Generation E: The Black Masks [Discontinued]

//Chapter One//

EPIGRAPH

"A hero can be anyone even a man doing something as simple and reassuring as putting a coat around a little boy's shoulder to let him know that the world hadn't ended."

-Batman, The Dark Knight Rises

C H A P T E R T W O : I T ' S S T A R T I N G

Arelia hated school. Like I-would-rather-burn-the-building-down-than-get-up-this-early kind of hate. That's why at the lovely time of seven in the morning, Arelia was still sleeping in tangled in a mess of blankets, as the previous night she had made sure her alarm clock wouldn't make the mistake of going off. Luckily for her the universe was in agreement with her waking up at eleven.

Arelia stretched her sore muscles as she got out of bed and checked her phone. Seeing she missed a call from her best friend Tristan, she groaned and pressed the call button.

"You're not at school." He pointed out sounding rather annoyed. Arelia didn't understand why, though. She hardly ever showed up earlier than nine because of he school's block schedule, she supposed eleven was a decent amount later, but she had a late night, villains wouldn't put themselves in jail, after all.

"And you're surprised?" She asked.

"I was worried that's all, Mason said he never saw you come home last night."

Arelia smiled at how cute he was before processing the rest of his sentence. "Why were you talking to my uncle?"

"He called me," he said with a pause, "is everything alright?"

She pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing. " Yeah everything's fine," Arelia was interrupted by the sound of sirens passing her house, "I'll be to school by lunch, got to go, bye."

Arelia threw her phone to ground, throwing open the box in the back of her closet, and taking her "costume" out before putting it on.

The costume was fairly simple. She wore thick leggings the color of the night sky. The leggings were matched with a flexible jacket, gloves, boots, and a silver utility belt full of fun gadgets.

The feeling of invincibility that came with wearing her outfit and mask was something she would always adore. Even after her many years on the job, despite her only being eighteen, the quickening of her heart rate as she swung into action had yet to fade. As a little girl Arelia had loved the iconic swoosh of a cape on a superhero, but Arelia had also seen enough movies to be terrified of them.

Arelia jumped out of the second story bedroom window, as she preferred a quick exit, and landed smoothly on the ground. Arelia sprinted after the police sirens, following the back alleyways that she had long studied for all of the possible shortcuts.

As Arelia reached the scene she internally groaned, another bank robbery. Don't these guys ever get tired? Arelia studied the scene quickly, noting there were at least three robbers and possibly a few hostages, no more than two.

Arelia readjusted her mask before using her grappling hook to swing herself up onto the roof of the small, three story building. Arelia climbed down the exit from the roof (which she thought as very convenient) and scouted the floor before descended to the next, and finally the ground floor.

Hands touching the cool, metal handle, Arelia pushed the heavy door open before placing them on her hips. Arelia's eyes scanned the room, searching for any hostages, her brown orbs sighting two behind a nearby desk, both with their arms around the other. Shifting her weight to one side she shook her head at the three men in front of her, their eyes rolling at the sight of her. "Miss me?"