BOOOOM
A loud explosion occurs on a building, causing fire and people to scream in horror.
"MUAHAHAHA TODAY INSULA CITY WILL BE MINE!" a villainous voice echoes from a rooftop.
It's Shadow Cloak, a villain that has been terrorizing the city for years.
His goons run around capturing hostages while he continues launching explosions, laughing maniacally.
A large chunk of debris falls down as an old lady is unable to move away.
Everyone closes their eyes.
SWOOSH.
A strong wind pushes forward as a figure stands with the grandma held up close.
It's Ultra Girl, the strongest hero.
"You won't defeat me this time, Ultra Girl" Shadow Cloak points at her, challenging.
"I'm going to stop you today and forever!" Ultra Girl announces, charging at him with a punch.
"SHADOW BEAM!" Shadow Cloak summons a dark beam aimed at Ultra Girl.
She flies out of its way. "Is that all you got, Shadow Cloak?" she smirks, reaching him and punching him down to the street, cracking it.
"ARGH!" Shadow Cloak winces in pain. He stands up and creates a shadow whip, grabbing a car and throwing it at Ultra Girl.
Behind that car stands a henchman.
Yep…that's me.
I'm Levi Baker, a henchman of the evil Shadow Cloak, watching my boss get beaten again and again.
To the point I started predicting when we retreat. Like now. In the count of—
3…
2…
1…
"THIS ISN'T OVER, ULTRA GIRL! I WILL TAKE MY REVENGE SOME OTHER DAY!" Shadow Cloak screams, opening a portal.
Yep. Nailed it again. Better get in already.
The portal leads to our hidden base…not really that hidden. It's a big mansion and even has a sign called |SUPER EVIL MANOR|. Very cringe, to be honest.
I look back to see Ultra Girl land and go have a chat with Shadow Cloak.
"Oi, Levi, you free later?" a henchman asks.
"Oh, not really. I got something to do later. Maybe tomorrow," Levi excuses himself, scratching his head.
"Again? Man, you're always busy. What is it? Got a secret girlfriend?" the henchman teases.
"What? No! The only relationship I'm in is me and oxygen," Levi clarifies.
"Man, seriously, your life is boring," the henchman sighs, walking away.
…Boring. Yeah, that's about it.
Levi walks out of the manor and walks around the city for a while. He then looks at the TVs through the glass windows.
<
Justice…funny word.
Especially when everything is just a farce at the expense of the citizens.
Both Shadow Cloak and Ultra Girl are in an agreement. One only causes trouble for the other to save the day, just to share profits, just to gain fame.
And who pays for it? The citizens. Broken buildings, cars, and even casualties.
And us henchmen are forced to work because we know the truth.
Quit, and Ultra Girl will kill you under pretense of justice. Corruption is one hell of a drug, isn't it?
Levi heads to a bookstore, entering as the bell rings.
"I'm here," he says casually.
"Welcome back, Kill Joy," a feminine voice says.
"Rude of you to say that, Mira," Levi retorts calmly.
"Psh, whatever. You're early today though," Mira remarks.
"What, don't miss me? Sure, I'll leave." Levi turns to exit.
"Hey—wait a second! I never said that!" Mira stumbles up.
"I'm kidding, sheesh." Levi huffs.
"I hate you," Mira glares at him.
"Love you too," Levi retorts, walking back in.
He goes to the hero books section and grabs one: <
He then walks to a chair and sits down, reading.
"You really like that story, huh?" Mira says, looking at him.
"Well yeah, at least the hero here is an actual good person," Levi shrugs.
"What's wrong with Ultra Girl? She's beautiful, strong, and kind," Mira argues.
"Yeah…kind." Levi says the words with disdain.
"You really hate her. You used to love her back then. What happened?" Mira inquires.
"None of your business," Levi says, flipping the page.
"Rude," Mira glares.
…Levi zones out in the middle of reading.
"Oi Levi! Wake up! The sunshine is here!" an excited older man's voice can be heard.
Levi, in a six-year-old body, looks up at his father. "Come on~ I wanna sleep more," Levi grumbles.
"Don't be like that, Levi! The more you sleep, the more villains rise!" his father says.
"It's not like I will be a hero to care," Levi says, pulling the blanket.
His father sighs. "Well then, at least cheer for me! Lunar Mask!" he says excitedly, pointing to his hero costume.
"I don't wanna," Levi huffs, sleeping.
Then everything stops as current Levi holds a burning photo in his hand.
That was the last time I saw Father…
Later that day, he went to save some people in danger only to be killed by Shadow Cloak.
His corpse was missing for mysterious reasons.
When his funeral was held, only I was there.
Afterward, no family member wanted to take me in.
As such, I fell into an orphanage.
I wasn't really talkative and I was kind of rude, so I was pretty lonely. Well, until an annoying girl decided to force her friendship on me. Mira.
She would never let me eat alone. She would always drag me to play and have fun and would always show me superhero videos.
Especially Ultra Girl. She was the hero of her time. The legend who saves the day.
I hate to admit it, but back then Mira made me an Ultra Girl fan.
Yet that still didn't fill the void I had when my father died…
I grew up wanting revenge.
I decided to become Shadow Cloak's henchman, waiting for the right moment to kill him.
Only then I found out Ultra Girl—a hero I aspired to be like after my father died, someone who I placed my hopes in, someone who I thought was hope—was conspiring with Shadow Cloak. In the end, I had no chance.
Kill Shadow Cloak, and Ultra Girl will kill me. As such, I was stuck being the slave of the person who killed my father and the hero who lies to everyone.
I wanted to kill myself many times, yet I remembered…Mira. I couldn't just leave her behind, right?
Flick.
"Ow!" Levi says, waking from his daze, looking at Mira who flicked his forehead.
"Finally awake. What were you doing anyway?" Mira huffs.
"Nothing…" Levi replies calmly.
"You're genuinely hard to understand sometimes, you know?" Mira says before going back to the register.
Levi smiles. "I could say the same thing," he says, turning up.
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM.
A truck flies from the outside, breaking into the shop.
Debris falls.
Smoke fills the air.
Levi coughs three times, walking out of the rubble injured but still fine as he was a bit far from the impact.
He looks forward only to go pale.
Under the truck, only Mira's bloody hand can be seen twitching slightly before going limp.
"…Mira?" Levi calls out.
…She died? Just like that? As if her life was nothing.
As if all the memories we shared were just an old book that got torn.
The only person who kept me sane is gone now…Karma sure knows how to play its cards on me, huh…
He looks down as the blood reaches his foot. He stands silent, his eyes trying but failing to cry…In the end, I couldn't even cry for her.
Sounds in the sky grow louder as he hears the fighting. He looks up only to see Shadow Cloak and Ultra Girl fighting.
Again? Few hours barely passed…Why…why do you keep taking everything from me? What did I ever do? He closes his eyes from the tears that refuse to fall.
—-
Levi opens his eyes at a funeral. It's been a few days. This is Mira's funeral.
The orphanage workers and friends are here.
I haven't slept a lot recently. I've even gained eye bags.
Levi walks to Mira's tomb, putting a dandelion down, standing there in silence. Only for someone to throw a cup of juice at him.
Although his costume—that he bought only for this occasion—is wet, he turns to face the offender calmly.
It's Sam, Mira's best friend.
"Why…why didn't you do anything?" Sam says coldly.
"It was a truck. I had no way to stop it" Levi answers calmly.
SLAP.
Sam slaps his face. "Why are you so calm? Mira is dead…she's the only person who actually gave you a chance and you treat her death like an average Monday? You never deserved a chance" she says harshly with a hoarse voice from crying.
"There's no such thing as everyone cries and screams when they are sad. Not everyone is strong enough to show vulnerability…but in my case, yeah. I never deserved a chance" Levi smiles weakly with his eyes dead.
Levi starts walking away as murmurs surround him.
Walking through the streets as rain starts falling down.
Cars splash water. People walk with umbrellas.
Yet Levi continues walking, getting drenched in water.
As he walks past a small puddle, his reflection turns to a younger version of him holding his father's hand while the present him walks alone, drenched in rain.
He reaches his house, pulling out the keys, opening the door.
"I'm home…" he says to the empty house, closing the door behind him.
He goes to the bathroom to shower and change his clothes before heading to bed, looking at the roof, slowly losing consciousness as he falls asleep.
Tomorrow is another day.
—-
He goes to the bathroom, grabbing a toothbrush and toothpaste.
He looks in the mirror only to see a kid version of himself as he brushes his teeth.
After he's done, he checks his teeth before wearing his henchman clothes and walking out to work again.
This time they are in a bank stealing money.
Ultra Girl interferes, beats Shadow Cloak, we retreat, they then cut payment between them.
…It's okay. Just live.
Tomorrow is another day.
This time we are in the president's office.
Ultra Girl interferes, beats Shadow Cloak, we retreat, they then cut payment between them.
…There's nothing wrong with wanting to live.
Tomorrow is another day.
We are now at the zoo, freeing all the animals to cause chaos.
Ultra Girl interferes, beats Shadow Cloak, we retreat, they then cut payment between them.
…But what is the fault of those who already died trying to live?
Again and again and again and again.
The same cycle repeating over and over.
Do something evil, get beaten, share revenue.
And the lives of the people are the tax of this stage.
…Is it really okay to just live?
Ah. Today was supposed to be Father's birthday…
—-
Levi stands in the manor's bathroom, looking at the Lunar Mask in his hands…the mask his father used in the past.
Should I?…Should I do something?
"Hey Levi, if you're done, please PLEASE get out of the stall. I'm going to piss myself" a henchman says, knocking.
"Ah, sorry" Levi apologizes, leaving while hiding the mask.
He then sighs, remembering Mira and his father.
Maybe being Lunar Mask for one time isn't a bad idea.
He pulls the mask out, wearing it.
He then walks to the armory, getting the things he needs:
- A specialized gun made to shoot silver bullets—Ultra Girl's weakness
- A knife made of silver
- A handheld mirror
- A poisonous gas bomb
Tomorrow is the day…
—-
This time, Shadow Cloak and Ultra Girl fight in a nuclear plant.
The henchmen stick to the sidelines watching, but this time Levi is missing.
Ultra Girl punches Shadow Cloak into the control room.
"Alright, no one's here. We can rest for a while, then leave as if I beat you again" Ultra Girl says, taking off her mask.
"Finally. I fucking hate this act, but it generates money" Shadow Cloak says, putting his mask aside.
"How much do you think we will get this time?" Shadow Cloak asks.
"Probably a few thousand dollars" Ultra Girl shrugs.
"It's been so long since we had alone time together" Shadow Cloak grins.
"It is what it is. We can't be openly lovey when we are enemies in the public's eye" Ultra Girl says, annoyed.
"Man, I love money, but I love you more" Shadow Cloak says.
"I love you too" Ultra Girl smiles, leaning in for a kiss.
Suddenly, smoke fills the area.
"And I hate liars…" a mechanized voice says as Levi uses a voice changer under the mask.
"Who are you—" Shadow Cloak tries to question.
BANG.
A loud gunshot rings out as Shadow Cloak falls down.
Ultra Girl shoots a laser beam at Levi, who in turn pulls out the mirror, reflecting it onto a glass panel that ricochets back into her eyes.
"AAAARGH! MY EYES!" she screams.
Levi points his gun at her throat.
BANG.
As the smoke dissipates, the two corpses are down.
Levi pulls out a knife. "It's safer if I make sure they're dead" he says as he slits Shadow Cloak's neck and stabs Ultra Girl in the head.
Sheesh. She's really durable. If I didn't use a special gun and shoot her neck, I would've lost.
He then grabs both corpses, dragging them to the main arena.
The henchmen all look over, taken aback as a guy with a Lunar Mask drags both their boss and the hero.
The workers who were there are also shocked.
"U-Ultra Girl?" one worker utters.
Levi turns to him and speaks. "I came late to the scene. Shadow Cloak managed to strike her neck and head. I only barely managed to kill him," he lies without a difference in his tone.
"No way…our hero…died in a place like this…" a worker falls to his knees.
Some others cry.
Levi turns to the henchmen. They run away, yet in their eyes, relief. They are finally free.
Levi puts the corpses down and walks away.
A worker stops him. "Hey, young hero…what's your name?" he asks.
…Hero. Hah. You hear this, Father? Someone called me what you wanted me to be.
See this, Mira? The kill joy's a hero now. Even if for one day.
He turns to the worker. "I'm Lunar Mask," Levi says before disappearing into the darkness.
"Lunar Mask…" the worker repeats.
—-
Tomorrow is another day.
Levi stands up, walking to the bathroom, holding his toothbrush. In the mirror reflection, he sees himself under the Lunar Mask.
He brushes his teeth, showers, then wears a white hoodie.
He goes to the living room, turning on the news.
It's all about Ultra Girl and Shadow Cloak's death.
People even start grieving on the streets.
Everyone is wearing black.
And thousands walk to her funeral.
On another news channel, a reporter interviews a worker about what had happened.
"O-oh, Ultra Girl was fighting against Shadow Cloak. They both then crashed into the control room…" the worker explains.
"What happened after?" the reporter asks.
"It was silent for a bit, and then someone walked in with both their corpses. He put them down and left" the worker says.
"Was he the one that killed them?" the reporter inquires.
"No! He came to support Ultra Girl but came late. Yet he still killed Shadow Cloak…He is a hero. He was even going to leave without stating his name" the worker defends.
"So he is nameless?" the reporter asks.
"No. I managed to ask his name…He is Lunar Mask. Lunar Mask the hero" the worker states, looking at the camera.
"Lunar Mask, if you ever see this…thanks. Thank you for defeating Shadow Cloak," the worker says, crying.
Levi from his room smiles. "You're welcome…"