Then, and only then, did she sit down, pull out her computer, and settle in to look up things while eating. She glanced at her usual haunts first, but even brand-new images of kittens and puppies being themselves didn’t spark more than a passing “aww,” so she moved on to looking at the local news.

Not from an actual news site, though. She wasn’t made of gold, and those had paywalls. Instead, she found the sub-forum for Eauclaire.

The first post at the top had her blood turning to ice.

New Local Hero Melaton and Two Unknowns Take Out Pyromaniac Villain!

6.7K Up | 231 Down

“Oh no,” Emily said. With nearly trembling hands she clicked on the link.

Local Hero Melaton and Two Unknowns Take Out Pyromaniac Villain!

Posted: Yesterday By: ArthorMac

Last night, at around 4 p.m., local Hero Melaton was seen chasing after an un-Masked young man who used fire-based abilities. The known Hero was accompanied by two others. A young woman who turned into a bear (Images!) and another who wore a ’20s-style gangster costume and who didn’t use any obvious powers.

The arsonist was apprehended when the bear Hero caught him and Melaton knocked him out.

Police have yet to comment, but Melaton’s agent spoke up on Witter, saying that Melaton was glad to work with some new up-and-comers to take out a Villainous threat.

EDIT: More footage here.

More sources:

Eauclaire Gazette

Hero News Weekly

EDIT: And even more pics!

Posts sorted by: Best Rated

User/TheChub509

28 points Yesterday

Pro Tip: Don’t piss off the bear.

User/SamMax

24 points Yesterday

That takedown was brutal. I wonder if it was legal? That’s, like, a classic excessive use of force.

2 Replies:

> User/Kat

> 10 points Yesterday

> Don’t be an idiot. That guy tried to light her ON FIRE! Plus she’s a minor.

> User/TheWanterofAcogs

> 8 points Yesterday

> kid isn’t even a registered Mask. Wtf was Melaton thinking bringing her along?

User/TheChub509

23 points Yesterday

Our new Heroes need names!

4 Replies:

> User/MerlinS

> 11 points Yesterday

> Ursa Minor for the bear girl!

> User/MomentKiller

> 8 points Yesterday

> Ursa Minor is a great name! What about the other Mask?

> User/SomethingSomething-KidFriendly

> 7 points Yesterday

> Capone? The Head Honcho? Maybe something more feminine? Femme Fatale?

> User/J-Giannuzzi

> 6 points Yesterday

> OMG yis!

User/HandshakesThrowawayAccount

18 points Yesterday

That’s certainly a development!

User/ChaoticSky

17 points Yesterday

I want to give it pats!

2 Replies:

> User/KentBoy

> 14 points Yesterday

> She would eat you. But it would be worth it!

> User/KoalaTodd

> 8 points Yesterday

> She’s so fluffy!

User/CrazyCoder

15 points Yesterday

Does anyone have anything on the bad guy in this case? Anything at all?

2 Replies:

> User/Taveri

> 7 points Yesterday

> :(

> User/TheWarriorDale

> 4 points Yesterday

> Not much to go on. Seems like his costume is a . . . cook? Looks rather dirty. Powers don’t seem like direct fire control. More like control over a liquid fire? Napalm maybe? Range and speeds were okay, but not spectacular.

User/Deamion

14 points Yesterday