Chapter 35

David watched with amusement as Catalyst paid for her drink. The cashier accepted the girl's money, seeming equal parts thrilled and confused as the hero joined David, in his full Eidolon regalia, at a corner booth. The eye of every patron in the Boardwalk cafe followed the pair's every movement. Several phones were pointed their way and recording, and a small crowd was forming outside, with more cameras pressed against the windows.

"They sure like to stare." Catalyst remarked, casually sipping at her beverage. Outside, a man smudged heart shapes into the glass.

With a minor force of will, David called up a Stranger ability that would mask the area around him from electronic surveillance. They were both in costume, but Catalyst's mask was so small it might as well be nonexistent. In fact, if she frequented this particular shop often, the employees might actually know her name.

Which would be bad if it was in any way possible to find information on the girl.

"Of course they are staring." he replied. "Half the world is trying to speak with you, and here you are getting coffee. It's certainly a novel way of avoiding interviews."

"Hot chocolate, and I'm not really one for interviews." Catalyst shrugged helplessly. "Besides, Fidelis forbade me from speaking in front of cameras."

"Not concerned about your public image?" David inquired. He could sympathize. He'd mostly left the public speaking to Legend and Hero when The Protectorate was first starting out, and eventually his power and accomplishments did the speaking for him. In fact, the number of solo interviews David had participated in over the years could be counted on two hands.

"Nope." Catalyst answered, popping her 'P'. "I don't fear the opinions of a billion randoms I'll never meet or interact with. I'm not gonna waste my time pandering to every idiot with a camera just for good PR."

Outside, a man was dragged away from the window by Boardwalk security, pants around his ankles.

"It's not just the press that wants to speak to you." David pointed out, stoically ignoring the commotion outside. "You're a major power now, do you realize that? Representatives for countries will want to speak with you, not just the six o'clock news."

Catalyst snorted dismissively. "I don't much care what they want. I've got nothing to say to them. It's not like I'll be spending that much time outside the Bay anyway."

Interesting, though hardly unforeseen. Still, it was solid information that might go towards shutting Rebecca up.

"You must really love it here." David observed quietly, channeling every ounce of subtlety he possessed.

"I wouldn't say love." Catalyst's face wrinkled like she'd smelt something awful. "This city's a bit of a dump. But!"—she clapped her hands together—"We're working on that! Not to mention this is where all my friends live and where I keep all my stuff."

"So... you wouldn't have fought Leviathan if it hadn't attacked Brockton Bay?" David inquired.

David was about as subtle as a brick to the face.

Catalyst's mask shifted in a way that suggested a raised eyebrow. "I was planning on participating in the Endbringer fight no matter what. I'm not an asshole. Besides, killing Endbringers seems like a perfectly reasonable use of my time, no matter how powerful I get."

She paused, peering at David. "I'll be at the next Endbringer fight if that's what you're worried about."

"Ah, not at all." David coughed awkwardly into his fist. "A few of my colleagues had concerns is all. I'm sure they'll be relieved to know your plans."

Catalyst stared at him for a moment longer, then huffed in annoyance. "You know, I was expecting you to ask me about my powers or, I dunno, invite me to the Protectorate again. This small talk shit is boring. Why are we here man?"

David glanced away from their booth, towards the now dozens of people surrounding the coffee shop.

"Because you thought a public area would make me uncomfortable, I suspect."

He ignored Catalyst's glare and continued blandly on.

"Also, the specifics of your powers are your business, and you made your position on the Protectorate perfectly clear when we last spoke. That being said..." David considered how to phrase his next sentence. "I would like to invite you to participate in a, er, sort of training program that the Triumvirate runs. When we find extremely promising heroes, men and women who we believe will some day stand beside us as champions and leaders, we... offer them advice, mentoring."

A sly smirk crossed Catalyst's face. With a lilting southern accent she asked, "Oh golly gee Mistah Eidolon sir, do ya really think I can stand beside the Triumvirate some day?"

David rolled his eyes beneath his hood. Teenagers. Never had he felt more vindicated in his decision to not have kids. "Yes, your power rating is obviously far above the overwhelming majority of... pretty much anyone. Which is why you wouldn't be joining any sort of class."

He straightened in his seat, adopting a more refined pose. "Should you choose to join, you'll be provided with a private training facility, hardened to resist the kind of power I could throw around in my prime. You'll receive a stipend for resources that you might not otherwise be able to acquire, tinker-tech and the like. Finally, I will train you personally. I'll teach you everything that I've learned over my decades of hero work, and, should you wish it, help you develop your power."

"I thought the specifics of my power were my business." Catalyst mocked.

"They are." David replied, silently resolving to set something on fire once he was alone. Watching Catalyst poke at Rebecca had been entertaining, but being on this end of the conversation was exhausting. "That being said, my own power is versatile enough that I am able to emulate most others. Should you share the details of your own power with me, I can almost certainly help you develop it. Again, this is only should you wish it. Even if you don't take advantage of that, you still get access to Cauldron resources which are absolutely invaluable. Things like public relations, image consulting-"

"Cauldron?" Catalyst interrupted, tilting her head slightly. "Is that the name of this training program?"

"Yes." David nodded. "Cauldron is a Triumvirate run program that-"

"What do you get out of this?" Catalyst interrupted once more, meeting David's eyes.

He drummed his fingers on the table, gathering his thoughts. "I look at you and see potential. You've already accomplished so much, but I believe you can do so much more. I want to provide the guidance that I wish I had when I was starting out."

David leaned back in his seat with a sigh. "I won't be remembered as the strongest hero; not anymore- and, I can accept that. I'm not young anymore, it's right for the next generation to surpass me. But I refuse to not leave my mark on this world. You, you can be my legacy."

Catalyst stared at him, and David refused to be embarrassed.

"You know, I just finished telling you how I don't want to leave the Bay." she shifted in her seat. "Where exactly is this training facility?"

David blinked at the sudden shift in topic, but plowed gamely on, "The location is restricted, but transport there and back is pre-arranged and nearly instantaneous. You wouldn't have to leave your city for any extended amount of time."

"Nearly instantaneous. So, a teleporter?" Catalyst leaned forward intently, a hint of curiosity coloring her voice. "Like Strider or something?"

"Or something." David agreed. Doormaker to be exact, not that she was cleared to know quite yet.

Catalyst smiled, slowly, widely, her eyes glittering with some desire David couldn't discern.

"Show me."