The dawn brings fresh yellow-white light into the room. People are starting their daily commutes, evidenced by the screeching car horns and the shouting for rationality. The knowledge that Madeleine and the other tailors will arrive soon softly dwells inside Tommy's chest, beating alongside his heartbeat. The darkness took Shadow Girl away earlier. Tommy would have been content to remain with Wilbur, but the brunette casually mentioned that there was the matter of his family. Although Shelby was telling the truth when she told Tommy about Wilbur's usual disappearing act, Wilbur still wanted them to know that he was alright. They were worriers, the whole lot of them, and Wilbur only left behind the promise to return soon when he took the stairs down to the first floor. After some distance, his heartbeat was gone, leaving Tommy alone on the second floor.

Tommy has never truly had a family. He's stayed in the same house as families before, obviously, but he has never been part of them. He doesn't know what it's like for someone to miss him. He doesn't know what it's like for someone to worry about his well being, especially after he assured them that he would be fine. Tommy distantly knows why Wilbur would want to see his family, but having never experienced it, Tommy feels his stomach drop at Wilbur's absence as if he doesn't understand, as if he's an ignorant child.

The thought sickens him. His only consolation is that he knows he would probably feel this cold loneliness regardless if he had a family or not. Wilbur has been missing for days, and it was all Tommy's fault. Without the assurance that he's alive and free, Tommy suddenly feels the same anxiety that has been plaguing him since the beginning of this whole ordeal. Things could have been a lot worse. Wilbur could have been held in less savory conditions. He could have been killed, either by the Syndicate or by the Binary Killer. In both cases, it would have been completely out of his control. Tommy would have to assume responsibility for the former, and hybrid traits are a genetic mystery. It's no one's fault for being born one.

It especially isn't Wilbur's fault. All Wilbur has ever been was kind and considerate. He's so full of life and energy, practically buzzing from friendliness. He is the brightest light Tommy has ever had. To see it stuffed out, for it to be Tommy's fault, Tommy doesn't know what he would do. Nothing good. He would probably try to fight the Syndicate himself, and he knows that is a horrible idea. Tommy doesn't stand a chance against a grunt, much less one of the named villains, but he would do anything for Wilbur's memory.

To distract himself from the misery and the shallow thoughts, Tommy stumbles to his feet. He feels exhausted, but he's far too wired to actually sleep. He could close his eyes on his mat, but the other tailors will be here soon. Tommy might as well pretend like he's working. Plus, the radio and the quiet bustle of his colleague's conversation relaxes Tommy. Another thing that relaxes him, strangely enough, is designing suits. Tommy doesn't want to pick apart that realization just yet. He simply accepts his newest hobby on a superficial level.

Tommy plops down at his desk. His chair rolls underneath him, trying to shove away from the desk. Tommy uses his feet and hands to drag him back to the desk. He opens the furthest drawer from him. A lone sketchbook rests inside the metal cage. It is the same sketchbook Phantasm brought Tommy to use for Nemesis' suit. Tommy has designated it for his suit designing, so he pulls it out. He flips open the cover while reaching for a pencil. He taps his thumb against the tip of the pencil, determining the sharpness. It is a little blunt, but Tommy prefers the thicker, grayer lines.

Tommy uses those lines to form the vague outline of a body. He hasn't studied Pulverize enough to remember his body type. Secret charms don't help him in the slightest, but he knows that Pulverize is a young adult with a fair bit of muscle on him. He is a little shorter than Tommy, but the blonde doesn't presently apply that fact.

Once the body type is done, Tommy gets to work on the actual design itself. Pulverize presents himself as someone incredibly tech savvy. More than that, he has proven this fact by carrying around all sorts of machines including a hoverboard and the wristwatch that summoned the hoverboard. Tommy takes the details from the machines to incorporate into the design. He forces himself to leave plenty of room for whatever additional machines he might want to have.

Tommy starts with a black bodysuit similar to the jumpsuit Pulverize normally wears. Tommy does make sure it isn't a jumpsuit, though, deciding that would bring down people's morale. They want someone extraordinary to save their lives. They don't want someone who looks like them, no matter how much they would argue otherwise when confronted with these facts. Tommy adds a brown leather harness. Tommy assumes that something will be attached to the harness, but he leaves that particular detail to Pulverize. Tommy instead connects part of the harness to each other using armor plates. Tommy decides to let the brown leather design run through the rest of the design. He adds two bands around Pulverize's right arm, again leaving their purpose up to Pulverize. At the moment, Tommy is merely going for aesthetics and protection. He's building the brand so Pulverize can add the substance.

Pulverize has the power to turn inorganic matter into dust. Tommy has never seen it in action, but he assumes all of that dust will get into the air. Tommy sketches out the rough design of an air filtration mask. He decides that doesn't look cool enough. He stares at the design for a long time. As he tries to think of a cooler way, he draws quick circles to connect with more brown leather. A pair of goggles rests over the eyes. Tommy does a few lines with minimum intensity to see how a helmet would look. Tommy frowns, biting the inside of his cheek. He isn't sure about the cap, but he'll have to get a better look at Pulverize's hair and face shape. It might look better if Tommy could just remember what Pulverize looks like. Secret charms are good for everyone except the tailor.

Tommy gets back to the mask. He decides, on a whim, to draw some patterns inside the two large circles. He isn't able to settle on anything. Pulverize doesn't have an insignia attributed to him. Tommy eventually draws a triangle. He likes it, but it doesn't look quite right. Tommy redraws the triangle, making it shorter. He likes that more. As he plays around with the triangles, he makes a familiar symbol by accident. Tommy erases the triangles entirely, redoing the nuclear power plant symbol inside the circles. Tommy doesn't think Pulverize has anything to do with nuclear power or radiation, but it looks cool. Although practicality trumps aesthetics, the latter does trump honesty. Tommy is fine with spreading misinformation if his clients still get to look cool by the end of it.

As Tommy starts testing out designs for a jacket or cloak to help hide Pulverize's equipment, he feels something burn against the back of his fingertips. His head perks up. He looks to one side of the room, waiting for someone to get to the second floor. The heartbeat is close, but Tommy doesn't hear anyone trudging up the stairs. Tommy turns his attention back down to the sketchbook, noticing an unusual assortment of colors in his peripheral vision. Tommy jerks his attention up, noticing a familiar smile waiting for him to look upon it.

Tommy drops the sketchbook. Cold, blatant terror chokes Tommy, stealing the very breath from his lungs as if he was still unhealthily messing around with the bulletproof vest. Tommy knew that the Syndicate wouldn't appreciate one of their people getting kidnapped, but he trusted Shadow Girl and Nemesis to handle it. He thought they would come up with a distant excuse. He really wanted to believe that he could safely pull away from this without anyone knowing he had planned it all, that he'd gotten involved. If Phantasm is here, something went wrong. Someone isn't happy with Wilbur's liberation, either Phantasm or the people he takes orders from. Tommy is loath to think about what has happened to Shadow Girl and Nemesis. He doesn't have time to fear for their lives when his own is at stake.

"I'm proud of you. You stood up for someone you cared about. You stood up to villains, and I know how much you terrify you even after you've befriended a good portion of us," Phantasm explains, leaning down with his hands on his knees. It feels a little patronizing to be talked to like this, but Tommy doesn't have time to worry about that as he analyzes every breath coming from Phantasm. Was that last comment in reference to how Tommy joined forces with Shadow Girl and Nemesis to save Wilbur? Or was it Phantasm's way of implying that he didn't want to hurt Tommy? Is it wishful thinking or some disguised threat Tommy doesn't quite understand?

"My only concern is that you put yourself in danger to do it. I'm all about standing up for oneself and for your friends, but you really shouldn't have gone yourself. Shadow Girl is my sidekick, and Nemesis is someone I recruited. I know how powerful they are. They could have saved your friend without your direct involvement," Phantasm continues, shaking his head as he stands up. The secret charm distorts the edges of his face, but Tommy can clearly see the reluctant pride swimming around the bright green lights of his eyes. Phantasm even lifts a hand up, plopping it down in Tommy's hair. He brushes through Tommy's long hair meticulously, pulling at the edges. It doesn't hurt, but the pressure feels sort of like a childish punishment. "I still have to respect your actions, though. I would be a hypocrite otherwise since I'm trying to teach you that people are only ever responsible for their own actions and no one else's. You made your choice, so I guess I have to live with it."

"Why was Wilbur kidnapped?" Tommy asks, not missing the slight twitch on Phantasm's face at the name. Tommy tenses, waiting for Phantasm's touch to grow painful. It doesn't. Phantasm remains relatively calm as he strokes Tommy's hair in a soothing manner. While he is never going to admit it, the touch is comforting, in a way. Paired with the gentleness of Phantasm's eyes as they gradually dim, Tommy feels safe, almost. The thought terrifies him almost as much as his life being in danger does. Tommy should not feel this way around Phantasm. It's like a siren song- a beautiful melody meant to draw Tommy closer and strike him when he's weak.

"It was a misunderstanding. While we did need to kidnap someone named Wilbur, Ravager got the wrong one. Once we realized, we took care of Wilbur. We put him in that hotel suite, remember? It was lucky for us that you and the villainesses took him while you did. It could have been tricky if Wilbur stayed for much longer. We have a lot of enemies ourselves, you know," Phantasm explains thoughtfully. It feels strangely rehearsed. Tommy's heart beats a little faster at the idea of Phantasm practicing what he was going to say to Tommy. He is being awfully considerate, and Tommy has never experienced that. "We'll pay for therapy sessions if Wilbur has experienced any mental distress from this occurrence. Even if we did treat him well, there might be lingering trauma."

"Why the fuck couldn't you have dropped him off somewhere? You could have brought him back here!" Tommy demands, narrowing his eyes at Phantasm. Tommy doesn't know if Wilbur experienced any distress. He seemed fine in the hotel, but that could have been adrenaline. Tommy might have noticed the signs if they weren't immediately attacked by the Binary Killer. Wilbur might have trauma from that, but he didn't seem out of sorts when Shadow Girl delivered him here. Tommy might not have been able to see it through his own pain, though. Tommy feels awful about that, but it's too late. Wilbur has gone to his family. It's for the best. Wilbur needs people close to him for him to actually decompress and rationalize what he's been through. Wilbur doesn't need Tommy, especially when the blonde is distraught himself.

"You might not like the sound of this, but we had paperwork we needed to do before anyone could drop him off. Being a supervillain isn't all violence and destruction of property. There is an element of business to it, and business means lots of signed papers and charts to fill out. Tell me if you ever decide to start moonlighting as an accountant," Phantasm replies, a touch of laughter winding around his words like a ribbon around a baton. Tommy doesn't know what he's laughing at specifically, but if it's the idea of Tommy being an accountant, Tommy is going to start rioting. He might not look like he's good with numbers, but he knows how credits work. He can ensure he'll get the most credits, and everyone else can deal with his faulty addition and subtraction. They should know better than to put the boy who didn't finish school in charge of their finances.

Tommy opens his mouth to tell Phantasm off and ask more questions- most of which about Wilbur but a few about how the Syndicate is run- but Phantasm lowers his hand from Tommy's hair to his shoulder. Phantasm squeezes reassuringly. He leans forward a little, getting closer to Tommy's eyes. It doesn't feel quite so patronizing this way, but Tommy doesn't like giving Phantasm points for decency. Phantasm wears a half-smile on his face, amused in a way that makes Tommy wonder if he can read minds along with all his other ghost-like powers. "Will you come downstairs with me? Just for a moment. I have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity waiting for you."

Tommy sighs right in Phantasm's face, his breath doing nothing to Phantasm's mask since Tommy designed it rather perfectly. Tommy soaks up the self-pride as he pushes the heels of his hands against his knees. Tommy rises onto his feet. Phantasm stands up, taking a step back to give Tommy some room. The bright sunlight seeping into the room seems to illuminate Phantasm from within. He looks pure like this, like some untainted angel. Even his shining eyes don't look so disharmonious this way, instead invoking the image of light filtering through the cracks between hanging leaves.  Tommy wishes Phantasm would always look like this.

Phantasm slips through the floor. Tommy huffs a laugh. While he doesn't want to touch Phantasm's ability to take over bodies, he wouldn't mind trading his healing power for the phasing one. He'd take invisibility, too, if that was an option. Then again, Tommy is always ready to trade powers with people, even the heroes half the time. He doesn't like Wraith, but her snowy powers are pretty cool. Tommy could make a killing selling ice cream or being a human refrigerator.

Tommy, like a normal person, takes the stairs down to the first floor. He feels around for what the surprise could be. All he notices is that there's an additional heartbeat. Tommy didn't notice it because it beats far slower than a human should. Tommy doesn't know what an animal's heartbeat feels like. Maybe Phantasm got Tommy a puppy and dogs have slow heartbeats. Tommy has never met a dog that wasn't a cop's canine or a hunting hound. Both are very terrifying, so Tommy didn't stop to determine how fast the dog's heartbeat was going. Phantasm could have gotten him a different animal, though.

As Tommy takes the last step, he finally looks up to see what Phantasm has gotten him. Tommy's smile drops as quickly as his stomach does. The fear he felt earlier comes back tenfold, so thick and painful that Tommy nearly collapses onto the floor. He would have, too, if it wasn't for Phantasm rushing forward to grab Tommy, holding him up. For someone who can phase through walls, he is surprisingly solid. Or maybe Tommy is just disconnected from reality and even a feather would weigh him down to the ground.

Ravager stands in the middle of the room. There isn't any broken glass around him, so Tommy assumes Phantasm either phased him in or unlocked the door for him. Nothing else is broken, either. Ravager stands completely motionless like a soldier awaiting orders. His face bears no expression, and while his eyes do flit around, they hold nothing more than a fleeting interest. For someone as terrifying as Ravager, he looks relatively harmless. His muscles paint a specific image, but the 'uniform' he's taken to wearing (really just glorified gym clothes with some Netherite armor pieces) doesn't do him any favors. He actively looks less scary. Usually the blood all over him hides the outfit and accentuates his scariness, but Phantasm has forced Ravager to take a bath.

"Ravager is here to apologize for his actions. He has caused you a lot of trauma by taking your friend right in front of you when neither of you deserved that," Phantasm explains, his voice lowering into an angry hiss as he stares at Ravager. His eyes brighten, washing a pale green color over Ravager's body. The villain raises an eyebrow, uncertain about the other's words. Phantasm narrows his eyes. "Apologize, Ravager, for what you did."

Ravager huffs in what feels like annoyance. Tommy feels a million knives stabbing into him. He grabs onto Phantasm's forearm, ready to let everyone know that Tommy doesn't need an apology. He would much prefer not dying, especially not at Ravager's bloodied hands.

"I apologize for kidnapping your friend in front of you. I should have been more... aware of the Syndicate's targets," Ravager says, his voice monotone with only a touch of genuine sorriness at the edges. He does lower his head in a version of a respectful bow. Tommy comes to understand what Phantasm meant by 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.' Tommy is certain Ravager has only apologized a handful of times in his life. To think Tommy would be among the precious few who has earned an apology, even if it didn't really sound like one. It was close enough for someone like Ravager. It was close enough for Tommy to feel incredulous and weirdly happy at the same time.

"Ravager is also going to swear not to harm you. He's done enough damage, after all," Phantasm adds. Tommy doesn't know the hierarchy of the Syndicate, but he never would have expected that Phantasm was somehow above Ravager, enough to order him around, at least.

"I swear-"

"Wait," Tommy interrupts. Ravager does stop, raising an eyebrow. Phantasm wears a mischievous smile, looking at Tommy from the corner of his eye while keeping his face aimed toward Ravager. Tommy swallows thickly, pushing away from Phantasm. Unsteadily, Tommy stands on his own two feet. He meets Ravager's eyes, trying not to let the secret charm or Ravager's burning red eyes dissuade him from making eye contact. Tommy thinks about his friend, somehow gaining enough courage from that thought alone to continue speaking. "You have to swear not to harm Wilbur either."

Phantasm honestly snorts, shaking his head in disbelief. Tommy doesn't look at Phantasm, not wanting to know what he finds so hilarious. When Phantasm stops, he wears an incredibly patient smile. He nudges Tommy's shoulder with his own as he speaks up on Tommy's behalf. "Ravager is also going to swear not to harm you or Wilbur. He's done enough damage, after all."

"I swear not to harm, directly or indirectly, this... er, uh, Tommy, or Wilbur," Ravager makes the oath, glaring right at Phantasm. There is something strange about their interaction. Tommy shifts his weight, feeling like he should give the two of them a moment to sort out their differences.

"What a satisfying conclusion we have come to!" Phantasm cheers, clapping his hands together. He looks at Tommy with a bright smile stretching across his face. "Do you have anything you want to add? Any lingering issues that can only be solved by this guy?"

"I have one," Tommy says, emboldened by the promise that he cannot be hurt by Ravager. He draws both of their attention to him. Phantasm wears a small smile, both of his eyebrows rising in curiosity. Ravager shifts his weight impatiently. Tommy swings his body to stare directly at Phantasm, keeping Ravager in his peripheral vision. He waves a hand at Ravager's body, whisper-yelling, "What the fuck is wrong with his outfit?!"

Phantasm's eyes widen as he realizes what Tommy said. Tommy knows the moment it registers because Phantasm nearly crumples with laughter. Even though Tommy wasn't directly talking to him, he can hear the villain letting out a hushed, "Bruh."

Tommy stares at Phantasm, admiring the suit he made for this villain. Phantasm actually looks like a villain. He, at least, looks powerful. Ravager does not invoke the same image. When Tommy turns to face Ravager, he finds himself disappointed once again. He throws his arms around to convey some sort of image. "Ravager is reportedly one of the scariest villains on the whole fucking island, and he's wearing that. He's a gym bro! He looks like he's going to offer me a fucking protein shake, not put my heart in my hands."

"I've never put anyone's heart in their hands," Ravager corrects like that is the important part. He even adds on, "Nor have I offered anyone a protein shake."

"It sounds to me like you're offering to make him a suit. We all know he isn't going to make one for himself," Phantasm mentions lightly, a teasing lilt in his tone. Phantasm takes a step back, and Tommy feels like Phantasm is showing off Tommy's creation. Phantasm is showing Tommy the proof of his creations. Tommy finds himself thinking about Phantasm's previous suit: a black-and-yellow mess. He didn't look terrifying back then, either.

"You know what? Fuck it. I've made suits for other Syndicate members. I might collect the full set like some shitty card game," Tommy huffs, crossing his arms over his chest. He turns to look at Ravager. While the secret charm does its job diligently, there is no mistaking Ravager's muscular physique. He is very much a brute, almost to the point that Tommy thinks he must actually be a 'gym bro'. Or, he's a hybrid. It could be both. Regardless, Tommy knows that he could make a suit for Ravager. He wouldn't mind doing it, either. While he does dislike Ravager for what he did, Tommy suspects that he's going to end up making Ravager a suit anyway. He might as well do it on his own terms. "He doesn't get a discount, though, because he did fucking kidnap my friend."

"I think you're abusing the no-harm oath," Ravager declares, though he seems disinterested with the entire situation. Tommy feels a flush of anger and embarrassment. Has Ravager not noticed how much better some of his colleagues look because of Tommy? Is Tommy going to need to prove himself?

"What else is it fucking there for, bitch?" Tommy asks, raising an eyebrow. Tommy is quickly discovering that he's stupid when his pride has been hit. Tommy might need to fix this about himself, but he isn't going through a character arc right now. He's just a tailor.

"You see, Ravager, this is why I like Tommy so much," Phantasm explains, throwing an arm over Tommy's shoulder. Phantasm has an oddly wholesome smile on his face. Tommy isn't even sure what Phantasm is referring to. His foul mouth? His pride? His ability to recognize when he's in an advantageous position?

"Sucks for you. I don't like you," Tommy proclaims, though it feels like a lie. It might be a lie. Tommy knows he shouldn't, but part of him does like Phantasm. He likes how easy-going Phantasm is. While he can be terrifying, there's something relieving about the way he just does what he wants and says what he thinks. There isn't really a guessing game when it comes to Phantasm. Of course, this all has absolutely nothing to do with the physical affection Phantasm provides.

"I'll pay for a new suit if it is up to my standards," Ravager interrupts, dispassionate about Phantasm and Tommy's upcoming argument about how much the other likes them. Tommy knows he would win that argument, but he agrees with Ravager about not wanting to have it.

"That sounds fucking impossible," Tommy sighs. If none of Tommy's previous suits have impressed Ravager, he doesn't believe anything he makes will. This is paired with how neutral Ravager has been the entire time. He doesn't seem like someone who would be easily impressed. Tommy's pride urges him to try, to succeed, but rationality reminds him that he might be facing a Sisyphean task.

"Don't be like that! It's actually very easy. All you have to do is give it a medieval theme. Maybe throw in a few references to the Ancient Builders. You will need a lot of Netherite, too, but that can be arranged. I'll take care of any supplies you might need. I want you to go big. Pull out all the stops," Phantasm reassures Tommy, his smile as bright as his eyes. He nudges Tommy's shoulder again. Tommy copies the action as he mulls over Phantasm's advice.

"The skull mask also seems very important. I think it might be better to make it... maybe deer-like? A boar mask might also work," Tommy wonders out loud. He moves his hands up, framing Ravager's face in between the L-shape of his fingers like a broken photograph. Ravager raises an eyebrow, but he remains still as Tommy imagines what Ravager could be.

"I agree!" Phantasm pipes excitedly, as eager to join the process as he was when Tommy first sketched out Nemesis' suit.

"We need to go," Ravager speaks up, looking down at what Tommy thinks is but doesn't want to believe is a communicator. Tommy should really find another way for the Syndicate to communicate with each other.

"I suppose we do. It really is like a business, isn't it?" Phantasm agrees regretfully. He turns to Tommy, putting a hand on his shoulder. Phantasm smiles. "I wanted to thank you for Shadow Girl's new suit. I would also like to preemptively share my gratitude for agreeing to do Ravager's suit. I have the utmost faith in you. And, like I said, I'll bring you whatever materials you need, so don't get skimpy on the details. Have a good day!"

Phantasm turns invisible. Tommy looks over at Ravager. The villain pushes open the front door, stepping out without so much as a glance back. Tommy releases a long breath as the additional heartbeats fade away. Rather quickly, they disappear completely. Once they're gone, Tommy finds himself collapsing onto the nearby couch. He lies on his back, staring up at the roof. His hands fall across his stomach, feeling his chest rising and falling with intensity.

What has he gotten himself into?