Bubble Boy

A month past and it was back to school. The halls of Nightingale Academy buzzed with energy as students made the most of their last day before school resumed. But among the usual chatter and plans for the new term, one name was missing, Troy.

"Still no sign of him?" Jackson asked, leaning back against his locker. His usual confident smirk was gone, replaced with mild concern.

Annie shook her head. "Not a word. He should've been back by now."

"Maybe he's just laying low," Carter suggested, though even he didn't sound convinced. "Shadow's training might've taken longer than expected."

"Maybe," Annie murmured, but a sense of unease settled in her chest.

Later that night, the Bubble Crew regrouped, deciding to act.

"If Troy isn't back, then we pick up the slack," Jackson declared. "The city still needs us."

Umbra smirked. "Now you're sounding like Bubble Boy."

Their target was an old warehouse, rumors swirled about strange disappearances near the area. Something didn't sit right, and Annie volunteered to scout ahead.

"I'll be fine," she assured them, stepping into the darkness alone.

Minutes later, a message flashed in the group chat:

[Garden Girl]: Help.

That single word sent a chill through the crew.

Annie's heart pounded as she struggled against the grip of a man clad in tattered clothes. His face was hidden behind a cracked mask, his voice a low growl.

"You heroes think you're untouchable," The Orphan sneered. His grip tightened, his fingers twitching as if itching to decay her flesh. "But alone? You're just prey."

Annie gritted her teeth. "I'm not alone."

As if on cue, the windows shattered as Inferno, Umbra, and Psion stormed in.

The Orphan's decayed fingers twitched as he kept his grip on Garden Girl, his eyes gleaming behind his cracked mask. His voice was low, rough, like a predator savoring the moment before the kill.

"My boss will love you," he sneered. "Your power… it'll be useful to him."

Annie gritted her teeth, struggling to break free. "Your boss?" she spat. "You mean the Syndicate?"

The Orphan chuckled darkly. "You kids really don't know a damn thing, do you?" His fingers tightened around her wrist, and she winced as her skin began to sting. "There was a time when real monsters walked this city. Before your so-called 'heroes'...before Starman."

Inferno, Umbra, and Psion stood ready, flames flickering in Jackson's palms.

"Oh yeah?" Jackson smirked, tilting his head. "And what, your 'boss' is one of those monsters?"

The Orphan's smile widened. "No. He was the monster. A name whispered in fear long before your generation. A villain who fought Starman to a standstill. A ghost that the world forgot. But he's back… and he's hungry."

An eerie silence settled over the warehouse before Jackson let out a scoff.

"Well," he cracked his knuckles, "if he wants Annie, he's gonna have to get through us first."

Annie twisted her wrist and managed to snap free, rolling to the ground as Inferno launched the first attack.

"Hellfire Barrage!"

A wave of fire erupted from his hands, consuming the space between them and The Orphan. But the villain didn't flinch. He moved through the flames, his enhanced durability allowing him to close the gap in an instant.

Psion's eyes glowed violet as she raised her hands.

"Mind Crush!"

A powerful psychic force slammed into The Orphan, halting him mid-step. He grunted, his muscles straining against the invisible pressure.

Umbra grinned, melting into the shadows.

"Phantom Step!"

He reappeared behind The Orphan, his fists coated in blackened energy as he drove a punch straight into the villain's ribs. The Orphan staggered but didn't fall. Instead, he moved faster than expected, backhanding Umbra across the room.

They were playing with him, having fun, calling out their moves like they were in some kind of video game. But then The Orphan stopped playing.

He moved.

With a speed that shouldn't belong to someone his size, he was suddenly in front of Psion. She barely had time to react before his fist slammed into her stomach, sending her flying into a stack of crates.

Inferno lunged, a flaming punch aimed at The Orphan's jaw. But the villain caught his wrist mid-strike. Jackson's eyes widened. The Orphan grinned.

A crack echoed through the warehouse as the villain punched Jackson against his stomach.

A scream tore through the air.

Umbra rushed forward, shadows swirling around his fists, but The Orphan ducked, spinning low before kicking Carter's legs out from under him. Psion barely pushed herself up before The Orphan grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the floor.

The Bubble Crew was losing.

For the first time since the fight started, Jackson's smirk faded. He let out a slow breath, pushing himself up despite his injured abdomen. His flames burned brighter.

"We're done screwing around," he muttered.

Annie stood, vines twisting around her fingers. Psion wiped blood from her lips, her telekinetic aura flaring to life. Umbra cracked his neck, his shadowy form flickering like a living nightmare.

"Inferno Strike!" Jackson roared, launching a concentrated blast of flames at The Orphan.

"Psychic Break!" Psion followed, slamming a mental wave into him.

"Void Grasp!" Umbra's shadows wrapped around The Orphan's legs, dragging him down.

"Verdant Bind!" Garden Girl called, her vines locking him in place.

The Orphan struggled, but the combined force was overwhelming. The final blow came as Inferno and Psion combined their abilities ,fire and telekinesis , Psion used her telekinesis power to lift a metal beam into the sky and Inferno ignited causing it to glow red. Psion uses her power to rotate the beam at a blistering pace and shot it towards the villain slamming into the villain, "Psychic Molten Lance!" The Duo called, sending him crashing through a wall.

The fight was recorded, every punch, every fall. The world would see what the Bubble Crew could do.

They stopped the recording and uploaded.

High above the warehouse, unseen by all, Starman watched.

Orion stood beside him, arms crossed. "They're stronger than you give them credit for."

Starman smirked, his glowing red eyes narrowing. "Strong?" he mused. "Maybe."

His gaze flickered to Garden Girl, then to Inferno. A slow, unsettling smile crept across his lips.

"Kill them."

Orion tensed. "What?"

Starman turned his head slightly, his voice low, commanding. "Kill them, Orion."

A heartbeat passed.

Then...

CRASH!

The warehouse ceiling shattered as Orion landed, dust and debris clouding the air. The Bubble Crew turned, bodies tense, breathing heavy.

The fight wasn't over. It had only just begun.

And high in the sky, hidden among the stars, Starman watched.

Smiling.