A Hero Gone Rouge

1

He sighed as he flung himself through the city with his grapple hook. There just wasn't enough to do. Besides, what difference did he make in the city?

Crime hadn't gone down since he started being a hero, and his mentality kept going down the more he thought about this, he had to have made some difference, right? No, he hadn't.

Flinging himself into his apartment, he sighed, pushing his hood down and throwing his mask off somewhere onto the couch, heading to the bathroom. He stared into the mirror, looking at the large scar that went across his left eye. He was sure he was half blind when he got it, but just days later, he could see fine. Thank God Henrik was available that day Jackie fought with Anti, a large one at that, and neither left unscathed.

He sighed again, taking the top part of his red suit off, staring at the scars that decorated his torso and arms. Various burn scars, scrapes, scratches, deep scars that healed over time, and newer bruises and scrapes from today. He took the bandages which wrapped his hands, cushioning his blows to anyone he fought, all in all, it helped him more than it did whoever he was fighting, the skin on his dry hands was cracking in areas he held his grapple hook

He winced at the sight, he wanted to be a hero so badly to prove so many people wrong, but it was honestly taking a toll on himself more than anything, fighting to save people and then having to watch those very same people either die in the process or lose a loved one, it hurt every time.

Yet, he couldn't bring himself to quit, he could never bring himself to quit, who else would do this dangerous job of his?

Tears fell down his cheeks, he had about enough of today. It was better to wait until tomorrow, he'd feel better then.

And well, he did.

He was so full of energy the next morning, he woke up so early and didn't even eat any breakfast, he flung out the window just like Spider-Man would and swung around the city with his grapple hook, flying overhead as people began to look up.

Lots of friendly folks were always up early, some of them waved, some shouted hello, hell, one even flagged Jackie down, of course, he landed by them, "Good morning, sir!" He chirped happily, bounding up like a hyper child, the person chuckled, "Morning, I just wanted to check if you've had breakfast yet, can't kick ass without it." The person chuckled, walking over to a hotdog stand they owned, smiling at the hero.

Jackie chuckled, "I'll be good until Lunch, I'd definitely have come back though, I've heard you make the best around the city!" Jackie beamed as the man smiled, "Just making sure our local hero is taken care of, heard there'd be something happening downtown, might wanna look into it." The man smiled as he opened his stand to everyone. Jackie nodded, making a mental note to come back before he shot his grapple hook, starting to swing once more.

Every now and then he'd shout a quick 'Morning' or 'Hello' to the passersby below, he loved seeing their smiles, although his mind-space is shit, seeing people so happy to see him makes his day.

Once he got to the spot he was tipped off about, he saw the 'something' he was told about.

Down there, was Marvin, circling someone, and honestly, Jackie was expecting it to be Anti but.. it was Chase.

Why was it Chase? What did he do to piss Marvin off? What did either of them do to piss the other off?

He sighed slightly, standing up straight on the rooftop.

The same rhythm played in his head, possible fixes to the situation, hearing both sides of the story, then a conclusion that had to include both parties reserving some sort of punishment. He was sick of doing this, he went to leap off the roof before stopping.

A girl ran up to the two, she had strawberry pink colored hair with the prettiest hazel eyes, and she wore teal armor-like clothes, it was clear this was a Halloween costume, painfully clear. She held her arms out as she stood between them both, pointing at Marvin first, then after a while, toward Chase. She shushed Marvin each time he cut in.

Jackie couldn't believe it, the girl turned towards Marvin after hearing Chase's side of the story, he just couldn't believe it.

This girl had come in and fixed the problem on her own, but what pissed Jackie off was that she could take the one thing he clung to.

He growled lightly, shaking his head before hopping down, startling the girl, "Woah, JackieBoyMan!" She beamed brightly as she cowered away from the situation, she always did that when Jackie intervened.

He had to admit, having a helping hand around the city was nice and all, but this girl was a kid, someone who had no regard for her safety.. stupid Empath...

He looked at Chase then Marvin, "Now, has this been settled?" He asked the two, both of which nodded, Jackie smiled at the girl, he could tell she was tense, she was always tense, "And you, you handled it the exact way I could've, thanks." He gave her a bright smile as he watched her beam brighter then before.

It was clear to him as the day can get, she was neurodivergent in a way, nobody but little children get upset when they don't get whipped cream and sprinkles in their smoothie, and he didn't mind. She just had a different way of thinking, everyone does, he just had to remind himself to be more gentle with her, he kind of liked how she did things in her own way.

Although, this wasn't the danger he was tipped off about, something exploded out of a wall nearby, the girl froze up with a small gasp, Chase stepped infront of her, Marvin took position next to Jackie.

He threw himself into his apartment, pissed as he stormed to the bathroom.

He has had enough bullshit, he was done with being this damned cities "Hero" it needed.

Glaring into the mirror, he held a pair of scissors, he stared at the new scar over his torso, it was new and from a fight with Anti.

He shouldn't have gotten in the way of the attack, he shouldn't have protected Marvin. Marvin didn't even so much as thank him!

He was done

THIS was the final straw that set it all off. He began snipping at his medium length hair, and just didn't stop.

When he finished, his hair was much shorter then before,, it of course looked disheveled but... he didn't want to go to the barbers.

He hopped into the shower, once he got out he dried off and redressed, he parted his hair so it looked better. He stared at his closet, he was done being the hero.

....

But that didn't mean he wasn't ready to be a villain.