Everything changed after the Supernova. Relationships, politics, leadership, society. The Renegades were still in action and had expanded greatly with the sudden increase in powers. The city was built up from the ruins of the battle, and life changed with it. People switched jobs, their powers granting them advantages in certain fields. Some joined the Renegades, excited to put their new powers to use. Others left the Renegades, eager to pursue a more normal life after years in their workforce.
Crime rose alongside the Renegades. Prodigy criminals were more dangerous and more powerful. Many people who had scorned the Renegades and prodigies, feared them, were found bitter and angry to suddenly become the thing they hated.
Sketch's team remained in the Renegades, determined to help the organization as it changed with time. They all became figureheads for the Renegades organization, working closely with what remained of the Council to improve the lives of every citizen of Gatlon and assist in their transition to the life of a prodigy.
While Nova could admit that she liked Adrian, her life was too chaotic to remain anything but good friends with him. She often caught herself stealing small glances at him, glaring at other girls that would flirt with him when their team went out, or reliving every single one of their kisses when she lay on rooftops in the early hours of the morning, watching the stars. But they were friends, and Nova didn't want to risk that just because she couldn't get her own feelings under control. They were all too unstable to pursue proper relationships. The Supernova and all the events leading up to it had taken too much a toll on all of them.
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Even though patrol was exhausting and dangerous, it was Nova's favorite part of the day. It gave her a strange sense of normalcy to be back on patrols, just like everything was before the Supernova. Although, now that she wasn't worried that her identity would be revealed with one tiny slip, she was actually enjoying being a Renegade, especially now that the Council listened to her. Not only did they pay more attention to her ideas, but they took suggestions from the general public on how to help with the transition, on how to make their daily lives safer, and even on the fates of some of the Anarchists and former villains from the Age of Anarchy. Of course, the final decision was still up to the Council, but the people liked to be heard.
Sketch's team was chasing Shockwave, a prodigy criminal that was a strange cross between the Detonator and the Sentinel. When he snapped, a ball of energy formed in his hand, either stunning anyone unfortunate enough to come across him, or sending walls toppling upon contact. Shockwave sent a volley of tiny energy spheres back at them as Nova and Adrian chased him down main street, and away from the drugstore he'd just robbed. Nova pulled ahead of Adrian, determined to reach him and send her power through the exposed skin at the back of his neck. But the villain sped up, smirking triumphantly back at her as another energy sphere was sent hurtling towards her. Nova dodged it, before realising that he hadn't been aiming at her, but at the wall a couple of feet to her right. The ball hit the wall, and it began to crumble, threatening to topple on to Adrian, who had been a few yards behind her.
"Adrian!" Nova screamed in horror, as he stopped in confusion, before turning his head up towards the sound of cracking stone. She began to run for him, but it was too late. Adrian, frozen in shock and fascination, disappeared beneath the fallen building.
Nova let out a scream of desperation so shrill that even Danna flinched from her position at the end of the block, having just emerged from her swarm of monarchs.
"Insomnia? What happened? Where's Adrian?"
Nova didn't answer, sprinting to the collapsed wall and picking through the rubble for any sign of Adrian. She can't lose anyone else. Especially not Adrian. Anybody but Adrian. She flinched at the implications of her thoughts, that Adrian's life was worth more than someone else's.
