"When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares."
― Henri Nouwen

Tommy walks through Empires in his standard uniform. He taps his staff anxiously. He planned a joint meeting between him, Watcher, Good Guy, and Briar in order to coordinate their attack against the Scarlet Demoness and whoever she would be with. Tommy has a date and location in mind, hoping to optimize all of their abilities. He does have some other information in case one of his temporary teammates decide to tell him that their esper powers don't work in a specific environment. There are always drawbacks to an esper's gifts, after all. Tommy knows his limits, and he hopes that the others know theirs, too. He can't afford for this mission to go awry, not when Minotaur sought Vendetta out specifically to tell him that failure was not an option.

Tommy hesitates. He feels the subtle pressure of someone staring at him. He looks around cautiously. His eyes land on a person standing on the other end of the alleyway. They are leaning against the graffitied wall, arms crossed over their chest. The man is looking at Tommy through a pair of leather and glass goggles, not even trying to mask their attention. Tommy stops, his grip tightening on his staff. The person pushes off the wall with their foot. As they stand to attention, a cubical drone-like device hovers around their shoulder. The person smiles affably as they wave at Tommy. They walk down the alleyway, venturing to get closer.

Fortunately, they stop a safe distance away from Tommy. The blonde keeps his hand on his staff as he takes in the full appearance of the figure. They have pale, off-white hair messily strewn across their head. They wear a pair of dark green cargo pants and a yellow-orange shirt. They wear a brown leather aviator jacket over the shirt, the fluffy white interior almost the same shade as their hair. The drone beside them is made from a copper material with an antenna rising up from the side and white pinpricks in the eyeholes. This contrasts the figure's dark brown eyes streaked with a teal blue-green color like moss growing across coarse dirt. There is a blackness reaching in from the edge of the sclera to the irises but not quite there yet.

"What the fuck do you want?" Tommy snaps. He doesn't look dangerous, but the copper drone floating around him makes Tommy anxious. This man is either rich or he has connections. In either case, people like that don't roam around Empires without a dozen hidden bodyguards. If they don't have the bodyguards, they don't need them, and there is little more danger than that. The drone might be the man's bodyguards, honestly.

"No need for hostilities. I'm not here to pick a fight. If I wanted to do that, I would have gone to an underground fighting ring. At least there, I'm assured a little bit of money for winning," The man responds with an amused smile, waving his hand like Tommy just told a funny joke. The man's unnatural eyes peer at Tommy. His smile does not change, but he looks noticeably less friendly and more analytical. "I have a few titles, but I prefer the name Sparrow. It is the one I gave myself, after all. The truest names are often the ones we give ourselves."

Tommy blinks in surprise. He recognizes the name. This was the person who manufactured and sold the copper golems to Technician. This was also the broker who bought and sold sleeping draughts from Reishi and rare flowers from Briar. She did say that Sparrow had taken an interest in Tommy, but he didn't think their fated encounter would happen in a back alley of Empires while he was on his way to coordinate a mission against a group that Sparrow has done business with before.

Tommy forces his hand away from his staff. His fingers twitch, his power waiting underneath the surface, but he doesn't make any moves to attack Sparrow. "I'm-"

"I know who you are, Vendetta. I wouldn't have tried getting your attention if I didn't," Sparrow cuts Tommy off. The blonde grits his teeth. He feels an angry shout claw at his throat, but Sparrow is unbothered by his shifting emotions. Sparrow's smile grows wider. "We actually have a lot of mutual informants. Also, why wouldn't I know the name of the person that was able to defeat one of my copper golems? Those things are notorious for being difficult to defeat. They aren't as proficient as iron golems, but who can get an iron golem working in this day and age? Seriously, if you know someone, I wouldn't mind getting in touch with them. I do need to replace those copper golems."

"If you're pissed about that, it was in fucking self-defense. I can demonstrate right now if you want me to," Tommy growls, narrowing his eyes at Sparrow. He doesn't know anyone who can use golems. The Syndicate might be able to afford buying one, but there is a special art to making golems that barely anyone knows anymore. There might eventually be an esper who can create golems with any of the lost arts. Tommy knows that an esper who can do that would be as valuable as an esper that could heal.

Sparrow laughs, placing a hand on his stomach. The drone twirls in the air like it is dancing to Sparrow's merriment. When Sparrow is done laughing, he meets Tommy's expression without flinching. "Don't worry. I assure you that I'm not upset about that. I had already sold the copper golem to Technician. If he wanted to destroy it, that was his business, not mine. I don't normally keep tabs on things that I've already sold, you know?"

"Why the fuck are you here, then, if not for revenge?" Tommy asks, crossing his arms. All of this is confirming to Tommy that Sparrow is the type of person that only cares about money, but that truth doesn't explain why Sparrow is here right now. Time is money, and Tommy knows he is a lucrative venture for a businessman like Sparrow.

Sparrow chuckles. His eyes burn with amusement and curiosity. He takes a step forward. Tommy shuffles back, but Sparrow doesn't move any closer. He leans forward, peering up at Tommy's eyes with a thousand questions swirling inside the multi-colored irises. Sparrow leans back up, brushing the back of his fingers against the drone. "It's fascinating to me. Everything you do is about revenge. I mean, obviously, right? You named yourself Vendetta. Out of all the names that could apply to your disposition or skill set, you chose to name yourself after your mission. It does play into the sentence structure of it all, though. I could say Azrael and Inchling were killed by Vendetta, or I could say they were killed by a vendetta. They were killed by Vendetta who had a vendetta. Hilarious, isn't it?"

Tommy swallows thickly. No one mentioned that Sparrow was borderline insane. Tommy shakes his head. Sparrow isn't insane. He's just entertaining himself with semantics. Tommy thinks it is weird as shit, but to each their own, he supposes.

Sparrow continues talking after noticing Tommy shake his head. "I guess revenge isn't that funny. I'll admit that I've done a thing or two in the past in the name of revenge, and I never found it particularly humorous. It was simply what needed to be done. I think you still feel that way. Me, on the other hand, I've moved on. I'm mostly in it for the financial gain and connections now. Money is what makes the world go round, so I like having a lot of it. And the thing about helping people is that they are more inclined to help you. I have protection when I desperately need it because, and let's be honest, being in the business of making money is also the business of making enemies."

"I'm not here to fucking fight or protect your shitass," Tommy snaps. He tucks Sparrow's words inside a folder in his mind. He needs to figure out everyone Sparrow has some sort of connection to. Sparrow seems to be a neutral party, so Tommy doesn't feel bad about dragging him into the blonde's fight against the Syndicate's leaders.

"Thankfully, I'm not in the mood to fight or be protected, either. I wouldn't mind doing business with you, though. I'm sure you could get your hands on some high quality goods, and I'm very willing to match prices with other buyers," Sparrow notes, putting his chin into his hands as he thinks about the situation. Tommy raises an eyebrow at him. Sparrow startles, coming back into himself. He laughs sheepishly, waving his hand. "Ah, but that can come later. I'm here to do you a favor."

"I don't want to be in anyone's fucking debt," Tommy snaps. Tommy is only concerned with a blood debt. He doesn't like owing anyone else anything. It is why when he severs his connections with people, he does so drastically and decisively. Tommy has learned from Reverie what it means to be in someone's debt.

Sparrow's eyes widen at Tommy's proclamation. He takes in a sharp breath. His smile softens, and his eyes crinkle with a somber emotion. "Fine. You will be doing me a favor. Briar came by a couple days ago in order to buy some new weapons. She informs me that she along with a select few will be hunting down the Red Army."

"Do you want the Red Army fucking gone, then?" Tommy asks skeptically. If Sparrow wanted the Red Army gone, he wouldn't have sold Technician the copper golem. There might be a reason for the sale, but Tommy thinks that is the norm. Whatever is going on right now is the exception.

"If I can be frank, I really don't care. I've done enough business with the Red Army that my life is more or less assured in the fallout of civilization. Oh, don't worry, though, I'm not here to stop you and your friends, either. If you want them gone, by all means, take them out like the dogs they are," Sparrow says pleasantly. His eyes crinkle as he smiles. The lighting of the alleyway shifts, putting Sparrow in darkness. He suddenly looks dangerous, and Tommy gets a small inkling of why several villains have chosen to leave Sparrow alive instead of demanding he hand over his goods.

"What the fuck do you want?" Tommy snaps, refusing to let this guy terrify him. Sparrow's smile shrinks to allow his eyes to open wide. In the darkness, the teal streaks in his eyes seem to glow. In fact, they are pulsating with light. It is faint but noticeable.

"How should I put this? The Scarlet Demoness is... well, she's like my friend, if I were to put a name to our relationship. It's complicated, really, not worth explaining actually. Just know that we are close enough that I don't want her to die. I would also not like her to be in pain or to be brainwashed if I can help it. Which, I can't, not physically, anyway. I'm not much of a fighter. I am, however, a builder, and I've brought a few toys over that might make the process of capturing her alive and healthy a little smoother," Sparrow answers. He raises his hand. His drone lowers down onto his palm. The top of the drone unlatches like a box. Sparrow digs his hand inside the drone, and Tommy realizes that some sort of spatial power must be put on it because too much of Sparrow's arm is missing.

Sparrow pulls a few items, confirming Tommy's suspicions. He already suspected Sparrow had access to Enderian magic considering how the copper golem came from a cube eerily similar to Sparrow's drone, only less refined with more exposed innards. Tommy wonders what Sparrow traded to get access to ancient magic from the Ender Isles.

Sparrow leans down on the ground, placing each item down with a slightly disgusted look on his face. Tommy squats on his knees to get a closer look at the items. There are a few power suppressor bracelets meant to repress the abilities of an esper. Sparrow sets down a couple of vials. Tommy doesn't know exactly what they are used for, but he assumes they are tranquilizers because of the device Sparrow puts down next. It is like an automatic, mechanical injector with the needle hidden by the plastic. Sparrow gestures to the goods, but the drone's latch doesn't slide shut. "The power suppressors are fine-tuned to the Scarlet Demoness' powers. They will work on others, but they're less effective unless they have esper abilities within her class. The tranquilizers, also, are perfectly harmless. They should knock her- or really, anyone- unconscious for about six hours, give or take a few minutes. You shouldn't use too many of them on one person, so if it doesn't work immediately, wait a few minutes. I promise it will."

Sparrow turns back to his drone. He starts pulling out more items of a different type than the power suppressors and the tranquilizer vials. These are weapons. There is a crossbow made from black metal and purple wiring that glows with the iridescent shine of an enchantment. The next is a bracer with a groove that is filled with a grappling hook's wire and hook. Two twin sickles are placed on the ground, the curving blade made from a dark pink metal and the handles wrapped up in a green-black ribbon. The last item is a baton with a hidden button that Tommy instinctively knows will make the baton into a staff. Sparrow runs his fingers along the weapons.

"I started making these as soon as Briar told me who was on the team. The crossbow has an enchantment for infinite arrows and fire resistance. If Watcher is going to be blowing anything up, this crossbow should hold up fairly well against the barrage. The bracer is meant to replace Good Guy's grappling hook. If it isn't attached to him, it could get lost easily. Plus, the closer it is to his form, the less likely it is that the Scarlet Demoness will be able to manipulate it. The sickles don't have much fanfare. It's a more durable metal than the ones Briar has, but there isn't anything fancy to it, just the way she likes," Sparrow stalls, picking up the baton. He twists it around in his hand before setting it in Tommy's palm. The closeness unnerves Tommy, but Sparrow pulls back before the blonde can grow upset. Sparrow nods toward the baton on Tommy's back. "I gave you the works, though. Unbreaking enchantment, smoother process of switching its forms. I also made it out of Netherite. You're part of the Hero's Guild, aren't you? Why isn't your weapon already made out of Netherite?"

Tommy glances down at the enchanted baton weighing down in his hand. He can see the sheen of Netherite hidden in the reflective metal. Tommy finds a chance to meet his eyes. He's thankful for his red-tinted glasses because he knows that his blue eyes will make him remember more clearly why he doesn't have a Netherite weapon in the first place. He shakes his head, getting rid of the thoughts and memories.

"Thanks, I guess," Tommy murmurs to Sparrow. He helps the broker put the tools and weapons back into the drone. Tommy stares into the dark, abyssal depths of the drone. He shakes his head, glancing at Sparrow from the corner of his eye. Enchanted weapons made from Netherite and the use of Enderian magic are all expensive, powerful stuff. "You must be pretty fucking close with the Scarlet Demoness to give us all this."

"This is just a loan. I am fully expecting to get my money back somehow," Sparrow says, but a faraway look crosses his eyes. Tommy stares, thinking about what Good Guy told him about the Scarlet Demoness and what Briar mentioned about Sparrow. The broker does seem like the type of person who could benefit from powers like hers. Maybe he backed her when she became a villainess in exchange for using her powers? Tommy thinks the answer is credible, but part of him isn't sure that is the likely answer.

Sparrow looks up at Tommy, perhaps noticing Tommy's stare or his curiosity. Sparrow gives Tommy a cheeky, distant smile. He is separating himself from the situation, Tommy realizes. Tommy lets him go. It doesn't really matter to Tommy what sort of relationship Sparrow and the Scarlet Demoness have.

"I think I've started my relationship with you off on the right foot. We'll do proper business soon, Vendetta," Sparrow says. He stands up, looking down at Tommy's squatting form. He takes a piece of paper out of his jacket pocket. He leans down and presses it to Tommy's hand. Sparrow forcibly closes Tommy's fingers around the paper. Sparrow's touch lingers there as his body transforms. Tommy's eyes widen as Sparrow turns into a cloud of sparkles the same color as the streaks in his eyes. These sparkles collectively rise higher in the air until they are literally flying out of the alleyway. Sparrow is gone, leaving Tommy behind with the abandoned drone and the slip of paper in his hand.

Tommy tucks the drone underneath his arm. The pinpricks twist to look up at him. Tommy lifts his arm, and the drone floats up beside him. Tommy raises an eyebrow at the weird creature. He shakes his head, staring down at his closed fist. He lifts his fingers up, flipping the paper against his palm. Coordinates are inked across the white. Tommy doesn't know where exactly the coordinates lead, but Sparrow's handwriting along the bottom informs Tommy what the coordinates are for. He is meant to bring the Scarlet Demoness to a safehouse owned and protected by Sparrow.

Tommy tucks the paper away in his pocket. He continues to his meeting, the drone following behind like a dutiful servant. He's going to have to capture Pearl first, then he'll see what the safehouse is like.