The two heroes on the opposite side of the street run toward the sound of the explosion.
Hayze: (What’s going on?!)
The heroes disappear down an alleyway.
Hayze: (That was a colossal explosion… it has to be a villain, but what kind of moron attacks in broad daylight?)
Hayze gets up and follows after them. He sees other people running away from the explosion in fear.
Hayze: (I’ll follow them and see what’s going on, but I’ll keep my distance and stay out of their way.)
The two heroes run out of the alleyway and onto another street; there is a thick cloud of smoke, flipped cars, and fire filling the road; people are running for their lives, screaming.
Hero #1: Jesus Christ… Who could have done all this with just a single blast?!
Hero #2: I don’t know, but we might be out of our league here!
Suddenly, an injured hero gets thrown out of the smoke and rolls to a stop before the pair.
Injured Hero: *groans*
The hero has severe burns on the left side of his body.
Hero #1: Jesus Christ!
They rush to the aid of the injured hero.
Hero #2: What happened?!
Hero #1: Are you alright?!
The injured hero reaches out to the two heroes.
Injured Hero: *weakly* R- Run…
He dies.
Hero #1: Oh no…
Hero #2: D- did he say run?!
Hero #1: Not until we know who the hell is responsible for this!
Suddenly, maniacal laughter can be heard from within the smoke.
Voice: It’s funny you bring up hell because that’s where I’ll be sending you, heroes!
Hero #1 & #2: Huh?!
A figure emerges from the smoke. He’s shirtless, covered in sticks of dynamite; sparks fly from his fingertips.
Hero #1: Wh- who are you?!
Villain: Oh… You don’t know me? Well, I guess I haven’t built up my reputation yet! Tsk.. tsk…
The villain takes two sticks of dynamite and ignites their fuses.
Villain: I’m the new villain in town! Call me, Nitroglis!
Nitroglis throws the dynamite sticks at the heroes.
Hero #1: Holy shit!
Hero #2: AHHHHHHHHH!
Suddenly, a female hero leaps down from a rooftop, grabs the dynamite sticks out of the air, and throws them back at Nitroglis.
Nitroglis: What the fu-
The sticks explode in Nitroglis’ face. The heroine lands safely on the ground.
Femme Fatal: Another fly that needs to be swatted.
Hero #1: It’s Femme Fatal!
Hero #2: She’s an A-rank hero!
Fatal: Why are you two standing around doing nothing?! What are your ranks?
Hero #1: I- I’m C-rank, ma’am!
Hero #2: M- m- me too!
Fatal: Well, then, get your acts together! This guy is at least an A-rank villain, so make sure that no citizens are injured, and if they are, then help them out!
Hero #2: B- but-
Hero #1: We can help you fight-
Fatal: Did I stutter?!
The heroes get scared.
Hero #1 & #2: No, ma’am!
The C-Rank heroes run off.
Nitroglis: *from afar* Look at you barking orders like you have the situation under control…
Nitroglis emerges from the smoke of the explosion with just a few scrapes and bruises.
Fatal: Do I not?
Nitroglis: Of course not! That was a nice try, but my body is immune to all explosions. *winks* My arms and legs aren’t getting blown off by my own dynamite!
Fatal: That’s fine.
Fatal cracks her knuckles and neck.
Fatal: I’ll just rip ‘em off.
Hayze watches from the alleyway.
Hayze (Narrating): When a villain decides to run rampant, pro heroes must take them down and keep the public safe simultaneously. Ranks are a way of quickly classifying and identifying pros. Often, heroes have to cooperate with other heroes they’ve never met before, and by using their rank, they get a feel for the strength of whom they’re working with. The hero ranks go as follows:
S: Top 25
A: Elite
B: Above Average
C: Average
D: Sidekicks
F: Heroes in Training
Hayze (Narrating): These ranks decipher not only a hero's strength but also their status. Moving up in the ranks is sometimes easy, like moving on from sidekick duties to becoming a solo act, but other times, it takes a lot of hard work and effort to move to the next level. Your rank determines what kind of tasks you’ll be assigned and the type of work you’ll be doing; if you’re an average hero, you’ll need to make the most out of your limited opportunities to get noticed.
Nitroglis readies two more sticks of dynamite.
Nitroglis: Sorry, little girl, but I’ll be damned if I get taken out before my explosive finale!
Fatal: Looks like you're gonna be damned then.
Nitroglis smiles from ear to ear.
Nitroglis: You’re awfully confident for someone all alone!
Fatal: You’re nothing but a scrawny little sparkler. I might be overqualified for this task.
Nitroglis grinds his canine teeth together.
Nitroglis: You think you’re better than me, huh? Well, you’re forgetting one crucial detail!
Fatal: Hm?
Nitroglis lights up a stick of dynamite.
Nitroglis: You have more distractions than I do!
Nitroglis throws the dynamite through the fourth-floor window of an apartment building.
Nitroglis: Now fetch!
Fatal instantly sprints toward the building.
Fatal: *effort grunt*
Fatal’s legs pulsate with energy, and her running speed accelerates as she leaves a dust trail in her path.
Nitroglis: (Interesting…)
Hayze watches intently.
Hayze: (That’s Femme Fatal… a hero with a mighty trademark: Muscle Boost. She can magnify the output of any muscle in her body individually or simultaneously. However, If the duration lasts too long, her muscles will get sore and possibly tear.)
Fatal leaps through the window, grabs the dynamite and extinguishes the fuse.
Fatal: Phew.
A couple is terrified, shaking in the corner.
Fatal: Heh… Don’t worry, I’ll handle everything, folks!
Nitroglis starts clapping.
Nitroglis: *yelling* Nice work, girly!
Nitroglis grabs another stick of dynamite.
Nitroglis: Ready for round two?!
Fatal steps to the window and looks down at Nitroglis.
Fatal: (He’ll keep distracting me by attacking innocent people and wreaking mayhem. As much as I don’t like it, I have to play goalie until backup arrives.)
Nitroglis surveys the streets, admiring the chaos.
Nitroglis: (I suppose I’ll play around for just a little longer before getting serious!)
Hayze notices a small device in Nitroglis’ back pocket.
Hayze: (Is that… A detonator? He must have explosives somewhere around here! I have to warn Femme Fatal!)
Nitroglis looks at the group of abandoned cars in the street next to the alley Hayze is hiding in. Nitroglis lights his dynamite stick.
Fatal: (Here he goes again!)
Nitroglis: I love a good fight, but the setting isn’t perfect yet… it needs a little more fire!
Nitroglis chucks the stick at the group of cars.
Hayze: (Oh shit…)
Fatal: (I can’t get to it in time!)
The dynamite causes a massive chain explosion, knocking Hayze onto the ground and engulfing the city block in smoke and fire.
Nitroglis: *laughs hysterically*
Fatal: Fucking maniac…
Hayze sits up. His bruises and cuts from the explosion immediately heal.
Hayze: *groans* I guess I got a little too close to the fire…
Hayze glances at a flaming car mirror that landed beside his head.
Hayze: (Speaking of fire… Something’s off…)
Hayze reaches his hand out toward the flames.
Hayze: (Where’s the heat?)
Hayze stares into the fire intensely. He notices the flames moving in sync with his fingers.
Hayze: (Is this…)
Hayze stares into his palm. He tightens his concentration on the center of his hand, and after a few seconds, an ember forms. Hayze’s eyes widen with hope.
Hayze: (It is…)
Fatal stares down Nitroglis.
Fatal: (He got an idea of my speed and timed his fuse so I couldn’t stop the explosion… He’s not a total idiot, but that trick isn't gonna work twice.)
Fatal leaps out of the apartment window and lands on the sidewalk. Nitroglis grabs a dynamite stick and ignites it.
Fatal: You’re a lunatic.
Nitroglis: What?! Those cars were abandoned… probably.
Fatal: You better hope they were!
Fatal boosts her arm muscles.
Nitroglis: Ah, ah, ah! Not so fast!
Nitroglis waves the lit dynamite around.
Nitroglis: Try popping me, and this’ll go off! Either in your face or someone else's, and you won’t be able to stop it!
Fatal: In that case, I choose mine.
Fatal boosts her arm and leg muscles and rushes Nitroglis.
Nitroglis: Wait, what-
Fatal punches Nitroglis directly in the stomach; The intensity of the punch creates a shock wave that blows out the dynamite’s fuse.
Nitroglis: AHHHHHHH!
Nitroglis flies through the air, soaring over multiple city blocks.
Fatal: Heh… I might have overdone it a little…
Hayze watches with amazement.
Hayze (Narrating): (You’d think that would be the end of Nitroglis, but people with trademarks have higher natural durability.)
Nitroglis crashes onto an elevated highway and slams into the dividing wall.
Nitroglis: *groans* Damn, she sure packs a wallop!
Nitroglis painfully stands up and coughs up some blood.
Nitroglis: Looks like I’m gonna have to escalate things…
Nitroglis walks into the oncoming traffic. A car honks at Nitroglis as it swerves to avoid him and smashes into another vehicle, causing a massive multi-car collision.
Nitroglis: I love it when a plan comes together.
Back in the street, Fatal watches Nitroglis land on the highway.
Fatal: Dammit! That road is still active! If I don’t get over there quickly, he could cause serious damage!
Fatal boosts her leg muscles. Hayze runs out of the alleyway.
Hayze: Ms. Femme Fatal, wait!
Fatal speeds away.
Hayze: Shit…
Nitroglis walks toward a crashed van. Inside the car is a family of four. They all panic as Nitroglis approaches. The father was knocked unconscious at the wheel in the crash. His wife and kids try to escape, but the doors are locked.
Nitroglis: Hiya, kids!
Nitroglis’ fingers spark as he nears gasoline leaking from the vehicle.
Nitroglis: Do you like fireworks?
Suddenly, Fatal leaps onto the highway and tackles Nitroglis.
Fatal: Get away from them!
The two tumble on the ground together for a moment before separating.
Nitroglis: You sure got here quickly…
As they both return to their feet, Nitroglis notices Fatal’s legs are a little wobbly.
Nitroglis: Ah… There’s your weakness. You overdid it rushing here to make sure I didn’t hurt anyone. Maybe you shouldn’t have hit me so hard!
Nitroglis laughs, but he abruptly stops to cough up blood.
Fatal: Nope, I’m glad I did that.
Nitroglis: Well, you won’t be soon enough… Cause now I’m angry!
Fatal: *scoffs* I’m not afraid of you.
Nitroglis: You should be! Because once I’m done here… This whole area will be nothing but ash!
Fatal grinds her teeth and clenches her fists. She looks back at the terrified children in the car behind her.
Fatal: Why are you doing this?! The people you’ve hurt and the lives you’ve ended… What’s it all for?!
Nitroglis snickers to himself. Fatal grinds her teeth.
Fatal: What’s so funny?!
Nitroglis: You should know that I wreak havoc for the sake of wreaking havoc!
Fatal: What?! Are you kidding me?!
Nitroglis: Nope! I don’t plan on walking away from today. I want to put my face on the map as the guy who made a massive crater in the middle of this city! I’m going out in a blaze of glory!
Nitroglis pulls out the detonator.
Nitroglis: Or, in this case… An explosion of glory!
Fatal’s eyes narrow.
Fatal: You’re insane!
Hayze arrives underneath the elevated highway.
Hayze: (They’re up there!) *grunts* (But it’ll take me way too long to run all the way to the on-ramp!)
Hayze looks at his hands.
Hayze: Unless…
Hayze shoots fire at the ground from his palms, shooting himself a few feet in the air. He then immediately slams into the ground.
Hayze: *groans* Work in progress…
Nitroglis and Fatal stare each other down.
Nitroglis: It’s time for my explosive finale!
Fatal: You expect me to believe that isn’t a bluff?
Nitroglis: It sure isn’t!
Fatal: Then where are the explosives? If they’re back where our fight started, then you’re way out of range!
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Nitroglis: Are you sure about that?
Fatal: Yes!
Nitroglis: I mean, really sure?
Fatal: WHERE ELSE WOULD THE FUCKING BOMBS BE?!
Hayze hears Fatal shouting.
Hayze: (Ah, crap! He must be threatening the detonator! But… wait, where would the bombs be? He moved locations, so unless the explosives are still close to him, he shouldn’t be able to-)
Hayze gets a look of realization.
Hayze: (“Close to him…” He doesn’t just use dynamite… I’ve gotta get up there!)
Hayze rubs his hands together.
Hayze: Come on, come on!
Hayze raises his hands above his head and drops them down to the ground, blasting himself into the air.
Hayze: AHHHHHHH!
Hayze reaches for the side of the highway and barely hangs on.
Hayze: Holy shit…
Fatal turns around, hearing Hayze.
Fatal: What the hell are you doing, kid?!
Hayze lifts his upper body over the railing.
Hayze: He is the bomb!
Fatal: What?!
Nitroglis: *grunts* Damn… smart kid. Heh… My trademark is called “Living Dynamite.” I don’t just make sparks out of my fingers! My heart is a bomb that’ll destroy this whole area once I press this button and light the fuse inside my body. TRY SNUFFING THAT OUT!
Fatal: Watch me!
Nitroglis grabs a dynamite stick and lights it.
Nitroglis: Yeah, right! It’s too late for you to stop me! HAHAHA-
Hayze throws his shoe at Nitroglis’ hand, knocking the detonator to the ground. A second of stunned silence passes.
Nitroglis: D- did you just throw a shoe at me!
Fatal tackles Nitroglis to the ground and begins repeatedly punching his face.
Nitroglis: AHHHHHHHHH!
Hayze watches as the Nitroglis’ dynamite stick flies forward and lands beside the crashed van. Its fuse is still lit.
Hayze: (She doesn’t see the dynamite, and it will go off in a few seconds! I could call it out to her again, but if she takes her attention off Nitroglis, he could have time to self-destruct!)
Hayze looks down at his hands.
Hayze: (it’s worth a shot!)
Hayze points his hand at the dynamite and concentrates hard on putting out the fuse. However, nothing happens.
Hayze: (I’m not close enough!)
Hayze starts running towards the car.
Nitroglis: *pained grunts*
Nitroglis notices the dynamite is about to explode and laughs.
Nitroglis: You’ve got spunk, and I like that. It’s too bad…
Fatal: Too bad about what?
Nitroglis: That those were your last words!
Hayze dives forward, extending his arm, trying to stop the fuse.
Hayze: (Please work! Please work!)
Just as the fuse is about to detonate the dynamite, it goes out.
Nitroglis: WHAT?!
Fatal: Huh?
Fatal looks over her shoulder at Hayze.
Hayze: Phew…
Fatal notices the dynamite.
Fatal: (He saved us.)
Nitroglis pushes Fatal off of himself.
Fatal: *pained grunt*
Nitroglis lights all of his remaining dynamite sticks.
Nitroglis: Alright! That’s it! I can see that the theatrics won’t cut it! I need some brute force! Even if you knock me out, you won’t be able to stop all of these explosives from going off-
Fatal: *frustrated grunt* AHHH!
Fatal bursts toward Nitroglis and grabs him by his leg. She lifts him off the ground and begins spinning him around continuously.
Nitroglis: Woah, Woah, Woah! What are you doing?!
Fatal: You said you’re not hurt by your own explosions, right?
The spinning gets faster and faster due to Fatal’s muscle control.
Fatal: If you want an explosive finale! I’ll give you one!
Nitroglis: Put me down now!
Fatal: Time for some fireworks!
Fatal launches Nitroglis sky-high; Hayze watches with amazement as Nitroglis clears higher than the skyscrapers surrounding them.
Hayze: Woah…
Nitroglis careens higher and higher.
Nitroglis: AHHHHHHHH!
All of the dynamite sticks explode.
Hayze: I almost feel sorry for him.
Nitroglis: AHHHHHHHH!
Nitroglis smashes into the pavement of the street and is knocked unconscious.
Hayze: Almost…
Fatal: Ah… all in a day’s work.
Bystanders from the multi-car collision cheer for Fatal.
Bystander 1: We’re saved!
Bystander 2: MY CAR!
Bystander 1: Quiet down, Ted. The world doesn’t revolve around you; the hero just saved the day!
Bystander 2: MY INSURANCE IS FUCKED!
Fatal helps the people in the crashed car exit the vehicle as ambulances and police arrive on the scene. Fatal walks over to Hayze.
Fatal: Thanks for the help. Although… I am a little pissed; I needed it. *under her breath* You gotta work on your spatial awareness, Rachel.
Hayze: No problem… I’m just glad I could help…
Fatal notices Hayze’s eyes.
Fatal: Crazy-looking eyes, you got there.
Hayze: What?
Fatal: Are those colored contacts? I’ve never seen someone with red eyes.
Hayze looks at his reflection in the crashed car mirror.
Hayze: (Woah… wait a second… red… fire…)
A police officer walks over to Fatal.
Officer: Femme Fatal, thank you for taking down Nitroglis. He’s been eluding us for quite some time.
Hayze: (How?)
Fatal: Don’t mention it, Officer. I’m just surprised I’ve never heard of a guy who can blow himself up. That sounds like an S-Rank Trademark…
Officer: It is… That’s why we will contain him here until S.T.O.R.M. agents arrive.
Hayze: (S-Rank Trademark? S.T.O.R.M.?)
Officer: We need a couple of statements from you. We can wrap it up quickly so you don’t have to get the 3rd degree from S.T.O.R.M.
Fatal: Yeah… that would be preferable.
The officer and Fatal start walking away, but Fatal stops and turns to Hayze.
Fatal: Oh, and by the way, kid…
Hayze: Hm?
Fatal: Don’t do that ever again. You may have saved those people and me, but that’s a job for pro heroes like myself.
Hayze: Right! Hopefully, someday, I’ll be one…
Fatal smiles.
Fatal: Yeah, hopefully.
Hayze’s eyes light up.
Fatal: What’s your name, by the way?
Hayze: Hayze, Ayden Hayze.
Fatal’s eyes widen.
Fatal: Wait, you’re Hayze?
Hayze: Yeah, maybe you’ve heard of my-
Suddenly, Hayze’s eyes revert to normal, and he passes out.
Fatal: Hayze!
Fatal rushes to Hayze.
Fatal: Are you alright?! We need a medic over here!
Later, Hayze wakes up in a hospital bed.
Hayze: Huh?
Hayze looks around to see Dr. Moore sitting beside his bed.
Moore: I see you’re getting used to the new trademark.
Hayze: Dr. Moore? What are you doing here? Actually, better question… What am I doing here?
Moore: You passed out from exhaustion. Your body’s energy reserves were completely tapped.
Hayze: Wh- How?! I barely did anything!
Moore: Well, it looks like my serum gave you a rather exciting new trademark.
Hayze: Hm? What do you mean by that?
Moore: If I had to guess, your new ability consumes your energy to power itself. Because of your inexperience, you allowed it to eat up way more of your strength than needed. Factor in your natural healing trademark’s energy consumption, and you ran out of gas like a car with a hole in the tank.
Hayze: I see…
Hayze grows quiet.
Moore: It’s nothing that can’t be mitigated with vigorous training, though! Give it a year or two, and you’ll probably never have that issue.
Hayze: I’m sorry…
Moore: Huh? For what?
Hayze: I started to doubt you. Even though you assured me it worked, I thought I couldn’t trust you. I’m sorry about that.
Dr. Moore is surprised.
Moore: It’s okay… Two weeks is a long time. It’s okay that you lost some faith in me.
Hayze: Yeah, well, it doesn’t sit right with me. I wouldn’t have been able to help today without you, so I just wanted you to know I’m sorry for doubting you.
Dr. Moore smiles.
Moore: Well, thank you… Now, back to your new trademark. Your control is fragile mainly because it differs significantly from your healing ability.
Hayze: How so?
Moore: Your healing is always on; the second you sustain an injury, it begins working without any thought from you required. Your new trademark has an “on-switch,” so it’s not always active; thus, you’re not used to its energy consumption when it is.
Hayze: So, it’s like a flashlight on a phone?
Moore: I was thinking of something more scientific to relate to, but that works.
Hayze: Well, that’s something I’ll work on; the only issue is I have no idea how I turned it on in the first place.
Moore: Don’t worry about that. I have it all handled. I’ll bring you to my lab tomorrow.
Hayze: Okay… Why?
Moore: I’ve recruited someone to help show you the ropes with your new trademark.
Hayze looks confused.
Hayze: Wait… Do they know?
Moore: Yeah, because she was once in the same boat as you.
“ Moore: The first two people are the ones who received the serum: My sister and the chancellor of Gen.H’s granddaughter… “ - Season 1, Episode 2
Hayze: (It’s probably her sister, which means I’m probably in good hands.)
Hayze and Dr. Moore arrive at the latter’s lab the next day.
Hayze: (With the H.A.E. Tomorrow, I hope Dr. Moore’s sister can work a miracle.)
Dr. Moore uses her ID on the door panel.
Moore: Oh, head’s up… she’s a little rambunctious.
Hayze: What does that mean?
Moore: Give it a second.
The door opens.
Voice: THINK FAST!
Suddenly, a baseball comes flying at Hayze at well over 90 miles per hour. He barely dodges the ball.
Hayze: What the hell?!
Voice: Well, he passed the reflex test. Nice to see you again, kid.
Hayze looks to see Femme Fatal.
Hayze: (Femme Fatal, seriously?!)
Dr. Moore: It was quite a coincidence that you and her met yesterday. That’s how I found out you were hospitalized.
Fatal: Yeah… My sister here probably should have warned you the first time using the new trademark can be a doozy.
Dr. Moore: I didn’t want to make him anxious! Plus, I didn’t expect him to use it under those circumstances…
Fatal: Yeah…
Both women look at Hayze with disapproval in their eyes.
Hayze: Sorry…
Fatal: Well, at least I can tell you picked a good one, Kelsey, unlike last time.
Hayze: (Last time?)
Dr. Moore laughs nervously.
Dr. Moore: Anyway… This is my sister, Rachel Moore, a.k.a. Femme Fatal. She was the first person ever to receive the trademark serum.
Fatal: And I should have been the last, but here we are.
Dr. Moore: Give me a break, Rachel! You just said he was a good pick!
Fatal: Yes, he is. But you shouldn’t have been picking in the first place.
Dr. Moore: *sighs*
Hayze looks at the two women.
Hayze: (I can see the similarities now that they’re next to each other… but there’s a visible age gap between them, more extensive than usual for siblings. I can understand Femme Fatal’s annoyance about the serum being used again. She graduated from Gen.H 8 years ago and had complete mastery of her trademark as a Freshman. She has to have had her trademark for at least 12 years. I don’t know how old the other girl who received the serum is, but it sounds like this project has been on ice for a long time.)
Fatal: Well, between what you did yesterday and the fact that you’ve already been injected with the serum, It’s my responsibility to help you with the basics, but it’s sink or swim after that. Got it?
Hayze: Okay, I understand.
Fatal: I saw that you could put out the spark on that dynamite, but that can’t be all your trademark is capable of. How did you get onto the highway?
Hayze: I shot fire out of my hands that launched me upward.
Fatal: Oh, so it’s a fire trademark… Interesting. Mind giving us a demonstration?
Hayze: I can’t…
Fatal: Hm?
Hayze: I don’t know how I turned it on.
Dr. Moore: Rachel, I told you that’s one of the reasons why I wanted you to meet him.
Fatal: Oh right… So, what did you feel when you first triggered the power?
Hayze: What do you mean?
Fatal: Whenever you activate your trademark, you must concentrate on a specific emotion; for me, it's frustration. For some reason, the trademarks received from genetic modification are connected to our feelings. The other user and I experienced this with our trademarks; it would make sense that yours works the same way.
Hayze looks at Dr. Moore.
Hayze: I thought you said you didn’t “have a consistent way to test what my new trademark is?”
Moore: I’m sorry. That was a little fib… It’s better you didn’t know this before now. It’s safer for you to have naturally discovered how your ability activates rather than forcing yourself to experience a myriad of emotions.
Hayze: I suppose that makes sense…
Fatal: So, what did you feel when you activated your trademark?
Hayze: I don’t know… I’m not sure when exactly it first-
“ Hayze closes his eyes and grinds his teeth.
Hayze: (I don’t want to give up, I don’t want to settle for anything else, I just want to be a hero. I don’t care about being the strongest or famous. The money doesn’t mean anything to me either. All I want to do is help people… but at the end of the day... not everyone gets what they want… and it pisses me the fuck off!) “ - Season 1, Episode 2
Hayze: (That was when my emotions were most intense. Right before I saw Femme Fatal fight Nitroglis…) I think I felt… angry.
Fatal: Okay, try to recreate that same anger.
Hayze: I’ll try…
Hayze concentrates and tries to anger himself.
Hayze: I’m sorry… I’m struggling.
Fatal: Think of something that really pisses you off.
Hayze: Well… Someone I thought was my friend once betrayed my trust…
Fatal: Okay, use that.
Hayze: *frustrated grunt*
Eventually, Hayze can feel the power surge through him. He opens his eyes to reveal their red color. Dr. Moore looks curious.
Fatal: So, your eyes change color while your trademark is active. That explains the red.
Moore: Yeah… that’s definitely not something that’s happened before.
Fatal: What do you think that could mean, Kelsey?
Moore: Hm…
Hayze: I was thinking… What if that means I could have more than just a fire trademark? Like… multiple elements?
Dr. Moore is in deep thought.
Hayze: What? Is that bad?
Moore: No, it’s just that you’re already far behind your peers in trademark control; learning multiple abilities could be more challenging.
Hayze: We can worry about that later. Right now, I want to concentrate on making this fire trademark strong enough to pass the exam. The best I’ve done is create an ember or a fire beam I can barely control.
Fatal: Well, the exam isn’t too difficult. I wouldn’t recommend the fire propulsion strategy, though. You won’t pass if you nearly kill yourself like you did on the highway. But an ember probably won’t cut it either, so I’ll have to show you how to make a fireball quickly.
Hayze: Seriously? But your trademark is nothing like mine.
Fatal: That’s where you’re wrong; being able to concentrate energy on a single point is a big part of my trademark. Hold out your hand.
Hayze: Uh… okay.
Hayze holds out his hand.
Fatal: Now, do what you did before to create an ember in your palm.
Hayze creates the ember.
Fatal: Keep piling more energy into that ember.
Hayze continues concentrating on the ember for a moment, but nothing happens.
Hayze: It’s not working. I can’t-
Fatal: Let me guess. Now that the ember is there, are you concentrating on that?
Hayze: W- well yeah, but I-
Fatal: Keep your concentration on the point in the center of your palm. You can’t just magically pump energy into the flame; you need to stream it from the same point it was created.
Hayze looks at his palm.
Fatal: Energy control is essential; you’ll never get anywhere if you don’t understand the fundamentals. Now, try again.
Hayze follows Fatal’s directions. The ember slowly transforms into an unstable fireball.
Hayze: Wow… sorry for questioning you.
Fatal: Shaping that flame seems pretty tough for you right now. You can barely keep it in its spherical shape, but we can work on that later.
Hayze: Right.
Fatal: Turn off your trademark now. We don’t want you to accidentally exhaust yourself again.
Hayze extinguishes the fireball and deactivates his trademark. His eyes revert to normal.
Hayze: Yeah… that wouldn’t be good. I need to work on that immediately.
Fatal: Don’t worry about it right now. I can help you learn more about energy control after you pass the H.A.E.
Hayze: You think I’ll pass it now?
Fatal: Yeah, your new ability is relatively straightforward. Any proctor will give it a passing grade once they see that fireball. Just make it quick; if you pass out, you’ll instantly fail.
Hayze: Yeah, I’ll be sure to wrap things up fast.
Fatal: Also, always remember one thing: It’s not about the trademark; it’s about the person who wields it. You never would have made that fireball if I didn’t help you understand how your ability works. You could have the strongest trademark on the planet, but you're nothing more than a fool if you don’t know how to use it.
Hayze takes in Fatal’s words.
Hayze: Gotcha. I understand.
Moore: Well then, good luck, Hayze.
Fatal: He won’t need it if he sticks to the plan.
Hayze: I definitely will!
The next day, Hayze approaches the test building.
Hayze: (Well, this is my last chance to pass this test. If I fail, that’s it. I might as well kiss my chance at becoming a pro hero goodbye.)
Hayze walks into his test room and sits down. The whole room is filled. Hayze looks around.
Hayze: (This is one of the last examination days, and the whole room is packed. Everyone wants to get into Gen.H Academy, that’s for sure.)
The girl in the seat next to Hayze drops her pencil, which rolls over to Hayze. He picks it up and hands it to her.
Hayze: Here you go.
Girl: Thanks! I’m going to need that!
Hayze: Yeah, definitely…
A few seconds of awkward silence pass by.
Girl: So, uh... What exam are you trying to do better on?
Hayze: The trademark test.
Girl: Oh, that’s different; most people I know have passed that one.
Hayze: Yeah… I’m a “unique” case... What, uh… what are you trying to do better on?
Girl: The physical test. I’ve been struggling to run a 10-minute mile…
Hayze: Well, I’m sure you’ll get it this time.
Girl: Thanks! Out of curiosity, how many times have you taken the test?
Hayze: Uh… well…
Girl: Hm?
Hayze: It’s my tenth time taking this exam. My trademark just hasn’t been enough to get a passing grade.
Girl: That’s unfortunate, but why do you think it will be different this time?
Hayze: Well, I-
Proctor: Alright, everyone, I’ll pass around the test booklets and then explain the rules and instructions.
Girl: I’m Ashley; by the way, it was nice to meet you; good luck.
Hayze: I’m Hayze; good luck to you too.
The examinees do their multiple-choice and physical exams, after which Hayze awaits his turn for the Trademark Evaluation test.
Hayze: (Here we go…)
There are four test rooms, each with a proctor inside to see a trademark demonstration and ask questions. An examinee exits one of the test rooms, and the proctor walks out with a clipboard.
Proctor: Ayden Hayze.
Hayze walks into the room with the proctor. The proctor sits down at a desk.
Proctor: Huh, it says here that a revision to your trademark just went into our system.
Hayze: (Man, Dr. Moore acts fast...) Yessir.
Proctor: That’s fine. I just need you to show me what you can do. This room is made of a unique fiber that can absorb damage. It was designed by the scientists at Gen.H Academy. If you have a move you want to use, fire it off at the walls. I just need a visual reference of what your trademark can do.
Hayze takes a deep breath and powers up. His eyes change to red.
Proctor: (Eye color change? That’s not great for masking intentions, but I shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.) Go ahead.
Hayze holds out his hand towards the wall.
Hayze: (Now or never, time to shine.)
Hayze fires a fireball slightly bigger than his hand at the wall. It collides with the wall, and it takes seconds for the fibers to absorb the attack, leaving a burn mark where it hit.
Proctor: That’s… not… supposed to happen; the other examinees must have weakened the wall. Anyway, that looks good, so now I’ll ask you three questions, and you’ll have just 30 seconds to answer each one. Are you ready?
Hayze: Yes. (I’ve never even gotten to this point before.)
The proctor looks down at his clipboard.
Proctor: Question 1: To you, what is a trademark?
Hayze: An ability that acts as an extension of your body. A trademark doesn’t make you strong; you make it strong. It’s like a muscle; you must exercise to build it up. If you’re nothing without your trademark, then you are nothing.
Proctor: Question 2: When should you use your trademark for force?
Hayze: Only as a last resort or for self-defense; trademarks should be used primarily for restraint or rescue, but in cases where citizens' lives are in direct danger, a trademark can be used for lethal force.
Proctor: Question 3: What would you do if you lost your trademark in the middle of a mission?
Hayze: Complete it.
The proctor looks up at Hayze.
Proctor: Care to elaborate?
Hayze: No, sir.
The proctor stares at Hayze for a moment.
Proctor: Alright, then that’s it. Your tests will be submitted, and you can head home. You’ll hear the results soon via the mail.
Hayze: Thank you.
Hayze walks out of the room and down the hall towards the exit of the testing facility.
Hayze: (I feel like that went well; I guess I’ll know soon, but for right now-)
Hayze walks out of the building and looks into the sky.
Hayze: (I think I’m on the path to fulfilling my dream.)