Sorry

Night Two Hundred And Thirty One

Age 1991

Gladious City...

The Empresses Room...

"It's obvious right." Hero announced. "My demand is that Mary Law becomes the New Master of the Enforcers!"

Silence went around the room as Hero announced that. His smirk quickly faded as the room seemed to grow colder and shake.

He very quickly put it together that he might have made a few errors in his choice of words.

Aka stood up a thick red whip of blood forming in her hands as she stared at him. That amused look was gone. Replaced with... Not even rage. More like... Hate. As if something so utterly bad just happened. Something that would ruin her life. As if... This was the first time someone was trying to force her into check mate.

"So." She said a smile coming onto her face. But it wasn't a smirk, or even one of joy, or lust. More like... A sinister smirk. One you would give when you were about to give life destroying news to someone you hated.

'Hero...' Row, the real Row, said speaking up. Something he hasn't even done other than a few handful times. The sound of his creators voice in his head actually managed to break Hero out of his mild shock and fear. 'We. Need. To. Run. Full sprint run.'

Aka let out a small laugh slamming her whip down so hard the floor around her shattered into dust from how fast and hard it slammed into it. "You think that just because I had a use for you... What? You could come up here and boss me around? I have half a mind to just get my uses with you over with, than slaughter you and everyone of your friends."

"I... I'm sorry." Hero said backing up. His body couldn't stop shaking. This woman was... Stronger than even Ken in her full powered monster state had been. She was stronger than any of the Captains expect for maybe two and one... He even wondered if she would have been able to fight Master Storm based off the aura she was given off. How much power was she always holding back to keep this sinister side in check he wondered.

'You see... Unlike with Kings, or Presidents, the title of Emperor isn't passed down through vote, or a bloodline. There are in total Twenty Sacred Branches. There are many Nobles but of those Nobles only Twenty Families exist above all others. These families hold far more sway than any other. Each Nation has a total of five Sacred Families. So four Nations, each having five, this means there are twenty. In Red we have the Nines, which is my family, the Storms, The Pendragons, The Lancelots, and lastly the Akas. Out of those the one who is Emperor is the strongest Heir of those families.' That's what Kitsune had said at least...

The Emperor was always the strongest of that Generation. This meant this woman was stronger than Jacksons father, stronger than Jin, who was the Captain of Squad Seven, and considered to be one of the best Enforcers of his time, stronger than Kitsunes father, stronger than Lancelot who ever that was, stronger than her own father, stronger than Arthurs father.

It was finally setting in how strong an Emperor would have to be.

If they ruled by power than...

"Oh? You're sorry?" The woman asked cocking her head to the side. "Oh... You're not. Not yet. But don't worry." She raised her whip up and sliced it out towards Hero as he shifted towards his clawed arm on instinct alone. "You will be."

***

The Next Day...

The Hospital...

"Shelly!"

"Oh God no-" Shelly managed to get out before Ken hugged the girl tightly. "Gah! R... Ribs!" Shelly groaned out.

"S... Sorry!" Ken said pulling away.

It was the next day and standing in the hospital doorway were Katrina, Dawson, Kitsune, who was still fused, Light, Daughter, and Ken. During the night Athena woke up and was able to heal most of the seriously injured recruits and started on all the Captains. Shelly was currently in her own room now. A small simple room with some windows and a desk. She was in a hospital gown and her hair was down rather than up like it always was.

"How are you feeling?" Katrina asked.

Shelly reached up patting her stomach and chest. "Well. I don't have a hole."

Dawson grunted. "That's good."

"I... I'm sorry." Ken began but was smacked over the head by Shelly.

"I could have dodged your strike stupid. It was my own fault I got hit. You should be saying you're sorry for losing control. Do better!"

"O... Ow... S... Sorry."

Shelly let out a huff folding her arms. It seemed she was getting back in the swing of things. "So uh. Where's Vice Captain Jackson, and Hero?" She asked.

"We don't know where Big Brother is..." Light frowned.

"F... Father has been missing." Daughter said sounding a little scared. "A... And Jackson went to talk to the mean woman."

"Mean woman?"

"She means the Empress." Kitsune said.

"That's right." Katrina nodded. "Jackson needed to speak to her about... Somethings..."

"Oh?"

"It's not important." The Captain said shaking her head. "Shelly. Can you walk?"

"I think so yeah." Shelly nodded. "Captain Athena is amazing at healing. They said in a few hours I'll be back in tip top shape."

"That's good." Katrina nodded. "Because the games are going on tomorrow."

"S... Still!" Ken said shocked.

"The public is okay with that?" Kitsune asked.

"Well." Katrina frowned. "The public of this town the one the games are being held in didn't make a compliant. It's actually part of the reason the games are still going on... Something seems to have happened with all non powered users... Whatever it is we don't want to alert anyone since we know at least two Organization members were here... Captain Newt Hyde is going to be secretly running some tests on the people. So in the meantime the games will go on that way the people will stay in the stands and it'll go over more smoothly without suspicion."

"I see..." Light nodded.

"That said." Katrina sighed folding her arms. "The Empress has called for a meeting that is going to be broadcast across the Red Nation. She's going to let everyone know about the Master, as well as a few other things. We, as well as every other Enforcer, are to meet outside standing in the city while this happens."

"I've been meaning to ask." Kitsune said frowning. "So all the recruits are here... And the Captains. And the Vice Captains... So who's defending the rest of the Nation?"

"That would be the other Enforcers." Katrina said flatly. "Only Captains, Vice Captains, and Recruits are supposed to be here. A few normal Enforcers like Dawson did come, but for the most part all Bronze Badged, to Gold Badges, are protecting the rest of the Nation."

"Ah. I see. Makes sense." Kitsune nodded. "And here I thought we just left the entire Nation unguarded from the many, many, Bestia Macht. Speaking of... How long has it been since we've actually done a Bestia Macht quest now that I'm thinking about it."

"Who cares." Ken said flatly. "The good news is Shelly is alright!" She announced.

"The bad news is everyone still hates you." Shelly said flatly making Ken stumble. Katrina tossed the girl a bag which had a new Enforcers jacket and some pants. Shelly slipped them on over her hospital gown as she stood up and zipped her jacket up grabbing some hair ties and began to work on her hair. "So are we leaving now?"

"Not yet. But in a bit we are." Katrina sighed. "Jackson is going to give that lady a piece of his mind first. No one steals my man!"

***

Meanwhile...

'Hero! Focus-'

Hero ignored the voice of Row as the contents of his stomach spilled out into the bowl of the toilet.

'Hero! It's okay. It's okay. I'm here. Just focus-'

Hero gasped out more coming out. He let out a low groan as he fell back. He rested in a hallway bathroom somewhere in the hospital. He was sprawled out on his back staring up at the roof above him with wide ruby red eyes. His back was swore covered in many cuts and his lip was bruised and busted as well as a swollen black eye he now had.

'Okay. Let's get up.'

"R... Right." Hero slowly stumbled to his feet moving towards the sink and quickly washing his hands and splashing some water across his face.

'Luckily we heal quickly. No serious damage was sustained. Our body will recover within enough given time.'

"So uh... Why are you speaking to me again..." Hero asked.

'Not again. I'm the real Row. That fake is stored within my crest along with the lab coat and the hospital so I can call on them for later. As for why I'm speaking to you finally... You've given me little choice. After pulling 'that' stunt... You almost got us killed... That cruel woman left us alive though. For now we need to plan and get stronger. That woman will pay for what she did to you.'

"You mean us?"

'No. I mean you.'

"O... Oh..." Hero stumbled out of the bathroom letting out a sigh as he wiped his eyes. He zipped his Enforcers jacket around himself tighter. As he began to stretch. "The twelve Captains and Vice Captains. The Four Beasts. Master Storm. Master Aka. The Four Emperors. All the members in the Organization. How many more people are so much stronger than me... I need to keep going. That goal..."

'You still have that goal?'

"I do." Hero nodded. "Every word of it... All of it was true. I've already told you. Or the other Row I guess. I want to see the sun." Hero stopped staring out a window as he reached up to that black sky above. "I'd really like to see it in person... And... This is what God, and Piero wanted for me to. A Hero has a Steel Heart and lives for others. I'm going to live for myself with this shattering heart. If I can't save the world than I'll just show it that it can save itself."

'How do you think you can even do that.'

Hero gave a small smile. "That's easy. I'll keep on saving people. And if I'm knocked down I'll get back up again and again and again. I'm going to fail a lot more. But that's okay. As long as I can save some... As long as people see. I'm going to keep being an Enforcer."

'How can you even think of being an Enforcer after everything!'

"Because it's what I want." Hero announced. "I don't care if it hurts me and I don't care if I get knocked down. I said I'll get back up. The Enforcers are a symbol of peace in the Red Nation. If I can't save the Enforcers from themselves... If I can't make them better... Than... What's even the point of me trying to teach the world. I'm going to be an Enforcer so I can show them all. I'm going to become the Master of the Enforcers! And I'll use them to save this world. Not just the Red Nation but all of it. Then... Some way... I don't know how. But some way. We'll take the Squid down."

'It's a Noble plan. It truly is Hero. But you're a pawn. Not a King. You will never lead. Besides. That Squid won't ever be gone. It can't be killed. The best bet is for me to kill God. I'll use his power and keep the Earth hidden and make sure the humans stay alive-'

"No." Hero said shaking his head. "You're right I'm not born to be a leader. I never will be. But you're wrong about the Squid. I won't just sit by and let our world live while others die... Master Storm had a way to kill the Squid but his plan involved using people as pawns. God wants to go back in time and stop the Earth from becoming like this erasing us all from existence and keeping the old humans alive. You wish to take over as God and keep things the way they are. Well I don't like all three of those plans. I'm throwing my hat into the ring and following my own path."

'And that. That is one of the many reasons you will never be able to finish your goals. A Leader wouldn't have fools so naive.'

"You're right. I'll never reach a goal like that. Not by myself anyways."

'Fool-'

"Hero?" Hero jumped when he heard the voice. He turned around finding Jackson Storm. "What are you doing here? The others were looking for you?"

"T... They were?"

"Yeah." Jackson nodded moving towards Hero. "Come on I'll take you to them." He said placing a hand on Hero's shoulder and guiding him towards the floor where Shelly was. "I was actually about to speak with the Empress." He said making Hero flinch. "Hey you feeling okay? You're all pale and are you running a fever?" He asked. Hero's face was pale and he seemed to be sweeting. His forehead was also burning up. "Shit you are! Don't tell me you were seriously injured and have just been running around ignoring it! What the hell!" He sighed dragging Hero into the room where the others were.

"Whats going on?" Katrina asked turning to look over at Hero and Jackson as they entered.

"Hero's been pushing himself." Jackson sighed folding his arms. "I think he's running a seriously high fever."

"R... Really. I'm fine." Hero laughed shaking his arms. "I swear."

Katrina frowned. "Let me check-"

"No!" Hero said louder than he intended as she reached up to fill his head. He even stumbled back planting himself to the wall. Everyone was staring at him now. "I... Jackson already checked." He stumbled out.

"Jacksons a dumbass."

"Hey!"

"I'd like to check for myself-"

"Then Dawson can." Hero said quickly.

"What?"

Dawson frowned but gave a shrug. He reached up. "Yeah. He's warm alright. Not a serious one. Whens the last time you got some sleep?"

"Uh... Before the last games-"

"Hero's its been three days! You've been up for three days!"

"It's been that long?" Hero wondered shocking even himself.

Katrina sighed folding her arms. "Change of plans then. Shelly. I know you said you could move but I want you to stay here actually. Hero you to. As your Captain I'm order you, Daughter, and Shelly, to all stay in this room and get some rest. The rest of us will go to the meeting."

"M... Meeting?" Hero asked as Daughter walked over to him and gripped his hand. He squeezed back finding reassurance in the small hand.

"We got to go to some meeting in the city." Ken said walking over. "Guess you lucked out-" Her hand was about to touch him but Hero dragged himself and Daughter back.

"Don't touch me!"

"H... Hero?"

"I just... I'm gonna get some sleep..." Hero said as he moved away from Kitsune, Ken, Katrina, and Shelly, and took a seat in one of the chairs in the room.

"Big Brother is something wrong?" Light asked placing a hand on Hero's shoulder.

"I'm fine." Hero sighed.

Katrina sighed looking down at her watch. "Clearly that's a lie. But we can discuss that later. We have to go. I am ordering both of you to stay here and not leave this room. Get. Some. Rest."

"R... Right." Shelly nodded shrinking under the womans gaze.

They went to leave but Ken stopped. She walked back into the room moving towards Shelly. "Hey... Could you keep an eye on Hero?" She whispered.

"Right." Shelly rolled her eyes laying back and pulling out a simple book. "Will do."

"Thanks." And with that Ken left with the rest of them.

Hero rested in his chair his eyes slowly closing as Daughter stood next to him awkwardly holding his hand. "Hey Daughter." He asked.

"Yeah?"

"Could you watch over me while I'm asleep."

"Okay?"

"Thank you."

And with that Hero fell asleep...

Meanwhile outside many of the Recruits were all getting lined up behind the Captains and Vice Captains.

"That was really... Really weird?" Ken said whispering to the fused Kitsune.

"Yeah." Kitsune whispered back.

"I mean... It was like he wouldn't let anyone touch him."

Kitsune frowned at that. "No... That's not right."

"It's not?"

"No... It was more like... He wouldn't let any girls touch him..."