Are Those Goblins I See? III

"So, what's your take on the current abductions?"

"..."

"He should have found them by now."

"Who you talking to?"

"AAAAAHHH!!"

The woman broke out in a hearty laughter.

"My poor heart!"

She was wiping away tears.

"Oh, you should have seen your face!"

"You know other wives say, "Good evening, my husband" or "How've you been honey." hmm?"

"Ok Princess Sparkles don't get your dress all tangled up."

"Don't. Call me that."

The woman smiled and pulled the man in for a hug.

"Now's when she remembers."

"Hug me back or I'll knock the wind out of you Sparkles."

The man wrapped his arms around her.

"Yay love."

She pulled away...

"You got lucky..."

...and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"...punk."

Someone was sobbing. 

"Stunts."

"Right?!"

"..."

"You cooked?"

"Mhmm."

"Hmm..."

The lady started pointing towards the ceiling. Her husband gave her a thumbs up.

"Good job."

"You spoke to her?"

"Mhmm."

"Anything yet?"

"I think she coughed."

"Good! Some progress!"

"..."

"I guess."

He sounded dejected.

"You know you have to give her some time."

She was rubbing his back.

He was looking at the happy faces on the family's portrait and focused on the youngest.

"I don't think she'll ever forgive me."

He was hit by flashes.

"She cried so bitter..."

"Yaaaaawwwnnn."

"Hey! What's happening?!"

"We're going to eat."

"But I already did!"

She gasped.

"It's always the ones closest to you."

"What?"

"You're gonna have to watch me chew my food then, Judas!"

"But my name is..."

"Judas! Judas."

"Wait I can explain..."

"Don't worry too much about her..."

"...you see the thing is..."

"...Give her some time..."

"...and also, since you usually work..."

"...slowly but surely, you'll become friends again."

"Excuses, Excuses, Excuses is that what I taught you?"

"What's gotten into you?!"

"Woooooww!!!"

The mother heard a giggle, so low that only her senses could pick it up.

She smiled as she dragged her poor husband to the kitchen.

"..."

"You good now?"

The lady was gently shaking a box of wipes before Dawnbringer's face.

The hero sniffled.

"I'm such a mess."

"The strongest hero to ever live, what a joke..."

"Hey!"

She playfully punched him.

"Hmm?"

She was trying to shake the pain away.

"Oww... You guys' bodies are no joke."

"Oh yeah and also don't be too harsh on yourself. The war's still not done yet. I know you'll make us proud. You'll catch those goons and put them behind bars."

"How sure are you?"

She said it in a whisper.

"Because I know you can do it. Aren't you the strongest of them all? Hmm?"

"..."

"I'm the strongest of them all..."

"Indeed, and don't you forget it."

"I'm the strongest of them all..."

One of the camera operators rushed to the host.

"The boss is calling for you."

"I'm the strongest of them all..."

"Yeah, you keep on saying that I'll be back."

"Is he going to be, ok?"

"Yeeeaah! he was so ok like some minutes ago. He's just giving himself a small, teeny, eeny, weeeeeny pep talk."

"Oh, here he comes."

A slightly built middle aged man opened the door. He donned a generic blue suit with a pen hanging atop his ear.

"Hey boss."

"Anna..."

"Why you looking all sweaty?"

"It's because of what we aired today. It might have a lot more publicity than what we wanted."

"But isn't publicity our mojo?"

"Not this kind."

He pulled out a small tablet and showed it to Anna.

"What am I looking..."

"...Oh no."

"Millions of them flooded here right after the broadcast was over."

"That's not good."

"I'll face them, Anna." 

"Sorryyyyy, I forgot about your earrrsss..."

"It's ok. It was an inevitability that would eventually have come to pass."

"But sir, they are as far as the eye can see..."

Dawnbringer walked up to them.

"I'm the strongest of them all."

"I'm sorry?"

"Ridiculous."

"Oh! it's just something I told him. Don't get it twisted. He means it in a good way. Right?"

Dawnbringer only nodded.

"Uh...Huh."

The boss looked at the operator. The operator only shrugged his shoulders.

"Whatever."

"Are you sure you want to do this...?"

"I must face them."

"When did he pass me?"

"We're gooiinng. You coming Gerald?"

"I don't..."

Gerald was yanked away by Anna.

"You know you should learn how to be decisive. If you learn that women will go crazy over you but also make sure you make beautiful decisions, that is if you don't want to see heels in your dreams."

"You were kind of oddly specific with the last part, it's almost as..."

"... if it was a story told by my friend Rachael, right? That girl is a hoot. Hehehehehe you heard nothing, comprende Sherlock?"

"This took a weird turn."

"Just say yes or..."

"Anna."

"Got it, Ziiiip Zippity zip zip."

She looked at Gerald.

He zipped his mouth with a nonexistent zipper and threw it away.

She smiled and looked ahead.

"Hah. Here goes nothing."

There were already police at the scene trying to hold the huge army behind. Their efforts were working only until the doors opened. At the sight of the white cape, they found new energy. All hell broke loose.

The police plus the railings holding them behind were consumed in the wave. It was everyone for themselves and with one shout "GET HIM!!" they advanced towards their targets.

This was clearly a suicidal attempt. What if the hero defended himself? They were ordinary folk who with one shrug or one push from the hero could have a bone popped, broken or even worse.

"You two stay here. Please."

He walked towards the angry embrace.

"It's time I face my sins." 

"I'll remember your faces."

The crowd stabbed, hit, slapped, punched and did all other sorts of things to the hero.

"What is this feeling?"

"IS THIS FUCKER SMILING?!?!"

"Do not be mistaken, I am happy because I'm paying for my sins. I hope I'll make you all feel a little bit better."

"YOU HEAR THAT, HE THINKS HE'S FULFILLING A PURPOSE!!"

"Ah! Yes! Please hit me more! more! more! more!"

He was walking past the crowd when he was blocked by a young boy.

"Please let me pass, there's someone I need to heal right behind you."

A police officer was gasping, holding on to dear life. 

Without a word, the kid threw his boot back and with a great might brought his boot back forward with all the rage and hate that he could muster.

Dawnbringer fell on the dirt. Within the gaps between the People's feet, he saw the light leave the officer's eyes.

"HE'S DOWN! HE'S DOWN!"

Dawnbringer couldn't show them his face. Their rage wouldn't be quenched. He cradled himself as the attacks kept coming in. With each hit, his ecstasy continuously bloomed, slowly reaching its breaking point.

Anna and the rest of the staff could only view in horror as their hero was slowly being reduced to rags.

"Why isn't anyone coming to stop them?"

"The heroes? Pol..."

"You know those ones are no longer around."

"Fine then... What about the agency?"

"Got their hands full with the rifts."

"But isn't he like a really powerful asset of theirs?"

"So, we just have to stay here..."

"Don't worry he's the strongest."

"And...?"

"Aaaandd we'll just have to believe in him. He surely knows what he's..."

"Why is he shaking?"

Dawnbringer panted heavily.

"Why is he panting and were the ones who did the hard work here?"

"Hah. I'm fucking tired."

"Fucking durability. Now's when the body got the memo."

"Tsk!"

He spat on Dawnbringer.

"Let him be for now, tomorrow's another day."

The crowd slowly started to disperse.

"Oh shit! We did that?"

The crowd was looking at the mangled broken officers and some of their own.

He prodded one with a crowbar.

"Tsk tsk tsk this one's gone."

The rest of the wrecks writhed and groaned.

"He better wake up and save them..."

Another hand collapsed.

"...quick."

They jeered at the casualties as they walked away.

Sometime had elapsed.

"Do we help him now?"

"LeT's BeLiEvE hIm."

"I'm going..."

"I think he wants the opposite though?"

Gerald pointed to Dawnbringer raising his hand up gently shaking his head.

"When did he..."

"Don't bother asking."

Dawnbringer went from one victim to the other healing them and when he finally got to the officer...

"What's he doing?"

"I really loved this one... but... it cannot be compared to the joy you have given me..."

"... and for the monumental efforts that you did..."

"... In failing and letting me experience the best time of my life..."

He ripped his cape off their pins and covered the police officer with them.

"...thank you."

"No way! Did he!?"

He turned to face and with one final salute took off.

"Pshh! Showoff."

"You b..."

"Anna you're up next."

"Make sure she's all dolled up for her next segment."

Anna felt a tap behind her.

"Hmm...?"

"Come on."

Gerald led her back in.

"Hey Gerald"

"Hmm...?"

"Can I ask something?"

"I don't..."

"Soooo... totally unrelated question..."

"..."

"DoyouthinkIcanscoreadatewithhimifItried?"

"Huh...?"

"Huh...?"

"..."

"..."

"Let's just get you prepared."

"Agreed."

"Sob."

"..."

"Sob."

"Could you please tell him it's not his fault?"

"Sob."

"How do they deal with murder here?"

"Sob."

"Uh... Ash?"

"No, it wasn't supposed to be like this..."

"Ash...?"

"Yeeeess that's the reason..."

Ash's eyes were feral, and they were set on Park.

"Ouuuu I trust Maruuunnaaa...! Maruna! Maruna! Marunaaaaa!"

"..."

"Oh my..."