Gwen’s Decision, Peak Appearance

Metro City…

Gwen slowly opened her eyes, squinting at the soft morning light filtering through the curtains.

She felt a little disoriented, realizing she'd actually gone to bed early last night, which wasn't like her.

Yesterday had really worn her out; she'd spent hours around the city putting up posters about Scott's disappearance, hoping he might spot one of them or that someone would recognize him and reach out.

But there was still no sign of him.

At first, she didn't want to go through with it.

She worried that if people got suspicious, someone might put two and two together and figure out Scott's identity… especially if they noticed he disappeared right when Nightwatch went missing.

It was a slim chance, but she'd seen it happen in movies enough times that she figured, why not?

『There's no such thing as being too safe… I guess?』

Gwen sighed as she slowly sat up, feeling the weight of exhaustion in her body.

… Urgghhh~

She reached for her phone, tempted to check it, but decided not to.

『It's probably empty anyway…』

No new messages from him.

Instead, she looked down at the oversized black sweatshirt hanging loosely on her.

The sleeves were so big they completely swallowed her slender hands. She pulled the collar up to her face and took a deep breath, catching his familiar scent.

It was comforting.

But it made her heart ache just a little more.

Gwen dragged herself out of bed and shuffled to the bathroom to freshen up.

She didn't even notice she'd skipped breakfast again; her mom hadn't been cooking much lately either as she was too worried about Scott like everyone else.

Still, Gwen grabbed her skateboard and rolled out.

Her face was expressionless as she absentmindedly licked a lollipop.

She was so disinterested she couldn't even taste it.

---

At school, the halls buzzed with more energy than usual.

Students clustered together and chatted excitedly.

But, she was too tired to listen.

She noticed a few guys wearing shirts with an image of a silhouetted figure on a high-rise.

This was the unofficial Nightwatch merch.

Fans were hoping Nightwatch would finally design some merch, but they knew he wasn't the type of hero to focus on that.

So, they took matters into their own hands.

During his stream, they came together and made the merch themselves, determined to have it ready by the end of the stream. By the next morning, all 300 shirts made overnight had already sold out, and over 8,000 people had pre-ordered for the next batch.

Gwen didn't pay much attention to their shirts.

Instead, she walked through the crowd like a ghost, hands stuffed in her pockets.

As she made her way through the hallway, a few boys noticed her and started murmuring.

"Yo, is she new here?"

"Nah, I'm sure I've seen her before. She's just super quiet… and hot."

"Think she's single?"

One laughed at the idea. "Not in this life…"

"She was with some nerd once, but he didn't seem like he could keep up with her."

"Nah, she's way out of his league… ours too. Only guys from the football team got a shot, man."

Gwen barely noticed, tuning them out as she kept walking.

Inside, she groaned as her thoughts already spiraled toward one person.

『Why did he disappear like this? If he wanted to vanish and pull an emo act over some lame girl like Maya, couldn't he at least have had the decency to drag me along? I mean, what's he so worked up about anyway? Heartbreak? Come on, who hasn't been there?』

She stopped at her locker, lost in thoughts.

『Then again… with Maya gone, doesn't that mean I have a chance now? Maybe it's finally my time… though I still feel terrible for rejecting him like I did before. I didn't mean to be so harsh… because I thought he'd be fine.』

A slight pang hit her.

『It makes sense, I guess. Falling for him just… happened. We've known each other forever, and maybe that's why it hurts so much to see him rub mouths with another woman. Seeing him like this, seeing him with and without her… the sadder he seems over Maya, the more it just proves how deep his feelings for her ran. Could I ever mean that much to him? I don't want to hurt him, but maybe I'll never have that kind of power over him.』

Feeling very frustrated, Gwen shook her head and banged it lightly against her locker.

"What am I even thinking…"

She muttered, groaning.

Just then, Jake walked over and greeted her. "Hey, Gwen."

Without looking up, she muttered, "Hey, fatty."

Jake rolled his eyes. "Even when you're down about Scott, you still gotta pick on me?"

She shrugged, then forced a smirk. "What else am I supposed to do? There's barely anything going on in my life right now."

Jake sighed, feeling a bit thrown aside.

"You have school… and the the university soon, and you've got me—and your mom, your dad, even your sister. Don't act like your world stopped just because Scott's not here. C'mon, even he wouldn't want that…"

She looked at him and saw how sad he'd become.

"Alright, alright. Sorry, didn't mean it like that."

She smirked and gave him a playful punch.

Jake rubbed his shoulder with a small grin.

"It's fine."

Then he perked up, seeming to remember something.

"Oh, hey—did you see what's trending on Chirper?"

Gwen raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Jake grinned.

"Nightwatch, duh. Made his grand return last night."

"Last night?!"

Gwen's eyes went wide as she blurted.

Heads turned, and she gave a quick, sheepish wave, before turning back to Jake, desperate.

She cleared her throat and lowered her voice.

"Last night?"

Jake nodded and held out his phone, scrolling to a LoopVid clip from Nightwatch's livestream last night. The screen lit up with an edited highlight reel, showing Scott in his new suit, looking just like she remembered… only now with more gear.

『Scott…』

Gwen didn't even notice when she started blushing.

"Uhhh, Gwen…" Jake called.

"Yeah, what?" She didn't take her eyes off the phone.

"You're blushing…"

"Yeah? And you're stupid!"

Gwen returned Jake's phone and ran down the hallway without saying a word.

━ ━ ━ ━

MegaCorp…

The Peak leaned back in a pristine leather chair, lounging like he owned the place.

Which, in his mind, he practically did.

He wore a flashy designer superhero suit that shouted "look at me" in the loudest way possible. The suit was gold and dark blue, fitting so tightly it seemed two sizes too small. To complete the look, he sported a red high-tech visor that matched his blonde mohawk.

The camera zoomed in on his face to highlight his trademark smirk as he adjusted his high-tech visor, which displayed a constant feed of livestream comments, donation alerts, and subscriber numbers.

"Alright, my Peakstars. Let's see what greatness we can bless the world with today."

The comments rolled in fast and frenzied:

[THE PEAK! We missed you!]

[Looking amazing as always, Peak!]

[$50 donation: Hope you have a fantastic day!]

[$800 donation - Woah, this is my first Peak stream. Thank you for having me! ( ^_^)]

[Start already!]

But The Peak barely blinked at the smaller donations.

A few viewers began noticing.

[Why's he ignoring the donations?]

[Peak's too good for anything under a grand, huh?]

[$2,000 if he even acknowledges deez nuts!]

[He's just a sellout!]

[Nah, he's the GOAT. Best new-gen hero!]

[Why are you even here if you hate him? Just leave, bro!]

[Fuck all this, I'm out (¬_¬)ﾉ]

His viewership dipped a bit as a few disgruntled fans left, but it was barely a dent in the 1.3 million currently tuned in.

[Oh, sorry, Mr. Peak, I only donated $999. Next time I'll sell a kidney for your attention!]

[Maybe if I donate my life savings, he'll bless me with a half-hearted 'thank you'!]

[Peak really went 'cash only, peasants need not apply.' What a hero.]

Ignoring the negative comments, he flashed a winning smile for the camera.

Just then, one of his team tossed him a neon-blue energy drink can, emblazoned with his logo: Peak Performance. He caught it with exaggerated flair and held it up proudly.

"Alright, Peakstars, time for some real fuel! Peak Performance, people! Best energy drink on the market. It's the secret to my endless energy! You can't conquer life's mountains without a little help! Buy it, drink it, and maybe, just maybe, you'll be as awesome as me!"

He showed off the can like it was the holy grail.

[I just bought a 12-pack!]

[Only drink I'll ever need!]

[I drank it, and my ego grew three sizes. Is this the side effect?(ㆆ _ ㆆ)]

[My whole life changed after one sip… I can now achieve absolutely average results just like The Peak!]

[So when's the flavor that actually works coming out?]

[Do I get a discount if I pretend to like it in my Instaflick story, too? ( ⚆ _ ⚆ )]

[Bro's drink got me feeling like I could bench 5lbs more… IF I believe in myself ( 　ﾟ ,_ゝﾟ)]

---

Oblivious or simply uninterested, The Peak reached into his bag and pulled out a thick, hardback book. He flashed the cover toward the camera: Climbing Life's Peaks: A Guide to Being Awesome Like Me!

"And for all you C-listers out there who could use a little boost, grab my book. It's got all the secrets to going from average to A-rank hero. Trust me, you're welcome."

The comments started getting a bit… colorful.

[Another W from The Peak! ツ゚ YES!]

[Can he even read?]

[Who needs reading when you have abs like that?]

[Average Peak fan ( 　ﾟ ,_ゝﾟ)…]

[You should title the sequel Falling Down Life's Slopes: A Guide to Humility (ㆆ _ ㆆ)]

[Just skimmed it. (´-ι_-｀) Best advice I found: 'If you can't climb a peak, just pretend you already did!']

---

Despite the mixed reactions, his view count stayed strong.

Then, a $2,000 donation rolled in with a message attached.

[$2,000 from @YoungMaster2020: PLEASE, Peak, hit us with Peak Performance Pose 3!]

The Peak raised an eyebrow and laughed.

"Ahh, you guys just can't get enough, can you? I don't know if I should… I mean…"

He paused to let the suspense build.

And then, suddenly, he dropped into a dramatic genuflect, turning to give the camera a full profile view of his flexed biceps, his chiseled form silhouetted perfectly against the light. He lifted his arm, flexed with exaggerated intensity, and shouted,

"BOOM!"

The screen flooded with heart emojis and donations.

[$3,000 donation: PEAK, YOU LEGEND!]

[$500 donation: PEAK YOU'RE A GOD!]

[$1,000 donation: Best pose ever!]

Then, a new wave of comments started trickling in.

[Yeah, okay, but when's Nightwatch streaming again? This guy's boring asf (¬_¬)]

[Who even is this 'Nightwatch' guy everyone's been talking about?]

[Only the greatest hero to ever walk this Earth, dude. You're missing out.]

[Fr? And he has a stream? Awesome ヾ(＾∇＾)]

[How did I miss this? （>﹏<）]< p>

The Peak's eyes narrowed as he saw the comment.

With a swift tap on his visor's HUD, he removed the viewer from the livestream entirely.

A saccharine smile stretched across his face as he turned back to the camera.

"Alright, Peakstars, I think that's enough greatness for one day. Thanks for tuning in to Living at the Peak! Catch you all next time, BUH-BYE!"

He ended the stream and the room fell silent as the last of the applause emojis faded from the screen.

With a smug grin, he looked at his team.

"So," he asked, hands on his hips, "how'd I do?"

The team exchanged glances, uncertain, but no one dared speak up.

One of them forced a smile.

"Uh, fantastic as always, Peak."

The Peak laughed, clapping a hand on the nearest assistant's shoulder.

"Speechless, huh? That's what true talent does."

Just as he turned away, chugging down half his energy drink, his assistant Claire scurried over as her heels clicked against the studio floor. She was already clutching a towel, hastily wiping off the energy drink that had spilled down her blouse when he'd tossed it aside.

"Mr. Peak…"

She said, not bothering to mask her irritation as she mopped her shirt.

"You've got a meet-and-greet scheduled in a few hours. And that song you posted on WeTube? Peak Of It? It's trending on Chirper."

He looked at her expectantly, waiting for more praise.

She hesitated, glancing down at her iPad.

"Um… well, #PeakOfIt is trending at number seven."

He frowned. "Seven? That's it?"

Claire forced a thin smile.

"Still impressive…"

It wasn't. She had no idea how to break the news to him that his new song, which everyone on Chirper was talking about, was trending for all the wrong reasons. People were using it to make cringe-worthy edits and turning it into a meme in the worst possible way.

"But #Nightwatch is just ahead… at six." Claire added.

The Peak's frown deepened, and he scratched his chin.

"Nightwatch… I think that's the flat chick Vincent mentioned or whatever?"

Claire sighed.

"No, she's… Pulsar. Nightwatch is some guy in black tights running around Meteor City live-streaming his… hero work."

"Meh, he's probably some unemployed, old man staging crimes so that he can stop them. Nothing compared to the greatness of The Peak!"

He quickly flexed his muscles.

Claire rolled her eyes and looked away.

But as she planned to continue talking, a voice called out from across the room.

"Vincent!"

The Peak's face lit up as he spotted the well-dressed man waving from just beyond the studio lights. He chuckled and threw away his second energy drink so abruptly that it splashed across Claire's clothes yet again.

She let out a frustrated groan, then summoned the nearest intern.

"Towel. Now."

The Peak strutted over to Vincent.

"Vincent, my man! Did you see the stream? Not bad, huh?"

Vincent smiled politely. "Always a thrill, Peak. I actually have a proposition for you—something that could… elevate your numbers even more."

"Now you're speaking my language." The Peak grinned.

"It's about my new client, Pulsar. I was wondering if you could date the poor girl just for a while… or spark up some romantic gossip about you and her, hm?"

The Peak had his eyes on Vincent, but his attention slipped the moment he noticed movement near the entrance.

His gaze snapped over, and there she was, walking in like a breath of fresh air and sweet roses.

It was Miss Mercury, her brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, giving her a sharp and focused look. She moved with steady, confident steps that grabbed everyone's attention in the room.

"Mercury!"

One of the producers called out as he rushed over to her.

"Fastest woman alive, but somehow, you're still late for your cosmetics ad?"

Without hesitation, Mercury rolled her eyes and spoke with a tone as dry as a desert.

"Speedster traffic."

It was such an obvious lie, and she didn't even care. The real reason? She'd stayed up way too late, watching Nightwatch's stream from start to finish.

She wasn't about to admit that, of course.

She stifled a yawn, hoping her makeup was good enough to hide her under-eye circles.

The Peak left Vincent mid-sentence and his grin widened as he swaggered over to her with his designer suit creaking as he flexed. He had his best "suave" face on, clearly gearing up for another one of his infamous pick-up lines.

As she turned her head, Miss Mercury's eyes landed on Vincent, who was now fuming at being so unceremoniously abandoned by The Peak.

With a lazy smirk, she flashed him a quick middle finger.

Her expression was utterly calm.

So innocent… like an angel's.

Vincent's face twisted and he muttered under his breath:

"Bitch…"

Before anyone could blink, Miss Mercury's hand shot out in a blur, delivering a slap to Vincent's cheek that no one else even saw.

"FACK──!!"

Vincent winced and rubbed his face, trying to play it off.

She replied him a sweet, innocent wave.

The Peak arrived just in time to catch her attention.

He straightened, puffed up his chest, and unleashed his masterpiece of a line.

"Miss Mercury, when I saw you walk in, I knew the world's fastest woman just found herself the world's best hero. Don't be intimidated—I'll try to keep up."

Behind him, Claire slapped a palm over her face.

Mercury's eyes narrowed as she looked him up and down, arms folded across her fat chest.

"Could you kindly fuck off?"

She shook her head in disgust and brushed past him.

"I've got an ad to film."

The Peak barely noticed her annoyance; his eyes trailed after her as she walked away in those snug, form-fitting tights that perked up her shapely ass cheeks.

… Mmm~

He licked his lips.

『Imagine that… a date with Miss Mercury. Bet I'd be trending all over if I snagged her before that S-ranked son of a bitch, Xenon did.』

He slicked his mohawk back.

『Heh, they'd say The Peak reached even higher.』

His mind already spun with visions of the headlines and the adoring comments.

No one would ever forget it.

Meanwhile, Claire, still wiping energy drink from her blouse, rolled her eyes to the ceiling.

"I should've just studied Pharmacy back in school…"

She was starting to regret her life's choices.

━ ━ ━ ━

The bell hadn't even rung, but Gwen was already out the door, flying down the steps of the school with her skateboard tucked under her arm. She didn't care about missing classes; she could already feel her pulse racing with every step she took toward home.

『That son of a bitch… so it's like that, huh? I swear when I catch you, I'm gonna… I'm gonna… urrgh!』

Thoughts tumbled around her head, quick and jumbled, as if her mind couldn't keep up with her legs.

The whole way back, her heart hammered. She kept replaying the scene on Jake's phone—the familiar silhouette, that suit, that stance. It was Scott. He was back out there, doing exactly what he always did, as if he'd never left.

『And he didn't even tell me…』

The thought left her feeling both irritated and, somehow, even more determined.

Before she knew it, she was at her apartment, slipping in as quietly as she could.

Her mom was probably still at work.

For once, the silence was exactly what she wanted.

In a few steps, she reached Scott's room.

She took a deep breath and dropped to her knees, reaching under the bed. Her hand felt around the dust bunnies, until her fingers grazed something solid and familiar.

She tugged it out—a sleek box, taped and plastered with a sticker that read: "Love from Dad."

The sight of it brought a lump to her throat, but she quickly swallowed it down.

She didn't have time for that now.

With a quick jab, she pried open the top of the box.

Inside, nestled between layers of carefully folded newspaper, was her suit.

White, gleaming, and just waiting for her.

Gwen stared at it, almost in awe.

She hadn't worn it in weeks, hadn't even thought about putting it on.

『All I wanted was a single sign from you… a sign that you were okay. But you just ignored me. I know I can't replace the kind of love you're looking for, but at least give me some credit… seriously, what's wrong with you?』

No more waiting.

No more calls.

No more texts.

If he wasn't coming home, then she'd go to him, wherever he was.

"You better be wait there for me… jerk."