Each new group of heroes I train always ask me the same thing. "How did you defeat the Scourge of Cities."

And I would always tell them the same thing. "I spoke to It."

Words can do what fists could not, come to a peaceful solution.

It's been too long. The new age of heroes, teenagers- had not been alive when Scourge had been active. They didn't know the sheer volume of power It held back because it only wanted to reshape the world, not destroy it.

Jester was a nuisance, made to teach heroes patience, teamwork, and that there was always another way to solve things then dashing head on into it.

Children always want to be like their parents. The golden age of heroes was coming to an end. Their parents had succeeded in making the world a little better, each generation there was something new to repair, the big villains defeated, the maniacs with massive power, the greedy ones in suits preventing the world from flourishing replaced with kinder souls.

In the end, this was inevitable. There was nothing heroic left to do. I had heard some of the younger ones saying that using their powers to clear out tsunami wreckage was beneath them, that they could be doing something far more important.

They weren't learning like their parents had. I should have known this was coming, when Cadet Marsh had asked me "how did you Kill the Scourge of Cities?"

So now I sat in the living room of the Scourge- Jester. The apartment was... homely. Comfortable. I saw pictures on the wall, of It's human form and a child.

The first time we lost a hero to death, Jester appeared to me, upset. "I'm sorry. I didn't prepare her enough."

We grieved together. It showed humanity I didn't think It capable of.

So I was here to beg It to hold onto that humanity. To not avenge their child.

"Please." I said. "Understand. It was truely an accident."

"Oh. You're worried I'll kill them in retribution." It said. "Don't worry. I don't plan to kill them. They can't learn if they're dead, but if they do so happen to fail..."

And with that final word, they disappeared. The apartment empty, only hollow memories remained.