Epilogue

“Ice cream sandwich for you,” David said. He tore the paper halfway and offered it to Dust, who took it excitedly. “And ice cream sandwich for me.”

“Waited all day for this.” Dust bounced with excitement and took a big bite. “Ow, ow, cold. Very cold.”

“Goof.” David rolled his eyes and turned his attention towards his own cold snack. Their after-adventure ice cream was a favorite of theirs. He ruffled Dust’s fur between his ears and together began to make their way back home.

They walked past the neon lights swathing the concrete with an atmospheric midnight glow. Up ahead was a bar with a line of people filtering out onto the sidewalk. There was laughter and the steady roar of conversation alongside the thumping of music emanating from inside.

David followed Dust as the two of them dodged through the crowd, some of them a little more drunk and less steady on their feet. As they broke through the crowd, they just so happened to pass by a familiar face sitting on a sidewalk bench, looking less than well.

“Thought you said you quit,” David said casually, sitting next to them. Dust noticed in surprise and waddled back over.

“I did,” M’natherine smiled through half-lidded eyes. Her cheeks flushed and her movements less than precise. “But you know how that goes.”

“Mmhm,” David said, gazing across the street, still working on his ice cream sandwich. “Don’t you guys have like… I dunno, standards or something?”

M’natherine let out a loud laugh.

“Don’t let em fool you kid.” M’natherine wiped a tear from her eye and leaned back to rest against the brick wall. She ran a hand through her hair, brushing it out of her face. “We all have our vices.”

“What about Marcus and Rayne?” David asked. “They’re both upstanding individuals, aren’t they?”

“Marcus smokes Noran South Blend. The blacks, not the blues.” M’natherine pointed at that, like it was important. “But he only smokes when things are bad, and for Marcus, things have to be really breaking bad. Rayne, though? Well, I guess we’ll see.”

“My vices are donuts, and occasionally ice cream.” David finished his ice cream and stood up. “Just wanted to stop and say hey. Where I come from, it’s kind of rude if you don’t. So, I’m just gonna walk away now, without getting arrested and stuff.”

“Relax,” M’natherine chuckled. “I’m off duty, and a little… tipsy?”

“You act like you aren’t more competent when drunk,” David commented with a stern look.

“I’ll call you a cab!” Dustbunny said. He scuttled over to the street, waving down the nearest taxi. “Yoohoo! Taxi!”

“Aw,” M’natherine smiled. “You guys are sweet.”

“Nope,” David said, “We’re just repaying the favor. Didn’t know you were so good at chopping up helicopters.”

“I am pretty good at that, aren’t I?” She looked out across the city and took a deep breath through her nose. “Hey, David, let me do you another favor. Balance… balance isn’t always what it seems.”

“Seems like you’re talking about our mutual friend here.”

“Quit being snarky, for just a second, alright?” M’natherine said. “Just… just don’t ever let anyone tell you how the world is supposed to be.”

“Well, that’s just the problem, isn’t it?” David crossed his arms. “That’s all anyone wants to do.” He paused for a moment as the taxi slowed to a stop at the sidewalk.

“For me, the problem was never the world,” M’natherine said, standing up and swaying. Dustbunny held his paws up ready to catch her at any moment. “The problem was the way I viewed it, and even now, I… I don’t know. Ow, break me, that fayring—” she swore as she hit her head entering the taxi. David closed the door on her, muffling her obscenities, and then tossed the taxi driver a couple of salts.

“Hey David,” M’natherine grumbled, rolling down the window. “I know… I know what you’re capable of. I need you to promise me, promise me you won’t do anything… reckless. It’s hard to say which way the Guardian is going to influence. If you’re gonna go down this road, it needs to be the right one.”

“No promises,” he answered, and the taxi pulled away.

David went back to eating his ice cream sandwich. He and Dust were quiet for a long moment until Dustbunny looked up at him with his large dark eyes.

“Do you really think we gave the spark to the right person?” he asked, nibbling his ice cream sandwich.

David shrugged.

“Guess we’ll find out.”