Chapter Three- 3643 words

Khalix

I woke up to the rumbling sounds of a lawn mower instead of the usual beeping of my alarm clock. "What time is it?" I said to no one in particular. I looked at my clock. It was two in the afternoon. School would practically be out by now. Wait. What day is it? A quick glance at the cheesy animal calendar that Steven bought for me each year confirmed that it was a Saturday.

Then I remembered what had happened yesterday. Shit. I quickly jumped out of bed and opened up my laptop. I sat down in my swivel chair and opened up WeTube. I clicked on the general trending tab, and to my horror, I had made the front page. Shitshitshitshitshitshit. I'm soooooo screwed.

What's the probability I can erase all videos like this and them from people's memories?

So low that you would kill yourself before you even erased a fourth of the people's memories. Like you said. You're screwed. That's what we call "Karma's only a bitch if you are."

I'm going to let that slide because I'm panicking right now.

Oh, I'm shaking in my non-existent boots.

I decided to ignore that and actually watch the video. When I clicked on it I instantly knew that I was fucked. This person had a really new phone model. Their camera quality was good. Stellar. Amazing. They couldn't capture everything through all the fire and debris, but they got enough. Most notably, the whole scene where I jumped off the tower like an idiot. Shitshitshit. They also managed to capture the part where Aegis caught me falling out of the air. They were too far away to hear any and all of my dumb remarks though, thank god.

It cut away after Aegis caught me, and flashed to Aegis and Steven capturing the Villain before ending. As recommended videos popped up on the screen, I scrolled down to the views and comments. The views kept rising, more and more with each passing second. Looking through the comments, I saw a lot of tags like, #Aegis #Aegis sidekick #newsidekick? #civdoesheroesjob and more like that. From the looks of it, this wasn't going to die down anytime soon. I ran a hand through my hair anxiously. This was all everyone was going to talk about for the next couple weeks.

Giving up on trying to fix the problem, I headed out into the living room. Steven was sitting on the couch with a bowl of cereal and watching TV.

"Check it out." he said. "We're famous." It was on the TV too? A TV anchor was talking about the destruction of one of the Silver Towers and the Villain there, and a bunch of other stuff I knew already.

Hey magical powers, I thought as I rummaged through the fridge. You sure I can't delete that video from existence?

That would be a no.

Well, shit. I slammed the fridge shut and decided to look for breakfast elsewhere.

I walked to the pantry and grabbed a box of 'Captain Comic' cinnamon flavored cereal squares. I popped open the cardboard tap, unfurled the plastic bag, and grabbed a bowl. I poured cereal into the bowl until it started to overflow onto the countertop. I picked up my bowl and went to sit on the couch. I pulled out my phone and opened WeTube. I decided to read the comments on the video of me. Some of the were about how "hot" Aegis was, but others...

aegis_is_my_dad 30 seconds ago

OMG! What I wouldn't give to fall into Aegis's arms like that~ He's hot af..........

✔ 0 ✖ 1 REPLY

MoonChild36109257 2 minutes ago

That kid is such an idiot.

✔ 3 ✖ 0 REPLY

Aster's_an_idiot 57 seconds ago

Okay, but did you see the way Aegis was fighting??? and the way the Villain just blew up the tower like it was nothing?!?!?

✔ 0 ✖ 0 REPLY

EdgyMcEdgekins 28 minutes ago

Kid thought he could be a Hero. What an idiot.

✔ 5 ✖ 2 REPLY

Diamond_girl_143 46 seconds ago

10/10 would jump off a tower just to fall into Aegis's arms

✔ 0 ✖ 0 REPLY

Unicorns-are-REAL 16 minutes ago

Everyone is takin bout Aegis but that kid was pretty cute ngl 💘

✔ 2 ✖ 0 REPLY

WannabeHero 5 hours ago

Yo yo yo! I was there! It was so crazy like... Aegis dropped that kid off and then he went and like saved this old dude and stuff and then he like was talking to the police and all! It was super unreal man you don't even know. #civdoesheroesjob #sidekick?

✔ 135 ✖ 26 REPLY

Hide replies ᐱ

Stranger Danger 5 hours ago

Are you okay??? Is he hot??? Did you get to talk to him??? Did you talk to Aegis???

✔ 3 ✖ 0 REPLY

WannabeHero 5 hours ago

1) I got away with a few scratches 2) I'm not gay but he looked pretty cute 3) No 4) No

✔ 2 ✖ 6 REPLY

Cereal Killer 3000 4 hours ago

Don't listen to this buffoon @strangerdanger he's lying

✔ 15 ✖ 7 REPLY

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iGhost_mnqn.sys 48 minutes ago

This is bullshit. Who in their right mind would allow a kid into a danger zone like that? He can't be more than 12 or 13 and they're letting him run in unarmed. He probably doesn't even have any offensive or fighting abilities. That was basically a death trap. Good thing the Heroes were there.

✔ 92 ✖ 5 REPLY

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Hopeless-Romantic-2771 2 hours ago

What a brave kid!

✔ 16 ✖ 9 REPLY

I stopped scrolling through the comments. Some were good, gave me more credit than I deserved, to be honest. But others... some of the other comments hurt. Not because the commenters were cruel, but because they were right. I was only a kid. I shouldn't be out on the battlefield, the heroes should take care of it. I should have let the heroes take care of it. But, for some reason, I couldn't find it in myself to feel guilty. Deep down, I felt that I had made the right decision.

I frowned at the screen and turned my phone off, deciding to ignore all of the comments. Steven glanced over.

"Everything alright kiddo?" he asked.

"No." I replied sulkily.

"I thought we knew you couldn't lie to me. What's up?"

"The ceiling," I joked half-heartedly. "But being serious, someone got a video of my tower stunt and uploaded it to WeTube. I read some comments and there are a lot of clashing opinions. If people ever find out it was me in the video..."

Steven was silent for a moment. He looked up at me and smiled, "If anyone criticizes you for doing the right thing, they're just jealous that you were able to step up and save the day. Just think of all the lives you saved! If you hadn't distracted Detonation, who knows what he would have done! You did good, son. Don't let some middle-aged, basement-feeding, no-life take that away from you." he reached over to pat me on the shoulder. "Now go enjoy your day."

I mumbled a "Thanks." around a handful of my cereal.

When I finished, I walked to the kitchen, rinsed out my bowl, and set it in the sink. Steven had given my the day to myself, and I was going to make the most of it. Making a quick stop at my room, I grabbed some money and a light jacket. Then, with a quick goodbye, I was out the door and on the street. Fishing around in my pocket, I pulled out my earbuds. I popped them in my ears and scrolled through playlist after playlist until I found the one I was looking for. I clicked on My Semi-Normal Music and waited for the music to start.

The first song that started playing was Too Late to Save Us by Set Alive.

I still remember that night,

Taking out my phone,

I was sitting on a park bench,

Sitting all alone.

You'd said that you'd be here, at 7:03

But it's been 4 hours, and it's still just me

I used to believe that your word was true,

But now I know there's no me and you

'Cause it's too late to save us~

It's too late to save us~

Been falling for ages

Now we've fallen apart.

Then the song broke into a cool instrumental section that always made me want to join a band. Overall, the song was pretty good, not my favorite, but it was up there. I continued down the street, my paranoia making me look into every alleyway while I passed. I continued on like this peacefully for a couple more minutes. But of course it didn't stay that way. Soon enough, when I looked down an alleyway, I saw a lady getting mugged by some ruffian in a ski mask.

So, of course, like the good Samaritan I am, I had to intervene. I entered the alleyway with a casual saunter and bounce to my step. On the outside I hoped I looked cool, calm, and collected, but on the inside I was really thinking about how if I didn't die, Steven was going to kill me. Or come visit me in Hell himself to kill me again.

"Hey, man," I called out, "I know they say chivalry is dead, but you could still make an effort."

The, what I assume is a man, turned around to look at me, fuming. When he realized how young I was, I saw him relax.

"This is way over your head, kid. Scram and I'll pretend I didn't see you."

Rolling my eyes, I replied, "Over my head? Bitch, I stopped Detonation, next to him you're as much of a threat to me as a drunk fruit fly."

The mugger shrugged. "Detonation? Never really heard of him. Doesn't look too tough, if you ask me."

"He was way tougher than you, that's for sure."

He? She? I couldn't really tell. They sighed. "Alright kid. Listen. I couldn't care more or less about Deto-what's-his-face. Would you like to join this lovely lady on the ground or leave? Final chance."

"How about the third option where I stop you?"

"You can try. Any dangerous moves and I'll blow pretty lady's brains out, and then yours." They pulled out a gun I hadn't noticed before and aimed it right at the lady's head. "So I ask you once again. What is your choice?" Well shit. Steven was going to kill me anyways, but he would skin me alive first if I let a civ get injured.

Hey magic powers, please help me. Chances that I could save the girl by myself?

Outcome doesn't look good. Only a 13% chance.

Well, damn. I'm going to get shot. Uhhh, chances that someone else could save her? And preferably me too.

83% chance.

Really? Well then, go for it.

"Clock's ticking boy." Oh, right. I had almost forgotten what kind of situation I was in. The mugger turned the gun towards me.

"Whoa there bud. Hold your horses. I'm going down, see?" I slowly knelt down, hands in the air. Whoever feels like helping, now would be a great time to show up.

"Smart move, kid." The mugger kept the gun pointed at me, but turned their attention back to the woman on the ground. "Fork it over. Now" The woman reached for her purse, which was laying a few feet away from her. She had just almost grabbed it when an echoing voice boomed through the alleyway.

"I suggest that you put that gun down, young sir."

All of a sudden a shield surrounded me and the lady that had been being robbed. I stood up as soon as the shield was big enough. I gestured to the lady to grab her fallen purse and follow me over to whoever had come to rescue us. Thankfully she got what I was saying, and we ran over to the man. As we got closer, I realised who it was and slowed to a stop. Goddamnit. It was the guy who had caught me when I jumped off the tower.

I looked back at the robber, trying to decide if I had better chances with him or the Hero, who I now knew was Aegis. Taking in the scowl and the gun that was still aimed at me, I decided my chances lay with Aegis. But before I could turn around to cross the last half of the alleyway, the mugger shot. He fucking tried to shoot me. Rude. Thankfully Aegis saw what was going on and reinforced my portion of the shield. The bullet bounced off harmlessly, but still. I decided to give the robber a piece of my mind.

"Why the hell would you try to SHOOT ME! That's just inconsiderate and rude!" I yelled, "How would you feel if I tried to kill YOU!"

The robber looked surprised, and, I realized, maybe just a bit guilty. Huh.

"And furthermore, why were you robbing this nice little lady?!" I continued, "Go apply for a job or something! It's not that hard! There are community showers, and stores that sell decent clothes for dirt cheap. So, instead of robbing nice people, GET A F-"

I was cut off by a loud voice that had gotten a good 20 feet closer than before. "Hey, kid. I get that you're a little... fired up. But if he decides to shoot you right now, that shield won't be able to hold up under the pressure."

I turned around and stared up at his face. Damn, he was tall. Then I realized how hot he was. I'm not gay or anything, but I had to respect the fact that his face was perfectly symetrical, and the fact that his cheekbones were sharp enough to cut a steak. The way his eyes showed all the colours in one. Yeah, I would rather die than date him, but I could still appreciate the fact that he was beautiful.

Realizing I had been staring, I looked down and walked straight past him. He could deal with the robber, which would give me time to book it out of there and enjoy the rest of my day without being questioned. I approached the lady, who still looked a little shaken up. I tapped her shoulder to get her attention.

"Hey," I said, "if you wanna stay and get an autograph or something, be my guest. But I'm leaving. If Aegis asks where I went, I went that way."

I pointed in the opposite direction of which I was planning on heading. She nodded and I thanked her, walking away. As soon as I was out of sight of the alleyway, I started running. I hadn't realized it at first, but the shield had disappeared by the time I left the alleyway. Shame, it would have been good to know his range. But whatever. If it was gone he couldn't track me, so maybe it was for the better.

As my feet pounded against the crumbling sidewalk I thought about all the ways that the encounter could have gone better. I could have "manned up" as Steven always said, and saved the lady, instead of surrendering to some second-rate Villain, and hoping they wouldn't blow my brains out. The rational part of me was saying that if I had tried anything, me or the lady would be bleeding out in that alley right now. That didn't make me feel any better. Hell! I could manipulate probability! I could change the outcome of any situation if I desired to. I could help someone or doom them. If only I wasn't so goddamn weak.

To hell with this and everyone else. I kicked angrily at a rock on the ground and watched as it skipped down the street. "That's twice in two days that I've almost been killed!" I yelled at nothing in particular. "In. Two. Days. So you know what world? YOU CAN GO FU--" Some lady walking her dog across the street looked at me like I was completely insane. I shut up real fast and speedwalked the other way. God, that was embarrassing. I'm going to go jump in the first hole I find and die.

But first I would have to find a pit deep enough to jump into. Which meant.... I looked up and took in my surroundings for the first time in a while.

...And came to the brilliant realization that I had absolutely no clue where I was. I had been distracted flipping off the world and skipping out on the Heroes, and had wandered into who-knows-where territory. Plus, to add to my ever-growing pile of "shitty things that happen to me," it was getting dark, and I was lost in a more run-down part of town. You know, the places where Villains and other sketchy people fester and thrive. Steven was going to filet me like salmon and feed me to the cats. Unless I got home in the next few minutes. Which was not happening. Even if I could muster up the strength to find a way back home, I'd probably pass out before I even got halfway there. I dragged a hand down my face, trying to think of ways to get home. Even if I was to hop on the closest bus, and make it home in record time, I would still have to explain to Steven why I was out so late. He'd freak if he found out about the alleyway situation. And I couldn't lie and make up some excuse saying that I had lost track of time, or ran into a friend, because of his freaking lie detector ability. I may have let some colorful words escape. But my only other option was to find somewhere to crash for the night, and from the looks of it, nowhere within a mile radius was safe enough to sleep.

Sighing, I decided taking the bus was the better option. Even though Steven would hang me from the ceiling fan while he scolded and lectured me on the dangers of the city. I walked until I found the nearest bus stop and sat on the bench. The next bus wouldn't be here for another twelve or so minutes. I glanced at my watch. 10:07. There goes curfew. Shiiiiiiiiii-- My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and looked at the notification.

Sound of da police:

Kiddo, curfew's up. Don't make me file a missing person report >:(

Screwed. I was so screwed. I quickly typed a reply.

It's not all luck:

don't worry

omw

Bus, please come soon. Steven just replied with a thumbs-up. I sat on the bench and waited. And waited. Twelve minutes had never felt longer. Finally, the bus pulled up to the stop. I climbed on and found a seat in the back. It was basically empty, aside from a few other people. One guy was asleep, a couple had headphones in. Basically about as antisocial as you get. I pulled out my phone and scrolled through the news, looking to see if the alleyway situation had made headlines. And sure enough, there it was. Not done by any of the big name companies, as they had probably found a better story somewhere else, but it was still there. I scanned through it, seeing if it mentioned me at all. It did, but only in passing.

Aegis rescued two people from an alleyway mugging this afternoon. The mugger, who has been identified as Aydin Khey, was arrested after holding two young people at gunpoint. According to one of the victims, Khey had threatened her at gunpoint, demanding everything valuable she had, when a young teenager walked in. Khey threatened to shoot her unless the kid complied. She said the kid put his hands up, but kept talking, buying them time. When the Heroes showed up, moments later, Khey fired. Aegis saved the kid's life with one of his famous shields. Aegis quickly dealt with the mugger, but the kid had disappeared before we could interview him...Blah, blah, blah. Unless you were there, you wouldn't know it was me. Satisfied, I put my phone away and waited for the bus to drop me off at my stop.

When the bus arrived I jumped off and practically ran towards home. I fished my key out and unlocked the door. "Uhh... I'm home?" I called out, waiting for a response. Steven was sitting in a swivel chair out in the living room, one of the cats sitting on his lap. "Well, kiddo. Mind explaining why you were out so late?" A quick glance at my watch. It was a little past 10:30.

"Well, ummm. I can explain, as long as you promise not to freak out."

Steven raised his eyebrows and waved a hand at me, a sign to continue.

I let out a long-winded sigh. "Well, I was enjoying my stress-free Saturday, when all of a sudden, I walk past some sketchy alleyway. And lo and behold, this dude's in there robbing some chick. So, I try to save her, of course. I didn't do very well on the whole 'saving' thing, but I ended up buying enough time for a Hero to show up. Andthenthemuggertriedtoshootme. Then I just kinda left. And got lost. And now I'm here."

"A mugger tried to WHAT!?"

I laughed, and brushed it aside, mentioned how late it is, and hauled-ass to my room. I locked the door and leapt into my bed. I'm sure Steven would chew my ass out tomorrow, but for now, I could sleep.

A/N:

Yes, we are planning on changing WeTube to something else. Yes, the song is original. No, there is no cover for it. Yes, we spent like an hour writing and formatting those video comments. So yes, we would appreciate it if you voted. Yes, we use the word count on Google Docs and not Wattpad. 

Next chapter coming out when it's finished.

Question:

What was your favorite line in this chapter?