As A-Train shattered the sound barrier, the destination drew closer.
The fire had engulfed nearly the entire town, its flames licking the sky.
Even though A-Train’s heart condition had been cured, the sheer intensity of the effort left him gasping for air.
When they were almost there, Bruce ordered him to stop.
Stepping off the makeshift tow truck, Bruce untied the ropes from A-Train.
“Now, carry me on your back,” Bruce commanded. “When we get there, people will definitely be taking pictures. A-Train, you’re about to become famous again.”
“Famous for what?” A-Train grumbled. Fame was the last thing on his mind—he just wanted to catch his breath.
“No time to rest! Go save some lives!”
Bruce’s tone was sharp and uncompromising. “With all the things you’ve done, this is your chance to start making amends. Be grateful you even have this opportunity!”
A-Train sighed. He was completely at Bruce’s mercy.
Stuffing a few of the cupcakes he’d packed earlier into his mouth, he forced them down and started running again.
Finally, they arrived at the scene.
The fire had turned the area into a chaotic inferno. Fire trucks sprayed streams of water into the blaze, but it wasn’t enough.
“My child! My child is still in there!”
A woman’s anguished cries pierced the chaos as others held her back to stop her from rushing into the flames.
The fire roared, growing fiercer by the second. The onlookers were gripped with despair.
Suddenly—
Beep beep!
A signature sound broke through the commotion.
The crowd’s spirits lifted as recognition dawned.
It was A-Train’s arrival cue. A hero was here.
With a gust of wind, A-Train appeared on the scene, Bruce perched on his back.
“We’re here to help!”
Bruce hopped off and wasted no time. He drew his wand and began chanting. Streams of water materialized out of thin air, dousing the flames.
This was the power of the superhero wizard.
“What are you waiting for?” Bruce hissed at A-Train. “Need me to whip you into action? Get in there and save some people!”
Could he be any more irritating?
A-Train shot Bruce a glare but knew he couldn’t argue. Bruce held all the cards. The least he could do was treat A-Train with a little respect, right?
Fine, whatever. He’d finish the job and demand a meal afterward.
After a quick breather, A-Train’s superhuman metabolism kicked in, restoring a fraction of his energy. Without another word, he activated his speed and dashed into the blaze.
To the astonished crowd, it looked like A-Train’s silhouette was flickering in and out of existence. Each time he reappeared, he carried another survivor to safety.
By the end, the crisis was over.
No lives were lost.
—
Afterward, the crowd surrounded A-Train and Bruce, refusing to leave.
Phones were raised to capture every angle of their heroic figures.
Reporters armed with professional cameras and flashing lights jockeyed for position.
“A-Train, you’re amazing!”
“Bruce, you were incredible too!”
“Thank you both!”
The genuine gratitude from the crowd made it hard for A-Train to suppress a small, proud smile.
“No problem! Just doing my job!” he said cheerfully.
“Ahem.” Bruce’s pointed cough cut through his moment of glory.
Realizing his misstep, A-Train quickly corrected himself.
“I mean—we’re just doing our job!”
Throwing an arm around Bruce, A-Train recited the talking points Bruce had drilled into him earlier.
“It was Bruce who spotted the news first and immediately reached out to me.”
“Even though the fire was far away, being superheroes, we knew no challenge was too great!”
The crowd erupted into applause.
The story spread rapidly online, with praise showered on both heroes.
People weren’t shy about expressing their admiration for Bruce in particular:
“Bruce Wayne is doing his best to become a hero today!”
“He’s learning from everyone around him and will definitely become the greatest hero ever!”
“Look at his relationship with A-Train—Bruce is blending into the Seven so quickly!”
But as the praise mounted, A-Train felt a creeping sense of dread.
Oh no.
The implications hit him like a freight train.
What if Homelander saw these reports?
A rookie teaming up with A-Train and earning such public acclaim—it might look like A-Train was harboring resentment and trying to form his own faction.
It would be a disastrous misunderstanding.
Everyone knew about A-Train’s unwavering loyalty to Homelander. How could anyone doubt it?
Panic rising, A-Train decided he needed to explain himself to Homelander immediately.
But Bruce cut off the idea with a single sentence.
“Running to explain yourself now would only make you look guilty.”
“You planned this, didn’t you?” A-Train’s glare sharpened. “Now everyone thinks I’m mentoring you, helping you become a hero. It’s like we’re tied together!”
“And that bothers you?” Bruce asked with a smirk. “Who’s teaching who about being a hero, really?”
Damn it—
A-Train clenched his teeth, furious. He’d walked right into Bruce’s trap.
Bruce was probably just some reckless kid, too young to grasp how dangerous Homelander was.
These headlines might look positive, but they were a ticking time bomb.
“Bruce, I get that you’re trying to ride my coattails, but you need to understand how terrifying Homelander is…”
A-Train’s tone was almost pleading.
Bruce held up a hand to stop him.
“A-Train, it’s too late now.”
Pulling out his phone, Bruce showed A-Train a comment from a popular video of their rescue effort.
The comment’s author had an owl avatar—clearly one of Bruce’s fans.
It read:
“Wow, with A-Train’s guidance, Bruce Wayne will surely become the next Homelander!”
A-Train’s heart nearly stopped.
“Who the hell wrote this garbage?!”
His composure shattered. A comment like that, if seen by Homelander, would seal his fate.
Homelander wouldn’t bother asking for an explanation. He’d assume A-Train was scheming to groom a replacement and crush him on the spot.
Loyalty wouldn’t matter. Homelander’s paranoia would trump all.
The injustice was unbearable.
“Who’s the idiot spreading this nonsense?!” A-Train shouted, his voice tinged with despair.
He realized there was no turning back now. His public association with Bruce had become inescapable.
Bruce interrupted his spiral with a surprising statement.
“Relax, A-Train. That comment’s already been deleted. It was up for less than a second—no one else saw it.”
“Really?”
Hope flickered in A-Train’s eyes.
But Bruce quickly dashed it.
“Doesn’t matter. The narrative’s already taken root. People see us as a team now, and there’s no changing that.”
Before A-Train could protest further, Bruce dropped an even bigger bombshell.
“A-Train, I need to tell you something. Someone is plotting against the Seven, aiming to overthrow everything.”
A-Train stared at him in disbelief.
“Who?”
“Me,” Bruce said with a smile.
—
T/N: redemption arc potentially maybe idk beep beep
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