Father

October 5, 2037:

Brown leaves shimmers on branches, rustling due to the passing of the luke-warm breeze. Below brown leaves, children playing tag around the stump under shade. Feet away from the children, a large grill, smoking back ribs, as well as steak on top, being seasoned by a pink skinned man, frail and dried at the cheek bones, who gave off a real passive tone about him.

That man is the father of Ella, an inspiring hero, who's been rising to the top ever since her debut. The girl's mother sat in a shaded area on a lawn chair, along another woman wearing sunglasses, bathing in the little sun there in a black dress. That woman is one of the children's who played along the tree, mother; Juna. Myune, her oldest son.

-"Back."

Carrying a load of gifts in one arm and pink flowers in another, Milo, a man well built for age forty, walks through the open balcony door. He leans over to Ella's mother, right after putting down the gifts, settling the flowers in her hand.

"Would've been a lot faster if Zanya didn't pause on every rose she saw." He laughs, his wife entering on what he finds more entertaining than her.

"I'm sure if you were there Maple, you would've done the same..." His wife address Maple, Ella's mother, finding her a spot under the shade.

"Hey Baldy, go over there to my hubby, we want a little girl talk." Maple takes the flowers from Milo, setting them onto a little brown table next to her.

"That's how it is? I drive miles to buy you a gift, then you kick me out?"

The woman wearing the black dress pokes her head up to Milo's comment, "No one's kicking you out, we gal's rarely get to talk with you around." Her voice is shallow as always, not in the mood to hear Maple explain herself any further.

"How cold." A smile forms across Milo's face, despite being told to leave. He then raises his chin up, turning to the frail man who's now speaking to a man ten times more built than him. "Hey!" He waves his hand up to grab their attention as he walks over to them. "Any special drinks on the menu?" He eyes the wine bottle sat next to the three pink balloons, floating in the air.

The frail man waves his spatuala in his hand, telling him to come over. "Of course, grab a seat."

The smell of charcoal and steaming meat hits the nose the moment he steps further.

"Hell, smell like you really out done yourself today, Frank." Milo goes straight for the bottle of wine and a small glass, pouring as he drowns his brother-in-law in complements. "And that suite, wife chose a great fit."

Frank grabs the collier of the suite he wears. "You think so? Pink's not really my color, but you know, it being the baby shower and all..."

While Frank stood baffled and applaud, Milo eyes drift over to the tree, where the children were playing earlier.

-"Zenith... Zel... Did they head out?" He sits his drink down before thinking of taking a sip, unable to scratch the itch of his two son's disappearance.

"They left to the park moments ago. Relax Milo." The man who places his hand on Milo shoulder, bears a large well cut red beard, and hair, silked back by gel. "My son Vile's with them."

Milo blankly stares up to the clouds in a mute, chowing down the wine in an elegant manner, placing the glass back down onto the picnic table. "Is that so?" Is the one thing that comes from his mouth, staring back to the man, eyes shut, smile ready to chuckle.

Frank puts his spatula down, "Y-Yeah... Are they not allowed to or-

-"No, not at all... It's fine... " Milo continues back to stare at the tree in a daze. "You know," He swirls the left over dripple in his wine glass. "Mom passed Maple this house... I always played under that tree..."

Milo shifts out of laughter to a more serious version of himself, thinning the air, making the two wish their wives didn't send him over to speak to them.

-"Eh.. Right, Maple sleeps under that tree with Ella most time..." Frank scratches his head, trying his best to revive an already dead horse. "I think I remember her mention something like that."

Milo sharpens his gaze at frank, "So, how about the baby. Came up with any names for her?"

Frank sighs relived that he was able to pass along the chat on the tree, Vile's father stepping away to the bathroom, inside the house, the moment he could.

"Maple plans to reveal the name once we all eat." Frank opens back up the grill as he speaks, slapping Milo with the fresh smell of seasoned meat.

"Hopefully, that happens sooner." Milo chuckles again, though this time the laugh sounds a bit forced, facade to make himself seem happy.

The wind rustles the leaves again, graving the awkward quietness between them, until a cough.

"Ella, how have that girl been." Milo breaks first, taking a seat in the chair beside the grill.

"You know, the usual teenage stuff..." Frank flips the ribs over, nose pointing to the sky in thought of a list of things. "Smart, focusing on school, a little rebellious... You know Kevin's son, Vile, he's that girl's boyfriend."

"Starting to feel like she doesn't need you anymore?" Repulsing at the thought, Milo eyes match Frank's, looking to admire the sky along him.

"Yeah... Just the other day, I peeked over her phone, seeing she got a message from that boy, and she bolted her hand away from me so fast, as if she was in trouble. That girl's fifthteen... I pray she isn't up to what I'm thinking."

"Your oldest nephew, Zel, he's growing so dam fast... One moment he's crawling to his mother, next he's one of the runner ups for top hero's... I see him occasionally. The government props him up as if he some sort of trophy... I'm afraid they'll eventually do the same to my youngest."

Frank takes the food off of the grill, putting the meats into a wide silver bowl, enough to hold two gallons. "I feel that the most... Ella risk her life out there every day. Makes me feel even more useless, seeing I have no abilities."

"Man, you're still crying over that." Milo stands up, approaching frank, putting his hand on his shoulder to comfort his worries. "Trust me, it's better you keep to yourself here than trying to put on a cape. The fact she's able to handle herself... You should be a proud father." Milo's smile dies down into a frown. "If every child was raised like yours... There would be no need for this hero stuff. The world would be at peace."

Frank freezes in place as the coals crackle. "Is that the reason Surge put down his cape?"

Milo sighs this time, shock that the man even mentioned his old hero name.

"Part of it. But another part of me just hated the thought of loss without a larger gain. The more crooks I took down, the greater foes became. It eventually swirled into chaos, which I couldn't control. I failed... Yet I'm here, married to a beautiful wife, having a son who tends to follow my steps."

Frank, though everything Milo said could down a crowd, he just starts to laugh at what his brother-in-law went on about.

"Sorry, sorry. It's crazy, but I can see why she works so hard now. You're just a walking inspiration Milo, even if you don't see it... You might've failed as a hero, but you sure as hell created a generation."

Milo eyes his reflection in the bottle of wine. He wonders what he done to gain such, complements, to be seen as a symbol of anything but a failure he deems himself as. Many came to the man for autographs, admiring him from a far. However, for some od reason, he seen nothing but a man who deserves no gratitude. A man who failed at his true dream...

Milo eyes darken again. "If the world could start from a clean slate... You think a better civilization can be obtained... I ask my students that question every semester. And you know what they say each and every time, Frank?"

Frank, placing vegetables on the grill, looks back up to Milo. "What, do they say?"

"If someone is willing to guide those people... Like a father would his child."

Yellowstone Playground:

Zel, next to Myune, sits on the poles of the playground's monkey bars, staring to the very same sky his father did.

"About the other week, Myune... It's getting worst, isn't it?" Zel face Myune, who couldn't look the boy in the eyes, brown hair fluttering along the wind.

Zel's younger brother, Zenith plays on the other side of the park, going down the slide, taking turns with Myune's little sister, Juna, as Ella and Vile kept their attention.

"My dad... Last time I seen him was after the accident. He told me, I'll soon, eventually," Myune cups his hand over his lap, squeezing his hands tightly together, fearing to say the worst out loud.

-"Blah!" -Poking up their head through the space between the two is Juna, white hair like her mother's, cut to a short bob cut.

"I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't shut up about bothering." Ella laughs being the one to lift the girl high up to that position.

Myune, breaks the look of a boy lost on to what to do next, plastering a smile for his sister. "Wanna play something better? How about tag?"

Zel jumps off the monkey bars. "Shoot, that would be cool, let me play villain." Holding out his hand, green flames ignite from his palms, as he charms a wide grin on his face.

"Zel, come on man, put your powers away." Taller than the rest, Vile come over holding Zeniths hand. "Someone could end up seeing you. Identity? Did you forget?"

Zel quickly put his fire out, swinging his hand behind his head, "Right, right, almost forgot."

-"You know, I don't see anyone around, we can always play Flame Rush, like we used to as kids." Myune speaks, jumping off the bars afterwards, landing on the floor completely in balance of himself, unlike Zel.

"Yeah, you know what," Vile slaps Myune back, knocking him off his feet a bit. "That don't sound too bad. Haven't played the game in years."

"What's the rules?" Zenith tugs onto Ella's sleeve, leaving Vile's side.

"Well, we all face against Zel and see who can pass his wall of fire to whatever he protects." She points out.

Vile steps back, going behind the monkey bars, "Try not to make the flames super huge, Zel. People play here." He grabs a pebble off the floor, sliding it into his pocket on his way.

"Come on, we're getting ready to start." Ella, pulls Zenith with her, Myune taking Juna to their side as well.

-"K, let's do this. Me versus the five of you," - A wave of green flames bursts into a large wall, about his height, shrouding whatever is behind him. "I can take you all on."

-"Wait! Stop!"

Before anyone could make a step to him, Juna shouts to the top of her lungs, putting her hands out in front of them all.

"I'm going to make water balloons."

Everyone held the same question in their head, as Zel extinguished his wall of fire.

"Water balloons?" Myune squats down to his sister height, putting his hand on her head. "We don't need balloons. All we have to do is-

-"No! I'm gonna get water balloons." Juna shakes Myune hand off the top of her head, quickly dashing out the park.

Myune calls out to her. "Juna! Wait a sec!"

She stops to turn and face him one last time. "It's fine, Juna knows where to go. I'm a big girl."

She dashes off, "Dam it." Myune fleeing after her.

"Well, there goes our time at the park..." Vile looks to the setting sun. "Well, it was getting late anyway. Should we head back?"

"Zenith," Ella, grabs Zel's little brother hand. "If we make it there first, we can pour a bunch of water on your brother." She sadistically grins, taking off with Zenith.

"Hold up! What about the game, you guys?" Vile already left the sight, along them, leaving Zel to be the last one to give into going back to Ella house. "Dam it, as soon as them back at home..."

Zel leaves the park last.

Ella's Home:

The sky darkens on Zel's arrival, the sun nowhere in sight, eating by the clouds of night. There, in the distant of the long road, Zel spots Zenith and Ella, but not before the growing red flames in the backyard and bodies of smoke hazing towards the moon. The smell of charcoal burning grass, reaches the nose.

-"Ella-

-A body is flung through the house, struck by a large beam of electricity, slamming them through the brick home across the street, alarming cars. -Coating herself in electricity, Ella dashes into the building right after witnessing the other collapse, leaving zenith to back away, terrified at the scene.

Zel's breathing sharping, looking to his right, where the body crashed on top of cars, sighting that the one struggling to become unconscious is Myune.

He no longer can hesitate, they're under attack. - Seeing his brother gape into the yard in terror, Zel makes a run for his brother, grabbing hold of him.

"Zen! It's ok, I'm here. I'll protect you-

Eye to eye to the one that opposes them, his heart sinks, along understanding why his younger brother just stares instead of whine. Behind the enemy are flames coming from the tipped of grill, yard littered in bodies. The tree they played under just moments ago was a stump, shredded into his height, burnt to black.

Their uncle frank lays gutted in the grass, holding tight to the spatula he cooked with. Their pregnant aunt on the picnic table, guts out of the stomach, having remnants of her yet to be born child, hanging out. Vile's dad head no longer is connected to his body that lays rag dolled through the destroyed house and Myune's mother face is buried under the coals that smoked the air he breathed.

Zel spots his mother last, patronized, paralyzed by his father standing in the middle of the bloodshed, chocking his mother in his left hand, her eyes glowing yellow in a struggle to pry his hands from gripping tighter over her throat.

Her neck snaps, and in the eyes of Zel, her body slowly touches the ground, lifeless in the blink of his eye.

"Ahhhhh....Ahhhh!!- Zel, igniting his green flames in a feat of rage and confusion, runs towards his father- Ella zooms to him, holding Zel back.

"Stop!! There- There has to be some sort of explanation for this!! So please don't-

"Both of you... Calm yourselves." Zel raises his head, Ella turns to face Milo. Her uncle. His father. Black suite stained in the paint of smudged blood. "I promise that this will all make sense... Ella, your father," Milo eyes her father, his pupils glowing a shining light blue. "He struggled, unknowing of if you will make it home safely each day you fight monsters on your streets... He cared very much for you, enough to let all your rebellious behaior become a joke to him... So, I took it to myself, to show your father a smifge if relief... I freed him-

"You shut your dam mouth!!" Ella let goes of Zel, fist balled tight. "What part of my father being dead should make sense!! Why?! Relief?! What are you saying?! Then mom too... My baby sister! Uncle!"

-"....I gave you what every child your age wishes for, freedom."

-A wave of sounds booms on the word freedom, Ella cover in full electricity, zipping in a cyclone around Milo, slicing the left side of his cheek, nearly tagging his eye.

"Ella..."- During the constant streams, it takes Milo to precisely put his hand out to choke the girl to stop her assault. "You have way too much potential for you to die here." - He sends a large amount of electricity through Ella's body, knocking the girl unconscious. "Take a rest."

He then tosses her body over into Zel, who caught the body sliding back in stance. He holds to her tightly, shaking at the sight of his father moving closer. Only for the man to pass him, revealing Vile's body underneath the picnic table.

He walks pass Zel, to a girl whining in the corner of the rubble, who he finds is Juna.

"This girl... Myune told me before, for a child so young, you experienced numbers of painful memories. Haven't you-"

-Milo quickly creates a shield made of electricity, blocking an incoming shot of flames.

-"Stay away from her! You monster!!"

"Monster... You call your own father such a thing... A monster?" Milo eyes Zenith who stays in the same place as earlier, struck in the fear to move. "Do you think the same Zenith..."

Milo tries to approach his son but is forced to shield himself from another shot of fire.

"Stay away from him! I won't let you touch him! Not until you tell me why!"

Milo gaze at Zel, seeing nothing but a void eating away at everything in front of him. He marches forward, taking Juna's hand in his. He keeps marching on, blocking every warning shot Zel through to him until he got to Zenith.

"Son..." He looks to his youngest, eye to eye, assuring the boy to not listen to anyone but his own. "Right now, if you take my hand,"

-"Don't... Touch him..." Ella mumbles under her breath, having little strength to speak.

"Join me along this girl here,"

"Zenith! Dad's not the same! Don't- Don't you dare listen to him!"

"All of that pent up fear, as well as the screams can be soothed. You and I, we will be able to build a new world, a paradise where no other adult but myself exist. We can guide the new world together. All you have to do is grab my hand."

_ Fearing for his life, wanting the screams to go silent in just one snap, Zenith reaches his hand out to his father, fingers trembling, tears running down his face. His arm lifts up on an instinct, thinking nothing but the want to live. He looks to his father eyes-

-Flames crash into Milo, Zel, no longer able to sit idle by, dragging himself and his father, into a ferocious battle of spinning lighting and fire, crashing him into the neighboring home, screams being the primary thing heard through the building crackling in large burst of green flames. After those flames, rain fell, then, silence.