After Asha slapped Mason with a food tray on the first day of high school, his life changed from that moment.
It was not the good kind of change where people pat you on the back and praise you for standing up to a bully. It was the other kind. The kind where eyes linger too long when you walk past. The kind where whispers follow you down hallways. The kind where you feel watched even when no one is looking directly at you.
In a school full of superheroes, being powerless made everything worse.
It was no longer just Asha versus Mason.
It was Asha against the entire school.
Mason was not only Asha's middle school bully. He was also the younger brother of a senior who happened to be the school president. Mason's nii chan, in the sense of an overprotective older sibling who did not believe in forgiveness. Her name was Mama.
Anyone who touched her little brother had to answer to her.
And as a senior, she had influence. Power. A voice that people listened to. She made sure the whole school heard her message loud and clear. Asha Grey had crossed a line.
His high school days were going to be a living hell.
From that day on, Asha became the main target for bullies.
Some shoved him in the halls and laughed when he stumbled. Others tripped him just to see if he would fall. Some did not even bother hiding it. They used their powers openly, lifting him an inch off the ground before dropping him, heating the air around his skin just enough to make him flinch, flicking sparks too close to his face.
Teachers looked away. It was easier that way. They have the powers to stop it but it's was considered a way of getting stronger daily.
"Just so you know, we're still best friends… but only outside school premises," Kira said. "When we're in school, just expect me to throw you around and smash breakable things on you. But I still love you."
She said it casually, like she was talking about the weather.
The three of them were walking through the supermarket, bright lights buzzing softly overhead. Shelves were stacked high with products, colors blurring together as carts rolled past. Asha pushed the trolley while Kira walked ahead, scanning items without slowing down. Dean followed behind them, hands in his pockets, unusually quiet.
They were shopping for things Asha could use to defend himself at school the next day.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Asha replied, gripping the trolley handle a little tighter. "Just don't hit the face though. I will kill," he warned politely.
Kira laughed. "Do you think this metal bat is allowed in school?" she said, lifting one from a rack. "One bash and you'll be sending them straight to the nurse's office. Swoop, swoop."
She demonstrated a few exaggerated swings, almost knocking over a display of snacks, before tossing the bat into the trolley.
"You'll be the first one he tries it on," Dean said.
It was the first thing he had said since they entered the store.
"Maybe I should try it on you then," Kira replied.
The bat lifted from the trolley on its own, floating effortlessly in the air. Kira grinned and started smacking Dean with it. The sound echoed softly, metal against something that refused to break.
Dean did not react at all. His expression barely changed. His superpower of indestructibility made the bat completely useless against him.
Asha watched them quietly, as always like he was trying to understand this recent argument of theirs.
He moved down the aisle, picking things up one by one. A small portable laser. A hand taser. Pepper spray. He placed them carefully into the trolley, arranging them so they would not rattle too much.
He counted silently. Just enough to last him through his entire first year of high school.
Then he added nunchucks. A baton. Rope. Metal brass knuckles. Several strong iron rings, heavy enough to hurt if he punched with them. Each item made the trolley feel heavier, louder, more dangerous.
Finally, he picked up a thick metal shield. It was solid, cold to the touch, strong enough to block fireballs, stones, and strings.
He held it for a moment longer than necessary.
He prayed no one with lightning would ever strike him. That would be the one thing that could doom him.
The items were expensive, but money was never an issue. Asha drove the latest Porsche in the country, and his mother ran the biggest superhero company in the world. Wealth was something he never lacked.
If money alone could protect him, he would have been safe.
But in Super Academy, the entire school feared the school president more than they feared money, because only the school president could grant a student the one thing needed to become a licensed superhero.
After their defense shopping, they decided to sit outside a convenience store to eat something.
The night air was cool. Neon lights reflected on the pavement. Cars passed by, engines humming softly. Asha sat on the edge of the curb with his food resting on his knees. Kira leaned against the wall, Dean stood nearby, chewing slowly.
While they were there, a young man dressed in black suddenly ran past them.
He grabbed a woman's purse and took off down the street.
Normally, someone would rush to help her, But she helped herself instead.
Sparks shot from her fingers, sharp and bright, cutting through the air. They struck the man square in the back, sending him crashing to the ground. He did not move, only groans.
The woman walked over calmly, bent down, and gently took her purse back. She straightened her clothes and continued on her way as if nothing had happened.
No shouting. No fear. No hesitation.
The three of them stared, well they were not stunned by her defense.They were stunned by the sheer audacity of the man.
He had tried to steal from a super.
"I'm sure he must be a tourist, or maybe he just moved to this city," Dean muttered as he chomped on his fries.
Asha said nothing but was amazed by the scene before them.
They continued eating, not minding their surroundings.
The next day at school, everyone had entered through the school gate except Asha. He stood there alone.
The disciplinary leader blocked the entrance, arms crossed, eyes fixed on what Asha was wearing.
Asha stood dressed head to toe in full knight armor. The metal covered him completely. A shield was strapped to one arm, and a metal bat rested across his back. Even his backpack looked heavier than usual, the straps digging into his shoulders. He looked like someone ready to go on his final battle.
Students gathered around, pointing, whispering, staring.
The leader explained for what felt like the fifteenth time why Asha could not enter the school premises like that.
"You are not wearing the school uniform. This violates the dress code. Either you go back home and live your day, or you take off this armor," the leader said, knocking lightly on the metal.The sound echoed.
"How are you even breathing?" someone asked.
"This is for protection," Asha replied. "I'm wearing my uniform underneath, so I'm not breaking the school code."
"How are you even going to pee?" someone else muttered.
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
"Asha Grey, I get it," the leader said. "You're on the Deadpool list, the most wanted in the school. If I were you, I'd beg my mummy to transfer me to another school far away. But since you're here, rules are rules, buddy. Come on, pull it off."
He was right, Asha had tried talking to his mother about transferring schools. She had refused. Super City only had one school, and she did not want another of her baby living far from home.
"I'm not taking this armor off," Asha said firmly. "Do your best. I will not."
"Then go home," a commanding voice said.
Everyone turned to see, and standing there was the school president... Mama.