Bubble Boy

The world was healing.

Crime rates had plummeted. Skies once filled with smoke now shimmered with clear light. The streets of Nightingale buzzed with life again, children played, shops reopened, and the statue of the fallen heroes stood proud and clean in the city square.

And at the center of it all stood Bubble Boy.

Troy hovered above the city in a gleaming blue and silver suit, the familiar hum of his bubblefield gently pulsing around him. The new Legion soared beside him, Gladiator, Construct, Bolt, Seaman, Void, Eden and a fully recovered each one shining in their own right.

"Team Delta, secure the west sector," Troy called, pointing toward the rooftops where a few stragglers from the old regime still tried to cause chaos. "Eden, check in on the reactor zone. Seaman, you're with me."

They moved with speed and precision. The new generation of heroes. Strong. United. Hopeful.

Troy landed on the roof of a rebuilt hospital and waved down to a group of cheering nurses below. He offered a modest smile and gave a short bow.

Not out of arrogance.

But gratitude.

Later that afternoon, Troy visited a quiet brick building tucked between two skyscrapers. The orphanage looked modest, but the murals along its walls burst with color, bubbles, stars, and capes drawn in crayon and paint.

"Bubble Boy!" a little girl shouted as he stepped inside.

The room erupted with cheers.

He laughed, waving as dozens of children ran up to him. He knelt, summoning a swirl of glowing blue bubbles that danced through the air, popping gently against the children's noses, making them giggle.

He read to them. He played tag, floating gently so they could chase him. He gave them tiny, personalized bubble shields to keep for a day.

And when one quiet boy clutched his cape and whispered, "I want to be just like you," Troy knelt and placed a hand on the boy's chest.

"Then start here," he said, tapping the boy's heart. "Be brave. Be kind. That's how all heroes begin."

The boy nodded fiercely.

By evening, Troy arrived at a community stadium, flooded with fans for the annual Hero Appreciation Day.

A sea of people chanted his name. Old Legion logos mixed with new Bubble Crew banners waved in the breeze.

He shook hands, signed drawings, posed for photos, even danced a little when a kid dared him to. When someone handed him a plush toy shaped like a giant bubble with eyes, he laughed so hard he nearly floated into the rafters.

But when a young girl asked, "What does being a hero feel like?" he paused.

Troy knelt and took the microphone gently.

"Being a hero… means showing up. Even when you're tired. Even when you're scared. It means being the person someone else can count on. That's all."

The crowd was quiet for a beat. And then the cheers returned, louder, warmer, full of love.

And high above the crowd, unnoticed by most, Starman watched from the clouds. Proud. Silent. Smiling.

Because his son had become everything he never could.

And more.

Later That Night

Peace came in many forms.

Sometimes, it was silence.

And sometimes… it was loud music, bad jokes, and a table full of snacks.

Guys' Night

Troy leaned back on the couch in Construct's skyloft apartment, its floating panels and chrome furniture glowing faintly. The city sparkled beneath them, but inside, the Legion's core guys were deep in a heated game of cards.

"Eidolon, you can break through buildings, but you still can't shuffle for crap," Jackson muttered, tossing down his hand.

"I shuffle in multiple dimensions. You're just jealous," Eidolon replied, smirking.

Seaman slouched with a plate of wings, sauce smeared on his chin. "I don't even know what game we're playing, but I'm winning."

"You're not," Bolt said flatly, eyes narrowing as he sipped from a soda can. "You're holding Uno cards, man."

They all groaned.

Troy laughed harder than he had in weeks. He hadn't realized how much he missed this, just being Troy, not Bubble Boy, not leader of the Legion. Just a guy surrounded by friends.

"Alright," Carter said, cracking his knuckles, "story time. First villain you ever beat that made you feel like a real hero. Go."

Construct leaned forward. "My first mech battle. Shattered half my suit. Still got the scar."

"Mine was a guy robbing a bakery," Bolt said. "He slipped on his own icing. I didn't even throw a punch."

"I fought a kraken," Seaman added proudly. "Naked."

Everyone groaned.

"No one asked for that visual," Jackson said.

Troy was quiet for a second, then finally smiled. "It was the first time I stood up to Starman. I didn't win. But I didn't run either. That's when I knew."

The others nodded quietly.

Then Seaman belched. Loudly.

The mood vanished. Laughter returned.

The night stretched on with dumb games, old memories, and the kind of warmth that only came from battle-forged brotherhood.

Girls' Night

Meanwhile, across the city, Isabella's apartment was full of music, pizza boxes, and the buzz of laughter. Gladiator, Alexa, Isabella, Kasey, and Emily had all gathered for a rare night off.

Gladiator sat cross-legged on the floor, arm-wrestling Kasey with a smug grin.

"You're strong, but girl, I bench mountains," she teased.

Kasey grunted, struggling. "You… are so annoying!"

Emily handed Annie a glass of sparkling cider, flopping next to her on the couch. "So. Spill. How's married life with the face of the planet?"

Annie grinned. "Exhausting. Amazing. He's… still the same dork I met in high school. Just with way more pressure now."

Alexa chimed in, bouncing Max and Amy's picture on her phone. "The kids talk about Uncle Troy like he's a living action figure."

"Technically, he is," Isabella said, polishing her wine glass. "But I'm more interested in the fact that Annie still hasn't told him someone has been visiting the house."

All eyes turned to her.

Annie just smiled quietly. "It's not time yet. But it will be."

The room grew quiet for a second.

Then Gladiator shouted, "Kasey beat me!?"

Everyone cheered.

Music resumed. Pillows were thrown. Life, for a moment, was just joy.

Outside, the moon rose high above Nightingale City. The heroes laughed. The city slept.

And in the stars, something stirred.

But for now…

Peace.

Real peace.

And love.