Bubble Boy

Troy walked away.

He didn't look at Starman. He didn't acknowledge him. Annie was at his side, her fingers gripping his arm like she was afraid he'd disappear.

The battlefield was silent, save for the crunch of debris beneath Troy's feet.

Starman watched him leave, hovering just above the ground, arms crossed. The ghost of a smirk tugged at his lips.

Fascinating.

But not everyone shared his amusement.

A sudden rush of wind. A scream of rage.

Orion moved.

Blistering speed carried him forward, his body flickering as he broke through the sound barrier. His eyes were wild, his mouth twisted in fury.

Troy never saw it coming.

But Starman did.

Faster than thought, Starman dropped from the sky. His movement was effortless, his body a blur.

SHINK!

A sickening sound.

Orion never even realized what had happened.

One moment, he was lunging at Troy's back.

The next...

His vision spun.

His body collapsed.

His head hit the ground.

Separated from his shoulders.

For a heartbeat, no one moved.

Then blood erupted from the stump of Orion's neck like a geyser.

His body twitched.

Then stilled.

Silence.

Troy turned, his mind struggling to process what he was seeing.

Orion's head lay in the dirt, his crimson eyes frozen in shock.

Troy's stomach twisted.

His gaze lifted.

Starman stood there, expression unreadable, his right hand dripping with blood. He hadn't even used his heat vision. No grand display of power.

Just a single, effortless strike.

As if swatting a fly.

All around them, Everyone tensed.

Troy swallowed.

"You…" His voice was hoarse. "You just…"

Starman tilted his head, then turned his palm toward the sky, shaking off the blood like it was nothing.

"He was in my way."

A simple, callous statement.

Troy's stomach churned.

Annie covered her mouth, her face pale.

Starman looked down at Orion's corpse for a moment, then sighed. "Disappointing."

Troy clenched his fists. "He was your teammate."

"He was weak," Starman corrected. "And weak things break."

A chill ran through the air.

No one spoke.

Then...

Starman's gaze shifted.

To Troy.

And in that moment, everything changed.

His smirk returned, slower this time, his eyes gleaming with something unreadable.

"Though I must say, I'm proud of you."

Troy stiffened.

"What?"

Starman took a step closer.

"You remind me of someone." His voice was smooth, almost gentle. "Someone strong. Someone capable."

Troy's body tensed.

Starman chuckled.

"…Someone like me."

Troy's breath caught in his throat.

No.

No, no, no.

Annie's grip on his arm tightened.

"…What are you talking about?"

Starman smiled.

A cruel, knowing smile.

"Troy."

The way he said his name sent ice down his spine.

"There was once a woman I loved."

Troy's heart pounded.

"She was an F-Class. Weak, by all definitions. But…" Starman's eyes seemed distant for a moment. "…She had the most beautiful blonde hair. And an odd little ability."

His gaze locked onto Troy's.

"She could create a soapy liquid."

Troy's entire body went cold.

No.

No, that wasn't possible.

"My wife and I tried for years to have children." Starman's voice lowered, almost nostalgic. "It never worked."

Troy's breathing turned shallow.

His stomach twisted violently.

"She disappeared." Starman's smirk widened. "Or so I thought."

A single step forward.

"And then, years later…"

Troy staggered back.

"No…"

Starman's smile turned razor-sharp.

"I found you."

Troy's knees buckled.

His vision blurred.

The world spun.

His hands trembled.

He was going to be sick.

His stomach twisted violently, and before he could stop himself...

He vomited.

The sound was loud, wet, and awful in the stunned silence.

Annie's hands went to his back, eyes wide with horror.

Troy gasped for breath, his fingers clawing at the dirt.

No.

No, no, no, no, NO.

This wasn't real.

It couldn't be real.

But deep down...

He already knew.

Starman watched him with something close to amusement.

"You're my son, Troy."

The words shattered him.

Troy looked up, eyes wide with disbelief, horror, rage.

"…No." His voice shook.

Starman's smirk deepened.

"Oh, but you are."

Troy's vision blurred with red.

His body screamed in protest, his lungs heaving, his heart pounding.

No.

Not him.

Not that monster.

His mind raced, trying to grasp onto something, anything, but the truth was already sinking in, clawing its way into his soul like poison.

His mother...

The woman who raised him...

She wasn't his mother.

She was never his mother.

And Starman...

The monster he hated more than anything...

Was his father.

Troy collapsed to his knees.

Annie held onto him, whispering his name, but he couldn't hear her.

His pulse roared in his ears.

The world was crumbling.

And Starman?

He just laughed.

A deep, rich, knowing laugh.

Because he had just won.

Troy's breath came in ragged gasps, his stomach still twisting from the revelation. Starman's words echoed in his mind like a curse.

"You're my son, Troy."

It wasn't true. It couldn't be.

And yet… it was.

A memory surged through the chaos of his thoughts, dragging him into the past.

A warm summer breeze carried the scent of fresh-cut grass through the air.

Troy was small then, just a child, no older than five. His tiny hands gripped his father's as they sat on the porch of their modest home, the golden light of sunset painting the world in soft hues.

His father, his real father, was a broad-shouldered man with warm brown eyes and a gentle smile. He wasn't the strongest, nor the fastest, but to Troy, he was invincible.

"Dad," young Troy asked, his voice high and curious. "What makes a real hero?"

His father smiled, leaning back in his chair. "Well, that's a good question, little man. What do you think?"

Troy's answer was immediate. "Being powerful!" He stretched his arms wide. "Like Starman!"

His father chuckled, shaking his head. "No, kiddo. Power's not what makes a hero."

Troy blinked. "It's not?"

"Nope." His father lifted him onto his lap, brushing a hand through Troy's unruly hair. "Being kind. Being strong. And most importantly, having fun."

Troy frowned. "Having fun?"

His father grinned. "Yep! A real hero enjoys what they do, not because they want to be the strongest, but because they love helping people. If you don't love it, what's the point?"

Troy considered this for a long moment. Then, his father stood up, hoisting him high into the air.

Troy squealed with delight as he soared, his arms outstretched like wings.

"I'm flying!" he laughed.

His father beamed up at him. "That's right, kiddo! Higher than the clouds!"

Troy giggled, kicking his legs. "I'm so happy to have you as my dad!"

His father's expression softened. He pulled Troy close, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"Even if I wasn't your father," he said gently, "I'd still be your dad."

Troy's heart swelled at the words, wrapping his small arms around his father's neck.

He never wanted to let go.

Troy snapped back, the past shattering like glass.

His breath hitched, his hands shaking at his sides.

Then...

A laugh.

Soft at first. Then louder.

Then uncontrollable.

Troy doubled over, laughter spilling from his lips, raw and jagged. It echoed across the battlefield like a madman's symphony.

The Bubble Crew froze.

Annie stared, eyes wide with confusion and concern. Psion tightened her fist. Umbra, for once, had no joke to offer.

Even Starman's smirk faltered.

Troy wiped at his eyes, still chuckling. He straightened, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off the weight of the world.

Then, he locked eyes with Starman.

For the first time, there was no fear. No uncertainty.

Just… clarity.

Troy stepped forward, the laughter fading into something steadier.

"I'll accept you as my father," he said, his voice firm. "On one condition."

Starman raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Troy's expression turned sharp, his eyes gleaming with something fierce.

"Become a real hero."

Silence.

Then, amusement flickered in Starman's gaze. "A real hero?"

Troy nodded. "No more killing. No more toying with people. No more treating life like a game." He took another step forward, standing his ground. "Be the symbol they think you are. The one I used to believe in."

Starman studied him for a long moment, unreadable. Then, his smirk returned.

"…Interesting."

Troy turned, his back to Starman, and started walking.

Annie hesitated before following. Then Jackson. Then Carter, Emily, and the rest of the Bubble Crew.

They left, stepping over Orion's bloodied corpse without a second glance.

And Starman?

He just watched them go, still smiling.

Because for the first time in a long time...

Someone had entertained him.