The next day at Seacrest High, the campus buzzed with students showing off newly assigned hero monikers and costumes. School staff made a point of praising the youths embracing their responsibilities. Everyone could sense the winds of change stirring.
"You saw Blaze rocking that fiery jacket today?" Gabriela giggled to Mei Wen as they walked through the busy hallways. "He fancies himself some Hotshot hero already. I bet that boy singes his eyebrows off soon trying pyro tricks."
Mei smiled along with the gossip, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Devon.
"Oh wow, would you look who it is," Gabriela suddenly said in a hushed tone, seizing Mei's arm for attention. Mei followed her gaze to see a lanky male student with dyed cobalt hair sauntering towards them arrogantly.
"That's Cain..." Gabriela whispered. "Total bad boy. He got busted using his Coco power to vandalize a company his father owns. Why is he even allowed here?"
Mei observed the scowling delinquent apprehensively. She had seen glimpses of Cain around but never knew details. Before she could reply, Cain noticed their stares and sneered.
"Take a picture, it'll last longer," he snapped before roughly shoving between the girls and continuing on with hands shoved in jacket pockets.
Gabriela huffed indignantly. "How rude! If I was Honey Gold on duty, I'd buzz over and sting that punk," she said to Mei. But they both stayed clear of Cain from then on. His temper seemed volatile.
Out by the track field, Devon did some warm up stretches in preparation for sprint drills. Ever since acquiring his costume, he felt microseconds faster just wearing the empowering outfit beneath his clothes.
"Yow Devon, how dat so-called super suit working out for you?"
Glancing over, Devon spotted his cocky teammate Thomas striding up. "Uh yeah man, still just enjoying it casually after school," Devon covered, not wanting to reveal the costume's true status yet.
Thomas crossed his bulky arms. "I bet yuh secretly hoping some magic rat powers rub off so you can finally beat my record at Regionals." He laughed as Devon scoffed and shook his head.
Their trash talk was cut short by Coach Adams blowing his whistle. "Alright ya Speedsters, less chatting and more sprinting! We got mad training ahead."
The team took their starting positions to run the first practice lap. As Devon crouched down focused, he caught movement in his peripheral vision. Glancing up, he spotted a lean student with slicked cobalt hair lining up on the track beside him. Cain.
"Coach, what's he doing here?" Devon asked warily, not liking the malevolent grin Cain threw his way.
Coach Adams cleared his throat. "Yes, uh, Cain recently transferred again under strict conditions. But JHA believes integrating him could help the lad embrace more positive paths." The coach didn't sound fully convinced himself.
"Whatever, I'll still dust his petty hustle," Devon sounded certain. He didn't trust Cain's motives here one bit. When Coach Adams shouted "Go!" Devon poured all his focus into powering ahead.
But to his shock, Cain kept easy pace matching his acceleration the entire lap. They crossed the finish line almost simultaneously, but Cain was a bit ahead. Thomas and other teammates were gaping in disbelief. Devon couldn't believe his eyes glancing at the confirmed 8.98 second time that Cain made. How was this possible?
"No way Coach's stopwatch accurate, run it again!" Thomas immediately demanded. The other boys clamoured in outrage as well while Devon just stood stunned. He had trained relentlessly each day to shave mere fractions off his speed. Yet Cain could casually achieve such a feat first try?
Coach Adams raised his hands placatingly. "I understand yuh frustration boys, trust me. Scans confirm Cain does have Coco Powers but not one granting physical or speed enhancements. Beating records comes naturally to some gifted youths."
"Come naturally? Him barely even trying and just show up to jack Devon's title!" Thomas argued angrily. No one liked the smug satisfaction on Cain's face. Devon stayed silent, battling conflicting emotions inside.
Cain suddenly strode up getting in Devon's face. "Don't be sour just 'cause you washed up now, dreads," he taunted cockily. "Why you acting so surprised? A true star can't be upstaged." His condescending tone made Devon grit his teeth hard.
"Alright that's enough!" Coach Adams forcibly separated them. "No more outbursts or you're both doing laps. Let's keep this professional." The rest of practice proceeded tensely with Cain consistently matching then exceeding Devon's top speeds when he pushed just a little. It was humiliating.
Afterwards in the locker room, Thomas slammed his fist into the metal door. "This is pure bullshit! Who Cain foolin' with superhuman speed when he got some lighting powers or something. You gotta expose that fraud, D!"
Devon just shook his head bitterly while changing. "Nah man, is Cain's legal ability however it works. I'm no cheat to falsely call him out." He refused to stoop to Cain's shady level. But the bitter defeat still stung deeply. How could his hard earned title be snatched away so unfairly by a devious delinquent?
Walking home dejectedly, Devon considered tapping his own powers in secret to reclaim records from Cain. It could be done in a blink. But he recalled Tanya's wisdom - true heroes uplift others in the light, not drag competitors down to the shadows. Devon had to keep faith in honest ethics, however gutting this humbling setback felt now. The challenge would make him stronger.
Striding through his front door, Devon forced a smile smelling the familiar comfort of his mother's cooking. He had to lift himself up without negativity. A true champion found worth beyond accolades alone. This was another test towards embracing destiny fully on the righteous path.