Congratulations, Powerbottom, for placing third in the Powers Fiction Contest!The twins walked into The Club. That in itself was unusual. They usually just appeared.
The Club was an uptrending dance club in New Amsterdam with a noticeable scarcity of both female patrons and shirts. A year ago, the crowd would have found that unusual, the appearing, not the walking. Let’s just say that the last year with the advent of morphons, attacks from the Legion, and the revelation that alien war refugees had lived among them for at least 700 years, had raised the bar for unusual quite a bit.
Most of the world knew them as Power Bottom and Underwatch. Any name the rest of the world knew them by was probably false. In their line of work, throwing around your real name was a poor life choice. In addition to being costumed adventurers, as your grandpa used to call them, Power Bottom and Underwatch often involved themselves in the supernatural goings-on of the world. Their families had ties to the preternatural spirits and realms of their parent’s home dimension.
The obligatory shadowy figure at the outskirts of the club watched them enter as he sized up the pair. Power Bottom was the more publicized of the two. He’d taken on the nome du adventure of his father. He had been attending college in this reality when the Morphon event occurred.
He’d intervened in several incidents since then. Despite having his own power set and skills, he insists on using the original Power Bottom’s methods of fighting otherworldly menaces.
“If he ever finds his way, he might be dangerous.” The stranger mused, turning his attention to Underwatch, Power Bottom’s brother.
Underwatch, widely considered the brains of the outfit, knows where to find the information he doesn’t have. He’s in the public eye much less than his brother. Despite not having developed a morphon signature, people in the know consider him the more dangerous twin.
“The sky exploded, and these two have many worlds open to them. They get power, travel the world, hotties chasing them wherever they go.
I get a photographic memory, and not not the good kind. I can create a photograph of anything I see, which would have been a plus in my former career If I didn’t gain two feet in height and turn bright green. I gained muscle, so I'm not a beanpole, but I didn’t receive anything you couldn’t do for yourself with a little hard work and a lot of body dysmorphia. I have the strength, dexterity, and body of an Olympic gymnast, which in this brave new super-powered world, makes me less than average.
So goodbye undisclosed government agency, hello exciting new career as a paparazzi, with a dislike for a specific frozen food company’s spokesman. Ho-Ho Ho, my Jolly Green @$$.”
Noticing that the pair walked-in dressed for fun and not work, he relaxed. Realizing things were unlikely to start exploding, he got to work.
Unsurprised that Power Bottom spends the evening dancing, drinking, and flirting. Underwatch spends the evening dancing, drinking, judging, and snarking. He decides that they’re attractive and mildly scandalous, so their pictures always sell well.
Realizing that the party pics will be average at best, he recalls another factoid about the twins,
The two can Travel. Rumor says it's genetic and not Morphonic, PB Travels from gay bar to gay bar while Underwatch Travels between closets. No one has ever seen this process, much less photograph it. Gambling that any number of unlicensed, morally ambiguous, scientifically inclined megalomaniacs would be willing to pay bank for the chance to replicate the process.
Slowly throughout the evening, he edged closer to the utility closet.
After several hours Underwatches eyes flare violet, and a distant look takes over his face. Power Bottom sighs as if reading his brother’s mind, and follows Underwatch towards the closet, their clothes transition into their uniforms as they walk.
The paparazzi yanks the door open as quickly as possible after PB closes it behind him. He takes a good look and screams as the world explodes.
*****
Across the country in Angel Port, a Different Light Books was ending a successful book signing. It had been a busy night. Sales were brisk, as much as they could be in a brick and mortar, independent book stores anymore. This one made extra money buying, locating, and selling exoteric books.
The staff cleaned the mess, brought order to the chaos, and moved to secure the door, hoping to encourage stragglers to leave.
One of the remaining customers had lurked at the edges of the crowd. (Seriously, these guys ought to form a union)
Everyone’s ears popped as the villain stood and made a gesture. The windows and doors of the building vanished, leaving solid walls.
“Follow my instructions, and you probably won't be hurt.” he intoned.“We would apologize for the inconvenience, but we really don’t care.”
Shadows around him blurred. Solid seeming silhouettes of himself emerged. The shadows flew forth and encased the bystanders restraining them.
With another gesture, a device appeared around the closet door. The more astute captives noticed the design of the machine was similar to pictures of captured Legion technology.
Smirking, he advanced to a large piece of Purple Beryl that seemed to glow gently. Attached to the crystal was a sign in comic sans stating, “In case of emergency, break glass.”
“This does seem to qualify,” he gloated, smashing the crystal to the ground.
Tedious minutes passed, and a lavender light surrounded the door’s edges as it creaked open. The device around the doorway flashed to life. An ominous void surrounded by a white nimbus of light replaced the doorway,
The shadowy figure laughed as the heroes and captives screamed, and the world exploded.
*****
PB appraised the situation. They’d never gated in the middle of an explosion before.
His brother had never screamed in pain and collapsed after traveling before.
Gathering his wits, he thought aloud, “What do we know?
Leo got an emergency psychic 911 because his pet bookstore shifted slightly sideways to reality. Of course, they called in the two best looking teleporters in the business. Underwatch and I stepped into a supply closet to transit to the bookstore. I closed the door, and Underwatch built a gate. At the same time, the jolly green paparazzi opened the door we were using. The debris outside of the door looks like a Legion Morphon gate.
So just my luck, we wind up with one door going four different places. We are aware that two objects can’t occupy the same space at the same time. I suppose this is what happens when two spaces occupy the same object at the same time.”
PB recalled that Leo was in a different reality when the Legion launched its attacks. They inherited the teleportation thing. This situation exposed him to a concentrated burst of morphons for the first time.
Checking for an immediate threat, PB realized that the explosion crammed the bar and the bookstore together inside the closet, who’s door had vanished.
Not seeing any bystanders or villains, PB checked on his Brother.
“I’m fine, but we should probably keep this verbal until we see what that did to me.”
“Agreed, but I’m not out of danger either. I felt your pain, and I’m still tingly.”
“Great.” Leo bemoaned, “Let’s explore and see what we can do to undo this mess.” He traced the rune for light engraved on his staff, focussed his will, and nothing happened.
“That’s less than good, bro,” PB observed while drawing the kunai with the rune of light on it and sighed. “Me too.”
“Evidently, we’ve changed enough that the spells on our gear no longer recognize us as us.
Should we try the sight?”
“It’s worth risking.” PB tried to switch to the enhanced vision that let them view supernatural forces and beings. Realizing he and his brother and his gear had already been glowing, he attempted shutting it off instead. “Mines stuck. I only see one way now.”
“Me too, separating our two worlds was always Pop’s hang up anyway. This is relatively low on my list of priorities.”
They both winked and imitated their Aunt Maggie, “PB, it bloody ridiculous that you want to blindfold them to half the things that want to kill them.”
“I always agreed with her, bro. But, it seemed so important to Pops. He tried so hard to train us to separate our sights.”
“I guess our way is different than his, PB. This gets better and better. Why aren’t there any bodies, hostages, bystanders, or targets?”
“We are right here.” The shadows shifted and drew together to form a monstrosity. A roiling blob that occasionally extended a human head or tentacles made of darkness.
A grey tentacle blasted towards Underwatch in a serpentine sweep. The glow surrounding him drained to his feet. A portal appeared, and he fell through it.
PB observed, “Leo got portal escape in the upgrade. That’s kind of cool.” The pressure that had been building since they arrived had vanished with his brother. PB cracked his neck, smirked, and assumed his taunt the a-hole posture.
“I’m glad he escaped. This isn’t the tentacle monster episode I wanted anyway. So tell me Shadow Bastard, Why are you calling us out?”
“You broke something that belonged to our creator. He put quite a price on your head and wants to send a message to BADGE and all other interfering parties to stay out of his affairs.”
“I don’t date married men, and my affairs usually get into…”
“Shut your filthy mouth.” The beast interrupted.
“Oh, did I touch Shadow Bastard’s nerve?”
“That is NOT our name. We are Splice.”
“Oh, is this Splice World? Tell me what you want. What you really, really…”
“You will be consumed like the others, and your power added to ours!!” Splice screamed.
“You keep interrupting me.” PB Sneered. “A good tentacle monster would let me finish. Eventually.”
The creature screamed and launched a barrage of serpentine sweeps at the hero.
As PB vanished into a portal, his brother reappeared. :What did you accomplish, Other than Pissing it off?:
:I counted heads. It cycled through 20 before repeating:
:Where did you land?:
:Where the bar used to be. You?:
:The former bookstore. I couldn’t get back in until you left.”
:Me too. I’ll keep trying. We need to figure out a way to attack or separate the victims from Splice:
:I’ll take things that are obvious for $1,800, Alex.:
:I’ll go for $2000. Twin radio still works.:
“You both will join us!!” The monster threatened while launching tentacles at Leo, Who portal leaped out of the way.
:PB, if we simply use Portal Leap to move in the battle zone we don’t switch.:
:But Portal escaping as a defense does as it moves us out of the battle zone? Think we can use the portal to slice bits off Splice and separate the captives from him?:
:We don’t have that kind of control yet.:
:Being back in our reality made me realize I can see the arcane energies swirling around realities. I can see the way back to you. But I’m still blocked from getting there.:
:I don’t see that. It may be a key to your attack, though. Need to focus here, though.:
Leo took a defensive stance, but one of the tentacles struck him. He cursed, repeating a Name his father had used when upset. A lavender ring of arcane energy burst from him devastating all in its path.
Splice screamed in pain and outrage, “That Hurt.” He launched tentacles at Underwatch, who escaped telling his brother :I found Praxis Arcanus.:
:Don’t relax. I have an idea. This is probably going to move quickly now.: PB faced the creature. He focused the energies swirling around creation. The lavender glow surrounded his hands. He lept at Splice and grabbed a tentacle. The glow spread down the tentacle 20 voices cried out in pain as PB pulled separating a victim from Splice.
:Hey, Underwatch, how do we know who goes back to the club and who goes to the bookstore?:
:Patrons of bookstores generally wear shirts.:
:Oh Yeah. Good call.:
PB escaped, taking the victim with him. Leo attacked with his Praxis escaping to allow his brother to return to separate another victim. The battlefield strobed with violet energy as the twins Lept and escaped disorienting Splice until freeing all the victims and returning them to their city of origin.
Finally, PB stood over the defeated form of the criminal from the bookstore. “What are we going to do with you?”
“Explain my corpse to the authorities? Splice asked while grabbing one of PB’s knives and plunging it through his own heart.”
PB sighed:Someone’s dedicated. Ewwwwww! And not human, he just turned to goo and melted. Any Ideas on returning the real estate to its proper locations?:
:Use your portal and focus on the bar. I’ll try concentrating on the bookstore with mine. Maybe we can separate them.:
The brothers strained until PB eventually escaped dragging the Club with him. The bookstore returned to its proper space as well.
:We did it, bro, The bad guy, is vanquished. The victims are rescued. And a tear in reality is mended. We totally saved the day.:
:I hardly think we can call this a win PB.:
:What do you mean?:
:Our powers are reduced. Our equipment is unreliable. We participated in massive property damage and trauma to the victims. Instead of mending the tear in reality, we created a permanent standing portal between Angel Port and New Amsterdam, effectively shutting down at least two independent businesses. We saved the paparazzi who helped cause this, resents us, and can make pictures of anything he sees last. He basically has photos of you literally tearing the bad guy apart. We don’t have Splices body, and he hasn’t reappeared in either city. Which means you’re probably a suspect for murder. I’m probably an accomplice. And yes, we overcame the block on our teleportation and gained portals, but…:
:But what, bro? Why does it feel like you’re crying?:
:We’re trapped on opposite sides of the portal.:
:You’re still there? What’s there with the bookstore and Library gone? Want me to switch with you?:
:There’s no naturally occurring food, water, and air. I’m still immortal; you’re still human, mostly.:
:Jerk:
:@$$:
:It feels like home, though. Really. It might be in time. Get Auntie K. or someone in the 5th to make you some kind of environmental compensator, so you’re safe if our powers force us to swap.:
:This sucks, Leo:
:I know. Love ya, @$$.:
:Love ya too, Jerk.:
