I froze not knowing what to do, I knew if I didn’t act someone could get hurt. I mean it’s not my job to stop him right? I’m sure the police or someone else will come to help. What was a guy like me going to do anyway?

“Hand over your purse lady, or you and your kids are going to get hurt,” the villain said.

I recognized the villain from the news. He went by the name Chain Reaction and possessed a Deviation.
“That’s all the money I have though, I’m barely getting by and without this I can’t pay my rent, I’m already falling behind” the mother cried
“Did I ask all that?” Chain Reaction said after grabbing a rock as it combusted in his hand.


Chain Reaction’s Deviation was Combustion, a Tier 2 Deviation. Every Time he makes physical contact with an item it, and the following item it makes contact with will create an explosion.

I wanted to go, I wanted to run away and hide, I couldn’t even protect myself how in the hell could I protect someone else. How could I save the day against a well known villain that not even the police could stop.

“So you just don’t wanna do this the easy way, what a shame I have to mess up that pretty face of yours” the villain said.

Chain reaction, went to grab the women’s face with an open palm.

Without thinking I threw a nearby rock at the villain. “H-hey you l-leave that women alone, and pick on someone your own size” 

He turned around with a grin across his face, as he pushed the women to the ground.
“You think you can play hero, and stop me, some nobody like you couldn’t even dream of doing something like that”
I flinched at the words, but I stood tall, hoping if I could appear tough, maybe it would give enough time for the lady to get away.
Just then he swung at me hitting me in the gut creating a small explosion when his fist connected to my stomach. I felt like throwing up from the force of the hit.

“You realize now just how far out of your league you are now kid, I have a Tier 2 Deviation, someone like you couldn’t dream of stopping me.”

I put my fists up, I knew I wasn’t the best fighter, but I could hold my own. I never liked the act of violence it’s why I never chose to fight back when getting bullied.
I took a deep breath, focused on assessing the situation. I knew if I could hold him off someone would come, and deal with the rest, I only had to keep him busy.

I remembered a few minutes ago when I created that hole in the wall. I remembered feeling a sense of heat fill my body, then after punching the wall it disappeared.
I knew something had changed about me. I just needed to figure out what.

I closed my eyes, and threw a punch connecting with the villain's face, I opened my eyes to see him staring back at me menacingly. 
“That’s the best you have? Don't make me laugh you should have stayed in the shit hole you crawled out of” Chain reaction, he kicked me in the stomach creating another small explosion.

I clutched my stomach putting a hand over my mouth to stop myself from puking. I knew I couldn’t take much more, I knew if something didn’t change fast I could die.
The thought about what my mother would think when she saw the news kept me going, I didn’t want to see the person I loved the most cry.

“Let me guess you’re some nobody, who thought this was my chance to be special, this is my chance to make a difference.” Chain reaction said smiling while picking me up by my shirt.
“News flash you’re nothing!” He slammed me into a wall creating two explosions. One from the hit, and another when I hit the ground. My body felt hotter, almost like what you imagine a kettle would feel like while boiling water.

I got up slowly on my feet, as I glanced to see the mother, and her child had gotten away safely.

“Hehe, no matter what I won, I accomplished my goal.” I said weakly, barely managing to keep myself upright.
“And at what cost, your OWN LIFE” The villain said Viciously.
At that moment, I noticed some change in my body. I couldn't explain it, but I knew I needed to land a solid hit on the villain.

I threw a feint, pretending like I was going to swing left, before quickly ducking to the ground. Chain Reaction moved to dodge the hit before looking to see that I ducked. 

“Cheap tricks don’t work on me, even if you hit me it wouldn’t work” The villain mockingly said, holding his arms out to taunt me.

The words my mother said entered my head. “Don't say that, your time will come, everyone is destined for greatness, you just need to find the right thing”. Then the news from this morning flashed in my head, and I saw the image of the Golden Patriot.

“You’re right I am nobody, but this nobody is going to make a change”
I swung up from the ground, as I focused all my force into the punch, I knew I needed a miracle but that’s what I was hoping for.

The uppercut connected with the Villian, as he flew back a few feet, with blood coming from his mouth. He held his stomach, and winced with pain.

“WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, How could some puny brat like you produce a hit with that much force? Your previous hits were like a fly to a Bull.”

I felt the heat that was in my body vanish, and it returned to normal. My fist hurt, but more than anything else I was shocked that much force came from me.

The villain gained his composure, and studied me more deeply.
“So you must have a Deviation you were hiding, and a pretty strong one too if it was able to hurt me”

A Deviation? I thought to myself, but how? Usually people who aren’t born with them develop them after a traumatic accident or a moment of stress. Deviations usually manifest to become something that matches the person's personality. A person with a water Deviation could be someone who loves the beach, and has a fascination with the water.

“Well this makes this more interesting. I don't have to worry about holding back anymore, it’s been a while since I cut loose” Chain Reaction said.

He picked up pieces of rubble from the previous explosion as he held them in his hand.
“The best part about my Deviation isn’t the explosions it’s the secondary effects to transfer to the next item it makes contact with.” He smirked, and looked at me. “So what do you think will happen if I use it on a bunch of items at once, THAT’S RIGHT IT’LL CREATE A CHAIN REACTION” He said laughing

He threw the collected debris all around me, as it scattered to surround me.
I knew there was nothing I could do, once the rocks make contact with the ground they’ll all explode, and the explosion from one will amplify the next. I had no way of dodging or moving out of the way. I closed my eyes, I knew this was it, Even if I did have a Deviation, whatever it was couldn’t protect me from this. I knew it was over, I didn’t manage to make a difference or change anything, the villain was right. I really was just nobody.