Wow, it took me forever to continue this, lol. Now that my college semester is over, I'll hopefully be updating faster. I've been really inspired lately on this little Heroverse that I'm trying to create. I'm very excited about it and I hope I can get to the rest of the stories soon enough.
Special thanks to: TheCoffee, LoudAutomata16, Jeff, burtonfan422, FanficFan920, STR2D3PO, MrNonsense, Tristen, The Siege Perilous, copet, and 16!
Chapter 5:
In for a penny, in for a pounding.
Sometimes I feel weird talking about my dreams. I listen to other people telling theirs, and they all seem so normal, so regular, dealing with everyday, common things, pretty straight forward and looking almost like a linear plot. My dreams are nothing like that. They're not about Clyde, my friends and I going to summer camp to play volleyball on the beach, no. I'd be instead dreaming of all of us being chosen by an Elder God to become a patrol of intergalactic heroes, the first group of superheroes to watch over not just our city but the entire Solar System. And I'd have a very long, convoluted dream about our space adventures, ending on an epic, climactic battle against a cosmic whale on the surface of the Sun. That's how ridiculous my dreams tend to be, and as cool as I think they are, I'm lowkey embarrassed about sharing them out loud. I'm afraid of being called childish or immature. So if I don't share my dreams with you often, it's just because they're too weird.
The dream I had after my first night of superhero escapades, however, was completely different, and I think it's worth sharing.
The first odd thing about it was that I wasn't the protagonist of my own dream. I was nowhere to be seen. I didn't identify with a character, I was more of a camera, a moving spectator witnessing a series of images. I'd say it was like watching a movie, but the mirages of my mind were nothing like a movie. It was some kind of anthology of unknown places and random scenarios.
There didn't seem to be any sort of story to follow. Just landscapes, at first. I remember seeing a hill. A soft breeze brushed over tall grass, pushing the soft petals of flowers to detach and dance with the air. The shimmering sun was painting the whole landscape with warm colors, and even if I couldn't see myself on the field, a feeling of peace and relaxation flooded me.
A different part of my dream showed me what seemed to be a creek within a forest. The crackling sound of water splashing against rocks and moving downstream was mixed in with the buzzing of insects and the melodic song of birds at the treetops. Unlike the previous scene, this time the camera seemed to focus on a tiny frog jumping beside the creek. I followed it, watching it hop away, trying to keep my eyes on it. The frog, however, decided to jump onto a small path of rocks that crossed over the creek, getting away. For some reason, my dream seemed to be particularly interested in it, and so the camera moved to follow it.
It felt I was the one jumping, and my dream's point of view suddenly turned into the first person. My foot slipped on the wet surface of a rock, and soon after I was falling into the water. Everything spun around me as I struggled to swim back to the surface. I saw the light reflecting over my head, but the current wouldn't let me reach it. And then, a figure appeared. I couldn't make any details out from under the water, but a hand firmly grabbed me by my clothes and on a quick move, it pulled me out of the water.
The dream changed before I could see the face of whoever had saved me. I was suddenly back into being nothing but a spectator, and the scene playing out in front of me was much different than the rest. It wasn't a peaceful landscape or a beautiful picture of nature. My eyes saw a wooden cabin in the middle of the night, burning up on red, wild flames, like a pillar of fire. Everything was moving around me, and a thundering explosion inside the cabin sent scattered, blazing splints flying all around us, making it look like a firestorm. I could hear someone's staggered breathing, and judging by the speed we were running through trees, I assumed that whoever my dream was showing me was running away from something, or someone.
A child's crying made its way to my ears above all the chaos, and for some reason, I could feel the desperation on his childish voice like I was experiencing it myself. Incoherent yelling of at least two different sources sounded around me, adding to my confusion. And then, a figure walked outside the cabin ruins, walking through the fire and the flames like they had no effect on him. More yelling, more movement, flashes of light all around me, a louder cry; the dream became more and more real with every passing second. More real, and more dangerous. And then the figure in the fire screamed something I couldn't quite understand, and a green beam of light shoot straight out of his position, advancing like a tornado of death, enveloping everything I could see. My eyes hurt just by looking at it, and as I felt being dragged into the source of the energy, the crying and screams turned louder. The light was getting closer, and everything in my life seemed to be reducing itself to that moment, bracing myself for the impact, for that energy to get to me, consuming everything around me, consuming me…
And just then, my phone's ringtone woke me up.
The sound made me sit up right away, immediately aware of the thin layer of cold sweat coating my body and sticking to my pajamas. Just like the previous morning, my superhuman instincts and senses had me alert and with a clear mind, as if I had been up for an hour and not for the last two seconds. Even then, it took me a couple of seconds to take a deep breath and ease the anxiety induced by my dream.
I stretched my hand to grab my phone. I had an incoming call from Jordan, of all people. My mind suddenly remembered that she would be coming to my house in the morning to being our school project.
"Hey, Jordan," I said as I put my phone on speakers, trying to sound casual as I jumped up on my bed, running to my closet to pick up my best clothes.
"Hey, Lincoln," she said with her angelic voice. "Did I wake you up?"
"Pfft, no, I was finishing my, uh, morning exercises."
"Is that what boys call it?"
I was in the middle of taking my pants off, and the surprise made me trip over myself.
"Is there a reason why you called?" I asked, standing up and picking up my clothes before going to the bathroom to take a shower. It was hard not to sound embarrassed.
"I just got on the bus, so I'll be there soon."
"Oh, alright. Cool."
"I'm letting you know in advance so you can clean up your room."
"My room is impeccable, Jordan," I told her as I made my way around the mined field that was my floor filled with clothes and blankets.
"I bet. See ya, Linc!"
After hanging up, I glanced around my room. With a grimace, I ran to the bathroom. I had so much work to do.
When I heard the bell, I threw the broom to the other side of the kitchen, with a bullseye accuracy so it ended up standing right where it belonged. I went to the front door, brushing my still damp hair with my hands and clearing my throat. Once I was convinced that I looked as good as I possibly could, I opened the door.
There she was, her blond mane beaming under the morning sun, with the one single braid resting comfortably over her left shoulder. She was wearing a yellow blouse and black leggings, and there was not a single inch of her body that didn't radiate beauty.
Being in front of her was like standing next to a female Apollo.
"Happy Secret Identity Day," I said to break the ice.
"Happy Secret Identity Day," she replied.
The holiday was one of many that had been instaurated to honor the metahumans. The date commemorated a horrible tragedy, in which the family of Thornhead, one of the most famous heroines at the time, had been murdered by a group of supervillains after some of her personal information was published. After that incident, the International Committee of Metahumans had deemed that the secret identity of a metahuman in good standing was considered to be protected information. As such, it was considered illegal to share, disclose or reveal any personal information of metahumans, who were also not required to reveal their secret identity to police unless they first received a firm conviction in court.
It was a measure that looked to protect the rights of a minority that was so looked after, envied, needed, and hated like the metahumans were. A reminder that heroes risked everything for us, and that the least we could do for them was to reassure them that their private lives wouldn't be invaded or compromised.
Regardless of the tragic story behind it, it was still a date to thank the work of our heroes. It was a holiday, so we had no classes, which allowed me to also thank the fact that Jordan was there with me.
"Huh, you look good," she said, scanning me from head to toes. "I was pretty sure I woke you up."
"Pfft, of course not," I said, trying my best to earn an Oscar nomination. "Come on, breakfast's almost ready."
She smiled, raising her eyebrows and looking impressed.
"Wow, so thoughtful."
Without any more words, she stepped inside, and as soon as I closed the door, I was very aware of the fact that we were alone, with no one else to interrupt us. I dried my sweaty hands on my pants and I walked her into the living room.
"Mi casa, tu casa. Be right back."
Making sure that the muffins were at the right temperature before getting them out of the oven and that the chocolate milk was properly shaken, I put my quick, improvised breakfast on a tray and took it to the coffee table in front of the couch where Jordan was sitting.
"It's nothing to write home about," I said, a bit embarrassed, "but I didn't know whether you had breakfast yet or not, and I didn't want to do anything too heavy… Anyway, I hope you like it."
She grabbed a muffin and gave it a soft bite, closing her eyes and chewing with a smile.
"Not bad, not bad," she congratulated me. "You weren't lying when you said you knew how to cook."
"I never lie. Sixty percent of the time, I always tell the truth."
She snickered. "That's not how statistics work."
"Well, I'll be honest and say that statistics aren't my thing."
"You know what? I believe you."
We both smiled, and rather than butterflies, what I felt inside my stomach were raging fireworks. We had always been on good terms, but only since Stella had been transferred into our school and integrated my friend group had Jordan started to spend more time with us. It wasn't usual for just the two of us to be alone, and my mind was already working at full speed to find a way to show her the best of me, to show her that I was a great person and a good kid. I had to demonstrate that I could be responsible, kind, smart, empathic, funny…
I kept a short, casual conversation with her as I finished the details of the plan in my head, and after she finished her glass of chocolate milk and her muffin, I decided to put Operation Show Her That I'm An Excellent Candidate For Boyfriend And Hopefully Ask Her On A Date And Also Think Of A Shorter Name For This Operation into action.
"So, hey—"
"Alright, we've been dancing around it long enough, let's talk about it," she said, interrupting me with a smile on her face and bouncing her knees like she couldn't contain herself.
"Uh… talk about what?"
"Come on, don't play dumb!" She leaned forward, our faces getting closer than I expected. "The new Ace Savvy!"
Any intention of showing myself as a smart person in front of Jordan vanished right away. A mix of surprise and eldritch horror filled my body, and I had to make a conscious effort not to let my jaw drop open.
"What'"
I tried to fake ignorance in case this was all a misunderstanding, and I must have done a good job at it since she looked at me like I was stupid.
"You really haven't seen anything?" She asked, frowning. "It's everywhere! There's a boy that seems to have the same powers and weapons that Ace Savvy did, and last night he jumped onto some thugs with a costume that looks like old school Ace. Everyone's posting stories and tweeting about it. Haven't you checked anything?"
"I-I didn't… I was…"
Cold sweat fell down my temples and back. I knew that the criminals would be interrogated by the police, but I didn't expect people to actually believe them. According to Jordan, however, it seemed like the whole city was talking about my vigilant escapade from last night. That was definitely not what I intended, since being a known hero on Royal Woods was never a good idea. Only the brave and the stupid did it, and I didn't think I belonged to either of those categories.
After a few endless seconds of utter panic, she seemed to pity me, taking out her phone and googling something.
"Check this out," she said, inviting me to sit right next to her.
I would have usually felt quite anxious about being so close to the girl of my dreams, but at that moment, the adrenaline and fear that ran through my veins made me almost forget that I was in love with her. I sat by her side, my heart beating fast, and I could feel the colors leave my face as I read the title of the video: "New Child Ace Savvy DESTROYS Thugs With KICKS and PUNCHES".
And as soon as she hit play, I understood right away where the video had come from. It was clearly a recording from a phone, very amateurish in its quality, blurred, too dark to see clearly, and very shaky. Many people were yelling and screaming, and I recognized them as the dudes that had been playing basketball on the court. They recorded almost the entire fight, although thankfully, they didn't manage to get any incriminatory detail that could give away my secret identity. Still, it was easy to recognize that I was wearing an Ace Savvy costume, fighting two men a few times bigger than me, moving swiftly and striking with precision.
The full video lasted less than two minutes, but Jordan knew right away that I'd want to check it out again, replaying it without even having to ask me. Even in my stunned emotional state, I had to admit that seeing myself fighting was actually really dope. I wasn't close at all to the level of the original Ace Savvy, but no one could look at that video and not think of me as a somewhat competent hero. At least for two minutes.
And that, as cool as it sounded, scared the heck out of me.
"So? Watchu think?" She asked, putting her phone away but staying next to me.
"I… don't know what to say," I admitted, for a thousand thoughts were clashing on my mind, fighting a Battle Royale to see which one of them could get my brain to focus on something.
"Yeah, well, there are some mixed responses," she explained to me, sounding a bit annoyed. "Some people are mad that he took over Ace Savvy's identity so soon. And some say he's too young to be a hero."
"I-I mean, we don't know if he's a hero yet."
"Are you kidding? He tracked down two thugs that stole a deaf kid's headphones, beat them, left them ready for the police, and brought the headphones back its owners! Sounds pretty heroic to me."
"He's a kid. He doesn't look any older than… thirteen or fourteen," I said, deliberately avoiding using our age.
"Yeah… it's dangerous. But I'm sure he knows, and yet he went out to do it. Some say he might be Ace Savvy's son."
"Why would they say that?"
"Uh, his suit? Duh?" She said, pressing her phone on my face. "His movements! He has a grappling hook and his Utility Aces! Maybe he's not his son, but he's likely been trained by him."
I couldn't think of any way to argue against those ideas without compromising my position, so I just had to play along.
"I don't know, Jordan… Just because he was there last night, it doesn't mean he's a hero. What if this was like a one-time thing? No one wants to be a real hero in Royal Woods… I can't imagine a kid taking that risk.
There was no way I was becoming a full-time hero. This had been an isolated incident. I happened to be there when the crime had been committed, and just by mere luck had I been able to listen to their plans. My idea was to simply rectify an act of injustice I hadn't intervened on when presented with the chance. To pay my debt with Ace Savvy by giving a smile back to a family that had been a victim of insecurity.
Going on that mission had been incredibly dangerous. No one had any right to ask me to risk me and my family's integrity. I wasn't a hero, I had no training, no experience, I didn't even have powers until two days ago. It had never been my intention to pretend to be one, and I deeply regretted that many people were getting the wrong idea.
Above everything, it pained me to see Jordan's disappointed face. My words seemed to dishearten her. She let her phone fall on her lap and, dropping her shoulders, she rested against the couch.
"Yeah… maybe you're right," she said, sounding defeated. "I guess one heroic act doesn't mean he's a hero yet."
"I mean, I dunno, I'm just saying we should wait before we… make any expectations about him," I said, trying to empathize with her.
"It's not that I'm getting high expectations or anything… Or, well, yeah, I do. It's just that… ever since Ace died, I've been feeling super anxious and unsafe. My parents are the same. They're even talking about moving out of town."
Hearing those words was like a heavy on my stomach, almost literally bringing me down on the sofa. Not just because the girl I had a big crush on was telling me that she might be moving away, but also because of the terrible fact that it was all my fault.
"I had no idea," I said.
"We don't have any heroes. They don't think we're safe."
"What about Eclipse and Nova?"
"They're the only new heroes we've had in years. And they've said that the only reason why they're doing it is that they were inspired by Ace Savvy. If it wasn't for him, they wouldn't be risking themselves this way. But now he's gone. He can't inspire anyone else. That's why I got so happy when I woke up and saw those videos. I know it's super selfish of me, but… I feel safer knowing that there are heroes out there. Even if I never had to be saved, knowing that normal people like me aren't alone, it gives me hope."
There was nothing I wanted to do more than to comfort her, but her arguments were creating a conflicting tumult of feelings within my heart. She was absolutely right. Ace Savvy was the symbol of hope and peace on Royal Woods. A cursed city where all the heroes died. Except him. He was the incarnation of justice, the personification of the maximum potential that each of us carried inside. His impact on everyone's lives was so much greater than simply the crimes he solved or prevented.
My whole life I had admired heroes not just because of their powers, but also the selflessness of their acts, their will to help others even when it meant risking their own lives. It was truly spectacular thinking that there were people with such strong ideals out there. Knowing that they were out there helped us go on with our days feeling safer.
But it was also a big excuse not to be the best version of ourselves. I'm not saying I'm a scumbag, but I think it's normal for all of us to have a chance of doing a good deed or put someone else's interests before ours, and yet we put our own first. It's easier not to be an exemplary person when you don't have powers.
"Oh, if only I had powers, I would totally be a hero myself!", you'd find yourself saying. And yet, you seldom take the small, little actions that are indeed at your disposal to help others. It's easy to excuse ourselves for not being the best we can be just because we're not metahumans.
All those thoughts were occurring on my mind as Jordan kept playing videos about this new Ace Savvy, as people called me. She showed me several compilations of local influencers reacting to the original video on their social media. I have to admit, hearing their reactions about my performance as a hero was oddly gratifying.
"Look at those movements! That's some Asian Level martial arts!"
"I mean, I'd usually say it's too soon for someone to just go and take on the Ace Savvy mantle, y' know what I'm saying? But this is also, like, sending a message to thugs and shit; don't think you can just do whatever you want in this town."
"How much do you think he lasts as a hero? I give him six months tops. Hopefully, I'm wrong!"
"YO LOOK AT HIM GO! HELL YEAH BABY, ACE IS BACK!"
Eventually, Jordan blocked her phone and left it on the table.
"You look confused."
"I am."
"Me too. I think. Truth is, I feel pretty happy, but I don't know if I should. Do you think it's kind of bad that I want him to be a hero, even though we all know what happens to them?"
"No, not at all," I said right away, not even thinking about the question, just trying to make her feel better.
"Maybe you're right and he only went out as a one-time thing, and now he's trying to go back to have a normal life. Sometimes I feel bad about all the metahumans that have to hide their powers. It can't be easy having them but not being able to use them for fear of something bad happening to you."
"Yeah… imagine having what it takes to change things for the better and not being able to help anyone."
Jordan shrugged and sighed.
"Anyway, there's nothing we can do about it. What we can do," she said, opening up her schoolbag and taking out a pencil and a notebook, "is to define our investigation project. Do you have any ideas? I was thinking we could maybe research the entertainment industry regarding superheroes before and after metahumans appeared. The end of the Bronze Age and all that."
"That sounds amazing. We can study how the stories they told and the powers they gave to heroes changed over time."
"And now they started using parallelisms between real heroes and their comic counterparts to either criticize them or defend them."
"Yeah, and all the legal issues they had! Remember when the House of Ideas sued Kenku for having a suit too similar to Falcon?"
Jordan laughed, writing down that little piece of trivia on her notebook. "So, what do you think? Should we do that?"
"Yeah, sure. I like it."
"Awesome!"
She began writing down several ideas of things to research and study, constantly asking me to make sure that what she was saying was right. Just like all of us elementary schoolers, she had had her fair share of History of Metahumans classes. We always began with Greek demigods, myths, and legends of long ago, and we eventually got to the twentieth century with the publishing of comic books and television series. It was common for all of us to have a certain degree of understanding about this issue, but I had a lowkey obsessive fascination with the subject. I was passionate about comic books, and I think it was safe to say that I knew and remembered much more about them than most kids my age.
Studying metahumans had been one of my biggest hobbies as far as I could remember. Clyde and I idolized them, we had them put on a sacred pedestal where we admired them as inspirational figures. That understanding of the heroes made me fantasize about having powers. I pictured myself becoming a hero and help others. Following Ace Savvy's steps and protect Royal Woods from the forces of chaos and evil. It had always been but a fantasy, wishful thinking that disappeared as soon as I opened my eyes and was once aware of my reality as a regular, powerless, human being.
Right then, my eyes were open though, and that spark kept spreading inside me like a wildfire. It kept growing and growing, feeding off my childish fantasies, the appreciation everyone seemed to show for me on social media, Jordan's words, and most importantly, my own guilt. One good deed may not be enough penance for causing Ace Savvy's death. I had taken far more from the city than that.
I was gonna have to pay that debt.
"Where are you going?" Harold asked me.
"To the library, to do some research for my school project", I told my dad, putting on a red bike helmet.
"Weren't you and Jordan working on it the whole morning?"
"We picked our subject and we think we have an idea of what the work's gonna be about, but we need to do a lot of research. Our teacher wants us to use citations and quote other books."
My dads looked at each other for a second. "Very well, but be very careful and always look at both sides of the road on your way there, alright? And have your phone ready to call us if you need anything."
"Okay! Tell Clyde that I'll be back to play Dungeons and Dragons. See ya!"
They bid goodbye to me with a hug, and I left my house right away, getting on my bike as soon as I was outside. With my -mostly- empty school bag on the back, I began to ride towards the library. It was amazing how fast I could pedal without getting tired or feeling that I was losing control of where I was going. The wind on my face felt nice and comfortable, easing up my nerves and the adrenaline running through my body.
After a few blocks, and after looking over my shoulder to make sure that my dads hadn't taken out the car to go shopping or whatever, I took a left turn on a corner, deviating from the road they would assume I was taking to go to the library. Because I wasn't going where they thought I was. No, my first stop was far away from the library.
Wayne Avenue, 1939. The manor that once belonged to Nifty Spade, an archeologist in the day, superhero, and symbol of peace in the night.
There were not a lot of houses on the block and it didn't seem like anyone was paying any attention. I decided to take no risks, however. I pressed the insignia he had given to me before he died to open the entry gates, and I pedaled right in. I had never tried going up a set of stairs on a bike, but I managed to do it in a way that felt quick and natural. I reached the door and got in without wasting a single second.
Once inside, I went straight to the central bookcase, pulling the red book on the third shelf. It pivoted in its place, and after a mechanical cacophony of engines turning and moving, the whole room shook like it was hit by an earthquake. The furniture moved away, the walls folded onto themselves, and after a few fascinating seconds, Ace Savvy's secret lair was at my disposal.
I opened my bag and took out my super suit. I changed as fast as I could, and five minutes later, a new hero was ready to go outside and patrol the streets of the city, armed with Ace Savvy's utility decks and skillsets. And most importantly, with a debt to pay.
I went to the living room outside the secret lair, where I found a framed picture of Nifty. His kind smile and bright eyes were staring at me almost like they approved of my decision, or at least that's what I told myself to cope with the guilt that pierced my heart.
"I won't let you down, Ace," I promised to the picture, closing a fist over my chest, making a promise that I would die before breaking.
The only issue was that I had no idea how to begin. How does a hero patrol a city? How to know where crimes would happen? Maybe it was just as easy as running around all over the buildings and hoping to be lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time. It also sounded like a very heroic characteristic. Being right where they were needed.
"I guess I could go to the business district", I said out loud. "That's pretty much the heart of the city, the most crowded areas… if something happens, it'll probably be there."
My only concern was trying to find a way to get there, all suited up as Ace Savvy, without anyone noticing me. It wouldn't be as easy as it had been when I did it during the night. Moving through the city would guarantee to catch someone's attention. I stepped closer to the holographic table with Royal Wood's map on it, searching for a path to follow undetected, but it was no use. No matter which street I took, I was risking being seen.
And then, the little bulb over my head turned on. "Who says I have to use the streets?"
With a smile on my face, I paced to the exit, satisfied with my great idea, and ready to start my first patrolling.
"This is the worst idea I've ever had," I said, coughing and using my cape to cover my nose.
My brilliant idea had been doing what I read many, many heroes do in their comics: to use the sewer systems as underground routes to get to places without risking being seen. I only had to go to the manhole cover outside Ace's manor, lift it with my enhanced strength, and boom; I was hidden from society's view. Of course, there was a very good reason why no one ever went into the sewers.
They were disgusting.
Trying to breathe as little as possible and actively not look into the river of polluted water that streamed between two paths, I moved onward through the tunnels, guiding myself and calculating distances by looking at the exits that appeared regularly.
I'd never been in a labyrinth before, but the spiderweb-like red of city sewers managed to disorient me and confuse me just like I assumed a labyrinth would. All the secondary paths, crossroads, and hard turns seemed to show up more and more often the more I walked away from the manor. My keen mind, however, seemed much sharper than usual, and I was able to orientate myself.
Eventually, if my mental math wasn't failing me, I calculated I had traveled enough to get to the heart of the city. I found a thin, metal staircase that led to the sewer's exit. Once I climbed up there, I pushed the manhole cover an inch open. I looked at my surroundings, noticing but a couple of people walking by the sidewalks. I patiently waited for them to walk away and have their back against me before fully pushing the cover away and carefully venture out the sewers. I was able to recognize one of the buildings by a publicity sign they had on the roof. I had, indeed, reached a very active part of town. A perfect time to look for trouble.
Acting fast, I took Ace Savvy's grappling-hook gun and managed to shoot it with pinpoint accuracy for it to secure itself at a building's ledge. Bracing myself for the upcoming whiplash effect, I pressed the red button, catapulting myself through the airs towards my destination. At the very last second, I stretched my legs and gave myself one last push at the wall to rise beyond the edge and falling on my feet at the roof, my cape dramatically following the motion behind me.
Being a superhero was like having my very own Paladin aura. Aura of Coolness: Starting at 6th level, you may add a bonus to your Looking Badass Checks equal to your proficiency bonus. I could even fall with style.
Once I was already at the roof, I placed a foot on the corner, and my cape fluttered with the wind. Staring down at the city like a gargoyle, I began scanning the area, watching pedestrians and cars making their way through the streets. Every single person I saw, unbeknownst to them, was now under my protection, and I wouldn't let anything happen to them. I kept my watch there, at the ready to act upon whatever crime dared occur beneath me.
So I patiently waited, ready to strike at the first call for help. And I waited. And I waited. And I waited.
After one and a half hours, my cool heroic pose was completely undone. I was laying down face up, one leg hanging on the side of the ledge, as I stared at the clouds and tried my best to find one that looked as pretty as Jordan. Patrolling was not what I had expected. Had I tackled it the wrong way? Should I be moving around town, or was I correct in standing next to a busy place, seeing everything from the heights, waiting to jump into action?
"I should've brought my phone," I lamented. "I could be checking the news in real-time. Or at least I could watch some videos to kill time. I could even be working on my school project. I need to do my best there, I have to show her that I'm an excellent partner and smart enough to get a great grade. If I can impress her, then maybe I could ask her o—"
"STOP HIM!"
The sudden yelling startled me. I snorted, slightly annoyed. People could be very rude sometimes, screaming and interrupting my soliloquies right when—
When my mind finally realized what was going on, I jumped straight up and took a look at the street beneath. Some people seemed to be throwing themselves aside as a man sprinted past them, bumping into and shoving anyone that got in his way. He was carrying something in his hand, a wallet maybe, I couldn't tell from the distance. A second man was running after him, a good distance between them.
"Stop him! He stole my phone!"
That was my chance. My second thievery to solve within twenty-four hours. Shaking with anxiety and emotion, I watched the criminal turning on the corner. I began running to the other side of the roof I was standing on, looking to intercept him before he got away. I ran at the center of the block and jumped out of the building as far as I could go, launching myself comfortably over fifteen feet in the air. Taking advantage of my momentum, I triggered my grappling-hook, and not an instant later I was reaching the building in front of me. I put the gun back on my utility belt and peeked over this new ledge. The criminal was running to my position. He'd be right underneath me in a few seconds.
I calculated the distance. I was about fifty feet up, and even though there was nothing I wanted more than starting my career as a vigilante with a superhero landing, the truth is that I wasn't sure that my knees would be able to take such a long fall. I definitely didn't want to introduce myself to the world by breaking my legs trying to stop a common thug from stealing a phone.
Using my cunning to quickly analyze the situation, I formulated a plan. It's hard to explain how my mind did all the physics calculations to know that it would work; I just felt that I could do it. So I jumped towards the street light in front of me at the same time that one of my hands pressed the insignia on the Green Aces deck. As soon as I reached the light, I slid down like it was a firefighter pole, and once I felt I was at a safe height, I threw the Ace to the ground while I jumped once again, finding an empty spot on the sidewalk where I wouldn't crush anyone.
As soon as the Ace hit the ground, the card shattered and released a cloud of smoke, startling the pedestrians and the thief. The smokescreen expanded quickly and wide enough to conceal my entrance, or at least just teasing a shadow that fell from the sky right in front of them, cornering the criminal and interrupting his flight.
I heard exclamations of surprise and even fear, probably because of the sudden explosion of the card that caught everyone off guard. I decided to stay silent, and taking advantage of the few seconds that the smokescreen stood in place before it dissipated, I rearranged my pose to make it look like I had done a proper superhero landing.
A few seconds later, the soft breeze cleared the cloud of smoke, revealing myself to the common citizens.
"It's him!"
"It's the kid!"
"A hero!"
"Why does he smell like a sewer?"
All the exclamations from both sides of the sidewalk mixed up on a euphoric symphony of admiration and surprise. I looked up, meeting the eyes of the delinquent for the first time, realizing he was only about fifteen feet away from me. He was a young man, probably in his mid-twenties. He was wearing sports clothes, like he was coming right from the gym, with a tight tank top that showed off his well-toned arms. He gave the impression of being a very athletic person, the kind of person you don't want to anger.
The guy stopped dead on his tracks, his sports shoes squealing with his sudden halt. He eyed me up, studying me and, I believed, trying to discern whether I was a real hero or just a stupid kid with a costume. I had to assume that he had probably seen me on the news, but who knows. Maybe he was stealing a phone cause he had no internet to watch videos or read the news.
Time stood still as we glared at each other, like a Far West stare off, gauging each other and waiting for the other to make the first move. I assumed that being the hero, that was probably something that I had to own and take care of, so I stood up, spreading my legs and puffing my chest out, putting my hands on my hips, trying to look bigger and more intimidating than I really was. I was also hoping to look like Ace Savvy, but even I knew that wouldn't be possible. Ace was almost six feet five, and I was still just a kid.
I couldn't inspire the same respect that he did with my physicality… but I thought I had studied Ace and knew him enough to be able to make a respectable impression of his charisma and the kind of phrases he would say.
"I see you're in a hurry," I said, smiling and trying to hide how anxious I really was. "Missed a bus stop?"
He seemed tense, and he took a shy step back. I sensed certain caution and a bit of fear, so I tried to capitalize on the moment and, hopefully, avoid a confrontation.
"Or maybe you just needed to make a very urgent call," I offered, letting my arms swing by my side as I tentatively took a step forward. "Is that why you borrowed that man's phone?"
"Get lost, twerp, this is none of your business," he told me with disdain, although his body language kept informing me of certain reluctance like he wasn't feeling as brave as he presented himself. That made two of us.
"Maybe you just had a bad day," I said, extending an open hand. "I get it, we all make mistakes. Just give me the phone and avoid making another one."
Persuasion check. Or was it intimidation? Up to the DM, I guess.
Behind him, I finally saw the owner of the phone, catching up to the immobile ruffian. The angry look on the man's face was immediately turned into a dumbfounded one the moment he saw me, and I was pretty sure that the thing he hated the most about not having his phone with him was the fact that he couldn't take a picture of me.
I could see in the eyes of the thug that he was reviewing his current situation. Maybe he thought he could get away if he ran fast enough before I could react, but he was also surrounded by a group of people that stared at us like we were some kind of street show. And, of course, he was still trying to figure out what my deal was. He might have sensed that I was willing to stop him at any cost.
If he did, he seemed to try to challenge the notion, though.
"Stop pretending. We know you're no hero. You're not fooling anyone!"
I clenched my fists, pursed my lips, and threw furtive looks at the adults around me. They all had their eyes on me, waiting for my response. Were they thinking the same thing this guy was? Were they wondering whether I really was someone worth calling a hero?
"We'll see about that," I said out loud without even realizing it. I took a step forward and slightly turned my torso to the side, getting ready to defend myself if he attacked, or to sprint forward if he didn't give up.
I think it's fair to say that was a mistake on my part that can be attributed to my inexperience. Maybe the change in my posture came out as very aggressive since the guy didn't waste a single second in throwing at me the only thing he had on his hands: the phone he had been trying to steal. He clearly had a pretty strong arm, since the phone flew through the airs at a tremendous speed, but unfortunately, its forcefulness lacked accuracy, and the phone was heading straight into a collision to the concrete ground at my right.
At that moment, my reflexes and instincts kicked into their highest degree, and I leaped to the side with a bit of a tumble in mind. My left hand got to the ground first, supporting the rest of my body as I lifted it almost vertically and made a hundred and eighty degrees turn. With my free hand, I managed to catch the phone -what an expensive phone it was, by the way- and I took advantage of the spinning motion I was in to give my arm enough room to arc out and cushion the phone, leaving it intact.
My dexterity demonstration was accompanied by the swift, beautiful dance of my cape, which followed me as I used my left hand to push me back on my feet.
"Stop him!"
It had only taken me a couple of seconds to catch it, but the delinquent had seized the moment to attempt to flee. The phone's owner and another man from the audience tried to stop him, perhaps acting out of a heroic vocation, or maybe just because they wanted to look brave in front of a kid hero. One could say that maybe my presence was inspiring them, a thought that warmed up my heart.
The same heart that almost stopped when I witnessed the thief landing a nasty jab right on one of the man's jaw, the thud echoing in my ears as I saw him stumble to the street, where a car was driving with no time to react or stop.
Once again, my body reacted faster than my mind, being in an alert state of adrenaline that I had never experienced before.
With the cellphone firmly gripped in my hand, I rushed at breakneck speed to the poor man, rushing through the air like a red dart. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as I saw him trying to keep balance and not fall, which was ironically making him stumble farther and farther away into the street, where the car kept going unaware of what was about to happen. No one around me managed to react at all, and I even had to waste some precious instants into dodging a few people not to bump into them.
At last, the man's feet slipped on the curb, being the last push he needed to break his balance and trigger his inevitable fall into the path the car was taking. I had already gotten close to him, so in the last effort, I dived forward to gain the last few inches I needed. I stretched my arm as far as it would go, reaching with my fingers to grab him by his shirt or blazer… but I wasn't fast enough, and he slipped past my hand.
I was frozen in time for some eternal moments in which I absorbed everything around me like my brain was a supercomputer processing an ungodly amount of data, searching for something, a solution, a chance. The car was driving closer. The innocent citizen, who looked suspended in the air to my stunned eyes, had his mouth open and his eyes closed, flinching from the blow he had received. I couldn't let him suffer an accident. Not on my watch. I couldn't let him get hurt. There had to be something I could do, something to hold on to…
And that's when, in a flash of inspiration, I realized that his tie was wavering away from the rest of his torso due to the inertia of his fall. What I had in mind would probably hurt a little, but between a bruise on his neck and being run over by a car, I wanted to believe that he'd forgive me. With one last, quick, desperate move, my wrist whipped up to wrap my hand around his tie, immediately pulling him to me.
Just as if he had been holding Ace's grappling-hook gun, the man was pulled back into the sidewalk, with the car speeding right where he would've fallen but a second later. We both fell on the ground, as the people around us gasped, many of them only now realizing what I had avoided. I allowed myself one deep breath, thanking my new powers for being able to react so fast.
I could never forgive myself if I had failed.
That incident though made something clear to me: real people were in real danger, and I couldn't allow myself to put any other innocent person in danger. I had tried to negotiate and resolve the issue without a confrontation, but now I was set on neutralizing the threat as soon as possible to avoid collateral damage.
With a move worthy of being used in the finals of the Breakdance World Cup, my legs spun like the blades of a helicopter and propelled me back on my feet. Although a lot had happened inside my mind, in real-time no more than a few seconds had passed, and I could find the thug right away, making his run right from where he came.
Feeling like a ninja from the Village Hidden in the Leaves, I began my chase after him, moving like a lightning bolt as everyone around me cheered me on.
"Good job!"
"Keep it up!"
I passed next to the phone's owner and I gave it to him in his hand. He was too surprised to react, and he almost let it drop to the ground.
"Go get him, Ace!" He said, finally.
I could almost feel the people's support fueling me, turning into motivation and energy for my legs to move faster, almost gliding through the sidewalk. With my eyes set on the target, this time I knew I couldn't make a single mistake. A new determination was blossoming inside me, the understanding that it was my responsibility to protect and look after every single person in this city. I was to be their new hero, their protector. The beacon of light in this dark night of uncertainty we were all living in.
The guy took a glance over his shoulder, his eyes meeting mine.
"You have the right to remain silent!" I yelled at him, hoping for cool heads to prevail and for him to stop so we could talk about this.
He didn't.
As we ran through the blocks, new persons from both sidewalks appeared, and they all stopped on their tracks to point at me and make sure their eyes weren't deceiving them.
During the chase, I felt invincible, like an unstoppable force that could not be slowed down. He tried to distract me, to stop me. As soon as he ran into a trashcan, he quickly grabbed it with both arms and threw it at me, doing his best Donkey Kong impression. The can, pretty loaded by the way, flew a few feet before bouncing on the ground and into me.
I don't know what he was thinking, but I had no issue at all doing a summersault to dodge it, even allowing myself to stretch my hand, grab the can by the edge, stop it, and use the rest of my movement to leave it standing.
"Woohoo! Yeah! That's what I'm talking 'bout!" Celebrated the pedestrians, making me smile for a second before I frowned.
Stealing a phone? Yeah, sure, that's a crime, but the kind of crime you could maybe understand if someone needed money to feed their family. Littering on the streets, though? That was an unforgivable offense.
"Anything you say can and will be used against you!" I said, reacting before he did and reducing the distance between us significantly. "You have the right to have a lawyer!"
"Shut up!" He screamed, resuming his race to get away from me.
I stopped reminding him of his rights, but not because he said so! Honestly, I only knew up to that part. Was it the job of a superhero to learn about laws and rights, or could I get away with not studying it?
I would have time to figure out the academic requirements of this new career path. Right now, the important thing was that my objective had decided to jaywalk in the middle of the street, getting furious honks as a response and forcing several cars to slow down to avoid hitting him. Not wanting to add to the traffic, I used my favorite gadget once again to grapple a streetlight and cross to the other side of the road through the air.
Once I let go and hit the ground, the distance between him and me had significantly decreased, and at that precise moment, there was nothing in the way. I had fifty feet to take a clear shot.
"Time to end this," I mumbled, activating the Blue Deck.
A shining Ace with its symbol and the edges colored with an electric blue jumped into my hand. I began pressing the central insignia, and the more I did it, a small buzzing sound kept ringing sharper and sharper with each passing second. I waited until I could start feeling a tickling sensation on the tip of my fingers before drawing my arm back and then doing a whip-like motion to shoot the card on a fast, powerful, precise, and straight trajectory.
It pierced the air as it buzzed like a drone, finally hitting its target and planting itself on the young man's back. The moment contact was made, the card released the electric charge it had been building up, paralyzing him in the middle of his run and making him fall as stiff as if he had been hit with a taser.
Satisfied with my throwing skills, I approached him. He was trying to get back on his feet, but his muscles were still numb by the electric shock. When Ace used it, his targets usually stayed paralyzed for at least a minute. Had I charged it too short or was there a better nervous point to hit them at?
"Don't make this any harder than it has to be," I warned him, trying to sound serene.
Recovering faster than I thought he could, he stood up and turned around trying to punch me. I merely took a step to the side to dodge it. I grabbed him by the wrist and twisted his arm with a quick, solid movement, unbalancing his center of gravity. Taking advantage of his awkward position, I barely needed a low sweep kick to send him on an excruciating fall on his back.
"Ugh!"
He tried to stand up again, but I placed a foot on his chest, looking dead serious. "It's over. Don't make me knock you out," I warned him.
Between the people that had just been minding their own business on that very street and some other that had been following me, there was once again a small gathering of spectators watching us. And just like Fate was smiling down at me for the first time in a while, a police siren roared for a second near us, and soon two officers were approaching us, guns in hand.
The criminal seemed to realize his situation, and after trying to shift in place but being stopped by the pressure my foot was applying on his chest, he finally gave up. He leered at me dumbstruck, and he seemed genuinely confused.
"You're crazy, kid," he told me, and there was real worrisome on his voice. "What are you doing trying to be a hero? Don't you know no one ever gets to live in Royal Woods?"
"Of course I do."
"Then why are you doing this?"
I glanced around me. The police officers were getting closer to us, astonished by my presence. The rest of the citizens had their phones out, taking pictures and recording videos. I saw their expressions of wonder. Their evident enthusiasm. I cherished the fact that they were willing to put a stop to whatever they were doing or wherever they were going just to take a look at me. But above everything else, I rejoiced in their smiles, the spark in their eyes.
Why was I doing this, they asked me? I knew exactly what Ace Savvy would say. What he had said, in fact, in one of my favorite interviews of him of all time.
"Because I can help others. And as long as I can, that'll be my life's purpose," I replied.
"What is going on?" Ask an officer, her gun pointing at the ground.
"I stopped him from robbing in broad daylight."
"And I would've gotten away with it if it wasn't for this twerp and his fantasies of becoming a hero!"
Shooting one last glare at him, I moved my foot from his chest, and I decided to pick up the blue Ace from the floor. Nifty Spades might have been a little less careful about not leaving his used ammo, but I had a limited supply of them, and I didn't feel that I could just use them like throwaway items.
"Kid… who are you?" Asked the second police officer.
Of course, he wasn't talking about my secret identity. Not on Secret Identity Day of all days. He was just looking for a confirmation of what everyone was assuming, what everyone wanted to hear.
Well, I was willing to give it to them.
"I'm Ace," I said, smiling and grabbing my grappling-hook. "Ace Savvy."
And without further ado, I shot up and was rapidly pulled up into the nearest rooftop, leaving everyone behind me. I heard many of them starting to cheer me and celebrate my departure. Once I got to the rooftop and I was sure that no one could see me, my legs finally gave up, turning into jelly and making me rest on my back, staring at the sky. When I sighed my stress out, it looked like I had been holding my breath for an hour.
"I can't believe it," I said with a trail of voice. "I stopped a crime!"
I laid there, listening to the conversations that were occurring on the street. Everyone talking to each other, calling their friends and relatives, sharing what they had just seen. It was music to my ears, and I couldn't help but keep a goofy smile on my face even as I heard the police officers arguing with the thief.
"You have the right to remain silent, anything you—"
"Stop reading me my rights!"
