The campus hallway stretches before us like a gauntlet I'm not sure I want to run. My palms are sweating as Ellie's massive frame looms beside me, her blue eyes flicking between me and Professor Masters' classroom door with predatory focus. Something's off about this whole "surprise meeting" thing.
"So, um, you're absolutely sure this is necessary?" I ask, fidgeting with the hem of my shirt. "Because I've been making good progress with the self-defense stuff, and…"
"Shane." Ellie's voice cuts through my rambling. "We talked about this. It's important."
I study her face, trying to decode what's happening. My girlfriend has been weirdly insistent about walking me to class today.
"You're not planning to kill Sensei, are you?" I blurt out as we reach the classroom door.
Ellie sighs dramatically, rolling her eyes. "No, I'm not going to kill your professor." The way she emphasizes "kill" sends a little shiver down my spine. "Get in there." She places her hand between my shoulder blades and playfully shoves me through the doorway, closing it behind us.
I stumble into Professor Masters' classroom, my sneakers squeaking against the polished floor. The room is empty except for Masters herself, who stands by her desk with arms crossed, looking as intimidating as ever in her crisp button-down and slacks. Her military-style haircut and perpetual scowl make me feel like I'm reporting for duty rather than attending office hours.
"Ah, Steele. Brock," she says, her eyes narrowing slightly at Ellie. "Right on time."
"Hi, Sensei," I manage, glancing nervously between the two most terrifying women I've ever met. The tension in the room is thick enough to cut with a knife. "So, um, what's this about?"
Professor Masters uncrosses her arms and gestures to the chairs in front of her desk. "Have a seat. We need to discuss your... extracurricular activities."
"She knows," Ellie says, placing a possessive hand on my shoulder. "About everything."
"Everything?" I squeak, voice cracking embarrassingly.
I sink into the chair, my legs feeling like jelly. Ellie takes the seat beside me, but Professor Masters remains standing, her posture military-straight as she looms over us.
"I'm aware of more than you think, Steele," Masters says, her voice clipped and precise. "For instance, I know that when you use your teleportation abilities too frequently, you emit a certain... aura of..." She clears her throat awkwardly. "Well, you understand what I mean."
My face burns with embarrassment. I shoot a panicked glance at Ellie, who's sitting there looking way too calm for someone whose boyfriend just got outed as a superpowered sex beacon.
"I'm not going to kill her," Ellie says flatly, correctly interpreting my look of horror.
I turn back to Masters, my brain struggling to process this nightmare scenario. "How do you even know about that?" I demand, my voice higher than usual.
"I have my ways of…" Masters begins, but Ellie cuts her off with a dismissive wave.
"Your precious Sensei is Taskmistress," she says, sounding supremely bored.
My brain short-circuits. The room seems to spin around me as every comic book fantasy I've ever had collides with reality. "NO WAY! YOU'RE…" I practically scream, jumping halfway out of my seat.
Ellie's hand clamps over my mouth with lightning speed. "Why are you so obsessed with villains?" she hisses, looking genuinely annoyed.
"Heroes too," I blurt out as Ellie releases her grip from my mouth. My eyes widen as I stare at Professor Masters, pieces clicking into place like a deranged jigsaw puzzle. I thrust an accusatory finger toward her. "Wait a minute! We literally fought each other the other day! You... you even dragged me to Fisk Tower!"
Professor Masters' expression shifts, her usual stern demeanor softening just slightly around the edges.
"Once I saw your face under that mask, it's not like I was going to let Fisk hurt you," she says simply, as if this explains everything. "Why do you think I suddenly became your personal bodyguard in there?"
I collapse back into my chair, mind reeling. The woman who's been teaching me self-defense for months is the same mercenary who nearly sold me to fisk. The same one who protected me from Fisk. The same one who...
My mind races as I process this revelation.
"So why are we all talking about this?" I ask instead, gesturing between us. "What's the point of this little confession circle?"
Professor Masters leans against her desk, arms crossed. "Because I want you to not die, kid. Simple as that."
"Huh?"
"We're going to start training you while you use your powers," she continues, her voice taking on that no-nonsense tone I've come to recognize from our self-defense classes. "You need to learn how to fight with your powers properly.
My stomach drops as I realize what she's suggesting. "But what about when, I get..." I trail off, face burning as I glance at Ellie.
"I'll be here," Ellie says matter-of-factly. "To help with that part."
"So what if I teleport too much and you and I just...
"Yeah." Ellie shrugs, like we're discussing something as mundane as study schedules rather than me potentially becoming a superpowered sex maniac in front of my college professor.
"Plus," Masters adds, "it'll be helpful for you to learn how to fight while distracted. Your enemies aren't going to politely wait for you to get your hormones under control."
I stare at her, still struggling to reconcile my stern self-defense instructor with the skull-masked mercenary who's apparently now invested in my survival. "You'd be willing to help me like that? I don't have any money to pay you."
Masters waves a dismissive hand. "It's fine. The school pays me poorly anyway."
I glance from Ellie to Masters, suddeI lean toward Masters, my voice low but deliberately loud enough for Ellie to hear.
"Listen, Sensei, if you try anything funny during these training sessions..." I swallow hard, gesturing vaguely toward Ellie. "She'll kill you. And I know you're super strong and fast and can adapt really quickly, but she's much, much stronger than you. She will literally cut your head off and eat you."
To my surprise, both women burst into laughter. Masters' usually stern face cracks into genuine amusement, while Ellie's laugh fills the room with a rich, dangerous sound that makes my stomach flip.
"He's right, though," Ellie says, wiping a tear from her eye. "I really would."
Masters seems completely unbothered by the death threat, shrugging casually. "Nah, it'll be fine," she says, waving a dismissive hand like we're discussing a mild inconvenience rather than potential decapitation and cannibalism.
"Wait, you're not taking this seriously?" I look between them, confused by their casual attitude. "Ellie literally ripped Hammer Head in half. Like, actually in half. With her hands."
"And I've killed more people than you've met in your entire life," Masters counters with disturbing nonchalance. "We understand each other perfectly."
Ellie nods, a predatory smile playing at her lips. "Professional courtesy."
"Exactly," Masters agrees, looking almost approving.
A realization hits me like a ton of bricks. I slump in my chair as it fully registers, everyone I've allied myself with is a villain. Venom, Taskmistress. Even Lileth, who's literally a demon from hell gave me my powers. My superhero journey is looking less heroic by the second.
"You know," I say, fidgeting with the zipper of my jacket, "I actually want to be a superhero. Like, a real one. Not just someone who hangs out with villains."
Masters raises an eyebrow. "Alright?" She says it like a question, clearly not seeing my point.
"I mean, if I'm working with you…" I gesture at sensei, "we might be enemies someday. When you're, you know, doing your villain stuff."
Masters just stares at me for a long moment, then bursts back into laughter.
"Kid," she says when she finally catches her breath, "you'll never be on my level. But I appreciate the ambition."