Kayday
patreon
50 - Happy Birthday, Honeybee
🕑 Added 2025-03-01 20:51:35 +0000 UTC“So that’s why people were staring at us on the way here,” Lexie teased looking up at her dad as they exited the shop, walking down the quaint cobbled walkways. “Because you’re famous.”
“I thought that might be one reason,” he chuckled. “I didn't want to say it or someone would accuse me of not being humble again.”
“We can’t have that,” Lexie said. “So out here, your [Hero] popularity beat out your [Villain] infamy?”
“You could say that,” he said. They were passing a small quiet neighborhood now with people walking dogs and other creatures that looked vaguely like pets. “The people of Indigo are, shall we say, more open-minded to certain crimes. Especially when you have a strong motive for it. It’s seen and largely accepted as a part of the landscape as long as it does not cross certain lines. The area itself is rife with crime but polite gangs will often deal with each other to maintain peace. And of course, the constant threat from District 8 means that there’s something unifying most of the citizens so they largely try not to kill each other."
"Ah. I see."
“Yes. Most of the world isn’t like Arcadia and Capital City where there are lots of [Heroes]. Most places are like Indigo, with limited transient mana, so heroes only pop in once in a while, do their jobs, and leave. Some regions don't even have branches of the hero association. And over in those places, heroes are revered.”
“They’re revered in Arcadia, still I think,” Lexie countered. She remembered how all the kids in her class had pressed their noses to the window, buzzing with excitement at the thought of seeing a hero.
Aiden shook his head. “No. It’s on a whole different level here. In Arcadia, [Heroes] are mostly associated with spectacle and politics and maintaining followers and sponsorships. They’ve become heroic entertainers. Some [Heroes] enjoy it, and some of them hate it. For better or for worse, it’s what helps them do their job now, with less fallout.”
“Fall out in what sense?”
They had happened upon a park and Aiden held her hand so they could walk through it. Kids played on slides and swings, while parents sat at benches by the pretty trees with purple flowers.
Aiden led Lexie to a bench as he spoke.
“A [Hero]'s work is basically about balance. And back in the day that was hard to achieve. There were too many moving parts…politically, and socially. Yes, the role means that we could technically attend to any crime anywhere and it gave us jurisdiction in every government. But some governments will fight you about it. Not to mention the local law enforcement. Sometimes the citizens themselves actively did not want your presence and would dissuade you from doing your job."
“Why?”
“[Heroes] tend to leave a lot of carnage behind, sometimes by no fault of their own," Aiden said. “Especially back in the day when some of the Forbidden skills and more dangerous powers had not yet been removed by the system and the [Hero's] association was too disjointed and corrupt to control their more volatile capes. At the same time, no one could do anything about it. [Heroes] were too powerful and they also had far more supporters than those who otherwise did not like them. But slowly with enough time and destruction, the scale started to tip the other way. There were active calls for reform in the hero’s association and protests against heroes. The voices of dissent grew and grew until the association couldn't ignore it anymore.”
“And then what happened?”
“Well, in came a man called Dominic Vacek, who was elected the new head of the Hero’s Association. He completely changed the system by which heroes worked, put a whole lot more restrictions, emphasized proper behavior and training, and basically upended the definition of heroism. His regime also focused on building political relationships and humanizing heroes through sponsorships to appeal to the public so they were no longer seen as unrelatable superhumans that were close to gods, but they were now regular gifted humans who were trying to do the best thing for everyone. And the rebrand worked. Heroes were no longer untouchable gods. They were now endearing things that had action figures and toys made after them. The Public love for them grew as they saw how hard Heroes worked to abide by the new rules and reduce the level of destruction caused by [Villains]. Dominic’s focus on [Heroes] keeping a squeaky clean image also helped." Aiden nodded. “Most [Heroes] were happy about this or at least tolerated it because it made it easier to do their job. They don’t necessarily enjoy the interviews and the need to make a spectacle of themselves, but they understand the need for it. But some heroes really really hate it.”
"Why?’
“Familiarity breeds contempt. Some would rather be hated deities than beloved entertainers that are simply seen as a step above mundane law enforcement.”
"Ah." Lexie thought about it. She also thought about how Theo Firebringer said hero work was now more invisible, more in the background. And also how he mentioned paperwork with distaste and apprehension. He wouldn’t hurt Mouse even when Mouse was actively trying to kill him. Maybe it wasn't just about his personal code. Maybe that 'paperwork' was more than she thought.
She understood how Vacek's new policies made things better, but she maybe understood the other side a little too, how it would make it harder for them to do their job in some ways.
“Xena told me that her parents were killed by a [Hero],” Lexie revealed. It wasn’t a secret because Xena implied that Emma knew, which meant that Aiden also probably knew.
He confirmed it by nodding.
“She said to the guy who did it, he got away scot-free. Got relocated to a different planet to do [Hero] work.”
Aiden was quiet for a while considering his words carefully. “I’m not really familiar with the case and how it was resolved. But getting sent off to a different planet isn’t the vacation you think it is. Apart from those like the Fae, some of those planets are virtual hellscapes. So it might be a punishment worse than you imagine.”
Leixe was quiet. They observed a few people playing in the park and she said, “A place like this could probably use more [Heroes].”
“Yes. But like healers, there aren't enough to go around. And [Hero] academies are usually stringent about who they let in, thanks to Vacek as well. The standards cannot be lowered for anyone despite the dearth of [Heroes] because they to be strong enough to do what needs to be done."
Lexie nodded. "That's kind of the reason I want to do what I want to do with the cards. To make it such that people don't have to so reliant on [Heroes] and [Healers] and they can do it themselves. It's ridiculous that such a highly advanced world is lagging in some basic things and the system forces people to be reliant on the [Roles] that have been created."
Aiden didn't say anything for some time, but there was some pride in his eyes as he regarded her. "I agree. But you realize how difficult what you're discussing will be, right?"
She nodded and eyed the wooden chest in his hand. "But you're still going to teach me. Right?"
He nodded. "Yes. But in steps. There are several of them when you're crafting a card. Apart from the numerous series of complex measures to creating a card pathway, the real hard part is going to be identifying the intent of a skill."
Lexie cocked her head. "What does that mean?"
"To give you a surface explanation, the intent is the thing that governs how a card works. For example <Hustle and Shuffle> makes you faster but it does that by making you lighter. Why? And why does <Party Hopper> only do backflips? And why do you need a contract with a creature before you can use <Handy Helper>?"
Lexie couldn't answer the questions, so she remained quiet as he kept talking.
"Cards are deceptively simple, but making them is very complex. Every part of card creation is governed by intent behind the skill and to understand that you have to look back to what the Fae were thinking when they made cards." He smiled. "There's a large inventory book in the World Library of every card ever made, some of which are no longer in use today and have stopped being produced. A card scholar should be able to access that inventory and study it to identify the intent behind each card. It helps them in creating a new card if they can get themselves to think in the same way the Fae did." He sighed. "You don't have access to all that so it makes it a little more difficult. You might have to start with remaking and tweaking cards that already exist. And even with that, it will still likely be hard because I don't have all the resources to properly teach you. And neither does Elvira." He gave her a knowing look as though he knew about her deal with the other woman.
Lexie didn't turn away. "That's alright. I don't mind if it's hard. I'm doing it anyway."
His smile widened and turned softer. "Your mother would have been so proud of you."
Lexie shrugged. "Maybe or maybe not. You said she was a fighter right? Maybe she'll be embarrassed because I'm not as strong as her."
Aiden looked surprised for a second. And then he laughed.
“What?”
“I’ve been trying not to have this conversation for so long," he chuckled at his private joke. “But I don’t know how much longer I can keep it in.”
“What is it?” Lexie was immediately dying of curiosity. “What conversation?”
He sighed dramatically. “I don’t know. I told your mother I wouldn't tell you until you were much older, but I see you watching those games on your pad and it’s just too much at this point.”
"What is it? Tell me what?"
"You know I don’t like to gossip, Lexie."
"Yes, you do! Tell me, Dad.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
She huffed and puffed. “Fine don’t tell me.”
Lexie could tell he was toying with her and she was getting annoyed. She wanted to pretend she didn’t care and glanced at the children in the park but the question continued nagging her.
"I swear if you don't tell me, I'm going to hold my breath until I pass out."
Aiden laughed louder at her threat and Lexie got antsier and anxious, so much so that she tried to walk off. At which point Aiden relented, pulling her back into the bench and tucking her against his side.
“Alright fine I’ll tell you. You know the Fighter tournament you like to watch so much?”
“Yes.”
“Well, your mother was once a prominent competitor,” he said. “You used to watch the games with her all the time. And she wanted to show you her own matches when you got older." He winked at Lexie. "She was one of the first and youngest female competitors to win a Golden Glove.”
Lexie gaped. Her jaw was clean of her face for more than ten seconds, She didn’t think she’d ever received news this shocking in her life.
"Look her up when we get home," he said. "Her fighter name was Jane Phoenix."
“She sounds so cool!”
“She was. She even got a badge as an all-star tapper."
A choked sound escaped her lips and Aiden smile turned wry.
"I assume you know what that means."
Lexie nodded slowly. It meant she'd triggered the highest amount of submission tap-outs.
“How on earth did you even meet her?” Lexie wondered aloud and Aiden burst out laughing. She laughed too, as she said, “No offense but…I don’t know how she got interested in you. Two of you just seem like you're from two different worlds.”
“That’s a nice way of saying you think she’s way out of my league.”
“No,” Lexie lied weakly. “That’s not what I meant.”
But Aiden simply shook his head and tweaked her nose.
“We were from two different worlds and she was way out of my league,” he said. “Surprisingly, she actually approached me first.”
“She did?”
“Yes but not for romantic reasons. She wanted my help doing something highly illegal," he said. “Someone told her a rumor that I could create slow-timed pocket dimensions and she wanted me to make one for her. So she could go into it, and train for three weeks for a match she had, and then only a couple of hours would have passed.”
“Did you?”
He gave her a look like she was crazy. “Of course not. Even if I could do something like that, which I couldn’t, do you have any idea how much trouble I would have gotten into?”
“Boring.” Lexie was disappointed in her father’s lack of daring. “You’re such a goody-two-shoes.”
“That was what Lara said as well. But there’s nothing wrong with being a rule follower.” Her father sniffed indignantly. “She kept bugging me about it but I remained firm and told her that I couldn't do it. But she didn't give up. She wanted to wear me down so she would pop up randomly trying to get me to do more illegal things for her. I think she was just doing it to bother me at that point, or maybe as an excuse to talk to me. And somehow, we fell in love.” He smiled at the setting sun. “She introduced me to Max, who was her class partner and frenemy, I think? She kicked his ass for something stupid he did but they had to work together on some projects and so they were forced to be friends. In any case, I thought they were dating at one point, but they both expressed such disgust with the idea that it was clear that it wasn't possible. And then somewhere along the line…things happened."
“Who asked who out?" Lexie wanted to know next.
Aiden laughed a sound of pure joy as he shut his eyes. “I’m not sure how to answer that. We both have drastically different explanations for that and in my view, she asked me out first, but she insists I did it first. Which I suppose I did do by dropping very subtle hints that I was going to ask her out the next weekend, in a very romantic way. But she got impatient before then and said, 'Fine, you've twisted my arm. Let's go on a date.'"
Lexie chuckled and then they both fell silent. Birds could be heard chirping in the distance. The calming cold nipped the edge of her nose and some playing children’s mother had finally arrived to collect them. They happily grabbed each of her hands and then danced away, one of them tearing off to run ahead of the other.
“The teaching job,” Lexie finally broached the subject. “You didn’t seem all that happy about it.”
Aiden was quiet for a few beats.
“I thought you would be,” Lexie admitted. “I see how much you like teaching. I mean you even liked teaching those elders, even though they were being brats.”
He seemed amused at the description, but his words were somber.
“When I lost my teaching job at first it was almost as bad as being told I would lose my powers forever,” he said. “You’re right. I loved teaching. It was something that brought me genuine joy and fulfillment, maybe even more than hero work. Ever since I lost it, my life felt empty. I didn’t know how I would cope at first. I filled up my time with a lot of hobbies, cooking, helping Max with his various adventures, and educating myself on napkin conventions and origami occasionally. But none of that quite scratched that itch. But I got over the devastation. I learned to live without it, to find joy in other things. To dedicate my life to being a good dad. And now going back into it…”
“You can teach and still be a good dad.”
“I know that. That’s not what I’m worried about it. It’s…”
Lexie instantly understood. "You’re afraid it’s going to be hard to give it up again. In case they decide to fire you, it will be twice as painful."
“Something like that. You’re very perceptive.”
“Well, I am your daughter.”
“And also very good at buttering me up.”
Lexie laughed. “For what it’s worth, I think you should do it. Life’s too short to keep yourself from doing things you love. And if it doesn't work out then all you have to do is pick up the pieces again.” She shrugged. “After all, if you’ve done it once, you've shown yourself you can do it again.”
Aiden gazed at his daughter for several fathomless minutes, the pride returning and mixing in with the melancholy.
“I spoke to a therapist recently,” he said. “The court ordered one. He told me that maybe I was trying too hard to relate to you and not hard enough to parent you.”
“Meaning what?”
“In plain language he said, 'Your children are not your friends. And you shouldn’t treat them as such.'”
“But I like being your friend.”
“Me too. But I'm not sure if that means I'm doing a bad job. Sometimes I feel like you’re far too mature for your age, and it makes me feel like my lack of parenting is preventing you from being a proper child."
"Oh," she said. "I just think I’m not very good at being a child in general." She stared at the sky. "I don’t think I ever was.”
Another bird chirped before Aiden spoke again.
"I know banning you from experimenting on your own is probably not going to work. It will only make you start to do more things behind my back. So I've decided to support you instead. But I just want you to come to me first, and let me help you. I don't want anything bad to happen to you. You can be anything you want, Lexie, do anything you want. Just be safe and be happy."
"I’ll try," she said. "And I want you to be happy too."
"I am happy." He smiled and leaned in to kiss her forehead. “Happy birthday, honeybee."
