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It said a lot about Tommy and Jack's relationship that Tempest was willing to not only sit in that office but ask for a favor from that man. Tempest could never have imagined that he would be desperate enough to arrive here for help. This was the lowest Tempest ever felt, and he felt like he was seconds away from succumbing to the panic festering in his stomach. His mask covered his expression, though, so no one knew how Tempest was feeling.

The door clicked. Tempest fought the urge to flinch. He could smell the rosy cologne before he heard the click of the heeled boots of the man. Tempest kept his eyes trained forwards as the door swung all the way open. Someone made a gasping noise as they fumbled with whatever they were holding. "Tempest? What are you doing here?"

Tempest pretended that he didn't reply because he was above answering the man, but the truth was that Tempest was terrified that his voice would immediately break. Tempest ignored that feeling as his eyes slid to the edge of the eyeholes in his mask to glare at the man. His eyes followed the man as he rounded the desk that Tempest sat in front of in a waiting chair. The man sat down his seat, observing Tempest with an interest that made Tempest uncomfortable.

Royal. With his golden crown and fuzzy cape, the name wasn't far fetched. It didn't help that he had this regal aura around him while he gave sound advice to people. He wasn't the most popular hero, the strongest or fastest or most agile, but he was definitely a powerful one in his own right for the one skill he possessed that made him very important to the government.

"It is a surprise to see you here. With recent events, I had believed you completely abandoned the hero scene. Even if that weren't true, it's no secret you have little trust in me," Royal said. It wasn't harsh or rude, just quietly factually. Tempest hated that. His panic morphed into rage as Tempest controlled his breathing.

"I'd say I trust you about as far as I can throw you, but I could throw someone without a spine very far," Tempest quipped with his sharp voice. It was satisfying to see Royal look stunned by the words, almost paralyzed in pain. Tempest would take the small victories. Still, he was here for a reason, not to make Royal feel bad. "I need a favor from you. And you know that if it wasn't important, I wouldn't fucking be here."

"I have a feeling that this request is also outside of XD's knowledge?" Royal responded. Tempest snarled when he heard the name. He could curse the Muffinteers, the vigilantes, and the Syndicate all he wanted, the real person he was angry at was XD. Tempest loathed that man with a passion to rival SapNap's fire. With everyone else, Tempest was either over it or conflicted, but XD was Tempest's first target if he ever turned evil.

"I haven't spoken to that dickhead in months," Tempest spat, almost regretfully because he hadn't spoken to any hero in a long time. Thoughts like that kept him awake at night. Tempest might never return to hero work. He would never be himself again.

Royal hummed. Tempest gave a sharp glare that Royal looked away from. Tommy exhaled before continuing. "Because I know that our broken trust is unrepairable, we're making an exchange. A favor for a favor. You needn't cash in now, Big Man Tempest keeps his promises. Unlike other people..."

Royal was looking sadder at every comment thrown his way, and Tempest couldn't bring himself to enjoy it. There wasn't sympathy, but Tempest didn't particularly like watching Royal crumble at his hands. It made Tempest feel icky in a way that he hadn't felt since he was pointing his gun at Dream.

"What do you need, Tempest?" Royal whispered. Tempest looked away as he blinked away his tears.

"Your power," Tempest put it bluntly. "The Egg has infected someone dear to me. I know I can save him before the heroes find him, but he has Mystic Eyes of Ignition. That's a problem because I'm currently powerless. All I need from you is your eyes."

"You understand how my Mystic Eyes work?" Royal said with a startled reaction. Even though Tempest was a hero and worked under Dream, Royal's identity and powers were a safely guarded secret. If anyone's eyes needed to be protected, it was Royal's. His had the potential of causing major damage yo the countries.

"Mystic Eyes of Divinity, the angelic orbs that grant the user the ability to nullify, amplify, and in some cases, control, the Mystic Eyes of others. I am well aware of who you are, Eret, the traitor. After what you did to me, I learned everything I could about you so that would never happen again," Tempest said in a satisfied tone as he stood up, glaring down at Royal. That icky feeling was clogging his stomach, but Tempest had a chance that would never come again. Tempest pushed down bile so he could savor in the feeling of making Royal feel a fraction of the pain he put Tempest and the others through.

"You want me to nullify his Mystic Eyes," Royal concluded after he had calmed down his breathing. If guilt had been what Tempest was going for, Royal felt it as sharply as he did the time he saw Tempest's face, back when his mask was just around his eyes. The same guilt Royal felt when he saw that Tempest's new hero outfit involved a lot more weapons and mask that covered his face. The pain Royal felt when he understood just how much Tempest depended on Dream.

"Exactly. In exchange, I'll do something for you that is within my current abilities," Tempest said, tapping against the bracelet around his wrist that Royal knew was filled with suppression magic. It reminded Royal of that collar XD forced Tempest to wear.

"He's a kid! And my sidekick! Not some damn dog!"

"Dream, please calm down-"

"Shut the fuck up, Royal! I don't want to hear a damn thing from you!"

Royal felt that he could only handle so much more conversation before his was completely emotionally drained. Royal sighed silently. "I do need something in exchange for my service. There is a boy that I will be training as a sidekick soon. I want you to speak to him, give him some advice."

"Royal, we both know that what you are asking for is the one of the only things in this world Big Man T can't do," Tempest blinked. "Grief, betrayal, isolation, and communication. My worst skills."

Royal opened his mouth to respond, but he didn't have a response for what he was told. Tempest shrugged. He walked towards the door, hand on the handle. "I'll try. Because this is a fair trade. Transaction over. After this, we're back to ignoring each other."

Royal stood up quickly, racing over to the door. Tempest shot back, hand hovering above the knife at his side. Royal ignored the way that made him feel as he gave Tempest a reassuring smile. "I don't know if you heard what's happening, but if you need a place to stay, a hot meal, or just straight cash, you can always come to me. You don't have to forgive me for what I did, but I care about you. I don't want to see you hurt."

"Too fucking late for that. I almost died because of you. I will never trust you or forgive you. I would rather die than accept your pitying hospitality. The reason I am here is for Jack. He doesn't deserve what's happening to him. But don't mistake this for you and I repairing what we had, because it isn't. It never fucking will be. I don't give a damn about you. So, take that goodwill attitude and shove it up your ass," Tempest almost growled as he glared. Tempest didn't even need a weapon. Royal stumbled back as the look registered in his mind. Tempest slammed the door shut behind him, and Royal was left with the guilt that would never leave.

You don't know what I mean yet
@ElizabethWiener but this chapter introduces an answer to one of your questions, you just don't know it

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