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While his father always said to avoid fighting if at all possible, he still taught Nick how to defend himself. Thankfully, the only thing he’d ever had to hit in his life was the punching bag at the gym they’d gone to in the magical time known as Before.

But Nick had not forgotten what he’d been taught, and while the punch wouldn’t go down as the best punch in history, it was still pretty good. He brought his arm back, fist curled, and then let it fly.

And learned rather quickly that Pyro Storm had a hard head. Either that, or his mask was made of the densest material known to man. The pain was immediate and fierce, his hand quickly going numb. Nick hissed between his teeth as he pulled his arm back, shaking it out as he winced.

“Did youpunchme?” Pyro Storm growled. “Why would you do that?” His voice was modulated much like Shadow Star’s was, making it deeper than it probably was in real life.

“Because you’re a villain,” Nick said, holding his hand to his chest. “And you hurt Shadow Star, who I think I have feelings for, even though it’s recently become complicated due to other factors.”

“Oh my god,” Pyro Storm said, rubbing the side of his head. “So you punch me? Who does that?”

Nick blinked. “Well. I guess… I do?”

Pyro Storm sighed. “Did you hurt your hand?”

Nick squinted at him. “A little? But why do you care? Shouldn’tyou be kidnapping me and tying me to the top of a bridge or something while you gloat over your plans to take over Nova City?”

“You’re so dumb,” Pyro Storm muttered. “Let me see your—” His mouth twisted as he reared back. “What is thatsmell?”

Nick. It was all Nick. “I have no idea,” he said. “Probably this dank alleyway. I think I stepped in something back there that used to be alive, so.”

Nick tried to scrabble backward when Pyro Storm reached out again to grab his hand, but he didn’t get very far. Pyro Storm wore thick gloves, but Nick could still feel the heat emanating from him. He lifted Nick’s hand close to his face, and the white lenses over his eyes flashed brightly, like he wasscanningNick’s hand. He pressed against Nick’s knuckles, causing him to hiss. “It’s not broken,” Pyro Storm finally said. “You split the skin a little, but it’s fine. Put some ice on it when you get home to keep it from swelling.”

Nick jerked his hand away. “So, you’re not going to kidnap me and hold me for ransom in order to have leverage for your dastardly deeds?”

“What? Why would I do that? Look. Nick. It’s not what you think, okay? I’m not—”

“I never told you my name.” Nick could barely breathe as he took another step back.

“Yeah, you did,” Pyro Storm said. “Right before you punched me in the head.”

Nick stared at him. “I really don’t think that happened.”

“Who are you going to believe? Me? Or you, who’s standing in an alley wearing… is that… do you have lions on your underwear?”

Nick tried to cover himself as best he could, wondering what it said about his life that he was in an alley with the evil villain Pyro Storm, who was staring at his junk. Probably nothing good. “It’s been a lion kind of day!”

“What does that even mean?”

Nick wasn’t quite sure. “It made sense when I woke up this morning.”

“Look, Nick, go home, okay? You can’t be here. Not for this.” Pyro Storm turned to walk away.

“You can’t hurt him!” Nick said shrilly. “You can’t hurt Shadow Star!”

Pyro Storm stopped, shoulders slumping. “I’m not trying to hurt anyone.”

Lies, nothing butlies,and that pissed Nick off. “Uh, yeah. You are. You always do! You always try and enact some reprehensible scheme in order to create chaos and unrest, and every time, you’re stopped by the hero of Nova City. Just because you’re his archnemesis, doesn’t mean you get to hurt him all the time. Why can’t you be good? Wouldn’t it be so much easier if you guys were friends? That way, you both could be heroes and go after people like bank robbers or pimps or drug dealers or stockbrokers who commit fraud.”

Pyro Storm looked over his shoulder back at Nick. “You’ve got me all figured out, haven’t you? I’m the bad guy, and only Shadow Star is good.”

Nick blinked. “Um. Yes?”

“What if you’re wrong?”

And in a burst of fire, Pyro Storm flew up and out of the alley.

Nick stared after him until the trail of smoke disappeared.