Manhattan's skyline cuts a jagged edge against the twilight sky as I walk alone. The gold mask sits comfortably against my face, catching the last remnants of daylight like a beacon. Skip Step, superhero in training, taking his first solo patrol after a much-needed post-Masters-class nap.
"Stick to the basics," I mutter to myself, repeating Spider-Woman's advice from last night. "Look for muggings, break-ins, people in trouble. Nothing fancy."
The streets are surprisingly quiet for a weeknight. A few pedestrians give me curious glances, my outfit isn't exactly subtle, but most New Yorkers are too wrapped up in their own worlds to care about another costumed weirdo. This city's seen it all.
A flash of light above catches my attention, followed by what sounds like a thunderclap. I look up just in time to see a streak of flame arcing across the darkening sky, followed by a blast of ice that barely misses it. The collision sends sparks and steam billowing between two buildings.
"Holy shit," I whisper, my heart rate instantly doubling as I recognize what I'm seeing. The Human Torch and Ice Woman, going at it right above me.
I crane my neck to watch. The Torch, Jenny Storm as I've read here, rockets around a corner, her entire body engulfed in brilliant orange flames. Her laughter echoes off the buildings, taunting and bright. Ice Woman follows in cold pursuit, skating along a self-created ice slide that forms and melts in her wake.
"You call that aim?" Jenny shouts, performing a flashy barrel roll mid-air. "My dead grandmother throws snowballs better than you!"
"At least my grandmother doesn't need a fire extinguisher every time she visits!" Ice Woman retorts, hurling another ice blast that Jenny easily dodges.
The verbal jabs continue as they circle each other, neither one landing a solid hit. It's clearly not a serious fight, more like two predators play-fighting to establish dominance. Still, there's genuine annoyance simmering beneath their banter.
I'm about to teleport myself to a better vantage point when Jenny suddenly jerks to a halt mid-flight, her flames flickering as she hovers in place. Her gaze locks directly on me.
"Yo yo, cool it for a sec!" she calls to Ice Woman, pointing down toward the street. "There's a hottie in a gold getup down there!"
My heart nearly stops.
Ice Woman glides to a stop beside Jenny, her entire body gleaming like polished crystal. Even from this distance, I can see she's completely formed of living ice, her face a beautiful but alien sculpture of translucent blue.
"Seriously, Jenny?" Ice Woman's voice carries a frosty edge. "You've got to stop objectifying random men. It's 2025, for crying out loud."
Despite her protest, both women begin descending toward me. Jenny's flames dim slightly as she approaches, though she maintains enough heat to stay airborne. Ice Woman simply extends her slide downward in a graceful spiral.
I'm still standing there like an idiot when they touch down about ten feet away from me. Up close, Jenny Storm is even more striking than in photos—athletic build, short blonde curls that somehow look perfect despite being literally on fire moments ago, and blue eyes that sparkle with mischief.
"There's absolutely nothing wrong with appreciating a handsome guy, right, Gold Face?" Jenny asks me directly, flashing a grin that's probably melted hearts across multiple continents.
I manage a small laugh, trying to mask my nervousness. These are literal superheroes standing in front of me, and I'm suddenly very conscious of how new my costume is, how untested I am compared to them.
"I mean, appreciate away," I say, shrugging. "Though I never thought I'd be getting checked out by the Human Torch herself."
Truth is, I've never been a huge fan of either of these heroes, despite my general love for the Fantastic Four. Johnny Storm always struck me as too cocky and I was only ever read the X-Men hits. But standing here, facing them in person, I'm starstruck despite myself.
They approach closer, and Jenny boldly places her hands on my shoulders, looking me up and down with undisguised interest. Her touch is surprisingly warm, like sun-heated stone.
"So who are you exactly, golden boy?" she asks, her head tilting curiously. "Friend or foe? New hero in town or just some guy with a fashion statement?"
"The name's Skip Step," I reply, standing a little straighter. "I'm new to the hero scene. Just started patrolling solo tonight, actually."
Ice Woman crosses her arms, her crystalline face catching the streetlights in hypnotic patterns. "Skip Step? What kind of name is that?"
"About that," Jenny says with a flicker of recognition in her eyes, "Spider-Woman mentioned you to me just this morning! New teleporter guy with the gold mask."
"She did?" I can't hide the surprise in my voice. The idea that Spider-Woman is talking about me to other heroes is too cool.
"We run in the same circles," Jenny says with a casual shrug. "Hero community's smaller than you'd think."
"So you're a teleporter?" Ice Woman asks, her crystalline head tilting with curiosity, the movement causing light to refract through her in mesmerizing patterns.
"Yeah, that's my thing. I can jump from place to place."
"Oh, like Nightcrawler?" Ice Woman's icy features somehow manage to convey genuine interest.
"Sort of," I reply, rubbing the back of my neck. "Except Nightcrawler can jump way farther than me. And I need to be able to see where I'm teleporting."
"Spatial awareness limitation," Ice Woman nods, sounding almost professorial. "Fascinating. Are you a mutant?"
"No, nothing like that," I say, wondering how much I should reveal. "Just... something that happened to me."
Jenny's eyes light up with interest. "Ooh, mysterious origin story. I love those." She circles me slowly, flames dancing at her fingertips. "So what can you do with this teleporting thing? Combat applications?"
"I've been working on that," I answer, feeling a surge of pride at having actual progress to report. "Short-range tactical jumps, mostly. Get behind opponents, confuse them, land hits where they're not expecting. I have knuckle dusters to help compensate for lack of strength."
Jenny's grin widens, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement. "Nice!" she says, nodding appreciatively. She takes a step closer, the heat from her body creating a warm pocket of air between us.
"Hey," she says, lowering her voice conspiratorially, "how about you roll with us tomorrow night? We're doing a patrol around the Financial District." She winks at me, flames briefly dancing in her eyes. "Maybe we could show you the ropes if some super villain decides to crash the party."
My heart practically stops. The Human Torch is inviting me to patrol with her and Ice Woman. I can't blow an opportunity like this.
"Could you?" I manage to stammer out, trying not to sound as desperate as I feel. "I mean, that would be incredible."
Jenny smiles, a dazzling expression that could probably power half of Manhattan. "Of course! We heroes gotta stick together, right?" She playfully punches my shoulder. "Plus, it's always fun to see what the new blood can do."
Ice Woman nods, her crystalline features catching the streetlights in mesmerizing patterns. "It would be beneficial for you to observe more experienced heroes in action. The learning curve can be quite steep otherwise."
"That sounds amazing," I say, trying to keep my voice steady despite my excitement. "Where and when should I meet you?"
"Bottom of the Baxter Building," Jenny replies, flames dancing along her fingertips as she gestures. "Eight o'clock sharp. Don't be late, golden boy."
"I wouldn't dream of it," I assure her, already imagining what Ellie would say if she knew. Probably something along the lines of 'they'll get you killed' or 'why are you still trying to be a hero?'