People are cruel and people with power are the cruelest of them all, that's a well-known fact. Let's do a thought experiment. If you place someone in a room with another person, no difference between both people save for the fact the one is strong and the other weak, what do you think would happen?

A) Would the stronger person use their great strength to try to look after the weaker person? Or B)Would the stronger person use their great strength to take advantage of the weaker person? The correct answer is...

B, it's always B. Forget the great power, great responsibility B.S Uncle Ben teaches. That kinda crap only works in the comics, real life is much different, much crueler as we have already established.

Now here's another experiment. What do you think would happen if you put a weak and powerless kid in a school where the strong rule and everyone but him has superpowers?

"Fuck," I curse my breath heavy, lungs gasping for the air they can't seem to retain. I am 30 feet away from the gates, 30 feet away from freedom, 29...28...27.

"There he is" A voice behind me shouts.

"The Zero is making a run for it."

That's Raze, my least favorite member of my lovely group of bullies, the goon squad as I like to call them. I particularly dislike him because of his very irritating power. As a kid blessed with Clairvoyance, a quirk that enables him to find anything he is looking for as long as he has seen it in person before. And unfortunately for me Raze has a keen memory of me and an annoying knack of finding me no matter where I try to hide. The first time this little chase happened, I hid a bathroom stall hoping to make my escape after they had given up the search for me but boy was I wrong. Thanks to Raze, I was captured in a record 45 seconds.

"FUCK!!!" I curse again and with the little air, I have left I try to speed up my sprint to the gates, only 21...20ft away.

"Stop him," another voice commands as the ends of two whips are sent flying in my direction.

This is Lize, another of the goon squad. Her Quirk is Lethargy, meaning that she can tire anyone out by touching them with any part of her body. Those whips which she is brandishing with both skill and glee were created from her hair fibers meaning anyone they hit drop faster than my Uncle Timmy after thanksgiving dinner.

And yeah, yeah I know what you're thinking you pervs, that's pretty hot, right? Well, you wouldn't necessarily be wrong. With her good looks and stunning figure, most guys would love to be in my position chased around by her and her whips. But fortunately for me and unfortunately for her, I'm not one of those guys. And look I'm not kink-shaming, I'm just not into those kinds of uh...activities.

Leaping to the side, I barely managed to evade her whips before rolling back to my feet and continuing my mad dash for freedom.

15 feet away...14 ft...13tf...huh, maybe I can do it this time.

"You missed Lize," a Raze says only to be hit by Lize whip and like Uncle Timmy, after he's had his way with the Turkey, he immediately drops to the ground.

"Shut up, Idiot," Lize orders. "I didn't miss, the Zero just happened to get lucky and dodged it."

"Here, I'll do it," a third gruffer voice says and the ground begins to shake.

Ah, that would be the leader and third member of the goon squad and my personal favorite of the three, Mori. He was blessed with the Quirk: Geomancy, meaning he is able to exert control over the earth. Pretty cool I know, and normally I would be gushing over his abilities but at the moment I am a bit preoccupied with running for my life.

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11ft...10ft...9ft...wow today might actually be my day.

I turn around to catch a glimpse of my three pursuers or rather non-pursuers. Raze is still immobilized on the ground although he does wear a content, almost happy smile as he softly murmurs something about being a bad boy. Lize has given up chase and just intently watches Mori who is kneeling with his hands on the ground.

"Looks like today is my lucky day guys," I call out deeply satisfied at my pre-accomplishments. "I'll be home free in 6...5...4...3...2..."

I don't get to finish my countdown when I run straight into a wall.

" Who put a wall there?" I ask as I fall flat on my ass.

"That would be Mori's handiwork," Lize explains as the ends of her whip wrap around my hands and I feel all the energy in my body disappear.

"Dammit," I curse as I try hard to fight against the sleep which threatens to send me to wherever Raze is at the moment. Actually, you know, it might not be too bad to...no I will not succumb.

"Mori," I weakly say as the large boy walks over to me. "You learned a new trick. Way to go, buddy, I'm so proud of you 'Friendo,'" I manage to say as my eyelids grow ever heavier.

"Thanks, Zero. But flattery will get you nowhere, 'Friendo,'" Mori laughs as he lifts my weak body from the ground and with little effort throws me over his right shoulder. "You know the rules. As the Zero of Lightwing, you must participate in the Zero Hunt. Running away is not permitted."

"I know, I know," I dismiss. "But think about it. I'm the only one in the school without any powers so at this point I'll be the Zero forever. Won't that get boring, with everyone always trying to hunt me?"

"Perhaps, but it's not for me to decide. That honor goes to Kane. You know that," Mori replies.

Damn, my appeal failed but I knew this was going to happen with this unyielding wall. Mori is a true blue boy scout and is nothing if not loyal. Loyal to his friends, loyal to the rules of the school, and the natural hierarchy, which unfortunately meant he was also loyal to Kane, the current number ranked student and big boss of the school.

Ok, let's try a different tactic.

"I'm sure Kane has much better things to do other than playing such a stupid game created by some psycho." I counter. "I'm sure you guys do too, right?"

"Wrong," Raze says as he slowly rises. I guess the dream world didn't want him after all.

"I love the Zero Hunt. It's one of the only few times I get to feel special. Everyone wants the Raz on their team and the Raz's Clairvoyance never disappoints." He boasts, unfortunately with well-practiced poses.

"Well, of course. Your power is your only redeeming trait," Lize says. "Without that, you'll be even more useless than Zero here."

"Don't be silly Lize, no one can be that useless," Raze laughs.

"Yeah, you're right. What the hell was I thinking," Lize adds joining in his laughter.

It's really annoying how they talk about me like I'm not even here. It's one of the first things I had to learn to deal with.

"Raze, Lize. Don't make fun of the Zero," Mori says, silencing the two of them. His stern voice making his request sound more like a command.

"Any normal person would have quit the school after just one Zero Hunt yet, even after so many he still stays. Regardless of his weakness, he is still worthy of respect."

"Mori, Friendo, you do care," I say choking up, tears beginning to swell in my eyes. "Say, as one person worthy of respect to another, how about you let me go?" I ask, again.

"No can do," he quickly replies as he continues to march forward, carrying me to my dreaded destination. So much for being worthy of respect.

"But Friendo, I am feeling quite tired. All that running, rolling and wall face planting sure has me pooped, " I add with a yawn.

"Sorry Friendo, but the rules are the rules," he rebuffs again. "But if you're feeling tired I'm sure Lize can help you out, right Lize?"

"It'll be my pleasure," she says with a sadistic smile as she steps forward with whips in hand.

I'm hit 1,2,3 times and suddenly the heaviness in my eyelids return. This time despite my best efforts I feel myself being dragged away to the land of dreams.

"I'm....I'm not into that Lize,'' I stammer. I hear Mori chuckle at my joke as the world goes black.

Oh right, I guess, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Theo Baxter, I'm 19 years old and I'm the Zero of Lightwing Academy.