A hero, she really said I was her hero. All this time, all this fighting. Did I really? Did I really change someone? Have I really been growing? Elizabeth, Leo, they really changed because of me.

Elizabeth's eyes grew wide as she stared into mine. I could see the gentle splashes from my tears landing on her cheek. Oh no I'm crying. Stop, You're supposed to be better than this. I chuckled and started wiping my eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cry," I said between chuckles.

"What's wrawng?" She murmured out.

"It's just, my whole life."

"He's destined to ruin lives. He's nothing but dead weight." My father's voice echoed in my head.

"I hated you for leaving Annual." Then Zack's

"I felt like mom loved him more than me. They were always together. I just wanted him to disappear, to suffer." Then Lux's.

"I'm just so blessed. Thank you for telling me your story. You have no idea what it means to me."

For once, it felt real. Everything for once felt like it was finally moving! I wasn't stuck fighting to prove myself. I wasn't cursed! I wasn't stuck to always ruining peoples lives. People believed in me. Learned from me. The tears kept rolling out. And I felt Elizabeth slowly embrace me. She didn't say a word. She just held onto me.

For the first time in my life, I didn't feel like a burden. I can do this. I can be a hero!

After a bit of me crying, we eventually got up. Elizabeth was busy away at remaking her ship. So I sat back and recovered while she worked. As I watched her work, I tried to think of what I could've done better moving forward. If she hadn't run in at me, I would've depleted all of my energy. As I was thinking. A realization came into my mind.

"Hey Liz, did any of your undead have powers?” I was so focused on fighting, I wasn’t even paying attention.

“Hmm? Waell Oy diied, buh' Weis buhnt thaem t' creesp.” She huffed.

I watched as she held her sword up, and I felt the ship slowly lift itself up into the air. I quickly looked around and noticed the beams of wood that were scattered on the ground all started to glow with a bright turquoise mist. Then one by one they floated up to the frame of the ship. I stared at the wood in awe, still finding myself in shock over these gifts…

“Burnt them huh? So I really was lucky then.” I mumbled.

I can’t imagine what I would’ve done if I had three or four different gifted here. Not to mention the flex that Weislung managed to beat all of them! That’s literally insane! I had trouble just handling her basic undead army.

“Hey what happened to those bodies then? Are they gone for good?” I asked.

“Nao, Oy cahn regeneryte thaem at some point. Ih''ll just tyke some toime.”

I bit my lip as she said that. I was starting to remember what started our whole cry fest in the first place. Those dead bodies, they were people just like us. I wonder how the Goddesses handle this if they’re still technically alive? I wonder if they’re conscious of this, or if it’s all like some dream.

“Lizbeth, you should let them go to rest,” I commented as I stood up to face her.

“W-whaht!? buh' thaht's moy trump cahd!”

“Yeah, and you said you wanted to be different right? The first step to change is atoning for the things you did. It’s not right to keep them like that. Let the ones you cut down rest.”

I could see the embers of resentment in her eyes begin to die down. Her hands slowly came down to her sides, and she let out a heavy breath.

“Oolroigh'OMr.hero, Oy'll be a good leettle piryte frawm naow on!”

I smiled some and nodded.

“What’s the plan then?” I asked.

“Oy'll tyke the bodoys bahck t' thaeh homes. And Oy'll geeve thaem a propah burial. thaht'll be staep numbah one.”

"That sounds like a pretty good plan. And I want you to know I support you fully on this." I walked over to her and held out my hand to her. "Elizabeth the Siren. Would you like to join the Alley of Justice?"

She blinked a few times. Her eyes trailed down from my face to my hand. I could tell she was staring at the wrap around my palm.

"Are...are yah shooah? Oy could oolwhys gao bahck t' keellin aguyn?"

"And as a member of the Alley of Justice, if you do that. Zack and I will hold you accountable for your actions."

She gave me a soft smile, her eyes slowly looking up to mine. First it was a look of fear, but then. I could see the embers spark in her eyes and she gave me a look of determination.

"Thaen Oy'll join, and thaen mybee one die. Oy cahn repie yah faw thiies."

She said as she clasped my hand. I smirked and squeezed her hand gently.

"Yeah, I'll be looking forward to that. I'm excited to keep growing alongside you."

She giggled some and leaned forward. I felt the heat rise to my cheeks and before I could speak. She left a soft kiss on my cheek.

"Waell aftah ooll thiies haow could Oy nawt wahnt t' be a hero!? Yah myke ih' look praetty cool!" She chuckled as she walked past me.

I knew my face was still red. I slowly lifted my hand to my cheek and turned back toward her. Watching her fiery locks flare in the wind.

Man, I have to be dreaming…

….

"So you're telling me you got teleported away?"

"Yeah! Whenever I was getting closer to landing, it was like the clouds swarmed me! Then pooof! When I got out I was above our home in another cloud!" Zack exclaimed. His loud voice echoing off the hospital walls.

"Interesting…" I mumbled.

"Well come on Einstein, any idea the hell that was?"

"Well, that's pretty hard to answer honestly."

"And why is that?"

"There's just too many variables. For one, Jack easily could've made some frozen mist to emulate clouds if he wanted to. Elizabeth's abilities are all pirate mythos based. So weather control isn't too far fetched. Plus we don't fully know Weiss abilities either. And then there's the option it's just the goddesses wanting to mess with us." I sighed. "If I wanted to eliminate some things, I'd say Elizabeth is unlikely, and so is Weis. Because I'm sure we would've seen signs of it by now. So that leaves Jack or the goddesses."

"The clouds didn't feel cold, it felt like...like nothing really. Different smells, and thicker air. But that's all."

"Then maybe it was a goddess?" I suggested.

"Well, what if it's a new person altogether! A flying type trainer is coming to challenge us!"

Which made me groan.

"Icarus is an option I guess too."

We both stopped outside of her room. The talking was doing my anxiety some good. But as soon as I focused again. My heart started to race. I balled my fist and took a few deep breaths. Were just coming to pick her up, we’re just coming to pick her up.

"Gosh, you look like your gonna throw up." Zack chuckled as he stepped ahead of me. "Let the mighty Destroyer of Worlds get that for you."

He reached out and grabbed the doorknob. My chest started to hurt as I tried to just breathe. My fingers were going numb as he opened the door. And there she was. Sitting up in bed. Her amber locks moved over to her left side, her shining emerald eyes were scanning a page of an old-looking book. She jumped a little when we opened the door and looked up to us. Her eyes grew wide and so did her smile.

"My heroes!" She cheered.

I tried to focus just on her smile, just her eyes. But my ears were betraying me. The faint sound of my heartbeat played in my mind. Reminding me of the sound of the machine.

"C-can we h-hurry this up Z-zack?" I chattered out.

"Right, well baby sister of mine! Me and your knight got the okay to take you out today for the mall!" Zack cheered.

"What! Really!? I can leave the bed!" She cheered.

Her voice, it wasn't strained. For a moment, just a moment. A feeling of peace hit me. It was like getting ice cream on a hot summer's day. It was just what I needed. And I had no idea how bad I needed it till I had it. I missed this, her voice.

"It's good to see you, princess." I hummed and I gave her a smile.

I took another breath, and for once. My body slowly began to calm down. Not completely, but I could let go of my fist at least.

"My knight, I see you fought a dragon coming up to see me." She chimed, her eyes trailing down to my hand.

I slowly tried to move my hand from sight. I wonder how much she knew, how much Zack had told her. How much Arthur told her. I needed to come up with an excu-

"More like a pirate! Our little Knight over here has become quite the women beater lately."

I blinked a few times as I felt the rush of heat rise to my cheeks.

"H-hey! Don't say it like that!" I roared.

"Well I watched the video of you and that Elizabeth girl." Annual chimed in."I can't say you weren't a bit brutal."

Does she already know everything!?

"How did you..?"

"Big brother Zack here got your abuse on camera!" He snickered.

"You what!? Why!?"

"Well once I found out there was some battle royal you were a part of, I definitely wanted to see my future husband in action." She hummed.

"So you know everything?" I asked.

"Yeah, I told her about the shooting star game," Zack interjected.

My eyes got wide, but then they relaxed again. I see, she knows as much as Lux then.

"Can you show me something? I've seen all of Zack's magic already. But your weapons look so beautiful when you summon them. I want to see it for my own eyes." Annual chimed.

Her big green eyes staring at me in wonder. I smiled and chuckled a bit. My heart was still racing, but I was a lot more stable now.

"Anything for you princess." I chimed as I walked over to her.

I kneeled down by her bed and thought about a small knife. I held my hand out to her. But it was shaky. She looked me over and moved a hand undermine. Which sent goosebumps down my arm.

"It's okay, I'm not going anywhere." She whispered.

I looked at her, getting lost in her eyes like I always do. I took another breath and slowly looked away. Getting my focus back and slowly summoned the fancy knife. The blue mist forming in my hand. Slowly manifesting a silver end of the blade in my palms..

I looked up and I could see her eyes staring in glee at the small blade appearing. The blue mist faded from my hands and left the blade in its place. It was a small knife with a silver handle. A rose stem was etched in on the handle leading to the blade. Which had the blooming rose and its scattered red petals up the rest of the blade.

I learned that I can add whatever design I want on the blade. As long as it fits the old school requirements. So this is still a genuine cinquedea dagger. Just with a little Stryder bonus.

"Wow..it's so pretty..”

"I appreciate the kind words princess.”

“Pfft, I've got switchblades prettier. Come on, if you're gonna do stuff like that, make something cooler. Like, make a sword with Hank hill on the blade!”

“What?”

“Be like, I’m sorry charcoal villain. I only sell propane and propane accessories!”

“I don’t even know who that is..” I huffed.

“I bet you like Charcoal grills...” Zack sighed.