The Unlucky Ones

"My mind is having some problems..."

The Deep felt immense pain. He gently touched his forehead. Jupiter's appearance had already caused him great distress, so to alleviate his suffering, he went to his fish friends in the sea to complain. However, after complaining, he felt even more pain. (--) (--)

A dolphin that had traveled across the ocean told him that a certain country of calamity was killing thousands of dolphins every year. WTF?! Those dolphins were all his friends! What were those stupid people doing?!

"Don't be in pain. Think about who you are. You are a member of the Seven! So, think carefully, what exactly can you do?"

The psychologist sitting opposite The Deep frowned, his magnetic voice softly persuading him.

"You're right. I am a Superhero. I should do what I should do. As long as I want to do it, everything will get better."

The Deep listened to the psychologist's words and regained his confidence. He believed he needed to become a good person and do things that a Superhero should do.

Meanwhile, Vought Tower.

Hughie, with a nervous expression, was led into Vought Tower by a Vought lawyer. He looked at the people in front of him whom he had only seen on television before. The admiration he once had for Superheroes vanished at that moment, leaving only pain and anger.

"Mr. Hughie, please come this way..."

The Vought lawyer, dressed in a black suit, looked at Hughie, who was hesitating, and spoke softly.

"Uh, okay..."

The lawyer's voice interrupted Hughie's pain and nervousness. Hughie shook his head and quickly followed the lawyer's pace into the elevator, heading for the Seven's conference room.

"Mr. Hughie, A-Train will be back soon. Please sign here."

The lawyer smiled slightly at Hughie and once again presented the NDA worth forty-five thousand dollars.

"Okay, okay."

Hughie nodded slightly. He picked up the pen and started to think, but the pain in his heart made him hesitate to put the pen to paper.

"Are you Mr. Hughie?"

Just as Hughie held the pen, sitting in his seat, his mind in turmoil, a voice interrupted his thoughts.

Hughie heard the voice, looked up, and saw the person who had arrived. Hughie's pupils trembled slightly. The person who arrived was naturally his enemy. He swore he would never forget the person's dark skin in this lifetime.

"Hahaha..."

"A-Train of the Seven is here."

The lawyer smiled lightly at the newcomer, his laughter filled with joy.

"Mr. Hughie, I'm very sorry about what happened to your girlfriend. You know, I had to catch the robber. I couldn't stop at that moment."

A-Train spoke proudly, showing no sign of remorse.

"A-Train..."

Hughie stood up, his mind roaring. How he wished he could punch this damned man in the face right now, but Hughie's reason, or perhaps his cowardice, kept him rooted to the spot.

"What's wrong? Do you want an autograph?"

A-Train, seeing Hughie's continued silence, assumed he was like the excited, speechless fans he usually encountered.

"I..."

Hughie's eyes gradually sharpened, his heart pounding.

"Mr. A-Train, you've already apologized. You have many things to do next."

Just as Hughie was about to say something, his secretary, standing beside A-Train, timely reminded him.

"Okay!"

A-Train heard this and hummed a little tune, leaving the room triumphantly. In his eyes, this matter had been settled by Vought, just like usual.

"Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!"

Hughie stood in the room, panting continuously. He felt like his brain was a mess.

"Mr. Hughie?"

The lawyer in the room looked at Hughie, raising an eyebrow. He wasn't sure how Hughie was doing. Honestly, he had encountered fans who fainted upon meeting the Seven before. If Hughie were to faint here, it would be another problem for him.

"I need to go to the restroom, sir. I need, I need to cool down."

Hughie, with a flushed face and neck, looked at the lawyer.

"Of course, but this agreement..."

The lawyer couldn't wait for Hughie to go to the restroom to cool down, as long as it didn't interfere with his work. 🐼♡ ❻９şĤǗＸ.ⓒόⓂ 🍮♪

"I'll sign it as soon as I get back."

Hughie nodded. He understood what the lawyer meant; the lawyer relied on this for his livelihood, and he wouldn't argue with him.

"Okay."

Having gotten what he wanted, the lawyer fell silent.

"Hoo..."

Hughie took a deep breath and walked out of the Seven's conference hall, lowering his head as he headed for the restroom.

"Snap..."

However, Hughie was walking too fast and too urgently. In his carelessness, he bumped into someone coming his way.

"Whoa there, sir, could you please watch where you're going? If I hadn't reacted quickly, you would have ended up looking like a version of yourself you'd never want to be."

Hughie took a step back. Just as he was about to fall, he felt a strong pull on his arm, dragging him back.

"I... I'm sorry, and thank you."

Hughie heard the voice beside his ear. He gently lifted his head, and what met his eyes was a large 'f' and an exceptionally handsome face.

"Sir, your eyes seem to be filled with sorrow. Is there anything I can help you with?"

The person was, of course, Jupiter. He had timed it perfectly to collide with this distraught, unlucky young man.

"You are..."

Hughie looked at the man before him, confused.

"Free Man, the new member of The Seven."

Jupiter flashed his signature sunny smile.

"Free Man..."

Hughie blinked. He vaguely recalled hearing that name.

"I, I need to use the restroom."

Hughie shook his head. He didn't trust Jupiter at all. To be precise, at that moment, he was filled with distrust for everyone in The Seven.

"Of course, go to the end of the hall and turn left."

Jupiter's eyebrows shot up at his words. He pointed Hughie in the direction of the restroom.

"Thank you."

Hughie nodded slightly and walked towards the restroom.

"..."

Jupiter stood in place, quietly watching Hughie's retreating back, a faint smile on his face.

Half an hour later, after a flurry of activity, Hughie left the restroom, signed his name, and walked out of Vought Tower, feeling refreshed.

"..."

However, what Hughie didn't notice was that in the sky, a man clad in a white suit, a small circular listening device held between his fingers, was quietly watching him from among the clouds.

Vought Tower.

"I want to save the dolphins! I want to save the dolphins!"

Deep Sea, muttering about saving dolphins, walked into Vought Tower.

"Deep Sea..."

Just as Deep Sea was about to go upstairs, a voice called out to him.

"Huh?"

Deep Sea turned around at the sound. He saw the person he least wanted to see.

"F... Free Man, is there something you need?"

Deep Sea asked Jupiter softly.

"I do have something to discuss with you."

Jupiter walked in front of Deep Sea with his hands behind his back, looking down at him.

"I, I have something I want to do now. I want to go save the dolphins!"

Deep Sea looked at Jupiter, gathering his courage.

"WTF?!"

"Uh, sorry, I mean, that's a great idea. A very good one."

Jupiter was momentarily stunned, thinking he'd misheard. But then he remembered it was Deep Sea, and it didn't seem so strange after all.

"But do you think the higher-ups in the company, I mean Vice President Stillwell or Mr. Edgar, would listen to you about saving dolphins?"

Jupiter extended a hand and placed it on Deep Sea's shoulder, asking with a smile.

"They..."

Deep Sea hesitated after Jupiter's words. Indeed, saving dolphins wouldn't bring the company any profit. Perhaps asking the company to invest in an aquarium and let him put on dolphin shows every day would be more likely to get their investment than going to Japan to save dolphins.

"Look at that troubled expression on your face."

Jupiter said, slipping a circular listening device into Deep Sea's hand.

"What is this?!"

Deep Sea looked at the listening device in his hand, a flicker of confusion in his eyes.

"Just now, the poor guy who was 'high' on A-Train and accidentally played dead after his girlfriend showed up came by and installed this damn thing in our communal restroom for The Seven. You know, before doing anything, you need to show 'loyalty.' Only when you bring tangible benefits to the company will they take you seriously..."

Jupiter patted The Deep on the shoulder and whispered in his ear.

"Are you sure you want me to do this?!"

The Deep looked at the bug in his hand, his breathing quickening. He felt like he was being taken seriously for the first time.

"Of course. Right now, within the entire Seven, besides you, The Deep, who else is more suitable for this task? Homelander and Queen Maeve are too conspicuous. Black Noir? A super-agent allergic to almonds? A-Train? F*ck, he's the one who caused this mess. If we send him, who knows what other trouble he'll stir up? As for Starlight, she's still a rookie, inexperienced."

Jupiter shook his head, acting as if no one in the Seven was capable except for The Deep.

"But..."

The Deep still looked hesitant.

"Fine! If you don't want to do it, I can always ask Black Noir."

Jupiter looked at The Deep and shook his head, appearing disappointed and reaching out as if to take the bug back.

"No!"

Before Jupiter could make a move, The Deep tightly gripped the circular bug in his hand.

"Uh, I mean, leave this to me. I'm a member of the Seven too."

The Deep emphasized his identity.

"Of course, who said you weren't?"

Jupiter revealed a sunny smile upon hearing this.

"Wait for my good news."

The Deep clenched the bug in his palm and turned to leave Vought Tower.

"Good boy, don't disappoint me."

Jupiter watched the sky gradually darken and, illuminated by the dim light, the increasingly excited unlucky fish gave a slight smile and turned around.

As for whether The Deep could actually find Hughie?! Jupiter had never considered it. The Deep had plenty of ways to find someone, like asking the goldfish in fish tanks door-to-door, assuming those little cuties with their seven-second memories even remembered Hughie, or perhaps finding Hughie through the law of attraction that unluckiness always draws unluckiness.