Chapter 178

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> *She's really nice. I really don't understand...
> Why would anyone do that to her?*
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>
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*- Evie*

## Summary

One calm evening, Arlo is sitting down in his apartment. He still had Seraphina questioning his faith in The Authorities on his mind. He could not understand why he shouldn't trust them the likes of EMBER. He then looks back on a special childhood memory of his Aunt, a member of the Authorities. She assures little Arlo that he could always depend on her to protect everyone from the bad guys. Present-day Arlo reasons that, being comprised of the nation's most powerful people, The Authorities were obligated to look after everyone by default. Yet there were still the attitudes of John, Remi, and Seraphina. As different as they are from one another, they all share one thing in common: total mistrust in The Authorities. Arlo has trouble trying to figure out just what could make his schoolmates utterly lose faith in them.

The next day at school, a Fake Joker suffers after his target calls his bluff and fights back. The target was the victim of a similar attack in the past, and is decidedly unrelenting in dealing with his latest impostor. He kicks the unmasked Joker unconscious and belittles him and everyone like him for ruining everything with their ridiculous outbursts. He and his two friends head to class they're late for, leave the failed Joker to the mercy of whoever passes by next. A while later, Evie enters the scene. She sees the unconscious student and rushes over to check on him. It's at this point she notices his discarded mask and realizes that he's one of the fake Jokers. Now facing a moral quandary, Evie wonders whether or not she help this student when many others like him have made school life more difficult for her and her friends.

Remi is in the middle of a rush to get to class on time when she sees Evie, having decided she couldn't turn her back on an injured person, struggling to move the student. Remi calls out to Evie, who drops the student in surprise. Evie explains what must have happened here, adding that she's having much difficulty moving the boy to the infirmary. Remi offers to help her. Much to the surprise of Evie, Remi very easily lifts up the defeated Joker and starts heading over to the infirmary. The student is soon in the care of Doctor Darren. Remi politely thanks the doctor. Darren can't help but wonder why Vaughn continued to stand by while student violence grew worse by the day. Outside the infirmary, Remi requested an introduction from Evie, followed by a discussion. She commended Evie for trying to help out a fellow student in need. Flustered, Evie just said it's what she'd want someone to do for her. Awed by Remi's kindness, Evie couldn't understand why Joker, or anyone for that matter, would want to hurt her that badly. Evie nervously asks Remi if she's doing okay following the defeat of the Royals. Remi assures her that she and the others have made full recoveries, and decides to take the opportunity to get Evie's opinion. Remi asked Evie what she felt about the current situation at Wellston. She replied that everything about her and her friends' safety turned around, and that she didn't know what was safe or dangerous at school anymore. Remi then asked Evie for her contact number, which completely shocked Evie and made her blush. As soon as contact info is exchanged, Remi tells Evie to be ready to talk more later before resuming her rush to class. Meanwhile, Evie is thrilled that Remi now had her number.

John walks up a set of stairs, and finds the hallway at the top packed with students huddled around copies of the Wellston Weekly. Isen had written and published the day's front page article, titled "Joker's True Identity", exposing John as the Joker to the entire student body. John takes a moment to observe the scene.

## Appearing Characters

* Arlo
* Arlo's Aunt
* Elaine (flashback)
* Seraphina (flashback)
* Failed Fake Joker
* Regular Joker Target
* Target's Two Friends
* Evie
* Roland (flashback)
* Terrence (flashback)
* Kiara (flashback)
* Remi
* Darren
* Tanner (flashback)
* Illena (flashback)
* Wenqi (flashback)
* John

## Appearing Abilities

* Regular Joker Target's Ability
* Barrage (flashback)
* Lightning
* Aura Manipulation (flashback)