1.01

On the rooftops of a building, like many others were also doing in Athena City, stood two teens.

The size of a small continent, Athena City was its own city-state. Filled to the brim with hundreds of millions of people, it was also the home of countless super powered beings.

Nobody could really say when the surge in powered beings started, and why it was so fast to ramp up, but it did. It had been so long, and there were so many, that history had all but forgotten a time without powers. Maybe they had always been around?

Among the residents of Athena City and typically those with powers, was a world of heroes, villains, and wannabes.

While most people were thankful that there were many willing to stand up and fight against the countless waves of villains, there were nearly as many who didn’t appreciate it at all.

With repeated destruction of property and the loss of an innumerable number of lives, certain laws were put into place to try and maintain control.

Not just anybody could become a hero, they had to pass a few things first. They had to graduate from The Academy, a perfectly apt name. Passing through these halls, one could become sanctioned. This meant they were a fully qualified hero, and they could go about their business as a hero.

Those that refused to attend The Academy, were considered Vigilantes. People that believed they were above the law. Though the law in Athena City was an ever-changing entity, and many who didn’t actively keep up with the changes couldn’t tell you what the current laws were, there was a police force within Athena City.

Heroes and the police clashed more than they helped each other, a butting of egos. Police would often jump on anyone who wasn’t sanctioned, believing they were keeping Athena City safe. Each thought the other was superfluous.

Many heroes took it upon themselves to mentor others who chose to pursue the life of a hero but hadn’t yet attended The Academy. A mentor could oversee an individual or even a team of heroes. They would hopefully guide them along the right path and do well to raise the next generation of heroes.

However, not all heroes were seen as approved mentors, and sometimes these heroes would cause just as much trouble as the countless villains that wreaked havoc in Athena City.

The two teens had been standing on the rooftop for most of the night. Unsure of how to actively observe the city, they chose to stand somewhere that gave them a great view of what was around them.

“Man, we’ve been at this for a while, and I don’t think we’ve even fought anyone yet.” The teen was a little tall for his age and even though his face couldn’t be seen under the mask, he was pock-marked with acne and scars.

Accompanying his mask, he wore a red wrestler’s style singlet, one that covered one shoulder and, as a one-piece, ended as a pair of shorts just above his knees. The suit fit his rotund physique well and he wore it with a sense of pride.

His name was Silas and he had become so bored he was organising pebbles into different categories.

“You can’t expect to shoot to immediate glory by fighting someone.” Replied the other teen.

The other teen was a little on the thin side and was a little shorter than Silas. He wore a skin-tight suit that looked as though it had been made at home. His dark skin was mostly covered by his muted brown suit, save for his face. However, he wore a thick set of welder’s goggles and these covered half of his face. His name was Hunter.

“Why not? That’s how Dynamo Man, Tank Man and Supra Woman made their names. They came together, took down a massive threat on their first go, and became famous.”

“That’s a rare case. Most have to work at it for a long time, and a lot on top of that never ‘make it’. Not everyone does it for the glory.” Hunter stepped to the edge of the rooftop and watched as a hero wearing a cape shot into the sky and took flight after somebody that was screaming about a death ray.

“Well, I, Balloon Boy, am definitely in it for the glory. I want the fame and the money.” Silas jabbed his chest with his thumb and made a goofy smile.

A blood curdling howl tore through the busy nightlife. Hunter felt the tingle race down his spine.

“Over there.” Silas pointed to a silhouette on another rooftop. A large, fierce looking creature leapt across rooftops. Three drones whizzed off after it. Hunter didn’t feel bad for not pursuing that threat.

“Do you think we’ll ever make it?” Hunter asked his friend.

“I’ll have my own trading card in less than three months.” An alarm blared from below.

Silas joined Hunter at the edge of the rooftop. Across the street, there was a broken window and standing on the path was an elderly man. He wore a crooked top hat, a ratty, torn trench coat, and a cumbersome looking backpack. In his hand was a cloth sack, with a ‘$’ emblazoned on it.

“Should we stop him?” Silas asked. Hunter looked up and watched as another figure darted away into the night. Some other hero called away to bigger action, or so he assumed.

“Yeah.” Hunter held onto Silas’s back and Silas jumped from the building. As they were about halfway, Silas inflated himself to twice his normal size.

“You need to figure out your own way of moving around,” said Silas.

“I know.” The two landed and crossed the street.

They watched as the elderly man tied the cloth sack to a belt and pressed a button. Two handles extended out from his pack. A large metal stick poked out from the top, to reveal a large propeller.

“You there, stop,” shouted Hunter.

“Says who?” The crotchety old voice grated. The elderly man looked at them and a smile filled with gaps greeted them.

“I’m Balloon Boy, this is Mite.” Silas pointed at each of them.

“Oh, seeing as though we’re doing introductions, I’m Copter. Now, I must be going with my large sack of money. Goodbye.” With an ear-piercing whir, the propeller started up and the man slowly lifted from the ground.

“Nope.” Hunter uncapped a flask of dust and directed it at Copter. The dust barely left from the source before being scattered by the propeller. “Oh yeah.” Hunter was immediately riddled with a feeling of stupidity.

“Its alright, I’ve got this.” Silas inflated himself and kicked off the ground as hard as he could. He rocketed square into Copter. Copter crashed into the wall of the building. His propeller grated against the wall and sparks flew. It sputtered and the man fell back to the ground.

Silas slowly deflated himself and the two teens approached the elderly man. He wasn’t moving but Hunter noticed he was breathing. Barely.

“That, didn’t go according to plan,” said Silas. “Shit, what do we do?” Panic had started to rise in his voice.

“Call an ambulance,” said Hunter. With all of the adrenaline pumping through their bodies, they failed to notice a police car had pulled up to the scene of the crime.

“What happened here?” Hunter and Silas snapped to the officer; Silas almost dropped his phone.

The police officer approached the teens. She had long red hair that she wore in a ponytail and Hunter noticed the firearm in the holster at her hip.

“We tried to stop this crook, and we kinda stuffed up,” said Silas.

“I can see that. I take it you two aren’t sanctioned. You, finish that call with the ambulance.” Silas did as he was told.

“No, we aren’t,” admitted Hunter.

“Do you have a mentor?” she asked.

“No.”

“Vigilantes then?” she raised an eyebrow as she asked this.

“No. No way.”

“I want you two to get into my cruiser, now. I’ll keep an eye on him until the ambulance gets here. We’re going downtown.” The two teens did as they were told and waited for the police officer to return.

“We’re going to have a serious talk, the three of us. You two may be in some deep shit.”

“Can I call someone?” Hunter asked.

“Wait until we get to the station, please.” She pulled the car onto the road.

Silas sat stiff at attention. His eyes were wide as he looked out ahead at the road. Hunter leaned his head against the window and barely noticed the passing scenery.