3.01 – Credit Where Due

Having just teamed up with the Midnight Avenger to put a stop to the rampage of an unstable young boy who had been fed a disinhibiting mutagenic chemical and dealing with what was probably the prelude to her first celebrity interview with the pretty, young hot-shot reporter, Valerie North, Aurora flew off into the night, spinning, cartwheeling, and swooping in excitement. Tonight had been exhilarating.

She had fought her first superpowered Padua kid. It was thrilling but also unsettling, knowing they were basically ticking time bombs, ready to wreak chaos on Seaside City and San Isidro should the Xevolve in their systems kick in. As she soared, her nose crinkled in thought while she scrolled through the list of names and addresses on her communicator’s HUD. Keeping tabs on all of them wouldn’t be easy. Worse, they weren’t just local—some came from rural areas, others from cities across the country. Thankfully, the Padua crisis wasn’t hers alone to manage. No matter how fast she could fly, she couldn’t be everywhere at once.

Her brow furrowed as another question gnawed at her. Could Xevolve enter the body through means other than consumption?

Her mind wandered back to Robbie and Jeff. Jeff had displayed unnatural powers and nearly killed his lover at the rave Quinn had taken her to, it had taken Redline Racer personally coming all the way to the west coast to save the day. Was it possible he had been one of the first Padua kids ‘treated’ and released? Had they been feeding this stuff to children longer than anyone realized? Was the senior member of the Society in town to investigate Padua or was something even more shady going on in the background?

Before she could dwell on it further, her Society of Sentinels card vibrated in her boob pocket, startling her. Without warning, a channel opened in her mind, and The Midnight Avenger’s gruff voice cut in.

“Aurora. Are you busy?”

She blinked. “No… why?”

She had just left the scene where he had swooped away in the Avenjet not moments ago, its engines roaring as it carried him off faster than she had thought possible.

“You did a good job tonight,” he said simply.

Aurora tilted her head, suppressing a laugh. It wasn’t like him to call without reason, but she wasn’t about to complain. If anything, she was flattered.

“Thank you. I did my best. I’m sorry about the misunderstanding with the funnel construct I made so you could slip in the sedative. I didn’t realize the Society had sci-fi hyposprays.”

“That was on me,” he admitted. “I didn’t specify how much of a window you needed to leave, let alone where. Any open patch of skin would have sufficed. Anyway, I expected you to be more forceful. Reckless, even. But you showed restraint. You didn’t fight like a fresh recruit.”

Aurora smiled slightly. “Thanks. I’ve been following heroes my whole life so I’d like to think I know how to handle situations.”

But that wasn’t entirely true, was it? She hadn’t been so level-headed when those thugs followed her Goonie home. When they stormed into her house, she had lost all sense of control, convinced that the villains of San Isidro had already tracked her down. She had panicked. She had reacted emotionally, not tactically.

“Are you alright?” The Midnight Avenger’s tone was faintly concerned.

“Yes… I’m fine,” she said quickly. Then, after a pause, she sighed. “I just don’t think I’m as capable of a hero as you think. I’m still green. Prone to making stupid mistakes.”

Midnight Avenger’s gruff voice cut through the quiet hum of the city below. “... Is there anything you would like to discuss?”

Aurora hesitated briefly before responding, her wings shifting as she adjusted her altitude. “… Not right now.” She shook her head, suppressing the urge to confess how she’d nearly compromised her identity in a fit of anger and panic. How she’d almost gone full Black Angel on one of those thugs—dropping him from the sky, letting him plummet, just to catch him at the last moment. It hadn’t been one of her finest moments. If she let that slip, Midnight Avenger, with his sharp detective mind, would start putting the pieces together. Anygmah’s spell or not, he’d figure out her secret identity eventually.

“I see,” Midnight Avenger said after a pause. His voice remained steady, unreadable. “You’re far more promising than you think. But if I can offer some criticism… I noticed that you blew off Val North.” He chuckled, a rare sound from him. “I suggest contacting her sometime.”

“Why?” Aurora couldn’t help but feel delighted by the unexpected openness. “It’s not like you’ve ever been big on interviews. You’re the one who loves to lurk in the shadows and scare villains half to death.”

“I’m a very different type of hero.” His tone grew serious again. “You, on the other hand, are friendly, outgoing. The media’s already given you a positive image. You don’t inspire fear—you inspire hope. You should lean into that. Trying to be either me or Vanguard wouldn’t suit you.”

Aurora frowned, rolling into a smooth bank between tightly packed buildings, flying sideways for a moment. “I didn’t really blow her off per se. I gave her as much as I thought I could afford to. I don’t want people to know too much about me.”

“There’s no problem with maintaining your privacy,” Midnight Avenger acknowledged. “But she’s a local online reporter for the Seaside Chronicle. Fairly influential. If you alienate her the way you did Ruffino, things could get difficult for you.”

Aurora winced at the mention of Marlene Ruffino.

“This is just a friendly warning,” he continued. “I’ve seen heroes torn apart by public sentiment too many times to count, all because the media turned against them. If you get Val North on your side, she could be a valuable ally. More than that—she could be a great source of information. I’d like you to speak with her when you get the chance.”

“Yes, sir.” Aurora nodded instinctively, throwing in a sharp salute he couldn’t see, her lips quirking up at the corner slightly.

“Also,” he went on, “I trust you found the information on the Padua kids that I transferred to your card?”

“Yes, sir.” She nodded again, eyes scanning the cityscape below. “I was just going through it. But honestly… it’s impossible for me to keep tabs on all of them. Even with my flight speed…”

“Don’t worry about watching them all.” Midnight Avenger’s voice carried that same firm, no-nonsense tone he always had. “There are Sentinels and their helpers posted across the country. The information is being shared. Focus on the ones you can reach in a reasonable amount of time.”

Aurora exhaled in mild relief.

“I suggest you check the map application that shows which heroes cover which territories. It’ll help you coordinate better with others when you’re in their jurisdiction. The lines aren’t enforceable and can be very fuzzy sometimes, especially when a villain skips town or a criminal enterprise is expansive enough, but you should get a broad lay of the land.”

“There’s an application like that?” Aurora asked, surprised.

“You weren’t paying attention back at HQ during your induction?” His teeth audibly grated.

Yikes. “I’m sorry, M.A. A few things might have flown over my head in all the excitement,” she admitted sheepishly. “But I got everything else you said, I promise.”

“Sure.” He didn’t sound convinced. “Anyway, you can cross-reference the records I sent you with the resources in your communicator’s database.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you. I appreciate the advice.” Aurora smiled slightly. “I’ll contact Val when I can—although I’m not sure what else I can tell her that I haven’t already. At least, I’ll reach out to form a connection with the media like you suggested. I assume I shouldn’t mention anything about the Padua case?”

“That’s correct. Do not discuss details about ongoing investigations unless the reporter can provide direct assistance, and only if they can be trusted to be discreet.”

Aurora chuckled, “It’s the kind of thing like with Detective Kirby and other police officers, right?”

“Exactly. Even I have those I can rely on in the media and law enforcement. No superhero truly operates alone. Networking is essential.”

“Gotcha, sir. And, if I may, it was an honor fighting by your side tonight. My very first superhero team-up—it was everything I hoped it would be.” Aurora grinned broadly, her mood lifting as she spun through the air. Her wings stretched wide, catching the cool night air, her white feathers shimmering in the city lights.

“You did most of the work, Aurora.” Midnight Avenger's tone was dry, but not unkind. “On another note, I’ve confirmed Vanguard’s assessment of your physiology.”

“My physiology? Isn’t that kind of personal?” Aurora blinked, her flight faltering for a half-second.

“We won’t be going under the hood just to see how you tick if that’s your concern, Aurora.” To her surprise, Midnight Avenger actually laughed. It was a short chuckle, but unmistakable. “Anyway, I wouldn’t mind working with you again—despite what some might think about The Midnight Avenger.”

Aurora's grin widened. “You mean the dirty things they think?” she teased.

A long pause. Then, in a perfectly flat voice: “... Dirty things?”

Aurora’s face burned. There was no way she was about to explain that to him. The last thing she needed was to mention the unholy amounts of slash fiction and spicy fan art people had written about him and Vanguard.

“Nope! Nothing! No dirty things here, sir!” she blurted, shaking her head so fast her hair whipped against her shoulders. “Anyway, um, people will think whatever they want. Gossip’s inevitable, super-powered or not.”

She cleared her throat, trying to move past that little landmine of a conversation. “I mean, if we did partner up more often, I guess some might talk about that, too. And when I start working with Mistral more… well, I know people are gonna have opinions on that.”

“I see…” Midnight Avenger’s voice was unreadable.

“Anyway, thanks for the compliment, sir. I’d be happy to work with you anytime.”

“No, lest you misunderstand—it’s not about you. It’s about me.”

“Huh?” Aurora frowned. Wouldn’t working with a total noob like her be bad for his reputation?

“I mean that some people consider me so serious that I can’t work with other heroes unless they’re just as serious at all times. That is not the case.”

“Wait, wait, wait.” Aurora’s lips twitched. “Are you telling me that you actually have a sense of humor, sir?”

“… Ahem.” Midnight Avenger definitely cleared his throat a little too forcefully. “Changing the subject.”

Aurora giggled.

“You still need more training and experience,” he continued, regaining his usual gruff tone. “And I’m approaching my destination. I’ll be dropping Jason off in a couple of days once I’ve detoxified him.”

“I know I still have a lot to work on, sir.” Aurora nodded, her voice turning serious again. “I don’t expect to be perfect from day one. I know I’ll make mistakes—but I’ll always do my best. As long as I hold the examples of the Society high in my mind, I know I’ll be fine.”

She smiled, her confidence shining through. “Besides, I wouldn’t mind getting more training, sir. Experience comes with time, but I think we work together just fine—my rough edges notwithstanding.”

Midnight Avenger let out a short breath. “I agree. No one is expected to be perfect from day one, and so far, I have no major critiques for you, Aurora.”

“Thanks, M.A. I’ll see about stopping in to see Jason’s parents tomorrow on behalf of the Society. I’ll explain to them that he’s in good hands and will be returned safe and sound. I’m sure they know by now that I was involved in helping him, so I hope they’ll be understanding and accommodating.”

Midnight Avenger chuckled faintly, the sound brief but approving. “That’s exactly what I was going to ask you to do. Very good. That’s thinking like a teammate.”

Aurora beamed at the unexpected praise.

“I have to concentrate now,” he continued. “I’ll talk to you later if need be. Thanks for your assistance, Aurora. And I’ll be considering what you told me tonight. Midnight Avenger out.”

With that, the line went silent.

Aurora exhaled deeply and finished the last leg of her flight home, her mind still replaying everything. She’d held her own against Jason. She’d fought side by side with Midnight Avenger. He respected her for how she’d handled the situation. That was huge.

She landed in the copse behind her family’s condo, her sandals softly brushing against the grass. The routine was second nature by now—transform back, sprint across the concrete dividing wall, hop down onto the verdant grass, and slip through the back door like she’d been home all along.

Inside, Quinn and Goonie were curled up on the couch, watching a movie, their forms bundled together under a thick blanket. The glow of the TV flickered across their faces.

Leona didn’t hesitate—she wedged herself right between them, wriggling her way under the shared blanket until she was nestled in snugly. The warmth, the comfort of home, hit her all at once, and she let out a contented sigh.

“Good day?” Goonie asked, chuckling softly at the way Leona all but melted into the couch.

“Oh heck yes!” Leona squealed, her voice full of excitement.

And that was it—once she started, she couldn’t stop. For what felt like hours, she gushed about her adventures, completely hijacking their movie night. She recounted everything—mentioning Jason, the ice powers he’d wielded, the way she’d had to think on her feet, how she’d managed to contain him without really hurting him.

Then, of course, there was him.

Midnight Avenger.

She practically sparkled as she described how well they’d worked together, how he had acknowledged her skills, even complimented her—though, naturally, it had come with caution to do better. But that was fine. That was expected.

He approved of her.

Quinn, somewhere in the middle of the retelling, had stealthily paused the movie, smirking as she and Goonie just listened.

Finally, when Leona finally ran out of steam, Goonie leaned back, stretching her arms above her head. “You should see about getting some place where you can be safe in the city—just in case. If you ever had to keep someone like young Jason under your watch for any length of time, or any number of other circumstances I can think about, you wouldn’t be able to bring them here, you’d need somewhere better equipped.”

Leona blinked at that, tilting her head slightly.

Quinn, picking up on Goonie’s meaning, nodded. “Yeah. A proper hideout or something. Somewhere you can go if things get dicey and you can’t make it home.”

Leona considered that, tapping her fingers against her knee under the blanket. That did make sense. More and more, she was getting tangled up in serious hero business. Maybe it was time to start thinking about more than just coming home after every mission.