Allen had to endure the extreme gratitude of everyone from the plane. There were elderly people, men, women, and children who knew they might never return home, and they were all eager to express their eternal thanks.
Allen had repeatedly shown that he did not enjoy these kinds of situations, but seeing all the tearful faces around him, he could only manage a bittersweet smile and endure.
"Oh dear, I thought I would no longer see my grandson born," an elderly woman grasped Allen's hand tightly.
Allen smiled a slightly subdued but sincere smile, "Well... your grandson is lucky Grandma..."
A young man, fighting back tears, shook Allen's hand. "I was going to get married next week. If it hadn't been for you, I would have left my fiancée... pregnant. Thank you, truly, thank you."
"I see... don't worry about it."
A middle-aged woman with a pale and sickly face approached, her eyes red from crying. "Before we left, I fought with my parents. I told them I never wanted to see them again... Oh God, the last words they would hear from their ungrateful daughter would be that I hated them!... I can't repay you for this!"
"You don't need to..."
Allen noticed the woman's sickly appearance, which didn't seem to be solely due to stress or fear.
'System...'
[You may use some recovery product, but make sure it is at least green-grade...]
What was Allen supposed to say? People were pressing him too hard. Allen sighed and placed his hand on the woman's shoulder.
"Don't worry... just go to your parents..."
The woman's complexion visibly improved, although she didn't seem to notice.
Allen decided it was time to leave. He had endured enough of this kind of place and felt like arguing with his Chat and maybe punching someone along the way to get rid of that overwhelming feeling.
"Stop right there!"
A line of officers aimed their weapons at Allen.
"What are you doing?!" shouted one of the passengers.
"Everyone, get away from him! He's a dangerous villain responsible for the attack on Vought and suspected of murdering one of the Seven!"
...
Thor – This smells rotten.
Raven – Their behavior is very suspicious; they're practically denying that Allen saved the plane.
Rick – They were here before Allen arrived.*Burp* Of course, they're on Vought's payroll hahaha
...
In a desperate attempt to change the situation, Madelyn ordered Allen's arrest under the pretense of him being a criminal, villain, and murderer.
The officers present were corrupt and would have arrested Allen without a second thought under normal circumstances. But after witnessing what had happened, they knew it was unlikely they could arrest Allen.
Madelyn, with her disheveled hair, grabbed the collar of the officer in charge.
"Listen, Jonathan, you need to end this situation, or I'll send all records of your and your men's deposits to internal affairs!"
The officer cursed internally, but he could only blame himself for making poor decisions. He swallowed his doubts, complaints, and fears and went to attempt to arrest the supervillain.
...
Seeing the tension growing, the officer changed his tone to a more cordial one. "Please don't resist. If you have something to say, we can discuss it at the station"
"Officers, this young man saved us!"
"No!"
"He saved our lives. We won't let you take him away!"
A passenger stepped forward, followed by another and another. Soon, about a hundred angry passengers were blocking the officers' path.
Officer Jonathan Smith clenched his jaw at the sight of the enraged passengers. "Do you want to be arrested for obstruction of the law?!"
A burly man approached the officer. The officer placed his hand on his gun, but the man extended his own hands.
"Go ahead..."
"What are you doing?!" asked the stunned officer.
Following his example, everyone's hands, including children and the elderly, did the same.
The officer was overwhelmed and soon seeing the cameras pointed at him reminded him that this was being broadcast to everyone.
There was not a single trace of doubt or fear in their actions; the people there were genuinely determined not to abandon their savior.
The officers couldn't arrest them. Allen shook his head and smiled before starting to rise into the sky.
The reporters had regained their composure and began taking photos and focusing their cameras on him.
"Who are you?!"
"Are you a villain or a hero?!"
"What happened to Homelander?!"
Allen looked at the passengers and nodded in gratitude, then turned his gaze to the cameras as the world awaited his words.
"All answers regarding the incident can be heard from the mouths of those affected..." Allen narrowed his eyes at Madelyn.
Felicia – "Watch out for that woman; she's very good at manipulating the truth!"
"However, I would like to clarify a few things..." Allen continued.
Madelyn and Ashley turned pale, feeling that the next words would be their sentence.
"Wait!"
Madelyn wanted to speak with Allen; she wanted to negotiate. She was prepared to offer Allen millions of dollars, forgive all offenses, and even offer him a position in the Seven.
Madelyn was ready to give Allen everything. With such an offer and her negotiation skills, they might reach an agreement, but she needed a moment alone.
Madelyn recalled the look Butcher gave her before leaving. He wasn't looking at her with hatred but with pity, as if he had already won.
Madelyn noticed Allen's gaze on her. She only needed those clear eyes to meet hers to understand that no matter if she promised him the sky and the earth, this young man would not yield.
"I am not part of Vought, I am not affiliated, and I never intend to be..."
Everyone present was shocked. There were over two hundred Supes in Vought; they had the monopoly. No superhero wanted to be outside Vought International.
"As for whether I'm a villain or not, you can decide that for yourselves after listening to these people..."
Allen turned and left the scene. The officers felt like fools Allen could fly they could never catch him.
"...123," murmured Madelyn. One hundred and twenty-three passengers, one hundred and twenty-three witnesses.
Madelyn looked anxiously at the paramedics approaching the passengers to check their health. She knew she could buy the silence of some, but not all.
Madelyn could only hope that today's blow wouldn't be too severe. It was, and she would soon understand just how severe.
...
With the first testimony backed by one hundred and twenty-three people, the world fell into a terrible silence.
Homelander had gone to rescue the plane but failed, ending up destroying the plane's controls. This was evident from the heat vision marks on the control panel.
Cameramen pointed their cameras at Madelyn, whose face was pale, surrounded by her security team to protect her.
The second blow to Vought was that Homelander had abandoned the people. Madelyn might have refuted this claim if not for the age of social media; there was always someone recording. Indeed, two passengers recorded the moment Homelander threatened to kill them all and said he wouldn't save anyone because witnesses would reveal to the world that Homelander abandoned them to their fate.
"Damn it!"
Madelyn threw her phone to the ground when she saw the video on the news. Then Ashley and Madelyn's guards took them both away before things got worse.
But the ordeal for Madelyn wasn't over yet...
The passengers revealed that the young man had saved them when Homelander abandoned them. They told everyone and showed videos of how Allen had stopped the plane and carried it from the Atlantic.
No one present questioned the truth of this last claim, as they had witnessed Allen descend with the plane.
Finally, the most devastating blow to Vought was witnessing Homelander act like a psychopathic killer.
Butcher laughed from his car as he watched the news. Hughie, at home with Robin, watched in astonishment.
Frenchie also found out while preparing to contact his former lover to get a powerful sleeping gas.
MM watched in disbelief. He couldn't believe that after years of trying to mess with Vought, a young man could bring them to their knees in just three days.
"I WON'T LET YOU STEAL EVERYTHING FROM ME!!"
Homelander's scream sent shivers down everyone's spine, except for Bucher who was laughing like mad.
Several passengers recorded everything. They saw Homelander attack Allen and Allen's response. There was a massive fight in the sky where Allen overpowered Homelander. In the videos, people witnessed an egotistical monster trying to kill Allen while his only sin was protecting the plane.
Soon, the images shifted from fear to awe, as unexpectedly, Allen appeared superior to Homelander at every turn.
Butcher watched this with surprise, but also with thoughtfulness. The appearance of Black Noir complicated matters further.
Of course, there is a limit to what can be recorded from an airplane window, so many things went unseen. However, they managed to piece together the events.
Hippolyta – It was destined to happen...
Hestia – Homelander truly was a monster...
Harleen – One created by man...
...
Later, Madelyn could barely anticipate the world's reaction. She would have to do a lot to manage the damage. But the consequences were severe and immediate. Vought's stock dropped ten percent, and many people, especially shareholders, called in scared and angry.
Cancelled collaborations, withdrawing advertisers, reduced profits.
"Everything is falling apart!!" Madelyn stared at her phone, waiting for the call from the man of her life. "Homelander and it's your fault!!!" Madelyn was furious with Homelander. She had every reason to be; they were losing hundreds of millions because of him.
While Madelyn wallowed in her misery, Allen decided to stop feeling out of place and start being himself again.
...
(Half an hour later)
Allen landed silently in an alley. The pieces of his light armor turned to dust, and his cape also disintegrated.
With a smile, Allen walked down the alley as his hair turned black. He didn't put on glasses because it would be a disguise similar to the one he used in his world. Since he was still streaming, it would be like revealing himself.
Allen took a deep breath and started walking out of the alley.
Felicia – Don't feel bad. In the end, it was Frenchie's decision.
Gwen – I don't know how to feel about everyone assuming that just because Allen is going to meet her, She'll end up falling for Allen
MJ – You're right, Gwen. It's not like our Allen has done that with every girl and woman he's met, RIGHT?
Gwen – Urgh... True
"I'm starting to feel like you're losing respect for me..."
Natasha – Can you blame them after living with a girl you just met a day ago?
Annie was staying with Allen. It was clear she wasn't going to return to the place Vought had prepared for her, risking the chance of a vengeful Homelander coming after her.
Diana – Allen, to be honest, I'd like to support you, but after seeing how you won over my sisters, many of whom hated men... I don't know how to support you.
Allen decided not to say anything that would further tarnish his reputation.
Nokotan peeked out of Allen's pocket. "In the end, 'The Womanizer' seems like the ideal hero name for you, Onni-san."
Nokotan wasn't always there. Like any other doll, she could teleport to places she had been before.
Allen exited the alley and went to a shopping mall where Kimiko was supposed to be.
Although Allen didn't want to get involved, he ended up doing so.
(Flashback)
After leaving the previous situation, Allen considered going home to rest but recalled an urgent call from Frenchie.
Frenchie – I need your help...
Allen – As long as it doesn't involve lending you money, count me in. I'm serious, if you ask me for money, I'll hang up.
Allen remembered he was bankrupt regarding credits.
Frenchie – Don't worry. It's not about that...
Frenchie explained that he was looking for a powerful girl with a bad temper and high aggression. Her name was Kimiko...
Allen frowned, wondering why Butcher hadn't gone looking for her immediately. After all, she could be the key to finding Compound V.
'It seems there are more changes...'
It might seem trivial to worry about these things, but whether the changes are as insignificant as Kimiko watching anime instead of a Japanese pop idol group the first time they met or Black Noir being a monstrous figure rather than the friendly guy suffering from hallucinations and schizophrenia, every change is a variant, a deviation from what Allen and the rest of the Chat know. They could be signs of future changes.
Allen – Frenchie, I don't think I should get involved...
Frenchie – Nonsense, buddy. I think she needs help... and, well, you're the guy who can fly.
Allen – It's not that; I don't...
Frenchie – Please, help me help her!
Kimiko isn't a monster. Well, she is a bit, but only towards those who've hurt her. She is scared because she was used as an experiment, forced to take Compound V as an adult, with all the risks that entails. As if that wasn't enough, she was going to be turned into a 'villain' for the Seven to defeat. However, Allen hesitated to get involved because it might damage the potential relationship between Kimiko and Frenchie.
[Host, why are you worried? Are you a god or something? Just because you know of a timeline or story where this happens doesn't mean it will happen here.]
Allen isn't a complete womanizer as everyone might think. He deliberately avoids close contact with problematic women.
Allen doesn't go through life looking to charm women, his experience tells him that even if he does nothing, many women end up liking him.
On the other hand, Allen knows he must stop comparing everything that happens before him with the story he knows. There are many differences, and life is a mess if you just follow a predetermined destiny.
Allen heard Artoria's sigh. "I should have died... I should have died a long time ago because that was my story. Rebecca, 2B, even that trio of brats, should we die because that was our destiny? it's too late to repent, just take responsibility you womanizing bastard heh "
Allen shook his head and shrugged. "Thanks, Artoria..."
"You're right!" Allen smiled. "I just need to focus on helping Kimiko. Whatever happens, happens."
McDragon – Poor Frenchie, he just gave away his waifu...
PercyJ – In my world, The Boys also exist... in a certain season, they separate, and Frenchie has a passionate relationship with a guy named Colin.
McDragon – Huh.... are you Seriously?!... Well, if he's happy, who are we to judge... right?
Allen's eyes widened upon reading Percy's comment. He had only watched two seasons of The Boys and didn't know that Frenchie was on the other side?!
[I'd say it goes both ways...]
Allen made an expressionless face as the discomfort he felt moments ago mysteriously disappeared. Allen couldn't imagine leaving a beautiful Kimiko for a man.
[Host, there are like four million male viewers who would do it if the man in question were you...]
"I don't want to know that!!"
===
A/N: 🗿🍷
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