Exhausted from a grueling day, the Rockhoppers and the Super-Pets took the shuttle back to the Rookery. Unlike the previous night, Rockhopper Lass had no trouble getting to sleep.
The Pyngwyn Princess soon began to dream. In her dream, she saw Eudyptes, only it wasn't the Eudyptes who had taken so much time and energy in trying to help her regain her memory. This was a different Eudyptes. One she knew. This was her brother.
He was with a human male and they were looking at something, but she couldn't make it out.
Down the hall, Rockhopper Lad was reading all he could about amnesia in Pyngwyns. Hyvvie the Wonder Beagle was nearby, so he came up to his master and turned his tummy up for him to rub.
"Not now, Hyvvie," Rockhopper Lad said, giving his faithful dog a pat. "I think I may have found something. Whatever caused Adelie's amnesia, it was supernatural. There is no recorded case of a Pyngwyn having amnesia this complete.
Between the Worlds Blaine Fey regarded Evil Emperor Penguin. They may have been from different universes, but they complemented each other so well. His own reality-warping abilities and the arcane magic that his Pyngwyn partner had mastered combined into a potent combination. They had taken the memories of Rockhopper Lass and they had convinced others that they were in partnership with them.
The Emperor's magical abilities weren't common to his race. He had learned them, building on his inborn ice powers--something his doppelganger Rockhopper Lad had not done.
The Emperor smiled at Blaine. "My double. He thinks he can save Adelie. He is so weak. He will not be a threat."
Blaine looked past the Emperor and said, "As you say, my dear."
The Rookery Rockhopper Lass awoke screaming. This time, her "brother" was awake himself and came running. "Adelie, what's wrong?"
"They're watching us!"
-------------------- The only character in all of literature who has been described as "badnass" while using the phrase "vile miscreant."
From: The Pyngwyn Colonies of Planet Hyustyn | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
< Princess Crujectra walked wearily down the main corridor in the penthouse level of the dormitory. She had just arrived home after her deep space diplomatic mission, and the only thing she wanted now was a bath and sleep. However, she knew that both would have to wait, for she could sense thoughts in her suite. She raised a hand to place against the palm plate scanner next to the door, but suddenly the door slid open and she was quickly embraced. >
[The Crusader]: Welcome home, sis!
[Spellbinder]: Gently, brother dear. I’m feeling a little fragile at the moment, and I don’t really feel like falling over.
< Maxx moved out into the corridor to retrieve the Princess’ bags. >
[Maxx the Sorcerer]: Sorry, Crujeckie. We’ve just missed you.
< The trio moved into the apartment. They entered the lounge, and there, seated in the middle of Crujectra’s favorite chair, was Bob. He looked, if possible, rather annoyed.
[Bob the Cat]: Well, well, well… Look who decided to make an appearance. Finally.
[Maxx the Sorcerer]: Errr… Crujectra, you haven’t officially met my new familiar, Bob the Cat. Bob, this is Her Royal Highness, Princess Crujectra.
[Spellbinder]: <one eyebrow raised> Well, you’re certainly not what I expected. From the stories I’ve been getting from the boys, I expected you to be ten feet tall.
[Bob the Cat]: From the dents I found in your mattress, I expected you…
[The Crusader]: <shocked> Bob!
[Bob the Cat]: Spoilsport. In any case, I was expecting you to return to Legion World much sooner than this. Perhaps you were underestimating the importance of the message I sent you regarding your powers?
[Spellbinder]: Not at all. I simply had more pressing matters to attend to.
[Bob the Cat]: I think you need to learn that when I say something, I expect you to listen.
[Spellbinder]: I think you need to get over yourself, hairball. I’m a busy woman, and I make my own priorities.
[Bob the Cat]: <eyes narrowing> Believe me, there is nothing going on at the moment that is more important than what I have to teach you.
[Spellbinder]: I have every intention of paying close attention to what you have to teach. However, I am not your “beck and call” girl, so you’re going to have to wait your turn.
< Bob the Cat remained quiet while he regarded the young princess before him. She was definitely going to prove challenging, but he enjoyed a good challenge. He quite deliberately focused his eyes on her ample cleavage. >
[Bob the Cat]: While I’m waiting my turn, perhaps someone could feed the cat?
-------------------- Some people are like slinkys: not really good for anything, but they bring a smile to your face when you knock them down a flight of stairs
From: Penthouse atop Levitz Hall, LMBP Plaza, Embassy Row, Legion World | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
A signal light started to flash on the control panel...."This is Legionworld spaceport control, please Identify yourselves"
Antacid Lass - This is Antacid Lass from Bismoll, being accompanied by Gas Lass, Geez Loiuse and Ron Jeremy's Moustache.
Spaceport Control - Antacid Lass!!! Welcome back to Legionworld.
Antacid Lass - You Remember me?
Spaceport Control - Its our business to remember everyone.....please prceed to Spacedock 420.
In the rear of the cruiser, Antacid Lass' three companions were huddled togther.
Ron Jeremy's Moustache (whispering) - See I told you she could get us on world.
Geez Louise (whispering) - You were right, now to see if we can carry out the rest of our plan!!!
From: Fort McMurray | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
"I can't believe we've been waiting all this time? When are we going to attack?"
"Oh sorry, I've been distracted"
"By what?"
"Too complicated to get into here ... alright, gather round my siblings! When I give the signal, storm the walls. Kill everyone you find, but save SharkLad for me!"
"That's it?!? We waited weeks and weeks for that?"
"Give me a break, alright ... so now, ATTACK!"
-------------------- Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water...
From: The waters off eastern Long Island | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
The enigmatic man known as Harold Ryan Wyandotte returns after having taken a long walk. The walk helped him clear his head greatly after his initial shock at learning Bat-Fem's true identity.
"Hmmm..." he thinks aloud as he removes his cloak, "...I almost acted rashly after learning what I did. I must remember that every move I make must be thought out fully, lest I compromise my whole plan! But cooler heads prevail, and I know now what I must do..."
He pulls up the image of Bat-Fem unmasked and then casually hacks into a particular database.
"Hmmm...that seems a rather boring headline for the Inquisitor--all that election hogwash! What if they, instead, feature the scoop of the year?"
Methodically, he moves the image of Bat-Fem to replace the montage of leadership candidates. He pauses a moment, thinking of the perfect headline.
"Oh, let's not spell it out for them...the ones who need to know will get it!"
The new headline reads: "Bat-Fem Unmasked! Who is she?"
"Yes, yes...that should suffice! This will take care of two problems I have with one blow. Bat-Fem will face the wrath of the LMB, thereby eliminating her threat to me...and, at the same time, it will draw out my scarred, unstable ally! The time is nigh to rid myself of that self-proclaimed 'Lard Lord'---he's definitely outlived his usefulness!"
"It's always particularly gratifying to manipulate the LMB into doing my work for me! HA-HA-HAAAA!"
He completes the article and sends it into the Inquisitor's database. But the unnerving, maniacal laughter continues for quite some time.....
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
Dru the Sorceress appears in a puff of smoke in the Office Building's lobby area.
"Where is he? Someone take me to my fiance, now!!"
Lil' Matlock responds as he enters the area carried by PolarBoy. "Easy, Dru...Shady's talking to him in another part of the building."
"Talking?" she says with sarcasm. "Don't you mean interrogating him? I won't stand for that! Anthony was with me the whole time--there's no way he could have killed Hugh! And he loved him like a brother! I--"
"Dru," Lil' Matlock interrupts speaking reasonably, "we don't think Lardy killed him, but whoever coerced Hummer Lass to do it, looks just like him! We're absolutely obligated to rule him out as a suspect...we're just following procedure. And maybe he can help us figure out who's impersonating him. We're on his side, and if you know anything about Shady, then you can count on her to do right by Lardy!"
"Okay, Matlock," Dru replies calmly, "we'll play it your way, if only to clear my fiance's name. But I want to see him within the hour."
"Done!"
Interrogation Room Three
Their eyes closed, Lard Lad and Shadowplay exchange their thoughts, as they have been doing for nearly three hours. Lard Lad normally guards his thoughts fiercely, but he's known this woman a long time and trusts her completely. At Shady's insistence, this session is completely private and will only be shared with the senior officers through her firsthand account.
Through Candace's thoughts, Lard Lad learns all about the investigation into Hugh's death, and, most painfully, relives Hugh's final days through the memories passed from Hugh to Dedman to Candace.
Exploring Lard Lad's thoughts, Candace gets more than she bargained for. Beyond confirming his innocence in Hugh's murder, she unwittingly unleashes a floodgate within him of anger and pain. In the process she discovers recent darkness he went through, mostly centering around a woman she is very familiar with: Mordra the Harlot. When Candace reaches the memory he guarded most fiercely in his mind, she is taken aback so much that she has to break the mindlink.
"Ohhhhhh," she manages and faints as the link is severed. Lard Lad braces her before she can hit the floor.
"Gods!" he says. "Shady, are you alright?"
"Y-yes, sweetie," she says, regaining her wits. "What I saw in your mind...overwhelmed me."
"I'm...I'm okay, Shady. I'm past all of that."
"How...how can you say that, Anthony? All you went through...and what you did?"
"I've got Dru, Shady. She and I are working through our issues...together."
"But, Anthony...I couldn't have accessed all of those memories if you hadn't let me." Sweetie...it's a cry for help!"
His jaw quivering, Lard Lad says, "I guess I wanted someone to know. I mean, Dru and Des know pretty much everything, but-but it's not the same as this. It's kinda like, I dunno..."
"...giving your confession to a priest?" she offers.
"Yeah, kinda like that. I've had to lie a lot lately, and it makes me feel like shit, y'know?"
"You, realize, sweetie, that I can't absolve you of your sins, right?"
"Yeah, Shady, I know. But...are you going to tell them about all of this and about what I did to end the Invasion?"
"No, sweetie, it's irrelevant to the case. While I can't offer absolution, I will keep your confidence. I only hope you'll seek therapy for your troubled mind. While you've made some progress with Dru, you are also dependent on her to some degree. True mental wellness should be built from within, not without."
"I will get more help, Shady. I promise!"
The two share a tight embrace until Lard Lad's eyes suddenly widen, and he breaks it.
"Shady!" he exclaims. "Those men from Hugh's memories--I know who both of them are!"
Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
United Planets Space, en route to Legion World
“GAWD—this flight is taking forever!” said Lash Lad, throwing aside his calendar of hot comic book creators from the 21st Century.
Jailbait Lass said nothing and looked out across the stars. She was a little unsure of what to do these last few days and what to do once she got to Legion World.
“Oh come on,” said Lash Lad. “Unsure of what to do? You know what you’re supposed to do so just do it already.”
Jailbait Lass looked at him quizzically. It was like he could hear her thoughts or something.
“I can’t hear your thoughts if that’s what your wondering. Cobie told me all about what needs to be done,” he smiled, seeing her surprise. “Weeeell, I have known him longer than most. And besides, you know his fears of hallucinogenic after that incident with Dr. Hoffman, and you also know my love, er, scientific study, of them.” She smiled a little. “Come on now Jailbait Lass,” he continued, “he trusts you implicitly on this mission. So the question is: are you going to remain this shy, introverted behind the scenes LMB ally, or are you going to step up and get involved?”
She wiped the curly hair in front of her face back behind her ears, a smile coming out. “I guess when you put it like that…,” she said, pulling out both the prophecy and Dr. Mayavale’s two mushrooms. “Mushroom?” she asked Lash, handing it to him.
He giggled. “This is like doing drugs when I was a wee-teen!”
She hesitated. “You know,” she said, “I’m not sure what will happen here. Are you supposed to see things? What if I see things I don’t want to?”
“You have no control over that no matter what high you’re on,” said Lash. “But hopefully this will let your mind expand a little and understand those words with fresh eyes. And maybe you’ll see something you don’t want to and understand what it truly is for once.”
She held the mushroom in front of her. “Fine,” she said at last, “let’s do this.” She put the mushroom in her mouth, (which incidentally tasted horrific) and began to chew.
“Bottoms up!” said Lash Lad, throwing back the hallucinogenic substance. Finally the two stopped chewing. “Heh,” said Lash, “…crazy Dr. Mayavale. I’ll be with you now Jailbait Lass, at least til I start zoning out and going on my own path. After all, I’ll probably end up existing outside of continuity or something…”
Jailbait Lass had no idea what Lash meant, but was a little annoyed at effects of the mushroom. There were no immediate ones. She began to look at the prophecy, the 52 steps that would lead to World War VII, which would cause horrific genocide, war, famine and the eventual subjugation of most of the universe. They were all out of order, and most were just odd references to things that were too abstract to make any sense. Some she understood now: “Rise of the Khanate of Sol Invictus.” Yes, that had happened. “Legion World at war with Dark Oval,” yes, that also had happened during the Invasion. “Reality broken, Hypertime chugging fix-up, restoration of enemies and friends”…that she wasn’t so sure of, but it seemed awfully similar to the Infinite Crisis two year earlier. The restoration of enemies and friends she wasn’t too sure about. “Reboot in the Anomaly”…no clue. “Conspirators among conspirators.” “The watch isn’t fixed yet.” “The Tailors are of a Higher People.” “The fiery promises of Elagabolus.” “Legion World is missing?” “Death of our leader.” “Tears fill our rivers.” “The music of Kent Shakespaere.”
It was all too much…she was having trouble taking it in. The words seemed to be leaping out at her. She wanted to turn away and throw up, but could not stop looking at the prophecy. The words now began to slide off the page, in a slow trickle, like water sliding down a leaf. The black ink had a glow about it, and inside it, she swore she could see a divine presence.
No. That was the mushroom. Or was it? She turned to Lash Lad finally, knowing he too was in the full throws of his hallucination. But all she saw was light coming out at her, in a beautiful rainbow. At last she could make out the shape of his hands and face, and he was smiling widely and she thought for a second his fingers and hands were a keyboard. “What we create, can be changed and altered,” he said with a smile, “but not un-created. We can explore endlessly the continuities and retcon out retcons with new retcons. I can eat it all. Hah! Retcon-Eater Lad!”
She turned away, now very sweaty all of a sudden. She felt embarrassed…suddenly she felt very horny, something that was a little unusual for her when in front of others. She was too shy for that sort of behavior, no matter how much Cobalt Kid tried to bring it out of her. She felt hot and wanted to lie down, but the ink from the prophecy had now latched on to her and she felt as if she was a living Rorschach. She was part of the story after all, and now she could change it. Stop, she thought, and was angry that the ink did not form quotation marks around her thoughts. “Stop”, she said out loud now, and it did.
“Some of these things have happened and some are very far into the future,” she said aloud to herself. “But some are happening now, and can be stopped. The future can be altered of course,” she said, her analytical mind thinking again, “which is why Time Boy cannot go so far ahead at times…most likely because it is in the process of being altered by someone or something. Probably the LMB itself, constantly changing the time-stream or continuity stream, or whatever Lash Lad is having for dessert.”
“Something is happening on Legion World…” she said aloud, seeing ‘conspirators among conspirators’. “Caracalla did not know about Black Sun activity when we have a report that there is Black Sun activity on Legion World. Ergo, the Black Sun activity on Legion World is being directed by other malcontents with other malcontentions.” In the throws of her trip, she suddenly felt fiery pride at the making of her new word, another emotion she preferred not to be so obvious in public. “Something that ties the Crisis to the Invasion…some sort of rip in the universal frabric…” The prophecy sat beside her now, an inky form of Everyday Girl. It spoke:
“Ohmygod! ‘Lita, you have to get past the obvious! See?” and Everyday Girl’s inky torso formed the words ‘the watch isn’t fixed yet’.
“The universe isn’t fixed yet?” said Lolita. “Something is off…enemies and friend restored, so perhaps one enemy has been restored that should not? But…it can’t be the Anti-Moderator…”
“Oh please,” said Lash Lad, “not that tired old plot. Its been done to death,” he said with a sigh, “the LMB needs to get over the reboots and crisis and all that stuff and find a new allegory to fight it. I mean jeez, some goofy moderator as the linchpin for all the bad things DC did over the years?”
Lolita turned away, as to look at Lash now was to look at a beautiful but horrifying sight, a many headed hydra of keyboard keys, comic books, life experiences with a torso of complete humor and understanding.
“Then who?!” she shouted at the ink, who suddenly turned into Space Ranger. (The Real One) she thought to her self.
“Stop shouting,” said Space Ink-Ranger, adding in a grumble, “its someone in that power range obviously, sentient. Ekron and the Time Mouse Trapper, while viable candidates because of their connection to the overall themes here, just don’t fit. So that leaves one option, which only someone completely involved in the data of the LMB could ever guess…”
“You’re right!” she said.
“Of course! Truth and Justice Prevail!” Space Ranger now melted down and began crawling back to the paper. The words began to form again.
Jailbait Lass suddenly throw Cobalt Kid’s trench coat on her, as she became very cold. “So conspirators on Legion World covering a variety of bases, an enemy attempting to punch its way back into the universe. How though?” The ink suddenly formed “52”. “Yes, of course! 52 points of the universe that when punched will allow the universe to collapse. The watched isn’t fixed yet. Hm…there are no coincidences. 52 conspirators on Legion World, I’d wager…” She smiled now, her pretty hazel eyes turning away from the prophecy, and looking out into space. “The mushroom must be wearing off. I’ve pieced together some of this prophecy, but I realize now that its not worth doing the rest. Why bother figuring out years and years of potential steps to destruction, if it’ll just end up being a hindrance to the ever-expanding creativity of the LMB? To move forward would be to destroy Lash Lad and others, and he would no longer be the light that I see him has. A horrible price to pay for Time Boy to be able to appear in our future, cementing it down as cannon. No…I will do this one act and then destroy the prophecy, and random acts of violent creativity will be rampant once more.” She breathed deep. “I’m ready for this trip to end now.”
“I’m sorry then, Lolita,” said a very seductive and very wry voice. “But you’ve forgotten your own story,” he continued and at once Lolita could fear the tear-ducts in her eyes begin to well up. “Please turn around and look at me. You know you’ve missed me.” She began to tremble and began trying to call out for Lash to help her. But it was to no avail, as her mouth became dry and she could no longer form words. She turned at last and saw him, and he was grinning, as he always did. “Come now Lolita, choose. Choose life, or choose death,” he said with a grin, and at once Jailbait Lass came face to face once more with the Red Bee.
[ August 28, 2008, 06:01 PM: Message edited by: Cobaltus Primus Augustus ]
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
“What’s a matter little one?” smiled the Red Bee, “cat got your tongue?” At once she saw him and she felt the burning hatred in her once more that made her sadder than anything else in the world. And she felt the fear. Pure, utter, unending fear. She trembled, unable to speak, unable to breath, and unable to look away. He grinned, and she saw that he was still very handsome, still very heroic looking, and thus still very exotic. She hated him.
He stepped forward as tears rolled down her cheeks, and he wiped them away. “Please, you missed me. Don’t deny it…” he said, putting his hands on her face. They were soft and comforting. But she knew what they could do—and of course, they burnt her badly, flaying the skin to a boil, and she knew in her heart she deserved the pain for being such a coward and not fighting back.
“Do you hate me, Lolita?” he asked.
“Yes,” she finally spoke.
“Liar,” he said. And she remembered. It was called ‘The Good, the Dark and the Dead’ and was a tragic LMB Saga that brought great pain. One important aspect of it was this: The Red Bee finally revealed himself to be the LMB traitor, having been among them for ten months. He shot Eryk Davis Ester and Cobalt Kid in the back, and kidnapped her. She thought she knew fear then. She was wrong. Slowly and cruelly, he buried her alive, deep beneath the Earth in a coffin. As she was suffocating she prayed for death and cried at her own cowardice.
And she remembered more. It was called ‘LMB: Infinite Crisis’. The Red Bee had broken out, and to prove that Legion World wasn’t safe while the LMB battled cosmic, reality-altering villains, he locked her in a refrigerator. Finally, Space Ranger freed her and saved her—only to be murdered before her eyes by the Red Bee and the Riddler. She felt the shame once more. How she hated this man. How hated him!!!.
He looked at her with his evil grin and smiled again. “Are you afraid?” he said.
She said nothing.
“ARE YOU AFRAID!!!” he yelled, slapping her across the face.
“Y-Yes!!” she said back with a scream. “I hate you!” she screamed.
“No,” he added, “you must learn to love me. If you are going to do this, if you are going to save Legion World, you must learn to love me.”
“Never!” she screamed, attacking him with her fists, pounding at his chest. “Never! I hate you! You bastard! You could you?! How could you do it?!” she said, as tears poured out of her cheeks and she swung away, trying to kill him with her hands. Never had she been so hysterical in her life, never had she felt so much shame. Never had she thought so clearly! And it was then, that in thinking of the very thought that she was thinking very clearly, did she think it would be now that an epiphany should occur. And it did: “Aren’t I hallucinating after all?” she said to the Red Bee.
“You are.”
“And then you are…?”
“You know already,” said the Red Bee. “And you need to love me if you’re going to save the LMB.”
She began to cry harder. “No…no, I can’t. I can’t…I’m so sorry…I failed…”
“You must,” said the Red Bee, putting his arm on her shoulder. “You must.”
“Alright,” she said at once. Looking into his eyes, she leaned forward and understood, and she kissed him for a long time. And she knew she was loving herself. The Red Bee became Invisible Brainiac. Then Cobalt Kid. Then finally, she was kissing herself and hugging herself.
All of the shame, all of the embarrassment for fearing such fear, for being a coward, for inadvenertantly causing Space Ranger’s death…she hated herself so much…she hugged herself and the world grew misty, her hot tears fogging up the cold air of the cruiser, and she began to cry softly now. Not the tears of anger or hate, or fear or sadness, but the tears of finality, or completion. Of progress.
“Omnia mutantur nos et mutamur in illis,” she said at last to herself, “yes, I know. People must grow and must adapt and I’m ready now.” Reality began to fade back, and she saw the outline of Lash once more. She turned and began to see the inside of the cruiser again, and she looked around. At last she caught her reflection in a window, a sweaty, tired mess in Cobalt’s trench coat, her hair matted with sweat. But she smiled, and she wiped away the last remants of tears. Looking at herself she breathed deeply. “I forgive you,” she said. “And I love you.”
She slept in Lash Lad’s arms that night as he piloted toward Legion World and he smiled, the whole way. She had not slept that well since she was a little girl. Now she could get the rest she needed at last to help save Legion World and the LMB.
[ November 30, 2006, 12:57 PM: Message edited by: Cobalt Kid ]
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Legion World's Office of Security. Lobby area outside interogation rooms.
Lil' Matlock, Dedman, Abin Quank and Polar Boy are huddled together looking at something. Dru stares anxiously, her gaze alternating between the hallway leading toward the interrogation rooms and the clock. The hour that Matlock promised her when she will be able to see her fiance is almost up.
"You think the picture is real?" PolarBoy says.
"I dunno," Dedman replies, "I mean, it is Legion World's very own gossip rag...it's probably a fake, though."
Abin adds, "she sure looks familiar, though. Where've I seen that face before?"
Suddenly, Shady and Lard Lad rush in from the hallway. In their surprise the Security Officers drop their copy of the Inquirer, and the old-fashioned, faux-paper tabloid falls to the floor face up.
"Oh, baby, are you alright?" Dru cries with relief and throws herself into her fiance's arms.
"I'm okay, Dru. Candace has cleared me."
"She has?" Lil' Matlock says, his eyes on Shady.
"Yes," Shady answers, "and Lardy says he knows who those two men are! He insisted on coming out and telling us all together!"
"Well," Abin prompts Lard Lad impatiently. Abin has had little patience for him since that whole Invasion mess started.
Lard Lad explains, "It took me awhile to process the images Shady showed me from Hugh's memories, but---" He stops as his eyes notice the tabloid on the ground.
Silently, he walks over and snatches it up. Shady feels a strong psychic backlash as his eyes glaze over with a fierce anger that takes everyone in the room aback. Then wordlessly, he disappears with a pop of Lardforce. The copy of the Inquisitor floats silently back to the floor in his wake.
"What the hell?" PolarBoy says. "He was supposed to tell us who the bad guys are!"
"Let me see that tabloid!" Dru demands, beside herself with worry and confusion.
But before anyone can oblige her, she casts a simple spell that makes it fly to her hands. She takes one look at it and drops it.
"Great Mordru!" she screams. "My sister Mordra...she's alive! How?!? I'll make sure she stays dead this time!"
Then Dru disappears in a fiery red puff of smoke.
Abin looks picks up the tabloid and examines it again. "Yep!" he says grinning. "Thought she looked familiar!"
[ November 30, 2006, 05:24 PM: Message edited by: Dru the Sorceress ]
Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
Bat-Fem's Mission Log: I'm currently staking out this old, supposedly-abandoned building. My sources and my own investigations finger this place as the possible HQ for the mysterious crimelord known as Harold Ryan Wyandotte. I've been dogging his operations for months, learning bits and pieces along the way. I hope this isn't another dead end. Moreso, I hope it takes my mind off my husband...
Crouching and looking through her visi-hancers, Bat-Fem is startled by a faint pop coming from behind her. Batarang in hand, she spins around and is startled to see...
"Anthony?"
"How dare you call me that, you bitch!" Lard Lad yells. "I don't know how you're alive and what you feel you can gain posing as some vigilante, but I'm not giving you a chanced to hurt my friends and loved ones again, Mordra!"
Sprock! she thinks. It's Lard Lad! But how does he---?
As if he's reading her mind Lard Lad says, "I never would have suspected, but when I saw the picture of you unmasked in the Inquisitor..."
Sprock! her mind races. Did Marlowe--?
"...it was easy enough to detect your aura, especially when I knew to start looking in Old Town! You must've gone through some effort to mask it from me, but your aura's still recognizable! But enough talk..."
And purple energy crackles out of his hands as he fires a salvo of deadly Lardforce energy at her. But Bat-Fem jumps off the ledge and fires her grappling cable to latch onto the adjacent building, even as the force of the blast pulverizes theledge behind her. Her momentum carries her though a window in that building. (Luckily her boots are sonically-enhanced to break through them because 31st century windows are very strong!)
Before she can even get her bearings, Lard Lad 'ports in front of her.
"Nice one, Mordra," he taunts, "you've developed skills beyond seduction and manipulation since we last met! It won't save you, though!" And his fists begin to crackle with the purple energy.
"Wait, Lard Lad! I don't want to hurt you!" she cries.
"As if you could anymore!" he sneers as another deadly blast fires at her.
She barely avoids the blast with a rolling flip to her right.
"Please listen, Lard Lad! I'm not the woman who brought all that horror into your life! I'm not from--!"
"Lies!" he interrupts. "You're trying to manipulate me as you do all the men you come into contact with! I sometimes felt regret about killing you,but now, all I want to do is kill you again!"
As he fires up the Lardforce for another blast, Bat-Fem hurls a Batarang at him. It emits a loud hypersonic scream that causes him to grasp at his ears in pain. Pressing her advantage, she throws another one that releases a cloud of knockout gas that surrounds him.
I've got to get the sprock out of here, she thinkss to herself and fires another grappling cable to a nearby building.
But before she can swing from the line, she collapses. Suddenly she feels as if she's starving, and she can't move. Weakly she looks back toward Lard Lad and sees him approaching slowly, a purple energy bubble surrounding him.
"Nice trick, whore, but it only worked for a second," he mocks. "Soon as I put up this Lardforce shield, those boomerang-things were useless. No need for it now, though, eh?" And he drops the bubble.
"Do me a favor, and stay dead this time!" He raises his right hand, and the purple energy starts to build again. "Back to hell with you!"
Bat-Fem lies helpless and silently prays to whatever deities she believes in. Then, the death blow comes...
...but it's blocked! She's surprised to see a purple energy shield surround her and deflect the deadly blast. Almost simeultaneously, she suddenly feels healthy and not starving as she had been.
Before Lard Lad can fully comprehend that this was another Lardforce shield deflecting his blast, a voice blasts from behind him.
"YOU WILL NOT HARM MY WIFE!" screams the voice, which Bat-Fem and Lard Lad see belongs to the hideously scarred man known as...Lard Lord.
posted
Before Lard Lad has a chance to fully react, Lard Lord hits him with a powerful blast and sends him flying across Old Town. Only his basic survival instinct erecting a Lardforce shield in time saves him from instant death.
Lard Lord lowers the shield that had protected the woman he calls his wife. He walks toward her almost timidly, amazed that his investigation of Lardforce power being used in this area would lead to this discovery.
"Mo?" he whisperss with a gentleness that belies his gruesome appearance. "Is-is that really you?"
"Yes, Tony," she answers softly while removing her mask, "it's me."
"By the Void...I thought you were dead...that you died when..."
"...when you went on your 'righteous' rampage and turned on the SMB? No, I didn't die, Tony...not that you didn't try. Wish I could say the same about our dear friends, Des and Bill, and the others who didn't make it."
"Mordra...Mo," he says as tears run down his face, "I honestly didn't mean to kill anyone! When the power of the Void swept through me, I-I lost control...I've always, always loved you so much."
And he holds out one of his horribly burnt hands out to her. Sobbing, she begins to reach out with her own hand until...
BOOOOOOM!
Lard Lad slams into him, and the two go barreling through several derelict buildings before landing two blocks away in another one. Bat-Fem is not hit, but the force from the proximity of the impact knocks her unconscious.
"So 'Lard Lord'...shacking up with that harlot, now, are you? Only a whore like her could pretend to like that scarred mug!" Lard Lad yells as he hits his opponent with an upper-cut to the jaw, using Lardforce-enhanced strength.
"My wife is no whore!" Lard Lord shouts and wipes some blood from his chin. Before Lard Lad can make another move, Lard Lord charges his Earth-1 counterpart, and knocks him down into the alley below.
A disturbing smile crosses Lard Lad's mouth as he stands up to face his foe who has 'ported down. "To think I attended your burial..felt sorry for you," he taunts. "But I recognized you from poor Hugh's memories despite how you lost your formerly good looks--your posture, the way you use your power and, especially that rotten aura...same things that helped me I.D. this 'Wyandotte' of yours! Poor Hugh never hurt anybody, but you killed him!"
"Whatever," Lard Lord responds dismissively. As his hands glow purple, he shrieks, "now, TAKE BACK WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT MY WIFE!!!"
"Uh...nope! Still a whore!" Lard Lad laughs.
A moment later, the alley and several nearby buildings erupt into a fiery mushroom cloud.
As the cloud disperses, two figures are lying on the ground,but begin to stir.
"N-nice one <huff>, handsome...th-that the..best you got?" a clearly shaken Lard Lad manages. "R-ready for...Round 2?"
"<gasp> I'm...ready..." Lard Lord replies shakily.
Just as they struggle to their feet, though, a Security cruiser hovers directly above them.
"Cease all hostilities, or we'll fire!" trumpets an amplified voice from the cruiser, just as several more come into view.
"H-HA!" Lard Lad laughs weakly. "Guess they gotcha now, pretty boy!" But as he glances over to look at his foe, he sees that his scarred counterpart is gone. "Aw, sh--!" But he passes out before he can finish his profanity.
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Old Town. A rooftop two blocks away from the explosion.
Elsewhere, Dru appears in a puff of smoke at the spot where Bat-Fem still lies unconscious. "Wake up!" Dru incants.
Bat-Fem abruptly opens her eyes, and the first thing she sees is, "Dru? You're alive."
Looking into the disoriented woman's eyes, Dru comes to an instant realization. "Yes, I am, last I checked...but I'm not your sister, anymore than you are mine. I knew your aura was wrong, but I had to look in your eyes to be sure. You are Mordra...but not the one from this dimension."
"No," Bat-Fem responds, her disorientation lifting, "I am from the dimension Legion Worlders call 'Earth-4'."
"I'm aware that not all people are the same in other dimensions as their counterparts...but I have to be sure. Will you willingly submit to questioning at our Security Office? You have my word that you'll be treated fairly."
"Yes," Bat-Fem answers with very little hesitation, "I submit."
And the two fly under Dru's power toward the Security detail at the site of the explosion.
Registered: Oct 2003
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Antacid Lass - Well guys this is the next stop on our tour of LegionWorld...the security office
Ron Jeremy's Moustache - cool, big place.
Geez Louise - so, what happens here?
Antacid Lass - Well, all the security staff have their offices here, as well as security transports and cruisers. The holding cells are down the wing to the left, and the interogation rooms are 2 floors above that. To the right are the meeting rooms, kitchens, rechalls an such. And Down in the Sub basement is were they keep the forbidden weapons.
Gas Girl gives RJM and GL a knowing look - Forbidden Weapons?
Antacid Lass - Yeah, stuff deemed to powerful to be allowed into general circulation but yet to important to destroy.
Gas Girl - Oh....well how about this Cafe Cramer I keep hearing about?
Antacid Lass - Cafe Cramer? Oh it's a great place, I'll take you all there now.
As the foursome leave, Geez Louise looks back with a devious grin as if memorizing the layout of the building for a future occasion.
From: Fort McMurray | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Eryk Davis Ester: MEDICUS EIGHT
"Well, that's it. I can't help you. According to all of my scans, there seems to be no medical explanation as to why your powers are malfunctioning. Perhaps it's something psychological..."
"Thanks, Dr. Orbal, but I tend to doubt that. I went through a lot of counseling after arriving in this universe, but my therapist says I'm doing better than ever."
"Still... it must have been rough on you, being the sole survivor of an entire reality..."
"Many worlds died during the Crisis on Infinite Message Boards. Mine was but one of them. I've been able to do a lot of good here for this universe. My team is still together, and functioning better than ever, with a whole slew of new members. Plus, I've got the hottest new boyfriend..."
"Hmm... it does sound like things are going well for you, other than this."
"Yeah. In fact, this is about the most inopportune time for my powers to be malfunctioning. My team doesn't need a leader whose abilities are only at half strength..."
"I... I'm not sure what to say, Captain. I mean... every time you've been in for a checkup before, the giant lightbulb on your head has generated the equivalent glow of an 100-watt bulb every time you have an idea. Now, for no apparent reason, it's down to a mere 52 watts. But it seems to have nicely leveled off. Why could that be?"
"For once, Doctor, I have no idea!"
United Plants Space – Medicus Eight
“Excuse me boys, but maybe you could lend me a…hand” said what the science police officer believed to be the sexiest female he had ever laid eyes on before. And the way she just spoke to him…he couldn’t help but blush.
“I, er, sure could M’am!” he replied, and led her down the hall personally. She put her arm around his, and he led her through Medicus Eight, giving her a brief tour of the facilities.
She smiled at him and laughed at his jokes (which weren’t funny), and soon she was where she needed to be. After all, she was Space Tart, famous LMBer and the United Planet’s very own bastion of femininity. “Thank you officer,” she said smiling, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek. “It’s always a pleasure being led around by a man in uniform,” she said with a *tee hee* and turned to the room in front of her.
“Do you always get what you want so easy?” said her companion with an air of annoyance.
“Please Freddie, there’s no need to be so grumpy the *whole* time,” she replied to Turns You Into a Country Fred. On her way here she surprised the young man known as TYIC Fred at a local public house known as ‘The Lazy Asteroid’. Traditionally, Fred wasn’t the greatest ally of the LMB, but he had become more friendly in recent years. Still, he was still bitter about his rejection years earlier, both his personality of Clothes Fall Off Fred and the body he inhabited, Turns You Into a Country Kid. But Space Tart said it was a mission of the most dire importance, and to be perfectly honest, TYIC Fred had felt, well, bored for some time. “Ah,” she said to him now, and he couldn’t help but stare at the very short micro-skirt that was just about covering the least bit of skin possible, “here is our good Captain.”
Before them was Captain Lightbulb, [former] leader of the Light Brigade! He looked up, the giant lightbulb on his head buzzing only slightly, and his muscles tensing at seeing his visitors, which showed off well, considering his outfit consistied of his cosmic-speedo. “Space Tart! To what do I owe the pleasure?” he said, being familiar with the LMB for some time.
“Business unfortunately you little he-minx,” she said running her finger nails along his bicep, “and we need your help. Something grave is happening and the LMB is spread so thin lately that we might be too late. We only have one chance—if you’re willing to pitch in.”
“I-I’d love to,” said Captain Lightbulb, “but my powers are malfunctioning. I don’t think I’ll much use to you at all.”
“Hey, don’t tell us that man,” said TYIC Fred, “we came all the way out here to get you. You’ve gotta come join us.”
“He’s right Captain,” said Space Tart, now sitting on Captain Lightbulb’s lap, “we need you. I know all about your powers. But things are moving quickly now, and like I said, the LMB is spread so thin that they aren’t even aware of it. So that cute little tush of yours will join us, and as for your powers—I’m sure some idea will pop into your head…” she giggled.
Legion World, Grand Central Space Port
“Well, it looks like we’re back Jailbait Lass,” said Lash Lad, yawning and stretching. “And not a moment too soon. A boy can only sit in space traffic for so long.”
She smiled at him. “Thanks for the ride, Lash,” she said, “and well, for everything. For just being you. I feel…better now. Better than I have in awhile.”
“See what a little *teehee-ing* will do for you?” he smiled, docking the cruiser. She hugged his arm while he did so, and was glad that she spent this time with him. She really hadn’t known him well before, although she of course know who he was—probably the most famous of all of the LMB. But more than that, he was the most beloved of the LMB, and she now realized why. “Our paths will probably cross again soon enough,” he added. “Where are you off too now?”
Jailbait Lass looked at her omni-com, which had a variety of updates from Matlock, Abin Quank and a few others that were directed to Cobalt Kid. “I’m off to find a few new faces here on Legion World. Have you ever heard of them before? Helena Handbasket and Seth Gaterra…”
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
“Why I ever let you talk me into coming here…” grumbled the Lonestar Ranger, annoyed at the turn of events.
“Silence Ranger, for you know not what you speak of!” replied Calamity Monkey. “Tamper Lad was no in service and the tone of Nova Girl’s voice suggested he would not be for some time! Still, we must address our concerns over this ‘52’ and I believe our best bet would be here, on Greg Evignan Island.”
“Riiight,” said Kid Gender Stereotype Reversal II, “and this has nothing to do with you once being the personal Calamity Monkey of this island’s owner, Eryk Davis Ester? I’m not sure what Eryk will do to help us…” she trailed off, looking around at the cotton fields.
“Perhaps your comments have nothing to do with your recent publicized break-up with the great Eryk Davis Ester?” replied the monkey, but before she could respond, “but it matter not! For here on Greg Evignan Island there are a variety of scientific devices that may be of use to us. I believe the consol of Eryk Davis Ester will be of some use.” With that, Calamity Monkey trailed on towards Eryk Davis Ester’s pavilion.
“Great…” said Lonestar Ranger, rolling his eyes.
“Yeah, great,” whispered KGSR II, “me and my big mouth. For all I know, Dormant Damsel was just having a bad dream…”
Elsewhere
“Now can I get involved?” asked Lucien Lad, bored out of his mind and changing the scenery in ‘Elsewhere’ to reflect a more festive spirit.
“Soon,” replied the Phantom Stranger. “Its all coming together, whether they are ready for it or not…”
Registered: Apr 2005
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