Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Taylor remembered the first time she met the dragon. Her mother had taken her to a nearby park, with a bucket of mortar in their wagon, and Taylor was helping her mend a flowerbed wall that had fallen over.

“What are you doing?” a man’s voice said.

“Putting this wall back together.”

“Why?”

“Because fuck the Endbringers, that’s why!” Taylor chirped with all her six-year-old confidence. Mom sighed.

“Language, dear. But yes – I know it sounds silly but, as powerful as the Endbringers are, they can’t do this.” She set another brick in its place. Taylor heard a thump and turned to look; the man had sat down right on the ground.

“Are you ok, mister?”

“I – yes. Thank you for your wisdom.” He bowed, still sitting down.

“Oh, my. There’s no need to be formal. I’m Annette, and this is Taylor.”

“… Kenta.”

***

Kenta lost everything when Leviathan sank Kyushu beneath the waves. He arrived in America with no purpose beyond making a place for himself in a gang. It was what he knew. What he excelled at. He had done what even Eidolon could not do, and fought Leviathan to a standstill. Yet – his homeland was still ruined, and there was an emptiness where pride should be. It took an unpowered woman with a pile of bricks to show him how to fill it.

As long as he used his strength only to fight, he was no better than an Endbringer. But he could be better, one brick at a time.

With his mask on, he was Lung, the most feared parahuman in Brockton Bay, undisputed leader of the Azn Bad Boys. Without it he was Kenta, a man who patched walls and painted railings in his spare time.

***

Tayor and Mom ran into Kenta again – crossing paths around town at first, then asking Mom for advice and joining them on projects, and then eventually coming over for dinner every Thursday. He called Mom Annette-Sensei which was funny because he wasn’t in any of her classes. Dad was sure Kenta was in a gang, but said it was important to have a place to not be a gangster for a while, and anyway Mom had been in a gang before she had Taylor, so they didn’t talk about it.

He was there at Mom’s funeral. He let Taylor lean on him when she cried. He prodded Dad to eat when he was too sad to remember. And he got them a dog – a trained service dog for Dad. Walking Biscuit gave them something to do together, and she gave the best hugs.

And when Emma turned on her, when she didn’t want to add bullying to her father’s worries, Kenta was there to vent to.

[T: I can’t even figure out why they’re doing this.]

[K: It is nothing you have done, but the evil within themselves.]

[T: That makes them sound like my own personal mini-Endbringers.]

[K: Then, fuck the Endbringers.]

[K: I have spray paint and know of a rusty swing set.]

***

Taylor had put up with a lot of bullying since she started high school. The coping mechanisms that Mom left her with helped, but – no amount of yarn bombing was going to make up for this. The three Endbitches had trapped her in her own locker with things she was trying hard not to think about.

She could barely move, the stench was horrendous, she could swear there were things moving against her skin. The bell rang for first period, then second.

There was a commotion in the hall outside. Principal Blackwell was yelling, “You can’t just walk in here and expect – ”

“Do not tell me what I cannot do. ” Huh. That sounded like Kenta, only growlier …

***

The call came on Kenta’s burner phone, the line he had set up for school emergencies.

“Speak.”

There was a noise of alarm on the other end. “Sir, um, this is Zhou Jie at Winslow High School, I meant to call the school emergency line …”

“You have done so. Continue.”

The boy took a shaky breath. “Sir, a girl had been locked inside a locker, I attempted to inform the staff and was accused of troublemaking, and then of attempting theft. Sir, if this does not constitute an emergency, I am prepared to – ”

“You will await my arrival.” It took him only minutes to reach the school, rage building steadily. Even if Taylor wasn’t the student in danger …

A young ABB member was slouched on the front steps; he hastily stood up and bowed when he saw that Lung had shown up in person.

“Show me,” Kenta said. He was already so large he barely fit in the hallway. Even without Zhou, he could have found the locker by scent. He could hear the frantic heartbeat, the gasping breaths –

“You can’t just come in here and do whatever you want!” somebody, perhaps school staff, shrieked from behind him.

“Do not tell me what I cannot do.” Kenta hooked his claws into the edges of the locker door and ripped it from the wall. A figure tumbled out – Taylor!

***

[Destination]

[Agreement]

[Trajectory]

[Agreement]

***

All around her, Taylor could feel little specks of fire like fireflies. They were burning away the filth, all her scrapes and bruises, even the rips in Lung's pants and the dents in the lockers. Principal Blackwell was yelling, “I’m calling the police! And the PRT!”

“Tell them that Lung has more care for your students than you do.”

Oh, Taylor was being picked up. And carried. She was being kidnapped by a dragon, did that make her a princess? And now seemed like a great time to take a nap.

***

Danny’s phone rang just as he was getting ready to go to lunch. “Dockworkers Association, Daniel Hebert speaking.”

“Danny. Taylor has been in an incident.”

“Kenta? Where is she?”

“Safe. You must come. A car is waiting outside.” Danny was already on his feet, Biscuit whining anxiously at his heels. He grabbed the service dog’s leash as well as his wallet and keys, and rushed out the door.

Sure enough, an unmarked car was waiting in the street, and Asian man wearing red-and-green gang colors at the wheel. “You Hebert?”

“That’s me.” The rest of the drive passed in silence, while questions whirled through Danny’s mind. What happened? Was Taylor hurt? Why was Kenta calling him instead of the school? He didn’t register the details of the building they stopped at, or the gang member who escorted him inside. He did stop short on coming face to face with the leader of the ABB. Who was apparently waiting for him.

Danny took a breath and straightened his spine. “Lung. May I see my daughter?”

“Come.”

… Danny knew that voice. He followed Lung deeper into the building, with Biscuit trotting beside him. The dog wasn’t nervous at all. They entered a room where Taylor was lying on a cot, surrounded by three more dogs and a woman. Danny rushed to her side. “Taylor! What happened?”

“Show him,” Lung told a young man who Danny had barely noticed. He took out a phone and played a frankly horrifying video. Danny clutched Taylor’s hand and fought to rein in his temper. When he got his hands on whoever did this –

Lung dismissed his subordinate, then addressed the woman. “Inu-Onna, good work. Oni Lee will have your payment.”

She nodded, and looked over at Danny. “You’re taking good care of Biscuit.”

“She’s taken care of us, too,” Danny managed. The door closed behind the lady and her dogs, and Lung took off his mask to reveal – as Danny suspected – Kenta’s face.

“We figured you were ABB, but phew. ”

Kenta nodded. “I meant to keep gang business away from your family, but in this case …”

“I’m glad you were able to step in,” Danny said. “I don’t know how I can repay you.”

Kenta shook his head. “No debts. Not for you, ever.”

Danny didn’t know how to respond to that, because, holy shit. “I hope that young man is getting a bonus.”

“And a promotion. They were not given specific names to report on.” And had still called it in, and Kenta had still responded. “Danny – Taylor triggered.”

“I saw. Fuck.” No wonder she was out cold. In the video, her power had looked like a swarm of fireflies. “She fixed your clothes.”

“And the locker. And erased the filth. Annette-sensei would be proud.”

Danny smiled at the reminder. “She’ll take after her mother, I’m sure.”

“And you, Danny.”

“Huh?” He wasn’t anything special, was he?

Kenta grinned at him. “When you knew only that Lung had your daughter – you did not flinch. There is steel in you.”

While Danny was still floundering from that, Kenta stood and replaced his mask. “I must go. One of the Boys will take you home when you’re ready.”

“We’ll see you Thursday, then?”

Kenta paused the tiniest bit, as if surprised, and Danny knew he’d made the right call. “I will be there.”

***

“So. That happened.” Danny said awkwardly as he helped Taylor settle on the couch. She was still woozy but other than that, unharmed, thank God.

“And Kenta is really Lung, holy crap.”

“Yep. And you got powers. Pizza sound good?”

“Mmhmm.” Taylor was idly watchng a fiery butterfly flutter around her fingers. That would take some getting used to. After placing the pizza order, Danny sat beside his daughter, and cautiously extended a finger to the bug. To his surprise, it was cool to the touch.

“I feel like they can burn, but also do other stuff? Or, they can transform things in different ways and burning is one of them.”

“Taylor, that’s amazing. ” Biscuit was trying to chase the bugs around the room. She stopped and yipped at the door; a moment later, the bell rang. It was much too early to be the pizza. Taylor’s bugs disappeared, and Danny cautiously answered the door.

Armsmaster was standing on the doorstep, because that was all his day needed. “Mr Hebert, may I ask you a few questions?”

Danny put on his best Union negotiator face. “As long as it’s quick, we’ve had a stressful day.”

“I shall be brief.”

Danny let the Hero into his house. It made sense that the PRT would be monitoring them after such a public encounter with Lung. Still, Danny wasn’t about to betray Kenta’s confidences.

“According to our reports,” Armsmater began, “Lung entered Winslow High School, abducted Miss Taylor Hebert, and then summoned you, Daniel Hebert, to a meeting, presumably using your daughter as leverage. Is this accurate?”

“Did the reports say where I was abducted from?” Taylor commented.

“As I understand it,” Danny said, “Taylor was the target of a rather severe bullying incident, where she was locked inside a locker with – what was all that, anyway?”

“Rotten tampons and stuff,” Taylor said.

“Ew. And when school staff ignored the situation, a student gang member notified the adults he trusted, which would be his gang leaders.” Danny understood how that worked; there were plenty of Dockworkers who would go to the Association before they went to the police. “As for why Lung showed up himself, you’ll have to ask him that.”

Armsmaster made an acknowledging sound. “And what demands did Lung make in exchange for releasing your daughter.”

“None, so far. He was remarkably polite about the whole thing, considering his reputation.”

“... I see. Miss Hebert, do you have anything to add?”

“Not really, I was asleep for most of it.”

“Eyewitnesses agree that the locker door was ripped open, yet observation of the scene shows the lockers are not only intact, but in better condition than other lockers in the building. Can either of you comment on that.”

Danny looked over at Taylor. “It’s up to you, honey.”

Taylor did her best to straighten up. “I, um, I might have triggered?” she called up a fiery moth. “So it might have been me? I don’t know what I do yet.”

“So noted.” Armsmaster paused for a moment, inscrutable behind his helmet. “I recommend powers testing with the Protectorate and applying to the Wards program – ”

Danny held up a hand. “We’ve had a long day and won’t be making any decisions on the spot. If you have an information packet or resources that we could review, that would be appreciated.” The doorbell rang again. “And that would be our pizza.”

Chapter Text

(A few months earlier)

All Rachel wanted was to be left alone with her dogs. For that, she had to prove that her pack was stronger than anyone who got close to their den. The intruder was a huge man; she sent Brutus out first, as big as a truck and snarling. The intruder rolled with the attack and grew, sprouting silvery scales – fuck, that was Lung. There was no way Rachel’s pack could overpower him. He already had Brutus pinned and – he was scratching the dog’s ears?

“Yosh-yosh-yosh-yosh-yosh. Ii koinu da na. ”

Brutus hesitantly wagged his tail. Rachel crept closer to get a better look, and Lung zeroed in on her. “Show yourself.”

Rachel slipped out of he shadows, keeping her head down.

“New cape,” Lung growled. “What do you want here?”

Rachel whined in the back of her throat. “Take care of dogs. Be left alone.”

Lung grunted. “Got food? Water? Heating?”

… Rachel hadn’t figured that part out yet.

“Get your things and come with me.”

***

Thursday evening arrived in a flash. Dad had kept Taylor home from school, so she had plenty of time to learn what her power could do. Burn, freeze, crumble, shock – the possibilities were honestly a little scary. Restore mode was still her favourite.

When the doorbell rang, Taylor lept up to answer it. “Kenta, you came!”

“I did. I see you mended the front step.”

“Yep, all by myself!” She grinned. Kenta ruffled her hair.

“Taylor has been helping out around the house,” Dad put in. “Just so you know, the PRT is probably monitoring the area.”

“Worth it,” Kenta said. “Even more now that I have no secrets from you.”

Somehow, knowing that Kenta was Lung hadn’t changed much. A sudden thought made Taylor dissolve into giggles. “You must go through so many pants.”

“I buy in bulk,” Kenta answered solemnly. “Are you adjusting to the cape life?”

Taylor pouted. “Dad said I can’t use ‘Yarnbomber’ as my cape name.”

“And you will wear the proper gear before you try to repair whole buildings,” Dad said sternly. He set a plate of snacks on the table. “We’re going to buy safety boots on Saturday. You’ll have plenty to do, especially now that the wreck is gone from the harbour mouth.”

Kenta looked way too pleased with himself, and Dad raised an eyebrow. “Kenta, did you have anything to do with that?”

“New recruit wanted to show off her skills.”

“Oh, I saw her on the news – Bakuda, right? She seems like a … handful.”

Kenta heaved a sigh. “She will learn discipline. And that wreck has bothered you for many years. I told her to make it go away, in a way I can’t buy. She built a metal-to-water bomb.”

“You’re on a whole other level, you know that? Merry Christmas, have a whole economic recovery. ”

Kenta grinned. “You’re welcome.”

***

Sophia was pissed. Not only had that cow Taylor not learned her place, but Sophia had gotten raked over the coals – not for the bullying, but for not stopping it ‘like a hero should.’ As if. Taylor was obviously a dirty criminal if Lung showed up to save her ass. All Sophia had to do was prove it, but every Asian student in Winslow had closed ranks so she couldn’t get near her at school.

So she’d have to get her at home. If she had to take out the dad at the same time, well, he was just as big a wimp as Taylor was. She’d just slip through a wall and –

There was a third person sitting in the Heberts’ living room. A big guy; he clocked Sophia the instant she came in. She went solid, ready to shoot, and he was on her in an instant. He knocked the crossbow out of her hands, she went shadow to get around him, and ran face first into something that forced her to go solid. A hand on the back of her neck pressed her to the floor.

“What the fudge, is that Shadow Stalker?”

“It is. Danny, do you have zip ties or rope?”

“I think I can find something.”

Sophia thrashed against the hold. “You can’t do this to me! I’m Shadow Stalker! I don’t lose!”

“I am Lung.” Not a threat, not a boast, just a statement.

“Here’s some duct tape,” Mr Hebert said. Sophia tried to go shadow again, and couldn’t, what the fuck?

“What gives? Don’t you know he’s a dangerous villain?”

“Says the random cape who barged into our house with deadly weapons,” Mr Hebert said flatly. “What do we do with her?”

***

“Your house, Danny.” Kenta neatly taped the girl’s wrists and ankles together, while Taylor’s lightning-bugs kept her solid. Rage shimmered under his skin; how dare this brat attack those who were his? If she had intruded on his house – but he would not dishonour Danny’s hospitality. And Danny, it seemed, had chosen public disgrace as his punishment.

“Hello, PRT? My name is Daniel Hebert, we’ve just been assaulted in our home by a parahuman … actually no, it was Shadow Stalker. We’ve managed to contain her, but I’d appreciate if you sent someone to pick her up.”

Taylor offered Kenta a silver scarf, which he recognised as one of Annette-sensei’s. He wrapped it around his face before allowing Shadow Stalker to sit up.

“So, hypothetically,” said Taylor, “If a cape has beef with someone in their civilian identity, and they attack that person in costume, is that against the unwritten rules?”

“Hmm. Which one is she?”

“Sophia. I know her voice.”

“You’ll pay for this, Hebert! I don’t lose, ever!”

“Truly?” said Kenta. “I see one who sought out the smallest, most trivial victory you could find – and failed to achieve it. Because you are wrong. Taylor is greater than you can know.”

“Stop, you’re making me blush,” Taylor mumbled.

“You’ll regret this! I’m a hero!”

Kenta tore off another strip of duct tape and stuck over the mouth of Shadow Stalker’s mask the sheer insult of it shut her up. “You are no hero. You’re not even a villain. You are a child.”

***

Armsmaster showed up at the door a quarter hour later. “This isn’t doing our impression of the Wards any favors,” Danny told him.

“Noted.” Armsmaster scanned the scene. “Lung. I appreciate your restraint in handling this situation.”

“I would be an ill-mannered guest to do otherwise,” Kenta rumbled. Likewise, Danny appreciated that the Hero wasn’t going to pick a cape fight in his living room. One a day was enough.

***

“Goddamnit, Hess, you had one job. ” Emily pinched her nose. “At this rate, she’ll be in detention for her own safety. Was there any indication of why Lung was at the scene?”

“Based on his use of an improvised mask, my working hypothesis is that he was visiting the Heberts in his civilian identity. Both of them appeared comfortable with his presence.”

“Are you telling me,” Emily said, “That Lung considers the Heberts his family?”

“That is the best fit for the observed data, yes,” said Armsmaster.

Hell, Hess was lucky to be alive. Compared to what he was capable of, Lung was very much a sleeping dragon, and the PRT had standing orders not to provoke him. If there was even a hint that Hess had attacked the Heberts to get at Lung … they could kiss the Rig goodbye, along with any other PRT property in the city.

***

Amy should have known it was a terrible idea to sneak out at night. The only thing on her mind had been the patients that she could heal – she hadn’t been paying attention to her surroundings – and then she’d been bundled into a tarp and put in a car going who knows where. It wasn’t outside the city, at least, since the drive wasn’t very long.

She was carried into a building and set down on something soft, the tarp got peeled away. She was in a large room with very Asian décor, there was a large person in a mask – oh crap that was Lung. Amy shrank away from him.

“Relax, no ones going to hurt you.” There was another person beside her – a cape she didn’t recognise, wearing goggles and a brightly colored coverall. “Hi, I’m Flicker.”

“I didn’t know the ABB had a new cape.”

“Nah, I’m with the DWA. Mr Lung thought you’d be more comfortable with, like, a girl your own age around.”

That was more thoughtful than Amy would have expected. But, “I’m still ot going to heal anyone for you.”

“Good,” snorted Lung. What? “Three times this week you have crept from your home in the night to do more work. You neglect your own health.”

The supervillain was telling her to watch her health? “You will sleep, and eat, and rest. In a day you will be returned to your school.”

“But what if someone needs emergency healing?”

“Then their blood will be on my hands, not yours,” Lung declared. Amy was starting to shake.

“Why?” Why was he doing any of this? Why would a crime lord care about Amy’s health when her own family –

Lung tilted his head at Flicker, who moved to the other end of the room. “I’ll go, uh, make some tea. Over there.” Smooth.

“Amy-chan,” Lung said quietly. “There is no crime in reaching one’s limits. After Kyushu … there are those question why I do not attend Endringer attacks. But I think you will not ask why; you already know,”

Amy thought about pressure and expectations and why can’t you just and never enough. A moment later she was crying in Lung’s arms; his mask covered any startled expression he might have made.

***

When Amy woke up, it was nearly noon. Flicker was nowhere to be seen, but another girl was in the room, along with several dogs. “You’re awake,” she said.

“Um, hi. I’m Amy.”

“I know. I’m Rachel. She pointed at the dogs in turn. “Judas, Brutus, and Angelica.” Judas snuffled at Amy’s face; she carefully scratched his ears. “There’s food,” Rachel offered.

“Thanks.” It was the smell which had woken her: a big dish of lasagne, warming in a toaster oven. There was coleslaw too, and cheesecake. An unusual brunch, but Amy was suddenly ravenous. “You’re a cape too, right? Innu-onna, or something?”

“Yeah. Wanted to call myself Bitch but the boss won’t let me. Dunno why.”

Amy got the idea that Rachel didn’t have much use for social conventions. “Well, that word is often used to put someone down. I guess Lung doesn’t want anyone to disrespect his people.”

“Posturing,” Rachel snorted. Amy couldn’t argue with that. They played with the dogs for a while, but the large meal had made her sleepy, so Amy decided to take another nap. The next time she woke, Flicker was there again, and Amy could see where the name came from; she was surrounded by a swarm of fiery insects. She appeared to be doing homework.

“What time is it?” asked Amy.

“About four. Lung’s coming by later with dinner.”

“Crap, Vicky must be losing her mind.”

“PHO says she was at school today, but in a bad mood. New Wave is keeping quiet.”

Amy realised that for once, she didn’t care how Vicky felt about his. Come to think of it, this was the longest she’d been away from Vicky and her aura since they both triggered.

By dinnertime, Lung was back, and he brought platters of fried chicken skewers, cucumber rolls and steamed buns. “This is the most pleasant abduction I’ve ever heard of,” said Amy. “Are you sure you don’t need me to heal anyone?”

“I am sure,” Lung told her. “The one man I would ask aid for, is injured in the brain, which you do not touch.”

“It’s a line I don’t trust myself to cross,” Amy confessed. Lung considered that for a long moment.

“Wise,” he said. “Perhaps in time, you will come to trust yourself more.” Maybe he understood that too, the feeling that it would be so easy …

“What if your friend doesn’t make it?”

“Shou ga nai. What of those who died before you triggered? Before you were born? It is not your burden.”

***

As promised, Amy got dropped off at Arcadia the following morning, complete with a note signed with Lung’s seal to excuse her absence. She decided to play it cool and dropped off the note at the office before going to class.

It was second period before she got pulled out of class. Carol and Mark were both there, and so were Miss Militia and Director Piggot.

“Hi Mom, hi Dad. Director, I’m surprised you’re here.”

“With Lung’s strange behavior lately, the PRT has an interest in this incident.” Ok, that made sense.

“What did he do?” demanded Carol. “What demands did he make?”

Way to be sensitive. “Nothing happened,” Amy said. “He gave me food and told me to sleep. Even had female chaperones the whole time.”

“What, like that girl with the vicious animals?” said Carol.

“Oh come on, those dogs are sweeties.” Even if Judas slobbered a lot. Amy continued innocently, “You mean he didn’t send a ransom note or anything?”

“Do you mean to tell me,” said Director Piggot, “That Lung abducted you for thirty-six hours, made no demands, power-related or otherwise, and then simply let you go?”

“Uh-huh. He thinks I need to take a break? He, uh, might have a point. I’ve kinda been sneaking out at night to go to the hospital. That’s how he caught me in the first place.”

Carol looked like she was about to start yelling. The Principal spoke first. “I never thought I’d say this, but I agree with Lung. This behavior is not healthy, Miss Dallon.”

Amy wondered if Lung would be willing to kidnap her again.

***

It started with an offhand comment Dinah’s mom made while watching the news: “Come on, how likely is it that our daughter would get targeted by a cape in our own home?”

99.95% Dinah clapped a hand to her head. Asking questions hurt, but this was important. Chances I’ll be safe if I go to the PRT? 0.03 % Chances I’ll be safe if I run away? 66.7%

***

Kenta lounged in the bar’s booth, his third whiskey in hand. The ABB was celebrating a profitable month for their casinos; his lieutenants had several rounds of toasts in them already, while Kenta was slightly buzzed and thinking about events for Lunar New Year. Perhaps they could put tiger costumes on Rachel’s dogs?

Something pumped into his leg and he looked down. There was a child under the table; a girl around ten years old. “You sure you’re in the right place, ojou-chan?”

“Ninety-nine point eight five percent,” the girl said, her eyes glazing over slightly. A Thinker? Kenta scooped her up onto the bench next to him, startling the other men at the table. He ignored them and waved for a waiter. “Ginger ale for the young lady. And a plate of gyoza.”

“Another one?” asked one of his subordinates; Kenta reached over and swatted him.

“You’ve had enough, Sero. And you’re paying for ojou-chan’s tab.”

“Understood, Boss.” The others mocked Sero for his faux pas.

***

“Do you think it might be a power compulsion?” asked Taylor, sitting in Lung’s reception hall with the various girls Lung had collected.

“Maybe?” said Amy. She was helping Dinah alter her hair and skin tone to look more Asian. “I just know it’s nice to get away for a bit. I didn’t realise how much Vicky’s aura was getting to me. And she was so butthurt about me spending time with other people.”

“Entitled,” Rachel grunted from where she was brushing Angelica.

“Oh, totally. And Carol has been acting like this proves I was evil all along or something. But now I can talk to someone about, er, intrusive thoughts.”

Taylor grimaced. “Yeah … I haven’t had any yet, but Lung warned me.” Powers demand use, he’d said. Maybe Taylor could build a fight club for his birthday.

***

Sometimes, Emily Piggot wished she could drink. She settled into a booth at Somer’s Rock, gave her order to the waitress – green tea with extra cups, and keep it coming – and waited.

Exacty at the arranged time, Lung walked into the bar. To Emily’s surprise, he too was alone. He waved away the waitress and sat.

“Thank you for coming, Lung.”

“Director. Your message intrigued me.”

She just bet it did. This wasn’t a meeting she ever expected to have either. “We’ve had our differences, but for once I believe we can save a lot of trouble by just sitting down and talking.”

If Lung was surprised by this, he showed no sign of it. “You are proposing an exchange of information.”

“I am. I can start by confirming that Shadow Stalker has been transferred to the San Franciso juvenile parahuman facility. If she knows what’s good for her, she won’t be returning to Brockton Bay.”

“Good,” Lung growled. “In return, I offer that Dinah Alcott is safe.” Emily blinked and sat up; Dinah had been reported missing, but there had been no hint that Lung was involved. He continued, “She is a Thinker, and learned that she was hunted for her power, unsafe in her home or with the PRT. She fled.”

“To you.” Emly wanted to bang her head on the table. If a Thinker’s power told her that the PRT wasn’t safe – “Goddamnit, that means I have rats.” How was she supposed to do her job when her department was corrupt from top to bottom? “I am duty-bound to remind you that kidnapping is a crime.”

“What will they do, send me to the Birdcage?”

Emily groaned. That sentence in absentia really left them no leverage on Lung – not that they ever had much. The thought galled nearly as much as admitting that in this case, the PRT couldn’t do its job. “Swear you’ll look after her?”

“As my own child,” he rumbled solemnly. “But I do not think that is what you came here to ask.”

True, and the conversation so far had only added to her questions. For one thing, Lung’s legendary temper had yet to show itself. “You’re an unusual supervillain, Lung. You don’t seem interested in expanding your territory. You don’t pressure independent capes to join you. Most of your revenue comes from semi-legal businesses. I suppose what I want to know is, what is your purpose in this city?” And how hard would she need to oppose him.

Lung was silent for a long moment. He took a sip of his tea. Emily began to wonder if he would answer at all, when he started to speak. “I am not the Yangban; I do not seek control. I have no need to prove myself; I left that behind in Kyushu. And a wise woman taught me that true strength is to build.”

“So you built a gang.”

“A community,” Lung corrected. Emily wanted to argue, but – he did run a cleaner operation than the other gangs. He kept petty crime down, ABB territory was relatively prosperous; Panacea had found social support, Flicker had debuted as a Rogue, even Hellhound had stopped committing crimes …

“That doesn’t line up with your power at all,” Emily complained.

“It does not. I use my hands, my voice and my wits.”

Emily barely stopped herself from gaping. In her experience, most capes turned their powers into their whole personality. For the exception to be Lung of all people …

“You still recruited Bakuda though?”

Lung pressed fingers to his mask between the eyebrows. “That girl needs supervision.”

Emily sipped her tea, which was really quite good, and considered her own collection of capes. (Cacophony of capes? Clusterfuck of capes?) “Do you ever feel like you’re the only adult in the room?”

“Often.”

Chapter Text

When Kenta’s phone rang, he was startled to see that the caller was Oni Lee; Lee never initiated voice calls anymore. And Kenta had just sent Lee to check on Taylor … he hit accept.

“Lung here.”

“This is Flicker – Oni Lee jut jumped into the middle of my swarm, I couldn’t call them off and now he’s out cold and I don’t know what to do!” Talor’s voice rose on the last few words. Kenta was already on his feet.

“I will come.” His phone was linked to Lee’s with location sharing – though usually, it was Lee who used it to find him. On the way he sent a text to Amy to request her assistance.

His destination was easy to spot; it was the only building on the block in good repair. Inside, Taylor had laid Lee in recovery position and was hovering over him anxiously. “Kenta! I didn’t mean to, I tied to stop them and they just wouldn’t – ”

“Peace. Breathe.” He knew well that powers could have minds of their own. He checked Lee’s pulse and found it steady and strong.

Oni Lee had been his right hand since his first days in Brockton Bay; deadly in battle and steadfastly loyal. The day they met, Kenta had pinned him to the wall by the throat; rather than teleport away, Lee had looked him in the eye and sworn allegiance. While his sharp mind gradually faded, his loyalty never wavered. And now –

Lee stirred and groaned. “What happened … Sir. It seems you’ve caught me lying down on the job.”

Kenta blinked. Lee hadn’t made a quip like that in years. “Lee. How do you feel?”

“Better than I have in a long time. I – I’m awake.” He pushed himself upright, and bent his head to Taylor. “If this is due to your power, Miss, you have my gratitude.”

“And mine,” Kenta added.

***

Amy sometimes wondered how her life had gotten to the point where she knew all of Lung’s drivers by name. “Thanks for the ride, Mr Kim!”

“Always a pleasure, Miss Panacea.” One of Flicker’s insects led her into a building, where Flicker was waiting with Lung and Oni Lee. Amy didn’t see any obvious injuries on any of them.

“Hi there. What seems to be the problem?”

“I’m not sure there is one?” Flicker described what had happened. Amy pushed aside the revelation that Flicker’s power could restore people, and focused on the patient at hand.

“You haven’t noticed any other effects, Mr Lee?”

“None. Though I haven’t tested my power yet.”

“All right, could you teleport across the room, please?” Oni Lee did so, and Amy grabbed his handright afterwards to check on the effects. “…Well, that’s not good.”

“What is it?” Flicker fretted.

“Mr Lee, when you used your power, it caused a tiny amount of brain damage. I only noticed because I got a direct before and after, but it would definitely add up over time.”

Lung said something in Chinese which was probably very rude.

“Lee is the one you mentioned, isn’t he? That you were worried about?” And even now that he’d been restored, he’d slowly fade again … “I – ” Amy took a deep breath. “I could make it so your brain can repair the damage while you sleep. If that’s ok. Is that ok?” She looked over at Lung; if she was going too far he would say so, right?

Oni Lee held out his hand. “I am willing.”

Making the change was way too easy. The hardest part was not listening to her power suggesting other changes to make. “There, done.”

Lee flexed his fingers. “I don’t feel any different.”

“That’s the scary part.”

***

Kenta was on the way back from a family outing with Dinah and the Heberts; one that involved a public statue and a lot of yarn. The day had been sunny, though clouds closed in on the drive back. Danny rambled about the pasta dish he’d prepared for dinner, while Taylor, Dinah and Biscuit dozed in the back seat.

They pulled into the Heberts’ driveway; fog was rolling in, and as Kenta stepped out of the car, a crisp breeze blew from the sea. The back of his neck prickled.

“Danny. Get back in the car.” Thankfully, Danny didn’t argue with him. Kenta stayed on the pavement. “Dive inland and don’t stop.”

“What’s wro – ” The Endbringer sirens went off. “… Call us when it’s over.”

“I will.”

***

The Rig was a flurry of activity as Brockton Bay’s heroes braced for Leviathan’s arrival. Director Piggot felt like she was running in three directions at once, organising the out-of-town capes while keeping an eye on the civilian evacuation and the seaward sensors.

Suddenly, a vast silver form swept over the rig, moving toward the water.

“Was that Lung?” exclaimed Miss Militia.

“Looks like him.” Since when could Lung transform outside of battle? Just how much had he been holding back this whole time?

The silver dragon landed at the mouth of the bay. He braced himself against the crashing waves and with each impact, he grew larger. Steam rolled off him where the water struck his flames. And there he stood, patient and still, until Leviathan loomed out of the storm.

The Dragon of Kyushu had fought Leviathan to a standstill, and achieved an empty victory.

The Dragon of Brockton Bay had won before Leviathan ever showed up.

They stared each other down for an eternal moment. Then Leviathan turned and vanished back into the sea.

***

In the aftermath, Lung was nowhere to be found.

Danny returned home to find Kenta on his couch, wrapped in a blanket, with a documentary about marmots on the TV.

***

A day later, Eidolon was on Lung’s doorstep, demanding to know how he did that. Kenta just laughed and tossed him in the bay.