Moments after they'd defeated the hellhound, Cobalt Kid and Lard Lad tried to gather up the energy to renew their quest.
"Gimme a sec, Des," Lardy said. "I need a swig of water before we get going." Lardy reached for his canteen and looked at in disbelief. "Aw, shit!" he yelled.
"What? What is it?" asked his friend.
"Canteen's busted! Must've happened in that scrap with the hellhound!" Lardy shook his head. All...all my water's gone."
Cobie looked at his canteen. It was still intact. But as he shook it, he realized there wasn't much left. Lardy's canteen was twice as big as his, and truthfully, they'd been depending on his supply to see them through. And the sacrificial wine he had brought along was long gone.
"Have some of mine," Cobie said, holding his container in his outstretched arm.
Lardy shrugged. "You know that's not gonna be enough for us both." He held his arms out. "And I haven't seen anything resembling a pristine water source around here. I doubt that there is, in fact, any water on this godsforsaken shithole! Even if we ignored the powers restriction, well, neither of us can produce water, now, can we?"
Lardy was beyond frustrated. All the pain and heartache they'd gone through, and it looked like they would be undone by a lack of the most basic human need.
Cobie felt it, too. But he thought about it for a moment. He knew that if only one of them were to make it to Pornis that surely it should be Lardy rather than him. Lardy could do what needed to be done. He had absolute faith in his friend. And this was the one battle Lardy had always been destined to fight.
So Cobie came to a decision. He held the canteen toward his friend and said, "take it, Lardy. This might be enough to get one of us through. It should be you."
Lardy let the container linger in Cobie's grasp as the implications ran through his mind. He fought back tears. Finally, he replied, "no. No Des, I'm not taking it. No way. We both go, or we both die. I won't let you sacrifice yourself."
Cobalt was filled with empathy for his friend. He didn't like doing this to him. But if neither of them got to Pornis, he knew evrything they'd done to get here would have been in vain.
Cobalt prepared to lay the mother of all guilt trips on Lardy, whatever it took to convince him to take the water, when suddenly...
"That will not be necessary," said a familiar ghostly voice. They both turned to see the ethereal figure of their mysterious guide. "There is a water source of perfect clarity very close to your location. It will also help with your infections."
"Are you crazy?!?" Lardy screamed at her. "A perverted hellhole like this couldn't possibly have anything nourishing in it! Pornis simply wouldn't allow it to exist!"
"He does not allow it to exist," the guide replied. "He simply cannot undo its purity." She motioned around them all. "This was once the realm of the mother of Priapus. It was as pure and holy as this one is an abomination. On the spot where she stood opposed to him, the nobility of her act preserved the pristine quality of that small area from the corruption that overwhelmed the rest of the land."
Cobie thought aloud, "so you're saying there's an oasis?"
"Yes. It is the equivalent of just over one 'mile' further." And she pointed further along their path.
Lardy walked over close to his friend and whispered, "I don't trust her, Des."
Cobie managed a grin and pointed to the canteen. "Me neither. But I don't see us having much of a choice...unless you're ready to take this?"
Lardy rolled his eyes at him, turned around and said to their guide, "lead the way."
------
An hour later, after a long trek that gave them plenty more cuts and bruises, they arrived at the 'oasis'. It couldn't have looked more out of place amidst the darkness and jagged rock that surrounded it in every direction. It was about a twenty square foot space comprised of green grass surrounding a round circular pool of blue water. As they stepped into the space, it even had its own blue sky above lit by the glow of what appeared to be a distant yellow sun.
Casting all doubt aside, the pair ran toward the pool and cupped their hands to drink deeply of its bounty. It was the most perfect water they'd ever drunk. As parched as their tongues were, they suspected this would be true even if they hadn't been deprived of anything but stale libations for what felt like weeks.
As Lardy drank, he could feel the gash on his foot tingling. He could tell that the infection was being burned out. He flexed it. It still hurt like hell. It hadn't healed all up, but he could tell somehow that it no longer endangered his life and limb.
After they'd drunk their fill and topped off their canteens, (Lardy repaired his with some of their water-proof bandages), they took turns bathing in the pool. It made them both feel invigorated as if their sprits had been baptised by the pool's purity. In truth the oasis had gven them more than they could ever put into words.
Looking beyond its borders, the Realm of Pornis seemed light years away, a distant cauldron of a nightmare long forgotten. They knew, though, that if they didn't leave now, that they might never leave. So they put on their gear and exited the oasis in the direction where they saw their ghostly guide waiting patiently on its outskirts.
They stepped across the threshold and, almost immediately, felt much of their renewed vigor sucked back out of them. But they didn't look back.
Lardy then asked of the guide, "you didn't enter with us. Why?"
"I am damned. None among the damned of this realm may enter. In fact Priapus and his minions cannot even perceive it. I can at least see it, though, for some reason. In a way beholding its beauty makes me feel thrice damned."
Lardy stopped in his tracks for a moment and asked of the guide, "are you her? Are you my grandmother?"
The guide almost seemed to chuckle at that. "No, I am not she. In fact your grandmother Chione yet lives...as a prisoner to Priapus in his Palace."
Lardy caught a flash of the ghost's eyes as she relayed that shocking bit of information. He barely comprehended the words as the eyes echoed into his memories.
Cobalt didn't see the eyes this time but was bowled away by her words. "Damn, Lardy--your granny's alive! We can rescue her! I'll bet we---"
But Cobie's words were washed away in Lardy's mind as those eyes bore into him and caused images to flash through his mind.
He saw the eyes delighting as he held a dagger to Shadowplay in Candlelight's throat and used it to cut into Shady's throat on command.
He saw the eyes revelling in her sadism as she beat and raped him.
He saw the eyes triumphant even as he choked the life out of her.
posted
The Dark Oval Horde Space Near Weber’s World
Titus was much larger than he was when Disaster Boy had last seen him. His skin was glowing darkness, if that made sense. He was full of evil energy. Everyone could see that.
“You have come back to me my Disaster Boy.” Titus licked his lips and gave Disaster Boy a leer that stared right through him.
Titus waved the enormous army away. They all backed away and left to return to their positions to ready themselves for the invasion of Weber’s World.
Behind Titus a large group of super human ghouls appeared. These were his elite. His TOP 40. There were many super powered members of the general army but these were the greatest warriors, all an enemy of Titus at one time, All conquered and manipulated into evil undead versions of themselves.
Here they all stood, 40 of the strongest warriors the Dark Oval had to offer, behind possibly its only surviving General. Titus stood above Disaster Boy.
“no, no, no, no, no.” Disaster Boy whimpered and fell to his knees “It wasn’t supposed to be like this. no, no, no, no.” Fear struck Disaster Boy like a punch in the gut, knocking all the air out of him.
Titus put a hand on Disaster Boy’s head, and stroked him lovingly, as tears welled up in DB’s eyes.
Stella Ah Reflekto, had no idea what was happening but, she knew it wasn’t good.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
“RAWWWWWWRRRRR!!!!” The Minotaur shouted as he buried his 7 foot long axe into Titus’ chest. It ripped through his breastplate a struck with a THWANG!
Time stood still and Reflekto thought ‘Great. Done deal. Go Minotaur dude.’
Titus wavered, grunted, and then grabbed the end of the axe and pulled it out of his chest with a “SLURP”. He did not bleed, his fluids were replaced with the Dark Lord’s power. Titus held the sharp end of the axe and began to pull, Taur-El would NOT let go of his axe however.
A short tug of war ensued that ended with Titus hurling Taur-El, axe in hand towards the crowd of his 40 eilte warriors.
Taur-El hurtled and crashed into an asteroid with a thump.
20 or so of Titus’ warriors broke and began circling the isolated Taur-El like vultures, they each held there hands out to their sides, fingers clenched like claws.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Nam’Lor rushed Titus. Nam’Lor was the strongest present. He was Kryptonian level, if a Kryptonian spent all his time working out, and didn’t have to worry about sun age or Kryptonite. His powers came from a strange undefined energy he called energo. It was emitted from Nam’Lor like a radiation, sometimes making people behave bizarrely or uninhibited. People like the Drinking Buddies didn’t mind so much, being uninhibited. It was possible Nam’Lor’s ‘energo’ was responsible for his … ‘mental condition’. Right now though, Nam’Lor called upon more and more energo as he struggled with Titus. The peculiar radiation didn’t burn hot but, it made a sizzling sound as it interacted with Titus’ flesh. Titus grimaced and struggled harder against Nam’Lor’s bulging muscles. They were locked in combat.
They struggled while Disaster Boy came to his senses. He wiped the tears from his face. The remaining ghoul elite closed in on the rest of the Drinking Buddies. The normally grim Nike, looked even more serious as she readied her stone sword in her left hand and pulled a stone belt knife out with her right. A long time ago, she learned to be ambidextrous with her sword-play as most opponents were not used to fighting left handed opponents. It gave her an edge in times of … difficulty.
Atomik gave Kid Gravity a pat on his butt, and said “Time to party.” But, the words were somber for the boisterous planetary champion who seemed more like a famous professional athlete than a hero.
Kid Gravity had never been serious in his entire life, he went from party to party to party. The attention seeking Kid Gravity usually pulled stunts to get in the news, not to save the entire United Planets. ‘well, this is about as serious as it gets.’ He thought.
Reflekto saw a tall female ghoul float towards the grumpy stone warrior.
The ghoul projected darkness, smothering Nike in a black energy. Reflekto moved, force field shining, giving her enhanced strength. The darkness projected from the ghoul didn’t slow her as she threw a punch that connected with the ghoul’s face, knocking it nearly clean off. BAM! The ghoul floundered, floating away in space, clearly out of commission. The darkness dispersed and Nike came into view again. Reflekto rubbed her hand, “Super strength, comes in handy for a scientist.” She said to Nike.
Nike nodded in approval.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
The fight continued, The Drinking Buddies were natural brawlers, and worth two or three of even Titus’ elite warriors. The problem was, there were many more times that number.
Atomik traded energy blasts with several ghouls who raced after him. Atomik was faster and more accurate but, it was only a matter of time before they hemmed him in.
Three very large ghouls had managed to separate Reflekto from the group. She held them at bay. One had a black eye, the other was holding his jaw, they closed in.
Reflekto jumped as one, then another, and finally all three collapsed in on themselves with horrifying crunches.
Kid Gravity held an upraised hand in their direction. “Minute black holes, in the center of their sternums … sucks the rest right in.” He said devilishly.
Reflekto was grateful for the rescue but, she would never enjoy violence as much as these folks. She had no time to ponder her thoughts as in a moment she was in another fight for her life as two more ghouls rushed her.
Disaster Boy searched for Taur-El, and found him on shaky legs, in the middle of a large asteroid, axe in both hands, surrounded by ghouls. The bodies and parts of bodies laid and floated around the scene. Taur-El must have butchered about a dozen but he looked like a bull being harried by jungle cats. A short spear stuck out of his right shoulder. His eye was swollen shut.
Disaster Boy held out both hands, ice flew from one, and fire from the other. He encased several ghouls in ice, and fried a few others. Taur-El lept towards the small defensive circle the rest of the Drinking Buddies had formed.
It looked like an old western, with bandits circling a wagon. These were ghouls circling the Drinking Buddies who fought back to back on a collection of asteroids.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
They had to take out Titus first, Disaster Boy thought. He raised his hands and summoned the asteroids floating around. He manipulated them until they were swirling around the Drinking Buddies in the center of the fight. The rest of the ghouls were being bludgeoned and knocked away as the asteroids circled like a hurricane. That left them in the eye of the asteroid hurricane with Titus.
“KRAK!” “SNAP!”
“OW!” Nam’Lor cried as the sound of snapping bones came from his body. Titus and Nam’Lor struggled and grappled. Titus had won the contest of strength and was pushing Nam’Lor to the ground. Nam’Lor still struggled fiercely but energo was no match for the bottomless pit of power from the Dark Lord.
Nam’Lor was pushed to a kneeling position. Titus grabbed his kneck …
And twisted viciously.
Nam’Lor’s huge body, in yellow and green fell to the floor of the asteroid, limp. Titus picked it up effortlessly and hurled it to the rest of the Drinking Buddies. It was a boast and an insult to cause them pain.
Stella Ah – Reflekto II dove for Nam’Lor’s unmoving body. She cradled him protectively, this large strange man that had risked his life and the lives of his friends to rescue her as if it were just a day in the park. Stella searched for signs of life. This was certainly no day in the park she thought ludicrously.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Nike dropped her shoulders and lunged for Titus, her stone sword and knife whirling. Titus pulled free his own sword and told her to “Come on!”
A clash of reinforced stone on steel rang repeatedly as they fought and parried. Nike spun, cracking Titus on the head with her massive stone wing. She sliced and sliced at him but he did not bleed.
Finally, Titus knew he could not win this way so he surged forward, grabbing the stone woman in his clutches. Nike attempted to use her wings to push him off but Titus grabbed one wing and ripped it off. The stone cracked and broke.
Nike did not cry out. She thrust her sword deep in his belly. Titus grunted and swatted her arm away. Cracks appeared in her hand and arm as he struck. Again Nike did not cry out, with her other hand, she ripped her belt knife across Titus’ throat. It stuck, and tore, as she was obviously trying to decapitate him with her 6” knife. Awareness at what she was trying to do lit up in Titus’ eyes. He looked scared for the first time during their fight.
He brought his fist down shattering Nike’s other arm. She still did not cry out.
Titus held her face to face. He stared in her stone eyes. “You seem familiar. They created you didn’t they?” He said.
Nike’s head went limp and she said in her gravel voice “The New Gods are coming. They are coming for you. I have seen it.” And then the stone woman fell. Whatever animated her, left. Titus tossed the stone body aside roughly, the stone parts bouncing off the asteroid rock. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
“I need six minutes.” Disaster Boy said out loud. His words struck them like thunder.
The Drinking Buddies charged, Taur-El head-first, he gored Titus, shattering his armor.
“MUTHER GRIFFIN NASS SPROCK GAWN ….” The Minotaur cried out in grief as he pummelled Titus. Titus was impaled on the horns unable to move as he was pinned down. Taur-El resorted to his fists, dropping his axe, he pummelled the sides of Titus.
Atomik swung around in the air circling, ready for his chance.
Titus finally brought a knee up into Taur-El’s chest, sticking him with his spiked knee. The he grabbed the Minotaur be the neck and pulled him out of his sternum with a gut wrenching “splurt, splurt, splurch”. Taur-El struggled fiercely and would not release. Titus punched the bull across the face. Taur-El’s right horn was broken off inside Titus as he was knocked away.
Titus was looking pretty bad, he crouched holding his innards in, he did not bleed as his form was now animated by the Dark Lord but he was starting to look shredded.
Atomik flew in blasting “BOOM, BOOM, BOOM” Titus was bludgeoned with Atomik’s blasts. But Atomik flew too close, Titus lashed out in panic with a clawed glove, ripping into Atomik’s stomach as he flew past. “slllliiiicccceee” went Atomiks side like gas escaping …. A trail of atomic energy flowed out.
Atomik crash landed near Kid Gravity. He looked up at his friend, his energy leaking out. Kid Gravity cried out “NO!!!”
And Atomik blasted off. He flew as far and fast as he could. The red mowhawked planetary champion was finally a hero. He new he was a time bomb, the energy inside him soon to explode. He narrowed his vision and focused on a large battle-wagon in the middle of the Dark Oval fleet. ‘That one’ he thought.
He blazed brilliantly as he flew on a collision course with the biggest baddest enemy ship he could find. He hoped the explosion would take out the surrounding ships as well. He struck:
BA FWOOSH !!!!
The collision lit up space around Weber’s World. It rocked the Dark Oval fleet, sending ships colliding into each other.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
What seemed like hours later, Stella Ah saw the Minotaur make another go at Titus. Disaster Boy was nearby, chanting, in some sort of trance.
Taur-El and Titus traded kicks and punches but, the Minotaur was worn out after taking on so many ghouls … Taur-El would die if he kept this pace.
“SMACK!!” A gloved back-hand sent Taur-El to his knees. The Minotaur passed out, after several valiant efforts.
Titus held his gut, or the remains of his gut, and stepped over Taur-El’s body.
He marched towards Disaster Boy. Disaster Boy was helpless, locked in a trance, chanting. A long time ago he had studied magic to help him control his powers, now he tried any advantage he could get.
Kid Gravity stepped in between the oncoming Titus and Disaster Boy. He wondering ‘what the frak am I doing?!?!’
Kid Gravity gathered his courage and raised both palms towards Titus. Waves and waves of gravity flowed toward Titus. Titus became heavier and heavier. Kid Gravity gave Titus more and more weight until Titus’ steps made heavy crunches as he struggled to step forward.
But still Titus came forward, with heavier and heavier steps until he was almost at Kid Gravity. The Dark Lord’s power filled Titus and he called upon more and more of it to resist the increased gravity. He was a font of evil power. Kid Gravity strained harder and harder, sweat dripping down his face, He focused all the gravity he could on Titus.
Titus still came forward. “Disaster Boy” He moaned. This Titus barely reseambled the previous Titus. He had true fangs, his muscular arms were covered with black tattoos instead of blood red, his skin was grey, his eyes deep black. Titus fell on hands and knees with a heavy “THUMP!” as his now immense weight crashed to the floor.
It was almost like he crawled passionately for Disaster Boy.
Kid Gravity also fell to his knees from the strain of using his powers. “Stop! Stop! Why won’t you STOP!!!” Kid Gravity shouted, the pain from seeing his friends beaten and his impending doom driving him to hysterics.
Titus clawed up at Kid Gravity, he climbed over him, crushing KG’s ankle as he climbed up. Kid Gravity shouted in pain and lost his concentration … the gravity field he was applying to Titus disappeared.
Titus was free.
He looked at Kid Gravity as he laid on top of him. “Are you my Disaster Boy? No, you are delicious but … not him.”
Titus stood leaving Kid Gravity hobbled in pain.
Titus’ body was shredded from the assaults. He looked like a wraith. He limped towards Disaster Boy who glowed with power.
Reflekto felt the heat, saw it coming, she hopped over to Kid Gravity and pulled him in close to where Nam’Lor and Taur-El’s bodies lay. She draped her cape over the three bodies. “I’ve got a force field damnit. I’ve got a force field. I’ve got a force field.” She repeated over and over, trying to shield the others with her body. She had never been able to apply her force field to others. It was skin-tight. As the remains of the Drinking Buddies huddled together, she tried as hard as she could to extend it now.
Titus stood before Disaster Boy now. They stood face to face. Titus body was broken down so that he was at eye level with the LMBPer.
“My Disaster Boy.” Titus’ voiced creaked. Something of the old Titus recognized Disaster Boy. The Titus from before he was reanimated through the Dark Lord’s power. “The only one ever to escape. At last I have you.”
Disaster Boy threw his arms around Titus.
“No. I’ve got you. At long last, I’ve got YOU!” He screamed as the solar flare hit.
It was a triumph to pull that much power from the sun, and keep it focused while it travelled through space, and then it struck with precision.
Stella Ah screamed as the flare hit. It burned everything away in a white-hot light.
From: Ninja Land | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
Power Boy soared, surrounded by other New Gods. He felt warmth from his kin. He belonged to a tribe, of others just like himself. He was no longer the only of his kind. He finally found the New Gods. The cosmos was theirs.
……..
Ameratsu stood in the assembly hall of his people, the Sai Bogu. Androids with metallic skin of every colour sat in an immense amphitheatre for the purpose of political discourse. They all wore brightly coloured robes. Ameratsu was being honoured for defeating Titus, for saving his people. Peace was restored. The Sai Bogo would go on, indefinitely. Ameratsu hardly even remembered the upstart, Titus, that opposed them.
…………
Juj rested his head against another durlan, as he lay on the grass. All around him, he could see Durlans frolicking in the park. His antanae were being stroked, he felt comfortable and sleepy, only Durlans as far as he could see.
………..
Power Boy was blissfully happy, perfect specimens ruled the universe along with him. He had many lovers and many battles. The New Gods were worshiped as gods in galaxy after galaxy. Everything was perfectly ordered Power Boy thought, as a beautiful new god male smiled at him. ‘Then why does this seem wrong.’ He thought. ‘There should be more excitement, more humans, everything isn’t so easy.’
……………..
Ameratsu strolled through the capital city of the Sai Bogu planet. He walked to his partition within the city, that he shared with the few other warrior scientists. There was little need for warriors now, he supposed he’d have to spend his time on politics. His position as Anti-Virus 00000001 was mostly ceremonial anyway. ‘Wasn’t it?’ He thought ‘Redundant really’.
…………….
Juj rolled over on the grass, nude. There was no need for clothes amongst Durlans, clothes were just a manipulation of their bodies anyway. His orange skin was no more suggestive of sex than any clothes he could appear to be wearing. He contemplated transforming into something as he felt lazily playful in the warm sun. What to be though, an Earth cat? A Martian … “Where IS everybody? There should be lots of different kinds of people.” Juj sat up and asked, looking around, all he saw were Durlans. “That’s so odd” he thought.
…………… Power Boy looked around with sober eyes. He felt a bit sickened by what he saw. New God perfection ordered the cosmos, and held all other life forms under their heel. “This isn’t right.” He said with ground teeth.
“and it’s boring” he smirked. He reached for his Mega Rod at his hip, and waved it through the air sending energy all around him.
The illusion around him rippled like wax paper.
……………….
Ameratsu saw a flicker out of the corner of his robotic eye. He looked around again, and the city looked pale, not shiny as the true capitol city of the Sai Bogu had actually looked … before it was destroyed. “Before it was destroyed.” He said out loud. “By Titus!” He remembered. His android heart broke as he knew, this seemed so right but, it was not real. In reality, the Dark Lord, Titus’ master would soon conquer the universe, enslave or kill everyone everywhere, just like they did the Sai Bogu.
……………….
Power Boy waved his Mega Rod again, It emitted a white light that seemed to erase the illusion all around him. The New Gods around him changed shape, their faces dark and monstrous. They moved to intercept Power Boy.
……………….
Juj rolled to his feet, everything was turning black and white, the Durlans in the park now looked scary. All of a sudden he remembered everything, He stowed away as Power Boy’s costume, His liquid form created a film over Power Boy’s real costume that looked just like the real thing. No one knew, Juj just had a feeling he couldn’t let Power Boy and Ameratsu go into danger alone. They had been through so much together. “Where were they?”
……………….
Power Boy added more power to his Mega Rod. The energy it emitted seared the entire scene away, just in time as the hideous creatures reached him.
………………
The New God Homeworld Alpha at the Edge of the Universe
Power Boy, Ameratsu, and Juj opened their eyes after the blinding light. The three were on their knees huddled together on a dais in the middle of an infinite domed room.
The humanoid form of the New God Trickster stood just to their left. “They survive the test!” He snarled.
Juj blinked his eyes open, all around them were shinning people, tall people with luminescent skin. They surrounded them 360 degrees.
A woman with platinum hair held a long staff that curled into an orb at the top. She stood closest except for Trickster. She stamped her staff down. < TAP, TAP, TAP> “So they have.” She said quietly.
And then louder and more formally:
“THE PANTHEON ACCEPTS THE NEW GOD POWER!”
The dome was silent. Some new gods stood around the trio in the center, others floated in the sky to be seen and see.
……………….
Power Boy got to his feet. He spared a look for Juj. “Juj?” He said with a shrug for the Durlan.
Juj looked bashful, and gave an apologetic look, as he had violated Power Boy’s orders.
Juj and Ameratsu both got to their feet, and stood a bit behind Power Boy.
Power Boy waited a moment, and looked around him, taking in the whole scene, the beautiful dome they were in, lit from a starry sky that shown through a circle cut into the top. What he knew were New Gods were all around them, to the sides, and in the air. They glowed slightly, in different colors and brightness, they were all shapes and sizes but, all perfect in their way. The tall blonde woman seemed to be their leader, she gave Power Boy a nod, as if to instruct him to continue.
The New Gods whispered to each other, eventually their voices were rising, soon the moment would be lost.
Power Boy was no great orator but, he had had just about all he was going to take.
“SILENCE!” The dome of the New Gods was instantly quiet. They were not used to such outbursts.
“The Dark Lord rises. As we speak, mortals fight your battles against the Dark Oval. Fight with us, or DIE!”
It was a threat and promise. His words rang true to each of them because they were true.
From: Ninja Land | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
Cobalt Kid was momentarily dumbfounded as he heard his friend scream the name. He glanced toward the ghostly guide and backed to Lard Lad and repeated, "Mordra?"
Lardy didn't even hear what Cobie said. His eyes were dead fixed on the nearby apparition. In one fluid motion, Lardy withdrew his sword and held it out in front of him. "I KNEW I recognized those eyes! Damn me for a fool for not realizing sooner! SHOW YOURSELF!!!"
The phantasm seemed to shudder, then bowed her head. With a shrug the ethereal hood she wore vanished, and Mordra was fully revealed to these two men who knew and hated her very well. Her pitch black hair flowed over her white robes and matched her eyes except they somehow seemed an even darker black. Her face was painted by a look they'd never seen from her before. The expression was nervous and apprehensive. Scared?
Cobalt's jaw dropped as he looked upon the sight. He knew he'd recognized those eyes when he first saw them in that previous encounter, but he never imagined....
Suddenly, with an incomprehensible snarl of rage, Lardy charged Mordra with his sword and struck her with all of his might. He barely seemed to notice as the weapon merely passed through her intangible form. After every attempt, he simply turned around and charged her again and again and again until he finally collapsed in exhaustion, his eyes still fixed on her nonetheless.
Cobalt watched this whole tableau and made no attempt to stop his friend's pointless actions. But when Lardy collapsed and started hyperventilating, he came to his friend and held him in his arms, comforting him. He knew what this woman had done to his best friend. No single being in the galaxy had harmed him and ruined his life like Mordra had. He remembered how Lardy looked in the aftermath of Mordra's rape and brutalization of him. He'd never seen his friend in a lower place. Cobalt wanted to break down and cry just at the memory. He now physically could, but he wouldn't. He wouldn't give the heartless bitch the satisfaction.
"You're exposed, Harlot!" Cobalt yelled toward her floating image. "You're obviously playing the Dark Lord's game here, but we've seen your hand! Do your WORST!" And he released one hand that was embracing his friend and held it towards her, clearly about to test what his magnetic field could do against her.
"NO!" Mordra screamed. "Please, STOP! I BEG of you! Priapus will sense you if you use your power! You must believe me! You endanger EVERYthing you've worked toward!"
Cobalt grinned smugly. She's afraid! he thought. He flashed back to when she made himself and Loser cut Tsarin's neck and the sick feeling, the utter fear she made him feel as he was helpless to resist her control. He had been so motivated by fear in the years before and since that happened. He never really knew it all that time. He wouldn't ever let it control his actions again.
Cobalt prepared to activate his power when...
"N-no!" Lardy managed as he got up shakily and lowered his friend's outstretched hand. He was still panting heavily and bent over to support his arms on his own thighs. Then, he threw up a little on the craggy rocks below.
Cobalt looked bewilderedly at his friend. Then, an understanding washed over him as he realized that Lardy must have wanted Mordra for himself.
They all stood frozen for a long moment as Lardy finally recovered his breath.
What Lardy did next, none of them, Lardy included, would have expected. He walked up to the spirit, looked her hard in her black, ghostly eyes and calmly said, "okay. Explain yourself."
Mordra's eyes wavered from his steely glare. She couldn't look him in the eyes. "My spirit came here after you...killed me. It certainly wasn't what I expected. The Church of the Eternal Void promised me a glorious afterlife for playing the role of facilitating the Destroyer's...your...destiny." She motioned around the hellish landscape. "This wasn't what I had in mind."
"I'd say you got what you deserved," Lardy observed plainly. Cobalt was amazed by his friend's restraint.
She bowed her head. "I...I'd have to say I agree with you. I've had much time to contemplate my actions here in what I can only describe as Hell. How long has it been since...since I died?"
"Six years."
Her expression was of total shock. "Only six years? Gods...it seems like I've been here a century! I can't--"
"Enough!" Lardy commanded, his calm veneer dissolving for a moment. "You claim you mean to help us, don't you? Why should we believe you?"
She shook her head. "You shouldn't. You have no reason to. I took the love of your life away from you and marred your memory of her. I stole everything you had. I...I raped--"
"You do NOT have to remind me of all the things you did to me, witch! My question is this: Why should I believe you'd help us!!!"
"B-because I regret what I did! I want to balance the scales! I--!"
"SO not buying that!" Lardy snarled with overt sarcasm. "Not in a hundred years of torment would I ever accept that pure altruism would motivate you! I know you too fucking well!" He gestured toward Cobie who got Lardy's drift and again raised his hand threateningly.
"OKAY!" she shrieked and cried ethereal, raging tears. "I want to get back at that bitch of a mother who raised me and ruin all of her godsdamned schemes that she and her husband have been spinning since before I was born! It was Mala who created the sham that was the Church of the Eternal Void and indoctrinated me into it as a priestess! All so I could die and set into motion all the dominoes to fall where they were supposed to! That's all I EVER was to her, and I want to help you tear it all to pieces! I want to send her a gigantic 'FUCK YOU' for grooming me my whole life only so I would fucking rot in Hell for all eternity!!! I want my fucking REVENGE, OKAY?!?!"
Lardy smiled serenely. "Now that, I could buy."
Cobie looked at him and back at Mordra. "Mala's dead, you know," he informed her.
"Good!, she replied. "Maybe she's here somewhere. But whether she can see or not, I'll have the satisfaction of knowing I fucked her over like she did me. That everything she worked toward her whole life was for NOTHING!"
Lardy nodded solemnly and motioned for Cobie to walk with him to talk. "So...what do you think?" Lardy whispered.
"I don't like it. I hate her almost as much as you do. I could never see her doing anything to help us no matter what the motivation."
Lardy glanced over his shoulder to make sure Mordra hadn't moved. "Yeah," he agreed, "I think there's something in this for her beyond revenge. But I also think she's genuine about hating her mother for what she wrought and wouldn't align herself with Pornis to fulfill Mala's goals."
"But couldn't she just make them her own? Set herself up to sit at Pornis's side on his throne?"
"Des, my father can't be manipulated. And Mordra has no use for a man who she can't control. It's against her nature."
"And so...?" Cobalt motioned back and forth between himself and Lardy. The implication was obvious.
"Yes, she's using us. But we're using her, too. Remember, Nura said our guide would be very 'difficult' for us to trust. But she said her help would be 'necessary' for us to fulfill this quest. So the question really is...do we trust in Nura?"
Cobalt thought back about the ravishing platinum blond beauty. He barely knew her, but at the same time he felt a comradery with her that was difficult to explain. It was as if Nura, in another place or time, could have been one of them. One of the Legion. "Yes," he answered decisively, "I trust Nura."
"Then, there's our answer. Believe me...this feels like the most difficult leap of faith I've ever had to take, but this isn't the time to let hatred...and fear...motivate us."
Cobalt hugged his friend. "Never again," he said.
They broke the embrace and headed toward the shimmering spirit.
"Lead the way, Mordra," Lardy said to her, and she silently turned and drifted towards their eventual destination. Lardy stopped his friend for a moment and whispered to him, "but watch my back anyway, 'kay?"
Cobie winked, grinned and replied, "always."
And the trio continued on, ever closer into the heart of darkness.
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
As the party made their way back to the lead ship, the mood was wonderfully relaxed. They all knew they weren't done fighting yet, but they also all knew they had earned a few brief moments of peace.
Poverty Lad, Dedman and Nightcrawler were trading notes and catching up. Angdar and Marvin were piloting the ship leisurely. Kinetix, Kairos, Spelling Bee and Danger Damsel clustered around Shadowplay in Candlelight Lass as she regaled them with tales of LMB past. Kid Prime floated serenely outside the ship.
Invisible Brainiac and Blaze snuggled together at the back of the ship. "Are you sure you're okay?" IB asked. "You've been shivering every so often on the way back."
"As long as I'm with you, I have all the heat I need," Blaze grinned. "Seriously though, I'm fine. Just a little cold..."
IB frowned. "Could it be because of the portal? We have to get you checked as soon as we get back." He glared at Blaze as he tried to protest.
Before they could argue, Poverty Lad cut in. "Incoming transmission from Rockhopper Lad, all."
As Pov looped them in, Rocky's gentle voice came in. "Greetings all, and a warm welcome to those I haven't met before. This is Rockhopper Lad, LMB leader speaking."
"Nice cowboy hat," Kairos whispered to Kinetix, who nodded in agreement.
"Thank you for successfully undertaking your missions, at great injury to some of you," Rocky said. "We've verified that the portal remains closed, and the Dark Army will no longer grow in number. Also, your efforts have cleaned Space Quadrants C and D of all enemies. In addition, our forces report that no additional enemies have been appearing planetside or in Quadrants A or B. We're holding our own and are steadily gaining the advantage." A loud cheer went up, and IB perked up as well. He'd been feeling guilty for all the trouble he'd caused. He gave Blaze a hug and whispered, "You're a hero!"
Switching back to addressing Rocky, he asked, "So does that mean I can drop my light shield around Weber's World now?"
Nightcrawler was dubmfounded. "You mean you've been maintaining it all this time?"
IB shrugged. "It wasn't that hard. I just "set" the shield. It's not that strong, anyway; only the weaker enemies are being kept out."
"I suppose you can, but that doesn't mean we can relax. We need you to return posthaste. We believe this may signal a further attack," Rocky said somberly.
"What? What makes you think that?" Spelling Bee asked. "Maybe they just got stared seeing all we can do?"
"Were it that simple, lass," Rocky said. "Enemies had been passing through the portal up until you closed it; by all accounts, they are amassing just outside our outermost orbital defenses. As if they are waiting for something." The cabin fell silent as he news sank in.
"Also, some of our own fallen have risen again... and attacked us." Rocky paused for a moment as a collective gasp went up. "We believe we've identified the cause, and Invisible Brainiac and Petty Officer Marvin may recognize it..."
IB and Marvin gasped as they saw the mental image sent by Rocky. "The Dream-Eater at the Brood homeworld!"
"We surmised that the Dark Lord must be drawing power from its victims somehow, otherwise why subject them to that kind of slow death? But I never imagined it would turn them into slaves..."
"But we weren't affected. Is it because we were still alive when we entered it? Maybe it works faster on dead bodies."
Rocky cleared his throat. "That, gentlemen, is why I request you return to the lead ship at once. We need to plan for this."
"Consider us there," Marvin said grimly. "Angdar, let's take the fastest route."
As the pilots made their calculations, IB turned to Blaze in worry. "I remember now. After we freed ourselves from the Dream-Eater, we all felt cold for a short while after. Maybe you were touched by one when you closed the portal."
"Oh..." Blaze said. "But, it can't turn you while you're alive, right?"
"No," IB smiled. "You should be fine."
"Say... is it just me or ar ethe stars winking out?" Angdar said.
Everyone turned as one to look, as an inky blackness seemed to appear in front of them.
"No... it's here," Marvin breathed.
"Grife, how fast does it move?" Danger Damsel asked.
"Extremely," rumbled Kid Prime. "And I believe it defies our sensors as well."
"Can we outrun it?" Candlelight asked.
"Not at our present trajectory!" Marvin replied. "Brace yourselves, everybody!"
"Hold on! I'm sending help!" Rocky said.
"No wonder the Dark Army forces withdrew. They wanted the Dream-Eater to finish us off..." IB said. He looked at Blaze, who was staring outside the window in shock, hands gripping his armrest. IB leaned in to whisper, "When you were lost in the portal, I told myself I'd give anything for another day with you. But much as I'd like to stay with you now... I have to go."
In a burst of light, IB leaped forward before Blaze could even turn his head.
"Just in case... I'm glad I was able to kiss you one last time," IB thought to Blaze. Drinking in even more energy than he already had a while ago, he dove right into the heart of the Dream-Eater.
“This is ridiculous.” Power Boy said to Juj and Ameratsu. They still stood in the middle of the dome of the New Gods.
After Power Boy's proclamation, the New Gods began chattering like a hornet’s nest. Now, they were voting.
“I predict they will vote in favor of war, 50% to 39%, with 11% abstaining or …” Ameratsu trailed off as he noticed Power Boy’s face.
Power Boy was frustrated! Several New Gods had spoken up in his favor, especially the leader, despite criticisms she was supposed to be impartial. He also noticed, a few vocal critics, and he realized … the Dark Lord must have agents even here, to cause dissent to track the New Gods.
Juj turned his head as he heard a cracking sound. A bit of dust fell down between the three LMBPers.
“uh …” Juj pointed at the ceiling.
Power Boy smiled. “A little late.”
Grey figures ripped open the roof, and slid through holes, chunks of the ceiling fell to the ground but the scene seemed silent as what was happening dawned on everyone present. Bat winged figures flew down into the dome.
It took a long moment but, the New Gods … FOUGHT!
Energy blasts incinerated the interlopers, A wave of a hand here left an enemy dust, and wave of a hand there threw a group of snarling ghouls so hard against a wall they exploded as they hit.
Nearby, the lupine man Trickster made a slight theatrical bow.
Ameratsu turned to Power Boy “You planned this, you led them here.”
Power Boy nodded.
Ameratsu said “I see you’ve learned some things from Cobalt Kid.”
“You bet your gilded ass I sprocking have.” Power Boy stoically trotted off to join the fight.
Juj’s form liquefied and said “Looks like he’s learned a few things from Lard Lad as well.” Then he bounced off towards a grey horned female figure.
Ameratsu stood dumbfounded “I didn’t see this coming.”
..............................................
The fight would be short and a clear victory. The Dark Lord didn’t have many servants this far out in space.
This battle would encourage the New Gods onward.
From: Ninja Land | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
The Dominion, The Dark Oval Ad hoc Headquarters of the United Planets Starfleets
“C’mon, keep moving,” said Satan Claws Cramer. Her usual abrasive demeanor was somewhat subdued, as she led the squad of Losers through a never-ending maze of corridors. As the four ladies continued their escape, the noise of the alarms became almost deafening. They could hear soldiers all around them…getting closer…descending on them. Even Cramer was beginning to see they had almost no chance of surviving. “C’mon, Oracle,” she added.
Cramer pulled Lolita forward by the arm, almost dragging her along. Since they regrouped, Lolita had gone into shock. She was almost in a daze, allowing herself to be led forward by Cramer. She had only stopped once, to vomit. Satan Claws Cramer had been very abrupt with Lolita from the beginning, insinuating she found her weak and not worth her time. Having learned what she had just done, Satan Claws had softened up, as if Lolita had earned her respect. After all, she could remember her own first kill. Now Satan Claws took care of the young heroine, and had even called her by her LMB codename, Oracle.
Behind them, Lightning Lass carried Zhiya, who was now too weak to stand. She was losing blood at an incredible pace. She kept silent, her eyes glued on Lolita, with concern and worry etched into her face. Lighting Lass, to her credit, did not complain once about carrying her ally.
The footsteps grew ever closer.
“No killing, SCC,” said Ayla.
“My ass,” replied the SMBer. “It’s kill or be killed, Ayla. I ain’t going down without a fight. We killed their general. Sure, they might get their shit together and come to the rescue at Weber’s World, but not before we pay the price.”
Lightning Lass was silent. Guess we were so concerned with Belisarius that we didn’t really think this part through… she thought.
And then suddenly, they were surrounded.
They had been tracked for the past 20 minutes, but the soldiers showed great restraint in rushing forward. They knew the girls were powerful and in order to bring them down, it would take a larger number to do it. Little by little they led them through the maze, cutting off corridors with units until the girls went exactly where the soldiers wanted them.
“Hands up where we can see them, assassins,” said a soldier. There was ice in his voice but it was not venomous. Rather, the cold, calculating voice of someone simply doing their job.
“Make me,” said Satan Claws Cramer, as she held her blaster up to the side of her face. By her side Lolita looked up but almost as if she did not see the soldiers. Lightning Lass could hardly hold Zhiya anymore; Zhiya could hardly keep her eyes open.
“Glad to, witch,” said one soldier, as he prepared to fire.
“Stop!” yelled the first soldier to talk, clearly the commander of this unit. “No one fire unless on my command or its your ass,” he said. There was something in his voice. If the tensions weren’t so high, the girls could see that perhaps he knew what they did was necessary. “Put the gun down, ma’am,” he said to Satan Claws Cramer. It was a clear, even tempered command.
Silence boomed for moments, stretching out into what felt like eons.
“Everyone stand down!” came a sudden voice. It boomed as if giving commands was what it had been trained to do since birth. “Everyone, Stand Down!.” The soldiers and the girls all looked around in shock, unsure where it came from, or who it came from.
And suddenly, the very roof over their heads began being ripped apart. Everyone turned upwards with guns drawn, preparing to fire…yet the commanding presence of that VOICE made them tremble.
It gave commands like it was born to do so…because it had.
“For those who do not know me, I am Mikel Jectra, Royal Prince of Psyonia, Ambassador of the United Planets and Legionnaire.” Hovering above them, at his most magnificent, was Crusader. Longtime Legionnaire and stalwart hero of the United Planets. Beside him was his paramour Maxx, the wizard, and the LMBer Cleome. Crusader’s cape billowed as if caught by wind. His presence was regal and commanding; it spoke of authority.
“Belisarius is dead! This you know. His actions these last few weeks will be debated for many years. But these things do not concern us now. We are heroes. Soldiers. We have a duty. This you know. This is self-evident. The United Planets has named me temporary General Maximus of the United Planets Starfleets until a proper replacement for Belisarius can be chosen. I accept this duty because it is a burden that must be borne. All of you now report to me.”
As he spoke the words, they came out clearly and logically. Each of the soldiers seemed to understand exactly what he was saying.
“Now lower your weapons and hunt these heroines no longer. They will not face any charges whatsoever for their actions, and they have committed no crimes.” He looked towards them, and could see tears running down Lightning Lass’s face. She truly believed these moments would be her last. He turned back to the soldiers. “Now I command you to return to your battle stations. This fleet mobilizes at sunset!”
For the briefest of moments there was no movement, and then suddenly, the soldiers started up once more, adhering to their duty, and leaving the heroes alone.
Crusader, Maxx and Cleome drifted downwards to the four girls, as Cleome flew over to Zhiya and Lightning Lass with concern. “How is she?” said Cleome, immediately.
“Not good,” said Ayla. “Lost alotta of blood. Has a fever.”
“Perhaps I can help with that,” she added, and Lightning Lass saw Cleome’s hand—more plant than human—began to hatch little pods, which Cleome then rubbed onto the wound. “This salve should stave off any infection and stop the bleeding. She may just make it yet.”
Maxx greeted Satan Claws Cramer. “All this time in the Dark Oval is paying off, then,” he said. “That was some good timing.”
“A little too fucking close for comfort…” said Cramer with a grin. “But thanks.”
The regal Crusader walked forward to Lolita, who still looked as if what was happening was not registering for her. “Lolita,” he said calmly. “Are you alright?”
At the sound of his voice, and the telepathic method of asking that went with it, she lifted her head. As she saw him, fresh tears ran down her cheeks. “I-I…I am…” she said.
He nodded. In that moment, he read her thoughts and knew what she had done, and it broke his heart. For assassination was something the Jectra twins could never condone or understand. But he also sympathized with her and felt her pain. And he almost admired her courage.
Crusader turned to Maxx with a smile. “Now what? Lead this naval force back to Weber’s World? We have our work cut out for us…”
Before Maxx or any others could answer, a loud beeping sound suddenly went off on Lolita’s omni-com. The noise triggered something in her, that made her grab it with normal reaction time. As if coming out of a fog, she read the message and looked up. Everyone stared at her.
"What are you doing, IB?!" Invisible Brainiac couldn't even tell who was "thinking" at him. it seemed everyone was! Blaze's voice in particular was loud, though.
IB grunted as he plunged forward, his light rays slowly cleaving a hole in the Dream-Eater. It was stronger and much bigger than the last one he and Pov fought near the portal. Heck, it was much stronger AND more powerful than the one he, Marvin and Disaster Boy had destroyed near the Brood homeworld.
"Don't worry, I'm not suicidal," IB thought back. "But the only way to beat this is by using intense light, so I'm the best bet to lead the attack among those her!" He paused as tendrils of black blobby ink reached out to swat him. He quickly backed away while blasting light in a wide arc in front of him.
"I learn from my mistakes, though. Kairos, can you slow this down? Blaze, Kinetix, Pov, Bee, Marvin, blast it with whatever you have. Kippers, try to block the Dream-Eater from reaching the ship; I'm betting it won't be able to damage your body, though you might get caught in it so be careful. Nighty, if Rocky sends a ship start teleporting us one by one to avoid contaminating the ship with the blob. And Rocky, if you send help, please include Reboot and Kent so they can study this thing. Also send people who can radiate light energy, and don't send anyone wounded!"
IB sent one more thought directly to Blaze - "I love you. I'm definitely coming back!" Then he muted the link so he could concentrate. But he problem with multi-tasking is you tend to lose focus. IB looked around to find he'd been careless; tentacles were all around him.
"Sprock."
IB quickly turned to light to try and evade, but he was too late. Darkness descended all around him.
************************************************
"... We don't have time for this," Kinetix gritted through her teeth. "You're injured!"
Angdar looked at her levelly. Nobody had heard, amid the chaos. "IB asked Rocky to send Kent Shakespeare. I can have him look at me when all this is done."
Kinetix shook her head. "It's been nearly two hours since we left the portal. If anything happens to you..."
"I won't be able to make it out alone, anyway. We either stick together, or fall to that Dream-Eater individually."
Kinetix opened her mouth to protest, but just then Nightcrawler BAMFed beside her. "I know you want to say goodbye, but sadly we don't have much time. Ready to roll?"
Kinetix gave him a glare. "Okay, but Angdar is injured. When Kent gets here, Angdar is first in line, okay?"
At Nightcrawler's nod, Kinetix turned and gave Angdar a kiss. Then she joined the others to leap into the fray.
************************************************
Invisible Brainiac rubbed his head. Damn, it hurt. Like he hadn't had enough sleep. What happened? Last thing he remembered was being swallowed up...
He sat up, much like one sits up when falling in a dream. Damn, how long have I been out?"
As his blurring vision settled, he stared in horror as tendrils of darkness slipped towards the ship. "No!" he wanted to scream, but he was trapped too. All he could do was watch as his friends jumped out to rescue him, and got trapped for their trouble.
Pov and Kinetix were first as they tried to rush the Dream-Eater. Kairos cussed as she was dragged under, her timefield unable to save her. Angdar swung his mace with all his might, but not even Nth metal could save him.
"I'm coming, Baby!" Blaze as as he turned his fire powers on, full blast. IB cried silently, but he couldn't move anything else. He just watched as the darkness slammed into Blaze, bringing him in. IB closed his eyes. He couldn't bear to watch as Blaze got hurt... And darkness took him again.
************************************************
Rockhopper Lad stared grimly at his viewscreens. He had set his ship on course to the Dream-Eater, and had sent an advance squad of some of the LMB's best. Losing any Legionnaire was a big blow, but some of those in danger now had powers, skills and knowledge essential to winning the war.
He settled back. All he could do now was wait and continue to be a leader.
************************************************ IB opened his eyes again. "Oh light, how long have I been out?" he thought.
His comrades were around him. He gave a start as he saw... "Abin? Reboot? Ranger? Kalla?"
Oh no. The reinforcements Rocky sent. They must have gotten trapped too!
IB moved his eyes in a panic. He couldn't turn his head, or his neck. No, they can't all be here. Have we lost? Where's Blaze? Where's...
"IB, come with me," a figure appeared suddenly. Its skin was pale, its posture bent. Its voice was unbearably hoarse and dry. It looked like it had been through much better.
"Who are you?" IB asked. He couldn't get a good look.
"Don't you recognize me?" The figure raised its head to look IB straight in the eye. IB gasped.
"Blaze? What happened to you? Oh baby..."
"We've been in here too long. But we can still be free. Take my hand, join your light with my fire. Let's get out of here. We don't need to sacrifice our happiness. We can go away together, just you and me..."
IB was taken aback. "You can't mean that, baby..." he said. "You can't mean we should abandon everyone else!"
"We must..." Blaze said sadly. "We have no other choice. IB, I'm dying. If we don't get out of here now..."
"I... How can..." IB closed his eyes. Grife, get a grip, kid. Think! Last time the Dream-Eater conjured up a hallucination for me. It must be tempting me! Blaze wouldn't ask me to do this. He wouldn't!
IB opened his eyes. "Okay, baby... Take my hand."
Blaze smiled, although his eyes remained sunken. He lifted IB's hand to his lips...
And ate a fistful of hard light.
"Eat it, fake! No way you're real!" IB screamed as he focused his will. He lit up the entire area with all the energy he had. The images of Blaze and all the other LMBers faded, replaced by the dark matter that had created them.
Slowly, slowly, his light pushed outward. At first the cloud resisted, as if it were drinking the light in. IB gritted his teeth and pushed himself harder. No way was he going to let this be the end of his fight.
************************************************ Blaze shivered as he took his position beside the other energy-casters of the group. The Dream-Eater radiated such malevolence... but he couldn't leave IB in that horrible place. He kept pouring his flame onto his assigned spot. Nobody knew where IB was, so they had to cover a smuch of the cloud as possible.
"Uh..." he couldn't help but let out a groan. How long had they been doing this? Grife, he was tired!
"Are you okay?" Candlelight asked beside him. "That grunt tells me you're not.?"
"Oh... uh, yes Ma'am. Just feeling a bit dizzy. But I can't let IB down."
Candlelight frowned, then nodded. "Once we get him out, you two are going straight to sickbay, okay?"
Blaze couldn't help but nod. Yes, "when"... not "if".
************************************************
IB wiped the sweat from his brow. Even in the cold darkness, he was feeling the exhaustion. His head was pounding.
He briefly toyed with the idea of splitting into his seven selves, but decided against it. He'd expended so much energy in the last few hours that splitting would weaken him too much.
He refocused his will. Beating this thing wasn't just a matter of energy; he'd almost been consumed the first time until he'd accepted that it wasn't real.
Maybe I should picture happy thoughts? It sounds like a *$%!)# fairy tale, but who knows... Okay, when I get out of here I'm taking Blaze to China and Brazil. Just him and me. So let's get out of here already!
Feeling a second wind, IB refocused his blasts. His head still hurt, he still felt chills wrack his body, and he still sweat. But he couldn't stop now.
This time, the darkness slowly fell away around him.
*************************************************
Blaze was sweating now, but he kept on pouring all he had into the Dream-Eater. By now, reinforcements had arrived - he saw Kar-Em, Abin Quank, Harbinger, He Who Wanders and many more. Even Andgar, Marvin and Danger Damsel had joined the fray, firing with their laser pistols. His heart pounded. So many of them were here. They could save IB... If only they could find him! The Dream-Eater was like a great wall, its ends disappearing into the distance.
Suddenly, he felt himself whoosh through space. "Keep moving, lad," Kar-Em said as he pointed. Blaze looked at where Kar-Em was pointing and saw a shadowy tendril. The cloud was fighting back. "You do not want to be a stationary target."
Blaze stammered his thanks. Where was his head at? Giving himself a shake, he turned to scan the cloud. Where could IB be in that inky sea of blackness?
"There!" Space Ranger shouted. "I see something moving!"
"Is it IB?" Blaze cried. He moved forward, for a better look.
"It must be," Reboot replied. "Know anyone else who can glow that brightly?"
Kalla Hrykos made as if to reply, then closed her mouth. She turned and intensified her own light beams.
"Everyone, please! Focus on this spot!" Blaze yelled.
And they did. Between the glow in its interior and the assault from outside, the Dream-Eater seemed to convulse. It screamed, for lack of a better word. Everyone shuddered as an awful sound, one that nothing alive could have made, erupted all around them.
Blaze didn't care. "Keep pushing, everyone!" Mustering his strength, he threw a fireball as big as their ship. At the same time, a large ball of light burst out of the Dream-Eater. The two energies collided, illuminating the blackness of space.
Everyone shielded their eyes. It was so bright! As the light faded, Invisible Brainiac floated there before them. He hung like a rag doll, without any bones.
"Oh!" Blaze cried as he floated forward and grabbed IB. Odd, the effort was unusually exhausting. He cradled IB's head gingerly, turning it so they faced each other. "Are you okay?"
IB grinned. "I am now that you're here." He raised his voice, though it sounded weak. "Everyone, don't stop! We have to drive the Dream-Eater away and by ourselves time!"
IB unleashed a laser stronger than any Blaze had ever seen before. Blaze joined in, adding his flames to IB's light. All together, the others added their powers as well.
The Dream-Eater let out a horrible scream, even worse than the last one. Then slowly, slowly, the Dream-Eater turned and ran away like inky water swirling down a drain.
IB turned to Blaze, smiling weakly. "We did it... We bought some time. I... Ohhh!" IB said as he leaned forward, slumping against Blaze's chest.
"IB...!" Blaze cried. He tried to rouse IB, but he was feeling weak himself...
"Let me look at them!" someone yelled. Was it Kent?
"Grife. I'm scanning their systems, and I see plenty of the same black particles that we saw in Dev-Em's body," someone else said. "They must have come into contact with it for too long."
"I was right... you must have been contaminated in the portal..." IB said sadly. "Oh Blaze..."
"Ssshhh... It's okay, IB... It's not your fault..."
People were yelling now, arguing about moving them back to the ship. Someone, he wasn't sure who, asked whether they would turn into zombie ghouls too. Reboot replied that he didn't know. Someone else argued that they were still alive, dammit. They could still be saved.
Blaze could feel his body being lifted. But he clung to IB, who clung back. "It's not fair," IB whispered. "We didn't even get to enjoy each other's company for long."
Blaze could feel his eyes tearing up. "I know. We never got to see the galaxy together."
"In case this is it... thanks for making me happy, even if it was just a short while," IB smiled. He was crying, too.
"Thanks for making me happy too..." Blaze said.
With an effort, IB raised his head and leaned forward. Blaze met him in the middle, and the two kissed.
Invisible Brainiac and Blaze found themselves standing naked in a strange landscape. The sun shone brightly, and the sand was soft beneath their toes. The wind was blowing gently.
IB turned to Blaze. "Is this heaven, you think?"
It is not yet your time, young ones.
Blaze gave a little jump. "Who said that?" He looked left and right, but saw nothing.
We are the old gods, whose names are no longer known to mortals. We are the Light that illuminates the land...
And I am the Heat that warms the flesh.
"Are you... the one who gave Blaze his powers too?" IB asked. "I know the Light gods gave me mine."
Yes, you are correct. I allowed Blaze to receive his powers.
And it is with great joy that we see you two have found each other. For when Heat and Light come together, the result is nurturing life.
IB and Blaze looked at each other. This was all a lot to take in. "Um... by life, do you mean we're not going to die?"
We are no longer powerful enough to meddle directly in the affairs of mortals, but you are correct in that you will not die.
Your deep love for one another has spawned a union that will allow us to combine our power just this one time. And that powerful item of power you carry will allow us to channel our power to you.
IB and Blaze looked at each other. "But we're both naked... Oh! I remember now. Tempest!" IB smiled as he fingered the amulet around his neck. "She said she'd cast a protective charm here in thanks for my help."
And it was that magic that allows us to touch both of you mortals.
IB and Blaze hugged each other. "Thank you."
It is we who thank you, for honoring us with your powers. Now, we bid you farewell.
IB and Blaze stood, waiting patiently. Nothing happened. They looked at one another.
You must kiss each other first.
"Oops," IB said as he and Blaze both blushed. They leaned in for a kiss...
And everything faded into white again.
*************************************************
Invisible Brainiac and Blaze opened their eyes in mid-kiss. All around them, the LMBers were arguing as to what to do. IB winked at Blaze, then stood up. Blaze followed suit.
*Ahem*, IB coughed.
Everyone around them jumped. "You're alive!" Marvin said.
"Yes, we are. it's good to be here," Blaze replied.
"Not that I'm not really happy now, but... how?" Kinetix asked.
"With a bit of help from the sources of our powers, and from this amulet, and from our love," IB replied. "Honest to goodness."
"The enchanted amulet?" Kinetix asked, turning to touch it. "Oh!" she cried as her hand glowed.
"Are you...?" Angdar asked.
"I'm... fine," Kinetix said as she stared at her hand. "I'm more than fine, my hand is healed!"
"Must be the amulet's residual power," Blaze remarked.
"You should try it, Angdar!" Kinetix said. Angdar stepped forward and, at IB's nod, touched his amulet. Angdar frowned. "I don't feel any better." He held his side. Despite himself, he winced.
Kinetix frowned. "We really should go back."
"Yes, we should," IB said. He suddenly looked concerned. Maybe the amulet ran out of power? Or it only works on those with magical potential?"Besides, we need to plan for the Dream-Eater. It'll be back unless we destroy it."
"I don't really know what just happened, but... I totally agree," Nightcrawler said as he motioned for everyone to follow. The LMBers quickly piled into the ship and headed back to rejoin their comrades.
posted
The Dominion, The Dark Oval Ad hoc Headquarters of the United Planets Starfleets
The full force of the United Planets Starfleet mobilized before her. The sheer scope of it was astounding and normally would give anyone pause. But for Lolita Hypatia, she scarcely noticed. Her thoughts were elsewhere, replaying in her mind the same moment again and again. All with one single question in mind. Was there another way?
The daze she was in before had passed, but was now replaced with an intense feeling of depression. She had trouble getting her thoughts together. It was as if all the good that had been accomplished thus far was lost, and a low humming darkness settled over the entirety of the war.
“Anything yet?” said a voice behind her, and she turned to see three figures approaching: Lightning Lass, Maxx and Crusader. She knew Cleome was taking care of Zhiya, while Satan Claws Cramer was laughing it up over drinks with several soldiers that had snuck away from their duty to enjoy a pre-battle libation. She had already received the best news possible—that Zhiya would live. Somewhere along the way on this crazy quest, she’d gained a new best friend. Whenever she thought of Zhiya, she felt ever so slightly better about her decision to shoot Belisarius.
“No,” she said after a moment. “Whoever this Ameratsu is, he was very precise. Down to the seconds even for when this ‘majestic help’ would arrive. So we have another two minutes.”
Lightning Lass put her hand on Lolita’s shoulder. “How you holding up, ‘Lita?”
“I’ve been better,” she responded somberly.
Maxx looked to Crusader to nudge him to say something encouraging. Crusader was a bit at a loss for words. Maxx offered a solution to Lolita, not knowing it was exactly the same solution Crusader gave Cobalt Kid all those years ago following his own trauma. “Sometimes dear, it’s best to immerse yourself in your duties. They can provide focus. Clarity.”
She nodded at the wizard, knowing there was truth in her words. It was what Cobie would have said. Cobie…bloody liberty…I wonder where he is now? If he’s still alive? If any of them are? What a little fool I was to be so cruel when we parted. Now I’m just as guilty as he is of such terrible things.
She thought about Shark Lad and what he would say. He would be understanding of course. After all, he knew exactly what she was going through. But she wondered if perhaps he’d lose a little of the glimmer in his eyes when he looked at her. As if who she was now was somewhat lesser than who she had been before. Have I lost something of myself? Am I ‘used goods’?
It was during these dark thoughts, that suddenly the sky began to grow bright. A colorless shade of white shown forth in all directions suddenly, and every single sentient in the vicinity could do nothing other than look up and shield their eyes. It hurt to keep looking yet they could not turn away.
“Is it…?” began Crusader but even he could not speak over the light. Though it made no sound, they felt all sound being sucked out of the area around them.
It felt so painful…yet so beautiful. So pure.
BOOM!
And suddenly, where there was light, there was now a majestic host in its place. They appeared endless, coming from all directions yet none. There was a nobility to them; something soothing about their very look. And above all, there was a grandeur.
Lolita looked up and first and foremost among them, she saw the noble figure of Power Boy. There was something that stirred in her to see him leading a host of the New Gods; something deep in her being that not only caused tears to run down her cheeks, but for her to actually sob. They were the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
And deep within, she felt hope.
Power Boy flew down smiling, with Juj and Ameratsu by his sides. Neither being was known yet to Lolita or the others. For a moment, he did not say anything, as he was surprised to see Lolita quietly crying. He simply walked forward and put his hand on her shoulder.
In that act, everyone looking on realized for the first time that Power Boy was truly a higher being. One whose actions worked in mysterious ways.
At last he spoke, and when he did, Lolita’s tears stopped. The feeling of hope grew and it caused her to smile widely. “Now is the turning of the tide.
From: Right by Cobie's Side | Registered: Jul 2003
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Lolita never looked so beautiful. Everything about her was radiant. She smiled and Shark Lad’s heart took an extra beat. How could he be so lucky? How could Lolita have actually chosen him?
They were alone, for the first time in what felt like years. Slowly, he walked towards her. Lolita bit her lip playfully. Shark Lad raised his hand and—
“Shark Lad!”
Shark Lad gave a low growl. He kept his eyes closed trying to keep the vision of Lolita in his mind but to no avail. The dream was literally over.
“Shark Lad, wake up! We’re going back in,” barked Timber Wolf.
“You mangy fleabag,” Shark Lad said, shaking his head, “You couldn’t have given me just five more minutes?”
“Five more minutes? How the sprock have you been sleeping at all? We were under attack!”
“I haven’t slept right since Lolita left,” Shark Lad answered. “I was lucky to catch a few z’s.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re feeling all nice and rested,” Timber Wolf said with characteristic sarcasm. “This is gonna be messy.”
“Where’s E-4 Sharky?”
“I lost track of him. It’s crazy out there.”
“So, how many?” Shark Lad asked.
“You really want to bet at a time like this?"
"Yeah, I do."
"Fine, I say 150.”
“I see your 150, and I double it.”
“You’re going to take down 300 of those ghouls? All by yourself? I’d like to see that.”
Shark Lad grinned. “Ain’t that what this whole sprockin’ thing is about?”
-------------------- Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water...
From: The waters off eastern Long Island | Registered: Jul 2003
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Kinetix helped Angdar back to his quarters on his ship. Marvin the Martian had volunteered to take over pilot duties while they tried to figure out what was wrong with him.
“I don’t understand,” Kinetix said, “it should have worked on you as well. I mean, my arm feels better than it did before, and IB and Blaze were able to help some others after you tried.”
Angdar coughed as he tried to get his armor off. “Not sure. But can you give me a hand?”
She grinned. “Gladly,” she said as she walked over to him. “You think we should tell them about us? That we’re just….”
Angdar winced as she helped him pull the armor off of his chest. His chest was a deep purple color on several areas.
“I’m going to get IB and Blaze again. They have to be able to help you.”
“Just stay here for a minute…please. I want to talk to you.”
She nodded and took his wrist gauntlets off. He was now just wearing a normal pair of pants that fit under his armor.
“Thanks,” he said. He glanced at her arm and said, “let’s get that wrist guard we created off of you.
“I have it,” she said, and used her power to seemingly melt it away.
“Kine..I mean Zoe. You are an amazingly attractive woman. I really hope that when this whole war thing is over and assuming we survive, that you will at least let me take you on a real date.”
“You stopped me from going to get help to ask me out?” She said trying her hardest not to smile. “Of course you can.”
She placed her hand on his arm, and her facial expression changed from a smile to sheer puzzlement. “What in the world…”
* * * * * *
IB and Blaze were finally getting a chance to sit down when Kinetix came running in the room. “I need you guys to come with me. It’s Angdar!”
They looked at each other and got up and followed her as fast as they could. IB went from exhausted to worry in less than a second. “What’s happened?”
Zoe opened the door and they saw Andgar sitting on his bed smiling at them. “Come on in guys. I think we figured out what happened out there.”
Blaze and IB looked at each other.
“Let’s go ahead and try again,” Angdar said as Kinetix came over and grabbed his hand.
They both shrugged and walked over to him. Angdar reached out and touched the Amulet for the second time.
This time they saw the bruises on his chest begin to disappear. They could see the concave spot where a rib was obviously shattered fill back in to its normal shape.
“But why didn’t it work before?” Blaze asked as they stepped back. Blaze’s gaze lingered on Angdar just a bit, and IB swatted his arm playfully.
Nth metal,” Kinetix said plainly. “It interfered with whatever the amulet was trying to do.”
“That can’t be it; you had an Nth metal cast and bracelet on as well.” IB said thoughtfully.
“It wasn’t the armor…or the cast that interfered. It was,” she looked at Angdar to see if he wanted to let them in on their little discovery.
Angdar nodded and picked up, “it was the Nth metal that is inside of me.”
“What?” IB and Blaze both said at the same time.
“You know that to even lift any of the stuff, anyone has to have one of the specially made bracelets, or some other type of assistance to manipulate it. Such as Zoe’s powers.”
“Right; I remember you showing me how heavy the stuff was back on Weber’s World.”
“That holds true even for Thanagarians. I happened to have a few of them around because of this being a Wingman Elite Guard ship. So we were able to have several fighters out there with the ability to wield the stuff.”
“But that doesn’t explain…”
Angdar had stood and walked over to his weapons. It was quite obvious that he had nothing other than the shorts on, yet he lifted his mace like it weighed nothing.
“I don’t get it,” Blaze said. If you don’t have anything to assist you, how are you…”
“It’s literally in my body. Flowing along with my blood. Grafted into my bones. Zoe, if you could…”
She walked over to him and placed her hand on his chest. He sighed a little and then gave her a little hug.
“Zoe was able to move it from the areas in need of healing, and that allowed the amulet to work on me. She just redistributed it back to where it was. With a few slight previously agreed upon modifications.”
“So natural wings are not your only mutation?” IB asked, and Angdar was impressed that he had figured it out so quickly.
“Yep.”
“So are you two…” Blaze started.
“Stop it Hon.” IB said, but his face had an inquisitive look. They could tell that he was wondering the same thing. “I mean you two do seem insuperable,” he said with a sly grin.
Angdar and Zoe looked at each other and laughed. “No. We’re not…at least not yet really.” Angdar said.
“We were caught up in the emotion of the moment. Going to war, and all that stuff that gets your emotions going into overdrive.” Zoe said, and then grinned as she glanced at Blaze and IB.
IB looked at them. “I’m sorry, we didn’t mean to…”
“We are going to see what happens though as soon as this whole mess is behind us though. I mean, could you pass this up?” She said as she looked Angdar over.
“Not a cha…” Blaze started and then stopped. “Sorry.”
They all laughed for a few minutes. Until the sound of the perimeter alarm went off.
Angdar looked at them, “We’ll meet you out there as soon as I’m suited back up.”
“C’mn Blaze, let’s go see what’s going on.”
Registered: Sep 2011
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"Did you see what set off the alarm?" Kar-Em asked as IB and Blaze reentered the ship.
"Not only that, but I have it here," IB grinned. Behind him floated a globe of light, and inside...
"Part of the Dream-Eater!" Kent and Reboot said in unison. "Awesome!"
"Let's get going, boys," IB said. "We have to figure out a way to stop this thing once and for all. By the way, I took the liberty of asking He Who Wanders to follow it discreetly. He doesn't much like crowds, anyway."
As Reboot eagerly had Glitch take the Dream-Eater particle to the lab, Kent stepped up to IB. "IB, that amulet of yours... Would you and Blaze mind bringing it to the sick bay? There are a lot of defenders in need of healing."
IB shook his head sadly. "We'd be glad to, but... it seems this amulet came with a limitation."
Blaze chimed in. "When we were in our near-death experience, we were told that the enchanted amulet allows us to combine our light and heat powers in times of great need to heal. But it also only doesn't work all the time. I think it tires out the entities from whom we draw our powers."
"Just try it. Please."
"Of course we will, Kent. Maybe... Marvin said he had a minor burn from the Dream-Eater battle. He should heal by himself quickly, but let's see if we can speed it up," IB said.
So they approached Marvin and tried.
But try as they might, the amulet had stopped working for the time being.
Invisible Brainiac stretched himself out lazily on the lounge chair beside the swimming pool on the ship's deck. The starry night winked at him and Blaze from above; the stars had come out again now that the Dream-Eater had been momentarily chased away. If he tried hard enough, he could pretend all was at peace.
A splash jolted him out from his reverie. He turned to see Blaze splashing around in the pool. "Ohhhh, I just can't get the butterfly done right," Blaze said sadly.
IB grinned. "I COULD have helped you, you know. My little prideful baby." With another loud splash, IB dove into the water and surfaced near Blaze. "You have to move your arms like this."
"Hmph," Blaze pretended to pout. "You're so good at this."
"Well, I don't have your sense of balance," IB winked. "Remember when we went wakeboarding? Fun times."
"Yes, and you were really happy you got a tan after," Blaze smiled.
"It's so hard for me to tan," IB laughed. "I like having a nice light brown tone. Kind of like yours, though I'll never be that dark."
"No matter how light or dark you are, you're already perfect," Blaze smiled as he leaned in for a kiss.
As IB leaned in, a deep voice interrupted. "Mind if I join you?"
IB and Blaze turned to see Chace strut onto the deck. He was wearing an extremely skimpy pair of trunks and had obviously oiled himself up. IB glanced jealously at Blaze, whose eyes had widened. IB glanced down at his own body; while his abs were tight they just weren't as defined as Chace's.
As Chace plunged into the pool, IB moved protectively towards Blaze as he surreptitiously twisted his own LMB ring. Blaze whispered to IB, "Don't worry, I know what to do."
IB tried his best to smile as Chace surfaced. Flinging his hair back, Chace flashed his bright white smile and winked suggestively. "Lucky me, I get to see you two here in your swimwear. I do enjoy swimming while sipping some coffee and cream. Although I don't mind having either coffee or cream alone."
Blaze returned Chace's wink. "But coffee is so much better with cream, isn't it?"
Chace smiled as he drew even closer. IB tried not to notice Chace's newly waxed torso. "A lot of couples have told me that before, only to end up singles. But since you two are big heroes, I would much prefer a matched pair." His smile was cordial, but his eyes twinkled threateningly.
IB grinned as he sidled up to Chace. "I don't think that will happen with us, Chace. Now be nice, or you might not ever get a taste of this coffee and cream."
Chace leaned forward; he was a head taller than IB, but the smaller man stood his ground. Chace bent down so their eyes were level with each other. IB closed his eyes, thanking his ancestors that their genes had made his so chinky. He stood his ground. "Haven't you ever heard of personal space?"
IB gasped as Chace reached up and flicked IB's nipple. "I have a habit of making people want to share their space with me," he said threateningly. Blaze gave a yelp as Chace reached over and slapped Blaze's bottom. "And once they do, they hardly ever complain." Chace put his hand on IB's knee and slowly moved up IB's leg, stopping just below his crotch. IB glanced over to see Chace had done the same to Blaze. "In fact, they usually beg for more."
IB's heart pounded. Even closing his eyes hadn't helped. Blaze had it worse, for sure. He reached over and held Blaze's hand in comfort. Blaze looked into IB's eyes and mouthed, "I'm trying."
IB nodded. He had tried too, but he couldn't move his legs, couldn't bring himself to knock Chace's hands away.
Chace continued speaking. "You two are unusually strong-willed, though. I'll give you that. But somehow I don't think you can hold out much longer. I think my hands will find out just how excited you are..." With that, Chace's hands slowly inched upwards...
"Step away from the young ones, you rascal." A laser suddenly appeared on Chace's forehead.
Chace quickly held his hands up in the air and shot a dirty look at IB. "You called for help?!"
Special Officer Ralph stepped out of the shadows. "Still haven't learned your lesson, huh, Chace? Now put your hands on your head and walk to the pool's edge, slowly."
Kairos followed Officer Ralph, her hands glowing. "And don't even think about using your powers - I'm immune and I can hold you here while they recover," she smirked.
Chacne grunted and complied. "You don't have anything on me, though. All I did was flirt with these two."
"Is that so?" came another voice. IB smiled as Exnihil stepped forward. "These guys say otherwise."
Blaze smiled in glee while Chace's mouth opened in shock as nearly a dozen young men, all within a few years their age, stepped forward. All were decidedly attractive, and all were rather angry.
"How... how..." Chace stammered.
"It was pretty easy," Exnihil smiled. "With help from IB and Blaze, Officer Ralph and I were able to trace your movements from the time you vanished from Geequo."
"Your mutation to charm and dominate men instead of women certainly suited you," Officer Ralph added. "You sure enjoyed yourself across the galaxy, huh? It's just too bad that, like other Geequons, your targets develop an immunity to you after a while."
"And so they were able to recognize the photos of you we sent them," Blaze grinned. "And they also remember exactly what items you stole from them."
"Like my mother's jewelry," said one of the men, a blonde with blue eyes.
"Or most of my life savings," added another, a green-skinned redhead.
"So yes, we have more than often to take you in," IB smiled.
Chace glowered as Officer Ralph handcuffed him with a power dampener. Kairos looked thoughtfully. "Being an LMBer is something, alright. Never imagined I'd be bringing people in instead of getting into mischief..."
IB approached their fellow LMBers. "Not bad for a few days' work, huh? Thanks for the save."
Officer Ralph extended his hand. "No, thank YOU. Chace was one of those offenders who always seemed to slip past me. It's a good thing you noticed something was up, and used your powers to take a photo for me."
IB put an arm around Blaze and winked. "I can get very possessive at times." Blaze winked as he held IB's hand. "So can I."
The green-skinned redhead and the blonde came forward, followed by the other young men. "We'd like to thank you two," said the blonde. "We've been trying to get back at that nasshead for a long, long time now."
"He sure fooled all of us," added a blue-skinned brunette with elf-like ears. "Can't believe we were all taken in."
"Don't beat yourself up," IB smiled. "His powers just work really well, though it'll be hard to prove he's guilty. The thefts will be easier, though, and should put him away for quite a while."
The tanned blonde was looking at Chace as he left. "He really doesn't look al that good when he's not using his powers, huh?"
As one, the young men turned to look at Chace. He seemed shorter somehow; his abs weren't as defined; his nose seemed a bit too large and there was a scattering of acne on his face. He still looked good, but he wasn't as gorgeous as his powers had made him seem.
"I'd say you two look much better than he does," smiled a dark young man with close-cropped hair.
"We hope you'll give us a chance to thank you more properly," added another guy with Asian features.
"Maybe after the war ends; we've all volunteered to defend Weber's World too," smiled a light-skinned brunette with rugged stubble all over his chin. "Least we could do to thank you."
IB and Blaze looked at each other and grinned. "Sure, let's all link each other up," IB winked.
*************************************************
Blaze leaned back as all the men finally left the pool area. "What a night, huh IB?"
"Yeah, Blaze. We made six new friends and we got rid of the guy pestering us. Just in time, too. Another second and..."
"And he'd have held my property without my permission," Blaze winked. "Man, I'm tired now. We should head in, shouldn't we?"
"Yeah, we should," IB said as he grabbed his towel. "But, er, there's something we haven't taken care of yet. Say, you wanna go visit Pol and Condo?" IB grinned. "They told me they're both recovering well. Or maybe Angdar. Let's see what modifications Kinetix made on him."
"Ah-ah, visit only! We stay for a bit and then we go rest up," Blaze said with a firm smile. "We have a big day tomorrow. Besides, I can take care of you by myself."
“NGGGGRRRAHHHHRRR!!!” a frustrated teeth gnashing scream was heard amidst the futile pounding of fists on a force field.
Stella Ah was stuck. She slumped against the wall of the force field protecting Weber’s World.
She was SO close. After dragging Nam’Lor’s cold body and an unconscious Minotaur away from the solar flare and towards Weber’s World, she was exhausted and feeling very defeated.
Kid Gravity limped alongside her but his crushed ankle had left him in agony. He tried to be strong but Stella could see the sweat on his face and the pain in his eyes.
“Look!” Kid Gravity said with effort.
Stella turned her head, her matted hair swinging, and saw yet more ghouls trying to get after them. Herself and Kid Gravity had barely been able to fend them off as they madly crawled along to Weber’s World. Now with the wall behind them, they would be easy prey.
After all this time, on her own in the middle of the horde, with the Drinking Buddies against Titus, surviving the solar flare by extending her personal force field over the other Drinking Buddies as she never had before, fighting her way out through the horde, and now … Stella Ah had come so close to Weber’s World. Now she would die like a fly on a windshield. She thought she was extraordinary lucky to survive all of that. Now it looked like her luck had run out.
She grabbed Kid Gravity and held him close. The only thing she had energy for was to curl up behind her force field and hope it was sufficient. Kid Gravity rested his head on her shoulder. They looked so young huddled against the planet’s light shiled as the ghouls closed in.
…………………………………
ZARK!!ZAPF!! SPTZZZ!!
Stella’s vision was hazy. One minute the ghouls were upon them and the next everything was blurring. As the area around them stopped whirling, several figures came into view.
“Young lady, what do you think you’re doing out here.” A large man with a glowing green ring asked her authoritatively.
Several other large men stood behind him.
Stella couldn’t speak. Her wits were fried from the last few hours, and now several of the LMBP stood before her. A glowing young man stepped forward and his words were lost on her but he seemed kind.
“She’s in shock Abin.” Invisible Brainiac said. IB knelt and looked the girl in the eyes. “Miss, are you alright? Are you injured?” IB asked politely “What’s your name?”
Stella shook her head up and down, and then left and right. “Stella … Stella Ah … Reflekto.”
She was just so tired, and a bit star struck to be in front of Abin Quank, Invisible Brainiac, Space Ranger, and Jerry. They were famous to her, and this is not how she imagined her introduction. Her costume was a mess, SHE was a mess, and her force field barely sparkled at all – she had exhausted it over the past few hours.
She took Jerry’s hand as Abin created a green bubble to carry Kid Gravity, and the bodies of Nam’Lor and Taur-El. She looked at the bodies of the drinking Buddies who had so fearlessly come to her rescue … and fainted.
“WHOAH!” Jerry exclaimed and then scooped her up in his large pliable arms.
……………………………………
Weber’s World
Later, Stella woke in an infirmary. The lights were too bright but … “I feel great!” She said.
“Relax young lady, I’ve got you pumped full of space vitamins because these fools need to speak with you oh sooooo badly.” The grumpy doctor rolled his eyes at the members of the LMB that surrounded Stella’s hospital bed.
The doctor waddled off mumbling something like “As soon as I put them back together … they go and break them again … so much work …”
Around Stella’s bed stood a busty blonde bombshell with big hair, another pleasant looking woman with bland hair, and … Nightcrawler, whom she recognized immediately.
“Young lady, you have some explaining to do.” The busty blonde said as soon as Stella took in the scene. Stella found herself flustered.
“Just take a deep breath and tell us what happened.” The pleasant woman said, Stella now recognized as Saturn Girl, an LMBP FOUNDER!!!”
“I … I … I’m Stella Ah, Reflekto of Xanthu … I came to help,” Stella finally spit out.
“Child, let us into your mind, you have been inside the Dark Oval’s army, we need your information …we are under siege, time is short.” Spellbinder said just a moment before she was in Stella’s mind looking over the past few hours of events.
Spellbinder’s eyes lit up in surprise. “By Gawn.” She turned and looked at Saturn Girl and Nightcrawler who were telepathically linked for the event.
“Disaster Boy.” Nightcrawler said and hung his head as the image of Disaster Boy incinerating himself and Titus lingered in his mind. “I should’ve known.” He said. “I did know.”
“It was his choice.” Saturn Girl said.
“That monster Titus is gone as well.” Spellbinder said emphatically. She was glad she wouldn’t have to face that one.
“Atomik, and Nike, we barely knew them.” Saturn Girl said in this momentary memorial.
After a long sigh, Spellbinder said “We had best get back to work.” And she walked briskly out of the infirmary. Nightcrawler followed with a stoic nod at Stella.
Stella was left on her hospital bed fuming. “That … bossy … just because she has big boobs and big hair … doesn’t mean she can just barge into my mind … and tell me what to do!”
“They don’t even seem to care! What about the others … Nam’Lor, Kid Gravity, and Taur-El.” Stella jumped out of bed, still in her filthy costume.
Saturn Girl lingered for a moment “Don’t be too hard on her, we are all under a lot of pressure. I’ve had another costume produced if you would like to shower and change.”
“And … Stella … despite our outward calm, we DO care about each and every member of the LMB.” Saturn Girl said firmly and then pat Stella on the hand. “We’re proud of you too, what you did, surviving and rescuing Kid Gravity and the others … that was nothing short of incredible.” With a short smile Saturn Girl turned to leave. “Report to Invisible Brainiac when your ready, Legionnaire.”
For the third time today, Stella was dumb struck. “Legionnaire?”
From: Ninja Land | Registered: Nov 2004
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