Chapter Text
“‘An ex-Ward murdered two people in broad daylight’?!” Vista exclaimed incredulously, dropped the newspaper on the table and threw up her hands. “What the fuck is this?!”
Taylor, who was sitting across from her, and Lisa, who was standing at the electric stove in her brand-new apron that said “Stress is better than diet”, looked at each other thoughtfully.
“And here I was thinking that now there will be two people in our team who understand how the news media work.” Lisa smirked. “Surprise: they pursue their own goals, and the main one is to attract more readers – for that they are ready to do anything. That’s just a great example for you, my dear ‘ex-Ward’.”
“And here I was thinking that with you I could just forget about trying to understand this,” Vista muttered, crossing her arms over her chest. “Although it’s not like I understood anything… They were telling me what to do, so I did it. And at the same time I was… mumbling something sourly about the fact that all this is fucking nonsense and there are more important things to do. Day after day, year after year.” She sighed and looked up at the ceiling.
“Undersiders don’t have photo shoots and press conferences,” Taylor said. “That’s a plus.”
“Oh, absolutely.”
“Well, besides the ones that you want to arrange yourself. Technically, your video was something like that.”
“I guess.” Vista shrugged her shoulders. “But at least I didn’t have to listen to twenty stupid questions, fifteen of which I have to answer because I’m a hero and a member of the PRT, but I can’t answer ten of them because I’m... a hero and a member of the PRT, and therefore no one will approve of my answers.” Vista noticeably grimaced, remembering the past.
“Huh, I can imagine.” Lisa chuckled. “What kind of coffee do you want today, Tay?”
“Black,” Taylor replied without taking her eyes off her book.
Lisa turned her head towards her, and, squinting a little, studied her profile for a few seconds.
“Vanilla latte with extra cream and sugar, got it.” She said confidently and walked up to the coffee machine.
Taylor rolled her eyes, but stayed silent. A small smile graced her lips.
It was incredibly difficult for Vista to wrap her head around this whole picture of more or less familiar home comfort, when it was two of the scariest villains in the city. It was hard to imagine even just Skitter, with whom she had already had a chance to talk not only about fighting and battle plans, in this situation. Naturally, Vista herself didn’t behave exactly the same way at the school as she did on patrol, but... it seemed to her that the difference was too big. In addition, over the past year, her personal reactions to events when she was wearing her costume and when she wasn’t have become dangerously similar.
Maybe this was how a normal life should’ve looked like – as much as it was possible in their circumstances. Even so, Vista was rather sure that it was Skitter and Tattletale, who seemed very fond of playing these roles of ordinary people… Though it wasn’t her place to judge them. At least at the moment they looked like most capes on the outside, having two identities for different purposes and all that, unlike… Well.
And yet it was extremely weird to hear the dialogue about morning coffee in those voices that more than once threatened the heroes with an enormous swarm of insects and mocked them with their most unpleasant secrets. But that was what she signed up for, right? Made the decision. Maybe something like this was actually the thing Lily was talking about…
“Yes-yes, I bought us oatmeal cookies,” Lisa murmured, reaching for the handle of the drawer above her and allowing the spider that appeared from the gap to move to her shoulder.
Yeah, it will definitely take some time for me to get used to this.
“Actually, it could have been much worse,” Taylor said thoughtfully. “At least, the article says who you killed two people for. Those who bother to read beyond the headline will understand. Those who won’t… Should you give a damn about their opinion?”
Vista blinked in surprise, knowing for sure that Taylor hadn’t looked up from her book in the last ten minutes. Of course, the PRT knew some things about how Skitter could easily control parts of her swarm in different ways at the same time, but such an eerily simple demonstration was much more impressive.
Probably, such a level of multitasking would be the only chance for me to really catch up with the list of media from... Jill... Damn it.
“...I don’t know.” Vista pursed her lips. “I’d rather have everyone see me for who I am now. Naive, I know. Besides, sure, there was Panacea, but… It doesn’t mean that I would just leave some ordinary person in such a situation. I mean, it was Panacea, yes, but…”
“Come on, no need to think up excuses,” Lisa said with a hint of sarcasm. “It’s fine, all people evaluate everyone else around them. Merely a fact of life. Even if Panacea was just Amy Dallon, you’d still probably decide to do this because you wouldn’t want to see your friend die.”
“Maybe,” Vista muttered. “But in that particular situation, I would hardly have changed my mind whatever the case. An innocent person’s life is worth two lives of guilty ones,” she said a little more quietly. “It is worth exactly the number of criminals that... is present in the situation.”
“Look at her!” Vista flinched when two cool hands quickly hugged her from behind. “Cold like the morning November wind outside the window,” Aisha said in a pretentious voice. “I like it!”
She stood there for a few seconds before pulling away from Vista and sitting down on a chair next to her. Vista shrugged uncertainly, but did not respond in any way – her reactions to the unexpected physical contact still left much to be desired, and Aisha had already got at least one accidental bruise because of this, although, apparently, she was not going to give up. And it wasn’t that Vista was displeased by it… It was unusual, if anything.
“One can only wonder how she even lasted more than a week in the children hero platoon.” Lisa said.
“It’s very easy to find reasons over and over again to keep the worldview that is – was – familiar exactly the same,” Vista murmured, sighing.
“It’s very easy to think that people who should have all the answers and who are responsible do actually have answers and are responsible,” Taylor replied in the same tone, frowning sadly.
“Huh. It turns out that now I understand better how it all works.” Vista snorted. “Or am I just thinking that again… Like I used to.” Back when I still believed that beautiful words and high moral principles were enough to handle anything. “Well, at least now the news about me will be more honest, I guess.”
“Hard to argue with that. The news about you will surely be viewed more seriously,” Taylor said in a calm voice. “After all, regardless of the reasons, the fact that you murdered two people is a very serious thing. For most people, at least.”
“You think so?”
“I would say, ‘oh, my sweet summer child,’” Lisa chuckled, “but this is more of the opposite case. Okay, let me put things into perspective: you’ve killed... three people this year, right? Apart from, heh, assists. And all the other Wards in all the states killed... like, about the same number in the same amount of time – and I’m not even really downplaying that.”
“...Bullshit.”
Considering how many tragedies happen in the United States alone every week…
“It sounds more like our dear and beloved city,” Taylor said with a barely perceptible note of bitterness. “Of course, we don’t travel much, but we have more than enough information. I guarantee you that most of the Wards have not seen normal villains up close, although for obvious reasons, most villains do not go near them as well. Aside from psychos like Bakuda or the Nine.”
“Or Hookwolf,” Vista added thoughtfully, reflexively rubbing her chest. “Hmm. I... never thought about it that way. I was offered therapy after Shatterbird, of course, but, like, it was just the usual stuff, usual shrink…”
“Oh, I can’t even imagine why they didn’t talk to you about this,” Taylor rolled her eyes.
“Well…” Aisha tapped her cheek. “Of course, I don’t know this new and interesting Undersider Vista very well, but I’d think that such conversations wouldn’t change anything for her?” she finished not too confidently.
Vista caught Aisha’s look – completely ordinary one, but at the same time a little sadder than usual.
“That’s not the point,” Lisa said seriously. “The point is, peopl- capes need to have the ability to choose: whether to train in a fucking combat zone or not. A choice for everyone. For all the Wards, you know, for starters. And so that the worldview of all those capes could not be broken because of a single event, whatever it might be.” She smiled wryly.
The Empire’s attack wasn't the only event, Tattletale. Not the only one at all. But it used to be more comfortable for me not to pay attention to all that…
“But if you’ve already decided to become a hero…” Vista lowered her gaze. “Is there a difference? Would they want to use this choice?”
After all, this is our job. I definitely wouldn’t have reacted like that if… Fine, yes, even if my situation wasn’t exactly about that, that’s how I reacted. I wished I had the opportunity to fight, not the opportunity to choose whether to fight or not.
However, I’m not a very good case for such questions... I am really not.
I do what I was taught, even if their intentions in my training were a little different. I go out to risk my life because that’s who I am. Who I’ve become. Who Missy Biron wouldn’t be if this world was a little better.
I may not have said it outright, but I suspect Miss Militia thought I was blaming them. About who I’ve become, about... who I haven’t become. And maybe it’s true. I was just so angry about it all…
Still angry. At least Lily and Aisha are trying to give me reasons to be angry at them and their attempts to help me instead.
“Being a hero means a lot of things, like you said,” Taylor said firmly. “Among other things, it means making that choice – and showing those who see only the other side of it that it exists. Even if my choice,” she lowered her voice, “became different, that’s why I came to it in the first place. Not only because of my own beliefs. Even if it brought disappointment later, too.”
Vista remained silent, not quite sure about this argument.
“And also – no.” Vista was startled by a cup of coffee that appeared in front of her. “You don’t just do what you were taught, because, honestly, you weren’t taught much.” Lisa rolled her eyes. “Rather, they didn’t pay attention to what you were seeing and what you’re teaching yourself. And you’re also much more than that, so let’s go without losing too much self-esteem this early in the morning, capiche?”
Vista met her gaze for a moment and immediately looked away, not wanting to show the Thinker more than she needed to. She took the cup – for the first time in a long, long time a real one, and not a plastic cup – in both hands, mentally smiling at the pleasant warmth spreading through her fingers, and pulled it closer to her.
I can’t imagine how they all talk with Tattletale, knowing that there’s probably nothing they can do to hide things from her. During the conversation itself, at the very least.
But even so, this damn apartment of theirs feels like home much more than my official home has for many, many months. Strange. Stupid, maybe. But probably… I don’t mind.
At least, I can probably trust that, no matter how caustically and painfully it would be formulated by the same Tattletale, the Undersiders will tell me to my face if they want to get rid of me. I can handle that.
The coffee tasted... unexpectedly delicious. Not the kind she usually bought at various cafes or the vending machine at headquarters. It was... nice.
Vista never liked any charity events and other gatherings, being afraid that she would ruin everything with some sort of her mistake. Once upon a time, she was seriously worried about this… Then she began to worry that, regardless of her opinion, her superiors would be unhappy if something did not go the way they wanted, and it would still affect her. And, maybe, the drinks there were of higher quality than this coffee, which, for example, Tattletale, as Vista assumed, drank day and night, but she could never feel their taste on her tongue while she was constantly busy playing the given role and looking around.
It was definitely stupid. And naive. And disrespectful to her friends. But Vista could not get rid of the thought that here, in the apartment of two supervillains, bought with money obtained through less than legal means, she felt... comfortable. Certainly more comfortable than all the other times in her life when she was about to go on patrol – at least her current colleagues trusted her enough to let her leave alone and when she wanted.
***
“Greetings, citizens of Brockton Bay. Some of you have probably heard of me. My name is Vista, and I am one of the Wards here, in the Protectorate East-North-East. I was, that is. And before the rumors spread, before different people invent different stories for you, I will tell you this with complete honesty: I left the PRT and joined the Undersiders. Yes, the villains, yes, of my own free will. For one and only reason: I am no longer able to believe that the PRT is the greatest hope for the best for our city...”
Assault was not at all surprised that he – and the other members of their Protectorate – were called to an unexpected meeting upon arrival at the headquarters. This actually was easy to predict. After all, it wasn’t every day, even in their city, that a Ward willingly deserted from the PRT. Last night, he joked that, apparently, in Brockton Bay the timer for that was set for about six months, but his beloved did not appreciate the joke at all.
“...Probably many of us heard one of Legend’s favorite phrases. The one about how all of us should never turn the other way when something’s happening. I have always believed that this is a very decent moral principle. And I made my choice precisely because I continue to believe it is right, to believe in my own ability to change things. If being a villain will allow me to save one more person than if I was a hero, then it’s worth it. Nothing more, nothing less...”
He really wondered if there was anyone among them who hadn’t heard the news last night – and hadn’t seen Vista’s video, of course. However, he didn’t mind listening to it again. And it would not hurt anyone, in his humble opinion. Regardless of whether Vista’s words seemed offensive or unfair.
“...I am fourteen years old. And I spent three years of my life – my whole actual life – as a Ward. A hero. I sacrificed my childhood, sacrificed everything I could for the sake of this responsibility that a hero must bear. I know that my efforts will never be enough – but I have to try. And I’m tired of seeing more people than just villains trying to thwart my efforts. I don’t care how right and comfortable this collar made of red tape and bureaucracy is for me or others when tragedies happen right outside our windows!”
When Assault heard this part for the first time, he wanted to punch himself in the jaw: after all, he, like everyone else, took Vista’s efforts and actions pretty much for granted, mostly forgetting that she was a Ward, a really young one at that. And it didn’t matter that she herself has always been unhappy with this division. Well, at least he treated her as an equal on and off the battlefield, unlike some – which was actually very simple.
“...Our duty is to protect people! Ordinary people! All the people who need help and whose lives are at risk! But sometimes we can’t even handle that… Our world already suffers from too many problems for us to try and take on more! But we worry about proper morality and politics, about how much positive response the new press conference will get in the media and how exactly our focus groups will rate the new stylized fridge magnets!”
It was a little funny: their team consisted of quite different people in every sense of the word, yet most often they all reacted about the same way to events that required a meeting, whether it was conflicts in the city, new changes in cape laws or future activities. But now…
“...Maybe I’m terribly naive, but I refuse to think that without all these big and beautiful gestures people will stop trusting us! This is an attempt to convince, but not to be honest, when those whom you labeled as villains are just honest in their goals and in their sins! Maybe a lot fewer people would be satisfied with the fact that the Undersiders sometimes hang rapists and murderers without trial, if there were more better examples shown by us! Maybe three days ago a lot fewer graves would’ve appeared in local cemeteries if only you had listened to these terrible villains, who somehow lack the luxury of ignorance!”
Aegis was a great guy and a good, experienced hero, but he clearly wasn’t very good at keeping a poker face, at least outside of battles, judging by his eyes full of worry. Miss Militia, to Assault’s surprise, did not take her eyes off the screen and hardly even blinked, which was not a usual sign of her concentration.
“...Yes, nobody is good enough to save everyone, regardless of powers, intentions or sides. On all our hands is the blood of those whom we could not save. But unlike you heroes, I will never say again that I did not have the opportunity to save someone. I won’t say that I’m so fucking sorry when we made the decision to sacrifice a few for the chance to save the others. Perhaps – most likely – I will have to sacrifice someone other than myself again one day. But then… Then I’ll say it straight and will look into the eyes of all those people whose relatives and friends died because I wasn’t good enough. No more acceptable losses, which are always present in our plans, even if no one says these words out loud. Enough. I believe that we deserve better...”
Assault barely refrained from raising his eyebrows when he saw Triumph, albeit with a completely straight face, nodding at some of Vista’s words, while the rest mostly... just looked serious as usual.
“You may call me a traitor and a villain. You will. You might even be right. But I have made a choice, and I will not back down, as always. I did not back down against bandits and terrorists, neo-Nazis and mercenaries, villains and monsters like the Slaughterhouse Nine. Perhaps if I had known what was waiting for me when I was just an eleven-year-old girl, I would never have even approached the PRT building – but I didn’t know. So I taught myself to be someone who deserved to work in that building, because I believed it to be the best thing I could ever achieve. I believed in those big and fancy ideals with all my heart, and I was ready to sacrifice everything to prove that, even when the guilt was crushing and grinding me to dust. I dreamed of being a big and famous hero like all of you – but I learned the hard way that to do what’s right we have to give up even the things we want the most. Especially our dreams. But, I guess, back then it suited you. Well, me too… After all, I didn’t have anything else… Only the name of Vista. Only my armor and my responsibilities.”
“...You have taught me to consider my job the most important thing in my life. And I will continue to think so. I don’t know how much more I have to give, but I sure as hell gonna give it my all. But without any benefits and plans and orders and lectures, without photoshoots and charity banquets, without talk shows and autographs! So much time that was wasted! There is only the next mission – and nothing else, for it is our duty. It is supposed to be. And I finally realized that I don’t need the rank of a Ward to fulfill it.”
Armsmaster abruptly turned off the screen and stood at the head of the table, putting his hands behind his back.
“The first and most important thing I want to say is that until we, our Protectorate, have a clear plan of action against the Undersiders, we shall not enter into any confrontations with them, apart from the usual cases when we see a crime already taking place. We will approach this issue through purely diplomatic methods. For now, at least. Though we have to consider this as the Undersiders’ attempt to start another battle and win before it actually starts. Even if it is not, the consequences might as well be the same.”
“Is that why the director is not here?” Triumph said, stating rather than questioning. “Discussing it with the top brass. The ‘plan’.”
“Among other things.” Armsmaster nodded. “Considering that this situation could create problems not only for Brockton Bay.”
“Well, yeah, and not many people anywhere would like it if we opened the hunting season for our own Ward.” Velocity chuckled humorlessly.
“Exactly. And the Undersiders, apparently, will not deny themselves the pleasure to try and fight us on the media battlefield.”
“We would still come out victorious…” Battery said thoughtfully. “I mean, they understand that too, surely, so…”
“You haven’t really met with them for a long time, dear.” Assault smiled, though he didn’t like reminding even himself of the long months that his wife spent in the hospital after a meeting with Bonesaw – or reminding her of anything that was related to it. “Skitter rarely plays without risk, and Tattletale certainly won’t mind losing more than us if we don’t win either.”
“And the Undersiders are more likely to be in a winning position now, because we have much more to lose,” Armsmaster added gloomily. “While they are still playing the role of noble robbers. And the second thing that I will also repeat to all our PRT officers: proceed with extreme caution if you encounter Vista.”
“...She certainly doesn’t ‘play’ the role of a noble robber, right?” Aegis asked quietly.
“We do not know,” Armsmaster replied firmly. “We don’t know how far she desires to go, we don’t know what her and her new friends are planning,” he said with a barely discernible note of displeasure, “we don’t know what exactly their Thinker and Master are saying in her ear under the pretext of helping her. But we know for sure that Vista has already armed herself with firearms and was already seen using them without any hesitation. And also taking her power into account, she has become one of the most dangerous capes in the region. So I don’t want any of you to underestimate her. At any point. Is that clear?” He waited for the nods of agreement. “Then this meeting is concluded. I will inform you about the planned changes in the schedule and the rest later today.”
Assault watched with some surprise as Miss Militia, who had not said a word, walked out of the office with an unusually fast step – for the first time in his memory she was the first to leave, not one of the last.
“A few words, Assault?”
Assault, shrugging, silently touched Battery’s arm and winked at her, and then leaned against the corner of the table, turning to Armsmaster. Naturally, he waited until everyone had left the office.
“Something else about Vista, I take it?” Ethan chuckled as Colin, with a barely perceptible sigh, stood next to him.
“I have a suspicion that she will be a hot topic for discussion for a long time.” Colin crossed his arms over his chest. “Is it because of her courage or stupidity, that’s the question. She’s capable of understanding the reasons for our actions, Ethan. But she refuses to understand.”
“Maybe there is some sense in her decision…”
“You and I lived through the times when the world was only trying to adapt to such a phenomenon as parahumans. And now everything is much better – not like in the days before, but... I’m afraid humanity is no longer physically able to return to them. And we have achieved what we achieved not only with pure heroic intentions. This is a fact.”
“Problems arise when these intentions stop being the most important thing, even if they are the second most important or whatever,” Assault grimaced. “However they may develop… They are too important.”
“I can name you at least eight different ‘hows’ that will do more harm than good.” Colin sighed. “However, we strayed from the topic. As you probably know, usually – preferably – Wards should have, in addition to the PRT staff responsible for them, a Protectorate hero who will keep an eye on their progress. This role is usually performed by the leader of the local Protectorate. But I,” Colin frowned, “...have ignored this particular part of my duties far too often.”
Assault just shrugged his shoulders in silence: not that he understood much about how Wards should work according to the law, and even if he could agree with Colin’s assessment of his own work, he also knew that Colin slept three or four hours a day because of his busy schedule as it is.
“So… Wait-wait-wait.” Ethan raised his hands, “You are not…”
“I think you’re the best candidate for this role,” Colin said, absolutely seriously.
“Me?” Ethan chuckled. “Do you even know me? You’re even aware of my past!”
“I know you. And I’m aware of it. The latter was not the reason for my decision, I must note, but in general…” Colin shook his head. “As far as we know, even Vista doesn’t dislike you. And none of the Wards. The opposite, even. Maybe… They will need a slightly different approach. In light of the events that have happened,” Armsmaster paused for a couple of seconds. “Regardless of what I think about Vista’s decision, they do deserve more. They deserve help and guidance that will not leave them disappointed in all this – in our work.”
Ethan rubbed his forehead thoughtfully and looked up at the ceiling – one way or another, he did agree with this…
“Battery also has a good enough reputation among the Wards… And she can really teach them something good, unlike me.” He laughed.
“She has a good reputation among those Wards who saw her six months ago,” Armsmaster replied in a slightly sharper voice. “However, she would be my next candidate if you don’t agree.”
“You said that on purpose, didn’t you? If she finds out, she’ll try to persuade me too.”
“Was absolutely honest,” Colin said, raising his hand in a conciliatory gesture. “Unfortunately, I’m not sure how she will react to this assignment, having just returned to work. After all, that would require her to spend more time here, at the headquarters. Though it would do her some good to take it easy for a couple of weeks, even if she was for some reason cleared from the hospital.”
“She’s going to be pissed and maybe more than a little,” Ethan muttered. “I’ve been telling her not to work too hard until she gets used more to her prosthetics, but, well... My wife is quite stubborn. Love her for it, but… Yeah.”
“I believe you would be eager to go out on the streets after such a long time as well.”
“Of course, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m worried about her.” Ethan snorted. “Especially now.”
“What does that mean?”
“Let’s be honest, Colin.” He looked up at him, “Can this situation force our dear Directors to consider trying to solve the Undersiders problem the hard way?”
“Do you have any objections?”
“...I would be pretty unhappy, given the circumstances,” Ethan said slowly.
“I know what you mean,” Colin began evenly. “I am sure that they will ask for my opinion. And when they do, I will advise against it. For one reason only – a large-scale operation is not worth it if it can create an S-class threat instead of only destroying it.”
“Hmm?”
“With all due respect, Ethan, but I find it hopelessly depressing that most of us – the majority of people – do not take really seriously the level of danger of the duo of a social Thinker with a great amount of resources and a dangerous Master like Skitter. I am sure that they have plans in place for a big fight, and if at least one of them will be successful, if even one of them survives, then this will create a real S-class threat specifically for the PRT. And driven not by any ordinary motives, but by desire for revenge. I also don’t count the rest of the Undersiders, although Foil and Vista under their leadership – if they stop holding back – might just be able to put down several full Protectorate teams here. Not to mention that we may encounter resistance from the civilian populace as well. Not to mention that they are dangerous as it is, just trying to control the city – any city, much less Brockton Bay, which is undermining the PRT’s authority.”
“You know.” Ethan sighed. “It’s some unlucky city we got.”
“There were several objective reasons for this…”
“Yes, yes, I know.” Assault waved his hand. “It’s just, you know, sometimes you want something simple: good, evil, good beats evil, people happy.”
“You know, from a certain point of view, we – or the city – are already very lucky: if even Skitter alone had a slightly less strong psyche or principles, then Brockton Bay would have become another quarantine zone long ago. Or if Vista had originally become a villain... or if Bakuda had been a little more desperate…”
“Color me convinced, I guess. Damn. Alright, so, do you have any instructions on my new assignment in mind?”
“I was... made aware that this is not a thing where clear plans can create the basis for positive results. For now, I’ll trust you with this. But keep me posted.”
“Yeah, I’ll try. So can I go now?”
“Yes.”
After leaving the office, Assault shook his head and sighed noisily again.
Naturally, he supported Armsmaster in his decision: people who were at the top, even at the top of an organization meant to do good, usually very quickly stopped being content with half measures – or threats to the status quo. And Assault really didn’t want to check how well the Undersiders were ready to defend themselves. However, Armsmaster’s own plans, which included a series of small operations and attempts to slowly reduce their influence, did not sit well with him either.
Most likely, they were all already in a dead end, and at this point it was impossible to go forward until someone backs down – and none of them were going to. However, Ethan personally didn’t mind living in the current precarious status quo, since he also didn’t exactly care about his career, for example.
He remembered one of the first comments on the PHO under Vista’s message. Just some guy who said he is a simple dock worker and doesn’t really know much about PRT politics and what not, but knows that it was Skitter and not any hero who stood between his teenage daughter – the same age as Vista – and Mannequin, so Vista probably made the right decision. He wondered how many stories like that they just didn’t hear.
And, of course, after all, Vista was kind of right about some things.