Chapter 1: I'm the Hero! Reborn!
The counselor looked at me from the other side. "Chase, there isn't much time left to plan for your future." They sighed, looking down at a paper with information about me. "You've already thought about many careers and you're sure none of them seem right?"
They look through the different careers I was interested in before. "How about freshman year when you started learning more about psychology? It's a tough field but a good one. There was also when you started looking into the automotive field. You're certain you've lost interest in all this?"
I let out a fake laugh. "No way. I could barely hold all the information in my head, let alone confidently diagnose people. And fixing vehicles is way too dirty for me."
The counselor sighed as he continued to look at the paper. "It says you've been running track since you were a freshman. Sports can be difficult to get successful in, but it looks like you're interested in it. So it could be worth a shot. You already compete in the school's competitions."
"Running's just a hobby. I enjoy it, but it's nothing I'd want to make a career out of. Plus, competitions aren't the same as an entire career, competitions can be fun, but making a career out of them would be way too stressful."
They put the paper away and stared at me. "There's always going to be something you don't enjoy about your job. Sometimes it won't be fun, but you need to take that risk on something before it's too late. Thank you for your time. I'd consider taking this more seriously in the future."
I give my thanks and leave the counselor's office. It's not my fault I can't find something interesting. I rustle my hands through my hair. What's the point of doing something I won't enjoy? And what's so wrong about not wanting to ruin a hobby?
There's no practice today, so I head straight home after my talk with the counselor. I see crowds of people as they pass by. Do they know what they want to do? Is it that easy to find something you'll enjoy for the rest of your life?
I enter the front door of my family's small house. "I'm home!" As I take off my shoes, I can hear noises in the living room.
My dad comes up to me with a smile on his face. He's on the shorter side and has a bit of a dad bod. "Welcome back. Dinner's going to be ready in a minute. Did your talk with your counselor go well?
"It went fine. I think I'll find something to do soon." I don't enjoy lying to my parents, but I'd rather not have them worrying about me.
I hear the news playing off the tv from the living room, "Attacks continue throughout town by what I can only describe as a monster. Officers have concluded that the monster is after money or things it can sell. If you see it, get to safety and call the police as soon as possible."
Dad looks at me caringly, "Well, make sure you aren't moving too fast, don't want you picking a job you hate." He perks up and walks back to the living room, "I almost forgot, a package came while you were at school." He hands me a small cardboard box.
I don't get a good look at the tv before rushing upstairs. It's probably just some dude in a costume, anyway.
Weird, I don't remember ordering anything. Might as well see what it is.
There's no label, name, or return address. Weird. "Well, I guess there's only one thing to do now."
I grab a pair of scissors, cut the tape, keeping the box closed. Before long, I get rid of the tape and finally open the mysterious package. There are three things. The first is a belt with a large metal oval on the front, and a circle shaped hole in the middle. I inspect the sides and touch them. They slide up and down with my hands. The second is a single green disc that looks like it could fit in the belt.
The third is a note that reads, What do you want to be?
Seriously? A toy with an ad? Someone must've had this sent to the wrong address. Since there isn't a place to return it, I guess it's mine now. "I'll ask around, anyway. It's got no use to me." I tell my dad that I'm going to the mall and leave.
I walked through a mall, asking around for something on the package or its owner. There is no one who knows anything about it. I thought I'd at least be able to figure out what it is, but it must be some niche foreign toy. I did my best, no reason to keep going if no one else knows.
While I look around, I hear someone yelling, "You're seriously gonna back out now! I trusted you!" As I get closer, I can see a small crowd surrounding two guys, one of which is the person who was yelling. They both have jackets with their hoods up, so I can't get a good look at their faces. The other person walks up and whispers to the one yelling.
Whatever the person said only made him even more mad. "You don't get it, no one does! What I'm doing is bigger than you, bigger than me! I'm fighting for something important, and if you want me to stop, then you'll have to do it yourself!" The man pulls out a disc like the one from the package. The disc is silver with the image of a gargoyle. He puts it on his chest as it sinks in and fuses with his body. As it sinks in, I can hear words as if the disc itself was speaking.
Steel! Gargoyle!
I didn't take a chance on seeing what he'd look like after. I just started running with the package in hand. All I could hear were screams from the crowd. All I could see were people running and debris flying. My legs stop as I hear a sound, a kid crying.
I turn back and see a little kid, who couldn't be older than eight, huddled against a wall. In front of them is a hulking, hunched over beast with gleaming red eyes. Its skin was like steel. Instead of arms, it had curved blades, sharper than any knife I've seen. In its chest was the disc, around it was a spiral. It almost looks like the disc was screwed into its body. I couldn't even turn back. My body froze as I watched this monster slowly walk towards the crying child. Why is this happening? I could've left the stupid package at home and I wouldn't be here. Why can't I just turn around!?
It feels like time itself freezes as a voice plays back in my head and I look at the note in the package. There's always going to be something you don't enjoy about your job. Sometimes it won't be fun, but you need to take that risk on something before it's too late. I take out the belt and disc. As I pull the disc out, it speaks just like the silver disc.
Windy! Hero!
The disc is green. As I get a better look, I see an image on it. Instead of a gargoyle, this has the helmet of a superhero you'd see in a comic. The helmet had large bug-like eyes, two short antennae shooting up out of its forehead, and a scarf. It feels like the scarf is calling to me. It flows in the wind with nothing holding it back and I think back to the note as I look back at the kid. What do I want to be?
I take the belt and disc before charging at the beast, slamming my side into it as hard as I can. I push it back enough to get its attention. My brain is on fire. I shouldn't be doing this, but I can't stop myself. I'm scared and my body won't stop shaking, but I keep moving. Turning to the kid, I help him up.
I give them a reassuring look. "Go find your parents all right? Everything's gonna be fine. I won't let the monster get you." The kid runs off to safety. I turn back to face the monster.
The gargoyle doesn't give me the chance to speak before it swings its giant, guillotine-like blades at me. I roll below them, moving out of the way. I try to punch at it but nothing happens. It knocks me into the wall. This is bad. I should just run. The people have gotten away, so there's no reason for me to be here! I look down at the belt and disc and breathe. That guy used a disc to turn into a monster, and this belt has a slot for a disc. I hope this works.
It swings again. While moving out of the way, I put the belt on my waist. I push the disc into the slot in the middle, slide the sides and, as if the universe is telling me what to do, I yell out.
"Transform!"
The belt whirs to life, and the disc spins faster and faster, glowing bright and brighter with each spin. As if the belt is a projector, it shoots out a green image with the outline of a person. It's the hero from the disc. Their suit looks fake, as if it's just a costume, but even then it fills me with hope. I go into a pose like the hero being projected, and as I do, it flares to life. The scarf breaks off from the projection and flies around me, free. The projection is no longer just green like the disc, but green and black with red in smaller parts of the suit. Its design changes as well. The suit becomes more metallic compared to the elastic looking fiberglass or foam material in the projection.
As the suit covers me like armor, words come out of the belt like the man's disc from before.
Riding the wind! I am the hero! Reborn~
The red scarf wraps around my neck, the ends flowing in the wind.
I rush towards the monster. I move to the left as it slams its blade into the ground and I hurl my fist into it as hard as I can. Unlike before, the punch had a real impact. On its steel body is a dent from where my hit landed.
I move back to get some distance before pausing. It's too dangerous for me to keep fighting, I can't take another risk like before. "You can still stop. Everyone already ran away, so there's no reason to keep doing this!" The gargoyle only responds with a growl and charges forward for another slash.
I try to move, but the blade cuts me clean on the chest, sparks fly from the suit as it hits. This is bad. I knew this was a stupid idea to begin with. I've got to finish this fast. There has to be something else this belt can do.
The gargoyle readies both its blades to finish me. I fiddle around with the belt before remembering the sides. The gargoyle and I charge at each other. The monster uses its blades to slash at me. I slide under them and get up to face its back. I slide to the right side and the disc inside the belt spins, glowing brighter and brighter as it does.
Flowing Wind! Rider Kick!
I flip into the air and shoot down with a kick. I slam into the monster and land on the ground in front of it. The gargoyle stands for a couple of seconds before it breaks down. Leaving the man and disc on the ground as it's destroyed. The silver disc cracks as it lands on the ground, slightly revealing the machinery in it. I pick up the broken disc before he can wake up. As I put it away, I look back and see police watching, guns trained on me. The disc is with me when I run the other way. I can hear people shouting from behind me, but it dissipates after a little. I never get a good look at his face.
As soon as I get inside, my dad is already hugging me as hard as he can. It feels like I'm going to pop like a balloon. "I saw what happened on the news. Are you alright? Did you get hurt at all? Do you need anything?" As he continues to hurl questions at me, I can feel the stress from school, the fight, and the discs vanish. No matter how much I get hurt, he always makes me feel better.
I look over and see my mom sleeping after a long shift at work. My mom always looks tired, she works at a daycare so there are a lot of days where she comes back exhausted. Mom is a little taller than my dad, and on the skinnier side. I get most of my looks from her. I looked at a picture hung up on the wall before darting my eyes away. There were four people.
I break out of my dad's bear hug and chuckle. "I'm fine, but I'm pretty tired, so I'm just gonna go to sleep now." He breathes a sigh of relief and lets me go before walking back to the living room.
I enter my room and shut the door before collapsing on the bed. I talk out loud to myself about what had just happened and softly hit myself on the forehead. "Stupid, stupid, stupid. That was a onetime thing. No way I can do something as dangerous as that again." I open up my phone and check social media and sit up. Some people are talking about the monster, but nothing about me. I open up a drawer on the desk next to my bed and lay the belt and both discs in it before closing the drawer. I think back to the note and kid before falling asleep.
