Arlo/Season 2 pt 1

**WARNING**: *Sections in italics indicate important plot points that are elaborated on in later arcs.*

## Plot

### Fallout

Arlo was tough enough to recover from his second beatdown by John without the need for a trip to the hospital. Remi and Blyke were not so fortunate. A while after Joker's victory, Arlo and Isen went to visit them. Arlo asked her how she was feeling, to which she replied "pretty crappy." She added that Blyke, who had not risen up to greet them, had it the worst. She apologized to everyone for not listening to their warnings, and for her plan's failure. Arlo told her to just stop mulling over it, and to focus on recovering. Remi asked why he wasn't scolding her. Arlo said he *could* do plenty of that, but Remi hastily declined to hear it. She then asked everyone what their next course of action to deal with John was. Arlo answered that, against his power, there wasn't much they could do to stop him. Remi insisted there had to be something they could do. Arlo shut her down by saying that challenging John again would only result in her humiliation and hospitalization a second time. He told her to give up on finding ways to get herself in trouble. He pleaded with her to just get some rest, and left promising that he and Isen would come check up on the two of them the next day.

Some time later, Arlo walked through a crowd in the school courtyard. He clearly heard them disparagingly gossip about his dethronement. Alas, Arlo didn't have the heart to punish their insolence. His hopes that John would at least be satisfied enough to avoid causing more trouble would soon be dashed. Elaine called him to share a story of her encounter with Joker. While his initial reaction was to drop the subject he no longer wanted anything to do with, he was shocked to hear that it wasn't John under the mask. Realizing that this would not be the last time a student would use Joker's reputation as a scare tactic, Arlo punched the building wall in a fit of fury. He cursed John for allowing the school's sorry situation to continue escalating just because things didn't go his way. Elaine begged him to calm down, and advised that they might resolve the issue with help from the others.

Arlo thought the best course of action to keep the situation from escalating would be to make sure the idea of pretending to be Joker didn't spread. To this end, he informed Isen of what happened to Elaine, expecting him to keep a lid on any related incidents. Unfortunately, a member of the Wellston Weekly staff had learned about the impostors thanks to Remi, and then told the rest of the newspaper team about it. Though Isen forbade them from publishing the information in the newspaper, the news was posted on bulletin boards around the school for all to see anyway. Arlo saw a crowd huddled around one of the articles, who had already begun entertaining the idea of impersonating Joker. One student even wondered aloud whether Arlo was even capable of stopping them all. He grabbed the article stormed over to the Press Room and began to chew a terrified Isen out for failing to keep things under wraps. Remi was there to try and calm him down, with little success. Isen finally cracked under the pressure and began talking back to Arlo for assigning him with responsibilities he never wanted in the first place. The press team just wasn't taking him seriously as their leader, and decided to act as independent journalists. Arlo reminded him that being a leader meant *getting* others to follow him. Isen shot back that it was beyond his capabilities. He went on to say that Arlo's tendency to put unqualified people in charge of resolving complicated situations caused more problems than it solved. Arlo knew from experience with John that he often did set high expectations for others, but felt he always had good reason for doing so. Isen only just realized he openly criticized Arlo, and braced himself for what came next. Instead of losing his temper, Arlo told Isen that he was appointed as Head of the Press because he was fit for the job, adding that he was only struggling because he was whining instead of putting his influence to good use. With that, he slammed the article on Isen's desk and left the room. Now alone, Arlo realized that this exchange reminded him that Rei chose him as his successor for similar reasons. Rei had encouraged Arlo to never give up in the face of adversity, because he could never hope to grow without pushing himself.

   Arlo tried to give reaching out to Seraphina another shot, and sent a text requesting she meet with him at the park at 5:30 to talk. He got no response, and waited there for her a long while. Just as he was about leave thinking she wasn't going to show, Seraphina appeared. Arlo asked why she took so long, to which she replied that she never promised anything. Seraphina asked what he was really after. Arlo said that if she didn't trust that he only wanted to talk, then she wouldn't have shown up...unless she was desperate for any form of information regarding John's "secret". Seraphina sat an awkward distance from Arlo, and for a moment neither of them spoke. Arlo then brought up how peaceful everything at Wellston was when they ran it together. But the current chaos has him at a loss on what to do. It is a sentiment Seraphina admits she shares. She recounted that John has changed drastically over the past several months, but he always tried to make excuses for the inconsistencies in his behavior. Seraphina had grown tired of trying to get John to tell her the truth to the point where she didn't want to talk to him at all. Since Arlo was the only other person who knew the full story, she asked him to tell her what really happened between him and John. Arlo begins his account with how he had noticed early on that John stuck out by never behaving as a cripple would. Uncomfortable with an unknown roaming the school, he decided to have Isen look into John's past. After realizing John was secretly a high-tier, Arlo decided that he needed to be dealt with. Arlo then went over what Seraphina had heard from John. He wasn't surprised about how he was demonized, considering what he put the two of them through. Arlo then began to share details Seraphina didn't know. His account was accurate, albeit biased, and he made no attempt to downplay how antagonistic he was towards John. The only falsehood he spoke was the motivation behind John's attack on Isen. He claimed that it was purely over a grudge, when in fact it was partly because John decided copying Hunter would benefit him in his grossly misguided attempt to find the missing Seraphina himself (as per Arlo's own challenge). When Arlo was finished speaking, Seraphina stood up. She said she now had a better understanding of the situation, but still needed time to go over everything she's heard before she spoke with John.

Since their discussion, Arlo spent much of his time around Seraphina, warding away any Fake Jokers who would otherwise attack her. Arlo told her that she could reach out to him if she was ever feeling overwhelmed. Seraphina remarked that John must have really laid it into him if he was feeling this charitable. Annoyed, Arlo asked that she refrain from mentioning that guy's name. Instead, she amused herself by saying "John" several times in rapid succession. Unbeknownst to the duo, Cecile had been observing their interaction as part of her task to report all of Seraphina's activities to the Shadow King.

### Responsibility

Five days later, Arlo was with Holden, who seemed vexed about something. Arlo asked what was bugging him, and was told about how Remi pulled him away from reprimanding a student to tell him not to be so harsh with others. When asked whether he agreed with Remi about Holden being scary, the incredulous Arlo replied with a flat "No". Shortly after, Arlo he received a text from Seraphina alerting him to her intention to speak with John. He wondered whether it would do any good. He decided he should find them and make sure things didn't get out of hand. By the time he found them in an empty classroom, it was already too late. John was yelling threats and obscenities at Seraphina, and Arlo's presence would only make things worse. John had made up his mind that this intervention was a plot against him that the two of them concocted together, and he punched Arlo in the face once more. Unfazed by the hostility, Arlo grabbed John and tried to make him take a good look at the person he was threatening. He asked whether John was seriously going to turn his back on the only friend he made at Wellston after all the hell he raised for her sake. John pushed him off and insisted that *she* and everyone else turned on him first. John went on to accuse Arlo of ceaselessly concocting new ways to make his already ruined life even more miserable, and demanded to know what he did to him to merit such antagonism in the first place. Arlo began to say that John never learned, but he was cut off. John declared that they were both dead to him, and that he never wanted to see either of them again. When Arlo saw that Seraphina intended to honor John's desire to get out of his sight, he followed her out of the room. In the hallway, Arlo remarked that John was far too lost in his own head for even Seraphina to get through to him. Seraphina in turn asked what made her so important. Arlo answered that she was John's friend, but Seraphina said this was a mistaken belief. She said that, in John's eyes, she was a cripple, Arlo was an errand-boy, and everybody else was garbage. Since none of them were worth listening to, then they should just give up wasting time trying to reason with him altogether. Seraphina told Arlo of her intention to move on by focusing her efforts on looking into a student named Terrence. Recognizing the name belonging to the second-year press team member who turned invisible, Arlo decided that they would look into him together.

They paid a visit to Isen at the Press Room and, after having him make sure the coast is clear of unseen eavesdroppers, inquired about Terrence. After Isen shared some basic information about the recent Wellston transfer, Arlo asked about the articles Terrence wrote. Isen reported that nothing in particular stood out, Arlo asked if that counted the article about the incident at Kovoro Mall. Not having realized that Terrence was the anonymous writer of that article, Isen facepalmed before nervously asking why they were suddenly so interested in the little guy. Seraphina informed Isen of her suspicion that Terrence was somehow involved with her ability-loss. Isen suggested that such a potentially dangerous investigation was probably best left to the Authorities. Seraphina disagreed, convinced that both they and the hospital had forgotten all about her case. Arlo spoke up and said that if their deduction was accurate, then either Terrence or the people he was working for had some fixation on high-tiers. Thus, he ordered Isen to provide everything he had on Terrence, starting with his schedule. Isen provided that last part immediately, though the only extra-curricular activity Terrence had was being part of the Press team, which he rarely missed out on. Arlo left Isen with instructions to keep looking into their suspect's background and to report back should he find anything striking.

During the next discussion between the trio, they went over all of Terrence's school records Isen managed to gather. One of the scenarios is that he is using Ability Amplifiers, to which Arlo hadn't heard of such a thing, and was surprised to learn that Seraphina *had*. When Seraphina asked how Isen came to learn about them, he claimed that it was because his skills of finding things out. Recalling a discussion he himself had with Remi, Arlo asked if Isen's knowledge didn't really come from nightly excursions with X-Rei. After getting Seraphina up-to-speed on the hobby that nearly got Remi killed, the subject of conversation turned to Volcan. Arlo was unimpressed with how this possible EMBER operative might have gotten her name. Isen explained that Volcan was distributing the amplifiers that were used by the two criminals they targeted. The drugs were potent enough to boost a user's ability by an entire tier. Listening to this, Arlo was finally able to make sense of how someone as powerful as Rei could be killed. Isen elaborated on their ordeal on barely escaping the murderous drug-dealer that was possibly hopped up on her own supply. Seraphina asked if they ever encountered her again, but Isen quickly answered that he quit after that night. She then asked if Remi knew more, but Arlo swiftly interjected that he made Remi quit too. He didn't want any more of his people to fall to EMBER, and insisted once more that they leave the criminal group to the Authorities. Seraphina figured out that Arlo's fervent stance on the matter meant that he had already lost someone to EMBER. However, he refused to divulge any personal losses to her, a right to privacy which conceded was his. But she couldn't help but also pointed out that it was pretty uncharacteristic for someone as inquisitive as him to put such blind faith into the Authorities. After all, it had been months since EMBER emerged, yet the progress the Authorities made in catching them seemed deliberately slow.

These words echoed in Arlo's mind even as he sat down in his apartment that night. Seraphina was the third student after John and Remi who wouldn't take Arlo's advice on trusting the Authorities. It baffled him so much that he couldn't read the book he had open. He recalled the words his Aunt Valerie imparted to him in his youth, and how she taught him that the Authorities would naturally protect everyone as the strongest and most capable group of individuals around. He wondered if there was more to this distrust than a few delayed responses.

### Safe House

Two days later, Arlo and Holden saw that a group of students had gathered around a window to watch Zeke, Mardin, and Julien attempt to prove Isen's article outing John as the real Joker wrong. Arlo knew from experience what was going to occur next, and realized that nobody would be able to rescue Zeke. After revealing his true power to the school and brutalizing Zeke and his thugs effortlessly, John announced that he was henceforth the new King of Wellston, officially stripping Arlo of his title. Having just witnessed this declaration, the students in Arlo's company wondered what he would do next. To their surprise, Arlo decided that it was best for everyone to just go along with it. Holden asked if it was really okay for Arlo to just give in like that, after all his time of being their King. Arlo reminded everyone of the total loss the Royals suffered at John's hands. According to hierarchy rules, John was finally where he rightfully belonged. Arlo reiterated that he was no longer their leader, and hailed the new King of Wellston.

Later that day, Arlo entered the Press Room where Seraphina and Isen were having a discussion. The first thing Seraphina asked Arlo was if he was okay with being recently dethroned. Arlo replied that he was fine, and he was glad about not having to stress over the fact that he was a Fake King anymore. He insisted they get down to business, but it wasn't long into Isen's opening statements on how little they knew about Terrence that recent events began to distract Arlo. Seraphina snapped him out of his daze, and he admitted that he was unsure about trying to expose a student who was pretending to be weak, considering how badly such a plan backfired on him last time. Seraphina bluntly stated that Arlo got what he deserved for what he did to John. But this was different. This was a group of people who drugged her and almost managed to kidnap her at knife-point for some unimaginable plot. Determined to find out the truth about them, Seraphina asked if Arlo would stand with her. Desiring to learn what connection this group had with Rei's killers, Arlo silently confirmed his allegiance. The trio thus went back to brainstorming.

Assuming that Terrence was indeed affiliated with the House Invaders, then the group as a whole was very competent and thorough. Arlo recalled that, even with Seraphina out of commission, the group managed to stalemate two high-tiers and an elite healer. A shocked Isen asked how that was even possible. Arlo revealed that he and Elaine were present at the incident, and that the mid-tier kidnappers utilized an ability dampener they had their arsenal. While Isen considered that this made it obvious as to how the criminals managed to escape, Arlo recalled that the kidnappers weren't boosted on any amplifiers. He wondered if the amplifiers were in short supply, but Isen revealed that the towns he and the others visited never seemed to run low on the stuff. The only thing that Volcan and the kidnappers had in common were the means to affect abilities. Other than that, there seemed to be no overlap between their methods and goals. Isen wondered if the kidnappers were boosted low-tiers. This theory seemed unlikely to Arlo, since mid-tiers were more common and effective agents. With that in mind, Isen said their line of reasoning led them to the conclusion that Terrence's documents were falsified and that he was a natural-born high-ranker.

The group's investigation was interrupted by the abrupt arrival of John and Cecile. The new King ordered all three of them to get out.  Seraphina tried to convince him to hear them out on the new information they've come up with on the group that attacked his house, but John reminded her that his declaration that she was dead to him still stood. Seraphina realized that it was for the best that they obey his orders for now and began to leave, with Isen and Arlo following close behind. John suddenly grabbed Isen, and warned him that he was no longer allowed in the room and that the Press belonged to Cecile once more. After Isen responded with defiant indifference about being thrown off the Press Team, Arlo decided to restrain John before he could inflict any physical injuries. He asked whether it felt good to antagonize someone three levels below him. After a tense moment, both he and John released their grips. Arlo glared at Cecile, and understood just how an idiot like John managed to remain undiscovered during his war against the Royals. Arlo saw fit to give John some advice about how a King should choose his confidants wisely, adding that Cecile was a poor choice. John predictably doubted Arlo's words, pointing out that rats like Isen were on his team. Arlo saw that John needed things spelled out for him, and reminded him that ever since Cecile declared her allegiance to him, not once did she explain why she was dismissed as head of the press in the first place. Cecile shouted for Arlo to stop, but on he went. Whereas Isen proved to be dependable time and again, Cecile worked to undermine those in power, like she did when she leaked the article detailing Seraphina's ability-loss that angered John so much. After a moment of shock, John grabbed Arlo by the collar with both hands and accused him of trying to trick him again. The blame for the article had to belong to its author, who had already been hospitalized. Arlo gave up on trying to warn John, stating that he deserved whatever he had coming for being so stubborn and stupid. The enraged John ordered Cecile to activate her ability so that he could use it to put Arlo in his place. Cecile was reluctant, but Arlo boldly shouted that Cecile's ability wouldn't be enough to take him down. Seraphina interrupted and said that fighting wouldn't solve anything. Arlo agreed to get on with leaving the room, and bid His Majesty a sarcastic farewell. The three of them left behind Cecile and an angry John ordering them to stay and suffer his wrath. When they were in the hall, Isen breathed a sigh of relief that they managed to leave unscathed. He then realized that he was unable to get out the latest issue of the Wellston Weekly out before being fired. Seraphina asked why this mattered. He answered that it was going to feature an advertisement about a club Remi and Blyke were starting called the Safe House. Isen briefly explained how it was supposed to be a safe place for students to hang out, and invited the curious Seraphina and Arlo to come check it out.

When the trio arrived at Room 224 they found Remi and Blyke still making preparations. Remi asked Isen how the advertising was going. When Isen told her that he was no longer on the Press Team, she shot an accusatory glance at Arlo. He reminded her that he wasn't in charge anymore either, and Remi remarked that John worked fast. Blyke added that John's prone to taking his sweet time as well. Looking at one of the club's fliers, Arlo called Remi over to clarify an unclear part of it. He also asked what she intended to accomplish with this club of hers. She said that Joker introduced an influx of violence in the school, and that they needed to provide a refuge for students while sorting out the bigger problems. She feared that John's reign as King would be a nightmare, but with Safe House there could be a chance to resolve conflicts more peacefully. Remi admitted that she's probably being too optimistic, but Seraphina voiced support for her vision. Isen redid Remi's fliers, certain that it couldn't fail to appeal to the student body. Arlo noticed his own name was on the flier, and said that he hasn't agreed to actually join yet. Isen said that the former King's popularity would be good for the club's reputation, smugly adding that it wasn't as though Arlo had "King stuff" keeping him busy. Arlo was unamused by the joke, and his glare informed the nervous Isen that it was best if he got out of there. Handing stacks of fliers to everyone, Isen bid everyone to follow him to plaster them all over the school. But Remi and Arlo stayed behind. She asked if he was doing alright after being dethroned. Arlo insisted that he was fine, and made it clear that he was getting tired of everybody asking him that. Remi said that everybody asked out of concern, and that it still seemed unreal that John took over. Arlo replied that his title had been meaningless for a long while and that life was actually better now than it was during his long stint as John's pawn. It was miserable having to pretend to have authority while putting up with an immature hothead who refused to compromise. It was still bad not being King, but at least he regained some of his old freedom. Upon hearing this, Remi was relieved as well. It seemed to her that losing the title of King was exactly what Arlo needed to finally relax a bit. She promised that she would continue to work hard as Queen, but Arlo made it clear that he wasn't going to disappear entirely just because he was dethroned. They agreed to keep working together and supporting each other before Isen popped in and asked why they weren't helping. Arlo thought about all the mysteries he was now free to pursue: Seraphina's ability-loss, the slow response time of the authorities, and who the hell EMBER was.

The following day, Arlo pulled Remi aside. She still had to meet up with John to jointly appoint the new Jack. Figuring that the new King would want to keep him *far* away from any positions of authority, Arlo requested that Remi not risk her well-being by vouching for him. Remi agreed to go along with whatever John decided, but only because she thought Arlo needed a break.

That night, Arlo decided to get in touch with his aunt so he could hopefully get some answers. He called her, and after a short greeting and discussion about his father's well-being that Arlo got to the point. Unfortunately, Valerie said that she wasn't able to talk, as she was just about to go out. Arlo asked if she could call him back at the earliest opportunity. Valerie suggested that they meet up for coffee in person instead, since she was working on an assignment in Wellston. Arlo agreed to meet with her the following week, but he concealed his surprise at his aunt's presence in town. It still weighed on his mind the next day. Years of no contact, and the one day he rings her up she's close by. His thoughts were interrupted when Seraphina walked up to him with a plan. She thought they could use the Safe House to keep a close eye on Terrence. The high concentration of top-tier students would be too enticing for him not to join, and since everybody knew him as a lower mid-tier, he wouldn't draw attention. Arlo thought this plan was sound, and decided to adjust his own schedule so that one of them could keep an eye on their suspect at all times.

### Tyrants

John had announced that all who joined Safe House would be his enemies. Despite the threat, Arlo found that he was only one of many attendees to the grand opening. He solemnly observed Remi as she welcomed everybody and promised them they would be protected. But as soon as she finished her speech, Zeke barged in. He announced that he had come on John's behalf to take the names of everybody who didn't take the King's decree seriously. Though Blyke wanted to take action, Arlo stopped him. He said that Remi was the one who needed to show everybody that she meant what she said. He looked on as she made the defeated Royals proud by shutting Zeke up with force and declaring that John's tyranny had no say in the haven she established. Zeke left with nothing to show for his injuries, and the Safe House narrowly avoided getting shut down.

Arlo held first shift as Safe House supervisor the following day. When Remi arrived, he welcomed her before ribbing her about showing up early. Arlo then took her outside for a private matter. He told her about his reunion with his Aunt, and extended an invitation for her to join so that she might get some information about Rei's death straight from a high-ranking member of the Authorities.

Remi accepted the invite, and the two of them headed over to Royal Cafe after school. Noticing that she was nervous, Arlo assured her that his aunt wasn't scary. Remi relaxed a bit, and thanked him for this rare opportunity. Arlo told her that the curiosity about was mutual. They met up with Valerie almost immediately after entering the cafe. Val began by complimenting Arlo's development into a fine young man before getting formally acquainted with Remi. After they all sat down with drinks in hand, Valerie welcomed whatever questions Remi had. She went over the story of Rei's unsolved murder. Val solemnly remarked that a high-tier losing his life while operating as a vigilante as a waste of potential. Out of nowhere, Remi shot up out of her seat and snarled "YOU!" at Valerie, who was as calm as Arlo was startled. He asked why she was flipping out all of a sudden. Still shaken up, Remi excused herself and headed to the restroom, Arlo to silently wonder why she behaved in this manner. He asked his aunt to overlook Remi's uncharacteristic outspokeness, adding that her grief at Rei's death was something he sympathized with. He assured Val of Rei's good intentions and respectable qualities, to which she expressed a vague disbelief.

Remi returned to the table, and apologized for her rudeness. Val condoned her behavior, but Arlo looked concerned. Picking up where they left off, Remi asked Val about the lack of news about EMBER, but the latter responded that such information is confidential. Remi sourly expressed her disdain for this. Arlo's concern matured into silent irritation. Val tried to reason with Remi, and even showed sympathy in regards to the wonderful brother she lost. But she asserted that vigilantism just wasn't a viable method to uphold peace and order when compared to the work of the Authorities. Valerie encouraged Remi to make the effort to meet the qualifications to join the organization, so that she too could be part of the solution. Remi disagreed with the thought that doing so would make a difference, and told Valerie that there were many low-tier districts that are forced to fend off violent threats on their own due to the Authorities' gross negligence. Val replied that the Authorities faced many cases daily, and some take precedence over others. Seeing Remi get worked up again, Arlo signaled for her to calm down by nudging her in frustration. But Remi shoved him away and continued to fight back, questioning why the Authorities haven't tried work with the vigilantes if they have common goals. Valerie asserted that impulsive vigilantes often left core problems unresolved, which Remi countered by saying what they managed to accomplish was better than nothing. Val warned her not to put much stock into unknowns who worked on personal agendas, as they could fall into corruption at a moment's notice. More fervently than ever, Remi declared that those vigilantes deserved the chance to prove themselves trustworthy. Embarrassed, Arlo eschewed subtlety and forcibly grabbed Remi by the wrist and asked his aunt to excuse them. When they were alone, Arlo berated Remi for her rudeness. She shot back that a woman who barely did her own job had no right speaking ill of her dead brother. An irritated Arlo tells her that the world the Authorities looked after was a lot bigger than just her and Rei. He instructed Remi to go back to Val and apologize for yelling. Remi said that she would not do so until Arlo told her what Valerie's ability was. Perplexed by this simple condition, Arlo told her that it was a derivative of their family's barrier. Remi shifted from angry to bewildered.

Outside the cafe, Remi apologized to Valerie for being rude and decided it was time to depart. She hoped that their next encounter would go better. To show there were no hard feelings, Valerie promised to personally ask her colleagues for information regarding Rei. Remi thanked her, and they waved goodbye to each other.

The two relatives returned to their table, and Valerie commented on Arlo's intriguing friend. Arlo swore that she wasn't always like that, but Valerie dismissively changed the subject to Remi's status as queen. When asked if he worked alongside her as King, Arlo revealed that he was dethroned recently. Valerie was astonished, and asked when Arlo intended to reclaim his lost title. He answered that he was actually going to focus on matters of greater importance. When asked what those matters were, Arlo said that he wanted to look into Rei's death as well as the ability loss of a student he knew. Valerie asked why he felt the need to delve in to matters he knew were being handled by the Authorities already. Arlo was disarmed by his aunt's disapproval. She advised him to double his efforts on becoming a proper leader in all walks of life, unhindered by the humdrum of things that had no bearing on him. Arlo asks her if she truly believed he was holding himself back. Valerie sternly replied that this attitude change was most unbecoming of him, and would not go over well with his parents. She pressured him to disregard whatever nonsense he picked up in school, because connections alone wouldn't guarantee him any prestige in society. Arlo caved to this argument.

The next day, Arlo was studying in the library. He wondered if his aunt was right, and whether him trying to be proactive in crime-solving only served to distract him. These thoughts turned out to be distractions in and of themselves, making him lose track of time and forget certain obligations.

It wasn't until he got a familiar kick in the calf while strolling the hallway that he was reminded. He turned to see, Remi who was cross that he neglected his Safe House duties. Arlo apologized for forgetting, which Remi angrily stated was something he never let happen when it came to important things. Since she brought that up, he asked her if all her labors would be better spent focusing on herself. Remi hurtfully said a labor of love couldn't possibly be a waste of effort. Taken aback by her sincerity, Arlo said that such an argument could be made. Remi didn't let the conversation end there, and asked if his sudden disinterest in the club came about after talking with his aunt. Hastily, Arlo falsely claimed that he came to this conclusion on his own. and acted offended that Remi would even think to continue blaming Valerie for her hardships. He pressed her to share what grudge she could have against his aunt. Remi sighed and said she didn't mean to make Valerie out as a problem. Remi told Arlo that she could find someone to take over for him if he was serious about quitting the club. He agreed that it would be for the best, and he turned to leave Remi to her responsibilities.

Seraphina later asked Arlo for another meeting at the park, and they met up at the same spot as last time. He was first asked about what he learned from observing Terrence during his shifts as Safe House supervisor. Arlo informed Seraphina that he quit the club, having forgotten to do so earlier. Naturally, Seraphina was curious as to how he could lose interest in finding out about the murder of someone important to him so easily. Recalling the exact moment it happened, Arlo replied that he got assurances from his aunt in the Authorities that the investigation was in capable hands. Seraphina still found it hard to believe that Arlo was willing to accept such an unsatisfactory answer. He reasoned that they would get nowhere pursuing a mystery that vexed the Authorities. Seraphina figured that it would still be a more productive use of her time than to wait around for an answer to reach her.

She then moved on to the next topic of the meeting, and handed him a note she found slipped into her textbook. On it was a date, time, meeting place and an offer. When Arlo heard that Seraphina suspected the invitation came from the people who tried to abduct her, he said that she'd have to be a fool to accept it. When she requested that he come as backup, he staunchly refused. Seraphina implored him to change his mind, for having someone who was familiar with the danger in her corner might mean the difference between success and failure. Arlo countered that such awareness was argument enough in favor of telling the Authorities about this invitation. Seraphina scoffed at Arlo's confidence in that bunch, much to his chagrin. Seraphina figured whoever was reaching out to her had the one thing she wanted more than anything: a cure for her condition. Getting the Authorities involved would only jeopardize things. Arlo found her willingness to stake her hopes on an anonymous invite was a bit hypocritical. She informed him that she did research, and that the cafe at the address was busiest during the appointed time. In other words, who would make a scene with a crowd of potential witnesses? Arlo still didn't think it was worth risking their lives. Since she couldn't pass up this opportunity, Seraphina asked Arlo once more to join her in finally uncovering the answers he was after for months. With Valerie's lecture about distractions still lingering in his mind, Arlo told Seraphina that if she wanted to take chances, she would do so alone. Seraphina told him that his answer was no surprise, but made it clear that she had so little to risk in the face of danger. She thanked him for coming to see her, and said she'd try to make other arrangements for the mission. Arlo remained seated on the park bench, still clinging to the invitation Seraphina presented.

At a later date, Arlo found himself mired in conflict while sitting in the library again. Despite what he told others, he still wished to find out more about the House Invaders. He took out Seraphina's invitation and wondered if Seraphina was still set on going now that the time to decide had come. It had always seemed natural to him to confide such matters to the Authorities. But he still couldn't ignore the fact the opposite opinion was held by three significant high-tier peers of his. Arlo wondered whether he should heed his aunt's words to only invest time in himself, or consider Remi's belief that following your heart was time-well invested.

As the school day drew to a close, Arlo got a call from Elaine. She had bad news, and worse news. First, John attacked Safe House itself earlier that day. Arlo couldn't believe that a moral quandry made him oblivious to such an emergency, but learned that Seraphina was the primary reason for the call. She requested Elaine and Isen act as her backup for the meeting that afternoon. They tried to talk her out of going altogether, but she remained willing to brave the danger, alone if need be. Elaine begged Arlo to stop Seraphina from getting herself killed. With no room for doubt regarding Seraphina's conviction, Arlo responded that he would be right over. When he arrived, Elaine led him to Seraphina's room., where they found her already dressed to go. Seraphina asked if they were going to get in her way. Arlo answered that he actually came intending to accompanying her after all.

### Revelations

As Elaine recoiled in horror at his decision, Seraphina congratulated him for taking initiative again. Arlo made it clear that he wasn't completely gung-ho about crime-busting, and laid out one condition for his cooperation: they were to withdraw and contact the Authorities the *instant* things started getting too real. As soon as Seraphina acqueised to that, they got going. Elaine doubled down on her efforts to get them to reconsider. Having decided there was no turning back this time, Arlo put her in charge of calling the school if they didn't return by evening.

They reached their desination, and the cafe was as busy as Seraphina suspected it would be. They sat down to wait for the mysterious note-sender. When their waitress, Ella, arrived to take their order, Arlo asked for a black coffee. He was irritated when Seraphina joked that the beverage was a perfect fit for his personality. As the minutes ticked by, Seraphina called to Arlo's attention that he was acting rather tense. When he asked why she wasn't as well, Seraphina replied that keeping a level head was all she *could* do. As time dragged on, Arlo was ready to call the trip a bust and go back when he realized that Seraphina was staring wide-eyed at somebody that just walked in. He turned to see a woman with lavender hair just catching sight of them. She began greeting Seraphina with familiarity, but Arlo insisted on finding out who she was first. She introduced herself as Leilah, and made him even more suspicious when she revealed herself as the one who invited them. But Seraphina was more angry than cautious, and began levying accusations of abandonment immediately. Arlo realized that Seraphina and Leilah knew each other, and their heated exchanged revealed to him that the two were siblings. Arlo stopped Seraphina from getting too wrapped up in family history by reminding her that she didn't want to be uselessly agitated going into this meeting. The impressed Leilah asked if she could take Arlo's seat, which he relinquished. Arlo stood by as Seraphina was asked why she didn't come alone. When Leilah was told that her note did not forbid guests, she asked if Arlo would be so kind as to give her and her sister some privacy. Both Arlo and Seraphina rejected this request. But Leilah upped the ante by telling the students that they had to comply if they didn't want her to leave without divulging anything. Arlo was prepared to use force in order *make* Leilah spill, but Seraphina called him off. Wanting to obtain intel without incident, Seraphina asked Arlo to do as Leilah wished. Reluctantly, he agreed. As he made for an empty table, he walked past Leilah and warned her that he would be watching the exchange. Leilah promised not to try anything. He sat down and got his phone ready, just in case.

Arlo observed, but he couldn't hear the sister's animated discussion over the noise of the cafe's other patrons. Then, out of nowhere, an unpleasant pulse struck the entire cafe. At once, Arlo went back to the sisters to ascertain if they felt it as well. Seraphina idetified it as the dampener, and all knew would would follow it. Leilah pulled out her phone and told her contact that what just happened before giving instructions to wait for her and two others. She then told Arlo and Seraphina that they had to quickly lose the people who tailed her. The urgency forced them to exit through the employee lounge, with no time to acknowledge the protests of Ella and another waitress. It wasn't until they got outside that it occured to Arlo to question why they should follow Leilah into a potential trap just after getting weakened. Leilah admitted that she had no good answer to that question, but said they had better decide quickly on how they'd like to take their chances. Arlo hesitated, but Seraphina was quick to start after her sister. He stopped her and asked if she seriously didn't think there was something fishy about their current circumstances. Seraphina explained that it made little sense for Leilah to have prepared a trap in advance for someone she expected to come alone. What's more, there would have been no need for a dampener in that case, since she was already powerless. The logic was satisfactory enough to compel Arlo to stick to the group. As the trio moved through the alleyway, Leilah advised the others to be wary of the walls and floors. Arlo didn't understand the warning until Seraphina explained that the one who drugged her could pass through such surfaces. The trio eventually came across their first group of enemies. Arlo didn't stop to acknowledge their threats. He simply tried to plow his way through, but quickly realized what a number the dampener did on him. As their foes closed in, Arlo encased himself and the sisters in a Barrier. He was aghast to hear Leilah advise him not to exert any more than half of what strength he had left for this fight. Soon they were surrounded on all sides by enemies. Arlo wondered just what kind of woman could inspire such ire. Leilah double-checked to see if Arlo was up to the challenge of only going halfway. Arlo grumbled that half was the best he could do.

The assault on the Barrier began. Arlo estimated that their opponents were mid-tiers by the strength of their attacks. While this wouldn't be an issue normally, his decreased power made it clear to him that his defenses couldn't hold up much longer. He warned Seraphina and Leilah to be battle-ready when he dropped his Barrier. The goons blitzed them as soon as their protection faded away. It was a struggle for Arlo to recall how to fight as a mid-tier, but he got back into the old swing of things in time. He conjured a disk to protect his front while fending off enemies with his fists. A feint manuver allowed one opponent to cut him with a knife, painfully ensuring that he wouldn't forget that his passive couldn't help him this time. He was able to thwart the attacker's next attempt to knife him by catching her weapon arm and punching her lights out. Arlo helped himself to the bloody knife and threw it at one of three foes charging him. He raised a big shield to protect himself from the two he didn't dispatch. While he was withstanding the onslaught, another enemy took advantage of the distraction and prepared to stick him with a syringe. Arlo didn't notice this ambush until it was too late for him to do anything about it. To his great fortune, Seraphina was keeping an eye out for that very trick, and stopped it in the nick of time. She crushed the syringe, saying nobody deserved to suffer as she did.

Leilah eventually ordered a tactical retreat, saying that their weaker foes would sooner or later overwhelm them with sheer numbers. After clearing a path of human obstacles, Arlo asked Leilah what she did to earn such negative attention. She answered that all three of them were in the crosshairs of that group. Arlo demanded to know why, so Seraphina explained that they sought to neutralize the abilities of every high-tier they came across. Ahead of the sprinting trio, a man came out of nowhere. Arlo figured that the party wasn't over just yet and ran ahead to deal with the newcomer. He was just about to punch the stranger when Leilah suddenly shouted that he was one of hers. After the close call, they were back on the run. Leilah conferred with the new guy on their escape options. She determined that he would transport Arlo and Seraphina to L39 while she risked making her own way. With his orders, the teleporter grabbed the teenagers and used his ability to take them to a mysterious warehouse. The whole thing took Arlo by surprise, but at least they were unharmed, save for the teleporter collapsed from exhaustion. Arlo and Seraphina carefully set him down against a wall before they tried ascertaining where they had been taken. Seraphina figured that it was a faraway refuge.

Seraphina sat down and reflected on how poorly the meeting went. Arlo would have preferred that she help him figure out how they were going to get back to school from wherever they were. Seraphina said he could go if he wanted, but she still had to hear more from her sister. Arlo found it hard to believe that she didn't want to walk away from this mess and never look back. Seraphina agreed that Leilah was far from trustworthy, but she did ensure their escape. Seraphina then revealed that Leilah did indeed offer to help restore the ability she lost, which meant she had to stick around. Arlo guessed that she would have to use the power she got back in servitude to Leilah. Arlo warned her to carefully consider what she was getting herself into. Seraphina stated that she already had, and that no matter what, she needed to be powerful again. Arlo listened as she recounted how she came to realize what it meant to live in a world that revolved around power. Everybody who wanted to dictate society's rules took drastic measures to ensure that their efforts would go unchallenged. Seraphina expressed a powerful desire to make up for her missed opportunities to make a positive influence. Arlo couldn't help but ask if her agenda included helping John. Scarcely hesitating, she confirmed that it did, but it also went beyond her friend and their school.

The teleporter regained consciousness as their discussion wrapped up. He was glad to see he wouldn't have to go out looking for them. Seraphina said that she expected them to make good on their promise to restore the ability they took away. The stranger insisted that he wasn't involved with the disabling incident, but Seraphina countered that they were all supposedly in league with one another. Arlo also wanted answers, starting with the teleporter's identity and why his allies turned on him. The young man introduced himself as Kayden, a subordinate of Leilah's. As for the running and hiding, there is something of a disagreement throughout their whole organization. Arlo accused Kayden of selling the situation short. Seraphina recalled Leilah wanting to wrap up the meeting in a hurry, and asked if it was because she expected something like that ambush to happen. Kayden said he wasn't at liberty to share all the details on Leilah's behalf. But what he was able to verify was the fact that Seraphina had a lot of people who sought to take advantage of her. When she asked why, Kayden explained that they had never found anybody as powerful as she was. Everybody wanted to get at her while she was unable to refuse them. Kayden shared the story of how angry Leilah was when she heard her sister had been attacked against her orders, and that she realized that recruiting Seraphina was the best way to keep her safe from their unsavory colleagues.

Arlo sought to learn more about these other factions, and asked what made Leilah's distinct. Kayden pointed out that he wasn't involved in any mission to disable all high-tiers. Arlo wondered if "some" high-tiers were fair game to them. Kayden would not reply, so Arlo asked if there were rivals who were involved with EMBER's similar criminal operations. Kayden expressed surprise to Arlo's insight, but answered that EMBER was unaffiliated with their organization. He considered it a shame too, since support from the Authorities would be a big boon. Kayden's remark shocked Arlo, who demanded an explanation. Kayden simply stated that if Arlo knew about EMBER's drug operations, then he should have also known that the terrorist group was established *and* managed by the Authorities. The former king of Wellston stood dumbstruck at this revelation.

Arlo's first instinct was to call B.S. on the insinuation that the Authorities were involved with those killers. When Kayden asked why, Arlo responded that he personally got confirmation that the Authorities were dedicated to dissolving EMBER. Kayden suggested that Arlo got a bad tip, which really rankled him considering the assurances came from family within the government organization. In desperation, Arlo turned to Seraphina and practically begged her to back him up on this one. To his great dismay, she said that she had long suspected the Authorities of being so callously self-serving. She told him that since she was outed for reading Unordinary, the Authorities were single-mindedly dedicated to isolating her before she could share the message of the book with anybody. When that failed, her ability-loss case went cold. Seraphina reasoned that this was because the Authorities had zero interest in helping those in need. To them, what mattered was bumping off the high-tiers they couldn't control, like vigilantes. Arlo stood paralyzed after hearing logic and reason discredit his entire worldview. In addition to Seraphina's story, he remembered John's expulsion and Rei's murder. If the Authorities truly cast them aside, then it made perfect sense why he was the only one who trusted them. Memories of Valerie's promises that they strove to protect and serve gave way to the time Remi denounced her faith in them. The revelation made Arlo briefly unaware of his surroundings.

It wasn't until Leilah returned that he snapped back to attention. After checking in with the group, Leilah turned to Seraphina to hear her decision. Arlo stood by as Leilah spoke of how badly she needed help with making Spectre whole. Seraphina wasn't able to pry any more critical information from her sister, but agreed to assist her...on one condition. Seraphina's refusal to condemn anybody to a powerless existence was deemed a fair term. Leilah then saw both students safely back to school.

Arlo was still rather numb after their eye-opening adventure. A worried Elaine had to point out that his shoulder was still bleeding. When she insisted they call the Authorities, Arlo nixed the idea. Not wanting to face his aunt's people, Arlo just told Elaine to patch him up herself.

### Square One

After the weekend passed, Arlo realized that there was a lot of things he had to resolve. He headed to Safe House, aware that the attack would have scared many members from ever returning. He read Rock Bottom as he waited for the chance to talk to somebody he wronged. After a while, Remi arrived and walked up to him to say how surpised she was to see him back. He told her that Safe House just happened to be where he wanted to spend his free time. Remi smiled at Arlo's little callback, but the pain in her eyes told him that he should check to see if she'll really be okay. They went outside, and Remi spoke of how the current state of Safe House was only natural. People joined because of her promise to provide them sanctuary, and they left when she failed to deliver. She was beginning to think that Arlo made a good point about her putting to much effort into an optimistic vision. Arlo promptly denounced those thoughts, and encouraged Remi not to let this setback beat her. The students who stayed did so because they still needed the club, and the club still needed its founder to offset any damage. And because of these needs, Remi had to spend less time regretting her losses and more time focusing on her dreams. Nobody could ask any more of her. While Remi appreciated his words, she couldn't help but point out that he was sending mixed messages. Now aware that his insecurities were written all over his face, he gave in to her request to talk about what was bothering him. He asked if Remi had known all along about who was really killing vigilantes like Rei. When she said she had, Arlo bitterly thought that the all-loving student he respected above all others deserved better than what the Authorities did to him. He then did something he should have done since he got the news of his mentor's death: he offered sincere condolences for Remi's loss. But more importantly, he apologized for refusing to see the truth in front of him. Though his worldview may need some time to adjust completely, he swore that if Remi didn't give up on herself and Safe House, then neither would he.

The next day, Blyke approached Arlo in the hallway to show his appreciation for the latter's return to the Safe House. News of his comeback spread quickly, and many who quit the club out of fear found the courage to rejoin, which delighted Remi. Arlo asked how Blyke was faring after his fight to defend the Safe House. Blyke said that he was feeling great thanks to Doc, who wasn't glad to have him as a regular patient. Blyke remarked that he felt sorry for Darren for always having to put up with the messes they made, and wondered why he never quit over it. He then headed to class, bidding Arlo farewell.

Remi herself met with Arlo later, hoping he could help her brainstorm a way to make the best use of the renewed interest in Safe House. He thought her plan to host an event outside of Room 224 had promise, and told her to run the idea by Keene. Their conversation was cut short when John and Zeke blocked their path. Arlo noticed that Remi had become anxious, so he opted to deal with the grusome twosome. He walked up to John and asked what his business was. John spoke with certainty that Arlo's rejoining Safe House was a prelude to another plot. Arlo denied that his actions had any bearing on John's life, but his earlier actions spoke louder than his present words. John, knowing that the school didn't like the recent power shift, accused Arlo of leveraging Safe House as a means of getting his title back. Arlo said that he renounced any interest becoming King again, and that he had new pursuits. Arlo tried to walk away, but John grabbed ahold of him. John made it clear that it he blamed Arlo for causing him to spiral into the state he's in now, and that he shouldn't be able to just move on as though nothing happened. In regards to *starting* the disaster, Arlo accepted the blame as well as John's right to ruin his world in return. But he also insisted that John deserved some of the credit as well. It was his choice to drive away everybody around him, even his own best friend, just so he could say his hatred was justified. John expressed his usual disinterest in Arlo's words, not that Arlo felt like sticking around to say more. Which was unfortunate, because John wouldn't suppress his urge to vent his frustrations on Arlo. Having had his ability active since before the encounter, John used the Conjure: Vines ability he copied to restrain Arlo. Unable to break free, Arlo bid John to just say what it was he wanted. John only answered that he didn't excuse anybody.

Arlo's attempt to talk John down was mocked by Zeke, who seemed to be the only one who had sway over John anymore. He fed John's delusions of a Safe House conspiracy, driving him to conjure a hail of thorns to attack his opponents. Arlo suspected that in addition to Cecile's ability, John copied Zeke's as well. Desperate to keep his own ability from being used against him, he weathered the attack with his passive alone. Remi asked if he could break free. Arlo admitted that he wasn't strong enough, and told her to save herself. Remi selflessly chose to remain by his side, though John wouldn't let her escape anyway. His next attack was aimed at her, and she got cut despite her evasive manuvers. Against her better judgement, she activated her ability and rushed through the razor-sharp projectiles. She zapped John as soon as she could get a clear shot on him, which caused him to release his hold on Arlo. Unfortunately, he copied her ability in the process, making him even more dangerous. Though he cursed her, John's next attack wasn't aimed at Remi. Arlo was afraid that his body armor wouldn't be enough to withstand Lightning. But Remi came to his rescue once again, though her well-being was cause for concern as well. When he called her out on her recklessneess, she insisted she could withstand the voltage long enough for them to escape. But John soon had her ensnared in vines, putting the duo back at square one. Arlo demanded that John leave her out of this, but John denied him yet again. Now his vines were electrically charged and guaranteed to hurt whomever they struck. But for Remi's sake, Arlo took the next wave of projetctiles. This was merely a distraction for a follow-up attack from the air. John shouted that Arlo wouldn't be able to withold his ability forever. Driven by his instinct to protect Remi, Arlo shielded them both. The cracks left in the Barrier hurt Arlo worse than the reflective damage John suffered. Arlo realized that his move left them unable to resist even if they wanted to, meaning all they could do was delay the inevitable. Remi stepped up to tank John's Lightning, while Arlo did his best to withstand the physical assault. She shouted that they didn't want to fight, which John only took as a tyrant's insincere surrender. Remi pleaded that she truly wanted to fix the situation of the tormented low-tiers that bothered him so much, which was why Safe House was started. John refused to acknowledge her plea to stop seeing enemies where none existed, and resorted to his usual mantra of the Royals not truly caring about the suffering around them. Remi took this chance to call out John on his hypocrisy, and said that thanks to him standing in the way of meaningful change, the strife was worse than ever. John abandoned any semblance of trying to make a point, and instead screeched "SHUT UP" and "I DON'T CARE" as he pounded the Barrier. The next surge of electric vines shattered the Barrier, leaving Arlo with terrible internal injuries. Unable to fight *or* flee, Arlo and Remi could only watch as John unleashed his final blow.

But suddenly, they found themselves looking at John from behind. Their savior was none other than Seraphina, who had her ability successfully restored. She addressed John, telling him they had matters to discuss.

Arlo was incredibly surprised that Leilah made good on her end of the bargain so soon. John dismissed the miracle as yet another plot against him, and told Seraphina to clear off so he could crush Arlo and Remi. She refused, and told the two to make a run for it while she kept John occupied. Remi wanted to stay and support her, but Arlo urged her to listen. He said that Seraphina had a plan, and they might hinder her if they stayed. They took off, and though John tried to fire on them, Seraphina negated his attack in an instant.

Arlo and Remi made it to the infirmary, and waited in line for treatment. When their turn came, Remi unsuccessfully tried to make small talk with Darren. Just as the doc was about to hand Arlo his medicine, Vaughn and Keene walked in with John and Seraphina, in need of treatment after their duel. Arlo almost had to wait even longer for a tonic since the angry doc nearly crushed the glass meant for him. Arlo and Remi glared at John, who averted his own gaze. Thanks to Darren refusing the headmaster's order to treat the newcomers first, Arlo's recovery wasn't delayed.

John was suspended for instigating that battle, leaving Arlo without his most fierce rival to give him grief. But over the course of several weeks, something else came to his attention. *Seraphina's miraculous recovery was all a big sham. Spectre was willing to help her keep up appearances, but only by being an invasive presence in Wellston's affairs.* Arlo thought it was important that they both go over it. But when he met her on the school rooftop, she informed him that she needed time to think of a way to deal with the issue. After taking his leave, Arlo bumped into John while walking down the staircase. The two stared each other down for a moment, but they managed to avoid getting into another confrontation. When John calmly explained that he wanted to see Seraphina, Arlo wordlessly indicated that she was on the roof. He then continued his descent, and walked right past John.

## References

1. ↑ Chapter 156
2. ↑ Chapter 157
3. ↑ Chapter 159
4. ↑ Chapter 160
5. ↑ Chapter 163
6. ↑ Chapter 164
7. ↑ Chapter 165
8. ↑ Chapter 166
9. ↑ Chapter 167
10. ↑ Chapter 172
11. ↑ Chapter 174
12. ↑ Chapter 175
13. ↑ Chapter 177
14. ↑ Chapter 178
15. ↑ Chapter 187
16. ↑ Chapter 188
17. ↑ Chapter 189
18. ↑ Chapter 190
19. ↑ Chapter 191
20. ↑ Chapter 192
21. ↑ Chapter 193
22. ↑ Chapter 201
23. ↑ Chapter 202
24. ↑ Chapter 203
25. ↑ Chapter 204
26. ↑ Chapter 205
27. ↑ Chapter 208
28. ↑ Chapter 212
29. ↑ Chapter 213
30. ↑ Chapter 214
31. ↑ Chapter 215
32. ↑ Chapter 216
33. ↑ Chapter 217
34. ↑ Chapter 218
35. ↑ Chapter 219
36. ↑ Chapter 220
37. ↑ Chapter 221
38. ↑ Chapter 222
39. ↑ Chapter 223
40. ↑ Chapter 225
41. ↑ Chapter 234