November 11, 1985.
A week had passed since the three boys were brought to the laboratory. In that time, Fire Guy's control over flame had grown sharper, Charcoal's powers had yet to manifest, and Energy Guy had finally awakened his Ability: lightning.
Now, the heavy steel doors to the training chamber hissed open. Standing in the doorway was Silver Guy, arms clasped neatly behind his back, his face as unreadable as ever. Behind him were Fire Guy and Energy Guy, both wearing the same uneasy mix of excitement and nerves.
Without a word, Silver Guy stepped into the center of the chamber. His boots echoed against the metal floor. Then, with a sudden stomp, the ground rippled and shifted, with plates of steel bending and folding upward until the room resembled a rugged battlefield.
Energy Guy's eyes widened in awe.
Fire Guy just grinned. "Now this is more like it."
Silver Guy turned to face them. "Today," he said, voice calm but commanding, "you'll begin your first one-on-one sparring exercise. Since Pride has not yet completed your battle suits, you are to use your powers only for mobility — not for direct attacks. Do you understand?"
Energy Guy frowned. "So no lightning bolts?"
"Not unless you wish to be responsible for replacing this facility's power grid," Silver Guy replied, deadpan.
Fire Guy laughed under his breath, rolling his shoulders. "Guess I'll just have to beat him the old-fashioned way."
Energy Guy smirked back. "You can try."
Silver Guy gave a single nod — the signal to begin.
Energy Guy moved first.
He sprinted across the shifting terrain, leaping from one raised plate of metal to another. Fire Guy dropped into a low stance and waited, steady and centered.
"Come on then," Fire Guy called. "Show me what you got, Sparky."
Energy Guy's eye twitched. "Don't call me that."
He lunged in with a clumsy rush of punches. Fire Guy slipped around them with minimal effort, caught Energy Guy's wrist, and flipped him onto his back.
Air blasted from Energy Guy's lungs. "Ghk—"
"You're thinking too hard," Fire Guy said, looking down at him. "Just move."
"Pretty sure I just did," Energy Guy wheezed. "Did you not see the part where my spine hit the floor?"
"Continue," Silver Guy called from the edge of the chamber, "or I will force you to."
Fire Guy backed off. Energy Guy pushed himself up, legs shaking. Tiny pinpricks of blue static crawled over his fingers.
He took a step forward.
Flame flared to life around Fire Guy's fists—thin, controlled tongues of orange fire.
"Show off," Energy Guy muttered.
"We're using powers for mobility," Fire Guy said, glancing briefly at Silver Guy. "So let's keep it interesting."
They clashed again, faster this time. Energy Guy threw messy combinations, landing only a few glancing blows; Fire Guy answered with cleaner strikes and a sharp kick to the ribs that sent Energy Guy stumbling back.
Don't fold, Energy Guy told himself. Don't you dare.
Fire Guy exhaled, stepping away a pace.
"Alright. Enough warm-up."
Flames gathered in his palm, curling into a tight, bright orb. Energy Guy's expression shifted from annoyance to concern.
"What are you—"
Fire Guy thrust his hand forward.
A narrow burst of fire shot toward Energy Guy's chest.
Move.
Panic rose in his throat, but his body moved faster than his thoughts. Electricity surged through him, compressing into a single desperate point.
ZAP.
The world went white.
Energy Guy vanished in a crackle of light. The fire blast tore through empty air and splashed harmlessly against a distant wall.
Fire Guy spun around. "What the—?!"
A burst of static snapped behind him. Energy Guy reappeared just off his shoulder, feet skidding, fist already cocked back and wreathed in crackling blue.
He swung.
Fire Guy ducked on instinct, the punch whistling just above his head. Residual static brushed his hair, making it stand on end. He rolled away and came up breathing hard.
"Time out!" Fire Guy shouted, hands raised.
Energy Guy froze mid-recovery. "What?"
Fire Guy pointed at him, eyes wide. "That…that was new. You just disappeared. Then you were behind me."
Energy Guy glanced at his hands, electricity still prickling under his skin. "I… think I jumped," he said slowly. "An electric jump. Compressed everything into one point and… snapped over." He gestured to where he'd been standing. "From there to here."
"So… teleportation?" Fire Guy asked.
"Not exactly. Just really, really fast," Energy Guy replied.
Fire Guy let out a low whistle. "That's sick."
He flexed his fingers, gaze dropping to his own palms.
Energy Guy caught it. "Still working on that big move of yours? Final Flame, right?"
Fire Guy's jaw tightened. "Yeah. The more I push it, more heat, more power, the more I realize my body can't handle the full thing. Not yet."
"Correct," another voice cut in.
Silver Guy stepped toward them, attention fixed on Fire Guy. "Your current physiology cannot withstand the full output of your potential. If you release everything at once, you'll incinerate yourself from the inside."
Fire Guy swallowed. "Great. Love hearing that."
"That is why you're here," Silver Guy continued. "Astrapi bonded with you three differently than with anyone else. Your potential is high, but your control is lacking. That will change."
He raised a hand. The ragged metal terrain melted and smoothed, the floor returning to a flat, seamless surface.
"The King expects results," Silver Guy said. "Now that we've confirmed lightning-based short-range displacement and controlled flame generation, we can escalate."
Energy Guy's stomach twisted. "Escalate how?"
"Tomorrow," Silver Guy replied, already turning toward the exit. "You'll be introduced to live-combat simulations. Moving targets. Environmental hazards. And eventually… opponents who hit back harder than either of you."
He paused at the door and looked back at Energy Guy.
"That maneuver you performed, "the 'electric jump." Don't use it frivolously. Every time you compress that much voltage into your nervous system, you risk misfiring. You lose focus. You scatter."
"Scatter?" Energy Guy echoed.
"You wouldn't like what that feels like," Silver Guy said.
The door hissed shut behind him.
Silence filled the chamber.
After a moment, Fire Guy blew out a breath. "So. You can blink across the room, and I've got a death laser I'm not allowed to use."
Energy Guy shrugged, a crooked grin returning. "Hey. What if it all works out?"
Fire Guy stared at him, then snorted. "You're an idiot."
"I prefer 'strategic optimist,'" Energy Guy said.
They headed for the side door that led back to their quarters, shoulders brushing as they walked. Fire Guy flexed his fingers, imagining the Final Flame he wasn't ready to unleash. Energy Guy rolled his wrist, still feeling the phantom pull of his first electric jump.
Neither of them knew it yet.
But this was only the first step of the long, long journey ahead of them.