This chapter introduces crossovers from Amazon's The Boys, along with some from Invincible! It also takes place after COSMIC, featuring that story's lovable duo!
Heroes' Visit
Superbia; Voughmera
Superbia popped out like the pages of a comic book. The cities of the planet possessed the kind of color and aura that made them seem hand-drawn, coupled with the thousands of alien or metahuman citizens roaming the streets.
"Whooooa! Look at it, Star!" Kid Cosmic's eyes were beaming behind his orange goggles. "There're superheroes everywhere!"
"Well, not really." Star chuckled at his friend's enthusiasm. The dark-skinned boy wore his sweater with black shoulders and sleeves and white waist area, matching his two-sided hair, along with black shorts and dark-gray Velcro boots. "Most of these are just regular people. Still, all kinds of aliens and hybrids live among the metahumans, it's almost impossible to tell them apart."
"So, where should we go first?!" Ruford Stork asked, excitedly running ahead of the two to search around. "Maybe Crimson Countess is doing a show in Voughtland! Or maybe we should explore the alleys and try to spot Noir!" He was a thin boy with brown hair and violet eyes, wearing a short dark-blue cape that matched his shorts, and a light-blue T-shirt depicting a silhouetted superhero flying diagonally with his fist upward. His shoes were blue with white soles and laces.
"We're mostly here to attend the funeral service for Omni-Man." Star replied. "I guess your prophecy skipped on that part?" Indeed, the reason Sector IC's leader was with them was because his Future Sight foresaw himself going to Superbia with Star and Kid. And it was probably because of Ruford's love for superheroes that his Future Sight specially alerted him to that.
"Yeah, but like, where can we find some Bang Gas?!" Kid asked. "You said that could make me gooey again, right?"
"I thought you wanted to train more without those powers first!"
"I do, I do! But in case I ever want to again, I could, y'know!"
"I know some museums used to have it, but ever since the accident with Pai, they haven't-"
"HEY!" Ruford screamed. "HEADS UP!"
A small, steel truck was barreling directly behind them, swerving around traffic and outrunning cop cars. Stunned with horror, Kid flashed back to the night he lost his parents. Ruford rushed and reacted to focus his Rewind. "They have it chi-blocked?!"
"Get back!" Star was about to warp them-
Swiftly moving past the cop cars, a red-haired woman, wearing an armored tunic and arm braces, dashed along the building sides before kicking off and landing firm before the truck. In that split second the boys feared for her life, the front of the truck made impact… and began to split in shredded halves against the woman's frame. The severed halves stopped before reaching the three operatives, though the sight was so stunning that Ruford had to use Slow Mo Vision to truly process it all. Metal and wirings being ripped through like paper, stolen money fluttering off in the breeze, and the woman remaining firm in her stance.
She turned her head to see the robber in the back of the truck. She smirked seeing the terror in his eyes, the only bare part of his face. Delivering him a clean knock-out, the heroine stepped out of the ripped truck. "OI!" Two other robbers had seized Star, Kid, and Ruford; one was holding the former two while the second held a coral drill (made from his arm) to Ruford's head. "You better get lost! Or we kill the kids!"
"St-Star… what do we do?" Kid shuddered.
"I could still warp us…"
The red-haired woman smirked, remaining calmly in place. The boys glanced up and understood the reason for her confidence: a pair of red lasers began to burn the crook's coral arm. "Ah…AH…AAAAAHHHH!" The man keeled over in agony.
The lasers had come from an airborne superhero. Clad in blue with golden shoulder crests and a cape bearing Superbia's flag, the charming and muscular hero made land, the sun glinting off his blonde hair. With a bold smile, he approached the other crook, who released Star and Kid as he backed away. But the hero caught him by the chest of his shirt. "Hey."
And with no real effort, the hero tossed the crook to the sky. He then turned his gaze to the kids, his pure blue eyes beaming with assuredness. "You boys okay?"
"You're…" Star began.
"Ho…" Ruford stuttered.
"Homelander…" Kid's eyes sparkled.
"Heh heh!" The hero chortled in flattery.
"Alright, keep it short." The heroine said with a half-amused smile. "You'll be making plenty people laugh at the funeral, anyway."
"Can I get an autograph?!" Kid and Ruford beamed. Star cracked a smirk and rolled his eyes.
"Mmmmm…" Homelander took a second to think, but his smile already gave away his answer. "Why not? We can spare time for that, right Maeve?" he said to the woman. Pulling out a notepad and pen, Homelander signed his name on three sheets and gave one to each kid.
Homelander nodded in a proud, but boisterous manner… but his smile slightly creased as he studied the boys again. "Didn't I see you kids somewhere?"
Star and Kid shared glances. "Oh, yeah…" Maeve nodded. "The kids who beat Vilgax, right?"
"Yeah! That's us!" Kid boasted.
Homelander let out a chortle. "You're the kids who beat Vilgax?! No way! Wasn't it like some giant alien?"
"No, it's true! I-"
Star touched his shoulder to calm him, "We're just here to attend the service. We don't mean to interrupt."
"Alright, alright." Homelander nodded, humor in his smile. "Tell ya what, you guys can get front-row seats. So, uh, guess I'll see you there! Be safe now!" Waving a salute, the hero took flight.
"And… I'm taking the bus again." Maeve shrugged before hurrying off.
Star glanced at his two friends, still stunned with star-spangled eyes. "You didn't say you were a Hometeamer, Kid."
"I mean, not totally, but I still read comics of him! He's like one of the biggest heroes ever! Is he related to Superman?!"
"Superman was never a real person. And there's no such planet as Krypton or anything like it. The idea of him was inspired by numerous flying heroes on Superbia, and he's also the reason flying and strength heroes are so revered. However, Homelander is said to be the closest hero to resemble Superman."
"And he just recognized us as heroes…"
"Er…sort of?"
"Well, come on!" Ruford ushered. "We're gonna be late!" And with that, they were off. Moments after they left, the crook fell from the sky and hit the pavement.
The trio arrived at the outdoor funeral service and found some available seats in the front. The stage displayed a picture of Omni-Man, a white-suited hero with black hair and a small mustache.
A thin, elderly man approached the podium, bald and wearing a suit with a red tie. His right cheek was particularly more wrinkled. Star recognized him as Cecil, director of Globe Academy, which also housed a KND sector. "Thank you all for coming. The loss of Omni-Man is devastating. Nolan Grayson was a model hero. Dependable and strong. But although he is gone, he left behind a legacy. The people he saved… and his only son."
Cecil's assistant, Donald (a portly man with glasses and trimmed blonde hair), walked onstage with a purple-skinned baby strapped to his torso. Homelander lightly cringed at the sight of it. "It would seem Omni-Man found romance during his noble mission to the Quintessa Galaxy. He has been named Oliver… according to Captain Qwark. One day, he'll grow up to learn of the legend his father was."
"He will indeed, Cecil." Homelander calmly approached the podium. Cecil bore the slightest disgruntled look as he stepped aside. "But you know… it's not just little Oliver who will be following Omni-Man's legacy. No, he set an example… for all of us. For all heroes. Because Superbia law dictates that we can't interfere in the conflicts of other worlds. That we need to look after our own planet. All while those Kids Next Door and their funny floating treehouses get to do whatever they want."
The three visiting operatives exchanged concerning glances. "Omni-Man realized just how… suffocating it was. He felt too restricted by an inefficient system. So, he took a bold step forward… and took off straight to Vilgaxia!"
"Ahem, Altea, actually." Cecil said.
"Point being, he did what all heroes were born to do. In the golden days, heroes never needed the green light from congress or their Hero Office! When people needed saving, they took charge! But now we gotta be kept on a leash all because of a few supervillains! Well, those villains never would've run wild if we didn't need to wait for the go-ahead!"
Some people in the stands were chanting with agreement. "So, if all those other planets get to let their kids play hero with no supervision, the hell shouldn't we?! Next time demons or fish-people invade Earth's surface, I oughta fly up there and shove them back down where they came from! Because don't those worlds deserve the same kind of protection we got?!"
"YEAH!"
"Homelander, I think you-" Cecil tried to say.
"Nolan Grayson has always been a valued colleague to me… and it would be a sin to his memory if we did not become the heroes the universe believes we are. Only then…" Homelander bowed and seemed to choke back a tear, "will his soul find peace with Arceus." He made a Cross gesture over his chest. The attendees did as well, though the ops were slightly halfhearted about it. "Thank you all once more… and if you would like to join us in the banquet at Vought Tower, we will continue to pay our respects there."
Star, Kid, and Ruford merged with the crowd leaving the service. "Is that really true?" Kid asked. "Superheroes aren't allowed to help other worlds?"
"Well, it's the same with other worlds' governments." Star answered. "Their militaries exist to serve and protect their countries. The main reason they let the KND have so much freedom is because our deeds to the universe were well recognized by that time. It's a complicated matter, but most governments try to maintain a balance between each other. They make trade agreements, but they can't just wrap each other in their own conflicts."
"Well, whatever it is, Homelander doesn't seem to like it."
"I imagine some heroes don't."
"So, we're going to Vought Tower, right?!" Ruford asked eagerly.
"We have the autograph tickets." Star shrugged. "And lots of government money from the war, so we can afford to get in, anyway."
"Wait, what?!" Kid asked. "We get paid?!"
"Er, yeah. The Galactic Council recognizes our services that much. But I, uh, decided to pass your check to Papa G."
"WE GET PAID?!"
This stunning knowledge would last Kid on the way to Vought Tower. While there were banners, photos, and displays in honor of Omni-Man… it seemed a lot of attendees were lining up to speak to Vought's heroes.
"What a lot of people don't understand about dolphins," began The Deep, a brown-haired hero wearing a dark-green and -yellow, scaly suit, "is that often, their… 'bumping' is a sign of friendship. They're not trying to lay eggs or engage in anything obscene… but they still get wrongfully accused. And, even then, it's the human's fault for giving misleading cues. How else is a dolphin supposed to interpret a belly rub?"
He was telling this to a group of school children, who merely looked in confusion. "Um, Mr. Deep?" A small white-haired girl with a red shark hoodie raised her hand. She had red eyes and a small horn on her forehead. "How do sharks make friends?"
"Now, that," Deep raised an index, "is very interesting. Sharks are a bit more sophisticated than people are led to believe. They don't actively try to eat fish, rather try to protect fish from other predators. Some fish are used to living in their parents' mouths, so sharks keep their mouths clean for the same reason. They want their fish friends to feel welcome. But sharks have a tendency for playful chewing… so, they..."
"Like, Sonic was never really that fast." A dark-skinned hero named A-Train was telling another group. He wore a blue suit with different hues, a silver belt with an "A" buckle, and similar shoulder pads. "Dude can reach Mach 1, maybe, but I can scratch Mach 1.3 easy."
The kids walked to the snack table, where Kid confusedly picked out a shabby piece of cake with a whale design. There were some cupcakes with white icing, each with a letter in black icing spelling Crime Analytics (although the 'Y' cake was missing). "There's more people here than at the funeral." Kid observed.
"Yeah…" Star could figure out the reason.
"There's even some non-Vought heroes, too!" Ruford beamed. "There's Firehose!" A black-haired hero with a red hydrant costume, and two small horns sticking from the cap.
"KOTA IZUMI!" Present Mic's voice startled the guests. "Hero name: Firehose! His Quirk, Water Gun, lets him shoot water from his hands with extreme force! At the cost of his own body moisture, that is."
"Ah, can't forget him." Star cringed.
"Hold my punch, Star, I'm on an autograph hunt!" Ruford raced off.
"'Scuse me, boys!" An orange-haired woman skipped her way up to the punch bowl and took a cup. "Someone dipped an octopus in Tostarenan chili and needs to wash it down!" She took a sip and released a sigh of relief. Afterwards, she focused down on the boys. "You look familiar. You're not from the Sidekick School, are you?"
"No, we, uh-" Star tried to answer.
"We're the kids who defeated Vilgax!" Kid proclaimed. Star cringed at his bluntness. "You musta saw us on the news."
"Oh...are you?" She focused a skeptical gaze. "Figured we would've been called about that or something."
"Well, it's true! I'll tell you all about it! It all started when Vilgax threw Star off his spaceship. I bravely dove after him and…"
"And I always told Omni-Man," Homelander said to a group of attendees, "never put too much strain on the cape collar. That way, it's not holding you back." He was holding a large glass of milkshake.
"Yeah, but my manager thinks it's better to not wear capes at all." said a black-haired woman named Violet. "Like, they're just unnecessary."
"Hey, there're lots of useful things you can do with a cape! You just gotta be careful how you move it."
"I guess so…"
"Excuse me!" Ruford popped between the group. "Are you Vanishing Vi? Can I get your autograph?"
The woman giggled. "Sure. Excuse me, Homelander." The hero nodded humorously as she turned to leave. "Just need to find a pen—ah!" She bumped into an invisible force.
"Whoops, sorry there." An unseen voice said.
"Translucent?! Were you sneaking up on me?!"
"I was just coming to join the crowd!"
"Get away from me!" Violet turned invisible.
"Uh…" Ruford glanced around. "Do I still get my autograph."
Homelander masked his bemusement and looked elsewhere. "!" He picked up at seeing a familiar head of bushy black-green hair. "Heeeeeey, look who it is!" He strolled up to the special guest and jovially shook his hand. "Deku Midoriya, the legend himself!"
"Haha, my pleasure, Homelander." Superbia's Top Hero blushed. "Though, my first name is Izuku. Deku is the hero name."
"Ah yeah. …Isn't Deku a type of tree?"
"No. Well, it's a Hyrulean tree, I guess, but it means something else in my language."
"Well, as long as it leaves an impression. Hey, Camera Man!" Homelander put an arm around Deku and spun to face a man with a camera suit and film cape. "Get a shot of me and my man Deku here!"
"Sure as the day is bright, Mr. Homelander!" He eagerly flashed the two with his eyes. An image began to form on his cape. "Now let me just run to the darkroom!" And off he was.
"Ah ha ha…" Homelander released Deku. "That's a man who was born for his role, you know? I missed you at the funeral, Deku."
"Yeah, sorry. I was caught up on something else, but I did see the broadcast of it. Your speech was… very passionate."
"Well, the thing about passion is…" He slowly walked around Deku, "it often stems from frustration. It just… Why do we go through all this effort, years of training and education, when millions of kids dominate the universe left and right? No laws holding them down, skipping school as they please. The government lets our talents go to waste fighting these no-name supervillains or twenty Godzillas. We should be up there, showing them what Superbia's all about!"
"I see your point, really. At the same time, it's great that we have so many reliable heroes. Kids or not, their talents speak for themselves."
"Yeeeeeah… but you were an operative, too, at one time, so that wasn't a problem for you. Got to be Mobius' savior and all that. But who's out there stopping that new K. Rool? Wouldn't be hard to have all us heroes mobilize and put those pirates out for good."
"That may be true… but considering the Kremlings' vast army and network of allies, that could incite another war. Right now, they haven't done anything to warrant that. It's just important that we stop them whenever there is an active crime."
"Well, feel free to think that, Deku… All I know is Omni-Man took charge. Went after the threat before it reached Superbia. Maybe if other heroes were brave enough to join him instead of letting the government tie them down, he'd still be here." Homelander stepped away on that note. Deku bowed his head, trying to get a grasp on his feelings and Homelander's words.
"-but I was able to make it all the way back to the ship!" Homelander had only just caught sound of a boy's words. He glanced over and saw Maeve and Ashley (the orange-haired woman) with Star and Kid Cosmic. "That's when Samus showed up, and she-"
"Well!" Ashley perked up. "I can see you had quite the riveting adventure, but I'm a little behind on work, so perhaps another time!" She skittered off, much to Kid's disappointment.
"I can keep going." Maeve shrugged, smiling passively. "Nothing better to do at these parties."
"Cool, 'cause we're just now getting to the good parts!" Kid said. "So, then, we got these Metroid vacuum guns, and we began to-"
"Hey, hey, Maeve!" Homelander approached. Maeve's face creased ever slightly. "Having fun with the tykes?"
"Oh, yeah. You're just in time for the best part."
"Great, great, but uh, let's not forget who this event's really about." Homelander gestured his finger at an Omni-Man poster. "Unless they have a story to share about him. Since they were allegedly on the battlefield."
"Yeah, we do!" Kid chirped. "He-"
"Yes, we," Star held Kid's shoulder in restraint, "saw him fighting the invaders on Altea. We were a little too caught up in our mission to really watch… but he sure looked cool, didn't he, Kid?"
"Uh…"
"Still… if we knew that would be his last battle, maybe we could've done something…"
"Ahhhh, well you know what they say." Homelander ruffled both their hair. "Nobody's perfect! You kids are just lucky you got outta there at all! Couple little scamps fightin' a big heavy battle like that."
"They're as super as anyone else here." Maeve replied. "Perhaps more."
"Now don't you go spoiling them, Maeve." Homelander waggled his finger. "You know what happens when kids think they own the universe."
"Yeah, we wouldn't go that far." Star chuckled. "Anyway, we should probably look for Ruford now. Sorry if we disrupted." He took Kid's hand and walked away.
"I mean, let's be real, John." Maeve said. "We're using Omni-Man to boost our own image. And we don't even know what he really did up there."
"Hmm. It's not about what he did or didn't do. It's about proving the potential of our world's heroes. To the universe, and our own citizens. Certainly not putting those kids on any more of a pedestal."
"Well, those same kids live on our world, too. And they'll outshine us one day. Because they have all the energy and motivation we don't, anymore." Maeve left with a melancholic air.
"But that's not what we saw Omni-Man doing." Kid said.
"I know. But right now, they don't need to know that. The people here believe that he died a hero, and there's no reason to diminish that."
"Okay. But why couldn't I finish telling my story?"
"Because, like he said, today's not really about us. And believe me, Kid, fame isn't all its cracked up to be. Having a bunch of pressure on you, always having to be nice and look good to everyone else…"
"Yeah, but it's my first time! Our adventure was the coolest thing I've ever done!"
"And all our fellow operatives know about it." As Star spoke, Homelander passed several feet behind them, his sharp ears listening. "Eventually, they're gonna make it a videogame… and everyone will know the legend of Kid Cosmic!" Star put one arm around his friend and brushed the other hand across the air. "But whether they know it or not, you're a hero to a bunch of people. Especially me."
"Hehehehe!" Kid blushed and hugged his best friend.
"Now let's go find us a fanboy!" And they raced off. Homelander, concealing a small twitch in his blank expression, wandered elsewhere.
"Look, dude, there's a million French guys with messy blonde hair." A 14-year-old boy in a white jacket argued to Ruford. "Maybe one of them is Cat Noir."
"Dude, you have the same proportions and everything! This is why secret identities fell out of style, they're so obvious! So, is Ladybug around, too?"
"I prefer ladies without the bugs, if that means anything."
"Yo, Ruford." Star and Kid approached. "If you're done getting autographs, I was thinking of checking out Voughtland."
"Aw, but I barely got started!"
"I mean, catch up on your own time, I guess." They turned to leave. "No rush."
"Hmmm…" This inspired an idea. "Hey! A-Train!" He ran up to the speedster. "Autograph?"
"Why not, little man?" A-Train signed it in a millisecond.
"Thanks!" And he ran off. A-Train cocked a brow as Ruford flashed into a red, semi-solid clone.
"Detective Reiko!" A ghostly white-haired woman with a purple coat and droopy eyes.
"I mean, I'm not technically a hero, do I really qualify for your-"
"'Course you are, you're a hero to me, plus Hiyuki thinks you're cool, now please sign it so I can reset the Recordance!"
"Um…okay?" So she did.
"WordGirl!" A tan-skinned woman in a red suit with a star and shield symbol and cape with multiple words and definitions attached. "Thermostat!" A man with white and red hair. "Scarlet Jawline!" A suave man with an extremely long, solid chin area. "And I'd be remiss if I didn't meet the great Deku himself!"
"Ha ha, of course!" Deku smiled modestly as he signed the book. "Sorry I didn't bring my wife. Uraraka would've loved to sign…?" He looked in befuddlement as a bunch of colored, silhouetted clones of Ruford ran to regroup with him, each with their own autograph books. The Time Recordance would dispel as all the autographs joined into one book.
"Huff…huff…" Ruford dropped to his knees in exhaust. "Yep, there's a good exercise. Hoo…"
"Are you okay? Need me to bring you someplace to rest?"
"Nah, nah." Ruford stretched himself up. "I'll be fine once I stuff myself at Voughtland. Hey, guys, wait up!" He hurried after his friends.
…His shrouded eyes studied them closely. The High Supreme Leader… his rising protégé… and that boy was a timebender. Possibly the son of the current Keeper of Time. What business did they have here? Why were they leaving? The last thing Vought needed was for the Earth or GKND to mosey around their town. Black Noir knew this well, thoroughly watching them from atop the party room's chandelier. His shadowy suit contrasted well against the polished white ceiling.
"Noir, what the hell are you doing up there?!" Maeve shouted. "You're gonna break it, get down!"
Noir passed her a thumbs up and did a stylish flip onto a table.
Likewise, Cecil kept his eye up at Noir the whole time. Made sure he didn't make a move on the subjects in question. He wasn't sure why Star and his operatives were here… but it was best that they leave. With the whispers he's been hearing about this company, this wasn't the place for real heroes to be wandering carelessly.
Floor 99
Homelander rested in The Seven's meeting room, at the center of a wide table shaped like a "V," his back against the glass wall that overlooked the city. Taking a remote, he surfed images on the large monitor. An image of an alien giant throwing Vilgax… one of Star and Kid smiling and waving at the camera; Kid was eager while Star looked modest… and one of the two standing victoriously atop a statue of Nigel Uno. Headlines read, Heroes of the Vilgaxian War?!, Star Winkiebottom's Apprentice: What Are His Powers?, or The KND Dominate Once Again!
What was all that training for? Why did he waste all those years trying to become the perfect hero when children like them won their glory without an effort? All those years of pain and studying… why wasn't he allowed to start much earlier? In the prime of his youth when children were the kings? Then, by now… it could be him up there. Instead of being drowned out by the likes of Deku or those operatives. Why was Vought so frustratingly inefficient?
Homelander flipped the screen to a broadcast of a Galactic Council meeting. "This war has put into perspective a pressing concern." spoke Stan Edgar, an African-Superbian man. "Our worlds need more heroes. We cannot keep placing all of our burdens on the KND. Which is why… I would like to share Superbia's heroes with the universe."
"You want to outsource your heroes?" Carol Masterson asked. "Wouldn't that leave your own world a little defenseless?"
"Furthermore," followed Jewel the Beetle, Chancellor of Mobius, "Superbia isn't part of the council. Would you have the authority to do that?"
"As President of Vought and Head of the Corporate Presidents, I would like to share my own brand of heroes with the universe. To assign my heroes to your worlds and assist with the alleviation of crime, whether they work with the KND, the military, or otherwise. Furthermore… I would like to provide your people the chance to become heroes themselves."
Edgar raised a small vial of green liquid in his fingers. "This formula contains a specially concentrated variant of Bang Gas designed to temporarily grant metahuman abilities. It is not recommended for benders or those already with special abilities… but for those without, it can become a great source of protection and self-defense. In the event of disaster, it can be a great boon. However, it only lasts for 24 hours."
"That's… interesting." Queen Peach said, her blonde hair faded to a light-gray hue. "Are there any side effects?"
"We are still ironing out some kinks, I will admit. Regardless, if these temporary assignments prove fruitful, the Superbian Government will see fit to lend more of its heroes in support. Only time will tell."
"Well, thank you, Mr. Edgar." said Supreme Chancellor Sasha. "I'm sure our members will consider your offer in due time. Now, Chancellor Jewel, you had a matter to address?"
"Yes, thank you." The blue-shelled beetle bowed. "Recently, my world has experienced a string of mutations and anomalies due to a recent meteor shower. And we believe the meteorites are fragments from the shattered moon. Our people draw a special reaction to the moon, but some of my experts theorize that there's something else at play. I just want to warn everyone that…"
Homelander tuned the rest of the broadcast out. His pearly blue eyes glinted with hope and pondering.
But guess what? I've added another short chapter to this one, still expanding on Superbia! This chapter introduces characters from To Be Hero X! But the story and especially the worldbuilding of that show are NOT canon to the Gameverse! Only certain character backstories are allowed to remain canon, but those'll be relevant as they come. Right now, I just want to spotlight a couple characters now.
Qīng and Queen
"Our next contenders: U.A. High School's Home Chef vs. HAC Academy's Queen Cavendish!"
The Heroic Sports Festival was a lively showcasing of many of Superbia's future heroes. The Quirks and people were diverse in every aspect, and yet some were bound to draw more eyes than others. Today, such a contender was "Queen Cavendish."
At 16 years old, she appeared divine and breathtaking. Her pure white hair was wrapped in a firm ponytail, adorned with a gold crown of tall points, matching the color of her eyes. She wore a white dress with black and gold accents, gold gauntlets over her arms, and white greaves on her legs. She came equipped with a great spear of the same colors.
Standing against her was "Home Chef" Nosuke Todoroki, a portly hero with white hair and chef's apron with exposed stomach sides. His apron depicted a crossed frying pan and spatula with an explosive design.
"NOSUKE TODOROKI!" Present Mic announced. "His Quirk: Culinary Creation! He can create solid appliances using his body fat, but only ones that have to do with kitchenware! This includes ovens, refrigerators, pans and spatulas, etc.! His created objects last only a few days before dissolving, and the quality of their creation depends on his understanding of technical and molecular structure."
The match began. Nosuke unveiled an oven in his gut and shot a blast of fire. Queen twirled her spear and faced the blunt side of it toward him. "Ventus Glacius!" A maelstrom of frost nullified the fire. But through the mist, Nosuke jumped through and swung a frying pan as a means to swat her out of the ring. Queen let her body fly with the motion, but stabbed the spear in the arena to rebound and set foot on the edge. Queen conjured several magic spears that flew at Nosuke, who deflected them with a frying pan and spatula.
"YUWEI CAVENDISH!" Present Mic began. "Her Quirk…eh… wait, she doesn't have a Quirk! That's because she's a mage from Planet Avalar!"
"That can't be legal, can it?" a woman in the audience asked.
"This festival's supposed to be for metahuman Quirks!" a young teen boy said.
"They still let normal benders in, too." his friend said.
"That's not the point! Magic lets you do anything, so like, she doesn't just have one power!"
Even in the midst of battle, she could hear the whispers, but Queen was unbothered. Nosuke followed up her multi-spear spell with a similar technique: shooting a storm of forks and knives out of his gut (he dislodged the oven by this point). But with a twirl of her spear, Queen slowed down time in the zone before her, allowing her to more easily maneuver through the flying utensils. She thrusted the point of her spear at Nosuke, who caught the tip of it just inside the gap in his spatula. With a forceful brush of his arm, Queen's spear was deterred, leaving her open to his frying pan. But Queen quickly bent up her left leg, blocking the pan's damage with her armored knee. She reclaimed hold of her spear, spinning the blunt end to thrust at Nosuke and repel him out of the arena.
"Queen Cavendish is the winner!"
While many cheered for her performance, others were murmuring. "He never really had a shot, did he? She shouldn't be allowed to continue."
"She blatantly styled her outfit to resemble Arceus!"
These reactions were expected, but this was the path she chose. By age 12, she was already gifted and well-studied with magic, and at age 14, she was graduating Luna Nova Academy. Many wondered what career this gifted mage would pursue… until she was approached by a man named Micky. …Er, no, not that Mickey. This Micky was a human man with glasses, blonde hair, and a black sweater.
"I'm the CEO of the DOS hero association on Superbia, as well as a director for HAC Academy. I came to this world in search of… well, special talent. Simply put, I want a mage to represent my company and our school. And your daughter is the most brilliant I've come across."
"You want Yuwei to join a superhero school?" her mother, Diana questioned. "Is Superbia even accustomed to teaching mages?"
"We train all kinds of Quirks. Is magic simply not an advanced type of Quirk? Especially for one having already graduated. We'd like to train that talent a step further. Saving lives, preventing disasters, perhaps even curing illnesses or injuries. Does that interest you?"
"I mean, I'll approve if she wants to." Yuwei's other mother, Akko said.
"I'm skeptical." Diana replied. "I'm aware that Superbia's environment has been… very competitive. Desperate to bring up all manner of gifted heroes to stand up the others. Is that why you want her to represent you?"
"Mother, I would like to accept his offer."
Her parents and little sister looked to her agape. "But, Yuwei…"
"What I seek, I am better off achieving on Superbia than in the spotlight of your stage."
Her sister, Akkitsu looked away sadly. She guessed this meant she wouldn't be seeing Yuwei for a while…
Queen withdrew her magic wand out of her spear. It was a glistening white with a gold feather strewn along its base. She touched the tip to her throat to enhance her volume. "From the moment we are born, we live in order to become someone in the eyes of others. Heroes are more than power: they are trust. Trust comes from others, but above that, it comes from within. I joined the hero program and this world, not to be revered for my talents, but because I believe that I can become a hero. That which creates heroes is each and every living person, but the will of people cannot be defined. That is why I will become the hero who will bring order to the world!"
And with that, she took her leave from the stage. Some found her speech an inspiration while others were left to debate. "Uh, anyway, let's not turn down the heat, yet!" Present Mic announced. "Because our next contenders are U.A.'s Astro and Godolkin's Golden Boy!"
Queen retired to the resting room. "That speech was incredible, Yuwei!" a cheerful voice said.
Queen turned toward a shorter girl with flowing cyan hair, an electric guitar on her back of the same color along with her eyes. Her shirt, skirt, socks, and shoes were black, though with white tongues on the shoes. "I may have rehearsed." Queen smiled modestly. "I hope you've rehearsed as well, Cyan."
"Oh, I'll be fine. You know me."
Queen chuckled. Two years younger than herself, Cyan had enrolled at HAC only six months ago. But while she was training as a hero, her true calling was quite clear to Queen.
"Big Johnny! Come back!" a boy's voice cried up the hallway.
A small kitten-like creature frantically scampered into the room. It was mostly white-furred, but with hot-pink blushes, inner ears, and eyes, and possessed a tiny unicorn horn with a same-colored tip. To follow him was a boy of 17 with orange hair and green eyes. He seemed to have white fox ears, but it was actually a mask on the back of his head. He wore a black top under an orange shawl and matching pants, and said shawl also had fox ears on the hood.
The kitten stopped for a moment to shake its head. "Big Johnny hasn't got fleas, has he?" Queen asked.
"Wait, there's something on his neck!" Cyan knelt down. "It's… a person!"
"LOOK OUT! WE GOT A WRANGLER!" A very tiny girl with short blonde hair and doll's clothes flailed about as Big Johnny tried to shake off her firm grip. "Or wait, am I the wrangler? AH, WHO CARES!"
"Hey!" Cyan pinched the girl and picked her up, bringing her to eye level. "Aren't you the Little Cricket? I see your videos sometimes. Hehe, you're even cuter in person!"
"She's also a Godolkin student." Queen recalled. "Emma Meyer, correct?"
"Dang right, and I'm drunk as sh** right now! Now lemme go, I got this kitty on the ropes!"
"Don't worry, Big Johnny!" the orange-haired boy, Little Johnny picked his kitten up. "We got the bad cricket off!"
Cyan giggled and released Little Cricket on the floor. She stretched to full height. "Yuwei, we have some time until the next event. I wanted to ask if you wanna get a snack in town."
"I wouldn't mind getting away from the 'noise.' Just let me change first."
"Do you wanna come, too, Johnnies?"
"Eh, maybe later." Little Johnny answered. "Need to do more checkups on my other animals first."
Yuwei changed into a black overcoat with a matching collar ribbon and pants, and a white shirt underneath. Cyan changed her shoes to a pair of white roller-blades with cyan wheels. With them, she glid along the street at a fair pace so that Yuwei could keep up with her. "I wonder, did you mean for your outfit to resemble Arceus?"
"That was my inspiration, I'll admit." Yuwei answered. "I'm aware that some consider it taboo for heroes to represent the gods, and yet it suited the justice and order I strive for."
"Well, Bramble Maria dresses like Palutena, so you're not the only one. Just be careful that people don't start worshipping you. Haha."
Yuwei frowned. She understood where Cyan was coming from on that… and she shared the sentiment.
The girls purchased some ice cream at a vendor. "By the way, will you come with me to La Melody Extravaganza?"
A music festival and competition hosted on Planet Symphonia. Talented musicians the universe over would be invited to attend, and just last month, Cyan received an invitation. "If the academy allows. Though I don't see why they wouldn't. We are your classmates."
"Yeah. And I hope Luo's allowed to come, too! I bet we'll get a chance to meet Sugar!"
"It wouldn't surprise me."
"Hey, do your parents do musicals, too?"
"Hm? Well, sometimes, but it's not their specialty. I doubt we'll see them there."
"You gotta take me to meet them someday!"
"Hm hm!" Cyan often reminded Yuwei of her sister. She could easily picture Cyan in a "magical girl" sector as well.
"Weh heh heh! Sniff, sniff, weh heh…"
A girl with wavy, twin-tailed pink hair walked around the street corner. She wore tall brown boots with dark stockings, ruffled tartan skirt, and a pink and white lacy top with detached sleeves. "Oh!" It was custom for heroes to not ignore a crying child, so Cyan skated over. "What's wrong?"
"Sniff! A mean boy stole my teddybear! He said I was too old for those things, but it was a present from my brother! Sniff, sniff…"
"Well, do you know where he is? We can get it back! Right, Yuwei?"
"Hmm…" There was something off about her, the Cavendish thought. Maybe it was the childishness of it… and how exaggerated it felt. Still, simply stating that wouldn't be good hero conduct.
"He ran off that way." She pointed down some blocks. "I think he went through that alley."
"We'll look for him!" Cyan patted her back. "We should have time, right Yuwei?"
"I… suppose."
As Queen followed her skating friend, she glanced back at the pink girl, who seemed to stay back and watch them with her still-distraught expression.
They entered the alley in question and turned a corner to find a brown-haired boy, about 15, fiddling with a teddybear with a top-hat. He wore a blue jacket, white shirt with two belts crossed in an "X", dark-gray pants, and maroon boots. "Hey!" Cyan called. "That girl said you stole her teddybear. Is that true?"
The boy shot a glare with his orange-peach eyes. "Well, if she wants it, tell her to come get it herself."
"It's not nice to take things!" Cyan rolled forward.
But Queen barely noticed the twinkling of the thin wires between the alley walls. "CYAN! Stay back!" Queen whipped out her wand and cast magic spears to sever the wires, but the boy was swift to evade her magic.
"Awwww." The pink-haired girl's voice moaned. "Just a few more inches and we would've had her." She entered the alley behind them, her expression conniving. "That was unlucky."
"Well, we expected as much, didn't we?" the boy replied, dropping the bear and drawing a pair of twin swords with technological components in their center.
"It was a trap?!" Cyan asked, grabbing her guitar and converting it into a bow.
"I feared as much." Queen said. "Who are you? What business do you have?"
"He's Three. I'm Nine." the girl answered.
"He doesn't look three." Cyan replied.
"That's not what she meant!" Three shouted.
"And are you implying I'm nine years old?!" the girl yelled. "I'm 13!"
"Not that it will matter… Lucky Cyan."
Cyan gasped. Why were they after her? Who sent them? "Apologies," Queen said, "but our schedule is full today. Perhaps we can schedule another meeting in the interrogation room." (Play "Take Off" from Hero X!)
"Hm!" Nine whipped out long needles between her fingers and tossed them at Queen, who cast a spell to slow them in time. She could see more wires lined the hilts of the needles, but with time slowed, she could more easily evade them. Queen maneuvered toward the girl and cast a stun spell, but "Shave!" Nine vanished in the blink of an eye and reappeared behind to kick Queen in the back. She threw more needles and had the wires entrap Queen, squeezing her.
Cyan used quick roller-blader work and barely evaded Three's blades by a hair's breadth, dropping her yo-yo in the process. She made space and conjured cyan energy arrows, landing some hits on Three. The boy grabbed the teddybear and threw it: it exploded into a dense cloud of powder. Cyan coughed and tried to maneuver out of it: expecting Three to lash at her, she reattached her bow into a guitar and maneuvered it at the right angles to block his swords. After she escaped the powder, she grabbed a spray can and brushed a cloud of cyan spray across the air, blinding the unsuspecting Three. She swapped back to the bow and charged arrows.
Nine stepped on Cyan's rolling yo-yo and slipped, causing her wires to loosen on Queen, enough for her to fasten her grip on her wand and escape her binds with a spell. She had magic spears erect from the ground, but Nine evaded them with the flimsiness of paper. Three, still trying to shake the spray off his eyes, was relying on Paper Art to dodge Cyan's arrows, but a lucky shot was able to scratch Nine. Queen seized that weakness and forced Nine to kneel with a spell.
"Lucky Cyan." Nine smirked. "Her Quirk seems to be a limited form of Psychic Chi… while others think it's concentrated Luck Chi. A Sacred Maiden blessed by the gods. Is that really true?"
Cyan bit her lip. The memory haunted her… forced to wear those holy robes and bask in worship and prayers. "I'm lucky to be blessed with the friends I have now!"
"Hey, what's going on over here?!" A muscular hero with a dark suit, golden belt, and thick gold boots appeared around the alley corner. "Queen? Lucky Cyan?"
"FIRM MAN!" Present Mic announced. "Quirk: Unbendable! No matter what force he's up against, he will remain firmly standing! He's unable to bend down or lie on his back! …Oh, and I'm here, too."
"That's two Pro Heroes too many." Three said. "Time to go, Nine." He Shaved to grab his partner and Wall Kick up onto the roofs. Nine regained control of her legs and joined him in roof hopping.
"It takes a long time to make those powder bears, Swin!" Nine whined. "You better help make a new one!"
"You really are nine, Nadia!"
"Who were those two?" Firm Man asked.
"They appeared to be assassins." Queen answered. "They used Rokushiki arts. I surmise they were plotting to ambush us during the festival. They must have seen us leave at some point."
"We'll have to increase security around the stadium then. Are you gonna be okay?"
Queen turned to Cyan. She could see the worry weighing her visage. "Cyan." She looked up at her friend. "Don't you have a performance to prepare for?"
"…!" Her smile returned.
…
"I'll be taking actions, no distractions, I just wanna be who I wanna be!" Now clad in a white suit with cyan leggings and a clover symbol on her chest, Cyan's concert served to conclude the festival. "I don't need exceptions, no delusions, Chance is only once, you know." Every strum of her guitar generated cyan lights set adrift in the air.
"That's a real lucky charm you found, Zhen." Micky said to a spectacled, brown-haired man. "She'll take the top spot on Symphonia for sure. Just gotta make sure Apocalypse doesn't steal her from under us."
"Be careful not to place all your cards on that." Zhen said. Still, what a miracle that such talent could have survived that tragedy.
The flotsam of Flight 37 washed ashore, but all 357 passengers were lost to the ocean's waves. "They didn't have to die." said Homelander, a choke in the superhero's throat. "We arrived… three minutes… after the plane went down. Why? Because Vought wasn't at the top of their list. If they had called us before reaching out to those other heroes, who were either busy or away from duty, then we could've saved them."
Yet, even after the heroes and investigators had already left, Liu Zhen stayed behind in search of evidence. That's when he saw the shaking briefcase. He rushed to open it… and inside was a 3-year-old child with cyan hair, crying.
"Do you remember anything?" he tried to ask her. She shook her head. Too young and too traumatized to recollect the memory.
"When I'm lost and start to fall, let me fly up more."
Only those in the orphanage knew Cyan survived the plane crash. Zhen believed she was safer that way… and yet, she was a target for misguided beliefs. Regardless, she found the path that made her happy. A happiness she wanted to spread to others.
"Go on, I've been waiting for this so long. Fate is calling me, unlock another door! And shine the hope inside my heart!"
Queen hoped more people would come to know Cyan's happiness as well.