The sun was starting to dip behind the trees when the second round of capture the flag wrapped up, and the principal stood at the edge of the training field with his arms crossed, observing everything in silence. The fresh air up in the mountains helped clear his head, but watching these kids… that required a different kind of clarity.
The second team—Jack, Thor and the kid wish name he had forgotten, —had genuinely improved from the disaster of the first round. Their initial performance was a mess of impulsiveness: everyone had rushed straight to the flag like a group of untrained puppies chasing the same bone. It hadn't been teamwork—it had been chaos.
But this time, things were different. He saw Jack hang back, playing defense, eyes sharp and focused. The nameless kid had taken on a surprising leadership role, coordinating movement from the flank. They set up diversions, communicated in hand signals, and executed plays that, on paper, should've worked.
They had strategies now. They had a plan.
But the first team—Tobias, Zik, and Aiden—had something stronger.
They had connection.
There was no need for shouting or explanations between them. A single glance was enough. They had bonded beyond the training field. The kind of silent understanding that only came from shared meals, shared struggle, and laughter behind closed doors. They had rhythm. And because of that, they didn't just follow the plan—they adapted in real time.
The principal could see the difference like night and day.
The second team had blueprints. The first team had jazz.
It wasn't a matter of skill anymore. The second team was catching up—hell, Thor had finally stopped relying only on brute force and started thinking like a fighter. The nameless kid had grit, and even Jack's quiet pride was turning into determination.
But none of it mattered if they couldn't flow together.
The principal exhaled and muttered under his breath, "It's not just about how good they are. It's about how well they click."
When the final flag was captured again by Zik—who practically danced past two defenders with a cocky grin—the principal clapped his hands to call everyone in.
"Alright!" he said, waiting for them to gather, panting and catching their breath. "Let's talk."
Everyone groaned, especially Tobias.
"Look, I'm not here to lecture you," he started, though he absolutely was. "You're all improving. You—" he pointed at the second team, "—are getting sharper. I saw real tactics today. But you still lost. Not because you're weak. But because you're playing as three people instead of one team."
He let that hang for a moment.
"Meanwhile, those three—" he nodded at Tobias, Zik, and Aiden, who were still catching their breath, "—aren't just teammates. They're practically a hive mind at this point. You don't beat a team like that by just being 'good.' You beat them by being together."
He paced in front of them.
"So here's the plan. Tomorrow's not going to be about fighting. We're putting the training on hold."
That got everyone's attention.
"Tomorrow is team bonding day. Whatever that means. I want you hanging out, sharing food, playing games, getting to know each other. I don't care if you're just walking around the city or getting lost in the woods together—well, not actually lost—but you get the point. You're not going to win this competition just by hitting harder. You're going to win by belonging to something together."
He looked over them one by one.
"I know most of you don't like slowing down, especially you, Tobias—don't roll your eyes—but this is part of the training. You think your strength is in your fists? Maybe. But your real strength is who's got your back when it counts."
Silence fell. Then Zik raised his hand. "Does bonding mean more anime?"
The principal sighed, already regretting tomorrow. "Only if you're willing to watch the English dub."
Everyone groaned.
But they were smiling.
And that was a start.
Morning sunlight spilled over the field, warming the tips of the grass and making the rocky mountain air feel almost pleasant. Zik, Tobias, and Aiden were already waiting—if you could call loudly complaining "waiting."
Zik flopped back onto a patch of grass and sighed dramatically. "They're late again. I thought team bonding meant everyone shows up."
Tobias crossed his arms, squinting at the trail leading up to the field. "You'd think after losing every match they'd be early out of pure guilt."
Aiden smirked. "Maybe they're bonding over how to be slow."
Then, finally, movement.
Jack came jogging over the ridge, followed by Thor—who looked like he'd just wrestled a bear. His face was red, shirt scratched, and somehow, a leaf was sticking out of his hair. Jack was chuckling behind him.
"Sorry we're late," Jack called out. "Thor got into a fight with a tree."
Thor threw his arms up. "It wasn't just a tree! There was a cat stuck in it."
Zik blinked. "Wait. A cat?"
Thor pointed an accusing finger at Jack. "He's not telling the whole story. I was trying to rescue it, but the cat was evil. It scratched me in the face! And it was a big tree, alright?"
Jack laughed harder. "I had to save Thor and the cat. At one point, they were both stuck up there."
"I regret nothing," Thor muttered.
"Ungrateful feline," Aiden mumbled, impressed and confused.
Then Zik looked around. "Wait, where's the third guy?"
Jack just thumbed over his shoulder. "Behind me."
Sure enough, the nameless kid was standing silently a few steps back, holding a drink in one hand and a tracking device in the other.
"I was here first," he said flatly, not even blinking. "I've been tracking you all for twenty minutes."
No one responded.
He held up the tracker. "See? I logged your arrival times. And I brought snacks."
Still nothing. They were already back to laughing about the cat.
Zik finally noticed, frowning a bit. "Aw man… I feel kinda bad now."
The nameless kid stood there like a ghost no one acknowledged, sipping from his can like he was used to it.
"Don't worry," he said. "I've been ignored by better people."
Tobias blinked. "Was that sarcasm or sadness?"
"Yes," the nameless kid replied.
Zik clapped him on the back. "Hey, at least you're the mysterious one. That's cool, right?"
The nameless kid tilted his head, considering it. "I guess. Better than being the guy who fought a cat and lost."
Thor raised a hand like he wanted to protest—but then nodded. "Okay, fair."
They all burst into laughter, and for a moment, it really did feel like team bonding had officially begun.
Even if it started with a cursed cat in a tree.
As the laughter faded into the crisp mountain air, the group stood around awkwardly, a loose circle of teens with too much energy and not enough direction.
Zik scratched his head. "So… what now? This is supposed to be team bonding day, right?"
They all looked at each other.
Aiden shrugged. "We didn't exactly plan anything."
Tobias stretched, cracking his knuckles. "We could spar, I guess."
"Nope," Zik said instantly. "That's not bonding. That's bruising."
Thor raised a hand, suddenly excited. "What if we climb the mountain? Like all the way up!"
Jack looked at him like he'd lost his mind. "Didn't you just get wrecked by a tree?"
"I've learned," Thor said solemnly. "I am wiser now."
"No you're not," the nameless kid muttered.
"Okay, what if we play hide and seek?" Zik offered, half-joking.
"On a mountain?" Aiden arched a brow. "What if we actually lose someone?"
"That's the bonding part," Zik grinned. "The search party."
"Or we build a treehouse," Thor suggested.
"We're not squirrels," Tobias deadpanned.
"I say we all share our darkest secrets," Jack said in a mock-serious tone.
"Pass," Tobias replied instantly.
"What if we prank the principal?" Zik asked, eyes lighting up.
Everyone paused.
"…Tempting," Aiden admitted.
The nameless kid finally spoke. "We could simulate a tactical hostage scenario using a capture-the-flag variation with moral dilemmas and time limits."
Everyone stared at him.
Jack blinked. "You okay, man?"
The nameless kid took another sip of his drink. "I'm always like this."
Zik looked around at the chaos of ideas and burst out laughing. "Okay, okay, this is good. Terrible, but good. Keep going."
And just like that, they started tossing around every ridiculous, over-the-top idea that came to mind. From building a raft to sail down the mountain stream (which didn't exist), to staging an aura-powered cooking competition (which none of them could cook for), to creating a team anthem using nothing but sticks and yelling.
It was dumb. It was messy. And it was exactly what they needed.
For the first time, it wasn't about training or winning or trauma or competition.
It was just about being kids.
And somehow, that was enough.
Just when the ideas were spinning out of control, and Tobias had nearly agreed to Aiden's "Let's ride bikes down the mountain blindfolded!" plan, the nameless kid cleared his throat and softly said:
"…We could go back to the city. Listen to police transmissions. See if we can help out somewhere."
The group went silent.
Zik blinked. "Wait. That's… actually a good idea."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "You mean like real hero stuff?"
"Yeah," the nameless kid replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "I mean… we're training to be protectors, right? Might as well practice when it counts."
Thor nodded, his earlier enthusiasm rekindled. "We could be like… the Hero Scouts!"
"Please don't name us," Tobias said flatly.
Aiden grinned. "But he's got a point. You know how busted the city's security channels are. It's easier to tap into than my old school's cafeteria playlist."
Zik tilted his head. "Isn't that illegal?"
Aiden waved a hand. "Only if we get caught. Which we won't. Hopefully."
Jack cracked his knuckles. "I'm down. I mean, the worst thing that could happen is we accidentally end up in the middle of a high-speed chase or supervillain bank robbery or—"
"Okay, stop talking now," Tobias cut in.
But the seed had been planted.
They packed up, laughter still echoing in the trees, and made their way back to the city.
By evening, they were crammed in Aiden's dusty garage, hunched over his patched-together receiver rig, half of them eating chips, the other half arguing over who got to wear the broken headset first.
The transmission crackled to life.
"…Units report to Fifth and Wilkerson. Suspect fleeing eastbound on foot—"
They all froze.
"Oh my god," Zik whispered. "This is actually happening."
Tobias sighed, standing up. "We're going to die."
Jack was already pulling on his hoodie. "Let's go save the day."
Thor was practically vibrating. "Hero Scouts, assemble!"
"Shut up, Thor!"
They piled out of the garage, laughter and panic and excitement all blurring into one chaotic sprint toward their first unofficial mission. The night air was sharp and fast around them, the streets a blur.
For the first time, they weren't just students, or kids, or cautionary tales waiting to happen.
They were a team. Unprepared, barely qualified, questionably legal…
But a team.
And it felt right.
Getting there, however, proved to be more of a problem than any of them had anticipated.
Tobias and Aiden, being the fastest of the group and the only ones who'd trained consistently, took off like bullets. Thor and Jack… not so much.
"Just go ahead without—" Jack started to wheeze, but Tobias had already doubled back, grabbed Jack by the collar with one arm, and flung him over his shoulder like an unruly duffle bag.
Aiden did the same with Thor, though Thor at least pretended to fly with his arms out like a plane. "Woooosh—Ow! My leg cramped!"
Zik, running beside them, nearly collapsed laughing. "You guys look like kidnapped potatoes."
"You're next, Zik!" Tobias huffed, barely winded. "One sarcastic comment away from becoming luggage."
It took them five minutes of full-speed sprinting, but finally, they arrived at the corner of Fifth and Wilkerson.
The street was half-lit by flickering lamplight, casting long shadows against alley walls. A cop car sat awkwardly at the end of the block with its doors open, abandoned in haste. Farther up the street, they spotted the suspect.
He wasn't what they expected.
No cape. No glowing hands or robotic limbs. No neon-colored costume.
He was in his early thirties, lean but wiry, wearing a gray zip-up hoodie, jeans, and scuffed sneakers. He moved with the confidence of someone who'd run from a dozen crime scenes before. In one hand, he clutched a heavy black duffel bag. In the other, a smooth silver device that didn't look like a weapon—but hummed with a faint, unsteady pulse.
"What is that?" Aiden whispered, crouching beside a mailbox.
"Either something important… or something about to explode," Zik muttered.
The man paused at the alleyway's edge, looking over his shoulder. His eyes were sharp—not panicked, but calculating. He saw the kids. He didn't run.
Instead, he smiled.
Jack took a step forward, fists up. "Hey! Drop the bag and whatever sci-fi toaster that thing is!"
The man turned to face them fully, then tapped the device once.
A strange ripple passed through the air. A vibration, like something shifting around them.
Zik's vision blurred for half a second.
"Did the world just… hiccup?" Thor whispered.
The man tilted his head, almost amused. "Kids," he said calmly. "You don't know what you're stepping into."
Then he vanished. Not exploded, not ran—just blinked out of sight.
"Did—did he just teleport?" Zik asked, eyes wide.
"No," Tobias said, his voice grim. "It felt like... something else. Like he phased through a crack in reality."
Behind them, the police scanner crackled again.
"Be advised… suspect has left known range. Object possibly quantum unstable. Repeat: possibly quantum unstable."
The kids stared at one another.
"What the hell is a quantum unstable?" Aiden asked.
Then they heard it.
A low hum building from inside the alley.
The silver device—the one the man dropped—was still there.
Still pulsing.
And it was getting louder.