Super Nuts Chapter 18: Dinner Date

Friction glanced at his watch for the fifth time as he sat in the waiting area of the small Italian restaurant. It read 6:55 PM. The last time he had checked his digital clock it read 6:53. His knee bounced up and down as he tapped his foot against the floor at a rapid pace, unable to sit still. Somehow he felt more nervous about seeing his ex-sidekick again than he did when facing off against most villains. The hero couldn't help it. He was so worried about Maya. Worried about how to reconnect with her. Worried if she even wanted to reconnect with him. Or if this was just one last dinner before she said goodbye for good.

Maya had been so distant since leaving the Hero Association - taking days or even weeks to reply to his texts. Rejecting all his phone calls besides the most recent call when he had practically begged her to accept. Maya had seemed distracted during that call too. Ethan couldn't help but think back to all the news stories he had seen about that new vigilante Shadow Demon. The powers matched… but he couldn't believe that Maya would dole out such cruel punishment. Even to villains. Not that innocent, starry eyed girl he was once lucky enough to call his sidekick.

He let out a long sigh and ran his hands down his black jacket, smoothing out a few wrinkles in the high quality fabric. *Relax Ethan, one step at a time,* he reminded himself internally while expectantly staring at the glass front door to the restaurant, getting equal parts excited and nervous at the sound of any approaching footsteps. The fact that she had accepted his date suggestion provided Ethan with some relief. If she really wanted nothing to do with him anymore, Maya easily could've disappeared into the shadows forever. A small smile appeared on his lips as the image of her blushing face suddenly popped into his head from the time she had originally asked him on a date all those years ago. The way she had visibly gathered her courage before shyly stuttering out the request. Of course, he had let her down lightly back then since he wasn't at all comfortable with dating his own much younger sidekick. He never would've thought that date would end up happening under such different circumstances.

The click of Maya's heels against the pavement outside Riccardo's echoed the rapid thumping of her heart in her chest as she approached the restaurant. She was really doing this. Going on a date with Ethan, the man she had idolized and longed for since she was just a teenage sidekick. The man who had rejected her once before. *Get it together, Maya,* she chastised herself, taking a deep breath to steady her nerves. She couldn't afford to let her guard down, not even for a moment. Ethan was too perceptive, too attuned to her moods and mannerisms. If he saw even a hint of the darkness that had taken root in her soul, the ruthless determination to crush villains at any cost, he would be horrified. Maybe even disgusted.

Maya had agonized over her outfit for hours, discarding dress after dress as she tried to find the perfect balance between alluring and innocuous. She couldn't risk Ethan seeing her as Shadow Demon, couldn't let him glimpse the darkness that had taken root in her soul. But she also wanted to impress him, to make him see her as a woman, not just his former sidekick. In the end, she had settled on a simple black cocktail dress, the fabric clinging to her curves like a second skin. The neckline dipped low, revealing a tantalizing hint of cleavage, while the hem skimmed the tops of her thighs, showcasing her long, toned legs. She had paired it with a set of strappy black heels, the sharp click of the stilettos against the pavement a satisfying counterpoint to the soft sway of her hips. Her hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail, not a single strand out of place. But it was her eyes that truly stood out, the deep purple of her irises seeming to glimmer with an inner light. She had lined them with smoky kohl, the dark makeup making them appear even more striking, even more mesmerizing.

With a final, fortifying breath, Maya pushed open the door to the restaurant, her eyes immediately searching for Ethan in the small waiting area. She spotted him instantly, his tall, lean frame impossible to miss among the scattered patrons. He looked good, she noted with a pang of longing, his dark hair slightly mussed, his black jacket tailored to perfection. As she approached Ethan, she felt a flutter of nerves in her stomach, the shadows below her subtly twitching in agitation. But she pushed them down, forcing a smile to her lips as she closed the distance between them. She couldn't afford to let her guard down, not even for a moment. Not when so much was at stake. "Ethan," she greeted softly as she approached, her voice carefully neutral. She couldn't risk letting him see the swirl of emotions in her eyes, the desperate, hungry way she drank in the sight of him. "It's good to see you."

Ethan's breath caught in his throat when he saw Maya walk through the door. She was undoubtedly the same girl he knew, had spent so much time with, but at the same time so very different. Less girl and more woman. A beautiful, alluring woman at that.

"M-Maya…" he stuttered lightly, jaw slightly agape. It took a second for him to regain his senses before a big grin overtook his face and he quickly stood up from the bench he was sitting on. Without hesitation he stepped towards her and wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. No matter how much she might've changed, she was still his student. Still the most important person in his life. It felt so damn good to hold her again. The two heroes had embraced many times before when Ethan had comforted her after a rookie mistake or really whenever she needed some emotional support, but this hug was different. Instead of wanting to cheer her up, it was more like he wanted to hold onto her tightly so she couldn't run away again. For a few moments that he wished could last forever, he simply held her. No words were needed to convey how he felt.

Maya froze for a moment in Ethan's embrace, her body going rigid with surprise at the unexpected contact. It had been so long since anyone had touched her with such open affection, such genuine warmth, that she had almost forgotten what it felt like. For a single, blissful instant, she allowed herself to melt into Ethan's arms, her cheek resting against the smooth fabric of his jacket. He smelled just like she remembered, a clean, crisp scent with a hint of something uniquely him. But then reality came crashing back, and Maya pulled away abruptly, a forced smile plastered across her face. She couldn't let herself get lost in the moment, couldn't let Ethan see the effect he still had on her. Not when she had worked so hard to build up her walls and lock away the weak, vulnerable parts of herself.

"It's good to see you too, Ethan," she said, her voice carefully modulated to sound cheerful and casual. She gestured to the restaurant with a tilt of her head, eager to escape the intimacy of the embrace. "Shall we? I'm starving." She didn't wait for his response, instead turning on her heel and striding towards the dining room. The restaurant was small and intimate, the tables draped with crisp white linens and adorned with flickering candles. She spotted her desired table immediately, nestled in a cozy corner away from the other diners.

As she walked, Maya could feel Ethan's eyes on her, boring into her back with an intensity that made her skin prickle. She knew he was trying to read her, to penetrate the mask she wore so carefully. But she couldn't let him see what lay beneath, couldn't let him glimpse the darkness that consumed her. When they reached the table, Maya slid into her seat with a fluid grace, crossing her legs at the ankle and smoothing her dress over her thighs. She picked up the menu, using it as a shield to hide her face from Ethan's probing gaze. She had to be careful tonight and keep her secrets close. Because if Ethan ever found out what she had become, what she was capable of… She shuddered at the thought, her stomach twisting with a sickening mix of fear and shame. No, she couldn't let that happen. She would play her part, would be the innocent, cheerful Maya that Ethan remembered. And maybe, just maybe, she could convince herself that she was still that girl too. Just for tonight.

Ethan could already tell that Maya was acting differently. She was never the one to shut down conversation in favor of expediency. In fact, one of Ethan's greatest struggles during her sidekick education was teaching her when she needed to shut up and focus. During days off? She released all the pent up sentences.

He studied the parts of her face visible behind the menu for a few seconds before picking up and looking at his own menu. "So, how have you been Maya?" he asked with a hint of concern in his voice. Whatever the case, he was worried about her.

Maya's eyes flicked up from the menu, meeting Ethan's gaze with a carefully constructed expression of cheerful nonchalance. "Oh, you know me," she said with a casual wave of her hand, "always getting into trouble." She punctuated the statement with a tinkling laugh, but it sounded forced and brittle to her own ears. She could feel Ethan's eyes boring into her, trying to peel back the layers of her carefully crafted facade. She knew he could sense that something was off, that she wasn't the same bright-eyed sidekick he had once known. But she couldn't let him see the truth, couldn't let him glimpse the darkness that had taken root in her soul.

"I've been keeping busy," she continued, her voice carefully modulated to sound upbeat and untroubled. "Helping out with the rebuilding efforts in the city. You know, using my powers to clear rubble and shore up weakened buildings." It was a plausible lie, one she had rehearsed a dozen times in the mirror. She knew Ethan would expect her to be using her abilities for good, to be the hero he had always believed she could be. But the truth was far darker, far more sinister than she could ever admit. In the months since she had left the Hero Association, Maya had embraced her role as Shadow Demon with a vengeance. She had tracked down and confronted villain after villain, using her powers to subdue them in the most brutal, effective way she knew - by targeting their most vulnerable, most agonizing weakness. She had learned from her first encounter with a villain how easy it was to crush a man's testicles, how a single, well-placed kick could reduce even the most hardened criminal to a writhing, whimpering mess. And with her ability to manipulate shadows, she had found it all too easy to grip their balls and squeeze until they burst, leaving them broken and screaming on the ground. The memory of their agony, of the power that surged through her when she held their mangled sacks in her hands, sent a dark thrill through Maya's body. She could feel a familiar heat building in her core, a hungry ache that demanded to be satisfied. But she pushed it down, forcing herself to focus on the man across the table.

"What about you?" she asked, turning the question back on Ethan. "How's life in the Hero Association these days?" She tried to keep her tone light and casual, but there was an edge to her voice, a hint of bitterness that she couldn't quite conceal. She knew that Ethan was still a hero, still fighting the good fight within the confines of the Association's rules and regulations. But she had seen the other side, had tasted the freedom and power that came with being unbound by such restrictions. And she knew that she could never go back, could never return to the life of a cape-wearing, Association-approved hero.

The hint of bitterness did not go unnoticed by Ethan, ever the perceptive hero. That was something he also struggled to teach Maya. To learn how to listen. "It's been tough recently," he replied truthfully as his eyes scanned each item on the menu. Multitasking was a specialty of his too. Kind of a necessity when managing the friction levels of hundreds of different regions of surface in a large area. The pasta was probably a good choice at an Italian restaurant.

"Ever since Shadow Demon started broadcasting some of her fights, it seems like every female villain has decided to follow in her footsteps. We've had more career ending injuries among our heroes in the past three months than the past 3 years, and it's only getting more frequent." Although he wasn't telling this to guilt her, some part of him hoped she'd reconsider joining at his side again. He definitely missed the girl. His balls had never felt safe again without her behind him. Without her promise to protect them.

Maya's eyes narrowed slightly at Ethan's words, a flicker of irritation passing over her face before she could smooth it away. She couldn't believe he was blaming her for the spike in hero injuries, as if she was somehow responsible for the actions of every female villain in the city. *It's not my fault men are so fragile,* she thought bitterly, her fingers curling into fists beneath the table. *If they can't protect their own dangling weaknesses, then they deserve whatever happens to them.*

But she couldn't say that to Ethan, couldn't let him see the dark thoughts that swirled in her mind. So instead, she forced a smile, her voice carefully neutral as she replied, "I'm sorry to hear that. It must be tough dealing with so many injuries." She picked up her menu, pretending to peruse the options as she struggled to keep her anger in check. It wasn't fair of Ethan to place this burden on her shoulders, to make her feel guilty for something that was out of her control. Women were finally waking up to the power they held over men, and she refused to apologize for it.

As she scanned the menu, her mind drifted back to her last encounter with a villain. He had been a cocky one, all bravado and bluster as he taunted her with his latest crime. But she had shown him what true power was, had grabbed his balls in a shadowy grip and squeezed until they burst like ripe fruit. The memory sent a thrill through her body, a dark satisfaction that she couldn't quite suppress. She glanced up at Ethan, her eyes glinting with a hint of defiance.

"Maybe the heroes should learn to adapt," she said, her voice low and challenging. "If their enemies are exploiting their weaknesses, then they need to find a way to protect themselves." She held Ethan's gaze, her chin lifted in silent challenge. She didn't want him to fully realize her transformation, but she wouldn't let him cling to his ignorance either. A battle between a hero and a villain can often be life or death. He couldn't blame anyone for using every advantage they have and exploiting every weakness of their opponent. This was just his fragile male ego speaking.

"Protect themselves how?" he questioned, all thoughts of dinner now gone from his mind. "Even Jason couldn't come up with anything that some villainess hasn't already found a way around!" Jason, the number one genius of the Hero Association, had been working on that problem sleeplessly since it began. In fact, he was one of the first to recognize the threat, having worked on his own ball protection for many years. The number of complete losses had fallen significantly since his first prototypes had emerged, but the numbers were still grim. It seemed even science was unable to fix that particular design flaw.

Maya's eyes glinted with a dark amusement as she watched Ethan's reaction, his brow furrowed in frustration as he grappled with the seemingly insurmountable problem of protecting male heroes from their most vulnerable weakness. She could see the gears turning in his head, the desperate search for a solution that simply didn't exist. She leaned back in her chair, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips. "I'm not sure there is a way," she said, her voice low and thoughtful. "I mean, think about it. Testicles are just… there. Dangling. Waiting to be smashed or grabbed or crushed." As if to demonstrate, she flicked her fingers, and two small shadow orbs appeared in the air above the table. They hovered there for a moment, perfectly round and innocent, before she clenched her fist and squeezed. The orbs crumpled instantly, collapsing in on themselves like overripe fruit. The shadows dispersed into thin air with a puff.

Ethan's eyes widened at the display, his face paling slightly as the implications sank in. Maya watched him, her expression carefully neutral even as a dark satisfaction curled in her gut. She knew he was imagining it now - the sickening crunch of nuts, the howls of agony, the way a man's body would curl in on itself as his most precious organs were reduced to pulp. "Maybe it's just a flaw in the design," she continued, her voice almost casual. "I mean, what other organ is so vulnerable, so easily damaged? It's like they're just waiting to be destroyed." She shook her head, a mock-thoughtful expression on her face. "I don't think there's anything you can do about it, Ethan. Men will always be at the mercy of their own biology." She leaned forward then, her eyes locking with his in a direct challenge. "What do you think, Ethan?" she asked with an innocent expression on her beautiful, candlelit face. "Is there any way for a man to truly protect his balls from a determined woman?"

The instinctual fear coursing through his body at her casual mention of rupturing testicles. His own pair retracted tightly from her words. "T-there must be," he replied, sounding as uncertain as he felt. Was there a way? "Anyway, I think the food is here!" The approaching water was a welcome transition to a new topic for Ethan. A pleasant aroma wafted towards the two heroes as the waiter set their respective orders in front of them.

Maya's lips curved into a smirk as she watched Ethan squirm, his eyes darting nervously to the waiter as the man set down their plates with a flourish. She could practically smell the fear rolling off him, the sour tang of adrenaline and sweat that spoke of a man who knew, deep in his bones, that he was utterly vulnerable. *Good,* she thought, her eyes glittering with a dark satisfaction. *He should be afraid. They all should be.* She picked up her fork, twirling it idly between her fingers as she watched Ethan fumble with his own utensils. His hands were shaking slightly, his movements clumsy and uncoordinated. It was almost pathetic, really, to see a man so utterly undone by the mere mention of his own weakness.

"It smells delicious," she said, her voice light and airy, as if they had been discussing the weather and not the utter fragility of the male anatomy. She took a bite of her pasta, her eyes closing in exaggerated bliss as she savored the flavors. "Mmm, you weren't kidding about this place. The food is amazing." She opened her eyes, fixing Ethan with a look of false concern. "Are you okay, Ethan? You look a little… on edge." Her lips twitched, a hint of a mocking smile playing at the corners. "I didn't mean to upset you. I was just making an observation." She wore an expression of innocence while taking another bite.

"You know, Ethan," she said after a few bites, setting down her fork and leaning forward slightly, "I've been thinking a lot lately about the nature of heroism." She paused, her eyes flicking up to meet his. "About what it means to be a hero in a world full of villains." She picked up her wine glass, swirling the deep red liquid as she spoke. "I used to think it was all about following the rules, about doing things the 'right' way. But I'm not so sure anymore." Her fingers tightened around the stem of the glass, her knuckles turning white. "Sometimes, I think, being a hero means doing whatever it takes to stop the bad guys. Even if it means crossing a line or two." She took a sip of her wine, her eyes never leaving Ethan's face.

"What do you think, Ethan?" she asked while watching him carefully, trying to discern his thoughts. "How far would you go to stop a villain? How much would you be willing to sacrifice?" She held his gaze, her eyes dark and intense in the flickering candlelight. She knew she was pushing him, testing him, but she couldn't help it. She needed to know how far he was willing to go, how much of his precious morality he was willing to compromise. Because in the end, that was all that mattered - not the rules, not the ideals, but the results.

Ethan's brows furrowed as he considered the question. It was one he had asked himself before. Yet he always reached the same conclusion.

"It's my job as a hero to set a good example," he replied firmly, his resolve unshaken by the inquiry. "That means neutralizing the enemy with minimum damage. Injuries are unavoidable, but preferably no killing unless truly necessary to save the lives of innocents."

His words were so typical of the Hero Association, so blindly adherent to their precious rules and ideals. It was enough to make Maya want to scream, to lash out with her shadows and show him just how futile his morality really was. But she couldn't do that, not here, not now. So instead, she forced a smile, her voice carefully neutral as she replied, "That's very noble of you, Ethan. But sometimes, I think, villains don't give us the luxury of playing by the rules." She leaned back in her chair, her fingers drumming on the tabletop as she considered her next words. "What about a villain like Colossus? Or Chimera? Men who have killed, who have maimed and tortured without mercy?" Her voice hardened, a hint of steel creeping into her tone. "Surely, even you can see that they deserve something more than a slap on the wrist."

"Of course they do." The reply was instant. "That's why we put them in prison. On life sentences sometimes." Ethan's face has adopted the expression he always wore when trying to get something important through Maya's, the sidekick's, thick skull. No matter how many times they argued, Ethan just about always came out on top. After all, he was the hero.

Purple irises pulsed with a dark anger, her fingers curling into fists beneath the table as she listened to Ethan's sanctimonious lecture. She had to endure so many during her time as his sidekick. Of course, even she could admit they were usually necessary. But sometimes they weren't. Sometimes Maya knew what needed to happen better than Ethan did. Sometimes her plans were better. Yet Ethan was always dismissive of her, citing his experience and position as her mentor. As well as her position as his sidekick.

"And how many times have they escaped from prison, Ethan?" she asked rhetorically, not really expecting an answer. They both knew the number was very high. "How many times have they broken out, only to wreak havoc on the city once again?" She leaned forward, her eyes boring into his with an intensity that could rival any hero or villain's. "Face it, Ethan. The system is broken. The Hero Association is too weak, too afraid to do what needs to be done." Her hands clenched into fists on the tabletop, her knuckles turning white with the force of her grip. "Sometimes, the only way to stop a villain is to make them pay for their crimes in a way they'll never forget."

Her mind flashed back to the last time she had faced Colossus, the way his massive body had crumpled under her shadowy assault. She remembered the city shaking pops of his balls as she squeezed them in her shadowy grip, the high-pitched scream that had torn from his throat as she burst them like the dangling fruit they were. Even now, she could feel the dark thrill that had surged through her veins, the primal satisfaction of knowing she had ended his career as both a villain and a man. But telling Ethan all that would reveal far too much. So instead, she sat back in her chair, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips as she took a sip of her wine.

"But what do I know? I'm just a former sidekick, after all." Her voice was mocking, but there was an undercurrent of bitterness beneath the words. "I'm sure you and the rest of the Hero Association know what's best."

Frustration heated Ethan's skin at her rebuttal. He had to admit she was right about the prison system. Every mayor claimed they would make the prisons more secure, but nothing ever seemed to change. They just didn't have enough heroes to guard the prison all day and night. Unfortunately, it seemed to be a fact of nature that more people would seek to do evil than to stop it.

"Fine, so the prisons need work," he admitted carefully. "But how do Shadow Demon's methods work any better? Now he'll be after revenge!" His voice came out slightly louder than he intended to speak, although not loud enough to disturb other patrons. Even now Maya just knew how to raise his blood pressure. The way Maya was defending Shadow Demon's methods… it only made Ethan more suspicious of the connection between the two. Maya claimed she had been busy with the rebuilding efforts, but Ethan hadn't heard about that at all. He had been watching social media carefully for any signs of Maya the past few months. Something like large scale rebuilding help with her shadow powers surely would've earned at least some media attention.

Yet, even as the words left his mouth he refuted them within his own mind. Ethan had seen how heroes changed once they lost their nuts. He remembered the resignation in Rift's eyes when he passed him in the hallways of the Hero Association HQ. Rift used to be able to command his portals effortlessly, utilizing them for both utility and combat. Yet ever sense Glacia took his balls as her frozen earrings, he struggled to even maintain one wobbly portal. Ethan had thought about what losing his balls would do to his own powers on more than one occasion.

"Revenge?" Maya scoffed before taking another bite of a delicious garlic knot. "Please, Ethan. Eunuchs like Colossus are hardly threatening. Without their balls, they're nothing but broken shells of their former selves." She leaned forward, her eyes boring into his with an intensity that made him squirm. "You've seen it yourself, haven't you? The way heroes change when they lose their precious jewels?" Her lips curled into a cruel smile, a hint of dark satisfaction glinting in her eyes. "Rift, for example. He used to be so powerful, so confident. But now? He hardly even qualifies as a hero." She shook her head, a mocking laugh escaping her lips. "Without his balls, he can barely use his powers. It's almost like he's lost his connection to his abilities, like his nuts were the source of his strength all along."

Maya's eyes gleamed with smug satisfaction as she watched Ethan's face contort with frustration and denial. She could see it in his expression, the way his jaw clenched and his brows furrowed. He knew she was right, even if he couldn't bring himself to admit it out loud. *Men are just so fragile,* she thought, a dark sense of amusement curling through her mind. *So dependent on those pathetic little balls of theirs.* She had never been able to fully understand the way Ethan and other male heroes relied on their nuts, the way they seemed to draw their strength and confidence from those dangling, delicate organs. It was a flaw in their design, a weakness that she, as a woman, would never have to worry about. Her own powers came from within, from the very essence of her being. She didn't need to rely on external, vulnerable organs to fuel her abilities. No, her strength came from her mind, her will, her determination. And that was something that could never be taken away from her, no matter how hard a villain might try.

She took another sip of her wine, savoring the rich, fruity flavor as it slid down her throat. She felt powerful, invincible, untouchable. She was a woman, and that meant she had an advantage over men. She could always exploit the vulnerability that they could never truly defend. Without having to worry about any dangling weaknesses of her own. *And I'll use that advantage every chance I get,* she thought, her lips curving into a wicked smile. *Every villain I face, every man who dares to cross me, will feel the full force of my power. They'll learn the hard way just how fragile they really are.*

She glanced across the table at Ethan, her eyes glinting with dark amusement. He still didn't understand, still clung to his precious ideals and morals. But that was fine. She didn't need him to understand. All she needed was for him to stay out of her way while she did what needed to be done. *And if he doesn't?* a voice whispered in the back of her mind. *If he tries to stop you?* She smiled lightly as she watched her mentor seemingly struggling with some inner conflict, her teeth flashing in the candlelight. *Then he'll just have to learn the hard way too,* she thought, her fingers curling into fists beneath the table. *Just like all the rest.*

A war was waging within Ethan's soul. He couldn't deny the truth of Maya's words. Shadow Demon had effectively neutralized more threats in the past three months than he could remember the association actually keeping imprisoned for quite a long time. But he couldn't accept the vigilante's solution! There had to be another way. A method of taking down villains and keeping them down without causing irreparable harm.

"I have seen it for myself," he answered while staring her dead in the eyes. Giving her the look that he always used to signal the conversation was about to end. "That's why I can't endorse such brutal tactics." He slowly took a sip of wine while continuing to stare deep into the purple depths of Maya's eyes. "We're heroes because we embody the ideal form of justice. Justice that allows for reform. For change. Not the kind of justice that maims and destroys. I have no interest in Shadow Demon's brand of Justice." Each word came out a declaration spoken with absolute conviction. The words of a teacher lecturing a student.

He paused long enough to take a breath before quickly continuing, not giving Maya a chance to speak yet. "I thought I taught you better Maya. If you truly agree with that vigilante, then perhaps it's for the best you left the association. Maybe management was right when they said you weren't ready to be a hero." Ethan knew his words would cut deep. Maya always complained about being held back, kept as a sidekick even when she had the power to be a hero. She claimed it was because of some kind of sexism, which Ethan did admit existed, but the simpler explanation was that Maya was just too impulsive and rash. That's why she got paired with the ever cautious and level headed Friction.

Maya felt hot, searing rage burn through her veins like molten lava at his words. The shadows on her skin cast by the glowing candle on their table twisted and writhed unnaturally, responding to her fury as she glared across the table at Ethan. It took a considerable amount of control to prevent the rest of the countless shadows within the dining room from following suit and terrifying the other patrons. *How dare he,* she thought, her fingers clenching into fists beneath the table. *How dare he sit there and lecture me, like I'm still his naive little sidekick.* She had spent years at Ethan's side, learning from him, fighting alongside him. She had trusted him, looked up to him, even loved him. And now, he had the audacity to sit there and question her judgment, to imply that she was somehow less than the heroes of the Association?!

"Maybe management was right?" she repeated, her voice low and dangerous. "Maybe I'm not ready to be a hero?" A mirthless laugh escaped her lips, a harsh, bitter sound that grated against the soft clink of cutlery and the low murmur of conversation around them. "Maybe it's not that I'm not ready, Ethan. Maybe it's that the Hero Association is too weak, too afraid to do what needs to be done." She leaned forward, her eyes boring into his with an intensity that could rival any villain's. "I'm not the one who's wrong here, Ethan. It's the system that's broken. The Association that's too cowardly to take real action." Her voice was hard, unyielding, a far cry from the soft, eager tones she had once used when speaking to her mentor. "Shadow Demon is doing what the Heroes can't. What they won't. She's taking down villains, one broken pair of balls at a time." Maya's eyes glinted with a dark satisfaction, a cruel smile playing at the corners of her lips. "And if that's not justice, then I don't know what is."

She sat back in her chair, her eyes never leaving Ethan's face. She could see the conflict in his expression, the way his jaw clenched and his brows furrowed. She knew he was struggling with this, grappling with the idea that his precious ideals might be wrong. *Good,* she thought, a sense of grim satisfaction curling through her mind. *Let him struggle. Let him doubt. Because in the end, he'll see that I'm right. That Shadow Demon's way is the only way.* She picked up her wine glass, swirling the dark liquid as she watched him over the rim. "You'll come around, Ethan. Eventually. Because you'll see that villains don't deserve your mercy, your precious reform." Her voice was low, almost a purr, but there was an edge to it, a sharpness that promised pain. "And when you do, you'll understand why Shadow Demon does what she does. Why she's not afraid to go for the nuts, to leave villains broken and shattered on the ground." She took a sip of her wine, her eyes never leaving his face. "Because in the end, that's the only way to win. The only way to keep the city safe."

Goosebumps formed on Ethan's skin as he grappled with Maya's retaliatory words. One of his body's many way of warning him of danger. The other was his testicles pulling up tightly towards his body within his slacks. They understood the meaning of her words.

Now fully alert and on edge, Ethan set down his fork and stared at the woman he once knew inside and out. Or at least he thought he did. The way she spoke… how could she change so much in less than half a year? It was shocking to the man who once felt blessed to be her teacher in both heroics and in life.

So shocking that he couldn't help but revisit the connections between Eclipse and Shadow Demon. Same powers. Similar build. Similar costumes. Same gender. The only reason he refused to believe they were one in the same was due to his understanding of Maya's innocence and empathy. The girl who cared so deeply for the innocent people of Hiro City, who worked tirelessly for their sake as Eclipse. Yet now… now the woman in front of him was speaking quite similarly to how he imagined Shadow Demon would.

It wasn't the place to discuss such matters. To risk a super powered confrontation. Although… *Shadow Demon or Eclipse, Maya would never fight among innocent people and risk hurting them unless absolutely unavoidable. That much I'm sure of.* Maybe this was actually his best opportunity.

Ethan picked up his fork once more and took a disarming bite of alfredo, nearly finishing off his plate. During the same motion, he utilized his powers to ramp up the friction of her chair to it's maximum, preventing her escape. It would only work because, due to her shorter nature, she was sitting with her feet on the bottom of her chair rather than planted on the shadowy floor. She couldn't merge with a shadow she wasn't even touching.

With a deep breath, Ethan finally asked the question that had been avoiding so desperately.

"Maya… are you Shadow Demon?" He asked quietly so that only she could hear, his deadly serious blue eyes demanding the truth.