The Hanged Man

“So, Aram, what are you going to do?”

Only the sputtering of water answered back. This was getting boring again. I sighed looking at the river. What had I expected, after all? He was the human trash I knew, just much weaker. I clicked my tongue, watching him struggle in the water. A wonder how he had caught three villains. 

I watched on for a couple of moments, seeing his desperation, but my feeling didn’t come back. It was time to end things.

Looking around, I found a branch that had fallen from a tree, medium sized enough. Grabbing and coming back, I extended it toward the thrashing iron man. He looked at me and the stick in confusion. His eyes took on a glint I realized. 

This idiot.

Grabbing the stick I had extended, he pulled fast on it to try to pull me into the water. Of course it didn’t work, I simply released the stick and he instead swallowed a mouthful of water, struggling even harder within the river.

“You fool, so why did you have to do that? See here, I’m going to give you another branch, but you do that one more time, and I’ll have to punish you. Understand?”

My teaching tone obviously didn’t resonate with him as even as he struggled within the water, I could feel his glare. I don’t think I should become a teacher. Anyway, I did the same process, grabbing another stick, and this time, he faithfully grabbed it. My words had worked. Perhaps I should rethink my teaching career. It was a bit of an effort to pull him toward the edge, but when he did he pulled himself up and collapsed onto the ground.

Putting my hands in my pockets, I gazed upon his body. His iron transformation had only partially worn off, explaining his struggle in the river. He began to cough up water, until finally, he shut his eyes and appeared dead on the ground. 

“Yo, Mr. Iron Knight, you're not dead right?”

“...”

I checked with my gift and confirmed that he was indeed, not dead. But to go with his act, I leaned in, appearing to check his condition. In an instant, both his hands struck towards my throat, trying to grab it and ring the every living heck out of it. Of course, I simply slapped his cheek with the back of my hands and he collapsed back onto the floor. I gave another on his other cheek for symmetry. 

When his eyes did not open for a couple of more moments, I began to slap him again, his face beginning to turn red, of course not from the cold.

“Mr. Aram, I know you're not dead, open your eyes.”

I saw his eyes squirm, before finally, they burst open. For a few seconds we stared at each other, eyes locked. It was sort of weird. But It was time for the final blow.

“Hey, I have something to give, wait a second.” He grunted in response, probably trying to say a curse, but too tired to do so.

“Here,” I gave him the phone I had pulled out of my pocket, “look at this.”

When I realized his hands were frozen, I awkwardly grabbed and forced it into his hands, raising them to his eyes. The first real reaction after I pulled him out of the water came onto his face.

“You recognize what this is right? A hospital. Specifically St. Mary’s hospital. You know, remember when I told you about those bombs and how they were fake. Oh, I just realized, it had slipped my mind, that they were real! Cool right? Now if you look at the screen and see the timer,” I glanced at it and it read 0:11, “that’s when the bombs are going to explode. Isn’t this fun?”

His eyes met mine, and saw the tears running from his eyes.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry, it’ll be fine. Oh look! It’s close. Five, four, three, two, ONE!”

As I looked at the screen, the white hospital which stood stark in the background of the clear blue sky remained. After a few more seconds of waiting, I snatched the phone from his paralyzed hands and began to smack it. Then, the explosions began.

“Ha! It did work, here, here, look.” I shoved the phone into his face and his tears began to stream more and more across his face.

“Wait, do you want to know something better?” Despite his struggles, he violently began to answer no with his head. But I did not let go. “You know, if you had been a better father, you would have known this. Be honest, did Renna ever even enter your mind?”

As soon as he heard her name, he collapsed for the final time, eyes rolling to the back of his head and foam coming out of his mouth. The tears continued to flow.

“Shit. Already? I thought he would last longer.” I glanced at my watch. “I didn’t even get to tell him about the videos. Sadness.”

I stood up from the body and looked at the river. This had been fun, but it was now time for the next part of the plan. 

Suddenly, a small shout from behind me brought me out of my thoughts. 

A regular? There are no buildings nearby, how… I turned on my sight and realized. A super? That… wasn’t in my plans. I began to rummage for answers. I scanned all the surroundings beforehand and made sure we weren't close to civilization. There are no UHA patrol routes in this direction either, not that it was time for one. Shit. He or she didn’t attack me on sight. A unregistered. Or a newly minted Super. Luck where are you when I need it.

As I turned around, my mind paused for a moment at her sight. She was a 10, a beauty even by my standards, I was a man after all. Clothes that hide her obviously toned body and long black hair. But her black office clothes revealed that my suspicions were right. She could be an unregistered or a new super. Not a hidden agent, I had scanned the vicinity for that as well. 

“Yes, miss?” I asked, waving my hands. Perhaps she wouldn't notice the blood from my blindfold or the giant silver man on the ground nearby. “What can I do for you?”

She seemed out of breath.

“You-you, you Villain! What are you doing?”

“Me? A villain?” I pointed at myself. “I think you're mistaken young lady, I was just passing by. Do I look like a villain to you?”

Wearing an expression of disbelief, though still pretty, she began to scream back after a pause: “YES! Who wouldn’t think you're a villain!” After an audible gulp, she pulled out a knife out of her pocket, almost dropping it in the process, and began to wave it around. It was cute considering the circumstances. “N-now, put down the weapon and go away!”

I tilted my head in confusion. What weapon? Was she hallucinating? But more importantly, why wasn’t she using her powers. I thought for a second whether to use my sight to foresee her power, but thought better of it. It would waste too much energy and considering the fact that she hadn’t used it yet, it was likely not very strong. Or she was stupid, either of which was fine.

“What weapon?” I said pointing at both my hands, “Do you see any weapon? Or am I missing something.”

She blushed.

“N-no! Just. Get away or I’ll attack you!”

“I mean. . ., by the way, are you a new Super? I don’t think I’ve seen you around here.”

“Ye-No! I’m a really cool and good super, so you better fear me. So get away.” She glanced back at Aram, who continued to remain half dead on the floor, that bastard. 

Hmmm, I could use a new super to target, and changing a new one could be fun.

“What’s your super name?” I asked.

“Nebula. Now, stop making me say it, move before I use my power!” 

“Fine, fine, I’ll move. But” I turned and pointed to Aram, “I’ll let you know, the person you’re trying to save right now is a rapist, so, do with that what you will.”

Her mouth opened like a fish, and I began to run away. Using my sight to look backwards from my head, I saw she had run up toward the embankment of the river and gone to save him. My words had no effects on her apparently. 

I have to make a good plan to teach her, I thought, far too innocent. This will be fun.

…

“So- Mrs.” The worker looked down at the clipboard. “Nebula. Special Grade. No affiliation. Medium level Flight and … unknown control of clouds?” He looked up. “Is this you?”

Melania, callsign Nebula, was getting interrogated by a UHA worker. They were next to the body of Iron Knight, where the incident had taken place.

“Yes, that’s me.” she replied.

“Okay. Could you then explain the situation and what exactly happened here?”

“We, we or I met a Villain. He was wearing a trench coat, black, and a blindfold. He seemed white but had black hair And, and …”

“And?” 

“There was blood coming down his eyes. ”

The worker jotted something down on his clipboard. ‘Okay, was there anything else? Any indication of his gift or anything of that kind?“

“No…”

“Okay then, we’re done here. A further and more thorough investigation will be done later, so expect to be called down to one of the UHA bases. Thank you.”

Without listening for a response, the worker left and Melania was left alone standing near the trees. She thought back to the incident with the Villain. He was different from what she had been expecting from Villains. More, more intelligent and talkative than she imagined. He was just different.