Bubble Boy

Troy's muscles burned as he lowered himself down, one-handed, toward the sharpened spikes beneath him. The three stone pillars beneath his hands and feet wobbled slightly, but he barely paid them any mind. Sweat dripped down his brow, rolling off his chin before vanishing into the abyss below. On his back, Jace sat cross-legged, casually flipping a page in his book as if he weren't using his friend as a human chair.

"Don't forget to breathe," Jace murmured without looking up.

Troy gritted his teeth, forcing himself back up. "I...am...breathing."

"Not properly," Jace replied, finally glancing down at him. "You're wasting energy."

Troy didn't respond, focusing instead on his rhythm. Down. Up. Down. Up. His arms trembled, his shirt clinging to his sweat-drenched torso, but he refused to stop.

The glow from Jace's television flickered against the dimly lit training hall. A conspiracy video played, its distorted voice recounting various theories about The Bubble Crew and Garden Girl. The screen showed grainy footage of Annie fighting alongside Jackson, Emily, and Carter, her movements a little slower, but still fierce. The scars on her face were visible even through the low-quality video.

Jace exhaled through his nose. "They're really making a name for themselves out there."

Troy grunted. "Yeah."

Jace's voice turned thoughtful. "You should complete your training and get back soon."

Troy's brow furrowed, but he didn't stop his push-ups. "Why?"

Jace shut his book, his expression unreadable. "Because something bad is going to happen."

Troy paused mid-rep, his arms locked in place. "You don't know that."

Jace stared at him. "I always know."

Silence.

Troy swallowed hard, his jaw clenching. His grip tightened against the stone pillar. "She can handle herself."

Jace's smirk didn't reach his eyes. "That's what she thought last time."

Troy exhaled sharply and resumed his push-ups. He hated this. Hated the feeling in his gut. The same feeling he'd had before everything went wrong with Elemental.

The video on Jace's television continued playing.

"Is it possible that the Legion has taken an interest in the Bubble Crew? Could Starman be watching?"

Troy's movements slowed.

Jace noticed. "You worried about him?"

Troy didn't answer.

Jace nodded to himself. "You should be."

Troy's breathing was steady, but his mind wasn't. The memory of Starman's red eyes flashed through his thoughts. The way the real Starman, the monster, not the hero, looked at him. Like he was interesting.

Like he was fun to break.

Jace slid off Troy's back, landing lightly on his feet. "You're gonna have to face him one day."

Troy pushed up one last time, muscles screaming. "I know."

Jace picked up his tablet, the glow reflecting off his face. "And when that day comes… you better not be alone."

Troy sat back on his knees, wiping sweat from his face. He didn't respond.

Because deep down… he knew that when it finally happened, when Starman really came for him...

He would be alone.

The night was alive with energy as the Bubble Crew burst onto the scene, their figures silhouetted against the neon glow of the city. The streets were buzzing with activity, but the criminal underworld never slept, unfortunately for them, neither did heroes like Garden Girl, Inferno, Psion, and Umbra.

Annie, now fully embracing her role as Garden Girl, took point, her burnt but determined face set in focus. Her green frizzy hair was pulled back, and the glow of streetlights reflected off her sleek glasses. Vines slithered around her arms like living weapons, waiting for her command.

"We got movement," Umbra whispered, his voice crackling over their comms. Hidden in the shadows of a nearby rooftop, Carter's dark silhouette barely stood out against the night. His shadow powers kept him practically invisible.

Jackson, Inferno, grinned, flames licking at his fingertips as he cracked his knuckles. "What's the play?"

Annie smirked. "We go loud."

The gang of armed thugs barely had time to react before the street erupted in chaos. A barrage of vines shot forward, wrapping around their legs and yanking them off their feet. Before they could even cry out, Inferno leaped into action, his flames exploding outward as he spun midair, sending a fiery kick straight into one of the goons' chests.

"Blazing Dragon Kick!" he shouted, the name more dramatic than necessary, but it was all part of the fun.

Psion hovered in the air, eyes glowing purple as she extended a hand. "Oh please, Jackson. Watch this."

With a flick of her fingers, every weapon in sight was yanked away from the criminals by an invisible force. The guns and knives clattered to the ground, then shot up into the air, suspended in place. With another casual wave, she sent them spiraling into the nearest dumpster.

"Telekinetic Disarmament!" Emily called out with a laugh, playing along with the special attack theme.

"Nice one," Umbra said as he melted from the shadows behind a thug. Before the guy could even scream, Carter's knee drove into his ribs, followed by a sharp elbow to the temple. The thug collapsed in an instant.

Annie was in her element, literally. Garden Girl ducked and weaved, her vines doing most of the work as they slammed criminals into walls, yanked them into the air, or tied them up in a tangled mess.

"Nature's Embrace!" she called, watching as a thug was hoisted upside-down by a thick vine before being gently knocked unconscious against a lamppost.

The crew worked seamlessly, and soon enough, the last thug hit the pavement with a heavy thud. Annie wiped her forehead, breathing hard but exhilarated.

Inferno picked up his phone and angled it toward the group. "Yo, we just cleaned up another mess. The Bubble Crew is out here, making sure the city sleeps safely. Let's go!"

Psion rolled her eyes but leaned in, waving at the camera. "And don't forget, crime doesn't pay, but it sure makes for good entertainment."

Umbra simply gave a silent thumbs-up from the shadows.

Annie exhaled before stepping into the frame, her voice steady. "No matter what they say about us, we're here to protect the people. That's a promise."

They wrapped up the video and uploaded it to their channel, knowing it would blow up by morning. The people loved them, and the more attention they got, the more they could prove that real heroes didn't have to kill.

After the mission, the team piled into a private karaoke booth, still buzzing with adrenaline. The walls were covered in neon lights, and the giant screen displayed an endless selection of songs.

Inferno grabbed the mic first, scrolling through the options before smirking. "Alright, alright, I got this. Time to show you guys what true talent looks like."

As soon as the beat dropped, he belted out a horribly off-key version of a famous rock song, complete with dramatic air guitar solos. Psion was already recording, laughing so hard she nearly dropped her phone.

Umbra groaned. "This is painful."

Annie, still smiling from their successful mission, grabbed another mic. "Fine, let me show you how it's done."

The next song was a chaotic duet between her and Jackson, filled with high notes neither of them could hit but plenty of laughter. Even Umbra eventually got roped in, grumbling the entire time before low-key killing it with a surprisingly good rap verse.

By the end of the night, their voices were hoarse, and their stomachs hurt from laughing too much. It was moments like these that made it all worth it, the fight, the struggle, the risks. No matter what was coming, they still had each other.

And for now, that was enough.

Meanwhile…

Far away, high above the city, Starman watched.

His red eyes glowed faintly, the reflection of the Bubble Crew's latest video flickering in his irises. He smirked, amused.

"They're having fun," he murmured to himself.

His fingers flexed slightly, the raw power within him barely restrained. He had seen this story before, the hopeful heroes, the unbreakable bonds, the dreams of changing the world.

It never ended well.

Not for them.

And certainly not for the ones who thought they could stand against a god.