Kaden has been taken to the inside of a van, which also doubles as a base for a scout agent of The Academy of Heroes. He sits on a chair, waiting for interrogation. There’s an emerald glow in the van, coming from the various devices inside. Kaden looks at the scout agent, who has some documents in his hands.

The scout agent approaches Kaden. He puts the actual lights on, making the emerald glow go away. He then sits in a chair near Kaden to interrogate him.

“Let’s see... Kaden Sunders, age 17.” The scout agent starts looking at the documents. “Born in the Bronx district of New York to Oscar and Faith Sunders, both of whom have since gone missing. Spent about three years in the Fortuna orphanage, before being adopted by the Thompson family. Ever since has been living in the Queens district of New York with the said adopted family.”

Kaden glances at the agent suspectingly. “And today, or sometime earlier, you woke up and had yourself some new-found powers. Is that correct?” The scout agent asks, but Kaden just turns his head away. The scout agent sighs. “Look, I’m trying to help you here.”

“Taking me to some weird car is helping me?” Kaden throws a question at him, rebelling.

“You saw the badge.” The scout agent states sighingly. “What did it say?”

“You’re from the... the Academy of Heroes.” Kaden answers with a slight sparkle in his eyes.

“Exactly. And what does that mean for you?” The scout agent asks matter-of-factly.

“Well, can’t say being arrested was a part of my image.” Kaden pouts as an answer.

“Don’t worry. I’ll release you soon.” The scout agent guarantees. “Just need you to answer a few questions.” He then leans towards Kaden in his chair. “Well, did you awake to some powers?”

Kaden hesitates a bit but can’t deny his excitement. “Yes... I have the same powers as my parents.”

“That’s more like it.” The agent smiles, leaning back to his chair. “Now then... would you like to use that power for good?”

“Yeah... I’ve dreamed of this day for a long time.” Kaden admits to the scout. “That I would finally have the power to make a difference.”

“In that case... would you be interested in applying?” The agent questions and shows a flyer to Kaden. The flyer reads:

THE ACADEMY OF HEROES – THE PERFECT PLACE TO NURTURE YOUR POWER! WE TEACH YOU, SO THAT YOU CAN CONTROL.

Kaden’s eyes are shining as he looks at the flyer. “There’s an entrance ceremony tomorrow.” The agent interrupts Kaden’s daydreaming. “If you’re that eager, I’d recommend going there.”

“Are you kidding?” Kaden asks excitedly. “Could I get to the school that soon?”

“Of course, there’s still loads of paperwork to do, but I’ll already put a word about you to the headmaster of the New York branch by tonight, so if you’ll show up, I’d see no problem about you applying right now.” The scout explains. “These cases where we find a superpowered youngster just days before the ceremony aren’t that rare. Just inform your guardians, and you should be good to go. We’ll handle the rest.”

“Thank you so much! You have no idea what this means to me.” Kaden exclaims thankfully.

“No need to thank me, kid. I’m just doing my job.” The agent humbly deflects the thanks.

Kaden is glowing with excitement. The scout opens the van’s back door. “Alright, you’re free to go.”

“Thanks for everything!” Kaden thanks the agent again.

“Like I said, I’m just doing my job.” The scout once again declines Kaden’s thanks.

Kaden runs off and the scout agent smiles for a bit. He then presses his ear and contacts the academy with his ear plug. “It’s me. Found a sun-powered young person in the Queens district... that’s right, the Queens district…”

Moments later, Kaden is at the doorstep of his adoptive family’s house. He opens the door to the house carefully and looks inside. Turning his head around, he tries to quickly see if anyone’s in the house. He sees no one and sighs from relief, after which he steps in and tries to carefully go back to his room, but as soon as he’s out of the vestibule…

“And where have you been, young man?”

A deep male voice can be heard from the side of the hallway. Kaden freezes completely, with an alerted expression on his face. He then slowly turns, making a noise like a rusty handle, and sees his adoptive mother and father in the living room, Alice and Jeremy.

“H-Hi, Mom... Dad…” Kaden addresses his parents.

“It’s barely even noon.” Alice questions worriedly. “Where were you this early, on a weekend morning, no less?”

“You were up to some mischief, weren’t you?” Jeremy grills Kaden.

“N-No... why would you think that?” Kaden answers with an embarrassed expression on his face.

“Oh come on, it’s written all over your face. Not to mention how suspicious your clothes are.” Jeremy points at Kaden’s current clothing: a dark green hoodie and worn-out pair of pants. “It’s practically a dead giveaway.”

“Jeremy…” Alice tries to calm her husband down a little.

“Look, it wasn’t anything like that. I was just... uh…” Kaden tries to explain, but then starts sweating bullets. He realizes that if he wants to go to the entrance ceremony tomorrow, he needs to tell his guardians about his powers. He turns his head away from the two adults.

“What am I doing? If I don’t tell them, I’m not gonna get to go to the ceremony tomorrow!” Kaden thinks to himself. He then turns his head towards his guardians again, smiling nervously, with a sweatdrop on his forehead.

“Ehehe... Maaaaaybe you have a point after all, Dad…” Kaden confesses.

“What?!” Jeremy yells as soon as Kaden has finished his sentence.

“Jeremy, remember your blood pressure…” Alice reminds him worriedly.

“I might have something sort of important to tell you... or show you…” Kaden utters this, and creates a sun energy ball in his hand. He puts his other hand behind his head, flustered. “Yeaaaaahhhh…”

The Thompsons are shocked. “Th-That’s…” Alice begins, but Jeremy interrupts her. “I knew it! I knew this would happen! You have... some kind of powers, don’t you?”

“Yes?” Kaden says nervously.

Jeremy pinches his nasion and sighs in frustration. “I knew this day would come... but... argh.”

“Jeremy…” Alice calls for his husband and pets his back.

“This... This is what I inherited from my parents... my real parents.” Jeremy and Alice freeze for a bit after hearing Kaden say this. “That’s why... That’s why I want to control these powers. I want to go to The Academy of Heroes! I’ll become a superhero!”

“Kaden…” Alice starts, but Jeremy already has an answer ready. “Absolutely not!”

“Jeremy?” Alice is a bit surprised of her husband’s outburst.

“Why not? I need this knowledge!” Kaden questions his adoptive father.

“You can get it elsewhere! The Academy of Heroes is too dangerous.” Jeremy says firmly. “Learning to control your power can be done in other ways!”

“How can you say that? You don’t have any powers!” Kaden yells at him.

Jeremy sighs. “I know, but…”

“Look, there’s an entrance ceremony tomorrow. Can I at least go and see what it’s all about? It might be better than you think!” Kaden protests to his father, after which he turns to his mother. “Well, what do you think, Mom? Can I go?”

“O-Oh, uhh, sure…” Alice blurts out uncertainly.

“Hear that, Jeremy? Your argument is invalid.” Kaden spits at his adoptive father, before running up the stairs and going to his room.

Alice and Jeremy are both a bit down now, considering Kaden mentioned his blood parents. “He must be mad at you, calling you ‘Jeremy’ like that.” Alice remarks a bit sadly.

Jeremy sighs again. “Why must he be so difficult?”

In Kaden’s bedroom, Kaden takes off his hoodie and throws it into the corner of the room. He then goes to lie on his bed.

The room is decorated by several posters of video games, bands, and movies. A computer is sitting on a desk in front of the window, and there’s a TV opposite the bed, next to the desk. There are a few bean bag chairs on the floor as well.

“Why is he always like that?” Kaden thinks about his father. “If he knew this was coming, why can’t he just support my dream?”

Kaden then hears a knock on the door, which then opens slightly. It’s his adoptive sister.

“Oh, it’s you, Emily.” Kaden lifts his head slightly.

“Good morning. Or noon, I guess.” The 16-year-old Emily greets her brother and steps inside. “So, I heard you arguing with my parents... do you have powers?”

“Yup.” Kaden answers bluntly. “Can you show me?” Emily asks excitedly.

Kaden rises up to sit on the bed. He shows Emily the sun energy ball. “That's so cool!” Emily shouts quietly.

“Wait until I can actually control it.” Kaden brags a bit. “Then it’s even cooler.”

“Awesome!” Emily comments. “So... why is Dad so against you going to this school?”

Kaden flops back lying onto the bed again. “Wish I knew. He seems to think it’s too dangerous for me.” He then gulps a bit. “Hope he doesn’t hate me now that I have powers.”

“Nah, I don’t think he’s against superheroes.” Emily eases Kaden. “He just thinks they’re ‘a part of the system’ or whatever.”

“Yeah…” Kaden sighs. “He probably thinks I don’t have what it takes to be a hero.”

“You totally do! Dad just doesn’t get it.” Emily says proudly.

“But he does have a point. Hero work is dangerous.” Kaden states seriously, remembering him almost getting stabbed by the mugger. “I know that first-hand now.”

“But don’t let that stop you. It’s your dream, right? To help people in need?” Emily encourages.

Kaden smiles. “Yeah…”

“Then you got this. Besides, they’ll teach you the steps one by one.” Emily assures her brother. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

“I guess you have a point.” Kaden says, still smiling.

Kaden stands up from the bed and puts his hand in a fist. “Alright! I’m going to become a hero!”

“That’s more like it!” Emily puts her hand in a fist as well.

Meanwhile, in another place in New York, somewhere dark, someone is listening in on the scout agent from earlier…

“It’s me. Found a sun-powered young person in the Queens district... that’s right, the Queens district... name is Kaden Sunders.” The listening device clearly states. Two mysterious figures listen to the device in the dark.

“Sun powers... isn’t that interesting. Or what do you say?”

“Heheh... Well, well. Never thought I’d find one here in New York.”

“What do you think? Could he be a threat?”

“Some kid? Don’t be ridiculous. If he gets in my way, I won’t hold back. And if that happens... he won’t be getting back up.”

“It would be foolish to underestimate a newcomer to the game. I believe... this one has a lot of potential.”

“And what, you think he’ll ruin our plans?”

“No... but I do think he could provide some good entertainment. Besides... he might prove to be useful…”

One of the mysterious figures then lets out an evil laugh…

THE NEXT MORNING…

Kaden is dressing up in his room: he puts on his dark blue trousers, then his red-orangish t-shirt, his green jacket and finally his black-and-white sneakers. He smiles as he takes a look at himself in the mirror. “Alright, let’s go!” He says to himself.

Kaden walks down the stairs and steps out of the house. He goes forward a couple of steps before Jeremy grabs his arm and stops him.

“What is it now?” Kaden asks, annoyed.

“Look, I know I can’t stop you from applying to the academy. But please... just learn to control the power and that’s it.” Jeremy pleads calmly.

Kaden shakes off his adoptive father’s hand. “What do you have against me learning to become a hero?”

“Like I said, it’s too dangerous!” Jeremy starts yelling. “I’ve heard about the hero course. They start off easy, but then they throw you straight into the lion’s den!”

“You think I’m not prepared for that?” Kaden counters.

“It’s not that! The point is…” Jeremy tries to get give it to Kaden straight. “We just... we just don't want to lose you, okay?”

Kaden looks at Jeremy with a look of slight disappointment on his face. “Look, I know you’re worried. But I’ll be fine.”

“No, you’re not! The hero world is much more dangerous than you think!” Jeremy still argues.

“I know the dangers. That’s why I’m going.” Kaden states simply and runs off.

“Wait, Kaden! Kaden! Argh, that boy never listens!” Jeremy is left frustrated at the house’s steps.