Bubble Boy

Warehouse 17 – Pier District, 4:59 PM

The warehouse stood like a rusting colossus over the dockside, shadowed by cranes and freight containers. The sun dipped low, casting the sky in molten orange.

Garden Girl tugged her hood lower as a gust of sea wind swept past. Inferno flexed his hands, sparks crackling from his fingertips. Umbra adjusted his mask, voice low.

"Alright. Cameras rolling?" he asked, pulling out a small drone from his pocket.

Psion nodded. "Going live in three… two…"

The drone lifted off with a faint whir and red light. [LIVE – BUBBLE CREW] blinked across the feed.

Inferno grinned. "What's up, people? Inferno here. Tonight, we're shutting down a little cartel party at Warehouse 17. Hope y'all brought popcorn."

"Ready," Psion muttered, cracking her neck.

They moved forward but stopped.

A bolt of lightning struck the ground a few meters ahead of them. Smoke rose. The group shielded their eyes from the flash.

A figure stood in the crackling dust.

Muscular. Electric-blue and gold armor. A glowing lightning bolt stretched across his chest. His eyes sparked with energy beneath a white mask.

"…Who the hell?" Inferno muttered, stepping forward.

The figure spread his arms wide, grinning. "Name's Zeus. Figured I'd crash the party."

Umbra pauses the live stream.

Umbra blinked. "Wait, Miguel?!"

The mask dissolved in a crackle of sparks, revealing Miguel's cocky face. "Yeah. Figured you could use some actual power in this little circus."

Psion's jaw tensed. "You followed us?"

Miguel shrugged. "Tracked Jackson's flame trail. I want in. You know I'm good. High-tier backup, remember?"

Inferno crossed his arms. "You're the same guy who tried to beat the hell out of Bubble Boy."

Miguel smirked. "Yeah… and then he nearly killed me. Respect. Look, I'm not here to fight you. I'm here to fight them."

He pointed to the warehouse.

Garden Girl said nothing, but after a long pause, nodded once.

Inferno sighed. "Fine. One screw-up, and we're frying you."

Miguel grinned and put his mask on again. "You wish you could fry me."

Umbra then resumed the stream.

Warehouse – Inside

The cartel had no idea what hit them.

"Leaf Barrage!" Garden Girl shouted, her vines slamming goons into crates.

"Mind Crash!" Psion launched a group of smugglers into the ceiling with her telekinesis.

"Shadow Whip!" Umbra wrapped a fleeing thug in tendrils.

"Inferno Nova!" Inferno ignited the middle of the room in a ring of fire. "Stay down!"

Zeus laughed as he blitzed through three thugs, tossing them like ragdolls. "Thunder Step!" he called, disappearing in a flash and reappearing with a ground-smashing stomp. "Damn, I could get used to this."

The camera caught it all, spinning through the chaos, broadcasting to thousands of viewers.

"Bubble Crew's going global, baby!" Umbra shouted, dodging a punch. "Don't forget to like and sub...gah!" A crate exploded beside him.

Within five minutes, it was over.

The cartel lay groaning and bound in vines, shadows, and psychic bonds. Garden Girl's hoodie was torn, and her scars visible, but her eyes burned with quiet fury.

Psion moved to call the police.

That's when the air changed.

A heavy pressure dropped over them.

The lights flickered.

The warehouse door crumpled inward like tin foil.

And through the twisted wreckage walked Gladiator, sword resting on her shoulder, her long red braid swaying.

Bolt appeared next in a crack of blue lightning, leaning lazily against a support beam.

Void stepped through a shadow, expression blank.

Construct floated in, conjuring popcorn and a director's chair midair.

And then came Seaman, trident gleaming with ocean mist, eyes sharp.

Mr Mars floated in expressionless.

All six stood in silence.

Zeus's smile faded. "...Uh. What's going on?"

The live stream was still rolling.

Inferno's fire dimmed. "That's the Legion."

Umbra whispered, "Where's Starman?"

Garden Girl stepped forward slowly. "...Something's wrong."

Construct tossed popcorn aside. "Kids, kids, kids. You didn't invite us?"

Bolt laughed. "This is adorable. Is that a drone? Oh man, they're streaming this!"

Void's cold eyes locked on the camera. "Turn it off."

Inferno didn't move. "We're just about to call the cops."

Seaman stepped forward, voice calm. "You've done well. But we'll take it from here."

Zeus clenched his fists. "You're not killing them."

Void's hand lifted, light bending around it but Seaman's hand shot out. "Enough."

The air was still.

Then Gladiator turned toward Troy's friends. Her smile was sweet. Too sweet.

"Where's Bubble Boy?"

Silence.

Umbra stepped forward. "He's training."

Bolt let out a long, slow whistle. "Oooh… training. For what, I wonder…"

Construct chuckled. "You know, this is kind of like a school project that got a little too successful."

Gladiator's smile disappeared. "Tell him... Starman is watching."

The drone kept on streaming.

Warehouse 17 – Livestream Chat [LIVE – BUBBLE CREW | 78,943 viewers]

@FlameJunkie12: WHO TF IS ZEUS??? Bro came outta nowhere and is cooking!

@Legion4Life: Vigilantes. All of them. The Legion should end this farce.

@BubbleCrewFan1: BUBBLE CREW IS GOING GLOBAL, BABY!!!

@BubbleboyAndGardengirl4Ever: Did you see Garden Girl?? She's unstoppable!!

@Zeus_Simp: Brooo Zeus just hit a THUNDER STEP on that guy like it was nothing!!

@VoidEyes: Y'all seriously think they can beat the LEGION? LMFAOOO

@BubbleboyWasHere: Void scares the hell outta me. Why's she STARING at the camera???

@SeamanDaddy: Seaman is the only reason I trust the Legion, fr.

@UmbraCult: Someone SCREENSHOT that moment Gladiator asked for Bubble Boy… chills.

@ConstructFan_69: Bro said "school project" and I actually snorted.

The tension thickened. The Bubble Crew instinctively shifted formation, subtly guarding Garden Girl.

Bolt zipped to the side of the warehouse, now chewing on a candy bar.

"You know…" he said lazily, "it's kinda sad. You kids are almost heroes. But you're amateurs with a livestream addiction. Real heroes don't need clout."

Umbra's fist clenched. "You've got millions watching this. They've seen what we can do. We are heroes."

Bolt chuckled. "Oh yeah? Let's test that."

He blurred into motion.

BANG!

He struck Zeus across the jaw before anyone could react, sending Miguel crashing into crates.

The fight ignited like a spark in a dry forest.

"Vinestrike!" Garden Girl snarled, snapping her vines at Gladiator, who cut through them with a single slice.

"Back off!" Inferno shouted, blasting a wall of flame toward Bolt, who skated along the air, smirking.

Construct formed a giant foam hammer and swung it at Umbra, who melted into shadow and reappeared behind him. "I'm not in the mood for jokes."

"Shadow Whip!" Crack!

Void raised her hand, light bending around her as she countered with a flashbang burst. Psion screamed and covered her eyes.

Seaman didn't move. He simply blocked Inferno's next fire blast with a wave of water from his trident.

"You don't want this," he said, his voice steady.

The livestream exploded.

@ChatShocked: THEY'RE FIGHTING!!!

@VoidGonnaVoid: Yo she just blinded Psion???

@ConstructIsWild: Did he just make a WHALE to slap someone???

@SEAMANvsINFERNO: This is HISTORY!!

@GladiatorStan: She's SMILING while fighting Garden Girl… what the actual...

The warehouse shook as Gladiator clashed with Garden Girl, her sword ringing against the armored vines.

"You survived Elemental?" Gladiator asked sweetly. "Cute. Let's see if you last me."

Psion shook off the flash and launched Gladiator into the ceiling with her powers.

Zeus roared, lightning dancing across his body. "THUNDER NOVA!"

He burst forward, slamming into Bolt mid-dash.

Zeus panted. "You talk fast, but you're not the only one with speed."

Bolt raised a brow, blood trickling from his nose. "…Okay. Now I'm impressed."

Outside the fight, Mr. Mars simply watched. Silent. Unmoving.

And in the background, the drone hovered, capturing every frame.

The Legion was holding back.

But the Bubble Crew was still standing.

Fighting with everything they had.

Garden Girl, scarred but burning.

Inferno, fire raging.

Umbra, shadows dancing.

Zeus, lightning blazing.

Psion, eyes glowing.

And in the livestream chat, one message appeared, pinned by the Bubble Crew account:

@BubbleCrewOfficial:

We're not trying to be better than the Legion. We're trying to be better than what you all think a hero is supposed to be.

- Bubble Boy.-