Benny and Frank stood side by side, sweat dripping from their brows as the golden rays of the setting sun bathed the training grounds. Their bodies ached from the long hours of training, but there was a sense of satisfaction in their movements now. This was the kind of training that they could do day in and day out, where every drop of sweat, every sore muscle felt like it was pushing them forward, inch by inch, towards something greater.
The concrete training field was scattered with debris, remnants of their earlier sparring sessions. Benny wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, giving Frank a tired but contented look.
"You're getting faster," Benny commented. His voice was hoarse from the hours of constant combat, but he managed a grin. "Still don't think I'll lose to you, though."
Frank chuckled, clapping Benny on the shoulder with a force that nearly knocked him off his feet. "We'll see about that. Your metal powers are strong, but you've got nothing on my steel defense. I'm untouchable."
Benny rolled his eyes, though he couldn't help but agree that Frank's steel abilities were nothing short of terrifying. They'd fought each other dozens of times since they'd arrived at Highsmith Academy, and each time Frank seemed to get stronger. The fact that he was one of the top students in their class was no surprise to Benny. But Benny wasn't the type to back down. If anything, Frank's progress only made him push harder.
"We'll both be S-tier one day," Benny said, more to himself than to Frank.
"Damn right we will. But don't think I'll let you pass me just because we're both top-tier. This is about becoming better than the others."
Benny nodded, then let out a sigh. "It's crazy. We're already top 10 in our class. It's only our first year... yet, we're still not where we need to be. There's so much more to this hero thing than I thought. I thought once we got out of the academy, we'd be ready, but—"
Frank's smile faded as he looked at his friend, sensing the doubt in Benny's words. "You've come a long way, Benny. We both have. We don't need to rush. The time will come for us."
Benny stared out over the training field, the sun setting on the horizon, turning the sky a rich orange. There was something in the quiet of the moment that made him reflect. The weeks and months of training had blurred together. He had hoped that the moment he reached the top of his class, things would start to feel easier. That maybe the weight of it all would lighten. But it didn't.
"Do you ever think about him?" Benny asked suddenly, his voice quieter than before.
Frank froze, his gaze darkening as he turned his head to look at Benny. He knew exactly who Benny was talking about. Akio. It had been years, but the weight of Akio's absence still lingered between them like an unspoken truth. Neither of them had talked about it much, not really. It was easier to keep moving forward, pretending like it didn't matter, because in the end, they'd all moved on.
"Sometimes," Frank admitted, lowering his gaze to the ground. "I'm not sure if I should. It's been so long. We've all changed. And... the truth is, Akio's gone."
Benny's eyes burned with unspoken frustration, but he didn't say anything at first. He didn't want to push Frank, but he could see the way his friend was avoiding the topic. It was the same way the other Flagbearers avoided it. Like they had already closed the book on that chapter of their lives. Like they had forgotten.
"I'm not sure I can just forget about him," Benny murmured. "He was the one who saved us all. He—"
"Benny," Frank interrupted, his voice gentle but firm. "Akio made his choice. And we're here because of him. But it's been three years. I think it's time we focus on our future, not our past."
Benny clenched his fists, but he didn't argue. He had heard these words so many times now that they were starting to feel like a mantra, something the world had decided for him. Something he could never argue with.
"But what if we could do something? You know, for him?" Benny asked, his voice small, almost like a child asking for something they weren't supposed to have.
Frank exhaled sharply, rubbing his hand through his hair. "I don't know, Benny. I've been thinking a lot about that too. And I feel the same way. But we can't keep going back to the past. We have our own journey to finish."
Benny wanted to argue more, but he didn't. Instead, he turned away, walking toward the side of the training ground. He needed a break. His mind was swirling with thoughts of Akio, of the years they had spent together, and how everything had fallen apart the moment Akio was frozen in that cursed ice.
Frank watched him go, uncertainty clouding his features. He knew Benny was right, that Akio had sacrificed everything for them. But he also knew that their lives had to move on. They couldn't stay stuck in the past forever.
"We're both going to be top-tier heroes one day, Benny," Frank said, more to himself than to anyone else. "But we have to do it for ourselves."
The next few months flew by like a blur. The end of the year was approaching, and Benny and Frank were both prepared for what came next. They had trained harder than ever, and it was paying off. Their powers were growing stronger, and their ranks were climbing. Soon, they would face the toughest challenges of their lives, the ones that would define them as heroes.
But there was still a part of Benny that couldn't forget Akio. That part of him, buried deep down, longed for the past. For the time when they had been together, as a team, as friends. He didn't know if he would ever be able to let go of that part of his life. But for now, all he could do was keep moving forward.
"I'm not done yet," Benny whispered to himself one evening, as he watched the last rays of sunlight fade into the horizon. "Not yet."
The end of the year was coming, and with it, new challenges awaited them. The summer break was approaching, and Benny had a plan. He wanted to train with the best. He wanted to go somewhere that could push him to the limit, make him stronger, faster—better. But where? He didn't know yet. But he was determined to find out.