Issue #1: The Coming Storm

I'm never gonna get there on time. I throw the scrambled eggs on a plate and put some butter on burnt toast before dropping it in front of my little brother Sean. "Eat. I know it's burnt, I don't want to hear it, you're not getting anything else so I'd better see some chewing. Well?" I give him the 'I mean business' look before I plop myself in the chair across from him and crunch on my barely edible burnt toast while finishing up my Biology lab homework. Every couple of chews I glance back at the clock. 11:45am. Shit.

Emma wasn't usually one for big celebrations or bigger crowds. But after that battle the year before, after Sage, it didn't feel right to skip out on it. And hey, they had been invited after all. So there she was, a bit early at Freedom Park. Not that she was dressed for the occasion just yet. Just dressed casually in jeans and a hoodie, long hair braided over her shoulder, Emma stood in line for one of the food trucks at the edge of the crowd, waiting for her chance at a pretzel. She moved forward mechanically as the line of people grew shorter, her eyes fixed on her phone as her fingers tapped away at yet another Bejeweled game rip-off.

Rama stares at his bed. Arrayed and hanging from the foot of the bed are his Aeon Crow outfit, and his comfortable clothes. Maybe the next costume I sew should have more black. And razors. And fake stitching. In his head, he hears papa-ji, "Now that wouldn't be very heroic would be. Look at him, my son, the Angry Beetle. You must be proud of your gifts, like your momma is proud." He sighs and grabs the Aeon Crow duds. For good measure, he grabs the torn canvas trenchcoat he got from the army surplus. Wouldn't be heroic to

His mother is spooning curried yogurt onto naan when he gets upstairs. "Momma-ji, I don't have time to eat."

"What is this now? You can telepurr yourself anywhere you want and you don't have time for lunch?"

"It's teleport, momma. They have food trucks there. I was going to..." he trails off. He couldn't talk about girls with his mother. That would immediately start up some kind of intimate discussion about names of the oodles of grandchildren that would be expected, and "You must bring her to dinner so we can grill her mercilessly."

"Yes, momma-ji." She smiles and turns back to the kitchen. He looks outside and BRRAPP he was out and running for the bus, slinging his WW2 canvas trenchcoat on. Riding the bus wasn't very heroic, either. Best not be seen.

Jennifer walks through the crowds at Freedom Park, with a small smile of satisfaction curling one side of her mouth. I never could have done this two years ago...walk through all these people without going insane. She thinks back to their victory a year ago, and on how much has happened since. She chuckles a little at how people would respond if she wasn't in her disguise as a "normal college freshman": no mask, suit or weapons to be seen. Just a girl with a backpack, nothing to see here. She looks around, trying to see if she can spot any of her friends. She sees Emma waiting in line for a pretzel and slips quietly in behind her, peering over her shoulder. "Candy Crush? Seriously? I thought only old people played that, she teases affectionately.

Just on the south side of Freedom Park was a tall, brick-red apartment tower. Ollie was on its roof, watching the festivities from a distance with an uninterested expression. She was hovering just a few feet off of the roof's edge with nothing beneath her, exerting her telekinesis to remain afloat. Legs crossed, elbow propped up on her knee and her chin resting on her fist she squinted her eyes at the festival to see if she could recognize anyone. She spotted a few costumes or color schemes of adult heroes that she knew, but she didn't exactly have telescopic sight so it was difficult to make out anyone she was more familiar with. Besides, she definitely couldn't go down there now, with what she was wearing. Ollie was wearing her full Omen outfit; the black-and-yellow supersuit with a heavy, black hood.

Her thought process was disturbed by her ringtone, causing her levitation to falter momentarily. She floated back to the rooftop until she could get a solid footing, fished out her outdated flip phone and answered, "..Hi, mom." Her voice was scratchy and quiet.

A woman responded with a polish accent, "Hii, honey! You are at the park?"

"Yeah," Ollie says, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear as she shifts her weight to the other foot, "I'm here. It's fun." She didn't try too hard to lie about it.

"Oh, my little Olesia, you celebrate. You deserve it." Ollie scratched at her head, chewing her lip for a moment. A simple response just wasn't coming to her, and so she stayed quiet.

Her mom picked up on it, as she always does, and spoke in a slow, insinuating tone, "You, my daughter, are a stellar young lady." Ollie quirked a brow and was about to mutter a questioning sound before her mom continued, "You are out of dis world. The amount of love I have for you is... astronomical. There was a humor in her mom's voice, as though she was only barely keeping from chuckling.

Ollie, resisting the tremendous urge to roll her eyes, scratched at her ear, "I'm not an alien, mom. You know I hate space puns." At that moment she could hear her dad's voice in the background.

"Is that our space-baby on the phone?" He asks with humor in his voice, "Did you tell her about the one from this morning? Um.."

Her mother chimes in, laughing, "Dis morning I asked your father, 'What should we do for Ollie's birthday party?'" Her mother sounds as though she can't finish the sentence, she's chuckling so hard, before she comes back to say, "He-.. hehe..he said, 'I don't know, but we better planet!'" Laughter from both parents fills the earpiece enough that Ollie has to pull the phone away.

This continued for some time with Ollie pacing the rooftop and observing the festivities from a distance, bearing the burden of two loving parents.

Xavier stood in line and looked at his phone again. He'd downloaded the map of where the souvenirs were and had a planned route. As he walked forward his hand absently went to his backpack where he had stored some extra bags for carrying items. Some of them were definitely going to be limited addition so getting multiples for trading was a must. After putting his phone away and shuffling in line again he mentally went over the route his hand moving through the air as if taking the turns already. Once he was in he looked around and found a bench close to the front and pulled out his camera taking a panoramic picture of the front of the park. Looking it over and satisfied he put his phone away and hopped down suddenly sprinting for the booths. Realization limited edition probably meant limited supply put a little extra desperation in his stride for items.

A giddy almost maniacal laugh escaped him thinking about if he could get everything on his list as he dashed through the crowd.

It's 12:20p when I stroll into the park in my full costume. I occasionally stop and take pictures with anyone who asks (considering just how many of us there are, it's always a surprise when someone recognizes me) before politely excusing myself to move closer to the staging area. I let Talia's insecurities fade to the background as Cammy takes over, all smiles and full of inspiring quotes for the little ones. Despite having had a second breakfast not 20 minutes ago I'm still starving. I glance towards the food stalls and start heading in the direction while looking around for anyone else I recognize.

My phone rings suddenly. By the ringtone I can tell it's someone on the team. Looking around at the crowd and expecting a frantic wave back from someone, I answer. "Hello- Where are you? What's wrong?"

"You can't go wrong with boots and a cape." I smile despite myself as I am wearing neither of those things. "What about that outfit you wore last week? That was a solid Hero costume."

"Absolutely! Remember, you're a hero no matter what, and everyone knows it. That's what today is about. You worry too much."

And suddenly Jennifer was right behind her, talking over her shoulder, and Emma started. A flash of blue in her eyes and the girl sucked in a breath, closed her eyes and settled. "Jen, god, don't scare me like that," she admonished with a roll of her eyes. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, trying to pretend stupid little jump scares wasn't likely to set Procyon on fire. Again.

"But nah, not Candy Crush Saga. This is Soda Pop Crush. Knock-off number 3 billion and one."

I hang up, and without paying attention accidentally run right into Void Fist (or, more accurately he runs into me). "Hey what's the rush? Are they giving away free food or something?"

Void Fist wobbles a bit and flails before he resettles several bags on himself while standing on one foot before he stands on two feet and exhales in relief. "No... there are some limited edition figures they're giving away from some of the food trucks that have 'secret menus'... Also did you know there was a limited edition Omen shirt when you buy fifteen or more Heroes of the VHast Invasion models?" he explains pointing at the Tshirt he has on over his Void Fist outfit.

"I... no... I didn't know that." I wonder if Sean would be into those. Huh.