Righteous Lad: the beginning
#1"Oh, are you heading out somewhere, Tyson?" Miss Luthur, the adoptive mother of the mentioned young man, inquires from the kitchen as she prepares coffee for herself. The youth in question is sitting at the step near the front door, presently in the middle of tying his right shoe string after finishing the left one.

"Yeah, just going out for a bit. You know… stretch my legs, get some fresh air. See what's going on in town." He answers while giving one final tug at his knotted shoelace, standing once he was done with his sneakers.

 

"Well, alright. Just please be mindful when you're out there. Avoid any and all shady people you come across, too." 

 

"I'll be fine, mom. I turn nineteen this year, you don't have to worry so much." He assures her, now in the midst of unlocking the door. Though, just as he pulls it open to head outside, she calls out to him.

 

"Young man, aren't you forgetting something?"  She asks with an expecting tone, casually still going about setting up the coffee maker to brew a fresh pot. Upon her words, he gently pushes the door shut once more and turns to make his way across the living room and into the open kitchen. It's only when the 5'11 male comes to fairly tower over the older woman, that she stops what she's doing and turns to face him, immediately wrapping her arms around him for an embrace. Without hesitation, he returns the gesture.

 

"Sorry, I guess it did slip my mind for a second." He softly admits to her.

 

"You know, just because you're getting older, doesn't mean I eventually stop worrying about you. You're my boy – my gift from God himself. You're the only I have, and that still means something to me."

 

"I know, mom. I won't suddenly forget about you, or anything like that. You'll be my mom until the end of time. Nothing will change that."

 

"I'm glad for that. I'm just… I'm not ready to see you leave. You're an adult now, but I can't imagine what life without you being here would be like." She confesses, leaning her upper body away just enough for her to look up at him. In turn and initially, he meets her eyes with a sympathetic look. One that shifts to the best optimistic smile he could provide in that moment, just seconds after.

 

"Listen, it'll be fine. I mean, I'm not in a rush or anything. I'll finish college, get a better job, help out as much as you two need me to, and stay until I can find my own place. That's pretty much another five years or so. Could… could be longer." He makes an effort to reassure her.

 

"Hmm… Well, alright. Personally, I think you should at least stay until you find a nice girl you're ready to settle down with." She responds and withdraws her arms, briefly placing her hands upon his broad shoulders. After stroking and gently patting, she turns to shift her focus onto what she was doing previously.

"Grandchildren would be nice to have, after all." She concludes.

 

"Later down the line for sure, but I kinda' hope that doesn't happen too soon. I'd like to be able to properly provide for a family first before I make one." He muses outwardly, reaching to rub at the back of his neck.

 

"Oh, I know. It's why I said what I said."

 

"Ah… I see what you're getting at. We'll see what happens in the future." He tells her, then takes a moment to lean down to peck at his mother's cheek.

"Love you. I'll be back in a bit."

 

"Love you, too." She says in turn, moving to fetch a cup from a cabinet. The young man himself heads for and out of the front door. On his way out, it's there he sees his father coming up the steps of their porch.

 

"Heading out?"

 

"Yup. I'll be back soon."

 

"Alright, be safe out there." A brief exchange of words concludes as the two pass each other by. 

Tyson makes a left after descending the half a dozen steps and makes his way down the corner of the block. In truth, he wasn't exactly going for a walk, but to undertake his first endeavor as a superhero. His attire was nothing that really stuck out much at all, it was just meant to at least look somewhat patriotic. Fitted blue jeans, a red T-shirt with a large white star at the center of it, blue sport wristbands, red converse sneakers, and a thin track jacket with a red upper half and blue on the lower half. 

It was the best he could do for the time being. It would HAVE to do, because there was no turning back now. Once he makes it to that corner, he eases into a stop while turning in a 360 motion as a means to check for any possible pedestrians. A few far down the next block with their backs to him, no cars driving by or toward - he was clear to go. With bending knees, shifting his focus skyward, he takes off like a rocket toward the great blue sky above. From a linear movement of ascending diagonally, he curves mid-flight to advance horizontally toward the next town over.

 

"Okay-okay, I think I'm getting the hang of it. Haha… Hahaha!" With gleeful laughter, he pushes for a sudden burst of speed. Arms spread out at his sides as he twirls his body along the way of flying over a busy highway. 

 

"WOO! This is freakin' wicked!" He exclaims, caught up in his boiling excitement. So driven by his pumping adrenaline, the young man begins curving mid-flight yet again. Diving downward toward the city streets, not even remotely bothered by the intense gust of wind blowing in his grinning face as he nears the road below. Instead of making an impact, he ends up swooping in and out within a 'U' motion and ends up flying in a straight line toward the clouds. At some point, he closes his eyes and relieves his body of manually maintaining his momentum and allows gravity to dictate just how far he continues to ascend before plummeting toward the ground once more. 

It was when he JUST passes the threshold of a cloud that his flow eases into a complete halt, and almost immediately he begins falling. 

To say he was 'calm' wouldn't be entirely true. He wasn't afraid, but anticipating with tension. Eyes still shut, lips bearing a toothy grin, and his hands clenching into fists as he dives headfirst over thirty-seven thousand feet above.

Soon his nerves get the better of him and he finally opens his eyes, slowing his fall as he does. Still getting used to it, there's a bit of a hiccup during. He does indeed manage to slow down greatly, just not completely. He ends up curving a bit and just barely manages to turn upright to land his feet atop of a rooftop, the momentum sending him involuntary running clumsily from one end to the other, nearly tripping along the way.

 

"Woah.. Woah-woah-wOOah!"

 

K R N C H .

 

The waist-high ledge of the building stops him in his tracks, his hands unintentionally crushing fragments of the material on impact and when attempting to get a grip. Over the ledge, he's able to see the streets of the city. Even after coming down from a high altitude, the people down below still almost look like ants.

 

"Man, I'm kinda' high up…"  He comments to himself, soon backing away. Turning and treading a few steps further as he runs his hands through his shaggy raven hair, exhaling as a means to bring his high down.

 

"Alright, I'm cool. Everything is cool.. This is your day, man. Let's get down there and get to work!" His self pep talk concludes with a couple of light smacks to his cheeks. From there, he turns and uses his ability to fly to head down a bit lower. Not quite looking to land yet, but instead patrol above for anyone who may be in need of help. Coincidentally enough, the first was literally around the corner.

In the midst of scanning around, he spots a worker climbing down a ladder from a telephone pole just in time to see the man slip on a step. Both the worker and his tool box heading straight for the pavement right after.

However, Tyson was already on his way over upon seeing the stumble. He catches the man by his overalls and the red tool box within his opposite arm like a football, then proceeds to lower the worker onto the ground before landing beside him.

 

"Oh… Oh God, I thought I was– You.. You're the one who saved me, kid?" The gruffly man asks, panting between his pauses.

 

"Yeah, that was me. You all right? "

 

"Yeah! Yeah… I'm just.. PHEW! I'm just getting over a near heart attack. Haha. Really appreciate the help, young man."

 

"Of course. I'm always happy to help whenever I can." Tyson responds just before handing over the tool box. 

 

"You a superhero or something?"

 

"Yeah, I am! I'm–.. I'm…" There was hesitation to finish his statement. Truth be told, he was feeling fairly embarrassed about the alias he had chosen. Yet, he does eventually finish introducing himself.

"Righteous Lad. I'm Righteous Lad."

 

"Huh. You don't say." The man takes a second to look him over before continuing.

"Your super suit at the dry cleaners or something?"

 

"Huh? No.. This, this is my super attire."

 

"Everyday clothes?"

 

"It's urban and patriotic… It works for what it is, right? Blue, red, and white."

 

"Oh boy… Ya know what? You saved my life, so won't look the horse in the mouth. I appreciate the help again, kid." The worker replies, reaching out with his free hand to offer a parting shake. One that Tyson gladly obliges.

 

"No problem at all, sir!"

 

"Get a new super suit, and take care out there." And with that, the older man heads to work truck and leaves Tyson alone with his thoughts.

 

"...Well, I thought it looked cool." The young man murmurs before taking off via flight in the opposite direction to resume his patrol. It would seem all was well for the most part. He doesn't stumble upon any obvious crime for the next half hour, and instead finds himself helping civilians with simple tasks. From helping move boxes and furniture into a moving truck, to helping someone get their pet back on their leash, and even what he is doing now - helping an elder woman get her groceries into the trunk of her Station Wagon. 

 

"Aaaaand, that's all of it, ma'am." Tyson informs her upon carefully setting the last bag inside.

 

"Oooh, thank you so much! Those were far more heavy than I thought they'd be."

 

"It was no trouble at all! I was more than glad to help." He assures, now easing the back door shut for her.

 

"Hmm… I think I have a few dollars to give you. Just let me…" The older woman trails off, preparing to look through her purse.

 

"No, no! You don't have to pay me. I just wanted to help."

 

"Oh? You sure? I think you deserve something for being a gentleman."

 

"I'm very sure, ma'am. Being able to take some weight off your hands is rewarding enough. All I could ever ask of you is to have a wonderful day, that's all I'd want from you." He assures her with a beaming smile.

 

"Aren't you such a sweetheart? Hohoho. Well, alright. I'm just glad there are still young men like you out in the world. I hope you never lose that handsome smile."

 

"I couldn't even if I wanted to, ma'am. Have a safe trip home." 

 

"I will, thank you!" And with their farewell, Tyson takes to the sky again and continues his patrol. He doesn't get too far at all before nearing a public park in the city, where his super hearing picks up on the misfortune of a couple kids who's cat got itself stuck up on a tree.

 

"I got 'em." Tyson announces upon swooping down, carefully floating toward the tree branch the feline was perched upon as he reaches out. Within the next moment, he was landing near the kids and handing over the cat to a young girl.

 

"Wow, thanks, Mister!" The girl thanks him.

 

"Hey, are you a superhero?" The boy beside her, who was holding the leash of a golden retriever dog, asks.

 

"Yup! I'm Righteous Lad. The newest hero in town! You kids be safe, I gotta' get back to work." Tyson answers before going on his way.

 

"Thanks again!" The girl shouts as he ascends.

 

"You're welcome!" He shouts back and resumes his search for trouble. Still, all he really finds is small things. Nothing he minds doing, of course. After helping a food merchant by swooping down in time to keep their mobile cart from tipping over on a corner, he heads back toward the park to check around another section of the area. When he does, the children from before call out to him from below.

 

"Hey, Mister!"

 

"Mister Righteous! Down here!" The two beckon verbally. Surely enough, he heads down to see what they wanted.

 

"Yes?" He asks.

 

"Our cat again." The girl answers, pointing toward the same tree from before.

 

"Oh, I gotcha'." He floats over to the branch again to retrieve the feline in the same fashion as before, and hands the pet over to the girl again.

 

"If you're a superhero, where's your costume?" The boy asks.

 

"This is my costume. It's kinda' all I have. Anyway, I gotta' get going again. You kids be safe." With a two-finger salute, he was off again. Well…  At least, he almost was. Just when he was at the altitude he wanted, the little girl from before calls out for him again.

 

"Hey mister!! Come back!"

 

"Yeah? Did your c–" He was on the verge of asking about the cat upon descending to them again, but he sees that the girl is still holding it within her arms.

"Uhh.. What's up?"

 

"Our dog…" The boy answers this time, pointing to the same tree yet again.

 

"Woof!"

 

And upon turning toward the tree, there he does indeed see their dog perched on the tree branch.  

"You've got to be kidding me…" He murmurs under his breath. Nonetheless, he goes to help the canine down in the same fashion. However, just as he was about to set the dog down to safety, an explosion sounds off in the distance.

 

B H R O O O M !

 

The blast grabs the attention of all who could hear it. From his position, he couldn't see anything, but he was definitely going to get to the bottom of it.

"Looks like the job is calling. Better go answer it." He says, finally setting the canine down onto the grass.

 

"Thanks, mister. But… your costume still kinda' sucks." The boy comments.

 

"...Give it time, it'll grow on everyone. Not everyone needs a cape to be super." He responds before flying off toward the source of the commotion.