I woke slowly and felt that my muscles were tense as if I'd been clenching my jaws out of stress. I wondered why I'd be doing that and traced back through my memory. Memories last night came flooding back to me. However, I doubted them. I considered to myself: how could that really happen? I wrote it off as a weird dream and started rubbing my jaws to loosen them. After I ate and got ready I came downstairs and saw a news report on TV: "Authorities arrested a meta-human at a residence last night with the help of Static and Gear. At the scene, they had this to say". The report transitioned from the newsroom to an area in the residential district. A teen in an electric looking costume, I guessed he must be Static, spoke: "When we got there, he was already all out cold". A teen wearing a futuristic looking helmet and a bunch of technology added, "So naturally we called the police." The field reporter asked, "Do you have any clues as to who knocked him out?" Static replied, "Nope, we're still working on that."

I wondered what all that meant. What are Meta-humans? Who were the people I saw on TV? I decided to ask someone at school about those questions later. As I was about to leave, I saw a cardboard box in the hallway and did a double take. The box was addressed to me, and it was open and empty. I needed to hurry, or I'd be late for school, so I put it out of my mind.

At lunch time, I got my food and walked over to where Virgil and Riche usually sit. As I approached them I heard some of their conversation. "I'm telling you, that had to have really been Ike." Virgil said, Riche replied, "Yeah? So I guess the Avengers are real now too huh?". At this point I said, "Hi guys, whatcha talking about?" Richie responded, "We were uh... just talking about video games." I wasn't sure I believed that, however I remembered my questions from earlier and decided to move onto them. "I've been meaning to ask, what's a meta-human? Also who are Static and Gear?" Virgil and Riche just looked at me so I added, "I just moved in this week". The duo explained to me about the big bang incident and the emergence of super heroes as result. After the explanation I said, "Wow, this must be a dangerous place to live in". Virgil replied "Nah, it's all good, Static and Gear make sure of that" Riche changed the subject, "Say, I didn't see you at the Halloween party." I froze as I once again thought of what I'd earlier dismissed as dreams. "Josh you in there?" Virgil asked. "Yeah", I said as I forced myself to look normal, "How'd the party go?". Riche replied, "The super Smash bros tournament was really fun. Everything was going great until Shiv crashed the party." "Who's Shiv, and what happened then?" I asked, sounding anxious. I hoped they'd take the tone as concern related to the story. "We ran to get help, and the rest was on the news this morning" I froze even more. Was last night a dream? Am I going insane? I barely noticed a girl ask Riche for tutoring help before he and Virgil walked away. As I left school later that day I saw a poster that someone had put on the school bulletin board that said "Volunteers wanted for Dakota Children's hospital costume event." I didn't have anything else to do so I decided to look into it.

Meanwhile, Static and Gear were flying a patrol and discussing last night. "We'd better try to find out who that mystery fox was." Gear said. Static replied, "Maybe he's a new bang baby. He did appear to freak out right after he'd finished the job. I wonder if he's only just realized his powers." Gear replied, "If that's the case we should try to find him before some villain tries to take advantage of him." Static replied, "I almost forgot, my Pops wants me to help out at Dakota Childern's hospital today." Gear replied, "I'll go too".

I got home and contacted Dakota Children's and asked what they needed volunteers for. The receptionist replied that they needed people to deliver candy to patients and costumes were encouraged. I asked my Mom if she'd seen my costume and she replied, "Didn't you wear it to Richie's house?" The phone rang, and she went to answer it. I barely heard her since I couldn't deny the overwhelming evidence that something weird had happened last night. I decided to go up to my room to think about it. "If I did wear that costume, and that stuff on the news was as I remember it, then why am I not in costume now?" I kind of liked how Riche had complimented me on my costume, especially since he'd probably seen a lot of costumes at comic conventions. "If only I could do that again" I thought to myself. I looked at my reflection in a mirror and saw my costume was back. However, it didn't look like it did when I put it on last night, it looked many times more realistic. I stepped forward to get a closer look and felt one of my tails brush against my bed. I stopped. "What... is going on here?" I asked myself. I reached back and touched one of my tails with my gloved hand. I could feel the fabric touching that tail. I felt nervous, but that the same time excited. However, nervousness won out when I realized that I might be stuck like this. However, I looked at my reflection again and saw that I was back to human form. After experimenting for a few minutes, I realized that I could change form back and forth at will. I heard the clock chime downstairs and decided that I should head over to Dakota Children's Hospital.

On the way over to the hospital I thought again about last night. I'd dismissed it all as a dream or something at first, but since my transformation was real, maybe Ike was real too? I wasn't sure how that made sense though. Once I got to the reception area I decided to put that mystery out of my mind and focus on volunteering. My first candy delivery was to a adolescent girl who's leg was in a cast. She smiled when I gave her some candy. Then she asked, "May I touch your costume? It looks so real" I nodded, and she petted the fur on my arm. After a few more deliveries I'd gotten used to the idea of people touching my "costume" and if they were gentle I kind of liked it.

I went back for some more candy and then started another round of deliveries. Just as I came out of the elevator to the 2nd floor, I overheard a conversation. "I'm sorry miss, I don't know what's wrong with your son yet." Another voice replied, "Please do everything you can to figure it out. He's suffering." I thought to myself, "Medical do evaluations take time. It's not like we can use medical tricorders from startrek." I heard a third voice, presumably the son's say "Will I be ok mommy?" I wished I could do something for them, then I felt my hand close around a metal device. I looked down to see a circa 2300 medical tricorder. Hardly believing what had just happened, I pressed a few of the buttons on it and it gave various data and options. There was no way it was a just a toy or prop. I heard two sets of retreating footsteps, then walked into the room and offered some candy. The boy replied "I'm not hungry" in a depressed tone. In spite of myself I held the tri-corder up to his body and read off: "It says you have a rare form of lyme disease. It's completely curable though if the doctors know it's there." The boy's expression brightened up and he said, "That means I'll get better?" I replied, "Yes, I just need to tell your doctor what to do". As I exited the room the boy's mother walked by. I said to her, "My intuition tells me your son has a rare form of lyme disease." She replied, "How do you know?" I responded, "I've seen some good doctors at work in the past." and left out that I was referring to characters I saw on Startrek. She replied, "We'll look into it. Thank you." After she walked away I noticed that the tricorder had disappeared, so I poked my head into the room to make sure I hadn't left it behind. I hadn't. I spend the rest of my volunteer time thinking about what had happened. Yesterday I'd wanted help and Ike appeared. Today I got a tricorder when I wanted one. Both times it had been temporary.

After a few more deliveries the hospital staff thanked me and said I could go home. I'd just exited the door when I heard a woman cry out "My purse! Stop him!" I turned and saw a man running cross the street with a purse in hand. With an act of will a phaser set on stun appeared in my hand. I aimed and fired. However, I missed the thief and hit the supports on an abandoned window washer's station. This caused one side of the station to fall and catapult a bucket of water into the air which snapped a clothesline. A dress fell on the thief and before he could pull it away from his eyes he slammed into a lamp post. I felt surprised at what at happened, then I suddenly noticed that everyone was looking at me. I hurriedly ducked between two buildings and transformed back to human form before walking slowly out the other side of the alley.