"For there is no friend like a sister
In calm or stormy weather;
To cheer one on the tedious way,
To fetch one if one goes astray,
To lift one if one totters down,
To strengthen whilst one stands"
― Christina Rossetti

Good Guy is not part of the task force going against the Red Army. As Watcher told Tommy, the hero had decided to temporarily work with the Guardians of the Afterlife in their pursuit to clean up Empires. The Guardians of the Afterlife are a powerful group in the Hero's Association and thus are afforded a certain level of secrecy. Tommy could outright ask the secretary in charge of Good Guy or the one in charge of the Guardian of the Afterlife where they were at, but he knows that he will not get a real answer from them. Even if he pulls rank, the secretaries will remain sworn to confidentiality. Tommy will be unable to get anything out of them the normal way.

It is for this reason that Tommy has resorted to a different method. Instead of asking the secretaries, he decides to go right to the source. Or, more accurately, he decides to follow that source. Tommy went to Empires, found a member of the Guardians that was traveling alone, and he began following them. It isn't a heroic way to get things done, but Tommy finds that it is the easiest way more often than not. He knows that the people he's following would much prefer for him to follow them than corner them in an alleyway and threaten them into submission, especially because Tommy will follow through on his threats. Tommy gets what he wants by following his victims, and they don't have to experience the terror and sometimes pain of being a fly caught in a spider's web.

Tommy feels a little bad about following Tempestarius, though. She was simply the first person that Tommy saw that was affiliated with the Guardians. He pacifies his internal conflict by reminding himself that he's only following her. He is not going to do anything to her. He knows that he would fight her if it came down to it, but he doesn't want to fight his fellow heroes unnecessarily. Most of them are genuinely good people, or they have been redeemed, like Tempestarius was. Tommy really only wants to fight two people. He doesn't wish to do any more than that if he can't help it.

She hums a pleasant song as she ambles along the side streets of Empires. She is incredibly nonchalant for someone walking right through the territory of one of the gangs. This assuredness could come from self-confidence, but it also could be Tempestarius utilizing the reputation she left behind in Empires. Tommy does not know which it is. He thinks that regardless of what the truth might be, Tempestarius should still be careful. He knows that he's following her. Who's to say no one else is? Who's to say that no one else won't in the future? Her humming voice and unsoftened footsteps make her easy to identify even when her outfit is dark like storm clouds.

Tempastarius turns into an alleyway that Tommy knows is a shortcut to some of the more hospitable parts of Empires. Tommy peers around the alleyway. Tempestarius is nearly at the end, so Tommy rushes across the cracked concrete and dirt with light footsteps. As soon as he is halfway through the alleyway, Tempestarius stops moving. She turns to look at some of the graffiti on the brick wall right beside her. Tommy freezes, ducking behind a dumpster. He looks out the side of it, trying to wait for Tempestarius to move.

A wave of fog descends upon him before he can find Tempestarius. Tommy murmurs a few choice words. He grabs his baton from the slot on his back. The metal expands, and Tommy is thrown back by a harsh wind that churns the fog like a spoon in soup. A cold chill races down his spine from his throat. Tommy glances down to find two icicles, sharp as blades and cold as the stagnant air of the End, crossed around his neck. Tommy keeps his head held high, not daring to brush his skin against the icicle. The mist grows thicker, rising up to cover the entire alleyway. Tommy raises his staff to knock the icicles away from him, but he sees light sparkle across the surface. Tommy peers up. There is something in the fog, glowing so bright that it can penetrate through the swirling gray. Tommy's eyes widen. Those are eyes. The source of the light is the eyes.

Tempestarius launches forward. Blue lightning ripples across her face from her eyes, the light covering up her irises, pupils, and scleras. The lightning allows for light and shadow to be cast across her face. It makes her look a lot more terrifying than the friendly hero that Tommy has come to know. This is a threat, someone who spent her entire life hunting and killing for one of the most notorious gangs of Empires. She was someone who was trained by high-ranking heroes. She is someone whose esper ability turned out to be the ability to manipulate weather, calling it down from the heavens and exploiting it how she saw fit.

Like a light switch, Tempestarius' eyes clear until Tommy is staring into a pair of Tuscan yellow pupils. The fog rolls back to her body, dissipating as soon as it touches her skin. The icicles melt, releasing Tommy. This allows him to take in a deep breath. He presses a hand against his chest, steadying his heart. He really didn't want to fight against Tempestarius. For as confident as he is in himself, he doesn't entirely know if he would win that fight. There was a chance since like Tempestarius, he controls one of the fundamental forces of nature, but Tommy does not like chances. He much prefers certainties. And he really doesn't like getting hurt. Tempestarius would definitely hurt him if she wasn't holding back.

"Geez, Vendetta, you scared me! There's no reason to be shy. If you wanted to hang out, you could have told me!" Tempestarius laughs, taking a step away from him. The air continues to tingle with electricity, but otherwise, it was as if she never felt her life was threatened and resorted to violent means to protect herself.

Tommy laughs with her sheepishly. He feels a little awkward over being caught, but Tempestarius seems just as embarrassed about her reaction to the situation. Tommy decides that he isn't going to bring up what happened if Tempestarius doesn't. "Sorry, Temp. I'm actually here for business. I needed to talk to Good Guy. You know that avian with the danger sense?"

"Yes, I know Good Guy. He's been working with us on that case I mentioned to you the last time we met, the one about reforming Empires," Tempestarius reminds him, as if Tommy wasn't acutely aware of what Tempestarius was doing in Empires with her fellow Guardians. He really only filed away that information because he was hoping the Guardians would be able to save Sleepy from whatever fate they got themselves into. "If you wanted to meet Good Guy, you should have told me. I would have brought you to him without all of this stalking business."

Tempestarius takes a few steps down the alleyway, looking over her shoulder and beckoning him to follow her with her hand. Tommy scrambles after her. He lets his staff slide back into a baton, placing the weapon in its assigned spot. Tommy blinks at her smiling face. "Why the hell would you do that? You should keep your location top fucking secret, lest one of the gangs blows up the building you're staying in sky high."

"You aren't in a gang. You aren't fond of explosions. You're a hero who is allowed to join this mission, so there are ways for you to find out where we're staying regardless of what I do now," Tempestarius points out. Tommy pointedly frowns. It feels odd for Tempestarius to know these things about him. They aren't secrets, per se, but most people don't bother to know. Tempestarius continues smiling as she looks at Tommy from the corner of her eye. "Plus, we're friends. This is a rather simple favor. I'm almost offended you didn't just ask me."

Tommy finds his eyebrows furrowing together as Tempestarius leads them to a side street. She continues walking down the street with confidence, and she seems a little more relaxed than when Tommy was following her. He doesn't know if that's because she sensed someone was following her before or if she feels safer with him at her side. Tommy fears what that would mean if the latter is true. Tommy finally sighs, letting his voice modifier hide the sheer confusion and tiny bits of loneliness in his tone as he finally demands to know the truth. "Why the fuck are you so insistent on this friendship bullshit? I don't know if you haven't noticed yet, but I fucking suck. I'm a pretty shit friend."

"You can be annoying at times, yes," Tempestarius agrees with a giggle. She reaches her elbow out, nudging him in the side when he doesn't attempt to push her arm away. Tommy stares down at the spot where she made contact. He really doesn't understand this woman. She gets even more confusing when she opens her mouth again, "Maybe you remind me of Empires, Vendetta. A bad reputation and unforgiving personality but a beautiful heart at the center. A wounded creature that is lashing out in pain and fear instead of maliciousness or anger."

"That was a fucking shit answer," Tommy informs Tempestarius. He is nothing like Empires. For one thing, he's an esper and Empires is a borough in a city. Metaphorically, he doesn't see where Tempestarius is coming from either. Tommy is not lashing out because of his emotions. He is specifically targeting one source because of his trauma. Anyone else he hurts is only because he naturally has a terrible personality, not because he has an unforgiving one. Empires doesn't have an unforgiving personality, either. The people here look out for their own. They ignore slights within their own rankings and negotiate or fight out any miscommunications. Tommy doesn't have a beautiful heart at his center. Neither does Empires. Empires has nothing inside of it, and Tommy's heart is a frayed, worn out thing too pitiful to really be called his center.

"That is the only answer you're going to get out of me," Tempestarius proclaims, implying that she has more answers than that one. She must have several for how patient and understanding she has been with Tommy. He has given her the cold shoulder on multiple occasions, but she never seems discouraged. She continues to smile at him with her entire face, waving her arm above her head to get his attention when they are in the same vicinity. Tommy doesn't deserve her kindness, but he's too much of a coward to completely reject it. He lets this ugly thing fester between them like an infected wound Tempestarius is trying to heal and Tommy doesn't want to let die.

Tempestarius stops in front of a building. Tommy glances up at the sign, depicting the name 'Chroma' in all the colors of the rainbow. The exterior of the building is decidedly less colorful with dark red brick walls and a roof that looks gray at a distance but might actually be a muted blue. Tempestarius pushes open the wooden door of the 'tavern and inn' as the sign describes the place. Tommy follows after her, letting the door shut underneath the weight of his palm.

The first floor of the building is exactly like a tavern with wooden walls, pillars, and flooring. There are lanterns hanging from the roof and the sides of the walls, but they are filled with electrical bulbs instead of candles. The warm light they produce does play into the illusion. The bar structure on one side of the wall beside a staircase that leads upward plays into the immersion as well. There is a tavern keeper serving customers who vividly talk with each other with exaggerated hand movements and slurred speech patterns. As Tempestarius passes the bar to go up the stairs, Tommy follows her, the esper meets the eyes of the bartender. The heterochromic orange and brown eyes of the bartender seem to seep into Tommy's body until the wooden wall of the stairway protects him. Tommy shakes his head, deciding the bartender is the least of his worries right now.

Tempestarius takes Tommy to the second floor. There are several doors marked with numbers. Tempestarius turns to the right, and she stops in front of the third door. She lifts her fist up, tapping a pattern across the wood. Tommy takes note of the pattern, though his eyebrows do furrow together. Good Guy has one of the most intricate and accurate danger senses out of any esper who has a similar ability. Good Guy would know if someone with ill intentions was at the door long before they actually got there. The knock does nothing except distinguish that Tempestarius is the one knocking, given that Good Guy's danger sense didn't go off. Tommy supposes that would be something good to know, but he does tangle his thoughts unexpectedly.

The door opens. Good Guy wears a bright smile as he opens the door. He is wearing his saturated red-and-blue uniform with a blue mask around his eyes. He has removed his cuffs that hold his grappling hooks. Good Guy glances over at Tommy with deep brown eyes. Good Guy's expression falters as Tommy meets his eyes, wings drooping to the ground in a way that reminds Tommy of Watcher. Now that Tommy knows Good Guy is related to Watcher and Scarlet Demoness, he can see the resemblance. They all have brown eyes remarkably close in shade, and Watcher's hair is a mix between Pearl and Good Guy's hair colors. All three of them, however, have the same smile. It is a little uncanny, and Tommy is a little jealous. These three look like each other. Tommy barely looks like Wilbur, probably because they're only half-brothers, but still... Tommy would like a few details to remind himself of his brother. He would probably be far more okay with mirrors if he had brown eyes like Wilbur... like Pearl, Good Guy, and Watchter, too, he supposes.

"Good Guy! This is Vendetta! He wanted to see you about some important business," Tempestarius explains. She takes a step away. Her movements are slow as she reaches for Tommy. When he doesn't slap her hand away, she grabs onto his elbow with a soft but firm grip. She tugs him over to stand in front of the door, trading places with him. She begins taking steps backward toward the staircase. "Remember that you both are my friends. I am going to be upset if you two fight."

Tempestarius turns around, taking the steps two at a time as she bounces down the staircase. Her humming peters out the farther she gets away from them, soon replaced by Good Guy's awkward laughter as he rubs the back of his neck. "We aren't going to fight, are we?"

Tommy pushes past Good Guy, stepping into the inn room. There is a single bed made for one occupant in the middle of the wall. It is guarded on both sides by a nightstand and a desk with a chair. There is a wooden chest at the foot of the bed. There is a small closet and bathroom space next to the door. There aren't many personal touches in the room other than some scattered casual clothes and a towel on the ground. Tommy notices a downturned picture frame on the nightstand. Either Good Guy put it down because Tempestarius knocked on his door or the person in that picture was making Good Guy feel a certain way right now. Tommy supposes it could be both, turning to face Good Guy.

"My danger sense must be acting up if it doesn't think you're a threat," Good Guy murmurs to himself, closing the door. His voice modifier does alter his voice, but Tommy notices that it isn't perfect. He wouldn't be able to recognize Good Guy out of uniform, obviously, but he can discern the emotions in Good Guy's voice. The difference in the quality of equipment between ranks in the Hero's Association continues to astound Tommy.

"I'm here to talk about Pearl," Tommy states simply. He watches as the words register in Good Guy's mind. His eyes widen, and his mouth parts even when nothing comes out. His wings raise up as a sign of an ensuing conflict. He seems ready to silence Tommy permanently, and Tommy finds that he respects the bond between these siblings more than he fears for his life. Well, Good Guy wouldn't be able to do much damage against Tommy. The esper lifts his hands placatingly regardless. "Watcher already told me. We want to capture Pearl to keep her from committing more crimes, learn more about the Cult of Erythr, and find a cure for whatever the fuck she's inflicted with."

Good Guy's wings slowly lower, but he keeps his hands balled up into fists at his sides. His eyes show his internal conflict. Tommy finds himself smiling at the sincerity. Watcher and Scarlet Demoness are both mysterious with blank eyes and lips drawn into straight lines. They are able to mask their true emotions easily enough. They are better at it than Good Guy is. His emotions are blatant on his face. It puts Tommy at ease, but it does plant a seed of worry. Villains will surely take advantage of Good Guy, if they haven't already.

"With Pearl's fucked up- I mean, chaotic mental state, your danger sense might be the only way we know what she's going to do next," Tommy explains, backtracking when he realizes that he probably shouldn't upset the person he's asking help from.

Good Guy sighs. He runs a gloved hand across the side of his face. He reaches for the chair at his desk. Tommy shuffles to his side as Good Guy drops onto the chair, sitting in it backwards so that he might look at Tommy. He is frowning, worry in his eyes. "Did Watcher tell you the full story?"

Tommy mutely shakes his head. Good Guy sighs again, placing his forehead against the back of the chair. When he looks up, Good Guy's face carries a melancholic kind of regret. "You already know her name. From what Tempestarius says, you like doing your research. You're going to find some information about Pearl, anyway, so... I just want you to know what you're getting into. I want you to hear this from someone who cares about Pearl, not some idiot who wrote an insensitive news article."

Tommy presses his lips together as Good Guy gets comfortable in his chair. Good Guy avoids Tommy's eyes, staring at the wooden floorboards beneath their boots. "Watcher was right. He, Pearl, and I are siblings, but... well, Pearl is the oldest. Pearl was lonely. She didn't have loving parents or friends at the school she went to. She was alone, and then Gr- Watcher was born. Pearl told me about it once, what it was like meeting Watcher for the first time. Instead of our parents, she was the one who took care of him. Every day when she got home from school, he was her priority. She says that it was nice to have someone who cared about her, who needed her. Then, one day, she came home and, as she told me, he was gone. The nursery was gone, replaced by a guest bedroom. Our parents told her she never had a younger brother, and her teachers at school thought she was hallucinating her baby doll as someone to keep her company.

"Pearl never believed them, and when I was born, she became all the more determined to take care of me. She was terrified I would be taken, so she... she admits that she took drastic measures, but... she set her school's science lab on fire. No one was hurt except for her, apparently, and they expelled her. Our parents were not happy, but Pearl said she didn't mind because she got to stay with me and make sure I wasn't erased. I have fuzzy memories of her. There was a lullaby she sang me every night that I can remember the melody of. Unfortunately, I was taken from her, too. I think I remember it. I remember watching her sob, yelling for something to be given back to her. I was crying, too, but I didn't really understand what was going on.

"A lot of stuff happened, and the three of us were eventually reunited. Pearl helped me and G- Watcher get settled. She was upset when we decided to be heroes, but she told me that she just wanted me to be happy. Watcher promised her that we would come back, and we did as frequently as we could, but you know how hero work can be. This became coupled with the fact that she had a falling out with her friends around the same time. Watcher got her a therapy dog. She named the dog Tilly, and Pearl loved Tilly. Watcher and I went to visit Pearl together as a surprise a year after Pearl got Tilly, and...Pearl walked into the apartment holding Tilly's corpse, covered in blood. Tilly had been hit by a truck, and she died in Pearl's arms. I think this moment was Pearl's awakening as an esper, though she never told us that she was an esper. It was probably this time that she started hiding things from us.

"I didn't know Pearl was the Scarlet Demoness, but I did suspect it. I went to her apartment a few weeks after the incident with Tilly because some gang had threatened me. It scared me enough to send me into my instincts, so I went to flock... to Pearl. She held me, but when I woke up in the nest, she was gone. She came back with a weird smile on her face. She seemed lighter, happier than she had in weeks. My danger sense didn't say anything, but I should have known when the news told me the group was brutally slaughtered. This trend continued. I would tell Pearl about these people threatening me, or the heroes, or even Watcher, and they would be taken care of. I didn't stop Pearl because I didn't want to face the reality that my sister had become... She did it out of love. She did it out of fear. She couldn't stand the thought of being abandoned again, so she made sure that nothing could take me or Watcher from her again. Maybe that's why I didn't press. I knew, deep down, that she was doing this for me, and I didn't want to have that blood on my hands."

Good Guy finally looks up into Tommy's eyes, and Tommy tries to hide the expression on his face. Tommy is sorry that this happened to them. He hates Pearl's parents for taking her brothers from her and for making her feel like she was delusional. He doesn't know what happened to Good Guy or Watcher, but he knows that it can't be anything good. Part of him, though, empathizes with Pearl. He would do the same thing in her position. He is doing the same thing as her, in some ways, and if his family were suddenly revived, he knows that he would be tainted by the same sins Pearl is committing.

"I'm going to tell you what Pearl's esper ability is. I'm only doing this because I really don't want you researching anything about her," Good Guy says, something ungrounded and bitter in his tone. Tommy feels his expression slacken. He swears that he won't do research about Pearl, won't try to figure out who Watcher and Good Guy are or what happened to them. He doesn't say this out loud only because he knows Good Guy won't believe him. Tempestarius was right earlier when she said Vendetta had a bad reputation. "The Scarlet Demoness was first reported to have telekinetic powers. Everyone thinks this is true. Watcher knows that she has telekinesis and something he calls hexing which is the name he has for probability manipulation. That isn't her power. Croupier can manipulate probability, Pearl can warp reality. She can't do anything major... At least, she couldn't before she joined the Cult of Erythr. Her telekinesis and making bad things happen were an extension of this reality warping. I don't know what the limits of her powers are now, but I should be able to identify when and where she's going to warp reality. Since it's Pearl, I might even be able to tell what she's going to change. That dog she uses, Fenrir, is something she brought from another reality, I think, so it's going to be a tough fight in and of itself."

"Don't worry, I have a plan," Tommy says. He hesitates before he begins explaining the plan. "I'm fucking sorry about what happened to you guys. None of you deserved that shit. Thank you for telling me."

"I like honesty, and I think if we're going to stop Pearl, we need to start off the right foot," Good Guy explains slowly, crossing his arms around his chest. He glances up at Tommy with a slight smile on his face. "So, what's the plan, king?"

Tommy returns the smile even though Good Guy wouldn't be able to see it. He opens his mouth, explaining what he has in mind.