unOrdinary.

John powered up, his eyes focused, visions of New Bostin flashed his mind, he saw his old classmates charging at him, all while Claire was standing right there.

John in his head: No, this is different, as long as I just-

Before John could finish his thought, Illena swings her arm at John, he blocks them and punches her, Rouker fires two missiles at John, but they miss. Wenqi zooms behind John and wacks him from behind. Her blonde hair flashes and glows with her yellow eyes as she zooms by John.Tanner recovers and throws a jawline punch at John. Illena gets back up and throws her fists to his back in a fit of rage.

Tanner: Suprise mother-

John grabs Tanner and slams him into the wall, he combines Illina's strength and Wenqi's speed. Tanner slams into the wall and fractures his skull, John's eyes are glowing normally at this point, he uses Wenqi's speed to take out Rouker, after knocking him out he fires two tracking missiles at Illina and Wenqi, the blast knocks them out. John walks away right as Arlo shows up.

Arlo: John, I-

John: DON'T TALK TO ME YOU SNAKE!, there was no gang problem in this school, you just wanted me to use my powers.

Arlo: John, you-

John continues to walk away despite Arlo talking, Arlo uses his barrier on John, John breaks it and grabs Arlo by the collar, slamming him into the wall. Arlo coughs up blood.

John: When are you going to get this through your thick skull? I'm not gonna be part of your shitty kingdom. I have more important things to do!

Arlo: Yeah well who's gonna protect Seraphina, huh?!

John lets Arlo go and walks away.

John: I already got a plan for that.

Arlo stares as John walks in the distance.

John walks into his old house and slams the door. He goes downstairs into his secret room, takes his costume out, he packs it into a briefcase. He takes one last look at his room before he turns off the power. He closes the vault door so it's locked and walks away as he heads back to the dorms, his briefcase in one hand and a mask in another. A cheap mask that looks like it was bought at the mall's costume store. It was all black and had two eye holes, a simple design.

Arlo gets up, he heads back to his apartment, thinking about what Isen said to him the night he showed him John's ability.

Arlo: Isen, you will be helping me get John as the next king.

Isen: hehehe, your funny Arlo.

Arlo: Isen, John isn't acting in his place.

Arlo opens the computer, he pulls up John's record in New Bostin.

Isen: What is this?

Isen looks at John's file, every inch of that screen scares him, the people he's hurt, his ability, the fact that he hid his secret for so long. The people who bully him now, building his rage up like a volcano.

Isen: A-Arlo!

Arlo looks at Isen.

Isen: WHY, WHY ARE YOU SHOWING THIS TO ME?!

Isen grabs Arlo by the collar, but he gets pushed back.

Arlo: Because, we are going to restore balance to the Hierarchy.

Isen: No Arlo don't you get it? He's on another level, he won't wanna join us if he's been a cripple for this long!

Arlo: Isen, I'm not asking for your help, I want you to find as much information on John as you can.

Isen: NO! I'd rather get beaten up by you than do this to him. He's my friend, and I don't wanna be on the other side of the fence with him!

Arlo: Why the hell do you think that huh? Do you really think we have time to be nice to weaklings, especially cripples!

Isen: Well then why would he treat us as equals?!

Arlo looks at Isen, surprised and confused.

Arlo: What do you mean equals?

Isen: Look at his stats, he was more powerful than you are now at his age. If he had your mindset, you think he'd be nice, no, tolerate us?! Arlo please.

Arlo: Fine, if you're so against it then I won't pursue it.

Arlo walks out of Isen's door.

Isen: Arlo wai-!

Arlo slams the door and walks out.

Arlo in his head: Damn, my little lie didn't even convince him. If John finds out what I told Isen, lie or not....

"Why the hell do you think that huh? Do you really think we have time to be nice to weaklings, especially cripples!"

Arlo in his head: I'd be dead meat. The same as that girl who betrayed him.

Present day

Arlo: Damn you John, why won't you just accept your place?

The next day Sera is sitting on the roof playing on her phone. John walks up and drops an orb like device in the corner of the roof.

John: Sera!

John walks to her with his lunch.

John: So, how's your day going so far?

Sera: Nothing different really, still avoiding people. They'll find out eventually though.

John: Hey now, with that attitude they will find out. You gotta be more confident, you're more than your ability, start acting like it.

Sera: Yeah but nothing about this feels right, changing my scheduled to avoid people, what ever happened to doing whatever the fuck we wanted, not caring about the rules, society, or ranks. It just seems so unnecessary, so what if people find out? They won't challenge me, they're too afraid to do so. They'll just talk about it for a bit, but I won't mind, it's true after all.

What's the worst that can happen?

John's eyes grow narrow.

John: You don't understand, the moment you fall, people become cruel.

Sera: Huh?

John: I think it's better to keep it a secret, just to stay safe.

Sera: Oh, and how would you know?

John: I-

John's past floods into his head, New Bostin, the kids, his throne. All the pain folds over him like a blanket.

John in his head: No, Sera may know about my powers some day, but I draw the line on New Bostin. No one will ever find out.

I'm not a monster.

John: Sera, do you trust me?

Sera gives John a confused look.

Sera: John, of course I do, you're like-

John: Then keep it quiet, I don't want anyone to know about your situation that's not a royal.

Sera: John?

The bell rings.

John: I gotta go to class, I'll see you around Sera.

John walks off the roof. As he heads back to class he sees a pink haired kid messing with a purple haired kid. John stops for a bit to see how the situation unfolds.

John in his head: I should do something-

No.

John recalls his thoughts when fighting Tanner's gang.

Ever since I came out of those correction classes, I've worked my whole life to help the helpless, to be the hero that the people didn't need, but wanted. I worked so hard to maintain my identity, and after all of that, my peers refuse to see me as an equal. They beat me down like some punching bag.

Purple haired kid: No, stop, please I don't have any more money!

Pink haired kid: Not so tough now.

The Pink haired kid punches his victim to the ground, he kicks him in the gut several times. As he does this John walks away.

John in his head: No, I'm done fighting for others for now. I need to focus on catching Cecile, not picking up every little piece of trash that blows my way.

Pink haired kid: Yeah keep crying loser!

Later that day John is in his room, his wind breaker is off, he's looking at the mask, so simple yet it sends a message of fear. Blyke suddenly walks in the room.

Blyke: Hey there Johnny boy!

John: Ahhhh, oh you scared me.

Blyke: Haha, lol. What were yeah looking at.

John: Uhh, nothing.

Blyke: Awww come on man spill the deets. Was it something Sera sent you, you know ;)

John: Huh, what no! That's silly, hey can I ask you something?

Blyke: Yeah sure what's up?

John: When is it okay to stop caring about something so deeply?

Blyke: Well, what do you mean?

John: I don't know, just forget it, I'm gonna head out now, meet up with Sera.

John leaves the room.

Blyke: Oh uh, okay, bye John.

John: That mask, no doubt it's the one Joker wears. However, I'm gonna need to be able to use my powers more freely at school. For that to happen I'm gonna need a mask.

John bumps into Sera.

Sera: Hey idiot, you finally made it.

John: Sera! Hey.

Sera: Hey John you seemed off when we talked on the roof earlier.

John: Yeah and?

Sera: What's up with you lately.

John: I..no Sera I don't wanna talk about it right now. Let's just forget about it.

Sera: Uhhh, okay.

Sera and John walk together with their drinks, Sera keeps nudging at John to spill his past.

John: I think it's better to keep it a secret, just to stay safe.

Sera: Oh, and how would you know?

John: I-

Sera: John, what happened to you? You seemed so distant and cold.

John: I don't know, I guess it's Cecile. Arlo wants me to wait until she makes a false move in the paper.

Sera: Ohh, like what?

John: I don't know yet, but I don't have any other way to approach things.

Sera: Oh so you two are getting along now.

John: No, he keeps provoking mid tiers trying to get me to use my powers.

Sera: Oh, and how did you do against them?

John: I just roughed em up a little. Still it makes me think the school doesn't have a gang problem.

Sera: Listen I know Arlo is a pain in the ass, but he knows what he's doing. Besides, whatever happened to the carefree John, the John who I fel….l, I UHHHH, you know, the grease ball jerk? I mean....

John looks at Sera strangely before they laugh it off, the two head back to the dorms. John is just confused and glad to see Sera, while Sera is nervous, almost spilling something crucial out in the open.

Sera: So how does it feel to live in a dorm?

John: Honestly, I'm gonna miss the penthouse.

John and Sera walk past a girl in pigtails getting pushed to the ground by an orange haired girl.

Evie: Please I'm sorry, I have to go to an important class.

The brown haired girl steps on Evie's hand.

Brea: You think your stupid apology is enough? What could possibly be important for you?

Brea slaps Evie. This catches Sera's attention. John nods for Sera to move on.

Sera: No, wait here.

John: Sera no!

Sera intervenes.

Sera: That's enough.

Sera looks at Evie.

Sera: You, go to class.

Evie: Uh, yes ma'am.

Evie runs off to class.

Brea: But why, she-

Sera: YOU! Don't waste other people's time.

Brea looks at Seraphina with anger and jealousy. Her humiliation gets to a breaking point. She tears up ready to strike back at Sera, unafraid of what she might do in case the rumors aren't true. John and Sera walk away, people mock and ridicule the orange haired girl for starting the conflict. The people end up getting to her, she snaps. Her eyes glow like a lime. She shoots a laser at Sera, it creeps up closer and closer until Sera's eyes turn green from the laser's reflected light, John jumps in front of Sera, the laser hits his back.

Brea: Stupid cripple! Get out of my way!

She shoots another laser, A yellow Barrier appears in front of Sera and John.

Arlo: Ohh, so what do we have here?

Orange girl: No, please, I'm so sorry...

Arlo shrinks his barrier over the girl.

Arlo: Yeah I bet you are. Striking a superior from behind, you're the lowest. Even a cripple could take a shot from you, pathetic.

He said as he stood with Sera. Brea looks at the three with tears in her eyes, scared she's messed up beyond fixing. Everyone talks behind her back at that moment, showing John that most people aren't out for a fight, that his anger is coming from a small population of bullies, not society. That even the mass majority that's mean to him isn't in full control, but rather under societies influence. A revelation flashed before his golden eyes in a single moment, and then it was gone.

John: Hey I'm still here you know!

He says replying to Arlo's previous comment.

Arlo: Shuddup.

Arlo looks at the crowd of students.

Arlo: Next time I find anyone overstepping their boundaries again, you'll have to answer to me.

He pulls Sera and John aside.

Arlo: You two, we need to talk.

Sera and John follow Arlo into a private room.

To be Continued....