Ed POV
I headed down to the beach to check on Escanor and his kids. I was in casual clothes today, just keeping it simple. After this, I planned to swing by Lena's.
Escanor was easy to spot. He was sitting back in a beach chair, looking like he belonged under the sun, while the kids stood nearby chatting and watching the waves. They hadn't noticed me yet, still caught up in their own conversations. I walked over.
"So, these are your runaways. Interesting meeting them in person. How'd they like the tour?" I asked.
Escanor turned to me with a calm smile."They enjoyed it very much. Especially seeing Goliath."
I laughed. "Of course they did. Who wouldn't? A giant dragon? That's hard to beat."
"Thank you again," Escanor said, "for letting me tell them your identity. I wanted to be completely honest with them."
I nodded. "I understand that. So, they've made up their minds? I know they're not staying in that busted-down warehouse."
"Yes," Escanor said. "I asked, and they want to stay with me. I'm already planning to remodel the upstairs apartment so they'll each have their own rooms. It'll take time…" He paused. "And money."
"Which you have," I said, smirking.
I turned toward the kids, who still hadn't noticed us."Honestly, if you hadn't stepped in, they'd have had a rough time. They probably would've beaten their parents eventually, but it wouldn't have been easy."
Escanor followed my gaze, his voice low."They've helped me more than I've helped them. Back in my old world, I always wanted a family. Kids of my own. I used to daydream about it—Merlin by my side, a big family in a home filled with light. But that chance never came. These children… they feel like the chance I never had."
That actually surprised me. Escanor's always been an interesting man. I've admired him for a long time. Born cursed, hated by everyone, even his own parents tried to kill him. The only one who helped him escape died for it. His life was hell until Meliodas and Merlin reached out to him. And after that? He became one of the greatest heroes of his world.
He slayed the Vampire King. Helped defeat the Demon King when their world was on the brink of destruction. He was so powerful that the only one who could kill him… was himself. And he didn't die out of pride, he sacrificed his life to protect others, to save his friends. That's who Escanor is.
So no, I wasn't surprised he was helping these kids. They're like him: children of messed-up parents, carrying powers they don't fully understand, lost in the world until someone finally found them.
"Escanor," I said quietly, "you really are a good man."
He looked at me, a little confused by the words. And that's when the kids finally noticed us and started walking over, curious about what we were talking about.
Molly's excitement was almost blinding, her big smile wide enough to light up the whole beach.
"Oh my gosh, you are Arsenal, right?" she practically bounced on her feet.
"Yes, I am," I answered, a little amused at her energy.
"I'm a huge fan, can I please ask you a question?"
Before she could blurt out more, Gert stepped in, crossing her arms. "Molly, don't be rude. Introduce yourself first."
"Sorry! My name is Molly. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too, Molly." I smirked a little. "So, you were the one who fought those monster bare-knuckled, huh? Pretty brave move."
Her grin only grew brighter. "Well yeah, I mean, I had to protect my friends. Most of them don't really got cool powers like me."
That was the cue for the rest of the Runaways to start rattling off what they could do.
"I can control a dinosaur," Gert said flatly.
"I've got a magic staff," Nico chimed in, casually twirling it.
"I can shoot energy beams and fly," Karolina added, her tone almost shy but proud at the same time.
Chase raised his gauntlets and flexed. "I don't have powers, but these bad boys? Soundwave blasters."
Alex, meanwhile, rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. He stayed quiet, no powers, no flashy tech. Just brains.
"Okay, true, true." Molly nodded. "But tell me, who was the one putting in the most work protecting all of you?"
"Escanor," they all said in perfect unison.
Molly pouted. "All of you know I meant before he showed up!"
I couldn't help but laugh. "Hahaha" the sound slipped out before I could stop it.
She ignored the others' teasing and locked eyes with me, determination written across her face.
"Anyway… can I please ask you something important now?"
"Sure," I said, curious where this was going.
"Can I please be your sidekick?"
That one caught me off guard. My eyebrows shot up. "…I'm sorry, what?"
"I really want to be a hero," she said quickly, almost stumbling over her words. "I thought the best way to learn would be from you. So please—let me be your sidekick! I promise I'll learn fast!"
I stared at her for a second. I'll admit, I didn't expect that.
"…Sorry, Molly. I just started training my first sidekick, and you're too young. But if you really want to, there is training for it."
Her shoulders dropped in disappointment at first, but then her expression brightened again when she realized I wasn't telling her no forever.
"Can all of us be heroes?" she asked, her voice hopeful.
"With proper training?" I nodded. "Yeah. You can."
Alex shifted uncomfortably, finally speaking up. "I don't have powers or any special tech…"
I looked at him. "Do you want a power? Because I can give you one."
His head shot up in shock. "You… can give me a superpower? Just like that? How?"
I smirked. "I'm Arsenal."
"That doesn't explain anything!" Alex shot back.
"Explains everything," I said. "Now, do you want it or not?"
"…Yes."
"Cool." I folded my arms. "I can give you one of two things: the power to transform into a powerful tiger, or a sword that summons insane armor that enhances everything about you."
"Wait, wait, can I get the sword? That sounds crazy cool," Chase immediately cut in.
"Sure." I reached out and summoned Incursio, the blade gleaming as I handed it to him.
"This is Incursio. You're going to need to train your body hard. If you don't, it might kill you."
Chase's excitement froze halfway, his grin faltering. "…Wait, WHAT?"
"Anyway," I went on, "I've got another sword, and even a mystical axe lying around. But Alex, the tiger power is still on the table for you."
Alex hesitated only a moment before nodding. "I'll take the tiger power. That… sounds cool."
I placed a hand on his shoulder, channeling the Beast Beneath the Moonlight into him. Power shimmered through his veins.
"Done. It'll come naturally, but you're still gonna need training. Fair warning, don't stare at a full moon until you've got control. You'll transform whether you want to or not."
Alex blinked. "Wait… I'm basically a were-tiger now?"
"Kind of." I smirked. "Learn to control it. Good luck. I gotta go."
Before they could ask another hundred questions, I teleported away.
Ed clone 1 pov
BOOM!
A blast tore through a pile of scrap metal, scattering molten chunks across the junkyard. I squinted through the smoke, then gave a low whistle.
"Okay… I gotta admit, that armor of yours is impressive," I said, crossing my arms.
Jaime grinned inside the blue shell. "Cool, isn't it? So, did I make the cut? Can I join you guys?"
"Well… since you're legally an adult, yeah, you can join the main team," I replied. "But you're gonna need a hell of a lot more training with that thing. Right now, you don't even know what you're truly capable of."
Jaime tilted his helmet, confused. "What are you talking about? I just made a giant cannon and blew all this junk up. I think I do know what I can do."
I shook my head. "Nah, kid. That armor of yours? It's nanotech, living tech. The Scarab can turn into anything you can imagine. Not just cannons. Not just blades. If your imagination is small, your arsenal's small. And let's be real, it doesn't matter how many weapons you can summon if you don't know how to fight with them. Which means you're also gonna need hand-to-hand combat training. Without the armor."
Jaime's excitement dimmed. He looked down, a little disappointed. "But… I can still join the Vanguard Initiative, right?"
"Oh, you're definitely in," I assured him. "But first, training. And don't worry, it won't take as long as you think."
For a moment, he just stood there, processing. I could almost see the Scarab whispering in his head, running possibilities.
If you're wondering what's going on, it's simple. I've been meaning to meet Blue Beetle for a while now. Kid's full of potential. Problem was, every time I tried, he was either with his family or hanging with his friends. Which, honestly, good for him. At least he's got that balance.
But today? Perfect opportunity. Junkyard test run. His uncle was supposed to be here too, but running late. That gave me the opening to step in and have this little chat.
And from the look on his face, Jaime Reyes has no idea just how far this journey of his is about to go.
"So, I've been meaning to ask you this for a while now," Jaime said, his voice a little hesitant as the Scarab retracted into his back. "That big 'V' on your chest… what does it mean? Your name's Arsenal, so it can't stand for that."
I smirked. "Oh, that? It stands for Vanguard. I was gonna put an 'I' next to it, but then people might think my name was Six because of the Roman numeral. The 'V' felt like a better fit."
Jaime blinked, then laughed. "Seriously? That's it? Man… you do not know how much the internet has debated that. People had all kinds of theories. Guess it really is that simple."
"Sometimes it's best not to overthink things," I said with a shrug. "Anyway, what about you? You want to be a hero full-time, or part-time? I know you've got your family and friends, and I doubt you want to cut them off."
"Part-time," he answered quickly. His armor peeled back, leaving him in his regular clothes as he rubbed his head. "I don't want to cut off my family. They're my strength. But… I'm in a tough spot. I've been looking for a job, and it's not easy finding one that works with being a hero. I really want to work at Omnitech Nexus, but that means moving to New York, and I don't wanna leave my family behind. I've thought about moving them all there with me, but that'd cost way too much money. And even if I tried, there's no guarantee I'd even get the job. I mean, come on. I'm just eighteen, fresh diploma. How do I compete against people with actual years of experience?"
He let out a frustrated sigh, shoulders slumping.
I studied him for a second, then grinned. "Well… money shouldn't be a problem for long. You're gonna get paid for your work with us. And if you really want that job at Omnitech Nexus… I can help you."
Jaime's head shot up, eyes wide. "...How?"
"I have my ways," I said, smiling knowingly. "Point is, I can give you enough money to move your entire family to New York. And I can make sure you get the job."
He just stared at me, mouth slightly open, like I'd just told him he'd won the lottery.
"That will really help a lot… thank you," Jaime said quietly, still looking stunned.
"It's the least I can do," I replied with a shrug. "You're planning to risk your life to save the world. This is the least I can do."
Ed pov
Later, I walked into an office and immediately spotted Lena at her desk. Honestly, I was surprised her assistant had let me in without an appointment.
"Hey, Lena. Long time no see," I said.
She looked up from her paperwork, surprised. "Ed. This is a surprise."
"Well, I wanted to stop by and talk to a friend. Hope I'm not bothering you. You look busy."
She gave a small laugh. "Oh, trust me, this is nothing. You should see me when I'm really busy. Come on, take a seat. Tell me how you've been. I haven't seen you since the party. How's life, besides running for mayor, of course?"
I moved closer and sat down across from her. "News travels fast. We just announced it yesterday."
"You can imagine my shock when I saw the news," Lena said with a smile.
"Yeah, I thought running for mayor might help this city more. It just felt like the right thing to do."
"Well, you have my vote," she said.
"Thanks. Campaigning starts soon. Anyway, how have you been? Any relationships or friendships?"
She gave a small, rueful laugh. "No relationships, no friendships. Still the same, I'm afraid. I'm just… addicted to work. Can't take a break, and being the boss doesn't help. Besides, like I told you before, nobody wants to date a Luthor."
"Like I told you before, they'd be crazy not to," I said.
"I appreciate the compliment, but we both know that's not really true. I'm not exactly romantic. Sometimes I can be… a little cold."
"But you can also be kind. And warm," I countered.
She tilted her head. "And how would you know that?"
"You've got kind eyes," I said softly. "And eyes are a window to the soul. Yours show a beautiful one."
Her lips curved into a bright smile.
"Hey," I continued, leaning forward a little. "How about you and me go out? Have dinner. Do something fun. We deserve it."
"I… don't know about that," Lena said carefully.
"Mind if I ask why?"
"You're very attractive," she said honestly, "but I'm not looking for a relationship right now. I'm focusing on my business and trying to keep it afloat."
I blinked, realizing how that must've sounded. "Oh, wait a second. I'm not trying to ask you out on a date. I just want to hang out as friends."
"Oh." Lena actually looked embarrassed.
"Not that I wouldn't ask you out," I added quickly, chuckling. "You're a beautiful, brilliant, and kind woman. I'd definitely ask you out if we weren't friends."
"You don't have to save me from my embarrassment. I deserve it for assuming," Lena said with a small laugh.
"I'm not trying to save you. That's the truth."
She looked into my eyes, searching.
"You are truly a beautiful and brilliant woman," I said honestly. "And I'd be the happiest man alive if we were dating."
Her smile softened. "But this is just dinner. Nothing more."
"Just two friends hanging out. Nothing more," I confirmed.
AN ( Yeah we all know that's a lie)
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AN: Hello, everyone thanks for the good wishes, I got my Xbox account back, you do not know how Sad I was, anyway happy Friday.