The Seeds of Defiance

The next morning, Troy gritted his teeth as he struggled through another set of push-ups. His arms trembled, sweat dripping onto the floor, but he refused to stop. The memory of his encounter with StarMan replayed in his mind—the overwhelming power, the feeling of being utterly helpless. He had to get stronger.

A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. His mother stepped inside, a warm smile spreading across her face when she saw him working out.

"You're up early," she said. "Time for school. Breakfast is on the table."

She left without another word, but Troy could hear the pride in her voice. With a deep breath, he finished his routine, took a quick shower, and got dressed. After scarfing down his breakfast, he grabbed the packed lunch his mother handed him and stepped out the door.

At Nightingale Academy, Troy walked through the bustling hallways, his mind still clouded with thoughts of StarMan. Then, he saw it—another act of cruelty unfolding before his eyes.

Jackson, Carter, and Emily stood in a semi-circle, cornering a girl with thick glasses and short, frizzy green hair. Her hands trembled as she held out a small plant she had created with her powers. Emily's telekinesis lifted the plant into the air, and beneath it, Jackson conjured a flickering flame.

Jackson smirked. "The little D-Class is gonna cry because we're about to burn her little plant."

Carter and Emily laughed, while the girl's voice wavered. "P-please… c-can't you just leave it alone?"

Troy felt his body move before his mind could catch up. He stepped between them and said, "Cut it out."

The laughter stopped.

Jackson's smirk twisted into a scowl. In a flash, he grabbed Troy by the collar and yanked him forward. Heat radiated from his free hand as a fireball formed.

"How dare a low-class nobody talk to an S-Class like that?" Jackson growled.

Troy's heart pounded, but this time… he didn't flinch. His mind flashed back to the alley, to StarMan's overwhelming presence. Compared to him, Jackson wasn't nearly as terrifying.

He met Jackson's gaze, unblinking.

That only made Jackson angrier. His grip tightened, and the fireball crackled with intensity. But before he could throw it—

"Cut it out!"

The booming voice of Coach Joe echoed through the hall. The fitness teacher strode toward them, eyes narrowed. "Get to class. Now."

Jackson hesitated, then scoffed. "Tch. Whatever." He extinguished the fire and let go of Troy's collar. With one last glare, he and his lackeys walked off, leaving the girl's plant to drop to the ground.

Troy turned to her. "You okay?"

She nodded quickly. "Y-yeah. Thanks."

"I'm Troy," he said, offering a small smile.

"Annie," she replied, pushing up her glasses.

As Troy walked to class, he could feel her gaze lingering on him.

The rest of the day passed as it usually did—Troy enduring whispers, sneers, and occasional shoves from classmates who saw him as nothing more than a punching bag. But something was different.

Annie was watching him.

She wasn't subtle about it either. Every time he glanced around, he caught her peeking from behind lockers, creating tiny flowers in her hands. It was… odd. But at least she wasn't joining in on the bullying.

By the time school ended, Troy had gotten used to her presence. As he walked home, he could feel her following from a distance, staying just out of sight but never too far.

She probably just wanted to say something but was too shy to approach him.

Then—a shadow moved.

Before Annie could react, a figure lunged at her from the alley. She barely had time to scream before she was tackled to the ground.

A hand clamped over her mouth.

"You'll be perfect," a raspy voice sneered. "My boss will be pleased."

Terror gripped her as she looked up at her attacker. His skin was gray and corroded, as if eaten away by acid. His fingers dug into her arms, and wherever he touched, the fabric of her sleeves sizzled.

Mr. Corrode.

She thrashed, struggling to summon her powers, but his grip tightened.

Troy, unaware of what was happening behind him, kept walking.

And Annie, trapped beneath the villain