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(Few Days Later
The house felt too quiet—the kind of quiet that made every small sound snap in Alan's ears. He moved through the living room with slow, restless steps, fingers tapping against his thigh, the way they always did when he'd been thinking too long. The tension from days earlier still clung to him, not as anger this time, but as a weight he needed to cut loose. He just needed to talk to them. Needed them to understand where he stood.
When he stepped into the room, his parents were already there—Diana curled beside Ben on the sofa, the soft glow of the TV painting the room in warm, shifting light.
Alan stopped in the doorway. Exhaled once.
:" Time to do this."
He cleared his throat.
Diana glanced up first, her eyes softening. Ben's head turned a beat later, unreadable.
Alan swallowed hard. "Mom… Dad… uhm—summer vacation's coming soon and I—was thinking about traveling to China for a few months. If… that's okay."
Ben's brow ticked down. Diana straightened, closing her book with a soft thump.
Diana raised a brow, half-smiling. "China, huh? That's… a jump. What sparked that?"
Ben leaned forward, elbows on his knees, fingers interlaced. His eyes were too sharp, too aware: "Yeah, boy… what spiked your sudden interest?" The tone didn't match the words—he already knew there was more.
Alan shifted his weight, fighting the urge to look away. "I want to study martial arts there. Real martial arts. Not gym hobbies. Not the watered-down stuff in clubs here." He inhaled through his nose. "It's not just about fighting.
Ben tapped two fingers against his upper lip—the same habit he used whenever he was digging for the truth behind someone's bullshit. (Hmm)
:" Why China?" he probed. "There's a dozen gyms here. Hell, I could hire ten instructors to come train you in the backyard."
Diana watched him with a softer gaze. "Yea, it's so far, sweetheart. Why not study here?"
Alan moved to sit across from them. His knee bounced until he forced it still. "I'm trying to understand myself better. You told me to find my own path, right? Well… I'm trying. China feels right."
Alan leaned forward. "And also it's because I need distance. Because I need the culture, the teachings, the whole thing.—it's all there. Not here." His voice wavered, but he didn't drop eye contact. "It's… discipline. Focus. I think it's something I need right now. To… just get my head straight."
A long silence.
Ben's jaw tightened, a vein ticking faintly in his temple. "You sure you're not just running away? 'Cause it sounds a hell of a lot like you're running."
Alan shook his head sharply. "I don't run. I just… want to grow. And I can't do that if I stay stuck here waiting for something to magically change."
Ben rubbed his temples, breathing out through clenched teeth. "I've seen people try to 'change themselves.' Seen how that ends. Most don't walk away smiling." He looked up at Alan, eyes heavy. "But… fine. I'll play along. If this is what you want—I'll play along for now.."
Alan exhaled in relief. "Thanks. Seriously."
Diana placed a hand on her husband's arm: " "He's not a kid anymore. Let him learn. And you still have that unfinished project at Winchester Enterprises waiting—maybe this trip helps all three of us breathe a little."
Ben shot her a side-eye. "…If you're okay with this, then fine. I'm in."
Diana smiled. Alan finally let his shoulders relax.
"…Alright," Ben said, leaning back. "We'll figure it out. But you're not doing anything reckless. Trust is a fragile thing once you break it, it's hard to fix, Understand?"
Alan nodded again. "Yes, sir."
Diana chuckled. "Good. Then it's settled. We'll start prepping everything." She tugged Ben's arm teasingly. "And after we drop him off. We could use the excuse to visit Jade for a bit. You promised you'd check on her new project."
Alan laughed weakly. "She's probably building robots that'll take over the world by now."
"Oh absolutely," Diana smirked.
Ben leaned back, crossed one leg over the other, and reached for the remote.
The TV clicked back from commercials to Ember City News.
The screen flashed with chaotic footage—shaky camera work, civilians screaming, debris scattered across neon-lit streets.
The screen brightened as the Ember City News logo faded into view.
Anchor Camille Rivers stood before a large holographic map dotted with blinking red markers.
Camille: "Good evening, Ember City. Crime has risen sharply across Avalora and its connected cities. Multiple regions are reporting large-scale villain incidents, putting enormous strain on local hero teams."
The screen behind her cut to footage—
• a street in Bluestone City collapsing under a bright white flash,
• Solar Flare dragging civilians out of debris, then a violent purple shockwave ripping through a shopping district.
Anchor: "Bluestone City faced a catastrophic energy detonation earlier today after a clash between Solar Flare and the villain known as Dark Matter. Emergency crews are still searching through rubble."
Solar Flare turns sharply and blasts Dark Matter through a skyscraper—the explosion swallowing three blocks in a blinding shockwave. Fire alarms. People running. Sirens everywhere.
Camille's tone dipped. " The Officials estimate hundreds injured. Parts of the city remain inaccessible."
Cut to Solstice City.
Footage of Aquanaut struggling in a collapsing dam, water swallowing streets like a living creature.
The news shows another drenched street in Solstice City— water slamming through buildings, boats drifting between streetlights, Aquanaut barely holding back a tidal surge.
Anchor: "Solstice City continues to battle rising flood levels caused by the villain Torrential…"
The screen split again—Elysium
Elysium burning red, buildings crumbling under waves of flame.
Anchor: "Meanwhile, Elysium endured mass evacuations earlier after the supervillain Pyroclasm ignited an entire district…"
Footage jumps to shaky phone recordings— shadowy figures tearing through Elysium streets, civilians running, camera shaking violently. Civilians dragged others out of burning cars.
Camille lifted a tablet, her expression grim.
"Authorities are urging caution as attacks intensify ... .Most of these cities we've shown are all facing severe villain activity, with casualties and property damage still rising by the hour."
Camille: "In response, major hero organizations—including the Guardian Guild, Shielded Sentinels, United Heroes Alliance, Celestial Champions, Galactic Peacekeepers, and Herocorp—have launched a continent-wide collaboration. Their efforts don't stop at fighting back. They're organizing public charity events, rebuilding hospitals, repairing schools, and assisting families affected by recent battles."
Camille's expression softened as she swiped to another hologram.
The footage shifted to calmer visuals—
Large white tents, rescue drones dropping supplies, heroes signing autographs at charity booths, crowds cheering at fan events.
"These groups also continue their outreach programs: musical events, meet-and-greets, fan conventions, and community fundraisers. While often marketed as charity, they remain essential for supporting civilians and rebuilding cities impacted by the recent surge in crime."
Clips flashed:
– Heroes standing shoulder to shoulder
– Medical tents
– Rescue drones
– Crowds cheering during charity events
– Merchandise stalls filled with masks, capes, action figures
Camille forced a smile.
"Not only that but on the brighter side, collaborative efforts have resulted in new hospitals, schools, and community centers… including specialized academies for teens' awakening abilities."
The camera panned over cheering crowds at a Hero Fan Convention—fans waving banners, kids wearing capes, heroes posing for pictures under blinding spotlights.
Camille's voice softened.
"Behind every disaster, there are those trying to rebuild hope."
Ben muted the TV with a small groan.
He lowered the remote, rested it on his thigh, and finally spoke.
"Listen, kid… you saw all that." His voice went lower. "But that's the pretty version. The version they pay millions to polish."
"Alan turned his head toward him, waiting.
Ben shifted in his seat, voice low and tired.
"What you're seeing on the news? That's marketing. A performance. A beautifully written script. Heroes, villains—they're pieces on a board. Some good, some rotten to the core."
Alan swallowed. "So… the system's broken?"
Ben scratched the stubble on his jaw, sighing: "Flawed. Corrupt. Manipulated. And full of people who think they're the main character."
He paused. "I'm not saying all heroes are bad. Some want to help. Hell, I used to be one of them. But you can't save everyone. And sometimes trying costs more lives than doing nothing."
Alan looked down at his hands, absorbing every word.
Ben sighed, rubbing his face. "Just… be smarter than I was. The world isn't what it pretends to be. Don't fall for every shiny thing they flash at you. Stay grounded. Stay human."
Alan nodded slowly.
The room fell quiet except for the low hum of the TV lights flickered over all three of them as the living room fell quiet, the weight of reality settling in.
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