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Elodie’s role as the new leader of POINT was still unreal to her, it’s been months since Foxtail stood down, months since things at POINT prep had changed for the better.
There’s less tension between the students and the teachers, there’s no secret gifted students club.
There still was a lot of ground to cover like, what’ll happen with Chip Damage?
Elodie had decided that he’ll have his own free will and decide what he wants to be, that conversation with Doctor Greyman was really needed.
The perfect hero doesn’t exist at all, POINT prep was never perfect to begin with. Elodie in her heart knew she wouldn’t be a perfect leader but she wanted to do her best, even if her original goal was to be popular, that was all past her.
Her goal now was to help inspire others. She didn’t want any future heroes of her generation to make the same mistakes Foxtail made.
After bidding bye-bye to Doctor Greyman and taking KO back to the Bodega Elodie flew the POINT ship back to the school.
Elodie sat Chip back in the office chair and allowed him to power down for a nap. They couldn’t let him out just yet as the general public was very split on him after that small incident that was mistakenly caused by herself and KO.
She sighed as she stepped back. thinking real hard about the events that just transpired. She dreaded the end of the week for Chip’s press conference. But a small part of her did have faith, especially since Greyman said that he created him to be an inspiration for the future generation of heroes.
“Cob, I hope this ends well..” Elodie mumbled as she pulled herself together. As she did there was a knock on the office door
“Oh! Who is it?” Elodie snapped out of her mind.
“It’s Foxtail, are ya feeling alright?”
Elodie walked over and opened the door, giving a weak smile
Foxtail took a look at Chip resting at the desk and back at Elodie again “it didn’t go well?”
“Not at first” Elodie sighed “we tried the simulation, then we tried giving direct commands for him in public and well- if you’ve seen the news you know how that went.”
“I did..” Foxtail scratched her neck and looked away. “Is everything okay?”
“It is now, I suppose.” Elodie began. “Doctor Greyman said he-“ she paused “he helped calm the situation down, I figured out what to do.”
Foxtails face grew into a regretful look “I see, what’s the plan..?”
“I’m going to give him free will, what he does or says at the press conference onwards is his choice, if things go wrong I’ll power him down for good and explain everything.”
“I’ll do so as well.” Foxtail began “I’m the reason he was acting the way he was, even know there’s a lot of things I need to fix.”
She remembered how she broke the heart of the one person who stuck with her all those years, Doctor Greyman.
Through thick and thin, even after Rippy Roo left, Greyman always stayed by her side.
Up until she betrayed his trust. Up until she fired him, and until she stabbed him in the back.
What a fool Foxtail had been.
“I really screwed up, Elodie. I hurt him so badly..”
Elodie turned to Foxtail, Her occupied expression turning to confusion “how so?”
“We were together for so long, I missed it all up..” Foxtail winced.
“I know what that’s like.” Elodie sighed and rubbed her temple “I was really close with Enid, we were best friend’s up until I came here. I let the fame and desire to be a student here get to my head and I told her that we were never friend’s. I still feel so much shame.”
Foxtail glanced at Elodie “but that’s different. That can be forgiven. Me controlling Chip, taking over the plaza, forcing you along with me, betraying Greyman’s trust, firing him…telling him he doesn’t belong because he lost his powers, Elodie, there’s a big difference.”
“That’s true. I still haven’t moved past it. But Miss Foxtail, you can still be a better person. You still want to do good, right? Even if Greyman hates you for the rest of his life, maybe he would appreciate that you care enough to admit your mistakes, and apologize to him.”
Foxtail thought about it. She listened.
“Yes, he was still upset about what you’ve done, but he said that there’s no such thing as a perfect hero. When I apologized to Enid she still felt unsure about forgiving me, but she and I are friends again.” Elodie smiled.
“And even if I haven’t moved on from everything you’ve done, I still appreciate what you’re doing now.” She adjusted her coat “just remember, he doesn’t owe you forgiveness.”
Foxtail nodded “nobody does. I’m not looking to be forgiven.”
“Right.”
-
The end of the week had come by. Elodie, KO and Foxtail were getting the stage ready.
“I really hope this goes well.” Elodie grimaced as she plugged the microphone in. “There’s so much pressure.” She looked at the crowd, some were cheering for Chip Damages return, some were booing.
“I’m sure it will!” KO replied “he was made to be good so, maybe good will happen!”
Elodie giggles and ruffled KO’s head “it’s not that simple. But it’s a nice thought..”
Foxtail silently watched the crowd and glanced back at KO and Elodie.
“I’m gonna go find Greyman, good luck you two.”
Elodie and KO waved as Foxtail walked off the stage.
Greyman had arrived shortly, his mind was racing, he had faith that Elodie made the right choice but he still had some worry. Although Elodie had told him that Foxtail had given up her power hungry nature. He wasn’t sure if that was completely true.
If only he had known what Foxtail was doing to the students sooner. He wanted to make sure things didn’t go awry.
He waited for the conference to start. He fiddled his fingers and sighed.
What if she did change?
“Doctor Greyman!” He heard someone call out.
He held his breath as he looked up and saw-
“Foxtail.” He glared at her and clenched his fists.
Foxtail sighed and nodded “Yes.”
Greyman looked away “what do you want.”
Foxtail felt a huge weight fall on her shoulders, somehow rebuilding the plaza and returning the glorbs was easy.
Facing Greyman again wasn’t.
The sweet alien who had been by her side for so, so long. Why was she so cruel to him?
She gripped her hands at her sides and took a breath.
“Look, I wanted to apologize, for everything, for controlling chip damage behind your back, for hurting and over working all the students, especially the ones in the gifted student program, I know it’ll take years for all the damage I’ve caused to be fixed, or longer..” Foxtail began, Greyman looked at her, still a bit unsure.
“but I promise I’ll do everything I can to be better, I promise. Neither you, nor the students deserved that. I shouldn’t have hurt you.” Her hands trembled lightly “you and everyone else deserved so much better, I want to be better.”
Greyman looked up at Foxtail and chuckled lightly. “Ah..I knew something was off when Elodie told me it wasn’t you controlling chip a few days ago.” He smiled and rested his hand on his head
“I mean why else would there be radio silence from him and then sudden activity after months of nothing?”
“What do you mean?” Foxtail cocked her head.
“I’ve always had some sort of hope that you’d stop with the power hungry trip. I mean, you were once so strong and inspiring. You used to be such a good leader, Foxtail. We used to be a great team too. But, bad things can really mess us up.” Greymans expression saddened “Lazerblast..”
“Yeah..” Foxtail looked down “I could’ve prevented so much..”
“Foxtail, Lazerblast was a great hero, but he’s stubborn as a mule, I don’t think even you could’ve convinced him to stay.” Greyman gently held her hand “that doesn’t mean you’re weak. Besides, you had me to worry about.”
“I’m sorry, Greyman..”
Greyman gave a smile “Although I can’t forgive you now, I am willing to start over again with you.”
“Thank you, Greyman..” Foxtail kissed his hand and her expression grew into fondness.
“I’m just glad you’re doing the right thing. I missed a lot it seems.”
“Yeah.” Foxtail smiled “I’m glad you stuck by my side as long as you did.”
Greyman held Foxtails hand again, gently stroking her bruised knuckles with his thumb, all those years of fighting, all those years of exhausting herself. He wanted to take care of her. All these years of keeping her vulnerability a secret.
“All I ever wanted was to help you, you know that?” Greyman asked her.
“I never realized.” Foxtail admited “for me it was the other way around. All I wanted was to keep you safe. After you lose your powers I was hesitant, I thought, if things got worse, you’d be killed.”
“Is that why you fired me?” Greyman asked
“And because I told you I was the one controlling chip.”
Greyman rolled his eyes and shook his head, a smile on his face.
They both sat in silence, looking at the crowd and waiting for Chip Damages debut.
Foxtail looked at Greyman once again, seeing him like this, at peace with losing his powers, at peace with losing his mobility, and with a fake beard for some reason.
“Why did you stay with me?” Foxtail asked
Greyman smiled at her again “because I love you.”
Foxtail looked at him “Really?”
“Of course, Foxtail, beleive it or not I always loved you. I’m not really sure why, maybe it was your smile, maybe your laugh. You are a true joy to be around. And I’m so glad you’re willing to be a better person..” Greyman answered.
“Yes, we needed more stability in the team after everyone left, I knew we needed to expand and fix everything but, I suppose my true reason to stay was you. I’d hoped that you’d know that I wanted to help you but I feel in the end that we both had the same goal, but went about it in different ways.”
Foxtail wiped the tears that threaten to fall and nodded
“You’ve taken care of me for so long, Foxtail, let me take care of you now, my dear.” Greyman affirmed
Foxtail sniffled and nodded “I will, Grey.. I will..” she gently gripped his hand “I love you too..”
Greyman smiled back at her as Chip’s press conference started.