zoomed up the stairway instead and went to my room.
Rachel and Amanda were there waiting for me.
“You knew?” I asked and they both nodded. “You didn't warn me because you were testing me.”
“Yes, and you passed.” Rachel said and Amanda pulled me into a hug. “You didn't jump into things and you assessed the situation properly.”
“You also didn't do her just because she was only into the physical part.” Amanda said and kissed my cheek. “That not only takes intelligence, it takes restraint and moral fibre.”
Rachel nodded and stepped close to us as she looked up into my face. “You listened to what we've been telling you and you made your own choices. You weren't rash or made another mistake.” She said and gave me a kiss. “You've grown a lot wiser since you've been here at the agency.”
I almost laughed at her. “I still make mistakes.”
“Yes you can; but, you don't have to suffer from them when you catch them quickly.” Amanda said. “All agencies have the potential to have women like Burnin and Sarah working there. If you aren't careful, you can get sucked in and then you will have no choice but to deal with the consequences for as long as you work there.”
I took a deep breath and let it out. I had to admit that they really had prepared me well for the situation and that if it wasn't for them and their advice, I might have fallen into bed with someone that was just like Ming. Someone that was more obsessed with the thought of Supreme than they ever were for Conner.
“Thank you.” I said and gave Rachel a soft kiss, then did the same for Amanda. “Thank you both.”
Rachel and Amanda gave me happy smiles and led me over to my bed. I took them both for several hours and then let them sleep. I pretended that I was tired and kept my eyes closed and thought about everthing.
My foray into the professional hero world was fraught with dangers that neither Izuku nor I could have fathomed. Lois had some idea, since she had done her best to weather the scene with Clark's horrendous career in the same field. She couldn't know that there were such hidden dangers, especially because Clark had been such a huge boy scout that no one would ever approach him for questionable things.
By the time the morning arrived, both Amanda and Rachel were well rested and I only played with them a little before we dressed for the day and I joined Rachel as her assistant. Amanda made a sad face at not getting me for the morning, so I had to promise that I would be her assistant the next day.
The morning passed before we knew it and I spent lunch with the Flaming Sidekicks before we went on our patrol shift. We stopped several minor crimes, a burglary and two muggings, and returned to the agency to sign in and ate supper together.
Soon the weekend was upon me and I was surprised that there was no regular hero shift for the Flaming Sidekicks. They were changing shifts to the evenings and had two days off. Well, they did. I was assigned to the receptionist on Saturday and spent the entire day being her paperwork gofer. Not only did she appreciate my work, she had a second preview of what having a temporary assistant would be like.
The look on her face when the day was over, almost made me shiver. It was full of desire and her eyes were full of longing. Thankfully, I now knew when to retreat, so I bid her a good evening and beat feet out of there and went to my room. I wasn't surprised that no one was there, considering both Rachel and Amanda had lives of their own.
I changed for bed and went to sleep, once again all alone. For some reason, I didn't mind it this time.
*WHEET! WHEET! WHEET!*
I hopped out of bed and hit the button by the bed.
“All hero sidekicks! There's been an attack in the district! Please report to your handlers for immediate assignment!”
This was it! I thought with excitement and immediately changed into my costume without the cape. I was not going to need to look good tonight and I jumped out my window without going down to the hero sidekick meeting. I didn't actually have a handler, so I wasn't required to be there.
I flew at my best speed towards the rising smoke that I could see when my cell phone rang. “Hello?”
“Get your ass over here!” Izuku shouted.
“I'm almost at the smoke now.” I said.
“We're about two blocks west of that!” Izuku responded.
“I'm there!” I said and cracked a sonic boom before I slammed into the pavement in front of Izuku, who held an armored person in his arms. The shower of concrete pieces flew out in front of me and pelted a sword-carrying villain... the very one I needed to confront.
“A new false hero!” The hero-killer Stain spat at me.
“Fuck you, too.” I said and blew freezing breath at him.
Stain partially dodged out of the way and only a leg and an arm were caught. It was enough, though. “You... what...”
“Sorry, Joker.” I said and Stain's eyes widened as I grabbed him by the neck. “You won't jeopardize anyone else like you did All Might and my father.”
“WaiiIIIIIITTTT!” Stain yelled as we shot straight up into the upper atmosphere.
I broke the sound barrier twice before the air was too thin to detect it. I didn't stop flying, though. Stain's mouth moved as he tried to yell at me and he used his knives to try and cut me. I didn't laugh at his pathetic attempts to damage me, not even when he pulled out a green tinted blade.
Stain grinned at me and swung at my neck... and the blade glanced off and didn't do anything.
“Do you really think I wouldn't train myself to remove my father's weakness, you moron?” I asked with the last of the air in my lungs and then I threw him as hard as I could.
The shocked look on his face was one that I would remember for a long time. The cell phone photo would help a lot with that, too.
I floated there at the edge of the atmosphere and watched as the Joker's body quickly froze over and drifted off into the darkness of space. With no real resistance to cause drag, I was sure that he would continue on that trajectory for the rest of time. He would also be perfectly preserved, not that anyone would ever go out there to retrieve him.
I laughed in my head and flew back down to where Izuku was and then diverted to where the Nomus were. A quick blast of heat vision blinded the creatures and no one knew that it was me, which was perfect. I went back to Izuku and he gave me a knowing smile as I landed, then I helped him with the student from UA and brought him to a nearby ambulance.
“We've got work to do to help the people that were hurt and the damaged properties.” Izuku told Ida Tenya and the paramedic, then he took my arm and we walked off. “Where is he?”
“Probably going past the moon right now.” I said.
Izuku gave me a pointed look, then he laughed. “You've saved me some paperwork, anyway.”
“What about that guy?” I asked and pointed with a thumb over my shoulder.
“He was going for revenge.” Izuku said with a shrug.
I nodded, because that meant the guy wouldn't say anything. Not that he knew much, anyway.
“Gran Torino went after the big Nomu. Want to give him a hand?” Izuku asked.
“I already did.” I said and pointed to my eyes and then at Izuku's.
“Ha! Stopped them dead without eyeballs!” Izuku said and laughed.
“Yep! Quickest way with almost no fuss.” I said and Izuku clapped me on the back.
“Clean-up it is.” Izuku said and we did just that for the rest of the night.
*
Lois sat on the couch the next morning and watched the latest report on the hero killer. She shivered as she remembered the last time the man had caused havoc among the ranks of the heroes and the hero agencies. It had been a massacre and she still couldn't understand how the crazy fool could have escaped.
Her cell phone beeped and she couldn't make sense of what she was seeing. It was ridiculous. There was no possible way it was real. When she checked the sender, she gasped and quickly dialed.
“CONNOR! You did NOT go looking for STAIN! YOU PROMISED ME!” Lois yelled into the phone.
“Good morning, Lois.” Connor's voice said. “How are you today?”
“Don't you dare evade me!” Lois spat.
“I didn't go looking for him. Izuku called and asked me to come help. I arrived, saw Stain, and now he's on his way out past Jupiter.”
Lois stopped talking for several moments. “You... you really...”
“I promised that I wouldn't apprehend him or try to bring him in.” Connor said. “I kept my word. He's still free and no authority on the planet will ever catch him.”
Lois stared at her cell phone for another few moments, then she started laughing. She laughed and laughed until she started crying and hugged the cell phone. “Connor... Connor... Connor...”
Connor was suddenly right there on the couch with her and pulled her into a hug. “Lois, I'm here.”
“Connor!” Lois gasped and dropped the cell phone as she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him as tightly as she could. “The knife! I SAW THE KNIFE!”
Connor chuckled and rubbed her back. “It's okay, Lois. It didn't cut me. Not even a little bit.”
“H-h-how? How?” Lois asked as her tears slowed down.
“I've worked very hard to not have the same weaknesses.” Connor said. “Remember my hero name.”
“S-Supreme.” Lois said and eased her hold slightly to lean back and look at his face.
“I have to be better.” Connor said and smiled. “I won't stop until I am. I can't.”
“Connor.” Lois whispered.
“You'll see it for yourself, Lois.” Connor said. “The city... the whole world... will know my name.”
Lois wiped at her eyes. “I... after that picture... I believe it.”
Connor looked pleased. “I need to get back before someone decides to check on me.”
Lois nodded and gave him a pointed look. “Don't.”
“Too late.” Connor said and leaned in to give her a passionate kiss.
Lois moaned as he did so and she felt her body react to having him so close. She couldn't help herself and her tongue darted out and fought for dominance. She didn't fight hard, because she didn't want him to think that she always needed to be in control. That was an odd thought to have, then she realized who it was that she was kissing.
Lois broke the kiss and put a hand over her mouth. “Dammit!”
Connor chuckled and stood. “I'll see you next weekend.”
Before Lois could nod, Conner was gone. She looked over at the television screen and then down at her dropped cell phone. A smile grew on her face as she thought about revealing the scoop of the century.
The legendary Hero Killer was dead.
I was a little surprised that Sarah excused herself when we landed in Tokyo. She made a quick trip to the bathroom and I changed clothes before she came out with the same happy smile on her face. When she saw that I had changed out of my costume and now wore civilian clothes, her happy smile changed to a forced one.
I knew what that meant, so I blurred and changed back into my costume, only without the cape. Her smile changed back to a happy one, so I offered my arm and she took it as I led her on a little walk around one of the parks that was near the city center. She chatted about her life and I nodded and made sounds of agreement when she asked me something.
When it was time, I led her across the park towards a bar that had a dance floor. Her happy smile didn't change as we were let in right away and then we were hopping around the dance floor like fools. She had several drinks and then she admitted to me that she loved my muscles and my costume, because it let her see a whole lot of them at the same time.
I didn't let my dismay show, because I had hoped that she wasn't that shallow. I knew she was turned on by my abilities; but, I had assumed that she liked me for me, because we had made the date before she saw me in my costume or knew what I could do. I was disappointed that she couldn't see Connor through my Supreme identity, which put her firmly into the fan category.
I still took her to the top of the Tokyo Skytree when we were finished dancing at the bar, as promised. I did not try to kiss her or anything, however. Sarah caught on immediately and her happy smile disappeared completely.
“You're not happy.” Sarah whispered as she looked out over the Tokyo skyline.
“Unfortunately, no.” I said without taking her hand. “I'm not feeling any connection between us.”
Sarah gave me a forlorn look. “Was it my admission that I liked your muscles that turned you off?”
I shook my head. “Lots of girls like the muscles. It's kind of why I worked so hard to develop them.” I said and then sighed. “I don't want to say the reason.”
Sarah turned to face me. “It was because I said that.”
I turned to face her as well. “No, it was... it was because you only said that.”
“What do you mean?” Sarah asked and looked a little confused.
“I could be anyone. Anyone at all. As long as I had muscles that you could look at and touch, it doesn't matter who I am or what I am.” I said and her face lost all expression. “You don't care if I want to save the world or kill everyone in it. All you see is my body and all you care about is what you can do with it if I let you.”
Sarah's face didn't change from the blank state and I knew that I had guessed correctly.
“I think I better take you back.” I said and she opened her mouth, then she closed it without saying anything. I picked her up in a princess carry and she didn't put her arms around my neck to hold on, which meant I had made my point.
Rather than leave in the normal way, I lifted up into the air from the balcony and flew over Tokyo. Sarah didn't look around at anything and just kept her gaze on her clasped hands in her lap.
I held in my sigh and flew us all the way back to Endeavor's agency. I landed and set her on her feet, then held the front door open for her. We signed in and went to the elevator. She held a hand up to stop me from getting onto the elevator with her and I nodded and the doors closed. I zoomed up the stairway instead and went to my room.
Rachel and Amanda were there waiting for me.
“You knew?” I asked and they both nodded. “You didn't warn me because you were testing me.”
“Yes, and you passed.” Rachel said and Amanda pulled me into a hug. “You didn't jump into things and you assessed the situation properly.”
“You also didn't do her just because she was only into the physical part.” Amanda said and kissed my cheek. “That not only takes intelligence, it takes restraint and moral fibre.”
Rachel nodded and stepped close to us as she looked up into my face. “You listened to what we've been telling you and you made your own choices. You weren't rash or made another mistake.” She said and gave me a kiss. “You've grown a lot wiser since you've been here at the agency.”
I almost laughed at her. “I still make mistakes.”
“Yes you can; but, you don't have to suffer from them when you catch them quickly.” Amanda said. “All agencies have the potential to have women like Burnin and Sarah working there. If you aren't careful, you can get sucked in and then you will have no choice but to deal with the consequences for as long as you work there.”
I took a deep breath and let it out. I had to admit that they really had prepared me well for the situation and that if it wasn't for them and their advice, I might have fallen into bed with someone that was just like Ming. Someone that was more obsessed with the thought of Supreme than they ever were for Conner.
“Thank you.” I said and gave Rachel a soft kiss, then did the same for Amanda. “Thank you both.”
Rachel and Amanda gave me happy smiles and led me over to my bed. I took them both for several hours and then let them sleep. I pretended that I was tired and kept my eyes closed and thought about everthing.
My foray into the professional hero world was fraught with dangers that neither Izuku nor I could have fathomed. Lois had some idea, since she had done her best to weather the scene with Clark's horrendous career in the same field. She couldn't know that there were such hidden dangers, especially because Clark had been such a huge boy scout that no one would ever approach him for questionable things.
By the time the morning arrived, both Amanda and Rachel were well rested and I only played with them a little before we dressed for the day and I joined Rachel as her assistant. Amanda made a sad face at not getting me for the morning, so I had to promise that I would be her assistant the next day.
The morning passed before we knew it and I spent lunch with the Flaming Sidekicks before we went on our patrol shift. We stopped several minor crimes, a burglary and two muggings, and returned to the agency to sign in and ate supper together.
Soon the weekend was upon me and I was surprised that there was no regular hero shift for the Flaming Sidekicks. They were changing shifts to the evenings and had two days off. Well, they did. I was assigned to the receptionist on Saturday and spent the entire day being her paperwork gofer. Not only did she appreciate my work, she had a second preview of what having a temporary assistant would be like.
The look on her face when the day was over, almost made me shiver. It was full of desire and her eyes were full of longing. Thankfully, I now knew when to retreat, so I bid her a good evening and beat feet out of there and went to my room. I wasn't surprised that no one was there, considering both Rachel and Amanda had lives of their own.
I changed for bed and went to sleep, once again all alone. For some reason, I didn't mind it this time.
*WHEET! WHEET! WHEET!*
I hopped out of bed and hit the button by the bed.
“All hero sidekicks! There's been an attack in the district! Please report to your handlers for immediate assignment!”
This was it! I thought with excitement and immediately changed into my costume without the cape. I was not going to need to look good tonight and I jumped out my window without going down to the hero sidekick meeting. I didn't actually have a handler, so I wasn't required to be there.
I flew at my best speed towards the rising smoke that I could see when my cell phone rang. “Hello?”
“Get your ass over here!” Izuku shouted.
“I'm almost at the smoke now.” I said.
“We're about two blocks west of that!” Izuku responded.
“I'm there!” I said and cracked a sonic boom before I slammed into the pavement in front of Izuku, who held an armored person in his arms. The shower of concrete pieces flew out in front of me and pelted a sword-carrying villain... the very one I needed to confront.
“A new false hero!” The hero-killer Stain spat at me.
“Fuck you, too.” I said and blew freezing breath at him.
Stain partially dodged out of the way and only a leg and an arm were caught. It was enough, though. “You... what...”
“Sorry, Joker.” I said and Stain's eyes widened as I grabbed him by the neck. “You won't jeopardize anyone else like you did All Might and my father.”
“WaiiIIIIIITTTT!” Stain yelled as we shot straight up into the upper atmosphere.
I broke the sound barrier twice before the air was too thin to detect it. I didn't stop flying, though. Stain's mouth moved as he tried to yell at me and he used his knives to try and cut me. I didn't laugh at his pathetic attempts to damage me, not even when he pulled out a green tinted blade.
Stain grinned at me and swung at my neck... and the blade glanced off and didn't do anything.
“Do you really think I wouldn't train myself to remove my father's weakness, you moron?” I asked with the last of the air in my lungs and then I threw him as hard as I could.
The shocked look on his face was one that I would remember for a long time. The cell phone photo would help a lot with that, too.
I floated there at the edge of the atmosphere and watched as the Joker's body quickly froze over and drifted off into the darkness of space. With no real resistance to cause drag, I was sure that he would continue on that trajectory for the rest of time. He would also be perfectly preserved, not that anyone would ever go out there to retrieve him.
I laughed in my head and flew back down to where Izuku was and then diverted to where the Nomus were. A quick blast of heat vision blinded the creatures and no one knew that it was me, which was perfect. I went back to Izuku and he gave me a knowing smile as I landed, then I helped him with the student from UA and brought him to a nearby ambulance.
“We've got work to do to help the people that were hurt and the damaged properties.” Izuku told Ida Tenya and the paramedic, then he took my arm and we walked off. “Where is he?”
“Probably going past the moon right now.” I said.
Izuku gave me a pointed look, then he laughed. “You've saved me some paperwork, anyway.”
“What about that guy?” I asked and pointed with a thumb over my shoulder.
“He was going for revenge.” Izuku said with a shrug.
I nodded, because that meant the guy wouldn't say anything. Not that he knew much, anyway.
“Gran Torino went after the big Nomu. Want to give him a hand?” Izuku asked.
“I already did.” I said and pointed to my eyes and then at Izuku's.
“Ha! Stopped them dead without eyeballs!” Izuku said and laughed.
“Yep! Quickest way with almost no fuss.” I said and Izuku clapped me on the back.
“Clean-up it is.” Izuku said and we did just that for the rest of the night.
*
Lois sat on the couch the next morning and watched the latest report on the hero killer. She shivered as she remembered the last time the man had caused havoc among the ranks of the heroes and the hero agencies. It had been a massacre and she still couldn't understand how the crazy fool could have escaped.
Her cell phone beeped and she couldn't make sense of what she was seeing. It was ridiculous. There was no possible way it was real. When she checked the sender, she gasped and quickly dialed.
“CONNOR! You did NOT go looking for STAIN! YOU PROMISED ME!” Lois yelled into the phone.
“Good morning, Lois.” Connor's voice said. “How are you today?”
“Don't you dare evade me!” Lois spat.
“I didn't go looking for him. Izuku called and asked me to come help. I arrived, saw Stain, and now he's on his way out past Jupiter.”
Lois stopped talking for several moments. “You... you really...”
“I promised that I wouldn't apprehend him or try to bring him in.” Connor said. “I kept my word. He's still free and no authority on the planet will ever catch him.”
Lois stared at her cell phone for another few moments, then she started laughing. She laughed and laughed until she started crying and hugged the cell phone. “Connor... Connor... Connor...”
Connor was suddenly right there on the couch with her and pulled her into a hug. “Lois, I'm here.”
“Connor!” Lois gasped and dropped the cell phone as she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him as tightly as she could. “The knife! I SAW THE KNIFE!”
Connor chuckled and rubbed her back. “It's okay, Lois. It didn't cut me. Not even a little bit.”
“H-h-how? How?” Lois asked as her tears slowed down.
“I've worked very hard to not have the same weaknesses.” Connor said. “Remember my hero name.”
“S-Supreme.” Lois said and eased her hold slightly to lean back and look at his face.
“I have to be better.” Connor said and smiled. “I won't stop until I am. I can't.”
“Connor.” Lois whispered.
“You'll see it for yourself, Lois.” Connor said. “The city... the whole world... will know my name.”
Lois wiped at her eyes. “I... after that picture... I believe it.”
Connor looked pleased. “I need to get back before someone decides to check on me.”
Lois nodded and gave him a pointed look. “Don't.”
“Too late.” Connor said and leaned in to give her a passionate kiss.
Lois moaned as he did so and she felt her body react to having him so close. She couldn't help herself and her tongue darted out and fought for dominance. She didn't fight hard, because she didn't want him to think that she always needed to be in control. That was an odd thought to have, then she realized who it was that she was kissing.
Lois broke the kiss and put a hand over her mouth. “Dammit!”
Connor chuckled and stood. “I'll see you next weekend.”
Before Lois could nod, Conner was gone. She looked over at the television screen and then down at her dropped cell phone. A smile grew on her face as she thought about revealing the scoop of the century.
The legendary Hero Killer was dead.
