As their superior explained how important it was that they get along, Aika could feel Nico’s gaze on her. Was he hoping she would spontaneously burst into flames? She wondered about that, but kept her gaze focused on the hero who carried on with their orientation, although whether her mind was fully focused on her words was a different story. She was trying hard to focus, but some part of her couldn’t help but wonder if they would ever get along. At this rate, they would probably be the worst partners in history. That was if they lived long enough to make names for themselves.<br/><br/>She sighed quietly to herself as Miyuki discussed patrolling before both Aika and Nico voiced their understanding and acceptance, neither having any objections to Shadow Angel going along with them on their first patrol. Hey, at least they could agree on something. That was a start, she guessed, following his lead and standing up from her chair, stretching out as she did.<br/><br/>As they stretched, Shadow Angel stood from her own chair and gathered a couple of objects from her desk, including a communicator, which she attached to her belt. “<span style="color: #FF80BF">We will be patrolling a section of the ward. I have other side kicks who will be on their own patrols, and there are other agencies in the ward that will also be patrolling, so between all of us, we cover the entire ward,</span>” she explained, placing her hands on her hips and smiling almost mischievously, “<span style="color: #FF80BF">If you’re lucky, you might even get to meet some of the other heroes in the area.</span>” With that she headed for the door, gesturing for the two of them to follow.<br/><br/>Aika wondered who the other heroes that Shadow Angel was referring to might be, but rather than ask, she let her mind wander briefly, to try to recall the other agencies nearby. As she did this, she felt a rush of excitement. She hoped that they would run into someone cool. For now, she followed after the hero as they left the room, headed down the stairs, and then out the door. They took a right as they came out of the building and began their trek down the street.<br/><br/>Their pace as they walked the streets was unhurried, almost casual, and for her part, Shadow Angel seemed completely relaxed, almost as if she were simply taking a stroll. “<span style="color: #40BFBF">So, do you personally patrol all the time? Or do your side kicks mostly do the patrolling?</span>” Aika asked curiously. Most of the heroes she had met patrolled at least a little, however, in the agency she had done her internship with, the sidekicks did the majority of the patrolling.<br/><br/>Shadow Angel glanced back at her blue-haired sidekick briefly before looking ahead again. “<span style="color: #FF80BF">I try to go out on patrol at least once a day. I think people feel safer when they know that the heroes in charge are also out their keeping an eye on things, you know?</span>” she explained. As she spoke, she continued walking at the same pace, looking back to both sidekicks from time to time. To their left, a man wearing a trench coat headed for a store, pulling out a weapon just as he was about to enter the shop. No sooner than he had done this, a faint purple energy surrounded the weapon, swiftly pulling it from his hands and then proceeding to hit him hard in the back of the head, knocking him unconscious before falling to the ground next to him.<br/><br/>“<span style="color: #FF80BF">Sure, having the agency nearby, seeing the sidekicks, and hearing the name all play a part, but they aren’t a substitute for getting out there and showing your face, talking to people, and letting them see and feel your presence,</span>” she continued, not seeming to pay any mind as a beam came loose from a crane at a construction site a couple hundred feet ahead and began falling towards the street below but stopped not even halfway down and floated back up with that same faint purple glow, coming to rest on a stack of similar beams, or when a frightened cat was lifted from the tree and placed in his worried owner’s arms, and an elderly woman and her groceries were helped up a nearby set of stairs, almost simultaneously. “<span style="color: #FF80BF">After all, now more than ever, the public needs to know that we are here. They need someone to look to, to rely and put their faith in,</span>” she continued speaking in the same calm, level, almost carefree tone as she walked, despite the bustle of the street, or the commotion around her.<br/><br/>It was only after a child nearly ran into the street and was halted by the purple energy that she paused her discussion and stopped momentarily. “<span style="color: #FF80BF">You should be more careful,</span>” she told the little girl, whose eyes were wide after she narrowly avoided being hit by a speeding car. The girl seemed to be dazed, but she nodded in response as her mother rushed over in tears, scooping the girl into her arms and thanking Shadow Angel before scolding the child lightly as she carried her away. The hero simply smiled and waved off the thanks, “<span style="color: #FF80BF">Don’t worry about it. Just be sure to keep a close eye on her in the future. She’s quite a runner,</span>” she smiled before turning to continue on her patrol.<br/><br/>She smiled and waved at other citizens on the street her called out to her, returned the greetings of those nearby who spoke to her, and even signed a few autographs before kindly insisting that they must return to their patrol. “<span style="color: #FF80BF">As you can see, being a hero is about more than just fighting villains,</span>” she looked between the two as they resumed their patrol. “<span style="color: #FF80BF">It’s about letting them know that you are there, that you care. And sometimes, making them feel safe is as simple as smiling and saying hello,</span>” she explained. “<span style="color: #FF80BF">Make sense?</span>” she asked as she glanced back at the two of them.<br/><br/>Aika, who had looked to be in awe moments before, now had a thoughtful and determined look on her face as she held her chin in her left hand, nodding in a way that made it difficult to tell if she were nodding in response to the hero or her own thoughts. "<span style="color: #40BFBF">Yeah!</span>" she responded enthusiastically a couple of seconds later. "<span style="color: #40BFBF">That was awesome! Everyone looked so happy, like they were really glad to see you. And they all seemed so at ease,</span>" she observed, putting her hand to her chin once more. "<span style="color: #40BFBF">I wonder if I can ever make people feel that way?</span>" she wondered aloud before shaking her head, "<span style="color: #40BFBF">Anyways. Yes, it makes perfect sense.</span>"<br/><br/>Shadow Angel smiled at the girl, “<span style="color: #FF80BF">I'm glad. Keeping working at it. I'm sure you will be great,</span>" she assured her with a gentle smile. "<span style="color: #FF80BF">What you about, Supernova? What do you think so far? Any questions?</span>” she asked, turning her gaze from the young woman to the young man.