Heroic Villains: Toxic Hero

Headline Eleven: The Lucky Clover's Whereabouts

Kieran (Vast) Winters

Vast slipped away and down the fire escape while the fireworks went off and the heroes were distracted; he knew the heroes wouldn't follow after everything they went down in the street below. He ditched his mask in the closest trashcan and hurried off to the nearest safest house, Narcissa's. Thankfully, people had begun gathering due to all the noise and commotion and it was easy to get lost in the curious crowd.

Glimmer's words echoed in his head like a foghorn warning away danger. 'Sapphire Shadow is here and she's after you.' Both heroes had seen her, they hadn't been chasing shadows that night. They were chasing her.

He'd been so sure he'd stopped her from coming after them. He tore her mind apart that night, ripped and ripped until he was sure she'd died from the damage done to her psyche.

The Labs had a public funeral for her when she was found. But clearly, he'd been wrong, she wasn't dead and now she was here, angrier than ever. Why would they have held a funeral if she weren't dead? Who or what did they bury?

He wondered how much she remembered, maybe she was just chasing ghosts now like Clover, and didn't really know what her end goal was. She might not even remember how they were connected she could have seen the Phantom mask on some news outlet and had an emotional reaction.

That was it, surely...

He ambled a long path to the apartment building, crossing through allies and stopping at a convenience store to buy a soda before finally arriving at Narcissa's. Using the front door, Vast walked through the main lobby, nodding at an older woman checking her mail at the boxes as he tapped the button to call the elevator. She nodded back as she peered over her letters at him. Her shadow sat below her as the long light on the ceiling cast few shadows.

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open to an empty compartment. Vast glanced at the old woman again. She'd gone back to reading her letters, tossing out a few brightly colored brochures. Her shadow seemed to move just a bit slower than the rest of her, and Vast frowned as he stepped into the small space and let the doors close behind him before pressing which floor that he wanted.

As he waited in the elevator, his shoulder ached and throbbed its way across his back, and he wondered if maybe he shouldn't be moving around just yet. But then his mind drifted to the tangible shadows and reached out towards the shadows the railing at the back created. The shadows quickly and easily responded, reaching out and wrapping themselves around Vast's arm but they had no substance. He frowned and let the shadows snap back into place and sighed.

The elevator doors slid open, and he headed down the hall to Narcissa's door where he knocked, using his good arm. It was weird since he was right-handed. Some moments passed that Vast knocked a second time; then waited long enough to wonder if he should lockpick the door and see if everything was alright. But just as the thought occurred to him, Narcissa opened her door.

"Hey," He greeted. The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open to reveal absolutely nobody within. Vast frowned at the odd sight but then turned back to Narcissa and smiled.

"It's late," She answered as she stepped aside to let him in. The familiar darkness within was comforting and Vast was looking forward to curling up under the covers with Narcissa.

"I know, I won't stay if you don't want me too."

"It's not a problem, will Coy be around?"

"No, just me tonight." Vast smirked.

"You look like you've been in a fight. Are you-?" Vast frowned at her and she put her hand up. "I know not to ask what happened. I was going to ask if you're hurt."