Chapter 6 – More Than Meets the Eye

May 20th, 2018. That was the day Alex had completed his training and donned his suit for the first time, embracing his new identity as Chaos Man. He was confident to take what he learned from Omnius and put it good use, helping people who are suffering. But as he was closing in on New London, he started to feel nervous again. Truth is he didn’t really have much of a plan on how to make his debut and help the people of the world grow accustomed to having a real-life superhero around.

The city was peaceful for now. No sign of any monsters to fight or criminals to apprehend thanks to Magna Tech’s enforcement droids. It was good for the people but not so good for him. There must be someone in this massive city that needs his help, even if it was for something small like rescuing a cat from a tree, he wanted to do his part to make the world a better place.

Alex’s emerald-green eyes were constantly on the lookout as he glided through the air, scouring as much as the streets and buildings in his peripheral vision. It was extraordinary seeing the UK’s greatest, reborn metropolis from above. Not many people get a view like that, not even from a plane. It was peaceful. He wasn’t even afraid of being so high up anymore like he used to. That crash landing at the end of his first flight seemed to have helped him get over his phobia of heights.

Chaos Man: Hmm, it is peaceful up here. New London looks even more impressive from above… I was hoping to immediately run into trouble again once I got here, but nothings happening. Everything’s fine. When Captain Cosmic made his first appearance he saved an entire train filled with elderly people from crashing into an orphanage, which sounds really dumb now that I think about it… I don’t need anything big, just saving one person will be more than enough for me.

His thoughts were suddenly silenced when his new super-enhanced hearing picked up the faint sounds of a child screaming in a pleading tone far off to his right somewhere in the outskirts of the city near what he can estimate was a rock quarry near one of the smaller towns outside New London.

Chaos Man: Okay, here’s my shot. Hope I make a good first impression.

Chaos Man turns himself around and blasts off in the direction of the cries for help. It only took him seconds to reach his destination at the speed he was flying. His enhanced vision spotted a group of kids bullying a small, chubby Chinese girl with short black hair. One of her bullies was holding a brown sack with something small and alive wriggling inside, desperately trying to escape. They appeared to be readying themselves to toss it over the edge of the rocky hill towards a long drop where a construction site was left abandoned for the rest of the day.

Lilly: No! Please stop!

Bully 1: Maybe next time you’ll think twice before throwing a rock at my head!

Bully 2: Yeah, go back to China, damn foreigner!

Lilly: I was born and raised here!

Bully 1: Drop it!

Lilly: NO!

One of the bullies swings his arms out and let go of the sack, allowing it to fall towards the hard, rocky ground below. Whatever was inside won’t survive the impact and die a horrible death. But the kids were blown backwards by the shockwave of Chaos Man’s sonic boom as he zooms past them and rescues the bag, catching it mid free-fall and quickly pulling back up and making his landing at the far end of the edge on one knee.

The kids just stood there frozen with worry and amazement. They couldn’t believe their eyes. If they hadn’t just seen the evidence that was as clear as the sky itself, they would think they’re seeing things. The multi-coloured figure slowly stands up on his feet and opens the sack. He was surprised to see a frightened golden retriever puppy poking its little head out of the opening, shivering and whimpering. Chaos Man sternly stares daggers at the bullies like a strict teacher looking down on any troublemaking students with the intention of punishing them.

Chaos Man: Trying to kill a puppy? That’s a new low, even for brats like you. What is wrong with the next generation?

Bully 4: Wh- Who the hell are you?!

Chaos Man: Someone who doesn’t approve of anyone who is cocky enough to hurt a precious little dog. You lot better scram or else you’re not gonna like what happens next!

Sparks of Chaos Energy shoot out of his hands, scaring the kids even more than before. He slowly began to approach them with his eyes still focused on them. Just taking a single step was enough to convince them to pick up their electric bicycles and get the hell as far away from him as possible. Once they were gone Chaos Man disperses his energy and lets out a sigh, relieved they bought his scary, tough guy act and bailed.

Chaos Man: Huh, didn’t think that would work.

He then approached the little girl and opens the bag, allowing her to reach in and pull her puppy out and hugs it tightly. The friendly superhero smiles and kneels to the girl's eye level and pets the dog’s head, scratching it behind its floppy ears.

Chaos Man: Hey, you two okay?

The little girl smiles and tackles Chaos Man in a tight embrace. Alex smiles and wraps his arms around the child. The puppy nuzzles its nose against his face and showers him with licks, Alex giggles in response and puts the two of them back down.

Lilly: Thank you, sir.

Chaos Man: It was nothing. I hope I didn’t scare you and those kids.

Lilly: I don’t think you scared them enough.

Chaos Man chuckles and tussles the child’s hair. He soon offers to walk the child and her dog home safely before leaving. He didn’t really have anything vital to deal with yet and in the future he got a sense that her may not have much time to deal with tiny problems like this again, so he might as well give these little moments more time while he can. He and the girl had a conversation as they walked down the road, following the directions on the maps’ app on the girl’s phone.

Chaos Man: Between you and me, I know what it’s like to be bullied. I grew up in an orphanage. There’re these jerks who love to torment a friend of mine, and sometimes me.

Lilly: You get bullied? But you’re a superhero.

Chaos Man: It’s my first day. In fact, you’re the first person I’ve rescued today. That makes you special, kid.

Lilly: Really?

Chaos Man: Yeah. Once word gets out about me, you’ll look back on this day and remember that you were my first save. You and the dog. What’s your name by the way?

Lilly: Lilly. And this is Zara.

Chaos Man: Nice to meet you both. I’m Chaos Man.

He said with a smile and a wink. The two of them continue on down the country road until they reach her hometown. He stayed with her until she was in her neighbourhood and her house was in sight. After that he took his leave but not before giving Lilly a final look back and wave before blasting off into the sky to the young girl’s utter amazement.

Things may have started off slow at first, but with every small act the people started to notice his presence and spread gossip about him to others in person and over the internet. New London was beginning to acknowledge the existence of its own, real-life superhero.

His first public service was something cliché and simple, a man robbing a small corner shop in a shadier part of the city. The robber was holding the owner’s wife at gun point while he was forced to empty his safe of all the money they’ve saved up throughout the year.

Robber: Hurry up! Don’t fuck with me!

Chaos Man: Easy on the language there, pal.

The robber was startled by Chaos Man’s voice speaking out from behind him and jumps a good 180-degree around and sees the hero getting up close and personal with him.

Robber: Ah! Who the fuck are you?! You a cop?!

Chaos Man: Really? You seriously think I’m a cop? What kind of cop wears a multi-coloured, skintight suit?

Robber: I dunno! A gay one?

Chaos Man: Uncalled for, dude.

The robber wastes no time emptying his machine gun into him. Not only did the bullets bounce harmlessly off of his suit, but they also got crushed from impacting his body and drop to the floor like pebbles. Chaos Man raises his right eyebrow, giving him a look that read “Really? That all you got?” which only annoyed the robber enough to smack him over the head with the machine gun. The weapon shattered into pieces on impact, showing just how durable Chaos Man is. He didn’t even flinch when it happened.

Chaos Man: You done now?

Robber: I… I.

Chaos Man takes that as a yes and knocks him out with a light thump to the back of the head and lets his unconscious body hit the floor. All the shoppers who came in today around this time were recording him with their phones, amazed at what was happening right before their eyes. One guy was even live streaming the encounter.

Streaming guy: Yo! Are you guys seeing this?! That guy just flew in, tanked everything that guy threw at him and knocked him out! I swear, this isn’t special effects you're seeing. He’s the real deal!

Chaos Man notices the social media streamer and waves at him and his followers watching.

Chaos Man: He’s right, you lot watching at home. Be sure to tell everyone that New London has a real hero, and his name is Chaos Man. Peace out.

From that moment news of Chaos Man began to rapidly spread across the city like the great fire of London. Everyone was starting to know who he is and why he’s here. Various news and radio stations brought him up in discussions, drawing even more attention. The TVs broadcasted video footage of him stopping crimes and saving lives and there were many articles posted on the internet about him, as well as theories on who he is, where he came from, and if he was at all connected to the monsters.

Thwarting the shop’s robbery was only the beginning. So far, his biggest threat he chose to prevent was a comic convention being taken over by a group of terrorists disguised as cosplay characters from various anime, movies, TV shows and games. The event was being held at one of the largest hotels in the city and had a lot of security, including a few MT robots. How these terrorists managed to sneak automatic weapons past them was a mystery.

Fortunately, Chaos Man was already there at the event when it happened cosplaying as himself. The terrorists made the big mistake of treating him like every other hostage, and that led to their downfall. One of the terrorists places the barrel of his assault rifle against Chaos Man’s back.

Terrorist 1: Get down on the ground if you value your life!

Chaos Man turns around faster than the man could blink and used his super speed to rapidly tear apart the man’s gun and dropping its disassembled pieces to his feet, leaving only the grip and trigger. He mocks him with a smirk before punching him so hard it sent him flying into one of the large balloons of an anime character, cushioning his fall and tearing a hole, letting it deflate and fall to the ground.

The other terrorists take their eyes off of the hostages and all point their guns at the vigilante.

Terrorist Leader: Kill this freak!

They all open fire on him and Alex sighed with annoyance. He walks towards them as they fired and further demonstrates how pointless their attacks are by catching every single bullet heading his way with his super speed. The terrorists eventually cease fire and were shocked to see him drop the bullets all over the floor like a handful of grain slipping from the gaps between his fingers.

Terrorist 2: Fuck me!

Terrorist 3: We can’t fight that! We gotta get outta here!

Terrorist Leader: Forget him! Shoot the hostages!

Chaos Man: Oh no you don’t!

Chaos Man suddenly appeared in front of them as they were turning towards the hostages. Now it was his turn to bombard them with a projectile of his own. Holding his right hand up, he charges up a ball of Chaos Energy in his palm and unleashes it towards the terrorists, blasting them all backwards. Their bodies skidded across the carpeted floor until they hit their heads on the wall.

The crowd gasped. Many were awestruck by his powers whilst others feared it. As it is to be expected, public opinion on this new masked individual was met with diversity. Many saw him as a hero while others thought he was just a vigilante with powers too dangerous for just anyone to have. He may use them for the good of humanity now but what happens when he decides to use them to harm others? The events at the convention were filmed by a camera crew who were originally sent there to document the event. This may just be the story of a lifetime.

News Reporter: … In other news, more reports on the mysterious figure known as “Chaos Man” continue to skyrocket all over social media. Until a week ago, nobody knew this name. This man has appeared out of nowhere, with powers unknown to science, and saved an entire comic convention from what could’ve been a huge disaster. Several eyewitnesses from the event and beyond are willing to give us a statement.

Civilian 1: I just couldn’t believe it. I was just walking home from work, minding my own business, when all of a sudden there he was! Chaos Man! He flew right over my head faster than a jet! It was awesome!

Civilian 2: Dude, I was there at the con when it got attacked! I saw it with my own eyes! His costume looked amazing!

Civilian 3: I bet he’s not a man. He may be another monster in disguise or an alien from another planet trying to conquer us.

Civilian 4: Bah, I don’t buy this crap! It’s probably another one of Magna Tech’s robots or a super soldier from Aegis. Trying to make themselves look good. Haven’t they done enough already?!

Civilian 5: I don’t believe every conspiracy on the internet. I think Chaos Man is legit and just wants to protect us. He’s a good guy. We need more people like him.

It didn’t take long for Chaos Man’s discovery to reach Aegis. The news was being broadcasted all throughout the base. Chase wanted them to know as much as they could about him before deciding to go after him. From the command centre Chase orders one of the men manning the computers to freeze the image of Chaos Man charging up a Chaos Spear and aiming it at a Magna Tech robot. After the terrorists were dealt with, one of them came in and aimed its stun rifle at him, mistaking Chaos Man for a threat.

Chase: Just when I thought the world couldn’t get any crazier.

The general reaches into his pocket and pulls out his smartphone and enters the contacts app. He scrolls through the list of numbers he stored until he stopped at the name “Richard Magna” and dials it. The CEO of Magna Tech picked up after a few seconds.

Chase: Richard, you watching the news right now?

Richard: Yes. I know all about Chaos Man.

Chase: Guess it’d be hard not to. He’s all people are talking about now. He just appeared mysteriously about a week ago and he’s exploded all over the internet… I’ve been viewing the footage of his thwarting of the convention shooting. That energy he has, it’s not what I thought it was. It’s something new. Something potentially more dangerous than magic or Elementals.

Richard: Just what this world needs. Another terrorist with unnatural powers. We’ve already suffered enough from the monsters, and before that was that explosion in Japan. I thought we were finally past all that.

Chase: This is different. It’s just one man acting alone, as far as I know. Public opinion sees him as a hero.

Richard: Of course they do. That’s just how people are. But you and I both know what the sudden appearance of a hero leads too… More potential threats that could be even worse than the Monster War, the Akuma no Kohai, or even the War of the Seven Continents. Whoever this person is has this childish fantasy of being the hero he thinks the world needs. But he didn’t save humanity from the monsters, we did!

Chase: I know. I’ll inform my men that Chaos Man is an enemy of Aegis and bring him in for examination and incarceration.

Richard: No! Not good enough, Chase. You must eliminate him!

Chase: Richard?

Richard: You remember those energy readings my satellites picked up from the meteor that crashed five months ago? The energy produced by Chaos Man matches the wavelengths of the meteorite. Coincidence? I think not!

Chase: Shit. I suspected someone stole the meteor before we got to the crash site. Whoever Chaos Man is, he must’ve somehow acquired whatever was inside it… I’ll put the men on high alert, make capturing him our top priority.

Richard: That’s what I like to hear. By the way, how’s my daughter doing?

Chase: Same as always, being one of my very best. She and Michael are currently out on a mission. Tracking a group of monsters back to wherever they’re hiding.

Richard: You must feel very proud of yourself right now, having both our kids working under you.

Chase: It was his choice, as it was Alice’s.

Richard: I know, I’m just messing with you. I would very much like to meet your son sometime.

Chase: I’m sure he’d be honoured to meet you too… Look, Rich, I gotta go. Got a lot on my plate right now.

Richard: Of course, as do I. Say “Hi” to Alice for me.

Chase: I will. Bye.

Chase hangs up the phone and returns it to his pocket, just in time to see one of the men operating the computers bring up a live video feed of Wolf Squad broadcasting from an orbital satellite. Their coordinates were the outskirts of the town of Reading, one of the few places left in the UK that hadn’t yet been rebuilt by Magna Tech. For a while now Chase had wondered why that is, but now he knew. The ruined town acted as a haven for most of the monsters left behind from the war. They’ve made Reading their nest.

Chase: Be careful, Michael.

Jason’s mental stability started to take a turn for the even worse after Alex walked out of his life and hadn’t contacted him for five months. He spent most of his days locked in his room, hiding from the world, only leaving when he needed to use the bathroom. Jackson and May Li would always have to bring him his breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day because he refused to come downstairs and face the other kids, especially Zack, Liam and James. With Alex and Michael gone he was vulnerable to their torment.

Jackson was confident he could turn his life around, help him get over his insecurities. But nothing he tried worked. Jason was like a locked door, keeping all his emotions and feelings inside instead of letting them out in healthy doses. In the end, he heeded May Li’s advice and allowed her to take him to her wife’s therapy clinic to get him the help he desperately needed. Jason, of course, was not fond of the idea. He doubted some random woman can understand and help him. Nobody can. That’s what he’s always believed.

May Li brings him to a council therapy building constructed after the Monster War. Unlike most of the structures built by Magna Tech, this place was constructed by the community. It looked like how old brick houses used to be before the monsters came in old London. It was a place where people who suffered from the war can get the help they need and at reasonable prices. And because May Li’s wife works there as a licensed therapist, all of Jason’s sessions were free.

May Li guides Jason through the front door and they take the elevator up to the 3rd floor. They walked down a red carpeted hallway with empty white walls until they reached the end. May Li knocks on the door to her left with a plaque that reads “Dr. Andrea Leland” nailed to it. A professionally dressed mature Indian woman opens it and happily greets her wife with a kiss. Andrea looked a little older than May Li, ranging from around mid 40’s, around the same age range as Jackson. May Li was 37.

Andrea: May Li, hi. How are you?

May Li: I’m fine, honey. I hope we’re not too early.

Andrea: Nonsense, you’re right on time… This must be Jason.

Jason shifts his gaze away from Andrea. He wasn’t just shy seeing a new face, part of him also didn’t want to be here. This was a waste of his time.

Things were already off to a bad start. May Li felt embarrassed by his behaviour, but Andrea didn’t seem offended. Throughout her career, she’s seen all manner of bizarre and presumably broken people walk through her door. None of them thought they could be fixed but she proved them wrong every time. Jason should be no different.

May Li entrusts Jason with her wife and takes her leave. Jackson still needed her help at the orphanage. She’s confident Andrea can get him to open up. She doesn’t expect her to fix Jason in one session, and she may not make much progress with him today, but over time she’ll find out what makes him tick.

Jason hesitantly entered the office and sits down on the sofa across from the chair Andrea was sitting in. He fiddles with his long hair tied in a ponytail and averts his gaze away from the therapist. She could tell by how he moved how much of a disturbed person he was. The pale skin shows how little sunlight he’s had and the darkened skin around his eyes are signs of lack of sleep.

Andrea: Before we start, I want you to understand that everything you share with me stays between us. You don’t have to worry about other people knowing what you don’t want them to know.

There is no response from the white-haired boy. He just blankly stared at his feet on the floor. He was wearing grey crocs and socks this time. He couldn’t exactly walk through the streets barefoot. He always preferred how comfortable crocs felt compared to tight trainers and their annoying laces.

Andrea wasn’t at all bothered by Jason’s silence. Patience was part of her job. She just needed to lower his stress enough to allow him to open up. She starts off slow by kindly offering him a bowl of chocolates for him to pick from. Jason looks up at the bowel and slowly grabs it. He then starts rummaging through it, trying to find one specific type of chocolate he likes.

Andrea: Is there a problem?

Jason: Do you have any chocolate with peanut butter? Those are my favourites.

Andrea: Oh no! I am severely allergic to peanuts. Sorry.

Jason grunts and just picks up a regular milk chocolate piece and leans back against the sofa and stares at it before removing the wrapper and chucking the whole thing in his mouth. So much for easing him in. She’ll have to be more direct with him going forward.

Andrea: May Li’s been telling me that you’ve been giving her and the others trouble after your best friend left. I can understand why you would feel angry about that.

Jason: She’s spilling secrets about me to you, huh? And Jackson wonders why I wish she was gone…

Andrea: You’re upset so I’m not going to give you any arguments about my wife. There will be no judgements here.

Jason: Tsk, lucky me.

Jason replied sarcastically in a rude tone of voice.

Andrea: You know, Jason, I’ve seen people like you before.

Jason: Oh, I seriously doubt that.

Andrea: Being rude. Feeling the need to lash out at others. Punishing yourself? Its all a defence mechanism to hide the pain you feel inside. But you don’t need to do that here. This is a safe and secure environment… Just give it a chance, and who knows, you may thank me for it one day.

Jason: You’re not my first shrink, Doc. Jackson once had someone come by the house to talk to me. If he couldn’t fix me, what makes you think you could?

Andrea: Because I have a record of helping people cope with the losses they suffered during the Monster War. Helped them learn to accept it and move on. In fact, our company holds a support group meeting every two weeks. Once we’ve made some progress you can join them. Maybe make some new friends.

Jason: Alex is the only friend I need! He said he’ll be back someday, and I have faith he will!

Andrea: Is that what you truly believe?

Jason: Yes.

Andrea: May Li told me you lashed out at her and Alex the day he left.

Jason: Yes, I admit I was really angry in that moment, but I’ve calmed down now and am confident he’ll be back someday. He told me so in his text.

Andrea: Okay, that’s a good start… Your loyalty to Alex is noteworthy, but you shouldn’t put too much faith in him. Alex can’t spend his entire life by your side. He has his own goals, dreams, and other people to depend on. There will be times when you two will be apart. Moments where Alex will be in a position where he won’t be able to keep his promises. The sooner you understand that the better off your life will be.

Jason: I don’t know if I can do that.

Andrea: We’ll see. Just give it time.

The session continued on for another hour and a half until their time was up. Andrea has another appointment booked for 3 o’clock. She allowed Jason to wait in her office until May Li, or her next patient, arrived. Jason had to admit that sitting on a comfy sofa in a calming office, talking to someone who isn’t judging him is kind of nice. He still heavily doubts it’ll help him in the long run, but he wouldn’t be opposed to coming back again next week, anything to get away from Zack for as long as possible.

Over the five months Jason has been coming back to the office and continuing his sessions with Andrea every couple of weeks. Though there were many other therapists working in the same building, the number of patients they help every hour out numbered them ten to one. Booking appointments wasn’t easy, even if his were free. But Jason slowly started to convince himself that it was worth it. He was beginning to like therapy. Maybe it wasn’t a waste of time after all. Andrea just had a loving, motherly nature. Something he never experienced before with his birth mother.

His progress was going so well that Andrea thought he was finally ready to open up and share his story with other patients in the support group. The next meeting was going to be held on 29th of September 2025. The week before then was when the reveal of Chaos Man made front page news and became the main topic of discussion over social media. It was only a matter of time before it reached Jason, and he wasn’t happy. In fact, he was furious.

Ever since his first public appearance, it's just been nonstop chatter of people talking about how cool he is. How strong he is. How unstoppable he is. Jason couldn’t stand it. Every video clip he saw of him attacking a monster or thug felt like a knife to the gut. For reasons he can’t explain, he cannot stand seeing a heroic being striking down those he sees as beneath him and the whole world blindly praising him for it. It’s why he hated Captain Cosmic, and it is now why he is growing to hate Chaos Man too.

Jason: Thi- This can’t be happening!

He started panicking as he scrolled through the newsfeed on his phone. Every article mentioned Chaos Man. He quickly swipes off the app and opens the MeTube app. But like everything else, all he found were videos of Chaos Man. One of the most recent ones was one of the comic con attendees asking him how he made his costume and what inspired the design.

All this attention on the new hero was pushing Jason over the edge. His anger started building up to the point his face was turning red, and he was baring his teeth as he growled.

Jason: He’s everywhere! The whole world is suddenly praising him! He hasn’t even been here that long!

A sudden knock on his bedroom door startles him out of his internal rant, allowing his anger to subside. The knock was followed by May Li’s voice calling out from behind the door.

May Li: Jason, its time for you to get ready. The group therapy session starts in 45 minutes!

Jason: Huh? Oh, yeah. I’ll be right out!

He shouted back. He waited until he heard May Li’s footsteps heading downstairs before returning to his phone. Part of him wanted to continue giving in to his rage but then he thought about all the progress he’d been making throughout the five months of therapy he’s had with Andrea. He can’t believe he’s thinking this, but he didn’t want to mess it up. Those sessions were the only things keeping him away from Zack, Liam and James for most of every day. He didn’t want to lose that. As much as he hated it, he tells himself to keep Chaos Man out of his head until after the session is over.

He remained silent during the bus ride to New London. By now he should’ve grown used to travelling to the big city accompanied by a guardian. At least that’s what May Li thought. But for Jason it never gets any easier. He could feel the eyes of the other passengers on him, thinking how strange he looked with the way he was hunched over on the seat, twiddling his skinny fingers. His mind can’t help but feel like they’re judging him. It made his skin crawl.

It felt even worse once they got off the bus and walked down the busy streets. May Li had to comfort him until they arrived at the building the group meeting was being held.

May Li: Here we are. Now, Jason, remember what we talked about?

Jason: Yeah yeah. I go in, sit down, and if I’m asked to open up, I be as honest as I can. You’ve told me that like a billion times.

May Li: I’m just making sure you’re ready for this. Andrea won’t be in there. The meeting is run by another therapist. All I ask is that you try not to feel overwhelmed like on the bus. The people in there are like you. They’re very nice and opening. They’ve all suffered as much as you have. They won’t judge you. They’ll be supportive when you tell them your story. Just remember to keep your emotions in check before you go in, alright?

Jason: I-I know! I said I’ll behave.

May Li: Alright. I’m going to be in the coffee shop across the street from you. I’ll pick you up when the meetings over. Have a good time.

Jason: I’ll try.

May Li smiles and stays back to watch Jason enter the building, making sure he’s in the right place. Once she’s sure he’s safe inside she headed over to the nearest crossing so she can safely get to the coffee shop.

Jason nervously entered the meeting room and was met with a strangely calming atmosphere with the only sounds coming from one of the attendees opening up about her past. All the attendees and the councillor running the group were sitting on foldable chairs in a circle, quietly paying attention to the woman. The councillor notices Jason entering and welcomes him kindly.

Councillor: Welcome, Jason.

Jason: Umm, am I late?

Councillor: Not at all. Take any seat you want.

Jason shyly nods and sits in one of the three empty chairs next to a young woman in a wheelchair with no legs on his left. On his right was an older-looking blind man. A lot of these people appeared to have suffered near fatal wounds, possibly from the monsters. Any who seemed normal may have some mental scars like him.

The teenaged girl talking had bandages covering half her face. She was opening up about how she had half her face melted off by a monster’s acid saliva. She was struggling to keep herself together as she talked, showing clear signs of trauma. Even Jason had to admit that he felt terrible for her.

Bandaged Girl: …Though I guess I shouldn’t feel too ungrateful. After all, my family managed to survive… I just wish I could’ve gotten away completely unscathed. It’s just so frustrating to see myself like this every time I look in the mirror. I don’t know if I can ever have a relationship with only half a face!

Councillor: I know its hard, Bonnie. But its as you said, your whole family managed to survive. I’m sure that’s a rarity for most of us in this room.

The other patients all look amongst each other and mutter to themselves, wishing some of them could’ve been as fortunate as Bonnie. The councillor asks everyone to give Bonnie a clap for sharing that story even though it must’ve been really hard on her.

Councillor: Alright, who's next? … Hmm, Marcus, how about you?

The blind man next to Jason reacted to his name being called out. The councillor gives him the opportunity to share his past, but Marcus seemed reluctant.

Marcus: Oh, no thanks. I’m good.

Councillor: It’s okay, Marcus. As I explained before we started. This is about acceptance. We do not make jokes or judgements here. We won’t disown you no matter how gruesome your story may be.

Marcus: I know but… It’s not about what a monster did to me… It’s more about what I did to her.

Jason: Her? Huh, first time I’ve heard someone refer to a monster as a living being rather than a ruthless killing machine.

Councillor: If you’re not comfortable with sharing today, you don’t have to. We can always wait till-

Marcus: No! No. I- I can do it. I can do it. Its fine.

Marcus takes a few calming breaths and loosens the joints in his muscles to help ease him into his confession. He started off with a nervous greeting to the others and explains what he did, or used to to, for a job.

Marcus: Hi everyone. My name is Marcus B Malus. I’m 46 years old and I used to live in Greece before the Monster War. I used to work as a massage therapist. It was the only job I could do without relying on my eyes… Some of you may think I was blinded by a monster or something, but I was actually born this way. I’ve never seen the horrors of the war, but I do remember the sounds I heard throughout those three horrible years…

Marcus started delving into his past and shares with the group his story about how he met a monster long before the war and inevitably, much to the groups shocking surprise, fell in love with her. It all began when he was taking a hike in the mountains of northern Greece to a special temple filled with statues with a guide dog.

One day he entered a deep, dark cave and stumbled upon the hidden lair of a lone female monster. He described it as a half snake half woman creature with a bundle of snakes for hair according to how the monster described herself. Jason unintentionally asked him if it was a Gorgon, cutting him off mid-sentence.

Jason: It was a Gorgon, wasn’t it? A monster that can turn anyone who looks at it into stone. But since you’re blind, her powers had no effect on you.

Marcus: I… Yes, she was.

All eyes fell on Jason, who suddenly felt regret for interrupting. Thankfully, everyones attention was directed back to the entrance when another member of the support group had arrived later then planned. It was a young girl with purple hair and eyes.

Councillor: Ah, Violet. Tardy again I see.

Violet: Sorry I’m late, traffic was murder.

Councillor: Its alright, you didn’t miss much. Please, join us.

Violet nods and takes the other empty seat across from where Jason was sitting. The white-haired boy looks over Violet from head to toe, intrigued by her choice in wardrobe. Her clothes looked too nice for a support group meeting. Perhaps she has something special planned for later after the meeting finished.

Jason: Hold on. Michael mentioned Alex met someone called Violet before. Is she that Violet?

Jason was suddenly deep in thought that he was missing the rest of Marcus’ story. Violet, however, seemed to be invested in it. Especially once he got to the part about raising a child with this monster before hearing how Aegis eventually tracked his monster wife down and executed her. Her final act was ensuring that her human husband and child were able to escape and return to their normal lives as humans. A few tears leaked from Marcus’ eye behind his sunglasses as he was wrapping up his story.

Marcus: It wasn’t fair! They assumed because she was a monster she needed to die. But to me she sounded just as human as anyone else I’ve ever met. Losing her was more painful to me than the war… And the worst part is, I couldn’t keep my promise to raise our son. I had to give him away to a church in the hopes that they could raise him to be a human… I still miss him. Every day I think about him and where he is now.

Jason: Finally, someone else who’s more open to monsters potentially being victims.

Violet: A half human baby? Could it be? Is Marcus his father?

The councillor once again persuades the group to applaud Marcus for his coming out story. Marcus sighs with relief to finally get all that off his chest. Nobody seemed to be giving him any trouble for being intimate with a monster, and the councillor assured him that nobody else will know about this.

As for who would be going next, the councillor decided to give the reins to Violet. Allow her to start sharing her story. Unlike Marcus, she didn’t really have much to tell. Her family hadn’t suffered a lot during the war. They all survived, and their pub/home was still standing. Aside from a few minimal repairs, the place was mostly untouched by the monsters.

If anything, her family business had been greater than ever, tripling how much money they make in a year. Most of their customers were people who mostly wanted to drown their sorrows in alcohol. She doesn’t condone it, but she won’t deny how much it made her parents happy with all the money they were making.

Violet: …Life after the war only seemed to have gotten better for my family. It’s honestly feels cruel saying that knowing how hard it must be for the rest of you.

Councillor: Don’t feel bad, Violet. Everyone here is understanding.

That’s what he says, but Jason could tell by some of the glances they’re giving him that they’re not and he’s just speaking for them. It was frustrating to hear, but Jason remembered his promise to be on his best behaviour and kept his thoughts to himself.

Violet: Anyway, after the war not much else has happened with me. Aside from that one time I was assaulted by some creep with a mohawk in an alley. That was the day I first met my boyfriend, Alex. When he saved me.

Jason: I knew it! She IS that same Violet.

Violet: He’s been so good to me. In fact, I’m gonna be meeting up with him in town after the meetings over.

Jason: Alex is back in town?! Why hasn’t he messaged me?!

Councillor: Nice share, Violet. Sounds like this Alex is a real hero. Just like Chaos Man.

The mere mention of that name sparked a negative reaction out of Jason. Just when he thought he was free of it for the rest of the day, the group start delving into discussions about the new hero.

Suddenly, the whole room was filled with chatter about him. One person talked about how he was at the comic con when Chaos Man saved them from the terrorists. Another mentioned how he saved him from getting sued from accidentally crashing his old petrol car into a food delivery truck by punching out the dent his car made, fixing it. Saved him the trouble of paying over hundreds of pounds worth of fines.

It was all just praise, praise, praise for the rainbow-coloured superhero. He was sick of it. So much so that he grabbed the edges of his chair and tightened his grip. His face scrunched up, expressing his anger. The councillor notices his frustration and asks everyone to quiet down before addressing the troubled teenager.

Councillor: Excuse me, Jason? Is everything alright?

Jason slowly lifts his head up and stares daggers at the councillor. He quietly, yet angrily, voices his response.

Jason: No… Its not alright.

Councillor: You have something you’d like to share?

Jason: Yeah… You’re all a bunch of pathetic, hero-worshiping, sheep!

The group all gasp and stare at him. This time he wasn’t afraid of their stares. Jason wanted them to hear what he thought of them, uncaring of how they feel.

Councillor: Now, Jason, we don’t make-

Jason: Oh, don’t give me that “we don’t judge you” crap! We all know that’s a lie! I can hear in your voice that you only see Chaos Man as a hero. I bet you’d praise him if he spat on your face!

He shouted as he suddenly stands up from his chair and walks into the middle of the circle, eyeing everyone around him, including Violet.

Jason: All you’re doing is sitting around, whinging about how evil monsters are. Wishing they were all dead! All of you are blindly acknowledging the simple facts of heroes being good and monsters being evil! Did it never occur to any of you that maybe, just maybe, the monsters didn’t come here to invade but were running and hiding from something that threatened to kill them?!

The group all look amongst themselves, wondering what he was talking about, further proving Jason’s point.

Jason: Don’t any of you think its strange how sudden his debut was? How do you all know he isn’t the reason the monsters fled to our world in the first place?! I think he’s only posing as a hero to get us all to love him, making it easier for him to enslave us! Screw him! We should be out there, with weapons, going after him… Knew this was a waste of time.

He really tried his best to keep it together, but mentioning Chaos Man was the last straw. At first, he seemed to be enjoying himself. He was pleased to know there are other people more like him then he originally thought. But in the end, they were just like everyone else. Nothing but a bunch of blind Chaos Man followers.

There was no further reason for him to stick around. He’d rather be home and risk getting bullied now then listen to one more word about Chaos Man. He didn’t even care how bad this would hurt his progress anymore. Accepting Chaos Man as a hero is the one thing he will never do, not even to benefit himself. He grabs his jacket hanging from the coatrack and storms out the room, slamming the doors behind him. His last words to the group were, “You people are all the same. Just a bunch of simple-minded ants!”

Twenty minutes later the group meeting had concluded, and everyone was asked to gather their belongings and return home. Violet was among the first out the door in a hurry because she was running late for her date with Alex. She texted him that they’d meet outside the comic book shop around ten minutes ago. Right now, he was in the shop, browsing through the entire collection of books.

Alex decided to pass the time by reading a manga about a catgirl hero who can absorb the powers of anyone she digs her claws into. He’d already read all the Captain Cosmic comics when he was a kid and saw every current episode aired on TV. It couldn’t hurt to broaden his tastes if the story and characters were interesting enough.

Alex: Nekomata and the Legend of the Witches Bell. Has a bit of an odd premise, but not bad so far. The writers did a good enough job getting me invested in the main character. Maybe I’ll read more issues in the future.

Shop Owner: Oi! This ain’t a library! Either you buy that book or get out!

Alex: Jeez, dude, chill out. I was only browsing.

Shop Owner: Beat it, kid!

Alex: You keep acting like that and you’re gonna lose a lot of customers.

Alex scoffs and leaves the shop. He felt offended by the rudeness of the shop keeper. He was almost tempted to shock him with a small bolt of Chaos Energy to teach him a lesson. But he promised Omnius that he’d never use his powers for selfish reasons. He also couldn’t risk exposing his identity as Chaos Man.

Violet: Alex!

His ears picked up Violet’s loud, Irish yell coming from down the street to his left. Already Alex’s mood lightened seeing her and smiles as he waved her over.

Alex: Violet, you made it.

Violet: Sorry I’m late. There was an incident at the group meeting.

Alex: Oh? Are you okay?

Violet: Let's just say some people may not be showing up to the next meeting after what went down. I’ll tell you later. Right now, I wanna enjoy my day with my special guy.

Alex: Really? Who?

He asked as he looks all around, pretending to be clueless on who she was talking about, until he couldn’t hold in his laughter any longer. Violet just groaned with annoyance.

Alex: Hahahaha! Gotcha, didn’t I? Just kidding, I know you meant me.

Violet: Do you have to joke about everything?

Alex: No, but I want to whenever the moments right. Otherwise, things would be too boring between us if everything was serious all the time.

Violet: I already regret telling you I liked you for your sense of humour.

Alex: Hey, you’re dating a creative type. It’s just something you’re gonna have to get used to.

Violet: You’re lucky my parents like you.

She and Alex shared one more laugh as they gather their bearings and start walking down the street. Their destination was Violet’s Dad’s pub. Originally, they planned to go across the road to the coffee shop May Li went to. But Violet saw Jason walking off in that direction and didn’t feel comfortable being near him after what went down in the meeting hall.

Unbeknownst to her, Jason catches a glimpse of her leaving out the corner of his eye as he just crossed the road and was about to enter the café. He saw her walking with someone. He knew at once that it was Alex, remembering her mentioning meeting her boyfriend after the meeting concluded. The rumours were true. Alex has returned to New London. But why didn’t he think to check in with him? Curious to find out, the white-haired, troubled teenager stalked them, completely neglecting May Li and leaving her waiting in the café.

As they walked on, Alex shared with Violet what happened moments ago with the rude shop owner. She seemed to be on the same page as him on the high chances of loosing business should he continue to be act that way. They occasionally changed topics as they walked to pass the time until they reached the pub.

Alex: Hey, listen, Violet. I just wanted to say I’m sorry.

Violet: For what?

Alex: For never calling you for five months after that last text I sent. I really wanted to see you again, but I was adopted from the orphanage and had to take some time adjusting to my new home.

Violet: I know, Alex. You’ve already explained it last time we met up. You don’t have to keep making excuses for yourself. I’m not the kind of girl who gets upset when a guy doesn’t text me for too long. You said you needed time to figure yourself out and I said I’d give you as much space you need.

Alex: Yeah, you’re right. Sorry. I guess I still have a few things to get used to. Like this relationship between us.

Violet: I still find it hard to believe a good-looking guy like you has never dated anyone before… Don’t let it get to your head.

Alex: Well, it’s not like I had much interest in dating until I met you. I was fine growing up with my friends, doing guy stuff.

As they walked Violet gets a good look at Alex’s arms and only just now noticed that they’d gotten bigger since the last time they’ve seen each other in person. During their last date he was wearing a thick jacket since it was raining that day. But now he was wearing a thin layered long-sleeved shirt and can see clearly he has muscles.

Violet: Alex, have you been working out the past five months? Your arms have gotten bigger.

Alex: Huh? Oh yeah, I have. You like them? Hehe.

Violet: You didn’t do this to try and impress me, did you?

Alex: Oh no. I mean, I wouldn’t just for that reason. It’s just that where I live now is way out in the country, with no TV or wifi. Working out was all there was to do to pass the time.

Violet: Really? You sure you’re not lying to me?

Alex: I’m sure… Technically I am, but not for the reasons you think.

Things started to get a bit awkward between them now after that. Thankfully, they were getting close to the pub on the street corner called “The Rising Sun” written on the hanging sign. Behind it was a painting of a sun rising behind a grassy hilltop. They were in a small part of New London now, one that was less modern compared to the rest of the city. They were walking through the streets of Kings Cross, one of the few places in New London left mostly untouched by the Monster War and the area Violet and her family lived in.

“It’s a nice area to look at,” Alex thought. It was only a 25-minute walk away from the group therapy council building too. Being here gave Alex and Violet a nostalgic feeling of being back in old London City before the war destroyed it all. They wondered if many people felt as bad as they did for not appreciating what they had before it was gone. A lot of history used to fill this city. Now all they see is modern technology around every corner.

Alex holds the door open for Violet, acting like the gentleman he is. The bell positioned above the door rings when the door passes under it, alerting the owners of a new customer.

Once he steps inside himself, he takes a moment to drink in the atmosphere. The Rising Sun had a more traditional feel to it than any other pub. It felt like he was in an old 19th century Victorian building. The floors and bar counter were all dark oak wood. Behind it were huge shelves filled with different brands of liquor. The walls were decorated with many old portraits of painted country landscapes or famous old Irish figures. The stools and booths were also wooden with green cushions and hanging from the ceiling were chandeliers made from deer antlers.

As Violet expressed in the meeting, the place was almost completely packed with customers enjoying a pint of Guinness, having a good time amongst each other. Violet’s dad was behind the counter serving drinks when he spots his daughter and Alex approach the bar and take a seat at the far end. He was delighted to see them both and approaches them.

Sean: There’s my lovely little lass.

Violet: Hiya, Dad.

Sean: Ah, I see you brought Alex with ya. Welcome back, son. Good to see ya again.

He says as he shakes his hand. Sean noticed Alex’s grip had gotten stronger since the last time they greeted each other.

Alex: It’s good to see you too, sir.

Sean: Call me Sean. You don’t have to be so formal with me… So, what brings you both here? Finished with your date already?

Violet: Not yet. We just figured we’d spend it here for a change. It’s much nicer in here compared to the coffee shop.

Sean: Aww, that warms me heart to hear that. Your mother will be happy to hear it too.

Violet: She in?

Sean: She’s upstairs right now, but she should be down soon. Come come. Have a drink while you’re here. What would ya like?

Violet: I’ll have my favourite please.

Sean: Gotcha. One “Top of the Mornin” coffee for my special little girl. And for you, Lad?

Alex: I’ll just have an apple juice please.

Sean: Comin’ right up.

As they waited for their drinks to arrive, Alex and Violet picked up a conversation she said she’d explain later. Particularly what happened at the support group meeting. Violet explains exactly what happened, mentioning how the group was verbally attacked by this angry, skinny guy with long white hair. That description caught Alex off guard. He had a feeling that she was talking about Jason, which she immediately confirmed when she told him his name was in fact Jason.

Alex: Jasons in therapy? How come Jackson didn’t tell me?

Violet: Wait, you know Jason?

Alex: He was one of the friends I grew up in the orphanage I told you about. The one who wasn’t exactly happy with me leaving… Oh god, is that why he’s in therapy? Crap, I didn’t think he’d take it that hard.

Violet: I don’t know. But I do know the mention of Chaos Man was what set him off. Everyone started talking about him and Jason kinda lashed out.

Alex: Chaos Man? What does he have to do with any of this?

Sean: Here ya go, kids.

Sean gently places their drinks on two coasters on the bar counter, interrupting whatever Violet’s response was gonna be. Alex was starting to feel concerned for his friend. He already felt terrible for not getting in contact with Jason as soon as he got back in town. He was so busy being Chaos Man that he hadn’t found the time. Being here with Violet was one of the only times he got to spend some free time as Alex Laytham. As soon as he finishes his date with Violet he will pop into Hillside House and check on his friend, as well as say “Hello” to Jackson and May Li.

He was about to pull out his wallet to pay Sean for the drinks, but the bartender stops him.

Sean: No need to pay. For what you did for my little girl, its on the house.

Alex: Wow. Thanks, Sean.

Sean: You saved her life. It’s the least I can do to repay ya.

A little while later Violet’s mother comes down the stairs into the pub and greets her husband and daughter with a friendly smile. She looked much like Violet in terms of appearance, but her wardrobe was certainly nothing like hers. Alex is a little surprised to see a woman in her late thirties wearing clothes a teenager would wear. Especially a T-shirt that had a chibi version of Chaos Man on it.

Alex: There’s already merch of me?! That was fast!

Helen: I thought I saw you coming in, Violet.

Violet: Hey, Mum.

Helen: Oh? Hello, Alex. You look nicely dressed today. Nice to see a handsome young man like you take good care of himself.

Violet: Mum!

Alex: Haha, hi Helen. You look nice too. I like the shirt.

Helen: Oh this? Thanks. I just bought it today. Its honestly surprising how quickly Chaos Man is getting his face plastered on shirts, mugs and other things.

Alex: Tell me about it. He hasn’t even been around that long. Just goes to show how popular he’s gotten.

Helen: You don’t know the half of it. Everyone I know is talking about him. Specifically, how hot he is.

Violet: Oh my god, Mum!

Sean: Oh? Maybe I should start locking you up if you’re gonna go flirting with a superhero.

Helen: Relax, honey. As strong, brave and good-looking he is, he can never replace you.

Alex: Wow! Kinda weird hearing Violet’s mum having the hots for me.

Helen: Imagine if Chaos Man was here right now. That would be amazing! You better be careful, Alex. He may just win Violet over before you get the chance to lock her down.

Violet: Grrr! Why do you always do this to me?!

Violet raised her voice out of embarrassment. She grabs her coffee and storms off for one of the empty booths in the back of the pub. Sean, Helen and Alex just stood there dumbfounded by what just happened.

Helen: Oh dear. Did I overdo it again?

Sean: I think you might’ve, Hon.

Alex: I’ll go talk to her.

Alex carefully picks up his glass of juice and squeezes past a few patrons in order to get to Violet. Helen looks over at her husband who was giving a thorough cleaning to an empty glass.

Sean: You bring so much joy into this place. That’s what I love most about you.

Helen: I just wish Violet would learn to let loose sometimes. I feel like she’s been distant ever since that incident at the chemical plant. And then recently what happened in that alley.

Sean: She just needs more time, love. But hey, at least something good came out of that day. Look how happy Alex makes her.

He points her back in the direction of the two teenage lovebirds. Violet seemed to be in good spirits again. Alex comforts her further by putting his hand atop of hers.

Alex: Don’t feel bad, Vi. I think your mum’s cool.

Violet: More like embarrassing!

Alex: I hear its pretty common for parents to embarrass their kids… I wouldn’t know.

Violet: Oh Alex…

Alex: Its okay, really. Jackson and May Li are more than I can ask for to be my guardians. And Omnius, he’s been nothing but good to me since he took me in.

Violet: Omnius? A bit of an unusual name. What’s he like?

Alex: He’s very wise. He’s done a lot of travelling in his younger years. He’s taught me a lot of stuff. But he’s also very mysterious. I’ve lived with him for about five months now, yet there’s so much about him I don’t know.

As they continued talking, they both turn towards the TV hanging over the bar, currently showing the news channel. The news anchor was talking about Chaos Man again which is what drew their attention. The screen behind her showed video footage of the hero saving a bunch of people from a malfunctioning double decker bus driven by AI. The incident caused a scandal for Magna Tech. This gave more people the courage to speak out and try to put an end to the company’s hold over the city.

Alex: Must be really cool, huh? To have the whole city become inspired to stand up for themselves since the arrival of Chaos Man. It’s like he’s giving people hope again.

He says as he finishes off the last of his apple juice. He then turns to Violet, curious to hear her true thoughts on his hero persona.

Alex: What do you think of Chaos Man? If you’re worried about what your mum said earlier, don’t be. I know you’d never go fro someone like him. I mean he’s good looking and super strong, but I’m sure he doesn’t have my sense of humour, hahaha.

Violet: Want me to be honest?

Alex hesitantly nods, feeling slightly worried she’s going to say she prefers his superhero persona over the real him.

Violet: You’re right. Chaos Man is brave, strong, powerful, and handsome. Like super handsome. It’s kinda crazy how attractive he is.

Alex: Okay okay. Can you just skip to the part where you say “But”?

Violet giggles as she finishes off her non-alcoholic Irish coffee.

Violet: Buuuut, dating a superhero would draw too much attention. It would drive me nuts. No, I prefer somebody more down to earth like you. You’re a hero too, Alex. You risked your life to rescue me from that thug, then you walked me home and made me feel safe. YOU did that, not Chaos Man. I don’t need him to be happy. I already have everything I could ever want.

Hearing those words made Alex very happy. He pulls his girlfriend in for a loving hug which she gracefully returns. They hold it for more than over a minute. Neither one of them wanted to let go yet. The whole world around them felt like it was fading away, leaving them alone in a nice and quiet place where they can just enjoy each others company for as long as they wanted.

Sean and Helen were touched to see the warm smile forming on their faces. Seeing the two of them together like that reminded them of when they first met and fell in love when they were around their age. Violet deserved a nice and caring guy like Alex in her life after all she’d went through. And Alex, though he never knew them, would like to think that his parents would be just as proud of him for the kind of man he grew up to be.

Unfortunately, not everyone expressed how happy they were for them. Standing outside the pub in the light rainfall that started a couple minutes ago, Jason was peering into the establishment through one of the pub’s stained-glass windows. He couldn’t see through it very well, but he can for sure see his former best friend with the girl from group therapy. His gloomy expression was soon replaced by a look of anger and jealousy. Seeing who is supposed to be his best friend choosing to spend his first time back in New London with his girlfriend instead of visiting him like he promised filled him with a burning rage.

Jason: It was painful enough you left without telling me. But coming back without checking in on me hurts even more! You promised you’d be there for me. You didn’t even bother to let me know you’d be back on my phone!

Jason reaches into his trouser pocket and pulls out his smartphone. He taps into his contacts and clicks on Alex’s number. Though skeptical at first, the negative thoughts in his head pushed him to press the “block number” button, cutting all ties with Alex.

Jason: I should’ve known a friendship between us wouldn’t last. Someone like you can never truly be friends with someone like me. I guess I just… have to learn to accept it… See you never, Alex. Have a nice life.

To Be Continued