A Matter Of Education

I brought a hand to my head. A migraine was forming. I wasn't even supposed to get those anymore.

Yet, somehow, the scene right before me created one for me to enjoy at my pleasure.

And I could barely keep my fist, opening and closing multiple times as I shook it, from wiping the self-assured look off Daystar's face. She was angry. Scramjet was angry. Everyone was angry.

And me? Well, I might be the most patient man in the room, but, once I got going, I went all the way and more.

Something I was easily capable of.

Even the alien wanted a fight with her. It had not ceased analyzing all the people here. The variety of tactics to bring down each and every one. It sought challenge, something that was cut short during the fight with Gawain.

I was almost tempted to give in and show Daystar what for.

And yet.

I glanced at the two parties, arguing. I glanced at the destruction before my eyes fell upon Basilica. Show him what being heroes meant?

How can that happen when everyone had a different idea of that? I tried to do the right thing so many times. With justice, kindness, and honesty at its core. Following my heart but never forgetting to use my mind.

And it led to this.

I raised my hand.

Here goes nothing.

"Hey, excuse me. Listen, I know we are all on a bad start, and can we stop lumping everyone in together as 'getting in your way'? Communication is a two way street. Say something next time. That's all it takes."

I raised both hands up, indicating I was not trying to take a stab at Daystar. The opposite, actually.

I was trying to extend a hand of friendship. As sad as that may sound, considering I was never great at the whole team thing. But people got hurt and it seems everyone was sick of it in their own way.

"Listen, we can argue all livelong day. Can we do it later after we take him down? My issue is if we kill this teleporter, then what's to stop you, Daystar, from killing the next and the next? Forget the moral stuff. If we're determining certain powersets to be worth getting put in the ground for, and don't try and poke holes, I know what stuff you're going to come up with. I know. It's the actions. Not the powers. But there are enough bad people out there with teleportation. We kill them all instead of working together to make something neutralize those powers? Put the research to good use so when the next bigger and badder Gawain comes along, we have something ready?"

I wiped a hand over my face.

"Everyone's angry and I know you all don't want to hear me talk. I don't know about the rest of you, but, Daystar, can we set something to work together to take this guy? I can draw up schematics or something chemical and maybe your superspeed can conduct or make everything as fast as I can put out ideas? Let's find a solution to neutralize him, and then we can decide killing him or debate this later. We need something solid to prevent him from leaving and coming back when we least expect it or when we're vulnerable. Like during an alien invasion or another supervillain attack."

I threw my hands up into the air, not sure if anyone was fine with this half-baked idea.

"Can we all work together, cool off while we do that, and then keep talking after this is said and done? Or after we find a solution? Because I'm upset myself. I am. But let's find something that will work for both short term and long term. Cool? Can we act like a team for five minutes? Just five in the figurative sense."

I turned my back and hopped over to a wall, sitting on it and watching the pair, watching all of them.

I turned to the other three individuals staying behind, the ones that were involved as well.

And I chuckled before making a mock shrug, adopting a different voice, a funny little voice that seemed it would belong to a funny little man instead of the lithe superhuman gymnast before them.

"Kids, amirite? Or am I right?"