I-Island — One of the largest and most advanced quirk and heroism research facilities in the world.
I had never imagined I-Island would be so grand. Seeing those floating structures in the middle of the ocean, all those people with incredible quirks… I felt a bit small there. But at the same time, part of me was excited. After all, this was the center of the future, the place where heroes and scientists from all over the world gathered.
I was there with my father, Nathan Whitmore, because he was giving an important presentation. His company was launching new equipment for heroes, and as one of the most successful CEOs in the industry, my presence was also expected. But I knew it wasn't just that. I-Island meant a lot more to me than just a business event.
While my father met with important figures, a female voice caught my attention.
"Revan! You're here!"
When I turned, I saw a girl with blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She was smiling sincerely, almost as if she already knew me.
She reached out her hand.
"I'm Melissa! Melissa Shield. You must be Revan, right?"
I hesitated for a moment, trying to remember if I had heard of her before, but soon I smiled.
"Yes, that's me. Nice to meet you, Melissa. This is our first time meeting, right?"
I tried to be polite, but the truth was, I had no idea who she was.
"Yes! I've always heard about you and your family. But this is the first time we've actually met. I'm David Shield's daughter. I grew up here, surrounded by heroes and support tech. This event is amazing, you'll see!"
She seemed very comfortable, and her energy made me feel more at ease.
I gave a nervous laugh.
"I didn't expect it to be so... big." I looked at the futuristic facilities, not sure what else to say.
Melissa looked excited, as if there was nothing more thrilling than that moment.
"I knew you'd think it was impressive. But have you seen the best part yet? The games! They're to test young people's abilities. You can sign up. I bet you'll be the fastest!"
I'm not usually one to jump into things like that, but the idea of a friendly competition didn't sound so bad.
"Games, huh? I might give it a try. I'm not really the competitive type, but I think it could be fun."
Soon, a man approached us. I recognized him immediately — David Shield, Melissa's father, the man behind some of the greatest innovations for heroes. He had a calm presence, brown hair, and a posture that exuded confidence.
"Melissa, Revan, getting to know each other?" David said, smiling as he extended his hand to me. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Revan. Your father and I have worked together for a long time. And with a son like you, I can see he has every right to be proud."
I felt a bit shy. I wasn't used to so much attention, especially from such influential people.
"The pleasure is mine, Mr. Shield. I'm glad to be here."
David chuckled lightly and looked at Melissa, who was more excited than ever.
"I knew you and Revan would get along." He said confidently. "Now, how about signing up for the games? Revan, you'll love the competitions here. Maybe even show off a few of your skills."
I was feeling a bit pressured, but I was there to enjoy myself.
"I think I'll give it a shot. Let's see how it goes. I don't know if I'm that good, but I'll have fun."
The games began later that day.
I was eager to test my powers, especially in such a controlled environment. The games involved a series of challenges testing endurance, speed, and combat skills — all in a format that would allow me not to cause too much damage — which, with my power level, could be a challenge.
When I was called, I didn't hesitate. The first part involved combat robots, programmed to attack competitors. I took my position and noticed the others were a bit nervous. The robots were fast, but nothing I couldn't handle easily.
When the signal was given, I moved faster than the robots could react. With a quick punch, I took down the first one without even noticing the impact I made. The robot was built to withstand a lot, but my punch was far beyond what it could handle.
The other competitors stood in shock as I destroyed the second and third robots with the same ease. I had barely moved, but each strike seemed to unleash a wave of destruction.
I flew up to the last robot, punching it with a force I didn't even realize until I saw it shatter to pieces. As silence fell over the arena, I saw everyone staring — some in awe, others perhaps a little afraid.
Melissa was in the stands with our parents, smiling from ear to ear.
"Wow, Revan! You were amazing! They couldn't even keep up with you!" she said, laughing. "You didn't even try hard — it looked like you were playing."
I looked at her, trying to hide how relieved I was that everything went so well.
"I just tried to do my best. Didn't think it would be that easy, but it was fun. Good to see the training paid off."
David and my dad watched from a distance. My father, Nathan, looked proud — but also slightly worried. He knew I had the potential to be much more than that, but he also wanted to protect me from the weight that might come with it.
David, on the other hand, approached with a satisfied smile.
"You've got a lot of potential, Revan. I had no doubt you'd stand out. Your father has every reason to be proud," he said, clearly impressed.
Melissa was still by my side, and I could see the admiration in her eyes.
"You were awesome, Revan. Let's have more fun around here. I'm sure you'll love the rest of the games."
While they talked, I had only one thing on my mind: controlling and refining my powers. As fun as it was, I knew the event was only beginning.
After our parents left to continue their appointments, Melissa grabbed my hand with an excited smile.
"Come on, Revan! I want to show you the best spots on the island. There's so much cool stuff happening today."
"Alright," I replied, trying to keep up with her pace. "You really seem to know everything around here."
She giggled.
"That's because I grew up in this place! I know every corner. But I admit, it's more fun exploring with someone my age."
Our first stop was a presentation of autonomous drones used by heroes in the field. Small, agile, and smart. Several flew around, demonstrating their features.
"Look at that one," I pointed to one that shot out energy nets. "Looks like it's made to catch runaway villains."
"That one's from my dad's lab!" she said proudly. "They're still testing it. Cool, right?"
"Very. I don't think it'd be necessary if someone just punched the villain though," I joked, thinking of the games. She laughed.
"Maybe. But technology is part of the hero charm too, you know? Not everyone can..." She paused for a second. "Anyway, let's go to the next stop!"
We kept exploring the island. We saw an exhibit of rescue suits with tech that could safely get through rubble. Melissa explained almost everything like a personal guide.
Then we ate at a food court. We sat on a bench with fried skewers and cold drinks.
"So? Having fun?" she asked, offering me more fries.
"A lot. It's more fun than I expected. And with you, it's even better," I said without thinking. She blushed a little.
"That's good. I'm having fun too," she replied, looking at her drink like she was trying to hide a smile.
Throughout the day we saw some really wild quirks — a guy with rubber skin bouncing between structures like a giant elastic, a woman with hands that turned into tools welding armor live, and even a kid with a quirk that made them float like a balloon.
"Sometimes I forget how diverse humanity is now," I said.
"And to think that everyone used to be 'normal,' right?" Melissa said, looking at the sky. "The world's changed so much."
The sun began to set, and we sat at an ice cream shop facing the sea, watching the sky turn orange and purple. We were quieter now. We'd laughed and run all day. I ate my chocolate ice cream slowly, while Melissa licked her strawberry one.
I turned to her, curious.
"Hey, can I ask you something?"
"Sure," she replied, still smiling like someone who had a good day.
"I saw you several times today… and during the games, you saw me in action too. But… I never saw your quirk." I looked at her, trying not to sound rude. "Just felt kinda unfair. You saw mine. I should get to see yours too, right?" I said jokingly.
She stopped licking her ice cream and looked down, serious. She was quiet for a few seconds. The mood shifted.
"Revan…" she started, her voice softer. "It's because… I don't have one."
I stayed silent, surprised.
'I forgot that could happen… what a jerk move!'
"I was born without a quirk," she continued. "No power, nothing. Just… me. My dad tried everything to see if there was something hidden, but no. I'm one of the few born without one."
"And I know it seems strange, especially here, in this place. That's why sometimes people… pull away."
She glanced to the side, with a small, sad smile.
"I understand if you don't want to be around someone who's, I don't know… ordinary."
I stayed quiet for a moment, not because I didn't know what to say, but because I wanted to choose the right words. I placed my ice cream cup on the table and spoke sincerely:
"Melissa… that doesn't change anything. Really. You were amazing today. Showed me a bunch of things, laughed with me, explained everything… I don't want to be your friend because of a quirk. I like spending time with you because… you're you. And that's more than enough."
She looked at me, surprised. Her eyes sparkled a bit, like she was holding something back inside.
"Are you serious?"
"I am. Actually, I think it's cool that you told me. Must've been hard."
She smiled — and now it was a real smile.
"Thank you, Revan. That means a lot to me."
We stayed there in silence, watching the sunset. The sea shimmered, and the cool breeze made the moment feel perfect.
And at that moment, even without saying anything else, I knew we had become great friends.