Slumping back in her chair slightly in relief at the change of pace, she ran her fingers through her hair. “Come on in, Albis.” 

The Beastketeer opened the door and slipped inside, shutting the door behind herself. She bowed her head slightly in greeting as she approached, a few papers in her hand. Albis stopped a few paces away from the desk, quirking a brow at all of the papers Elaine had just been pouring over. “It looks like you have quite a few reports at the moment,” she teased, her tone laced with sympathy. 

Letting out a huff of amusement, Elaine started to point at the various stacks. “Progress on the rebuilding efforts of housing and storefronts, updates regarding agriculture, plans for the palace that still need approval that I’ll need to go over with at least one of you to make sure it’s still adequate, financial updates…,” she listed, finally pointing at the papers still in Albis’ hands, “and public concerns.” 

Albis obediently offered the papers over, tilting her head when Elaine set it aside in a new pile. 

“I have had to do way too much reading today. Can you give me a quick run down, please?” Elaine pleaded. 

All things considered, Albis couldn’t fault her for the request. “For the most part, it seems like the general populace is pleased with the progress of the rebuilding efforts and distribution of resources. There were a lot of people asking when you’d be able to come check on things personally again, but most were understanding that there’s a lot behind the scenes that needs your attention.” 

Elaine nodded along to show that she was listening, her posture relaxing in relief. Good, that’s what she was hoping to hear. As much as she wishes she could check on more things personally right now, she’s trying to mind her priorities. “Sounds good so far,” she hummed, propping her chin up on her palm. “No notable complaints, then?” 

Albis’s hesitance to respond made Elaine’s brows furrow. 

“While no one said this directly, I have heard whispers of a few concerns…,” Albis admitted, clearly trying to figure out the most tactful way to continue. “Primarily that, without Lord Carrion’s presence, and with Lady Milim having suddenly turned against us, we have lost a major source of power, and thus protection. While I haven’t heard any doubts about your ability to lead…” 

Ah. 

Elaine sighed and nodded slowly. “They’re not wrong. I’m not near as strong as Carrion, and I’m not even from here. I’ve definitely learned a lot, but I know there’s still a lot to learn. And other leaders wouldn’t hesitate to take advantage of that, especially now that they don’t have the threat of a demon lord coming after them for trying to manipulate me.” 

Albis nodded her agreement, bowing her head slightly in apology. “Fortunately, there’s no rumors of any attempted coups or rebellion, but I worry that unrest will take root if this isn’t addressed soon.” 

“Which at least means there’s still time to come up with a plan, to be preventative instead of scrambling to do damage control,” Elaine mused, absently letting her gaze wander as she tried to brainstorm a solution. 

“If you would like,” Albis started, feeling bad for adding yet more weight to her Queen’s shoulders when she already seems so drained from everything, “the Beastketeers and I would be happy to remind the people that you are more than capable of ruling, and demonstrating the loyalty that you should be shown.” 

Elaine shook her head, offering Albis a grateful smile. “I appreciate the offer, and I know that you would do so in a heartbeat, but no. That would only add fuel to the fire and encourage their doubts, because it would be as though I am using the Beastketeers as shields to do my ‘dirty work’ because I have neither the strength nor the gall to face their criticisms head on. The best way for me to handle it would be if I could offer some show of personal power, even if it wouldn’t compare to Carrion, but I still don’t think I’d compare to you. Especially when considering the fact that I haven’t been able to train like I used to ever since this all started.” She sighed, getting out of the chair to stretch her legs and wander the office while she thought. 

If she can’t overpower even one of the Beastketeers, she doesn’t have any hope of convincing the people of Eurazania that she’d be able to protect them like Carrion could. She’s not a warrior, let alone a Demon Lord. She’s a strategist at best. Her fights always hinge on one of two strategies, either overwhelming her opponent with her speed, or making it a war of attrition and wearing out her opponent while preserving her own stamina. 

Perhaps she can do something with that, then… 

Pausing when seeing an ornate war bow propped against one of the walls, waiting to be hung for display, Elaine perked up. A few ideas were slowly forming in her head, and she couldn’t stop her tail from twitching with excitement. 

“That might just work…,” she mumbled, cupping her chin as she considered. 

Albis had stayed silent the whole time, watching Elaine wander the room and waiting to see if she’d have any further instruction or requests. If she were completely honest, she didn’t expect for her to come up with a possible solution so quickly. 

“My lady…?” 

Elaine seemed to come back to focus, her ears twitching as if she had forgotten Albis was there. Turning to face her properly, she offered a more determined smile. “Would you mind finding the other two and meeting me back here in, say, an hour?” 

Albis tilted her head but nodded, bowing her head once more. “Of course.” 

With that she turned to leave, and Elaine returned to her desk, grabbing some fresh paper to work on sorting out the plan.

~

An hour later, the three top Beastketeers had joined Elaine in the office, each taking a seat at her encouragement. 

She seemed to have found something of a second wind, a newfound excitement over whatever her plan is to deal with the growing unrest regarding Eurazania’s safety. While it was a welcome relief to see her having energy again and some of her usual enthusiasm, they had to admit it was a bit… strange. She found out that people had doubts regarding her strength and ability to protect them, and she got… excited?

Elaine took to sitting on her desk facing them instead of sitting in her chair, since she needed the change in perspective and wanted to be able to move around more. Plus, it made it easier for her to hold the bow that had inspired it all. 

“So,” she started, taking a breath to try and slow her still racing thoughts. “I think I’ve figured out a solution to deal with the people’s concern that I’m not strong enough to protect Eurazania, but I’ll need all three of you to help with it.” 

Before she could even continue, Suphia stood, a fist over her heart in a show of determination and loyalty. “You know you don’t even have to ask, Lady Elaine! Just tell us what you need us to do.” 

Motioning for her to sit back down, Elaine laughed a little and shook her head, “I know, I know. I’m fortunate that you three are willing to help me as much as you already have, and honestly, I feel bad for what I’m about to ask of you. So please, hear me out, then give me your honest answers. I won’t be upset if you say no, and I can figure out another solution.” 

Suphia grumbled a little but obediently sat back down, waiting to hear more details. 

“Back home, there was a famous story about a king who was favored by a goddess of wisdom, and with her guidance he won wars, stopped fights before they ever started with his wits alone, and even faced off against gods and survived to tell the tale. He stopped at nothing to return home to his wife and son,” Elaine started, focusing on the bow in her hand and absently running her thumb along the polished wood. “While he dealt with gods and monsters alike, his wife was left in charge of the kingdom for 20 or so years, which was a long time, especially back then. Since he was gone so long, the king was presumed dead.” 

 The Beastketeers could already see the almost uncanny parallels between the story and their current situation. An almost unbeatable king going to a fight and disappearing for a prolonged period of time, leaving the queen to run the country in his absence, even when he’s presumed dead. How strange, that a story that Elaine learned before reincarnating has since become her reality. 

“In time, the queen began to have suitors, all trying to gain her favor so that they could marry her and become king. However, she was convinced that the king wasn’t dead. So she delayed, claiming she would choose a suitor to marry after she finished weaving a shroud, only to undo her progress each night to buy time. Finally, when she began to suspect that something was coming, be it her husband or some other force, she issued a challenge.” 

Holding up the bow slightly, she finally looked to the Beastketeers. 

“Her husband, while known for his wits and wisdom, was also an incredible fighter. He had a special bow, and impeccable aim. So any man who could string her husband’s bow and shoot through twelve axes would become king.” 

Albis tilted her head, finally chiming in. “Do you intend to issue the same challenge, then?” While it’s certainly not the easiest feat, Eurazania has so many hunters, fighters, and weaponsmiths that such a challenge wouldn’t really do much to prove a person’s strength. 

Elaine shook her head, her amusement faltering as she settled the bow in her lap once again. “Not exactly. Instead, I would like to ask you three to be the bow for my challenge.” 

Letting the request sit for a moment, Elaine explained once seeing their confusion. “I want to set up a challenge that would actually be challenging. And as far as I’m aware, no one aside from Carrion himself has beaten two of you at one time.” 

Now the pieces were falling into place, and Suphia’s earlier disappointment was finally replaced with excitement, punching into her own palm. “So you do want us to fight anyone who opposes you!” 

Well, she’s almost got it. 

“Calm down, Suphia,” Phobio scolded, his arms crossed thoughtfully. “There’s bound to be more to it. Outright violence isn’t Lady Elaine’s way.” 

Ever grateful for Phobio helping her with reigning in Suphia’s boundless energy for battle, Elaine nodded. “I want to keep the rules fairly straight forward. We can set up an area where at least two of you will be available at certain times, since I don’t want to force you to spend your entire days for who knows how long having to fight just to buy me some breathing room. I’ll draft a form for challengers to sign up on, and their goal is simple. Defeat two of the Three Beastketeers in a 2 v 1 fight. Defeat is when you cannot fight any longer and surrender, not death.” 

While she trusts that no Eurazanian wants their country to suffer any further losses, she still felt the need to explicitly state that criteria.The rule of ‘survival of the fittest’ has permeated too deeply into the culture of all monsters for her to be able to trust that surrender would be their immediate assumption. “If someone succeeds, then they can become king and rule alongside me.” 

The reminder of the stakes did prompt the Beastketeers to falter in their excitement for the challenge, since it felt… strange. Imagining anyone aside from Carrion to be king, ruling at Elaine’s side. While Elaine had been chosen by Carrion himself to be the acting ruler of Eurazania, to take up the role of Beast Queen, someone stronger accepting and winning her challenge means she would likely be essentially demoted back down to an advisor at best. 

They wouldn’t let that happen. 

Even if not for Carrion’s last orders to them, they would follow Elaine. She is as much a lycanthrope as they are, regardless of what she may think. Her kindness and compassion has brought about unity amongst Eurazanians only seen before in the people’s adoration for Carrion. The rebuilding efforts were going smoothly thanks to her constant supervision and forethought, and she still kept her head held high despite the scrutiny and pressure. She was their Queen, and they wouldn’t want it any other way. 

Looking between each other, the Beastketeers knew they were in agreement without a word being spoken. 

Albis was the first to stand, determination burning in her eyes. “We happily accept our roles in this challenge. We are yours to command, and we will give it our all.” 

While the other two stood, Suphia was the next to speak, her grin wide and a little intimidating, had Elaine not already known her love of combat. “We’ll make sure that anyone who dares challenge you knows that they won’t get away with it!” 

“We won’t let you down,” Phobio hummed in agreement, his colleagues having already voiced most of his own thoughts on the matter. “Plus, having it so only 2 of us have to fight the challengers means that one of us will be available to assist you.” He knows better than to assume that this challenge will be enough to completely distract all dissenters, after all. 

Elaine’s expression softened at how quickly and passionately they agreed, setting the bow behind her on the desk delicately as she stood. “I can’t thank you three enough for standing by me through all of this, and for agreeing to help me with this. All I ask is that you please remember to take care of yourselves, too. We don’t know how long we’ll need to keep this up for, after all… We still don’t know what happened to Carrion. Whether he’s alive or not.”

The fact that they still don’t have any confirmation regarding the condition of their beloved king was hardly a secret, but it was still something that they all tried to avoid dwelling on if they could help it. “We don’t have a set time frame for how long we’ll need to draw out this challenge. We don’t know if we’re just stalling for his return, or until people grow tired of the challenge and trust me, or they try to revolt against the challenge and me, or until I’m strong enough to win the challenge of my own merit, or some other possible ending. We don’t….We don’t know.” Letting out a shaky sigh in hopes of keeping her voice from cracking and her emotions from getting the better of her at how desperate the situation felt, she turned her attention back to them.

“This is a war of attrition now, which is my specialty. But it only works if you make sure to pace yourselves too. You will likely be fighting multiple opponents in a day, and they will likely only face you once a day.” 

Suphia reached out to put a hand on her shoulder, offering a confident smile. “We appreciate the concern, but have some faith in us, my lady.” 

“We will coordinate amongst ourselves to ensure that we are prepared. We were trained by Lord Carrion himself, and we refuse to allow our own negligence to get the better of us,” Albis reassured, her expression softening. “We also fully intend to ensure that you are also cared for, and follow your own advice. We are happy to be able to finally share some of this burden with you.” 

Elaine’s eyes started to water despite herself, the relief that came with their unwavering support and absolute faith in her finally outweighing the pressures of her newfound position. 

“Thank you.”  

~

Cheers erupted from the crowd as the latest challenger was removed from the ring, and the next one took his place. Phobio and Albis were the Beastketeers to challenge today, and Suphia was cheering them on from beside her. 

Elaine was seated on a makeshift ‘throne’ overlooking the arena for her challenge, making it so she could easily see past the crowds that tended to gather and judge the next contestants. While she was looking at the scene, she didn’t pay it too much attention. This fight will likely go how all of the others have. With the Beastketeers all but playing with their ‘prey’, while those with the courage to flaunt their power in front of their peers put their all into a fight they don’t stand a chance at. 

No matter how much the Beastketeers reassure her that they’re happy to do this, that she needn’t worry, or how much civilians have praised the idea as such a clever way to determine who is worthy of ruling Eurazania, Elaine can’t help but hate that this is necessary. Hate that she can’t take the time to dedicate to becoming someone worthy of ruling. Hate that she can’t turn more of her attention to the search for Carrion and the truth of what is happening with the Demon Lords. She hates that all she can do is hope she can delay things long enough to find a better solution. Use up just enough of people’s energy, misdirect it to the wrong goal, fully knowing what she was doing. 

She hates it all, but it’s what she has to do in order to fulfill the expectations of the role she was given. To keep things running smoothly, until Carrion returns. 

If he comes home… A painful thought that comes up more and more as the weeks drag on, surpassing a month, then two. 

A new round of cheers and shouting drew her from her thoughts, prompting her to straighten slightly. The fight was still going on, but the challenger was showing clear signs of fatigue, meaning it would be over soon. Suphia’s cheers grew louder alongside the crowd. 

“You show’im, Albis! Phobio!” 

Elaine couldn’t help a small giggle as she looked over to her friend and current guard, recognizing the swishing of her tail and the constant shift in her weight. She was itching for a fight of her own. 

“Suphia,” she started, reaching over to tug on her sleeve slightly, not even thinking about trying to be heard over the crowd. 

Suphia’s response was instant, even as her brilliant grin stayed in place. “Yes, my lady?” she asked, only to pause when taking in Elaine’s expression. “Is everything alright? We can go back to the palace if you’re tired, or-” 

Elaine shook her head, stopping Suphia’s thoughts before she could spiral or cause a scene. “I’m okay, I just couldn’t help but notice how much energy you still have,” she teased, hoping that her playful tone made up for her tired expression. Gesturing with her head towards the arena, she gave Suphia a gentle nudge. “Go take your turn. I’ll be watching.” 

Beaming at the instruction, Suphia offered a nod before hopping down from the small viewing platform to join the fray. 

Adjusting herself to sit properly upright once more, Elaine took a slow breath to compose herself once more. Just because she isn’t necessarily the center of attention doesn’t mean she should be letting her guard down. This is a prime opportunity to focus on finding a solution, not wallowing in guilt and regret. 

The people still need her to keep her chin up and her head on straight. 

So she’ll keep going, for as long as she can. 

She has to. 

~

Perhaps it was a selfish idea, wanting to return to Eurazania unannounced. It’s been far too long, and hardly the… best… circumstances to have left under. His capital destroyed, his people displaced, and his best people forced to deal with the aftermath without any proper preparation. Definitely not the best circumstances. 

As he neared the capital, he found his concerns being pushed aside in place of complete awe. 

While it was still clearly a work in progress, a shadow of its former glory, the rebuilding efforts were still clearly in full swing. There was lots of housing already in place, and he could even see what he supposes would be the palace. Not near as magnificent as it used to be, but that was so her. To prioritize the people before herself. All things considered, he’s impressed it’s as large as it is. 

Adjusting his mask to ensure his ‘disguise’ was properly in place, he finally entered the city. While he could make a grand return, resume his duties and celebrate all that was accomplished in his absence, some part of him wanted to see from a more ‘normal’ perspective what exactly he’d missed. Now that he’s here, he’s all the more determined to see what he can find out about before people realize he’s back. For the most part, it seemed like things were… impressively peaceful. 

People had already settled into a routine. Construction workers were taking a break and escaping the hot mid-afternoon sun, vendors taking the opportunity to try and sell food, drinks and goods. Though, he couldn’t help but notice that despite how lively the streets were, it wasn’t as populated as it should be. He’d done everything he could to ensure everyone had been safe, surely they didn’t lose part of the civilian population? 

Eyebrows furrowing behind his mask, he continued deeper into the capital. He needs answers. 

While the crowds grew thicker the closer he got to the palace, it all paled in comparison to a crowd in the large courtyard in front of the palace. A fight, perhaps? 

Carefully nudging his way into the crowd, he found his guess was, as Elaine would say, right on the money. Phobio and Suphia were fighting against a bear lycanthrope, and credit where it’s due, he was holding his own impressively well against the two. He wasn’t managing to land any hits, but he was tanking the restrained attacks impressively well. The crowd was cheering loudly around them, almost completely surrounding the sectioned off fighting arena. 

The only part that wasn’t filled with civilians and lower level Beastketeers was a slightly raised platform with a canopy protecting a single, ornate chair. Beside the chair Albis was standing proudly, watching over both the fight and the crowd with an intense gaze. She was clearly on alert, likely due to the person sitting in the chair beside her. The person he had, admittedly, missed the most during this entire ordeal. 

Elaine, the one he left in charge to clean up after him. She looked exquisite, and seemed to have taken to indulging more in his absence. Instead of the more practical outfit she tended to prefer, she was wearing something closer to a gown, with more flowing fabric than her sash usually provided. She was also adorned in more jewelry, bracers and bracelets glittering along her arms and catching the light, though he noticed she still wore the headpiece he’d gotten for her. All in all, she exuded regality. It suited her well. 

What didn’t suit her was the fatigue in her expression. She was hiding it fairly well by keeping her posture straight and her chin held high, but even from here, he could tell. She had circles under her eyes, and she wasn’t focusing on anything in particular. She was exhausted from the weight of a burden she shouldn’t have to carry for so long. At least now he’s back, and he can relieve her of this duty. First thing’s first, finding out why there is a fighting ring outside the palace, and why she’s just watching. 

So he turned to the person next to him. “What’s going on?” he asked, watching the challenger get knocked back by a fierce punch from Phobio. 

His fellow onlooker cheered at the impact before acknowledging him, only sparing him a glance, as if worried about missing a single moment of the fight. “You haven’t heard about Lady Elaine’s challenge? It’s been all the rave these past few months!” 

“I’ve been pretty busy lately,” the answer came easily, especially since it’s not a complete lie. 

Seeming to accept the answer at face value, his newfound informant was happy to give him a rundown. “Due to concerns about Eurazania’s safety after Lord Carrion fought against Lady Milim, Lady Elaine issued a challenge. Anyone who can beat two of the Beastketeers at one time will be able to rule alongside her, tasked with protecting Eurazania!” 

For just a moment, a burning rage bubbled under his skin. 

People doubted that he would leave someone capable of taking care of them in charge? 

They doubted that Elaine was capable of protecting them? 

They pushed her to create such a challenge? 

They fought so hard to try and take his place by her side? 

Fortunately, he managed to catch himself before the rage boiled over and he started to cause a scene. While yes, the fact she had to resort to such methods infuriated him, he couldn’t be prouder of her for how she did it. Even the Beastketeers themselves were unable to win against each other in a two on one fight. He was the only one capable of doing so. 

And this fact inspired a very interesting idea to deal with quite a few problems at once. 

“How does one participate in this challenge?” 

~

Elaine watched another day of fights draw on, intending to follow her usual routine of just sitting there to watch for a few fights before returning to the palace to continue handling administrative work. Perhaps she’ll check in on a few things in person today too, and if time permits, a run is long overdue… 

Biting back a sigh, she focused on the arena as the next contestant entered the field. A lion’s head, and a cloak. He was massive, and even with the cloak on, she could tell he was strong and well built. Something about him put her on edge and had her sitting up straighter. Even though she couldn’t sense much of an aura from him, he clearly carried himself with an easy confidence. 

He wasn’t like other competitors. 

“Albis…,” she started, her voice quiet, but her tone betraying her concerns. 

Offering a nod despite the fact that neither of them took their eyes off of the man, Albis hummed her acknowledgement. “I sense it too, and so do they. This one is… different.” 

Taking a shuddering breath, Elaine watched as the other two Beastketeers got into their fighting stances. “I have a feeling… this challenge has finally met its match.” 

With that, the bell sounded to signal the start of the battle. 

Phobio and Suphia were both quick to lunge towards the challenger, trying to gain the upperhand early. They knew they couldn’t play around anymore. 

Putting his arms up to guard his face, the challenger easily tanked the initial impact from them both, even as his heels dug into the ground. He tossed them back, then simply stood there, waiting for their next attack. 

Phobio and Suphia hunkered down, trying to decide how best to attack him. Phobio was first to move, letting out a frustrated growl as he tried to knock the challenger’s legs out from under him. 

Suphia took the opportunity to follow after him, aiming to shove the challenger backwards by his head. 

Side stepping Phobio’s attempt to knock him down, the challenger was able to catch Suphia with a quick elbow to her back, knocking her down into Phobio. 

The crowd roared with cheers so loud that Elaine’s ears went back in an attempt to muffle the noise, her grip on the arms of her chair turning her knuckles while. 

She wasn’t ready yet. 

She didn’t have a better solution, or any updates on Carrion’s condition. She still wasn’t strong enough to beat her own challenge, even if her combat skills have greatly improved. 

She wasn’t ready to lose. 

Still, she watched anxiously as the Beastketeers continued to fight, this match drawn out so much longer than those before. For the first time since this challenge started, the Beastketeers were properly on the defensive. 

Some of the onlookers were growing concerned by the prospect of this masked stranger being their king, and began to cheer for and encourage the Beastketeers, while others were simply living for the thrill of the fight. The commotion and energy drew more and more people, who even took to climbing nearby buildings and the palace steps in order to see better. 

Phobio was the first one to be forced to take a knee off to the side, wheezing from a particularly hard punch to the gut that knocked the wind out of him. It took everything in Elaine to remain in her seat and not go check on him, to call an end to the fight. A medic was already beating her to it, checking on him to ensure it wasn’t a more serious injury. He glanced over to Elaine, his eyebrows pinched in a mix of emotions, but a small head tilt was all it took to convey his question. 

Did she want him to keep fighting? 

If she asked it of him, he would gladly rejoin the fray, injuries or physical repercussions be damned. He refuses to back down when given an opportunity to serve Eurazania. 

Without hesitation, Elaine shook her head. He had done his part. If Suphia couldn’t beat this challenger, then Elaine would face the consequences of her own actions. She would never ask the Beastketeers to put themselves at risk of proper injury because she didn’t want to stay true to her word. 

Phobio simply offered an obedient nod in response. Once the medic decided he was okay, Phobio left the ring to take his place by Elaine’s side, opposite of Albis. 

Suphia’s onslaught of attacks hadn’t ceased during this exchange, even having found some semblance of a second wind with Phobio’s defeat. She’s their last line of defense, and damn if she won’t go down fighting. 

Growling despite herself, Suphia’s tail thrashed angrily before lunging for the challenger once more, reeling her leg back for yet another kick. However before it could even make contact, she was being grabbed mid-air and slammed into the ground. 

As the dust from the impact settled, a silence fell over the crowd. 

Suphia, despite her best efforts to struggle against being pinned down, was unable to budge. 

The challenger had won. 

It was as though time had frozen, and no one dared to breathe. 

The excitement over the competition was completely gone, replaced by a borderline fear. An unknown person suddenly showed up and almost literally wiped the floor with the Beastketeers on his first attempt, securing himself as the champion, and winner of Lady Elaine’s challenge. This would be their king? 

The crowd watched with bated breath as the champion approached the platform Elaine was seated at, his steps calculated but smooth. Not so quick as to come across as a threat, but not so slow as to draw out the anxiety. 

He didn’t even flinch as Suphia almost scrambled to get past him to join her fellow Beastketeers beside Elaine, each of them on edge. While they had just had it very clearly demonstrated in front of the entire capital that even two of the Beastketeers don’t stand a chance against him, that wouldn’t stop them from acting if he posed a threat to their Queen. 

Once he reached the few small steps that led up to the platform, he finally came to a stop and took a knee before her. Seeing her up close, he saw just how much this little ‘show’ of his was affecting her. 

The slight tremble in her hands that she tried to hide by putting her hands behind her back. 

The way her jaw clenched as she tried to figure out what to say, her near frantic blinking to hold back tears. 

It all proved to him that he’d owe her… a lot of apologies.

She stood before him, taking a slow breath to compose herself before addressing him, her voice quiet, meant only for him and the Beastketeers. 

“You did a phenomenal job conquering my challenge, and you’ve proven that you have the power and strength to protect Eurazania. Are you prepared to take on that responsibility and rule beside me?”

Satisfied with his charade, and eager to ease this burden from her, he finally looked up to her. 

“I’m ready to reclaim what’s mine, my deer.” 

While the Beastketeers bristled at the response, seeing it as a way of looking down on her, Elaine froze at the familiarity. 

Was it really…? 

She held her breath as the champion removed his mask, and she finally got to see his face. 

The familiar golden eyes, and that stupid, handsome grin that held no shame. 

She didn’t even hear the gasps and murmurs that ran through the crowd, too distracted by him as her walls came crashing down. 

Carrion wasn’t expecting Elaine to launch herself at him, but he caught her with ease, laughing as he held her close to his chest. One of her arms wrapped around his neck as her hand dug into the fabric of his cloak to keep him close, while the other hand smacked his chest in an all-too-familiar scolding. 

“You asshole,” she hiccuped, though when she pulled away just enough to look up at him, she was beaming despite the tears streaming down her face. “How dare you make us worry like that!” 

Carrion chuckled and pressed an affectionate kiss to her head before helping her stand up again, standing alongside her this time. “I know, I know. I’ll explain soon. But I’m home now.” 

Moving to take his hand, Elaine used her free hand to wipe away her tears before turning her attention towards the crowd, raising their interwoven hands with a grin. 

“Our king has returned, safe and sound!” 

Cheers erupted all around them, the Beastketeers finally joining in the reunion, adding their own scoldings for their king while the crowd celebrated. 

Their king had returned, Eurazania was safe and bound to thrive even better than before under the guidance of him and Elaine, and they had all gotten the chance to participate in what was undoubtedly a once-in-a-lifetime challenge. 

A nation-wide celebration was undoubtedly in order! Once their rulers had had the chance to rest and prepare, of course. 

~

Despite the buzzing energy in the capital as it prepared for it’s first grand celebration since the start of rebuilding, the palace was almost eerily quiet. 

Carrion and Elaine had left the arena shortly after the announcement, with the Beastketeers close behind. Now they were all gathered in the sitting area that Elaine had insisted on ensuring they had for friends and guests, the room she had indulged in the most when designing. 

Multiple large, plush couches filled the room, allowing ample seating and lounging options, as well as a soft rug covering part of the floor to make the floor a viable option as well. A beautifully carved wooden coffee table sat in the center, currently supporting a tray of tea and plenty of snacks. 

Suphia was sprawled out on the floor dramatically, while the others at least had the sense to sit on the couches, with Elaine leaning against Carrion while holding her teacup. Not that he was any better with proximity, one arm wrapped around her to keep her secure against his side to encourage her to melt against him. “Now then,” Carrion started, keeping his tone light and amused, “is anyone going to explain what all that was about?” 

Elaine was hesitant to respond, the guilt of having let it get to that point once again hitting her, and now she didn’t have anything else to distract herself with aside from her tea. 

Taking mercy on their poor friend, Phobio offered to answer. “Thanks to Lady Milim suddenly turning on Eurazania and what seemed to be a brewing war amongst the Demon Lords, many were concerned about the nation’s safety should another major threat appear.” 

“Tempest is too far for immediate aid, and Rimuru had… his own problems to worry about,” Elaine added quietly, staring into her cup, “And if we couldn’t turn to Milim either… we didn’t have anyone to turn to if another Demon Lord or other threat appeared. I don’t blame the people for their concern.” 

Carrion hummed in response, looking down to Elaine and gently rubbing her shoulder. “So why the challenge?” 

Flushing slightly in embarrassment, Elaine put off responding by taking a sip of her tea, her shoulders relaxing as the warmth hit her system. “I know I’m not strong enough to prove I could brute force a threat, so I knew that wouldn’t work for dealing with people’s concerns. Then I remembered a story from before that’s at least vaguely similar, so I just… adapted its solution to meet our needs. A challenge that is a reasonable enough request to be feasibly attainable, directing people’s energy away from their concerns about safety and encouraging the general populace to strengthen themselves, while still being challenging enough that only someone with your strength or greater would be able to accomplish it.” 

The story certainly caught his attention, but he has a feeling that’s a question best saved for another day. 

Instead, Carrion leaned down to plant a gentle kiss on the top of Elaine’s head, just between her ears. “You did a wonderful job. I’m proud of you.” 

Looking to the Beastketeers, he offered them a genuine smile in turn. “I’m proud of all of you, in fact. For keeping it together, and I think everything’s running even smoother than before!” He laughed, knowing it was thanks to their hard work and dedication that Eurazania is as put together as it is right now. 

His amusement did falter some though as he took in just how drained they all were. Suphia only spent 5 minutes pacing once they came in here, and he thought it would be at least 20! 

“I also owe all four of you an apology,” Carrion sighed. “I lost to Milim, and I left you all with responsibilities you shouldn’t have had to deal with, especially for so long. Then I took so long to come back, and didn’t even send word that I was alive…” 

Elaine took his hand in hers, giving it a squeeze. “We all did what we had to in order to get the best possible outcome. Now we’re here, together again, all in one piece. Eurazania is on it’s way to being better than ever, and we are all coming out the other side of this mess stronger than before… Just also all in desperate need of a nap.” 

Anya came in after him, a small giggle coming from her that Bruce still picked up on despite everything else, feeling some of the tension leave his muscles. “It’s not that bad. Might even do you some good, to do some recon amongst the people instead of from the shadows.” She retorted to his earlier complaint, gently resting a hand on his arm in an attempt to calm him. 

At the very least, she succeeded in distracting him. She looked absolutely wonderful tonight, even if it wasn’t her typical clothing. A black crop top with a small window and silver trim, and a silver high-low skirt that had so much glitter that it caught every small shift… Bruce wasn’t oblivious to the fact she had worn black as an homage to him and his Batsuit. It was flattering. 

However, his admiration of how gorgeous she was was interrupted by Wally and Daniella following in behind them, Wally having the guts to put an arm around Bruce’s neck and giving him a dazzling grin that could rival his own when he is posing for pictures. “Relaaax, it’ll be fine! Might help you loosen up some too.” He teased, but was quick to let go in favor of spreading his arms out and upward, clearly ‘at home’ here. The music was fast paced, and seemed just his style. Speaking of his style, apparently it doesn’t include ‘subtlety’, based on the fact he’s wearing a black shirt with blue and yellow lightning streaking across it that practically glowed under the club’s lights. Pairing that with a pair of black jeans and red sneakers, anyone with a lick of sense would be able to figure out who he was. 

Daniella rolled her eyes but beamed happily as she followed Wally, seeming just as in her element as him. “Oh, be nice Wally.” She scolded playfully, even lightly slapping his arm. She didn’t really seem to understand subtlety either, however she seemed to get the memo about color coordinating to some degree. She had on a red cropped hoodie with a shimmery gold interior, an obvious homage to Wally’s Flash costume. She had on dark red shorts but with a skirt that matched Wally’s shirt, black with blue and yellow lightning. And heels that could probably kill a man with one good kick, but other than that they seemed impractical. She seemed to know what she was doing, though. 

“While it’s great that we get to check out someplace we can actually enjoy, we’re still on a mission. Keep an eye out for our thief, or any information on him we can get.” She reminded, glancing around the room but already swaying to the music. She was absolutely used to this. 

“I call checking the dance floor!” Wally shouted over the music, already rushing off towards it as quickly as he could without his superspeed. While he may not be the most mature member of the League, he was thankfully good about not using his powers when not in his suit. 

“I’m not letting you have all the fun!” Daniella called after recovering from her surprise, laughing and chasing after him with surprising ease. Batman had to admire women and their ability to maintain their balance on the tips of their toes like that…

Anya was still by his side though, clearly amused by the younger heroes’ antics. “Well Bruce, where do you want to start? Trying to sneak your way to VIP?” She suggested, mimicking him in his survey of the room while avoiding having anyone bump into them by keeping against a wall for now. 

“Honestly, I might go check the bar first. Bartenders pick up more information than you might expect with how busy they are… And I can already tell I’m going to need a drink to survive the night.” He grumbled, giving her hand a small squeeze before letting go and heading that way. Anya was free to do as she pleased, of course, as he had no intention of dragging her around with him. 

Anya took advantage of this freedom by going to do as she had suggested, trying to see if she could flirt some information out of the VIP section about their target. While she may not be happy to be somewhere so… busy, she knew that it was necessary, and thus was able to find the energy to power through. Figuratively, of course. 

After making sure she was at least decently covered, she went up to the guards of the VIP section, batting her eyelashes and trying to play the ‘innocent’ card. 

“Excuse me… I’m trying to find someone, and I was hoping you could help me…” She started, not intimidated in the slightest by the men. Without giving them time to respond, she continued to describe their target. “About yay tall, blonde, brown eyes?” She tried, giving them a hopeful look. 

However, the guards shook their head and asked her to please leave, or present a VIP pass. Well… that was a bust, for now at least. She can try again a bit later, and keep an eye on the area. For now she wandered around some, keeping nearby. She spotted a flash of Wally’s red hair, making her snicker softly. Who knew he could dance?

Wally and Dani had worked their way towards the center of the dance floor, moving with ease amongst the sea of bodies, blending in with the crowd if you weren’t looking specifically for them. Their dancing styles were different, Wally’s focusing on foot work while Dani’s used her whole body, but they worked so well together. It made sense why they gravitated towards each other. Thankfully, they were still on task despite having the time of their lives. Wally was peeking over the top of the crowd and occasionally bent down near someone to ask if they had seen his friend, claiming to have lost track of him, using the same description that Anya had. Dani had to rely more on the asking aspect, smoothly working her way through the crowd as she searched for her ‘friend’, but the two of them were never more than a few people apart. Always within sight of each other. Good. They could keep each other out of trouble. 

So Anya took to looking for Bruce, hoping he was making better progress than they were. He was sitting at the bar already, drink in hand but just… staring at it. That’s not a good sign… Time to see why Bruce was brooding this time. 

Weaving her way through the people of various levels of intoxication, she took a seat on the empty stool next to Bruce, successfully snapping him out of his train of thought. 

“Are you alright?” She asked him softly, leaning closer to make sure he heard nonetheless. Getting a nod in response, she furrowed her eyebrows skeptically before mimicking the famous “Bruce Brood.” Or at least… that’s what she calls it in her head. The expression he makes when he’s thinking really hard about something that’s bothering him, but he doesn’t want to talk about it. Furrowed brows and a deep frown that bordered on a pout, hunched shoulders and arms crossed on the table. 

Feeling his shoulders shaking slightly before even realizing he was chuckling, Bruce shook his head in amusement with a small smirk. “I’m fine, honest. Just wondering how it seems like no one here recognizes our thief… it’s frustrating.” He admitted, his calmer expression replaced by the Bruce Brood again. 

Anya let her own expression relax to her natural thoughtful expression. “Perhaps the lighting makes it harder… or they don’t pay attention to appearances, and focus on names or actions?” She suggested, looking to him to see if he thought it was possible or not. 

“Maybe… but in this kind of place, you’d think people would pay attention to appearances. And he frequents here… Our best option might be to try and wait for him to show up tonight, since he should… but I was hoping to get more information about him like this. Gossip, background, hobbies, interests, anything…” 

“Bruce, please… relax. We’re doing everything we can, but we always manage in the end. It’ll turn out ok. I don’t want you to go stressing yourself grey tonight.” 

The teasing earned her a snort of amusement and another head shake before Bruce took a big sip of whatever drink he had, looking at the glass for a moment before turning his attention to her. “Do you want anything?” 

Anya hummed in thought before nodding. A drink sounds good right about now, and then he won’t be drinking alone. When they flagged down the bartender, she ordered her drink just barely over the volume of the music. He seemed to get it however, nodding and set to putting it together for her. 

“Any idea if Wally and Daniella are having better luck than us?” Bruce asked after a moment, quirking an eyebrow as he focused on her again, taking another sip of his drink. He plans on making it last the entire night, because he doesn’t need to go getting himself drunk while on a mission. 

“Can’t tell. They’re having fun for sure, absolutely surrounded. I’m pretty sure they’re still on task, just enjoying it a little more than we have been.”

“I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“Relax, Bruce. Let them have their fun. We’re still at the stage of the mission where it’s ok for them, and you know as well as I do that they can step up when they have to. They’re in their element, we can’t expect them to be completely serious. Plus that would just draw attention to them.”

“I know, I know…”

Anya laughed softly in amusement, leaning into his side for a moment. It was a small, brief sign of affection. But it was plenty enough for them right now, since they were out in public. 

After a moment of consideration, Anya got an idea that just might make tonight a little more bearable for the two of them. 

“How about a little deal?”

“A deal…?”

“Once we get done with this mission, we both go back to your place, and have our version of this. Our music, our pace.”

Bruce raised an eyebrow, but just the thought of it released some tension from his muscles. Giving her an affectionate smile reserved just for her and finishing his drink much sooner than anticipated, he gave a definitive nod. 

She was almost late to work because she wasn’t able to sleep more than an hour or two, and would likely have broken a heel if not for her newfound focus on durability with all of her clothing. It had been a cold but dry day today, meaning not a lot of moisture in the air, causing her to feel all sorts of icky. Toss in some villains deciding they were feeling up to causing mischief that included fires she had to help control, and  well... She would be very ready to nap once the fight was over. 

She was currently trying to focus on putting out the fires, since it seemed like the others had the villains under control. Flash was working on clearing out any civilians in the building, and she had a small ramp for him to make getting to each floor easier. She was also helping the fire department by distributing the water a little more, helping it reach a little higher by increasing the pressure. That much she could manage, so long as she was given the chance to focus. 

But when hearing someone shout out a warning to her, she turned her head to see what she had to deal with. Seeing a car flying towards her, she had to take a small chunk of the ramp for Flash to shove the car away from her and back towards where it came, slamming it right into Solomon Grundy who did not like having his attack sent back at him. Even worse that it was weaker. It was disappointing. However, now she had his attention, so he was charging at her. To avoid having him get too close to the civilians, she was forced to meet him halfway with very little water to work with because most of it was being used for the fire or the ramp. 

The small amount she was using though took the form of a sheet of ice, a makeshift shield that shattered on impact, but still bought her time as she ran further into the fray, sharpening the shards and trying to stab Grundy with them, occasionally glancing around to check on the ramp. She was having a hard time maintaining it as is thanks to the fire trying to melt it, adding in her split attention was making it near impossible for her to focus. She already knew the stairs in the building were too dangerous for Flash to use, so he had to have the ramp, which she was steadily stretching to reach the next floor. Though, she was starting to get desperate as she stumbled and scrambled in her attempts to avoid Grundy while protecting the fire fighters. Maybe… just maybe she could take down the ramp just long enough to freeze Grundy, and then she can put it back up. 

Flash seemed to be coming out with less people now, so either he was tiring too, or he had almost all of them out. Hopefully it was the later, so she can have that much more water to work with and maybe even some help with this. Speaking of ‘this’, Grundy took the opening her thinking offered and slammed her right into the burning building, causing her to cry out in pain at the double impacts as well as the draining heat. 

The sound of cracking ice got her attention, giving her the motivation to get up and back into the fight after sparing a moment to reinforce the ramp that had started to crack while she wasn’t paying attention. Flash came out with the last person, giving her a thumbs up as he took off to the safe place he’d been taking everyone. Good, now she can focus on Grundy more. 

Finally melting the ramp, she slammed the pillar of water into Grundy’s chest, making him stumble back a few steps. However, she was struggling to keep focused, and was starting to feel light headed. Looks like it’s time to go big or go home. Taking a moment to glance around and track down the other heroes, she started to gather the water she had around herself in a bubble, squeezing her eyes shut despite hearing Grundy storming towards her. Throwing her arms out, and she felt the water rush away from her, shooting towards the others on the battlefield. With the remainder of her concentration, she made sure it only hit the villains, and that it froze on contact, turning them all into living popsicles. 

Slowly opening her eyes to check her work, she felt her legs give out from under her, her entire body trembling. She couldn’t tell if it was from over-exertion or the cold. Probably both. Before she hit the ground, she felt arms around her. Warm, familiar arms. Flash must have just gotten back. 

“Nice work. Get some rest, we’ll clean up from here.” 

Superman was clearly unsure about this, but Batman had convinced him that it would be good to help her train and to figure out what she was capable of. For the time being, they had agreed on basic hand to hand combat, no super powers if it could be helped. It was the closest to a level playing field they could get it without her fighting someone else like Batman, but she specifically wanted to try it against Superman. As she had told him when approaching him with the idea with no small amount of nerves making her hesitate, “Right now you are the League member I am least scared of who is also available, and I really want to see how much I can handle outside of Gotham.”

Which is how she ended up just across a training mat from Superman, already in some semblance of a fighting stance while he still seemed unsure, glancing towards Batman, who was up against a wall with his arms crossed to watch.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Superman asked them both, Oleda nodding stubbornly while Batman answered verbally. “She’ll be fine, Superman.”

With that, the Kyrptonian gave in with a sigh and slowly got into his own fighting position. 

Once Batman called for them to start, they both charged each other. Oleda managed to dodge the first punch from Superman, landing a single blow to his gut but it did more damage to her fist than it did to him. The moment she took to flinch and shake her already aching hand gave Superman the chance to punch her, accidentally getting her in the face. Despite having tried to keep his super strength under control, she still wound up on the other side of the training room, face down and staying put or now. 

Superman did not take that well, flying over to her quickly and kneeling beside her. “I’m so sorry, are you alright?” He asked, hesitant to touch her right now for fear of hurting her worse. Sometimes he forgets not everyone can handle his strength. 

Batman rolled his eyes from his place against the wall, not having moved at all. “She’s fine, Superman. Just give her a minute.” He assured, ignoring his friend’s protest and insistence that maybe they should take her to the infirmary. 

Once Oleda managed to collect herself a little though, she started to pick herself up from the floor. Her nose was bleeding already, but she was grinning when she finally stood up, a little shaky but looking more excited now. “Now that’s a punch!” She cheered, much to Superman’s confusion. 

“Are...are you alright?” He asked hesitantly, eyebrows furrowed in concern and arms still out slightly to catch or steady her if she stumbled. 

“I’m more awake now, that’s for sure.” She said with a small laugh, but toned it down to give him a genuine grin, wiping the blood away with the back of her sleeve. “Really, I’m ok. A little blood never hurt anyone, and the bad guys won’t be as forgiving as you. I need to get used to it. If it helps at all, once we call it quits I’ll head to the med bay no matter if I get hurt again or not.” She tried to bargain.

Superman was still skeptical, but nodded slowly and put some more distance between the two of them. “I’ll still go a little easier on you. I don’t want to give you a concussion or anything…”

Homework. Homework. Homework. So much homework. She can’t remember anything but homework, bits and pieces of her job, and her work here at the Justice League. She hasn’t slept in who knows how long, and the only thing keeping her functioning was the absurd amount of caffeine she had flowing through her blood right now and the snacks that her friends had been wonderful enough to make sure she had at hand. They were getting near exam season so the professors were trying to cram in as much homework as they could. 

However for right now, she was taking a much needed mental break. Her books set aside and laptop pulled closer, she was watching animal videos online, rubbing at her eyes furiously to get some semblance of focus back. 

Because she had her headphone’s volume up to block out any noise that might distract her, she didn’t hear Batman coming up behind her to check on her. He’s one of the few people who can function at this hour, and as such tended to take the night watch when he’d be up here instead of in Gotham. So when he tapped on her shoulder to get her attention, she jumped so strongly that she slammed her knee on the bottom of the table and whipped around, not even managing to manifest anything with her ring. Its glow just flickered before dying. 

Taking a moment to just stare at each other, Gloria blinked before snorting, putting her head in one hand as she carefully turned to face Batman better, pausing the video and taking her headphones off. The other hand was rubbing her damaged knee. That’s definitely going to bruise… 

“I came to see how you’re doing…” Batman finally explained, taking a seat beside her so they were a little closer to the same level. She sat up straighter and stretched out, groaning as a series of pops went down her spine. 

“I’m making progress, but still not fully caught up, let alone ahead like I wanted to be.” She grumbled, turning back to her laptop and checking the list she had made for herself to track how much work she had left to go. While a good portion had been checked off, there was still a lot left. It was easy to see how defeated she felt, with how her shoulders sagged with a sigh.

However that didn’t last long, as she pulled herself back together quickly and turned her focus back to Batman, giving him a tired smile. “But yeah. It’s going ok, I’m taking a bit of a mental break because I was reading the same sentence five times and not processing it. These cat videos are all I’ve got going for me right now. That and the caffeine.” 

Another quirked eyebrow from Batman “Are you alright?” Clearly she wasn’t, he wasn’t stupid. He could see the bags forming under her eyes that her mask barely hid. He could see how much she hunched over, how she seemed to struggle with focusing. As further evidence to that, she could hardly use her ring. She was typically very cautious about hiding her identity while up here, but she literally couldn’t right now. 

“Yeah, I’m doing ok. A little tired, but nothing I can’t handle.”

He didn’t believe it for a second. Normally she’s a pretty good liar, but her appearance gave her away. So he just stared down at her, as he typically did when he knew people were lying to him. They always cracked eventually. 

Thankfully it didn’t take her too long, turning her gaze away from him and sighing, running her fingers through her hair for the millionth time that morning, dislodging more hair that was pulled from her ponytail. “Ok, in all honesty? I’m exhausted. I don’t think I’ve slept in like, two days, and if I did it wasn’t on purpose. I’ve only remembered to eat because of you guys up here and a few of my friends at school making sure I have snacks. I know Flash has been sneaking granola bars in my bag and I’ve been trying to figure out how best to thank him for looking out for me. And I’ve got two practice exams today that I’m still studying for on top of getting my other homework done. I’m just so… tired. But I can’t stop yet because I can’t afford a bad grade in any of these classes.” 

She rambled more than she meant to, her eyes even starting to water from the stress, gesticulating despite her attempts to keep quiet and small for the time being. Once she was done, she didn’t realize she was shaking until Batman awkwardly tried to offer her some semblance of comfort by placing a hand on his shoulder. He’s not used to this and despite Dick and Alfred’s best attempts, he still wasn’t used to dealing with emotional vulnerability or having to comfort people. 

It was still something though, and it was enough to cause her to curl up in her seat, leaning into his touch. She pulled her hood up, essentially trying to close in on herself, which he understood all too well. She must really need this though, to start crying. Especially in front of him, of all people. Clark or J’onn would be better for comfort than him… but he stayed there as she cried. It’s the least he could do. Plus, he didn’t want her to think he was abandoning her if he went in search of someone better qualified to help. 

So he sat there beside her, rubbing her back after a minute as she got the emotions out through tears. She didn’t cry for too long, down to hiccups and shallow, unsteady breaths within a few minutes. But those few minutes sapped what remained of her energy, making her lean into Batman with her eyes barely open, letting out a big yawn. “I’m so tired…” she mumbled, eyes drooping shut. She seemed to realize what she was doing though, and in a moment of near panic she sat back up on her own quickly, shaking her head and even patting her own cheeks as if it would help. “But I still can’t stop. I’ve got to finish my notes…” 

Even as she said that, she was starting to doze off before she could even close the tab with the animal videos. Batman decided that that was enough, and stood up, picking her up bridal style. She let out an undignified squeak that was honestly amusing, but he started to carry her out of the room despite her protests.

“Batman? What are you-? I need-”

“You need to get some rest. You’re too tired to retain anything you’re studying right now. So for right now, you are going to get some rest. I’ll see what I can do about your notes, and we’ll put your training on pause until after exams are over. As far as missions, you’ll only be called if absolutely necessary for a while, to give you a chance to recover from this. Understand?”

“But…”

Batman looked down at her as he carried her to the room she stayed in when she was up in the Watchtower for any length of time. She gave up her protests and nodded slowly, eyes already drooping again as she yawned. She knew there was no point in arguing against Batman, of all people. He’s as stubborn as they come. 

“Yezzir, Batman…”

She wasn’t sure if she should bother him, but his head lifted once he realized the door had opened, which didn’t give her much choice. 

“Oh, did you need something?” He asked, doing his best to seem like his normal self. But she saw through it. She typically did. 

“No, I’m just exploring the Watchtower some. But… are you okay?” She was hesitant to ask, pretty sure that he wasn’t, but equally as sure that he’d try to brush it off. And as she expected…

“I’m fine, I appreciate it.”

She shifted her weight in the door before walking in, letting the door close behind her as she walked over to the window. It was still strange, seeing Earth from space. Mind blowing, and kind of terrifying. However, she thankfully didn’t have the time to dwell on that right now. 

“No offense, sir, but I don’t think you are.” She said hesitantly, but didn’t look at him for now. She still saw him out of the corner of her eye though, turning his gaze away from her, looking down at his hands. He didn’t say anything yet, so she continued. 

“I realize… you’re under a lot of pressure. A lot. More than I’ll ever know. When something big happens, the people turn to you for a solution. It feels like there’s nothing you can’t do. You’re our best defense… I know it can’t be easy.” 

As she spoke, she saw his shoulders hunch more, his eyebrows furrowing and fists clenching and unclenching in his lap. Still he stayed silent, but did turn his gaze to her as she finally took a seat beside him, pulling her legs up to sit cross legged for now, elbows on her knees so she had a hunch to match his. She’s a college student after all, who cares about posture anymore? 

“But… you aren’t alone. You don’t have to carry the weight of the world alone. Sure, we may not all be as capable, skilled, not everyone who wants to help has powers.” She took a moment to look at her right hand, where she wore her power ring. The small piece of jewelry that changed her life. “Without this ring… I’d be too scared to be outside for more than a few minutes at night. Let alone try to find the confidence to stand up to any threat. However. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from group projects, it’s that there really is a benefit to having everyone do one part than trying to do it all yourself. It’s a weight off your shoulders, and if you know you can trust the other people to do their jobs, then it typically leads to better results.” 

She paused for a moment, turning to look at him finally. She had his full attention as he looked down at her, even when hunched over like this. She was small compared to him, reminding him how small and fragile-looking humans were. But at the same time, she was right. He needed to work on trusting his teammates. Because that’s what they were, a team. 

As he was contemplating this, she sat up some and held a hand out to him, but didn’t touch him just yet. “May I?” she asked, her tone soft, somehow proving that she would listen to whatever his answer was. After he gave a nod, she gently put a hand on his arm, almost light enough he couldn’t feel it through his suit. 

“We’re all here for you, Superman. Even if we’re not particularly close, I think this is the most I’ve been able to convince myself to talk to you, we’re here because we want to help people. And you’re no exception. If you need to vent, someone to help you take a break or to take over in the meantime, a shoulder to cry on, anything. We are here for you. I am here for you. I’m always just a text away.” She assured, her eyes glistening both with sincerity, and the beginnings of unshed tears. She was supposed to embody Compassion, after all. 

As she spoke, reminding him of something he technically knew, but never fully grasped, he felt the tension leaving his body. She was right, yet again. He needs to open up a little more. Rely on the people who were there for him, who would understand what he’s going through to at least some degree. There weren’t a lot of people who could relate to the struggles of Superman, after all. 

Smiling softly at her and letting out a small chuckle, he nodded and gently put a hand over hers, giving it a very careful squeeze. “You are something else, Indi… thank you.” 

“I’m always happy to help. With anything, honestly. But this is apparently my area of expertise.” She said, shrugging casually as she lifted her right hand, not making a big deal of the fact that she was able to help a man with the world on his shoulders remember that he wasn’t protecting it alone.

Once he let go of her hand, she stood up and stretched out “I’m going to go back to exploring, but if I may be so bold, it looks like the great Superman could use a well deserved nap. You’re starting to look like me.” She joked, giving him a grin that proved it wasn’t malicious. It was genuine concern and care. He laughed with her, giving her a wave in return. He planned to sit there for a little longer to think over this conversation, but in a much better mood at least.