Foxfire

The golden flames burned amongst the ash of Skyler’s room. Everything around her had been reduced to the basest non-fuel elements with the flicker of her energies. Skyler herself was sitting in the middle of the mess, her normally white robes stained red and grey with a disturbing mixture of her blood, Crimson’s blood, and the ash from everything she touched. 

A long, drawn out sigh came as she took in the smell of the burned furniture. At least this still makes me feel something, she thought to herself, even if all I feel is shame and regret. This wasn’t the first, second, nor even tenth time this particular scene played out in the room she’d made for herself at the Team Paragon offices in Clarcton. 

The door behind her cracked open slightly. Most people didn’t enter, fearing a flash-up of both the fire and Skyler’s temper, but the little robotic dragon that entered didn’t care much about it. Temir confidently strolled over without a word, and set himself down in Skyler’s lap. 

“This is going to be expensive to replace.” Temir commented as his mechanical head swivelled around the room, before settling back down against her thigh. 

Skyler snorted out a small laugh, her hand coming to gentle rest on his head. “Good thing money isn’t a concern anymore. Wonder Comics are paying out the ass to make comics using my image nowadays.”

“Still, you should be more careful with your belongings, Miss Risque.” The dragon insisted, Temir turning his head to look up at her. “You know this behaviour is what makes the others in the building fear you. Didn’t you want to work on that?” 

“I… Yeah.” Skyler conceded with a heavy sigh. The tension, anger, and frustration was mostly gone after her tantrum, left by a depressive hole that sucked in all other emotions. “It was hard to keep myself in check after that confrontation with Crimson. It was like she was trying to make me angry with how much collateral she was trying to cause.” 

“I understand, Miss Risque.” Temir pressed his head into her hand when she stopped petting, encouraging her to continue. “You did as well as you could. And in the end, you stopped her.” 

“Yeah, until she breaks out of prison again.” Skyler let out a growl of frustration, and ran a hand through her short, messy blonde hair. Her hand grazed across the boney horns that protruded from her forehead and swept back over her head. “I wish Team Paragon would let me finally kill her. How many people has she hurt now? How many more?”

“You know that Team Paragon will never do that. Justice carried out by a Paragon and not by the courts is directly against their tenents.” Temir cooed out, the words the same as the last time they had this conversation. 

It always played out like this of course. Every time they were sitting here, the words were the same. The repetition wasn’t lost on Skyler, but in a way it felt like a ritual that helped her fragile mental state. Not like there was anyone she could talk about it to. The other Paragons here would mock her, and Vagabonds were the enemy to be stopped. To be vulnerable to them like that was tantamount to treason. And of course, mere mortals like she used to be would never understand.

“Oh, something that may be of interest, Miss Risque.” Temir caught her attention, dragging her back out of her thoughts. “Season 12 will be starting soon. I’ve been informed that there will be a new SuperSTAR within the bounds of Clarcton this season, and that you have interacted with them in passing before.” 

“Trying to throw a new factor into Crimson and I’s rivalry? Someone we could ally with to bring it to an end in a dramatic fashion?” Skyler snarked at the robot, before softening and resuming petting from his head down to the base of his tail. “Of course they would try to interfere in our stalemate. I don’t suppose you can tell me who this new SuperSTAR is?” 

“Unfortunately, Miss Risque, I am not entitled to know who it is. I only know that they exist through a backroom contact I managed to pick up in Season 10.” Temir said apologetically. “Back when we still had your entry producer contact.”

“Mmm.” Skyler nodded, thinking back to the strange alien man who’d helped her out early in her heroic career. “I still miss him. It’s really shameful they fired him for being too chatty.” 

“Agreed.” Temir nodded along. “Still, it is good news to know about them before they make a no doubt dramatic entry onto the scene. Whether they will be an ally or enemy will be up to you to determine.” 

“Oh good, social interaction.” Skyler sighed again as she stood up with Temir secure in her arms. She looked around the totalled room, the ashes still smoldering. “That’s my strong suit.”