Bubble Boy

The bell rang. Hallways buzzed with chatter, lockers slammed, and footsteps echoed in every direction. But the eye of the storm was Troy.

He stood with the Bubble Crew in the middle of the hallway, their laughter echoing above the noise. Bandages crisscrossed across their faces and limbs like war medals, earned in chaos and victory.

Carter slapped Troy on the back. "Man, the way you flew through that math test, I thought I was hallucinating."

Emily smirked. "That's because you were hallucinating. Ms. Everly literally paused time to get your attention."

Troy chuckled, arms crossed, relaxed. "At least I wasn't drooling on my desk like Jackson."

"Hey!" Jackson pointed dramatically. "Bubble Boy has jokes now? What happened to the shy little guy we found hiding in the library, huh?"

"He got replaced by a multiversal badass," Miguel added, grinning despite the bandage over his brow.

The hallway around them quieted just slightly as eyes turned, whispers following like shadows.

"Is that really him?"

"Starman's son?"

"I thought he was just… y'know, the bubble freak."

"No way a F-class turned out to be that."

Troy ignored the stares.

Annie limped beside him on crutches, her burn scars peeking from beneath her sleeves, but her eyes were alive. "So, we're all hitting the boardwalk this afternoon. Games, food, maybe throw Carter into the ocean. You in?"

Troy's smile faltered. "I… I can't. Something came up."

"Again?" Emily raised an eyebrow. "You've been skipping out a lot lately."

Carter leaned in, teasing. "What, got a date with Destiny?"

"Something like that," Troy said, almost sadly.

Later That Evening...

The world went still.

Every screen across the globe, TVs, phones, tablets, flashed white, then opened on a massive, golden-lit stage. The Legion's Emblem pulsed at its center.

And then… Starman descended.

Hovering above the platform, red cape flowing, he landed with the weight of eternity. He raised a hand and silence obeyed.

"Today," he said, "marks the beginning of a new age."

The camera panned left.

Troy stepped forward.

Wearing a sleek, redesigned gold and white suit, symbol of hope etched across the chest like a glowing crest. His expression calm. Unshaken.

"My son," Starman said, "will be the light this world needs."

And the words appeared in gold at the bottom of every screen:

"Introducing the Newest Legion Member: BUBBLE BOY"

Back at the Boardwalk...

The Bubble Crew sat outside the arcade, stuffing fries into their mouths when Jackson's phone buzzed.

"Uh… guys? Look at this."

Everyone turned to the nearest screen above the candy stand.

Troy.

In a Legion uniform.

Standing beside Starman.

Carter nearly dropped his soda. "WHAT?!"

Emily's jaw was open. "He...he didn't tell us?!"

Annie stared, eyes wide. "He said he was busy… this is what he meant?!"

Jackson stood slowly, face unreadable. "He's… one of them now?"

Elsewhere…

Jace sat in his private library, TV muted… but his eyes locked on the screen.

He didn't move. Didn't blink.

"…He actually did it," he whispered.

Arthur appeared beside him. "Shall I prepare the patrol car, sir?"

"No," Jace said, slowly standing. "Not tonight. Not while the world's watching him."

Meanwhile…

Sam bounced on the couch at home, popcorn flying everywhere.

She was in full Bubble Boy cosplay: homemade helmet, pillow armor, and foam bubbles glued to her arms.

"THAT'S MY BUBBLE BOY!!!" she screamed, shaking her mom by the shoulders.

"HE'S A LEGIONNAIRE!!!"

Her mom blinked, confused. "Wait… isn't that Troy from your sister's school?"

"EXACTLY!!!"

Sam did a cartwheel off the couch and smashed into a chair.

Back on screen, Troy looked directly into the camera.

Not afraid.

Not ashamed.

Just ready.

"I'm not here to replace anyone," he said. "I'm here to be better. To show the world what real heroes look like."

Starman smiled beside him, a shadow of a grin that never quite touched his eyes.

But Troy?

Troy stood in the light.

Even if he didn't know yet how long it would last.

Later That Night…

The sky above the city was painted in hues of deep indigo and electric gold as the Legion Tower rose like a god among mortals. A skyscraper of chrome and glass, humming with power, it pierced the clouds with quiet menace and brilliance. At its crown, the ever-glowing Emblem of the Legion.

Troy stood at its base, a duffel bag slung over his shoulder, the white-and-gold suit now covered by a hoodie. His eyes traced the impossible height, breath catching slightly.

This is it. No turning back now.

The doors hissed open.

Inside, the lobby felt like walking into the future. Everything shimmered: floors like liquid obsidian, floating platforms, crystalline walls shifting with holograms.

A drone zipped past, scanning Troy silently before projecting a glowing arrow in the air.

"Welcome, Bubble Boy," it chimed in a neutral voice.

He followed it.

Level 32 – Combat Wing

The elevator doors opened and the first thing Troy saw was a sword cleaving through a steel training dummy.

CLANG!

Gladiator spun, sweat glistening on her arms, braid whipping as she completed the arc. The dummy split in two.

She turned to Troy, eyes sharp, expression unreadable. "You're late."

Before he could answer, Seaman walked out of a nearby chamber, towel over his shoulder, trident clipped to his back.

"Troy," he said with a slow, measured nod. "Welcome aboard. Don't let the theatrics scare you. Everyone's just… adjusting."

From another corridor, a book floated down the hallway.

Void followed it, feet never quite touching the ground. She didn't say a word, just glanced at Troy through a curtain of silver-blonde hair, and returned to her reading. The shadows clung to her like mist.

Bolt shot past behind her in a blur of blue lightning, yelling, "I TOLD YOU CONSTRUCT CHEATED!"

"I NEVER CHEAT!" Construct's voice boomed.

Troy stepped into the rec room just as Mr. Mars phased halfway through a wall, nodding politely before walking past like it was normal.

In the corner, Mr. Mars and Construct were locked in an intense ping-pong battle. The table hovered. The ball blinked in and out of existence.

"Point to Construct," Mars said with a small frown.

"Victory! Suck it, greenman!"

Bolt exploded into cheers like he won. "WOO! I told you, no one beats Construct five games in a row, except me!"

Troy blinked. "...What?"

"You'll get used to it," Seaman said behind him, with a faint chuckle.

Troy's Room – Level 17

It was sterile.

White walls. A single bed. A desk. A window looking out over the city. Cold. Empty.

Troy set his bag down. Sat on the edge of the bed. For a moment, he just stared at his reflection in the glass.

This is where heroes live.

He started unpacking, folded clothes, a few books, a picture of his mom, and a tiny bubble-blower from childhood.

He set that on the desk.

Then, a voice crackled through the intercom.

"Training starts tomorrow. Don't be late."

Starman.

Always watching.

Always looming.

Troy exhaled, gripping the photo frame tighter.

"I won't be," he whispered.

He looked at the city again.

Somewhere out there, the Bubble Crew was still at the boardwalk. Laughing. Eating fries.

Annie.

He touched the glass with his fingertips.

For you.

The window flickered, turning transparent.

Outside, night stretched endlessly and the city below didn't even know the new age had begun.