"Should I go inside to see if anyone's trapped in the house?" IM asked, his voice slightly muffled by his mask.
I nodded. "Let me imagine your suit being fireproof."
IM's suit will not be affected by the fire, even though it's extremely hot, I imagined, focusing my energy.
IM nodded, "I'll check it out!"
Swooosh! He flew through the wall like a ghost.
People on the ground started recording IM entering the house, and me still hovering in the sky.
"Are superheroes real!?"
"I thought it was only in CGI movies,"
I couldn't help but smile, hearing the people's excited exclamations.
****
Inside, IM flew through the house, searching for anyone who might be trapped.
He soared through the smoke-filled rooms, his enhanced senses alert for any signs of life. The heat was intense, even with the protective barrier I had conjured around him. Flames licked at the walls, casting flickering shadows that danced menacingly in the smoky haze.
Suddenly, IM's eyes widened. He had spotted a figure huddled in a corner of a second-floor bedroom, their face obscured by the thick smoke. With a burst of speed, he flew towards them, scooping them up into his arms.
"Hold on tight!" he shouted, his voice barely audible over the roar of the flames.
He effortlessly carried the figure through the wall, emerging outside to the gasps and cheers of the onlookers below.
"Another one!" someone shouted, pointing towards an upper window. A young child was trapped, clinging desperately to the windowsill as flames licked at their feet.
IM didn't hesitate. He launched himself back into the burning house, maneuvering through the collapsing debris with superhuman agility. He reached the child just as the window frame gave way, catching them in his arms before they could fall.
Outside, I hovered above the house, my eyes scanning the surrounding area. A group of firefighters had arrived, their hoses spraying futile streams of water against the raging inferno. I knew I had to do something to help them contain the blaze.
"Imagine... a torrential downpour!" I commanded, concentrating on the image of rain extinguishing the flames.
The sky darkened, and a sudden deluge of rain poured down, dousing the fire and sending plumes of steam into the air. The firefighters cheered, their efforts finally rewarded.
IM emerged from the house once more, the child safe in his arms. He lowered them gently to the ground, where they were quickly reunited with their family.
Just as the last ember flickered out, a fire truck suddenly appeared on the scene, its sirens wailing and lights flashing. The firefighters leaped out, ready to battle the blaze, only to find it already extinguished.
"Huh...?"
"Did the people handle it...?"
They stared at the house in bewilderment, then at the crowd, their eyes searching for the heroes who had tamed the inferno. But IM and I were already gone, soaring back towards the school, the cheers and gasps of the onlookers fading into the distance.
As we flew, the adrenaline slowly wore off, replaced by a deep sense of satisfaction. We had faced danger, used our powers to save lives, and experienced the thrill of being true heroes.
Back in the bathroom, we changed back into our school uniforms, the remnants of our superhero costumes vanishing into thin air.
IM and I chuckled.
"We're gonna go viral, huh?" I said.
IM nodded his head, "We probably will."
"Let's go back and act like nothing happened." I said, leaving the bathroom and walking down the hallway.
Both of us stepped back into the classroom, trying to act casual.
"Did you see it? The water suddenly... but it was like the rain just surrounded the house..." Marcel explained, his voice filled with excitement.
Everyone crowded around him, eager to hear more about what happened earlier.
IM and I leaned closer, trying to blend in.
"Like... how...?" Roro asked, his confusion evident.
"It was like... a localized downpour," Marcel continued, his eyes wide with wonder. "Only the burning house got soaked, while the rest of the neighborhood was completely dry."
"Yeah, and there were these two figures flying around," another classmate chimed in. "They were wearing masks and capes, like superheroes!"
The room erupted in a flurry of excited chatter, theories flying back and forth about the mysterious figures and their incredible abilities. IM and I exchanged a discreet glance, silently agreeing to keep our involvement a secret.
"Do you think they were real superheroes?" Dinda asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"I have a conspiracy theory..." Rayhan suddenly interjected.
Everyone looked at Rayhan.
"What is it, class leader?" Marcel raised an eyebrow.
"It was... a fire started by the government, and those two people are actors trying to get famous by doing that!" Rayhan declared loudly.
The room fell silent. It wasn't a surprising theory, considering Rayhan was known for his conspiracy-laden worldview.
***
Back at home, both of us sat on opposite sides of the bed in our bedroom.
IM showed me his phone, displaying a news article: 'Two mysterious heroes arrive in heroic suits, extinguishing a major fire.'
"Heh..." I smirked.
"We're going viral, huh?" IM chuckled.
I nodded, a sense of satisfaction washing over me. "Looks like it."
We had made a difference, and that's all that mattered.
Then, both of our phones buzzed simultaneously. A message from the "Unveiled Family" group chat.
[Dove: @Xian @IM, explain about the news.]
"Ah... she already caught us, huh?" I said, chuckling.
IM opened the group chat, "Well... of course, only we have those kinds of powers."
[Me: Yeah, I did that with IM, but it was cool, right?]
[IM: We're both heroes!]
Both of us chuckled again.
[Aca: What is this? What news?]
[Dove: Here's a link https://news.com/...]
[Dove: Apparently, two strange men were floating in the sky... and one went through the wall like a ghost, eh? Doesn't that feel familiar? @IM]
[IM: That's me.]
[Aca: Oh my god, are you guys serious?!]
[Dove: We're trying so hard to not expose ourselves, and both of you...]
[Vill: Well, it's alright, Dove. Seems like we don't need to hide anymore, do we? It's been over a hundred years of hiding our powers as humans.]
[Yolan: @Xian, I want to be one of you too! Tonight, take me somewhere to be a hero, hehehe.]
[Dove: Yolan too!?]
I looked at IM, "What do you think? Yolan wants to join too?"
"I mean... she's strong, has incredible strength for a woman... and can manipulate objects... sure, why not? But what are we going to do tonight?" IM asked.
"Let's ask." I said, typing on my phone again.
[Me: @Yolan, what do you have in mind for tonight?]
< Chapter 109 > Fin.