Scrubbed: League War 4 (Fan-Fiction)

Chapter Four:

    “Mr. Hamilton?” A firm hand rocking his shoulder awakens Chaz. “He’s coming around.”
His back and left shoulder ache. As he lethargically opens his eyes, he becomes aware he is lying on his back rather then sprawled out face-first on the floor. A blurry red shape coalesces into a jacketed woman staring down at him. Instinctively, Chaz flinches, drawing his arms and legs close to his body, a precursor to the fetal position.
    “Relax, Mr. Hamiltion. You’re safe now,” she said. “Can you tell me if you are in any pain?”
    A white embroidered Caduceus symbol on her jacket above the letters EMT help calm Chaz as his mind refocuses on his current situation. He sees one other red-jacketed man kneeling behind her, preparing a neck brace for use. Gauging his body’s signals, Chaz is further relieved. “I’m sore, but I don’t think anything’s broken. How long have I been out?”
    “Answer some more questions while I check you over and I’ll do my best to fill you in,” she replied. “Can you state your full name for me?”
    Several minutes passed as she checked his memory, eyes, and neck. Even more as she ascertained he wasn’t in any immediate medical distress. “We got here around quarter-after-eight. That makes it about half-an-hour ago. Do you think you are up to trying to stand?”
    Chaz nodded. The two EMTs each took a side and guided Chaz slowly to his feet. It wasn’t until he rose above the level of the interior banister to the stairwell that he noticed a huge hole in the exterior facing wall of the building. He thought the rushing wind sound he heard only accompanied the dull ringing inside his head. The events of the previous hour flooded his memory and one thought brought a new tightness to his chest. “Romana. Miss Delvalutra, she was upstairs with me. Is she OK?”
    “Pretty Italian girl. Dark hair?” The other EMT said. “She’s up talking with BADGE and the police right now.”
    “Thank god,” Chaz said. Not typically a religious person, he couldn’t help but praise any higher power that kept her safe. “Did they catch any of the three thugs that attacked us?”
    “You’d need to talk to them about that,” the female EMT replied. “Feel up to trying the stairs?”
“Yeah,” Chaz grimaced as they started. “Hold on, where’s my laptop case?”
    They scanned the platform and stairs for it without result.
    “Well, there go my notes!” Chaz shrugged off his disappointment. He could find the information again in his workstation’s browser history. “They must have grabbed it. Let’s head upstairs.”
    Each step became easier as the ascended back up to the Sentinel offices, until Chaz eventually felt strong enough to make it on his own. Winding back through the back corridors, the three of them found a dozen officers milling about the desks. Romana stood talking to a man with a detective’s badge on his belt while Krystal Fae and Starmaster stood beside him.
    “Great. Why did it have to be HER?” Chaz shook his head.
    “You mean Krystal Fae?” The male EMT asked. “She’s amazing. You think she’d let me get a selfie with her? I got one with Director Nova a few months ago.”
    Chaz glanced over at the man, catching sight of his partner beside him rolling her eyes. “I feel you there, sister.”
    The three of them stepped up and joined the detective and the others as Romana spoke. “They each wore a different mask. I recognized one as that embarrassing American fake chef. The one on the spaghetti cans. Boyardee.”
    “I recognized one as a member of a group called The Bakers’ Dozen,” Chaz interrupted. “Romana, I’m so sorry. Did they hurt you?”
    “No,” she said while gently shaking her head. “They chased after you. I called 9-1-1 as you asked, but before the police arrived, Mr. Starmaster here did.”
    “It’s just Starmaster, miss’,” Starmaster said. His face remained hidden behind a blue and black face-mask as he spoke and his voice exuding some kind of technologically-altered harmonics that gave it an unnatural, yet clear, sound. “When I arrived, the three individuals blasted out the section of wall and fled. The debris would have struck innocent people on the street below had I not intercepted it. Unfortunately, I lost track of them while I did so.”
    Chaz cocked his head. He couldn’t say what triggered it, but his reporter’s instinct fluttered. Starmaster’s reply almost sounded rehearsed. "He’s probably just embarrassed he didn’t catch the bad guys. I know I’m not feeling very successful either."
    “Chaz, do you have any idea why they were here?” Krystal asked.
    Knowing of her telepathic skills, Chaz realized he couldn’t deceive her if he tried. It seemed his potential story would fall into her hands despite his efforts. He filled the three of them in on his meeting in the park and his research. They listened intently as he revealed the potential danger to the upcoming Stellar Battle.
    “I don’t see how there could be a credible threat to the arena,” Krystal stated. “Director Nova wouldn’t move forward with its construction if there was any possibility of malfeasance. But BADGE should have been informed as soon as you were alerted to the potential, Chaz.” She tutted disapprovingly to her co-worker.
    A wellspring of venomous words typically spoken on the city's portside docks flew into Chaz’s mind. His eyes narrowed as he drew in a snort of air through his nostrils. “Listen here, you hypo—”
    “Now, it’s fair to say we could all have made the same decision under the circumstances.” Starmaster cut in, holding up his hand between the two Sentinel reporters. “Hindsight is a one-way street.”
    There used to be a common anecdote, ‘hindsight was 20/20’, but after the actual calendar year 2020, the phrase faded into disuse. Most people treat the numbers themselves like actor’s spur saying the name of the play ‘Macbeth’, fearing the merest mention would invoke evil spirits. Chaz appreciated Starmaster’s avoidance of the phrase. Things were bad enough for him as they stood.
    Krystal pursed her lips, glowered over her glasses for a moment at her caped companion, and nodded. “Where is this research you mentioned, Chaz?”
    Chaz wondered if the two of them had been trading mental comments with one another before she spoke, but he chose not to ask. "At least Starmaster got her off my case for now. Or until she goes running to the Editor-in-Chief." He led the group to his workspace, turned on his computer, and clicked to summon his browser history.
    Romana stood on the opposite side of the desk, allowing the officials easy access to the computer screen.
    While the information loaded, Chaz glanced up at her. "Well, there goes Saturday night. She’s never going to want to talk to me again." He was surprised to see her still smiling at him with a warm, perhaps even encouraging, expression on her face.
    “Chaz, there’s nothing there?” Krystal pushed in on him, forcing him sideways away from the keyboard. “Did you delete your history?” She tapped at his computer. “No, this isn’t right. You said the Bakers’ Dozen and Poundcake were the one’s arrested, correct?”
    “Yes,” Chaz agreed.
    “I’m searching for those names right now, and there isn’t anything. No photo, no article, no mention of anything at all. It’s as if they have been scrubbed from the Sentinel’s database.” She struck more keys rapidly, typing at what must have been 200 words per minute. “Not just the Sentinel database, but all internet searches come up blank.”
    “Someone’s working really hard to cover their tracks.” Starmaster looks at the detective. “I’d suggest you see about checking police records, but I have a sneaking suspicion they will have been purged as well.”
    The detective steps away and makes a call on his communication device.
    Starmaster steps to Chaz’s side and places a gloved hand on his shoulder. “Mr. Hamilton, I think the game is afoot.”

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Unexpected Reception: League War 4 (Fan-Fiction)

Chapter 3: Unexpected Reception

by Chaz Hamilton

Chaz put his computer into sleep mode after he tucks his notes into his leather laptop case.

Public records had not revealed much. Chaz searched what he could to get the dirt on The Bakers Dozen or Poundcake’s arrest. All he could unveil was they attempted a robbery at a manufacturing company outside of the New Amsterdam city limits. No names were revealed and for some unknown reason, the court records were sealed. He rolled his shoulders and leaned back, unsurprised to find that most, if not all, of the other people in the office had called it a day.

Streaks of a brilliant sunset filtered through the windows as Chaz heads to the elevator.

“Evening, Romana,” he said as he passed by the night receptionist’s desk. An attractive, young Italian with long, blue-shaded black hair, Romana recently started at the Sentinel on a work-study program through the university. Her dark eyes and statuesque features added an element of mystery to her overall demeanor that Chaz found extremely alluring. “How are you enjoying the city so far?”

She gave him a radiant smile, causing an immediate warmth to sizzle beneath Chaz’s collar and up his cheeks. “Good evening, Mr. Hamilton. I’m finding New Amsterdam very welcoming.”

“That’s great,” he said, returning a smile of his own as he rested his arms onto the counter around her receptionist's desk and leaned forward. “I’d love to show—”

She pressed a button and spoke into her headset, a mild accent adding character to her greeting. “Good evening. This is the Sentinel news desk. How may I assist you?”

Chaz stepped back, waved a casual farewell as he turned and walked away, both disappointed and relieved. She’d probably say she’s too busy anyway. He tapped the elevator button and waited for it to arrive.

“Mr. Hamilton,” Romana came up from behind him. She wore a form-fitting pair of jeans and a shirt with multi-colored panels, giving her a trendy, 1980-esque vibe. “You were saying something… about showing me around town, perhaps?”

“Why… um, well, yes, I was,” Chaz stammered. “If you’d like to?”

The elevator panel dinged. As the brassy metallic doors parted, three masked figures became visible.

Chaz recognized one of the masks from the photograph with Poundcake. He grabs Romana by the elbow and pulls her back into the main room of the office suite. “I don’t think these guys made an appointment.”

“What is going on? Who are they?” Romana asks, moving alongside Chaz as they swerve around her desk.

“There he is.” A man’s voice orders from behind them. “Grab him!”

Chaz leads Romana through the rows of cubicles, weaving toward the hallway connected to a collection of conference rooms, keeping a low profile. He glances behind for signs of pursuit. Seeing none, he points beneath a desk and whispers to Romana. “Here. Hide under this desk. I’ll lead them away.”

“But I can help,” she whispers back, reluctant to crawl into the cubby.

“Shhhh. Call 9-1-1 after they’ve followed me.” He darts away into an adjacent walkway between cubicles. He stands tall, making his head clearly visible over the partitions for an instant, and calls out before sprinting to the back corridor. “We can make it to the emergency exit down that hallway. Run.”

Rapid footsteps tromp toward him as he flees into the hallway and weaves his way to the office’s emergency door that leads to a stairway. Shoving the door open, he races through as an alarm siren begins its clamor. He makes it down three landings before one of the masked figures drops down from above, flying through the empty space of the stairwell and blocks his path. The lower half of her body is completely hidden by a spinning whirlwind which stirs the air around Chaz, tugging at his hair and clothing as if caught in the pull of a vacuum cleaner.

“I’m so glad you chose the hard way,” a woman’s voice smugly coos at him. Her whirlwind slows its revolution and reverses in rapid fashion. A gust of hurricane force wind smashes into Chaz. It throws him up into the air and against the wall one tier above.

Dropping to the ground like a sack of potatoes, Chaz raises his head to see the two other intruders stepping down the flight of stairs onto the platform he landed on. His body screams at him, asking why he let a truck just plow into his side before he falls unconscious despite the loud klaxon annoyingly ringing out in the air from every direction.

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Prepping for League Wars 4- Sparring (Fan-Fiction)

By Krystal Fae

Krystal waited patiently, then arose from leaning against the granite face of the quarry wall as she felt the incoming energy of Starmaster's arrival.

She looked her opponent up and down.

"Really? Anti-magic tech... if you wanted 'no magic', all you had to do was ask.", she said with a grin.

Krystal had noticed two flaws... while it restricted magic from being used upon its wearer, the tech did not restrain her use of magic on herself or the environment... and like any tech-based gear, it had only a limited power supply.

Krystal snapped her fingers and a trench was gouged out in the gravel the size of an arena ring.

Note: Terrakinesis is a morphon power, not magic...

"Acceptable?", she quipped, as Starmaster gulped and then nodded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Starmaster slipped in and out of the Mindscape, teleporting easily about the ring. This usually confused his opponents, so it was somewhat disconcerting when Krystal seemed to be waiting for him each time he 'popped' into existence.

"I can sense your energy, you know, when you do that...", she puffed as she grabbed his arm in a jujitsu-like maneuver.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Krys takes a blow that knocks her to her knee with her head down, she looks up, grins and wipes a small amount of blood from the corner of her lip. "That's more like it, but you're still holding back...", she said.

"... My turn...", as she throws a solid punch to his solar plexus, knocking him back a few steps.

Starmaster had been able to block many of her blows telekinetically, but a significant number had connected.

"Damn, she's fast...", he thought to himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Starmaster had momentarily lost track of Krystal, and spun in place near the center of the ring, searching for her. Finally, he spots her to one side, and dives for her. He passes through the image that Krystal had projected and off-balance, staggers for a moment.

Note: Krystal is using her ability to manipulate light, like a hologram.

"...Must remember to keep her pin-pointed in the Mindscape...", he thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You had enough?", Krystal puffed.

"Yah..." Starmaster said with a nod.

"Good fight... we'll have to do this again sometime...", Krystal said with a grin.

Chatting while they recovered, Krystal said, "That's the thing about being a sorceress... everyone expects you to use magic for every little thing... most people forget, or never knew, that I'm a scientist and that I have morphon abilities..."

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Turning Crumbs into Cake: League War 4 (Fan Fiction)

By Chaz Hamilton

Chapter Two: Turning Crumbs into Cake

Returning to his desk at the Sentinel building, Chaz tussled with a decision. “Should I warn BADGE? All she gave me were some really tiny crumbs to try to figure out what the threat is.” He stared at the phone on his desk and considered his options. “What if she was just some nut-job looking to start trouble and nothing is going on at all. BADGE would see me as just another panicky ‘normal’ that jumps at his own shadow, looking for the capes to solve every problem.”

Krystal Fae glided down the office’s main hallway, dressed in a light-green gossamer sundress that didn’t reveal any skin she didn’t want shown while leaving little to the imagination and a matching jacket. The height of fashion, women gazed at her with envy and men swung their heads to follow her passing by with a lusty yearning.

“Is it just me, or is she getting a bit of a belly?”, Chaz thought vindictively. Ignoring her distractive flitting, Chaz covered the office phone with a yellow notepad and faced his computer, putting both temptations out of sight. “I’m going to do what a good reporter should and verify my sources before I start wagging my tongue.”

He sent the photos he took of the muscular woman from the park to a people-searching application on his work computer. Instructing it to scan through public records in an attempt to identify her, Chaz opened up a separate document program to write down every word of their conversation, time, place, and any other observable detail he could remember. Good note taking skills were imperative to a reporter, but his skills bordered on obsessive.

Anything she said, even the way she said hello could hold a clue to follow. A bystander nearby might be a pivotal part of the story, but if he failed to recognize that person, should they cross paths again later in his investigations, he would have only himself to blame.

Three comments she made set of red flags for Chaz. First, she talked about the construction of the Space Stadium. Then, she talked about all the heroes being in one place during the Stellar Battle and finally, she mentioned the stadium as a target. While very vague comments, two of the three implied a select, inner knowledge of a threat to the stadium itself, not any one particular hero or league.

“So, the target might be the stadium itself…” Chaz mused aloud as he took out a sheet of paper. He wrote the word ‘STADIUM’ in a large circle at the very center of the page. He then placed the words ‘Construction companies’, ‘plans’, and “materials around the middle word, leaving room to write beneath each sub-topic. “Time to do some research.”

The Sentinel reported on nearly every known activity BADGE undertook, so Chaz spent several hours scanning articles, job postings, and events relating to the new stadium. Several construction companies had been hired to build equipment. He made notes of their names. Dozens of jobs had been offered to the community, looking for skilled laborers. Foundries and tech firms touted their sense of privilege to being tasked with providing raw materials for construction.

His sheet of paper filled quickly with potential leads.

A chime rang out, announcing the completion of the search for a match to his photograph. Minimizing his open tabs, Chaz brought up the data from his application. His photo from earlier and several smaller photos of potential matches filled his computer screen.

One photo stood out to him. He clicked on it to enlarge the image. The same woman, wearing an armored vest of some type and an ineffective mask, being arrested outside a storage building. Several other similarly clad but unidentifiable individuals were in the photo, also being taken into custody. The caption to the photo read:

POUNDCAKE and THE BAKERS DOZEN APPREHENDED 

“Well, well,” Chaz chuckled. “I think it’s time we talked on my terms, Poundcake.”

“Were you saying something to me, Chaz,” Krystal looked through the door of her corner office as she leaned back in her leather chair. “I thought I heard you say someone brought a cake?”

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A Message of Warning: League War 4 (Fan-Fiction)

By Chaz Hamilton

Chaz Hamilton sat on a park bench, eating his

lunch while enjoying the shade beneath a lush, well-groomed oak. A soft breeze brushed away some of the muggy, summer heat while it carried the rich scent of fresh coffee over from a nearby street vendor. Squirrels darted back and forth, searching for tidbits of food, not at all concerned by the people exercising on the well-maintained track. All in all, it wasn’t a bad place to enjoy a moment of peaceful bliss. He took a bite of his Rueben and leaned back, letting the stress of his Editor-In-Chief’s so-called morning pep-talk evaporate as he chewed. 

He reached for his water bottle, fumbled with its wet, slippery exterior, and knocked it to the ground. Bending down and fishing for his drink beneath the seat of the bench, he muttered to himself. “Gravity, sometimes I really hate you.”

“Mind if I join you?” A pair of legs in a pink track suit inquired.

Chaz looked up. An Amazonian woman stood before him, with budging muscles stretching every inch of fabric. Blond hair pulled back behind her head hung like a wet dog’s tail. Nothing about her said jogger, as so many others running on the paths about the park were doing. Her build distinctly announced, “I will squash you like a bug if you displease me!”

“Um, sure…” Chaz slid over and gave her plenty of room to sit.

“Thank you,” she said. She sat down and wiped sweat away from her dripping headband, flicking the moisture onto the nearby tree. “It’s far too hot out here today, don’t you think?”

He might have imagined it, but he could swear the tree rocked from the impact.

“I suppose so,” Chaz replied. He wiped away the dirt from the exterior of his found water bottle. “It seems to happen every summer.”

“Ah,” she said. “I see you’re a comedian in real life, not just in your writing.”

The faint background vibe he chalked up his reporter’s nose kicked up a few notches. “You know who I am? I’m always happy to meet a fan.”

“Who said I was a fan?” She turned her brutish gaze down onto him. Sitting on the bench, she still had almost a foot over him. “Now, sit quietly and listen. Do you understand?”

Chaz nodded, keeping his nerves in check. Video clips of steel bars being bent into pretzels ran through his mind. 

“This upcoming Stellar Battle? You’ve heard of it?” She bent over and fiddled with a shoelace. Impatiently, she softly barked at him. “Yes or no. You’ve heard of it.”

Chaz gulped back the growing lump in his throat. “Yes. I’ve heard of it.”

“So far, BADGE has been able to throw three of these League Wars without incident.” She brushed off her shoe and stood up. Placing her hands together over her head, she stretched from her waist, side to side. “This one shall not pass so… uneventfully.”

“What do you mean?” Chaz asked. He took a sip from his bottle and surveyed his surroundings, searching for others watching his impromptu meeting. “What is going to happen?”

“I can’t say any more than this. It must take quite a bit of effort to build a space arena. Materials, design plans, construction companies.” She bent forward and touched the ground as she jack-knifed like a gymnast. “All leading to so many heroes in one place, high above the earth. That would make quite a target, don’t you think?”

With that said, she snapped upright and thundered away like a T-Rex chasing after its prey.

“Wait, you have to be able to tell me more. Who…?” Chaz let his questions trail off, holding himself back from running after his strange informant. He took out his phone and casually as he could and turned on its camera, snapping pictures of the park before training the lens on her running form moving away. He continued taking pictures of a squirrel with an acorn a few feet away.

“Someone has plans against the heroes at the Stellar Battle.” Chaz looked at the photo of his unusual visitor and mused as he finished his sandwich. “Not good. Not good at all. But it does have the earmarks of a great story.”

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Prepping For LWs 4- The Agreement

By Krystal Fae

After her match with Midgardsormer was over, Krystal wandered over to check out the banner above a small booth near one of the arena entrances.

She saw that it was a recruiting drive for one of the newer leagues, The Star Force. Standing behind the counter, Starmaster and Catalyst were handing out flyers and cookies to any who wandered near enough.

"I'm really not even considering leaving Legacy (of SPAWN) on a permanent basis, but I might as well check it out.", she mused. "... besides, those cookies smell wonderful."

Reading over the flyer as she nibbled on a cookie, Krystal thought to herself. "I really need to find someone to spar with... only one from Legacy can really give me a decent match, and he's out on assignment."

Krystal approached the booth again and signaled to Starmaster to step outside the booth for a moment.

"I know you're busy right now, and you can barely hear yourself think in here. Would you contact me later today? I have a proposition..."

Starmaster looked a little confused but nodded that he would.

"So... I really need to train harder... and all of my guys are busy or... to be honest, only one is really powerful enough to really give me a real fight, and he's on assignment... could we maybe spar sometime... not in the arena, but somewhere else?", Krystal said.

"Sparring. That's an idea worth considering. You name the time and place.", stated Starmaster.

Starmaster then moves back to Catalyst's side and whispers in his league-mates ear. "How about helping me whip up some anti-magic gear before I get my ass handed to me."

Catalyst nods and grins widely. "The way she is going at that cookie, I think I should give her a box to take home. Not many people like peanut butter, pickle, and anchovy macaroons."

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The 5th Precinct Prepares For League Wars 4

Many organizations prepare for the coming tournament. The 5th Precinct is one of very few, that would not be surprised to find that they had teams competing in every division of the competition.

League Wars 3 found them with silver medals in several divisions, and winning rounds in all but Division 1, where most would fear to even compete.

One of the divisions in particular, is troubling the man who will try to coordinate the teams during this test.

The Closer, sits in an office lit by computer terminals and tablets. Though he isn't looking at any of them, the screens display various information from personnel files, atmospheric monitoring stations, energy readings of all magnitudes, and even some collections of genetic analyses. He suddenly makes a decision and engages with the Precinct's Artificial Intelligence E.A.R.R.P

"Open file 'Division 2' at time stamp 4, begin playback, and record…"

He's already examined the data, and busied himself with compiling and cross referencing it. Now in an effort to make it more interesting, and apply it to the task at hand, he's translating the information into possible combat scenarios which he narrates and records. That way if any of the team leaders find it useful they may access it later.

"Some of these particular people are demonstrating a great ability to project common types of energy signatures." He adjusts gear load-outs of a mock team as he goes. "Seems that giving up the counter and ignoring all magnifiers, opens up enough space for damage and defense to allow Neach-dìon na h-Alba to get a win here."

Another team member is selected and loaded into a preliminary line-up.

"We're making progress! How many is that now?"

The mechanical voice lacks any sympathy "That is number 3."

The Closer throws a tablet like a frisbee "Gah! I need to fill this Division 2 team before I can get through the rest."

He takes a breath and picks up another tablet. "Okay, time stamp 5, begin playback, and record."

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Recruitment Drive for League Wars 4

By Starmaster ID# 14716 Of...

It was a pleasant day outside, but inside the fight club arena held in Minnesota, the occupants couldn’t care less. Krystal Fae and Miðgarðsormr were tied for wins and fought to take the silver medal. Ma$ter Kan held his position for the gold with a large lead and stood at the back of the room, observing their fight while sycophants swarmed around him like bees to their hive. The waved them out of his field of vision as the crowd cheered. Blows were exchanged inside the ring and Krystal had been driven down to a knee.

“Did you see that?” HowlingMoon asked as he levitated up from his seat to gain a better view. “For a Fae, she can really take a punch.”

Starmaster held out a flyer to a caped woman as she passed close to their recruitment drive table. She waved him off and melted into the mass of onlookers. He sighed as he slid back into his chair. “She’s a tough opponent. Too bad she’s already in a league.”

HowlingMoon lowered and resettled into his seat. “Most people are. Do you really think we will get anyone to join the Star Force by doing this?” He picked up a flyer from the table and read over the message. “And why would anyone join because we are offering cookies? You can get cookies at any vendor about the city.”

“I hear it works for some.” Starmaster half-stood as a pair of costumed heroes crept toward the two of them, but clearly spooked them with his sudden movement. They continued by, giving the table a wide berth. Starmaster finished standing and stretched his shoulders by pulling his arms behind his back. “We have hardly any reputation in the field, so we need a hook. Something that gets people looking to participate to pay attention to us.”

“Last league war, you saw my online post looking for people and sent me a message to combine our efforts. I left my league-of-one to join your Star Force. Maybe we need to do that.” HowlingMoon said. “Target smaller, unsuccessful leagues to combine efforts.”

“I’ve done that,” Starmaster said. “I’ve contacted individuals and leagues with less than six members. I’ve posted on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. We aren’t getting many bites. We need to up our game. League War 3, we only had six members. I would really like to get a full complement of 12 this go around.”

An astonished gasp rose from the crowd as Miðgarðsormr’s body flew up into the air and crashed back down onto the mat of the ring.

Wyldfyre shuffled out of the crowd, his hands full of pamphlets. Tossing a handful into the air, he ignited the combustible paper into a whooshing fireball, leaving the remaining ash to fall to the ground like snowflakes. “I don’t know how you talked me into doing this. What a colossal waste of time.”

“Hey!” Starmaster pulled the remaining flyers from Wyldfyre’s hands telekinetically. “Copies aren’t cheap. If we want enough members to have a chance to win anything at the Stellar Battle, we have to do the work.”

Wyldfyre shook his head. “Like you did last time? Three of your recruits didn’t even show up to their fights. You need to stop searching the junior ranks and offer some bling to big hitters. You and the other new guy should be able to come up with some gear or power enhancers to catch their interest.”

“I’m not going to ‘buy’ a team, Wyld,” Starmaster said. “There have to be some heroes out there who want to join us because they want more than easy wins and little effort.”

“Easy wins and little effort sounds good to me,” Wyldfyre smirked. “Where can I sign up for that? You know what your problem is? You’ve always been too much of a dreamer. Time to be a realist. Money talks. I know this group of mercs that I could put you in contact with.”

“We’re not going to hire mercenaries to fill ranks!” Starmaster rubbed his temple beside his left eye. “We’ve known each other a long time, but just because you sometimes work in the gray on your own doesn’t mean I’m letting the team follow you into that cesspool. The Star Force needs to stand for better than that.”

Wyldfyre shrugs and looks to HowlingMoon. “Like I said. Once a dreamer, always a dreamer.”

A strong, hurricane-force wind blasts out from the ring, knocking onlookers down and spreading debris into the air, including waves of recruitment papers off the table. A roar of excitement erupts from around the ring as people cheer.

Catalyst, the newest member to join the Star Force, wheels a cart up to the table. A device the size of two microwave ovens sit on top. “Where do you want the 3D cookie printer? I whipped it up in the lab.”

“You couldn’t have made something useful? Quantum grenades? Negasonic Warheads?” Wyldfyre sends a jet of flame out to melt a Styrofoam cup rolling on the floor. “A friggen’ laser rifle? All that technical savvy you say you have, and you make a Make-and-Bake oven?”

“No,” Catalyst replies as he rolls his eyes behind the thick goggles of his steampunk-ish costume. “It prints the cookies out according to one-thousand preset recipes. I left the baking part for you to take care of. You can generate at least 350 degrees heat for 14 minutes, can’t you?”

Wyldfyre mutters under his breath to himself and turns around, walking back into the crowd. “Here’s one-hundred and eighty degrees for you, nerd.”

Starmaster and HowlingMoon watch Wyldfyre disappear before turning toward the Star Force’s newest member. Catalyst pulls the cart beside the table and unwinds a coil of electrical cord to an outlet, seemingly unphased by Wyldfyre’s departure. Plugging the machine in, Catalyst returns and switches the device on. A light comes on within the chamber and a soft whirring begins. “What kind would you like to try first. I recommend my mother’s recipe for double-dark chocolate with marshmallow and mint chips.”

“Ummm, sure. Sounds good,” HowlingMoon said. “I like raw cookie dough.”

“Oh, don’t worry. This can bake them, too. I knew Wyldfyre would throw a hissy if I asked him to help out.” Catalyst chuckles with light amusement. “He can be such a hothead.”

HowlingMoon turns to Starmaster. “I hope Chained Angel is having better luck than we are.”

“I’m not sure. She was talking about doing some more long-term recruitment plans but didn’t say exactly what she was doing.” Starmaster pulls out his league communication device and connects with Chained Angel, setting the display on holographic. “Hey, Angel. How are things going for you?”

Chained Angel’s face and torso appear on screen, her white wings glistening in the background. “Nothing definitive. The crowd does seem receptive, though.”

“Great. That is great news,” Starmaster remarks. “How many potential recruits do you think we will have for the Stellar Battle?”

Chained Angel looks mystified. “For Stellar Battle? None, Starmaster. Most of today’s heroes already are members of leagues. None of these future heroes will be ready that soon?”

“What do you mean, future heroes?” Starmaster asked. “Are you scouting the schools. I know there are some adolescents out there, but I didn’t know you knew any of them.”

“No, I figured I would start at the source, you know, get to them first. A generation of participants that haven’t heard of any other leagues, so we have the best, initial impression.” Chained Angel smiled at her camera.

Starmaster grimaced, wary of the answer to his next question. “Angel, where exactly are you?”

Her camera pulling back and revealing a room with a large glass window. Chained Angel has a banner with the Star Force Logo with a large yellow smiley-face painted onto it. Behind the glass are several dozen small plastic cribs with infants laying inside of them. “The delivery ward at New Amsterdam Hospital. I quote ‘We have to get them while they are young and fresh.’ That’s what you said at the meeting last night. Where are they younger or fresher?”

Continue the Story

Hero Highlights- Macaia's Daughter ◄[RD]►

Today, our subject is one of the youngest heroes I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. Though young, she has become quite a hero in her own unique way.

Can you tell us your name, or would you prefer your Hero designation/code name?

~~You know me as Rosa but I go by "Macaia's Daughter", in honor of my mother, who's really my whole reason for existing.

Are you working thru B.A.D.G.E. or are you independent?

~~While B.A.D.G.E. and our group have a very healthy and strong relationship, we have our own priorities and goals and I think we both have a healthy respect for that.

Are you currently in a League, and if so, would you care to tell us about it?

~~Recently, our team of Realm Defenders has integrated with the 5th Precinct group of leagues, their resources and reach have been of great help.

Can you tell us a little about your powers? Are all of your powers Morphon based?

~~I had abilities before coming to this realm and being exposed to morphons - notably mental and telekinetic powers. We're still trying to figure out the extent of any changes or enhancements from morphon exposure, as of now I just wish that it'd give me the ability to fly... I'm jealous that my mother can do it and I'm stuck as a passenger on car or plane rides. Hm, maybe the morphons can make me a better driver!

(Editor's note: It's common knowledge that Rosa is, indeed, a terrible driver)
Do you have a sidekick?

~~No sidekick... I wouldn't mind a helper but I'm happier just being part of a team anyway.

Could you tell us a little about your origin?

~~I was young when my abilities manifested... my mother was missing at the time and these deadly beasts were attacking... next thing I had mentally blasted them. My godpa suggested the intense high stress had unlocked something that was always within me. My abilities are similar to my mother's in that aspect. Since then, I trained and battled alongside my friends, through my teenage years to the present.

What is your favorite piece of gear? Why?

~~Initially, the Mind Bender ring was an amazing accessory, but something weird happened and, I never found out if it was a B.A.D.G.E tech issue or something that Gamer G engineered, but they weren't as effective anymore. I kind of like the Goth Pants now but the leather brings chafing and I hurt myself on one of the spikes the other day. I do have my heart set on those Rune covered boots released the other day, but they're well out of my price range. Maybe they'll release them for general purchase someday...

Do you have any advice for new Heroes?

~~I'd say pay attention to the discussion from the top-rated heroes in the various meeting places. They usually give good tips for getting strong. Also, keep an eye on Chase when she pops up to announce Fight Club openings. Fight Clubs are never a bad idea, regardless of inexperience.

Is there anything else you'd care to add?

~~Only that it's really awesome that you had me come in for the interview, Krystal. I'm just so in awe of what you and the team have put together. If you ever want a follow-up, please let me know!

I’m sure we’ll be speaking with you again sometime in the future, as you are still building your power and persona...

Until next time, my friends!

Continue the Story

Suit up for League Wars 4!

League Wars 4 is upon us! To be held in space this time, it is going to be a stellar event! 

We're releasing a special suit set for all builds, both male and female. They will be free in the avatar maker, to be available very soon!

Combine with one of the unique auras and/or flares and stand out this coming LWs!

More items will be added to the avatar maker so keep checking back!

🦆

Continue the Story

Announcement: Stellar Battle

Director Nova walked through the corridors of BADGE HQ in New York. Beside him robot 10915 held a stack of computer tablets, which he shuffled around each time Nova asked for something else to look at.

“Tell the Prime Minster that we are simply over booked with Project Orbit. The London League can handle his problems.”

“Yes, sir.” 10915 took the tablet and sent the message.

Suddenly a blue burst of light appeared in front of Nova and there stood both Quark and Gar. Quark said, “you called?”

Nova checked over a different tablet before answering, “yes, I am off to get things ready for the event. I need you to stay here.”

“Ah, come on. I want to be there. I want to compete.” Quark was practically begging.

“No. You are an official of BADGE now, you don’t compete in these events. I have important tasks for you.”

Gar asked, “what do you need us to do?”

“Chase is busy helping organize the communications with the construction crews for Project Orbit. I have to head to the stadium. You two, god help us, must stay here and keep an eye on things in case of an emergency.”

Quark grinned, “you know, I can just zap you up there.”

“No thank you. Last time you zapped me somewhere like that, I came out a shade of blue.”

Quark frowned, “what’s wrong with that?”

“Not my color. Now, stay here, I have to be going.” Nova continued, but paused to say, “and don’t try to sneak into the event in disguise. I have special monitors keeping an eye out for intruders.”

Quark sneered at him, obviously plotting just such a scheme.

An hour later, Nova and Robot 10915 left Earth’s atmosphere. They flew toward a massive structure that was currently under construction. Dozens of small ships raced around, taking care of the little details.

10915 said, “it looks like it’s almost done, sir.”

“Yes, but that is not our destination.” Nova piloted the shuttle around this strange structure and headed for the huge League Wars stadium.

“Remind me again why we are moving League Wars into space?”

Nova directed the shuttle toward a landing pad. “Simple. We’ve been holding it out in the ocean for a while, in hopes of not showing favoritism toward any one nations heroes. That didn’t work, the logistics on getting all the viewers present was nearly impossible sitting in the ocean. This way, we can hold the event up here and pipe the holo image to stadiums all over Earth. Many more can watch, few will be in danger of being hit by stray super powers, and no one complains about the event being too near a nation.”

The shuttle passed through a bubble forcefield and landed. No sooner had the engines powered down was Nova on his way through the empty stadium and heading for the main podium.

A table of unique looking helmets waited near the Directors personal seating. 10915 asked, “what are these, sir?”

“Ah, good. I was hoping they would be ready. These are new helmets made from some of the same research we have conducted for Project Orbit. These helmets will be special prizes for the winning leagues. Now, get the platform ready.”

Nova stood by the podium and waited while 10915 prepared it to fly. It was an odd feeling looking around. The massive seating was gone, the stadium was merely the fields and hubs for the leagues to ready themselves. More platforms had been added with extra shuttles so the leagues could all manage their way to the stadium.

“Ready, sir.”

“Good.” Nova pressed a button and the platform detached from the side of the stadium and hovered to the middle of the field. Activating a series of buttons, holographic screens appeared all around him. After a few short minutes for the timing, he was connected to all major networks across Earth.

“Ladies and gentlemen of Earth. BADGE is officially announcing League Wars 4: Stellar Battle. Leagues from around the Earth are invited to our newly updated orbital League Wars stadium. Registration will begin shortly and match ups announced soon after that. This event will be broadcast across the planet and shown as holographic images in major stadiums in all nations. Be ready for the biggest League Wars yet. I expect great things.”

Continue the Story

Heroes Rising Fiction: Origins of Gar Part 6

“Father! What does this mean?” Gar walked up to Dr. Shepard at his desk in the library. He was holding a magazine, since he had read most of the rest of the books in the place.

Dr. Shepard pulled off his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes. “What?”

“This? What is lb?” he haphazardly pronounced the two letters.

“That means pound.” Dr. Shepard frowned and took the magazine. “Wait, this is a recipe for French Onion Soup. Why are you reading recipes?”

Gar shrugged. “Not read before, it is very confusing.”

Dr. Shepard said, “I suppose it would be confusing to you since you don’t eat or drink anything. We mix all these ingredients together and then cook them in a way that makes it taste good.”

Gar signed, “I would like to taste something. It sounds fun.”

“It can be very fun. But, we still don’t even know what you are. That you haven’t eaten food in seven months baffles me. Then again, your body feels like solid rock to my touch, but you move like a regular person, you can even fly.”

Gar smiled brightly. “Can we go flying again tonight?”

Dr. Shepard shook his head. “I don’t think so. We’ve been out there letting you practice flying for three weeks now. I love watching you learn, but I’m losing a lot of sleep and it’s beginning to catch up to me. We can….” They both looked back when a door buzzer sounded. Dr. Shepard got up quickly, “Who in the world would be coming here right now? This whole section of town is technically shut down. You’d better get back on your pedestal, in case someone comes in.”

“Okay, father.” Gar followed him back through the library and into the room he spent so many years in.

Gar climbed up on the pedestal and struck a pose, not even close to the one he held before he woke, but he felt it looked awesome. He held perfectly still, something else he was good at. Dr. Shepard shook his head with a little grin on his face, he seemed amused by the way Gar was showing off.

Standing there, waiting, Gar could hear muffled voices in the distance, Dr. Shepard spoke to someone at the door. In fact it was two people and they were getting louder as they spoke. Gar was alert, not sure if there was trouble. He wouldn’t let his father get hurt by anyone. Some of the local shops had been burglarized during this strange time that the block was shut down. If someone came in here to steal stuff, they would meet with an angry statue.

Just then Dr. Shepard came back in with two men dressed in security outfits. They were the same people who had been studying that portal outside for the past seven months.

“I know you ordered everyone out of these places, but I have special authority to stay here by order of the American Ambassador. I’m doing work for the Smithsonian and several other major institutes. My presence is not a threat to any of your work.”

The men, neither of them Italian, looked around the place. One gave Gar a funny look, seemingly confused by the shorts the statue was wearing.

“Sir, we know about the special order you received. The other anomalies around the world have closed. But, the anomaly outside has grown. It is now emitting a new energy signature that might prove to be dangerous. You will have to leave.”

Dr. Shepard shook his head. “I really need to stay here. I have...special reasons for remaining in this library. I’ll not hold you or anyone else responsible if something happens to me.”

Gar realized that his father wouldn’t leave him behind. If he left, Gar would be alone or he would have to find a way to smuggle him out, and that might be impossible now.

“Sir, this is not a debate or an issue of responsibility, this is an order from the U.N. You can take your case to the American consulate if...” just then the whole room changed to a dark purple hue. This was followed by a deep boom that rolled across the city.

Dr. Shepard and the two security guards ran to the windows and saw that the portal was expanding and had tendrils of energy coming from it. A deep voice thundered out from the portal. “SEND YOUR FINEST WARRIORS TO FACE OUR MIGHT!”

Gar looked up, a strange coldness filled him. The voice, that energy, that challenge, it awoke memories buried in him that were not his own. He whispered one word, “Legion...” and suddenly he could see years of turmoil on another planet. People not entirely unlike humans fought against creatures of all natures in vast, terrible battles. The people of this alien world cast great spells and controlled unimaginable energy as they contended against their foes. Years of war ran through his mind, blood bathed the world, broken corpses littered the burnt landscape. However, he did not know their names, it was like a dream filled with someone elses vague memories.

Through the eyes of another, he saw the united forces of Legion standing around a central figure, a being of pure horror that controlled them. With a wave of its hand, the world broke apart and the creatures it controlled slipped away through portals. Somehow he knew they were preparing for the next world they would challenge.

In his mind he saw himself cast a portal and flee, but not before one of the last minions of this monster followed. From there he experienced the final battle. He felt himself fall to the earth, and he watched the man crawl across the ground and grab his feet. The last words of this man resounded in his head, “Protect this world! DO NOT LET IT FALL!”

“Gar...Gar?” His fathers voice brought him back to this moment.

He hadn’t realized he had fallen to his knees and was holding his head. Looking up he saw Dr. Shepard standing there, a worried expression written on his face. The two security guards were trembling and holding guns, aimed at him. Gar’s body quivered as he said, “I know what that is, I know who I am.”

Dr. Shepard asked, “do you know what’s going on?”

“That is Legion, destroyer of worlds. I was created to fight them, to stop them. They are horrible!” He was fighting the trauma of the visions he was forced to relive.

“Wha….what….what are you?” one of the two guards asked, his gun shaking.

Gar simple lifted his enormous wings and bellowed, “Go! Run!”

The man pulled his trigger and fired, but the bullet merely reflected into a wall. Seeing this, both men screamed and ran for their lives.

“Gar, why did you scare them?”

Gar took is fathers arm, “You have to go! Now! Whatever comes out of that portal will kill everything!”

“Okay, let’s go. The trucks around back!” Dr. Shepard took one step before he was thrown to the ground by it’s shaking.

Outside, something came crashing out of the portal, landing in the middle of the square. Gun fire could be heard outside as the forces sent to investigate the portal responded.

“What’s going on?” Dr. Shepard yelled over the din.

A bright light filled the windows and the wall of the library nearest the portal was destroyed, as were all the people fighting. This thing had just leveled most of the square in one shot.

Gar had his father held behind him, protecting him with his stone body. The museum was compromised but still standing. However, the wall and most of his precious library had been destroyed. Beyond that stood the creature that did this, one that stepped right out of the nightmare Gar had just endured. He whispered, “Kravik.”

Kravik, the huge, metal clad warrior of Legion, held a large gun that he had just used. He looked around, behind that mask of his. “Now, how can this be? I sense the presence of...a Vexillian.” He scanned the area with a small handheld device. He stopped just as his device was aimed at the museum.

Before he could respond to his readings, a man spoke over a megaphone, “UNKNOWN CREATURE, STAND DOWN OR WE WILL FIRE!”

Kravik turned quickly and shot his weapon at the military. There was an explosion and then a rocket slammed into him and sent him flying across the plaza.

“Let’s go!” Dr. Shepard pulled on Gars wing.

Gar turned and said, “You go, I have to face him.”

“What? No! That thing will crush you. We are getting the hell out of here.” Dr. Shepard took his hand and pulled.

Gar used the grip on Dr. Shepard to pull him up into a hug. “I love you, father. But, I have to do this. I am strong enough. I was made to fight the legion.”

Dr. Shepard hugged him back while crying, “I can’t lose another son. Please, come with me.”

There came more explosions outside as the two forces fought, when the noise died down enough, Gar answered, “He knows what I am, he can sense it. He will follow us wherever we go. He will murder countless people, I have to stop him now.” He set his father down.

Dr. Shepard begged, “No, please. We can hide.”

“I have been hidden for seven centuries, waiting for this. That creature and his kind exterminated my creators people, I won’t let him do it again.” With that Gar turned and ran for the new opening in the wall.

“GAR!” Dr. Shepard cried out.

Continue the Story

Hero Highlights- ∂αякѕαвяє ▬ι═══ﺤ

The hero we are meeting today has by training his mind and body, marshaled both into a formidable weapon, which the Morphon has further enhanced.

Can you tell us your name, or would you prefer your Hero designation/code name?

~~My name is JEIMUZU EIRAA SHIMIZU or JEI for short, but I prefer to go by my Call-sign or hero designation, DARKSABRE, from my old black-ops days

Are you working thru B.A.D.G.E. or are you independent?

~~I have been working independently but my contacts put me in touch with Director Nova, who agreed to assist me in tracking down SABRETOOTH.

Are you currently in a League, and if so, would you care to tell us about it?

~~I'm an ex-5th Precinct Beat Cop, however, I have formed my own specialist team, 5th Precinct - The DarkSabres

Can you tell us a little about your powers? Are all of your powers Morphon based?

~~A combination of ancient martial arts skills passed down through my family and the Morphons enhancing my abilities and giving him me ones. Laser Eyes, the ability to create Shadow Clones gives me stealth and a powerful attack. Super-Strength, Super Speed, Teleportation, Ability control fire, Healing Factor · Martial arts · Virtual Immortality are among just some of the abilities I have, Some I was born with, some I developed over years of grueling training developing my mind and body and others were abilities I already had but became super-enhanced by Morphon particles. Other powers I have developed since defeating enemies, But I don't want to give away all my secrets now do I :)

Do you have a sidekick? No, but I team up with my sister, DARK PHOENIX who has similar abilities to me in the hunt for my father and tracking our mother's killer.

Could you tell us a little about your origin? A lot of my past is a mystery, but I am descended from the Shimizu clan of Ancient Japan, descended from Tsunugaarashito on my mother's side, my father's side well that's where the plot thickens... In Japan, I was always seen as different from my peers, the son of a GAIJIN, “White devil” or “Barbarian”. Turns out my father was not a Japanese man but a mysterious White man, a Canadian with strange abilities. all I have belonging to him are a set of Dog Tags with the name LOGAN... however while training with the Iron Fist told me that was not my father's real name...No one will really talk about him but what information I gleaned from my masters is that he was also a formidable warrior.

What is your favorite piece of gear? Why?

~~Well that would be telling :) No favorite gear, but I do think my armor and outfit are pretty cool, they are passed down from my family through many generations, with a few of my own special enhancements. also my blades or DARK SABRES which I can extend from my hands like claws!

Do you Have any advice for new Heroes?

~~Just some words of advice from one of my many sensei. “Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”

Is there anything else you'd care to add?

~~It's been a pleasure to talk with you. Krystal Fae.

And to you as well, SHIMIZU-san...

Until next time, my friends.

Continue the Story

It's That Time again...

Once more, it is time for the Fae one to find more vict-  umm... volunteers, for my Hero Highlights articles.

                               

Remember, those volunteering for an interview receive valuable cards as a reward. These may be used as card powers or sold for their MP return value.

                                                 

Here is my standard list of questions... Note- to be eligible for the card reward, all questions must be answered IN CHARACTER.

Can you tell us your name, or would you prefer your Hero designation/code name?

Are you working thru B.A.D.G.E. or are you independent?

Are you currently in a League, and if so, would you care to tell us about it?

Can you tell us a little about your powers? Are all of your powers Morphon based?

Do you have a sidekick?

Could you tell us a little about your origin?

What is your favorite piece of gear? Why?

Do you Have any advice for new Heroes?

Is there anything else you'd care to add?

Continue the Story

FREE! New Suits in the Avatar Maker

By Strange Quark
Avatar Gatekeeper

Greetings, citizens of Heroes Rising!

Coming soon your way are two new "suits" for normal male and female builds.

For normal males is a flashy suit comprising matching mask, outfit, gloves, and boots.

For normal females is a suggested fiery catsuit combo.

Of course, you can mix and match them in anyway you choose.

These suits are free, so it costs nothing to look awesome!

Add an aura plus some flare for an even more eye-catching effect! (Note that some other items may incur an MP cost.)

We're starting with suits for normal male and female builds, but suit combos for other builds are on the way.

Keep a lookout for them in the coming weeks.

Yours quackily,
SQ

Continue the Story

In The Room with Captain Marvel

by Chaz Hamilton (and Krystal Fae)

10:55 am, Sentinel Conference Room

Having just flown in for a pre-arranged interview with the Sentinel News Staff, Captain Marvel waits alone at a large conference table while stretching his muscular arms out from his body. “Boy, are my arms tired.”

On opposite sides of the room, doors open. To Captain Marvel’s left, Krystal Fae glides in with her notepad in hand. On the right side of the room, Chaz Hamilton backs into the room while balancing his tablet and two tall cups of Starbux coffee.

The two Sentinel reporters exclaim in unison: “What are you doing here?”

Captain Marvel: “I’m here for my interview.”

Krystal Fae: “Yes, of course, YOU are. And welcome. I was asking Mr. Hamilton his purpose here. Chaz?”

Chaz: “Becky told me my interviewee was here. She scheduled my meeting with him nearly a week ago. What are you doing here?” Chaz walks to one side of Captain Marvel and places a cup of coffee down beside him. “Thanks for taking the time to meet with me. I’m a huge fan. You’re a true hero to our community.”

Captain Marvel: “Oh coffee. Excellent! Krystal have you brought any presents for the Captain?”

Krystal Fae: “This won’t take but a moment, Captain.” Krystal sets her pad down and takes a seat opposite Captain Marvel. “The interview was scheduled a week ago, yes, but it was made between he and I, Chaz. I gave the instructions to our staff secretary personally.”

Chaz: “Mary left sick last Friday. Becky has been covering for her since then.” Chaz pulls out the chair next to Captain Marvel and plops down into it as he nods to the door Krystal entered though. “I’m sorry for the confusion, sir. I’m sure you don’t mind her interruption.”

Captain Marvel: “No, I don’t mind being interrupted by a beautiful woman. Although she could have at least brought some cookies or a scone.

Krystal Fae: “Chaz, dear. I’m not going to argue with you in front of MY guest.” Krystal taps the intercom in the center of the table. “Becky, sweetheart, can you verify my appointment with Captain Marvel?”

A voice crackles over the intercom: “Hello?”

Krystal Fae: “Yes. Hello, Becky. Who has the interview at 11am with Captain Marvel?”

Intercom: “HELLOO.”

Chaz and Krystal turn to one another and roll their eyes: “Temps…”

Captain Marvel: “Do I need to come back after you two fight it out? Honestly, kid,” Captain Marvel says as he turns to Chaz. “I like your writing, but I think she’d wipe the floor with you. Literally. She can turn you into a mop or something.”

Krystal Fae: “No, Captain. You’ve been very patient with your accommodation for the mix up. I’m sure Chaz and I can come to an agreement.” She glances over the rim of her glasses at Chaz, her green eyes sparkling like emeralds in the late morning sunlight. “Share another by-line with me? We can flip a coin or something for top billing this time.”

Chaz bites on the inside of his lip for an instant: “Agreed. I’d be happy to flip something for you.” He sets his tablet down, strikes the record button on it, and gestures magnanimously at Krystal. “Ladies first, of course.”

Krystal Fae: “Can you tell us your name, or would you prefer your Hero designation/code name?”

C.M. “My name is Captain Marvel. I’m here to kick azz and chew bubble gum. And I’m all out of bubble gum!”

Krystal clears her throat with a tiny “Ah-hmm”, then continues...

Krystal Fae: “Are you working thru B.A.D.G.E. or are you independent?”

C.M.: “Mostly independent. But let’s face facts. Independent Super-heroes don’t make squat. That is why I subcontract through BADGE. They pay me weekly.” Captain Marvel turns his head to a side with a fist to his mouth and coughs.“Very weakly”

Krystal Fae: “Are you currently in a League, and if so, would you care to tell us about it?”

C.M.: “Area 51 is like family to me. But it was not always so. I once despised Area 51. Taking my independent team to the championship rounds only to find an Area 51 team waiting for me. It was heartbreaking. Then one day a good friend of mine begged me “Please come over to the dark side... We have cookies!” And so it was. I found a new home with a great bunch of friends. The cookies were also pretty darn good.”

Krystal Fae: “Can you tell us a little about your powers—”

Chaz interrupts: “Excuse me, Krystal, but are you going to ask those same, dull questions again? You don’t mind if I jump in for a moment and ask something… fresher?”

Krystal Fae: “Well, don’t let me bore you, Chaz. Feel free to barge in. What question are you dying to ask?”

Chaz: “Thanks. Captain Marvel, you mentioned that you subcontract through BADGE but their payment is, as you put it, “very weakly.” What is the biggest expense you have as a superhero?”

C.M.: “Oh without a doubt, it is the club I belong to. Area 51. They are my brothers in arms. Many I have known 9-10 years Nobody wants to be the weak link or “that guy”. Plus, we recently began upgrading our new HQ. It’s gonna be sweet, once we finish kicking the walls and painting the tires. Wait, did I say that right? Doesn’t matter, you’ll fix it in the edit, right? My second largest expense is insurance. I try to get all of my opponents to sign a no-fault death or dismemberment contract. The insurance is for the ones who refuse.”

Chaz: “What kind of cookies does Area 51 have? Can our readers get the recipe?”

C.M.: “I’m not sure what kind of cookies they are, but you can’t fly or drive for 4 hours after eating them... The recipe? I don’t know about that. But I might be able to score some for you. We get them from a little place down on S.E. Sesame St. They had some issues with a strange, blue, felt-based monster a few years ago. We took care of it for them. We get all the cookies we want from them now.”

Chaz: “What did you do to it?”

C.M.: “I wasn’t there at the time when they handled that one, so I can’t say for sure. They did have a really nice new throw rug in front of the fireplace when I rejoined.”

Krystal Fae: “May I continue now, or would you like to talk more about baking and interior decorating??”

Chaz: “Be my guest.”

Krystal Fae: “Are all of your powers Morphon-based?”

C.M. “I have a couple of Morphon-based powers, but most of my powers I have had for many years. Haven't you ever watched my Saturday morning cartoon show?”

Krystal Fae: “I must not have, sorry. I’m not, how would you say it, ‘from around these parts’. I digress. Do you have a sidekick?”

C.M.: “No, but I own a dog. I named her Kara. After my ex-wife. The former Mrs. Marvel. Kara Danvers. Because she is a real Bitch. I’m referring to the dog of course. Well sort of. I remember my ex telling me. ‘It is either me or that darn game!’ You can see how that turned out! But, I'm not bitter. She gets to steal my name and make a major motion picture. While all I got was a discontinued comic book and a canceled cartoon show. It is one of those, ‘she got the gold mine. I got the shaft’ type of things.”

Krystal mutters very quietly behind her notepad...”And from what I’m seeing, she probably deserved it...”

Krystal Fae: “That’s very unfortunate.”

C.M.” “I'm not hateful. In fact, I missed her. I missed her a couple of times. But my aim is slowly improving.”

Chaz interrupts again: “I have sources that say you are currently living in the Area 51 lair? Is that true? Did your ex get the house as her part of the gold mine?”

C.M.: “Slooooow down, Tiger. One question at a time. Yes, the rumors are true. I am currently sleeping at the lair. But I think they are getting tired of me being there. Last night I went to go to the bathroom and Thor’s hammer was on the lid. They left a note saying ‘Dishes are like girlfriends. Your League mates should not be doing them! Do your own damn dishes.’ On your second question about my ex getting the house as her part of the gold mine? She got everything. Including my name. For all those who think she is an Angel, let me remind you so was Satan. One of the things that broke the camel’s back was she cut me down to once a month for sex. Can you believe that? Of course, the other 2 guys she cut off completely. But one thing we did have in common. We had a great sex life. I would have her dress up as a WWII nurse. Because that is my secret fantasy. Affordable health care.”

Chaz gulps: “Ah… Krystal, you take the next one, OK?”

Krystal Fae, with wide eyes, nods: “Umm, sure. Captain, could you tell us a little about your origin?”

C.M. “I was born on Earth in 1928. My parents moved around a lot when I was a kid. Fortunately, with my super-powers, I was always able to track them down… In my younger years as a crime fighter. I got sued. Because I was too much like a certain ‘Superman’. Can you believe that crap? So, I hung up my cape and became a spam Rancher and raised boneless chickens in Idaho. Did that for many years. Until the bottom fell out of the boneless chicken market.”

Chaz mouths to Krystal, his face covered by the back of his hand: “When did the market drop out of boneless chicken?” He turns back to Captain Marvel. “Are you talking about raising chickens that actually don’t have any bones in them at all? Were they the byproduct of some failed lab experiment?”

C.M.: “Oh. Chaz, you misunderstood. I meant that literally. The bottoms fell out of the boneless chickens at the market. Probably due to them having no skeletal framework. No, they were not a failed experiment. I did buy them real cheap though, From some guy from the CDC. Called himself Zombie Control. However, they were exposed to the Zuka virus. Which you and I both know is nothing compared to the EA virus. That virus wiped out an entire city.”

Krystal keeps her face lowered as she writes on her pad of paper: “What is your favorite piece of gear? Why?”

C.M. “The piece I get the most use out of is my indestructible, Super stain resistant cape. Eating spaghetti or a sloppy burger? No problem.” C.M. grabs the tail of his cape and spins it around, nearly knocking Chaz out of his chair. “It becomes the world’s largest stain-resistant bib. Just look at how beautiful this is. Almost like Arctic snow.”

Chaz: “Uh, what is that?” He points at a splotch on the fabric.

C.M. “HUH? What the hell is that? EWW. YUCK! Does this look like spaghetti or pizza sauce to you?”

Krystal glances up: “I think it is a pigeon. Or what’s left of one.”

C.M.: “Hmmm, well so it is. I’m sure it is nothing that a good dry cleaning or blow torch won’t take care of. Can’t think of when I’ve eaten pigeon last, though. One of the many hazards of flying at supersonic speed with your mouth open.”

Chaz: “Yes, that is a pretty stain-resistant cape. Have you ever thought about going into mass production of that for Red Lobster or other restaurant chains?”

C.M.: “Oh, I’ve thought about it. But since this is BADGE issued and I signed a non-disclosure agreement. I think I will have to pass. BADGE gets real persnickety when you sell or trade their secrets.”

Krystal Fae: “Do you Have any advice for new Heroes?”

C.M.: “Two things!” Captain Marvel stands and poses as if starring in a commercial.

“#1 ARRRRHHHGGGG. Bank yer gold, Kiddies. There be pirates and villains about!

#2 Never driver any faster than your Guardian Angel can fly. Or never fly any faster than your Guardian Angel can drive. Umm, What I mean is, if you drink don’t fly home. Take a taxi. That is what I did last night. Got waved through all those pesky DUI checkpoints. To arrive at home safely and worry-free. In fact, the ride was totally free. The only problem I have now is. Where do I return the taxi that is parked in my driveway.?”

Krystal takes a deep breath and restrains the comment waiting to explode off her tongue.

Krystal Fae: “Is anything else you'd care to add?”

C.M.: “Sure. Want to see something cool? I got muscles where there shouldn’t be muscles. Watch this. I can flex my face.” Captain Marvel clenches his chin. “GRRRR, pretty cool huh!” Captain Marvel repeats the flex with greater intensity. “GRRRRRR. Hey, is everybody in HR going to read this?”

Chaz: “The interview will go out to all our readers.” (Krystal nods in confirmation)

C.M. “WOOOO-HOOO. CHECK OUT THESE 16 INCH PYTHONS FOR ARMS! THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT! YEA BABY! SOLID STEEL AND SEX APPEAL ALL IN ONE PACKAGE! And I’m single. This goes out to all the beautiful Heroines out there! Hmmm, Heroines. Does that sound a little bit off to you Chaz? Although, I’m not afraid to admit I’m addicted to good women if you know what I mean.” Captain Marvel elbows Chaz and sends the reporter and his chair skidding down alongside the table.

Chaz braces his palms on the tabletop, trying to stop his careening: “Yeah, a bit. Maybe we could just get a good picture of you and let it speak for itself.”

C.M. “Yes, it does to me also. Well, go ahead and edit that part out. Can’t have all the women knowing I’m somewhat of an arrogant dick-head, can we? I need to save something for the second date, you know.”

Chaz gets a sly look and smirks at Krystal: “Oh, speaking about reaching beautiful heroines out there, I don’t think Krystal has been seeing anyone for a while. Did Becky at the front desk give you her personal phone number? No. Let me write it down for you. You don’t have anything against redheads, do you?”

C.M. turns and sizes up Krystal: “Red-head, huh. Well, no I don’t have anything against them. Are you natural ginger? Because if the rug does not match the drapes, that would make her a trans-ginger. Can’t have that.” (Krystal again rolls her eyes.) Captain Marvel pulls out his phone and scans the screen as he swipes. “Hey, this number looks familiar… This is not the rejection hotline again is it?”

Krystal Fae: “Don’t mislead the gentleman, Chaz. I’m a married woman.”

The intercom buzzes in the center of the table: “HELLO!!”

Krystal Fae: “Yes, Becky. We’re here. What can we do for you?”

Intercom: “Hello. Oh, I don’t know if this is working. Someone named Danvers just came in and is looking to speak to someone. She says her ex-husband’s here and she wants to give her side of the story. HELLOOO! Hello? Oh, damn-it. <click>”

Chaz and Krystal eyeball one another.

Lifting his arm and pointing out the window at the back of the room, a look of panic crosses Chaz’s face. “Great Caesar’s Salad, LOOK OVER THERE. Is that an asteroid?”

Captain Marvel and Krystal Fae twist in their seats, prepared to act. A clear, beautiful, uneventful sky greets them as a door swinging closed behind them slams.

Krystal turns to Captain Marvel. “Thank you so much for your time, sir. If you’ll excuse me.” She raises her hand, gesturing in an intricate and precise fingering before disappearing in a flash of light.

Captain Marvel slumps his shoulders and buries his face in his hands, lightly sobbing. “There she goes again. Always stealing my thunder.”

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