Chapter 19: Villains

Penumbra’s words bounced around Eric’s head, unwelcome fruit flies swarming thoughts that were, if not rotting, then at least going stale. Sure, they knew what they were doing when it came to, like, disaster relief, but it was pretty clear that they didn’t really want to be a superhero, they just wanted to stop feeling guilty for being stronger than anyone else. But that wasn’t Eric’s fault, was it? Like, what he did with his power was his choice. Just like it was Penumbra’s. 

Are you okay? Amaranth asked. I feel like you’re spiraling a little. Max and Penny  saved your life. They’re my moms! I just don’t want you to think yourself into a hole that’s hard to climb out of.

“I’m fine,” Eric said. Redshift had flown up to the top of the building and had saved, at time of counting, two dogs, three cats and one single asthmatic hamster. Eric felt ridiculous. As soon as the fire alarm had gone off, everyone home had left in a neat and orderly fashion, after all. “I just think the idea that anyone powerful showing up being inherently a threat of violence is really short-sighted.”

What’s this about, Eric? Amaranth asked. I’m having a hard time getting what you’re saying. Your thoughts are all over the place, it’s like trying to read alphabet soup while it’s in a blender. 

“How do you think Penumbra feels about police officers, huh?!” Eric said as he slid open another window. There was a dog running in scared little circles on the carpet, the alarm having clearly upset it. As soon as it saw someone new in the room, it ran over, hoping for the human to fix the problem. “If me being present is a threat, Amy,” he said as he carefully lifted the small dog and held it close to his chest, “then someone showing up with a pistol on their belt is a threat too, and that’s not what the police are for.”

Well… what are they for? Amaranth said. Explain it to me? 

“Well, if someone needs help on the street, they can always ask an Officer. They’re public servants for the common people,” Eric said as he carefully flew the dog down. An old woman who had left her house to get groceries cried when Redshift gave her the dog, but Eric was too preoccupied to really appreciate her thanks. 

So what are the weapons for, then? Amy said. Your memories of your dad show him having like, batons, pepper spray, tasers. She didn’t mention the gun. She didn’t have to. 

“Because sometimes there are bad guys who want to hurt people,” Eric said as they flew back up. “Like, feel free to look around in my brain for stuff about, like, hate crimes and stuff. And if they get their hands on a weapon, there have to be people who can stop them.”

I think that makes sense, Amy said. Wouldn’t it be better to keep people like that from getting weapons? 

“Yeah, well, if someone wants to hurt people they’ll find a way,” Eric said as he lifted a bowl with a goldfish off of a windowsill. “That’s why every community needs people who can help in case of an emergency like that.” There was a bright light in the corner of his eye. If he hadn’t been this high up, he wouldn’t even have noticed the flames in the alleyway down below. This close to a fire like that? 

Might have been a burst pipe. We should see if anyone needs help. With a nod and a single flap of their wings, Redshift came to an agreement. They lowered as quickly as they could without killing the fish and handed it to the nine year old girl who came sprinting over. 

“Thank you for saving Crunchwrap Supreme!” She said as she took the bowl from Eric’s hands. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Redshift,” he said, kneeling down and looking at her parents. “I’m here to help.”

“Thank you, Miss,” the girl said, then hid behind her mother. Eric smiled at her, gave them a quick salute, and took off in a gust of wind. It felt good to see people look up at him with that kind of adoration. We’re helping people! Amy said excitedly. And they’re grateful for it! Putting back into the community had always been important to him and getting this kind of recognition was so different from the gratitude people had shown him because of his dad. 

Those thoughts moved to the background when he passed over the alley and saw a fireman brandishing what appeared to be a flamethrower at a staggered and crawling Penumbra. Fire flowed down the back street. Each time it got close to the hero, Eric heard them wail, a screech he knew wasn’t Max but Penny themself, a sound like a wounded animal, high pitched and ear-piercing. 

Redshift lept down and landed behind the ‘fireman’ as quickly and quietly as they could. The oxygen tank he was wearing was probably a disguised fuel container, Eric figured. So we take care of that first, Amaranth said. Fire will hurt me as much as it does Penny, and I can’t help you if I’m in recovery myself. Resolutely, Eric grabbed the container and with one hand on the attacker’s back to hold him in place he pulled as hard as he could. 

The fireman was pulled off balance when the straps of his pack snapped loose. The weapon was yanked out of his hands and he stumbled forwards. Eric threw the pack behind him. “Who the hell are you?!” He shouted. “What do you want!?!”

The man turned his fall into a half roll, landing on one knee. As his fireman’s hat fell off, Eric could see his face. He didn’t know what he’d expected. Maybe burn scars, or a tattoo. To his… almost disappointment, the man was completely plain, other than the fact that he’d clearly not been shaving and looked angry in that contained, bottled-up-and-ready-to-pop kind of way. “You’re just a kid,” he said. “Get the fuck out of here.”

“You’re attacking my friend,” Eric shouted, “I’m not going anywhere, and you’re coming with me in handcuffs, you maniac!”

“You don’t know a thing about me,” the man said, “but fine.” He reached into his jacket. Eric and Amy immediately moved forward to stop whatever weapon he was pulling out. It startled both of them to see how fast they could move if they had to, Amaranth enhancing their now-shared body to a degree he hadn’t thought possible. Eric’s hand closed on the attacker’s wrist with a vice-like grip, which was when they noticed it was a hip-flask. “Eager, aren’t you?” The man said. “I’d like a drink before you take me in. Who knows when I’ll get another shot?” 

“Should have thought of that sooner,” Eric growled, when he heard Penumbra cough. The other hero slowly propped themself up against a dumpster, coughing. “Are you going to be okay?” He shouted. The assailant took a swig from his flask.

Penumbra looked over and held up a thumb, before suddenly holding up a hand and shouting. “Look out!” Eric turned back to his captive just in time to see him hold up a lighter as he spat the liquor directly into it. Redshift was thrown back as Eric and Amy both shouted in pain and surprise. Flame covered their arms and face while the man got up and straightened his jacket. 

“Sorry, kid. I don’t take orders from someone in uniform.” He grabbed his hat from the floor and put it on. “Call me whatever you like. You’ll be fine. Hurts like a bitch but you’ll have second degree burns at most. You covered your eyes so you shouldn’t go blind.” He was right. The fire was already gone, even though Redshift’s skin still burned too hard to think clearly. Behind the man, they could see Penumbra starting to push up and slowly sneak up on him. “Speaking of which.” He took something out of his pocket, turning to Penumbra. “You should probably take care of this.”

He tossed a small, heavy object at Redshift, and then walked away. Eric was still catching his breath, trying to clear his head from the pain. “Whazzat—“ he said. Amaranth was quiet. The pain was worse for her, he realized. She wasn’t able to form coherent thoughts yet, so he had to try to figure out what the thing on his chest was. It was a cylinder, with red bands. “In— Incendiary… Oh.”

“Get down!” Penumbra shouted, leaping forward and grabbing it, ready to throw, when it went off in their hand.

The flashbang rang Redshift’s head like a bell. Penumbra toppled like a felled tree. The light blinded Eric instantly, his eyes unable to adjust. The noise, however, knocked Amy out completely. He could tell how she just… blinked out, still there but inert. Eric sat up as his vision slowly returned. Max was lying on the floor in front of him, Penny having retreated. Wait… Did that mean…? He looked down at his hands. 

Amaranth had also retreated inwards. Probably some kind of defense mechanism. The problem was that he was still the girl version of him. Without her, he couldn’t turn back. He got up and moved over to Maxine, who was also pushing herself up onto her feet. The hand in which the explosive had gone off was bright red, but otherwise she seemed okay too. 

“I’m— I’m getting out of here, kid,” she said. “I might be able to pick up his trail.” She looked at him. “God, your face is red. Amy’s out too?” 

“Yeah,” Eric said, nodding. “God, it’s weird to hear that girl-voice without the mask.”

“Tell me about it,” Maxine said. “Alright, you sit down and recover. You and Amy aren’t used to this kind of thing just yet.” Without waiting for his response, she ran off unsteadily. Eric took a step to follow her when the world started to slowly tip over. It was only when the ground came to meet him that he realized the explosion had probably messed with his sense of balance.

Except that the ground didn’t hit him at all. A pair of arms caught him at the last second. Figuring Max had come back, probably not trusting him to take care of himself, there was an annoyance to his gratitude. “Thanks,” he said as he got up, looking directly in the face of… well, not Max. He only barely managed to bite his tongue before saying Serena’s name. “Hi,” he managed.

“It’s you, isn’t it?” She said, breathless. She looked like she’d been running. “I saw you flying and I… I’m sorry, I just wanted to say thank you for the other day.” Serena looked him up and down. Was she biting her lip? “I didn’t mean to see you out of your costume. Is it magic? Does it disappear when you’re hurt or is it because you didn’t need it anymore?” She lifted his arm and pulled it over her shoulder, keeping him upright. 

“I’m okay,” Eric said. He looked down at himself. He had decided that, for superheroing, he’d be wearing practical clothes, so he had just put on a sleeveless shirt and workout pants. Amaranth had somehow changed them along with his body so they’d fit. “Just need to… recover for a bit.”

“Let’s get you somewhere safe, then,” Serena said. “I promise, I won’t tell anyone who you are.” Eric blinked a few times.

“Who do you think I am?” He said.

“Uh… I don’t know,” Serena said. “But I guess I know what you look like, right?” Eric grimaced when he realized she didn’t even know that. “I’m pretty sure there aren’t that many girls eligible for the ‘prettiest woman in the city’ award.” Eric choked on his thoughts. 

“You think I’m…”

“Uh, duh?” Serena shook her head as she walked him down the street. “Why do the gorgeous ones never realize?” She looked up at Eric’s shocked face, very close to hers as she helped him to a diner. “Ahem. I’m sorry. I don’t want to be too much, I’m just a little starstruck. You might not remember me, but you actually saved me—“

“Of course I remember you,” Eric said as she sat him down in a booth. He groaned as she sat him down. It was probably his imagination that that caused Serena to bite her lip again. Eric’s face still hurt and he had a killer headache coming on. “You don’t forget someone like you.” 

A rosy-cheeked woman came over to take their order. After reassuring her he was fine, Eric asked for a cup of coffee. Thankfully, he’s also remembered to put his wallet in one of his pockets. “And a cup of chamomile tea for her,” he said, figuring he might as well pay her back. Stretching, he put his arms over the back rest, when he noticed she was staring at him.

“How do you know I like chamomile?” She said. 

“Oh… uh… you just seem like the type.” It wasn’t a great lie, but it was going to have to do. For a third time, Serena bit her lip. She was playing with a strand of her hair. 

“Just out of curiosity,” she said, “how tall are you?”