The rest of the day went by as a blurred memory. I was exhausted physically, emotionally, and mentally. Thankfully, my passive healing made it so that I didn't have to be put into a coma again, but it was down to the wire.

Clara had a thick briefcase for storing the artefact in. After the Disasters put the fires out, we managed to recover a few mags, which would have to suit me for now. Van Micheals arrived with his... truck, and we loaded up all the machinery and personal items that survived.

Not that we had anywhere to go, at least until Kingston put us up in a secure hotel. He was too busy to have a proper conversation, but I didn't give a shit. I needed sleep. Craved it more than anything.

Somehow, Roxy convinced me to shower first, despite my longing stares at the fresh bed in our temporary room. To be fair, we stank. Of blood and ash. Desperate violence and churned dirt. It would have been a crime to sully our resting place with the filth.

Of course, there was no proper rest for the wicked.

Morning sunlight burned my eyes. I closed the folder of paperwork and wished that I were still in bed with Roxy.

[Seems like a bridge too far. Even the shortcuts are... undesirable.]

Doctor Jarl nodded and exchanged a glance with Droja.

He had messaged me before the Arena to arrange this meeting, and I upheld it because it was important to me. After he apologized several times for denying me much-needed sleep, we had gotten down to business.

"If I had an easier solution, you'd be the first to know," he said. "Perhaps things will change in the city after yesterday, and more avenues will open up."

I pulled the folder closer to me slightly, as if he were threatening to take it away.

Droja rubbed her chin and leaned back in her chair. "We'll support you, even if you choose the more... ethically gray route. Ultimately, it's your decision."

"It's out of our hands," the doctor added in agreement. "But I think you already knew that before you made the request."

I did. My fingers drummed on the desk. Part of me would kill for a coffee and breakfast. Some other part of me just wanted to kill. Hold the toast.

[Alright. Let me take this away and work my mind over it. I'll be in touch.]

We said our goodbyes, and I left the discreet office, stepping out into the city bathed in scouring sunlight. If it weren't for the minor headache, yesterday's apocalypse would feel like a bad dream. Aside from the fact that Roxy was still coughing up some dust from her lungs on occasion. My arms also ached, but complaining wouldn't make today any easier.

There were also signs of the quelled turmoil in Goldarch, of course. Increased police and security presence. A few buildings under repair. Billboards and holo-screens with messages from the League to reassure citizens everything was okay.

I could be fooled into thinking it was.

From the small briefing I had read through in my lens after waking way too early, there were no lingering threats. Nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing to directly tying the World Government to everything that happened. Not officially, anyway.

On the way back to the hotel, I stopped at a small supermarket. Dressed in casual clothing, I wasn't surprised to get the usual glances and whispers from the other shoppers. In contrast with my past, they weren't looks of distrust or derision. Is that Gunquake? I heard someone ask their companion. There were few other people who looked like me, to be fair.

I completed my purchase without anyone asking for my autograph. While the Arena had put me in the spotlight, the official line was that I had been injured due to a technical malfunction. The same excuse had been given for Snake-guy's death. Funeral was in a week. Mixed emotions about that.

Two blocks down, I stopped on the sidewalk and looked down the alley to my right.

"You have a minute to talk?"

Silhouette was leaning back against the wall, not even bothering to use his stealth. After a brief sigh, I nodded and stepped into the slight shadow.

[You have my number, you know?]

His singular yellow eye flickered as if he were rolling his eyes. "I prefer the personal touch. Wanted to see if you were in one piece."

[I persist.]

"You do. I'm… sorry I wasn't there to help."

The odd break from his confident stoicism was uncomfortable. While I was half tempted to ask him what he was doing in the city that was so much more important than ending Chevalier, it didn't really matter. Even with his higher standing and power, he was on a tighter leash than I was.

[Perhaps you could make it up to me by coming around to hang out sometime? Once I have a house, at least.]

He tilted his head to the side for a second before giving me a brief nod. "Seeing our brother brought up some uncomfortable memories. Or at least the taste of something vile. Whatever ruin lies in our past, we are both new people now. I trust you."

[So you don't have your magical weapon aimed at me currently?]

The yellow eye flickered as he chuckled. "Just sibling rivalry, right?"

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

[We'll see how you feel about that when I take the S-Rank position from you.]

Silhouette waved his hand dismissively before pushing himself off the wall. "We'll burn that bridge once we come to cross it, brother. Enjoy your time off while it lasts." As I shook my head, he sauntered down the alley, eventually turning invisible.

A little competition wasn't the worst thing. I stepped back out into the light and carried on my journey to the hotel. With all the talking I had done this morning, my throat was parched. Not that I spoke that way or had a throat. After all the fighting of the last two days, talking was an acceptable alternative.

Although that thought wavered briefly once I saw another familiar face waiting outside the hotel.

Wide cowboy hat tipped down over their face. Dark green poncho and black slacks. If it weren't for the pink hair hanging behind the hidden face, I might not of known who they were.

[Just getting some fresh air?]

Belle pushed up the brim of her hat and grinned. "Just having an identity crisis. You think I can get away with both gunslinger and magic butterfly themes?"

[I'll kill anyone who says you can't]

She grimaced and glanced over at the two security guards by the entrance. "That is both reassuring and appalling." The shielder smiled again. "I'll give you names if and when. I was actually waiting for you. You vanished this morning."

[Not even the clutches of a much-needed sleep can keep me down.]

"Worried about today and tomorrow?"

[That obvious?]

Belle rolled her eyes. "You're definitely more man than machine. I'm not sure there's even any advice worth me giving you. I just need to know things are okay?"

[They are. Thank you, Belle.]

"That's what family is for, partner." She doffed her hat. "I've told the others not to bother you on the way up."

I let out a relieved sigh. Although the meeting with the two tech-minded people was inevitable, I was starting to wonder if I'd come across all my known associates for a brief chat before getting back to Roxy.

[That's why you'll always be my favorite sibling.]

As I stepped toward the entrance, I pushed the brim of her hat down so that it covered her face. Belle was perhaps the one who had changed first since that first party we had all met. Her magical affinity and immunity to my passive charms had made her an unlikely sister-stand in. We both ignored the time she had tried to seduce me.

I stepped through the lobby under the watchful eye of even more posted guards. It was performative for the most part. Anyone who was an actual danger to us would need superheroes to stop. But, it meant there were plenty of alarm-pushers should we have needed to be woken in the night.

The elevator gave a gentle ping as it closed and took me up to the fifth floor. I checked my lens for messages from Clara, but she was probably still asleep. Other than Roxy and I, the other Disasters were spread out on different floors. The techie had requested the bedroom next to ours so that my healing aura could help with her leg. She refused to go to the hospital.

I reached the fifth floor, and the metal doors slid open. It was a relatively well-furnished hotel. Not that I had much to compare it to. Motels full of people that needed bullets where their brains were had been a more common sight to me. This was… comfortable. Not home, though.

The door to our room opened with the swipe of an electronic card. Straight into the bedroom area, where the super was fast asleep. I thought I had gotten away with murder by leaving a few hours ago without waking her, but even on my return she didn't stir. The perfect time for me to put a Sanguine stake through her, finally. An escape from what tomorrow threatened.

I stepped over to the bed and put my bag from the shop on the side table. As much as I was tempted to get back under the covers myself, there was a high chance Kingston would be calling on us at some point.

With a sigh, I sat beside her on the bed. She stirred slightly and groaned.

"Whatever time it is, it's too early," Roxy murmured. "I'll kill you."

[Happy birthday, you psychopath.]

She turned over and grinned at me. "Is that really today?"

[Fuck knows. I deleted the calendar apps from my lens weeks ago and have lost consciousness about five times since.]

Roxy pushed herself up and wrapped an arm around me to pull me in. I relented, and she gave me a kiss on the forehead. "Thanks, Dubs. I love you. The best gift would have been another eight hours of sleep, though."

[Perhaps I should have gone with that then, as I didn't really get you anything.]

The super let me go so she could wriggle up to sit against the headboard. "It's no big deal. Let's just say you owe me one for when we furnish our new place."

[It'll be nice building something from the ground up. Together.]

She smiled again as I left the bed to retrieve the bag. "We'll celebrate with the Disasters today, but most of the revelry will be tomorrow."

[When we go to your parents' house.]

The true test of everything I had learned until this point. While I probably had plenty of enemies lurking about the continent, the prospect of displeasing the super's parents was a weight that I couldn't shake.

"Looks like you've been running errands," Roxy said, eyeing up the bag in my hands. "Not getting into trouble without me, I hope?"

Like a magician revealing a trick, I pulled the first item from the bag. A small bouquet. Chosen mostly because they were red and amber, which seemed fitting.

"Very conventionally sweet," she judged, shooting me a soft glare.

[Just a cover so that I can bring this out second.]

Not the most sentimental or expensive gift I could buy… at least from a convenience store at the last minute. However, as soon as I pulled the tub of mint chocolate ice-cream out, I could tell her I had her wrapped around my little metal finger.

"Give me, give me." She extended her hands, grasping for the frozen tub. "It will be difficult to top this, Dubs."

I grunted and sat back down on the bed. She was being earnest. After the last couple of days, it was both something that reminded her of nicer times, and probably cooled her exhausted insides. The bag, now relatively flat, still held one thing to show her. Saved for last for a reason.

From within, I withdrew the beige folder.

"What's that?" Roxy asked, her mouth already full of ice-cream. I didn't even care to imagine where she got the spoon from.

[Not really a gift, but… well, have a look.]

She jabbed the silver cutlery into the tub and leaned forward to flip the cover. While there were several pages—and a lot of information on each—the context was obvious.

"A… real mouth for you?"

[Advanced cosmetic cybernetics. Not only will it look the part, but I would be able to breathe and… and eat.]

Roxy all but gasped. "For real?"

I nodded. The meeting this morning had confirmed it. Doctor Jarl, Droja, and Clara would do all the work. Between the three of them, it was feasible.

[Vocal chords aren't possible, unfortunately. It's as realistic as is technologically possible, but you might be able to tell that it isn't real. Just slightly imperfect.]

The super stared at me blankly for a few seconds before looking down at the folder. "But… you'll have a usable tongue, right?"

I sighed and rolled my eyes. But since her curiosity had been piqued, I turned to a more informative page.

[This is the market price for the mouth and throat. Surgery not included.]

"Holy shit… wow." The interest visibly faded from her face. "Even if Kingston juices us up post-calamity, that could be… years of saving."

Rather than responding directly, I turned to the next page.

[Conveniently, this company has everything required for the replacement. Just collecting dust.]

Roxy ran her tongue across her teeth as she stared. Perhaps this was mean of me to spring on her when she was just waking up - and on her birthday of all days. After a few moments of silence, she looked back up at me.

"You're suggesting we go to this city-state, break into the lab, and steal the necessary parts?"

[I'm saying we've earned ourselves a little holiday. Why not travel a little?]

Her widening smile told me all I needed to know about how she felt about such an activity-rich vacation.

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