31. Honour (2)

"We all have heard it, once a rumour, about many super-powered teenagers going missing," Trans says.

Rem besides me, sighs loudly. "I hate this guy."

"Can you not? They have their eyes on us," I say.

She was in her costume, and so was I… in my out-of-place attire as a 'Hero', now to be honoured here on that stage with Trans on it – just in the distance.

+

"They got to be fucking kidding," Rem bangs her fist on the heavy-duty table.

"Can you please not break the table? Really sturdy and aesthetic. Sorry and thanks," Antonia says.

"I came all this way… risking my life. And even Rog-" Rem tap-bangs the table, with teary eyes.

"I'm sorry," I say.

Rem calms down a bit, and wiping her own tears she sits down. Me and Antonia communicate with our eyes and not utter a word.

"Trust me, Varon, when I say…" Rem breaks the silence. "Adleon may have been the one to kill Rog. And Trans may just have taken my position in an important matter, but not exactly wrongly… but both of them are no different."

I look at her with pity, as if I could see a deeply rooted story of pain in her… but not able to make sense of it. So I utter, "I trust you… but I really need to understand better."

"Then understand this… his public image, the one he has set: is all a farce," Rem tries to calmly narrate. "How? I met his kid. Was a friend to the wife he abandoned. And also was a friend to him… but not anymore."

"The ballet dancer? Roshini?" Antonia asks.

Rem bops her head up and down, while looking guilty. "The one whom both Trans and Adleon killed."

+

"He could care less for his human daughter. Moreover, tens of powered ones?" Rem continues and scoffs. "Would call for survival of the fittest."

"I'm guilty too," Trans continues to say. "Scared thinking it was a story to push people like me, to doom. Adleon… do I even need to say?"

"Maybe you should," somebody in the crowd screams.

"Death, doom, and fear… they don't know genders. They haunt and pain everyone equally. And it is…" Trans pauses, looking into space.

A lot of pause worries the crowd. Somebody runs up to Trans on the stage. He continues staring into one particular spot… and the people in that spot scatter with confusion.

I find somebody moving differently, by that spot. But what could I even do or conclude?

Trans clears his throat after sipping on some water.

"Such misery is avoided for many," Trans says, smiling. The person who had come to his aid, whispers something to Trans… before rushing away. "Twenty-one of them, to be exact. All thanks to one hero… who might end-up stealing my spot," he chuckles heartily.

"There's the rude cue," Rem taps my shoulder.

As I get up, the spotlight on me gets brighter. I feel as if I'm in the room full of businessmen again… except, it wasn't just as bad. Putting one feet ahead of the other, I make it upon the stage. Here, all the lights stay on me and Trans.

"You… the one to be honoured today. Truly though, it is OUR honour. Am I right?"

The crowd screams louder, and the applause continues. My ears stop ringing and I breath back to reality. This was real.

"Honour us more… the fools, who don't even know your name."

And dead silence falls all over. Everybody fixates their eyes on me. But my eyes stray and look towards Rem, who gets curious too.

+

"I know what Rem said, but… they'll ask for a name, you know. They could even rip your mask right there," Antonia says.

"You're not helping," I sigh. "Few hours… the stage… and you're just making it worse."

"I'm getting you ready. Didn't let me to choose your outfit… reasonably so. But, what will you answer this with?"

"I…" I say, and Antonia's eyes open wide with anticipation. "I'm not sure."

Antonia's jaw drops open… at least that's a win? "You're kidding, right?"

+

"I'm not," I say, and the stares seem to turn more anticipatory. So, I clear my throat once. "I don't want to. Say my name. I won't."

With that, I gulp down the whole bottle of water, whatever Trans had left of it. But even then, a drop slides back down, when I put the bottle up-straight again.

"Uh…" Trans says, "uh-hum," he clears his throat and throws a light chuckle into the microphone. "That… piquing. Quite piquing. Care… care elaborate?"

"Certainly," I speak, grabbing the microphone. "Who… who here knows the identity of Mr. Trans, here? A-and of my gu-good friend Rem, over there?"

I point towards where Rem is, and one of the lights move to her. Rem throws a mono-wave to the watchers, along with a wink.

I raise my own hand, and start hearing the whispers from the crowd.

Some call me a weirdo. Some get concerned. Some get curious. Some… say… I'm hot?

But they understand and follow, slowly but surely hands raise… and awkwardly the whole crowd seems to hold their hand up.

"Yes, thank you. That… is a threat," I say and put my hand down… the whole crowd puts their hands away quickly. "Mister… Adleon, Fro… all of them come after Trans. Rem… she lost people too."

I pause to hear their whispers again, and get assured… this was fine.

"I don't want any kind of a medal in my name, to honour me. I wish my work is honoured… respected. Not me," I say.

"Well, that-"

I start gliding up, and the whole crowd gasps. Even Trans looks confused and backs away.

"Thank you for giving me this stage," I say to Trans.

Trans nods shakily. So I just lift-off.

Would Toni be watching?

+

"It's better you don't come," I say to Toni, privately.

Toni stares at me for a moment. "Well, I wasn't that interested. But… do you think of me as a threat to them?"

Threat? How could I think that? She… she had almost died, not too long ago. Worse, raped. I could only see that she was scared, of the world this was.

"I think it is a place which won't bring you peace. So… as a neighbouring nation… I advice you to not go."

Toni just looks away, and gets up. "Okay. I won't go for the event."

"Really?"

"On one condition… you shouldn't either."

+

"Quite a show," I hear a familiar voice and jump. "Hey, hey, no need to jump. Not here to harm you or Rem. Just wanted to appreciate."

"Season…"

"You know, not many call me that. I sure feel honoured when you say it. Somebody recognises my work then."

"You came here."

"Well, partly my doing too, right?" Season shrugs. "Had to show up. Even when they weren't going to recognise me."

"Thought you wouldn't want me to say."

"Thought right. Good job on that too."

"Why are you really here?"

"You asked me to come."

"And you said you wouldn't, unless you had any business, so…"

"Business was curiosity. Surely feel sated."

"I'm glad."

"Bye then."

"No wait…" I grab her hand, but she doesn't flinch. "What are you?"

"The word is who."

"You'll just say 'Season' and be off."

"Then why do you still ask?"

"Well, I phrased it better… to add, why are you with them, but…"

"Fire… fire knows fire. What it can burn. Good to be dangerous and know the dangers. In hope that the danger can be destroyed," Season casually says. "Enough of an answer?"

"Let's be allies then. We both want the same thing… destroy the danger."

"No… we have intersections of interests but… we are not the same. Besides, I don't need allies."

"Well, I do."

She stares at me… and I finally let her go.

"I'm not it… we'll only be thorns at each other's goals. Let's not want that."

And she leaves without being stopped again. Jumping off the building with no fear.

Season… she was the kind of hero I aspire to be. The kind Toni needs to see.

***

With the nameless-hero having left the ceremony… and it being the middle of the night, the halls were empty.

Adleon might call this cowardly, but… doing this out in the public wouldn't be good for either of us.

I walk silently even now, and get to the backstage. And just as I do… a royal kind of bedroom welcomes me.

It was past twelve… yeah, of course he'd be in the shower now. So, I patiently go sit on the chair at the table. A kind of a study table.

I hear the shower stopping, and footsteps arrive. But I act like a statue until I hear him unsheathe his sword.

"Finally got enough of it, to kill your own daughter?" I ask, while getting up and turning back.

"Ah…" Adleon says. "Oh my."

The lion of a man… he grabs onto Trans' upper-body like a cat, while holding Trans' own sword against him. Even the footsteps didn't seem heavier… Trans sure was strong. And Adleon sure had his ways.

"Toni?" Trans asks.

"I did not expect THIS. Surely knew something but… wow. The great hero… and his own daughter, a spy in the villains."

"Toni, what am I hearing?"

"Oh, a secret mission?" Adleon chuckles, while slowly stepping back on the ground… while still holding his deadly hold on Trans.

"What? You finally seem to care now that I'm on their side?" I scoff.

"Ah… this is suspenseful!" Adleon says.

I breath in deeply. "Don't kill him, Adleon."

Adleon chuckles.

"Because… I need to kill him. I have waited for so long."

"Ooh, is that so?" Adleon asks. "But if you waited so long… you wouldn't want to cut him from the back, am I right? Could've done it SO easily."

"Yeah, I can take him on. Now I can."

"I'll be the judge of that," Adleon says and shakes Trans: back and forth. "Let's take it outside, shall we? An un-staged performance on the stage, for once. Six eyes."

"Let's battle with honour for once, yeah Dad?"

Trans breaths heavily, and with blood in his eyes… even with a sword at his neck.