Chapter 1: Kenneth Hawkins

(17 years later)

BeepBeepBeepBeepBeepBeep

"Ugh, stupid alarm clock. Get a life, why doncha?" a groggy voice sounded from a bundle of blankets, as a dark colored hand reached out and smashed down on the snooze button.

"Kenny! Get up! You're gonna be late!" his mother's voice shouted from downstairs.

The 14 year old grumbled and started to get up. He knew there was no escaping his mom's orders. And if he tried to argue, he'll lose. No use avoiding the inevitable.

He rubbed his eyes and ran a hand through his short dreadlocks, most likely inherited by his father. Kenny admired everything about his dad. His superhero rep, his powers, his courage, etc. The list went on. His father was his role model.

Kenny quickly got dressed, a white and red shirt, and baggy jeans and white sneakers. He also slipped on red wristbands. He grabbed his backpack and started out the door...just when the annoying beeping alarm clock started up again. Kenny scowled and tried to switch it off, but no effect.

His scowl deepened as he powered up his right hand with static electricity. The static hit and the alarm finally stopped. Yes, he had inherited his dad's powers, too. But his parents told him to keep it low on the powers. 'From attracting to much attention' or 'To keep him from getting into trouble.' The point was, to not use his powers unless it was really necessary. But it couldn't hurt to use it once in a while.

He rushed downstairs.

Kenny entered the kitchen. His backpack dropped to the floor as he grabbed a piece of toast from the counter.

His mom appeared from the living room, "Good morning, Kenny"

Kenny swallowed, "Morning, mom."

She sat beside the table, sipping her coffee. Kenny asked, "Where's dad?"

"He's with the Justice League again. Apparently, just to help out a little at the Watchtower." His mom said it as if it was an everyday thing, nothing special.

Kenny smiled. It was so cool having a dad who knew the Justice League. He had met them several times before, but he has never seen the Watchtower. He was 'too young'. Hmph. His dad got to go onto the Watchtower when he was Kenny's age, so why couldn't he? His dad said that it was 'for his own safety'. He understood that, with the Watchtower being in space and all that, but his dad usually treated him like a little kid.

"Kenny? You better hurry, you're gonna be late." She said, pointing to the clock on the wall.

Kenny silently cursed, "Oh yeah." He swallowed the last bit of toast and slung his backpack over his shoulder and saw that the basment door was open slightly. He started to close the basement door, but a spec of yellow caught his eye. He looked down to see a yellow corner of a object peeking out from under a couple of boxes on the top of the basement stairs. He picked it up and tried to dust it off but he glanced at his watch, cursed again and hurriedly ran out the front door, unconsiously slipping the object in his pocket, "See ya, mom."

She waved slightly as the door closed.

She glanced at the picture on the fridge of her and Virgil when they were teens, she smiled. So much had happened over the past 17 years. Virgil asking her out on their first real date, their first kiss, getting married and having a son. Also, Virgil had told her all about him being Static, his adventures with Richie as Gear. She had been pleasantly suprised when he had told her. But it didn't come as a total shock. Ever since she had first met Virgil, she had a feeling that he wasn't just a normal 15-year-old. But now that she was married to Virgil AKA Static, things in life have been more...interesting.

Daisy Hawkins smiled once again at the picture before sipping her coffee again.

Kenny strode down another sidewalk, halfway to Dakota Middle School. He was in his last year, now. In only a few months, summer break will come and he'll be on his way to his first time as a high school student. Just think, sports, cute cheerleaders, new friends...tougher classes.

Kenny groaned. Just when he looks on the brightside, the dark downside comes to smack him in the face...

A loud "clank" was enough to make the young eighth grader stop and peer into the dirty alley that he was just passing. Kenny tried to shrug it off and walk away, but his body wouldn't listen.

Before he knew it, he was standing right in the middle inside the alley. What had possessed him to come here? Must be the couragous superhero impulse inside, from his father.

Okay, enough boasting, Kenny. It's nothing special, just a normal, dark alleyway. Nothing different from all the others that were scattered throughout Dakota City.

A flash of green caught his eye. He turned to see...nothing.

Okay, Kenny, this is just stupid, ignoring the fact of you talking to yourself. Just shut off your paranoia and face it, there's no bad guys here. No criminals, no gangs, no nothing.

Just relax, even if there was a bad guy here, you would kick their-

A dark figure leapt out at him from behind a trashcan to tackle him. Kenny screamed.

"Hahahahaha...that...was...so ..priceless!" A boy, about Kenny's age, walked out of the alley behind Kenny, who was red in the face, and hot from annoyance and embarrassment.

"That wasn't funny, Vince." Kenny snapped.

"Geez, you can never take a joke, can ya cuz?" Vince scoffed.

"Not by you. Geez, I'm just glad that your my cousin instead of my brother."

"Whatever."

Vince stretched his arms up about six feet in the air, literally, before pulling them back, like rubber. "So...what's up?"

"Nothing. Pretty much the same as everyday..."

The two entered the school campus. One minute till the bell rang.

"How I can relate...but I was talking about any superhero stuff with your dad."

Kenny shrugged, "He's with the Justice League again."

Vince frowned, "Again? How much has he been there?"

"Well...lately he's been to taking trips to theWatchtower constantly. Not like everyday, but enough to feel like it."

"Do you think something bad's going down?"

"I tried asking him last night, but he just said that it was nothing-"

The shrieking sound of the school bell rung out all through the campus. Students started to file inside the building. Kenny and Vince followed.

"And you honestly believe that it's nothing?"

Kenny shut his locker after storing his home stuff and withdrawing his books. He turned to his cousin, who was leaning casually against the locker next to him, playing with the hem of his green shirt. "Oh come on! Like I would believe that old, dusty line? Honestly, he comes up with all those catchy superhero phrases, but he can't think up a more original line than, 'It's nothing'." He muttered.

Vince stood upright, "So, what do you think is really going on?"

Kenny shrugged, "I think there is something, but nothing too serious, or he wouldn't keep it from us." Surely his dad would warn them first if there was any real danger, wouldn't he?

The bell rang again, signaling first period class.

Vince shrugged, "Whatever you say, see ya Kenny-boy!"

Kenny waved, then scowled, "Don't call me 'Kenny-boy'."

Vince laughed and went to his first class. Kenny entered his own and started talking to his friends.

TBC

Well, that was fun! Richie's daughter will be introduced in the next chapter.