The scenery whizzed by, the warm lighting and high arches of the Coffers blurring as we rocketed toward the brightly lit, superficial cesspool of degeneracy. A place where street violence was rampant and corpses were common. And I have no training. I sighed, a feeling of inadequacy burgeoning in my heart. I turned back to Johnny, who stood hanging onto a dangling handle from the ceiling. Although antiquated, the handles were still encouraged for safety purposes, despite the lack of accidents in recent years. "Are you sure we're going to be alright?"
"Do you doubt me?" He stared out the window, fiddling with a cigarette.
I shook my head. "I just… Derrick's comment is nagging at me."
"About the women?"
"No," I glanced back out, watching as the large mid-rise buildings slowly streaked toward us through the gaps in the Coffer's buildings. "Well, sort of. I don't have any training… and I've heard Brilliante is full of danger. Am I— Do you think I'm ready?"
"I don't." He looked down at me, the shadow of what felt like pity in his eyes. "But let's be realistic, what other choice do we have? Every second counts. We can't afford to spend a year making you a fighter."
"I know…" I stared dejectedly at the ground. "It just feels like I can't do anything myself. One sweaty old terrorist still almost killed me. Now I have a mythological figure on my back… I don't know what I was—"
He sighed loudly, interrupting my train of thought as he plopped into the seat next to me, focusing his gaze on me. "Strength in the face of adversity is one of the greatest traits one can have." He leaned back, his back popping. "Don't sell yourself short. You can't be brave if you have nothing to fear. But if it's all going to hell, don't forget you have me, us."
I felt for my new knife, the feeling of the handle in my hand both calming my present self and at the same time making me fear for the future where I'd have to draw it again. "I'm scared," I murmured.
"Even if things don't end up how you want, you still have plenty of time. Don't discount the future because of today." He placed a hand on my shoulder, and I sat up, looking him in the eye again. "Let me tell you a story.
"I'm from Axis— the industry district, originally. Like you, my family wasn't very well off. They worked hard so I could study to get a better job. I still helped with their factory work occasionally, bringing them lunch, but mostly, I studied. My mother died in a factory accident while taking my coward father's place on a job he was too scared to do. He faked being sick. So, when I overheard his boss grumbling about how that 'accident' was supposed to kill my father…" Johnny's fist tightened enough to make his leather glove squeak. "I lost it.
"Sure, he was a piece of shit. But he didn't deserve to die, and my mother certainly didn't. I picked up a wrench, snuck into his office… and beat him until every bone in his body was splintered before caving in his skull." He paused, taking a breath. "He didn't have any cameras in there thankfully, so the company called in the Detective— this was just around when he was getting started, so his fees were cheap. It didn't take him twenty minutes to come knocking at my front door. But instead of dragging me away to his employers, he asked me what happened. I told him my story, and he sympathized with me, saying he 'liked the fire in my eyes.' He returned his payment, took me in and had me join his small cohort as a trainee. Now, I'm here."
I paused, mouth open. "Thank you." All I could do was nod slowly, studying the look in his eyes.
He nodded. "Just because it wasn't what you thought was going to happen, doesn't mean it isn't for the better— even if it hurts, even if it's awful. If I didn't go through that, I more than likely would've died in a factory before I hit adulthood. He saved me, even if it wasn't what I wanted at first. I owe him everything for that." He let out a chuckle. "I sure as shit didn't have an Icon, any training, or a chance to fix what was broken, but I survived. You're stronger than you realize, and your situation is salvageable, you'll be okay."
I teared up, an uncontrollable sob escaping me. "T-thank you." Maybe it was his powers, maybe not, but the strong will to struggle even if it was hopeless burned ever brighter in my heart. No matter what happened, with him by my side, there was a chance.
"Chin up kid." He smiled softly, gesturing with the cigarette he'd been playing with out the window. "We're almost there."
Wiping away the sparse tears, I looked out as we approached. Towering buildings rose overhead ranging from five stories, to almost forty. They were massive brutalist structures made of concrete and plated in painted steel. Each one had a number, a symbol, or some sort of denomination along its side, clearly giving each one a unique identity despite their architectural similarity. Massive flatscreen glowing holograms stuck to the sides of the buildings, occasionally being outshone by 3D ones that twisted and churned above the streets. Massive dragons, huge fish, and fearsome warriors danced in the sky, making the smokey air rich with vibrant swaths of color.
My mouth hung open, pure shock and awe striking me like a hammer. "Wh-what...?"
"Have you never been inside?"
"No, I…" I trailed off, watching as pixelated neon-blue woman in a very loose, revealing dress, floated up to the window, shaking what her developers had given her in front of the glass. My face heated, and my gaze locked on the floor of the train. "I-it's really pretty."
Johnny chuckled, patting me on the back. "You're going to have to get used to that kid."
With my eyes still locked on the ground, I continued, "I didn't realize what it was… like here."
"You're from the Coffers, how could you? You've been subconsciously trained to hate it because it opposes the haughty stick-up-the-ass culture of your home."
"You like it here?"
He snorted. "Oh, absolutely not. It's a disgusting trash-filled cesspool. Place reminds me of home. When we get to the streets, the deep ones, you'll see that. Just have to learn to look past the flashing lights."