The Sun Rises [Original Fiction Contest- The Sun]

QE1

Well-Known Member
#1
'Wait for it.'

'Wait.'

In a blur of motion, the small blonde child sitting closest to door leapt to his feet and out the door in near perfect harmony with the bell sounding throughout the building. He deftly sprinted down the halls, dodging other children emerging from their own classrooms. His backpack swung wildly in his wake by the one unbroken strap, battering the other children who had been so carefully avoided by the boy himself. Shouts and insults followed him, but the child neither slowed down or apologized.

Shoving the left most of a pair of doors open, the boy escaped into the outside world. Harsh lights were replaced by warm sunshine, and chipped tile floors gave way to concrete steps and sidewalks. His sneakers, brand-new and obvious quality contrasting with the worn nature of his jeans and t-shirt, barely seemed to touch the ground as the child sped toward his destination. Benches, trash cans, other pedestrians, even traffic were avoided with the same casual disregard shown to the children before.

Finally, the boy stopped at a small park near a downtown shopping plaza. Panting from his long run, he eagerly looked around the empty park. Shrugging his shoulders, he trotted over to the swings and sat in the closest one. The dirt rut worn into the grass below the swing had a shallow puddle in the middle.

Soon he was feeling the sensation of flying. The blonde let out little whoops of sheer joy as he soared higher and higher, and he delighted in skimming the tips of his sneakers across the water as he swung. “I can fly faster than you can, so you had better come peacefully,” he sternly told the imaginary super villain he was chasing.

“You're getting your new shoes wet,” a voice spoke up from behind.

“Mikey,” the boy cried, twisting as best he could to see the speaker. Dragging his feet in the mud every time he was near the ground, the boy quickly had the swing almost stopped. Hopping off the rubber seat, he scurried over to a dark-haired boy his same height. “I couldn't find you so I started swinging, do you want to go on the playground?”

Mikey just looked at him with a frown on his face. The boy was surprised, last time they had played together Mikey had smiled and been nice the whole time. Looking down, he was horrified to discover his shoes were now covered in mud. “I- I'm sorry about the shoes, I'll clean them up as soon as I'm home,” he offered.

Mikey's face changed, and for a minute the blonde thought Mikey looked a lot like his Mom when she was angry, but his voice sounded sad when he spoke. “I'm not upset about the shoes, they are yours to ruin. I just thought since I bought them for you like you asked, you would be practicing what I showed you last week. You did say you wanted to learn how to fly, like your dad, right?”

The boy's face brightened at that. “Don't worry, I practiced really hard all week so I could show you. I can definitely do it really good now, just like a superhero. I'll be flying around in no time,” the child bragged proudly. “Watch!”

The blonde held his hands apart in front of his face, palms facing each other. Straining all of his muscles, even the ones in his legs and his face, the boy managed to create several thin blue streams of electrical energy between his hands. “Ha! Pretty awesome, huh?”

Mikey carefully looked from the display before him to his watch, then back at the display. Nodding slowly, his face shifted to an exaggerated friendly smile. “Yes, that is very impressive for one your age. You are going to be quite powerful in the future.”

“Oh yeah, you know it,” the blonde enthused. “I'm totally going to fight all the villains and kick their asses! Oops, don't tell my Mom I said that word, okay?” The boy looked embarrassed. “She would get very mad at me.”

“Oh yes, your mother. You won't have to worry about her getting angry anymore. She's an old friend of mine, I'll speak to her tonight,” Mikey promised.

“You know my Mom? And you are her friend? Weird. Why don't you ever come over to play at my house?” The boy was looking confused.

“So many questions boy. I'll explain everything to you when we get to your home,” Mikey told him, patting the boy's shoulder.

“I don't want to go home right now though. We could play in the park like we did last week, and then maybe you could show me how to fly. I'm sure I could learn to do that just as fast I learned this lightning-thing.”

The argument was interrupted by a shadow passing quickly over the boys. Craning his neck, the little blonde boy spotted a woman in a white cape descending slowly to the grass from the sky beside them. “Wow, a real super hero!”

“Since I'm a girl, it is super heroine,” the dark-haired beauty corrected with a gentle smile, bending down a bit to not completely tower over the pair. “I was passing by and saw some strange lights so I decided to stop and investigate. Was it you making that energy appear?”

“Yeah, it was me! Wow, it was so awesome you could see it all the way in the sky? Hey, could you teach me to how to fly, miss?”

“My name is Dazzle.” The pretty woman winked at the blonde, causing him to blush. “What's your name? And where did you learn that great trick?”

“Mikey showed me how to do it. Well, he couldn't do it himself but he showed me what to do and sure enough I can,” the boy pointed to his friend.

Dazzle turned to other boy who had remained silent since her arrival. “And what made you think he could it, Mikey?” She asked sweetly.

Mikey regarded the woman for a long moment with blank expression on his face. Dazzle tried smiling encouragingly, but the boy might have well been made of stone. “I think I should know what my own son is capable of,” he said finally.

Dazzle's eyes widened, but it was too late as the boy somehow transformed into a man and punched punched her in the face before she could react. The man followed up his initial blow with several other hard punches, connecting with all of them. Dazzle reeled back from the sudden onslaught and managed to cover her head with her arms, but a powerful kick to her stomach tossed her cleanly over the teeter-totters and onto the picnic lawn beyond. The man gave a short bark of laughter, then sprinted after her. Standing over the super heroine while she struggled to get her breath and stand up, he gave into his villainous instinct of monologuing.

“Wrong place, wrong time princess,” he snarled viciously. “I didn't mean to start wiping out the active hero population in Luna City until after I had my revenge. But, you need to die now. So, be a good girl and bleed when I hit you!”

The blonde child had been forgotten during the one-sided battle, but he had followed the combatants despite his shock. He entered the fight now, screaming a wordless battle cry and hurling the surprised man across the park with a single, huge bolt of energy.

“Leave her alone Mikey,” he yelled, tears rolling down his cheeks.

Dazzle staggered to her feet, stumbled over to the child and scooped him up into her arms. Making sure he was secure, she kicked off the ground and flew low over the streets, weaving through the buildings to make it harder for anyone to pursue them. After two blocks, Dazzle risked a brief stop in the air. Shifting the sniffling boy to one side, she used the freed hand to press a button on the belt of her uniform. Securing her passenger tightly against her chest, she took off pell-mell through the city streets again.

It was only a few minutes later that a green-costumed man appeared from a side street, flying towards them at high speed. Dazzle slowed, turning to meet him. “Villain at the park next to the Friedswood Shopping Plaza,” she reported. “I was passing through the area and spotted some strange lights so I investigated.” She gestured towards the boy in her arms. “He was the source, the villain was disguised as another boy for the purpose of befriending him and training his powers. He got the jump on me but this boy blasted him off using his new lightning ability,” the heroine continued. “I took the chance to flee, taking the boy with me. One more thing, the villain claimed to be this boy's father.”

The new arrival looked at the boy, then back at Dazzle before nodding. “Good work. Take the boy to the roof of that apartment building, Golden Eagle and Fledgling should be here in a few minutes. Have Fledgling take him back to base, then return to the park with Golden Eagle to search for any sign of the villain. The two of you will be more than a match for him if you find him, I don't expect him to have stuck around though.”

“Got it. What will you be doing?” Dazzle asked.

“I'm headed to the boy's house to evacuate his mother,” the man simply said, as he turned and flew away leaving a confused pair behind.

Dazzle floated up to the roof. Her mind was racing as she tried to comprehend the events that had just taken place. On her way to do a little shopping she had run into a boy with special powers. And the boy was being trained to use his powers by a villain. And apparently Hammerblow already knew the boy's home address. If it made any sense, she couldn't see it. Landing on the roof, she attempted unsuccessfully to set the child down. He was still grasping her with all of his strength. Dazzle winced as she realized just how traumatic the fight and subsequent escape must have been for the kid.

“Hey now, you're safe here,” she reassured him. “You never told me your name, anyway.” The boy's only answer was to clutch at her even more tightly. The brunette went for a different tack. “Well, you certainly were brave to save me back there. A real super hero. So why don't I give you your hero name?” Wide blue eyes lifted to meet her gaze, and he managed a little nod.

“Great. I know that you are going to be the best super hero in Luna City, so you will need the best name. Let's see, since you have the power of lightning, how about the name Bolt?” Dazzle frowned, “No that isn't right. I know, how Thunderbolt.”

“Thunderbolt,” the boy breathed. He grinned up at Dazzle in pride. “Yeah, I'm Thunderbolt.”

Dazzle gave the boy her biggest smile. “Well Thunderbolt, what can you tell me about Mikey?”

“Hmm. Well his name is Mikey. I just met him last week. His favorite games are tag and swings, those are my favorite as well. He bought me these shoes because he said I was so nice, and then he showed me how to make the lightning. I don't know why he turned into a man or hit you though,” he finished.

“That's okay, now is there anything else you can remember? Do you know why he called you his son?”

The blonde just shrugged. “Nope. My dad was the Midnight Missile, he died when I was a baby. Mikey did say that he knew my Mom though. Hey, that green guy must know my Mom too since he knew the way to my house.”

Dazzle bit her lip in contemplation. That explained the boy's power, but things still weren't adding up. The blonde had to be important somehow, but why would their be so much interest in the offspring of a low-level super hero. She had heard of the Midnight Missile, but other than being flight-capable nothing about him stood out from the crowd.

“What's wrong?”

The child's question snapped her back to the present. She shouldn't be losing herself in thought while she had a duty to protect him.

“Nothing, I was just thinking,” she told him. The boy smiled up at her.

“Hey, now I'm a super hero I will always be there to save you,” he declared seriously. Then his expression turned sheepish. “Once you teach me how to fly,” he added.

Dazzle laughed lightly, and bent her head down to kiss the boy's forehead. The mysteries surrounding the boy could be solved later, for now he was safe and that was all that mattered.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX​

Dazzle had been expecting an explanation from Hammerblow. It was obvious that he knew more about the situation than she did, and as her team's captain he was good about keeping his team informed. So when a civilian member of the support staff summoned Flight Team Two in it's entirety to an emergency meeting of Luna City Hero's Council, she was understandably surprised.

Golden Eagle, as the senior member of the team after Hammerblow, was the one to stand and respond. “What should we do with the boy?”

The boy, who refused to give or answer to any name other than Thunderbolt, was curled up on a battered leather couch next to Dazzle sleeping. It had clearly been a long day for him, and Fledgling had taken it upon himself to try to teach the child how to fly while Dazzle and Golden Eagle carried out their search. By the time they had gotten back to base Thunderbolt had been so worn out from running around their ready room trying to fly that he had only the energy left to claim the spot next to Dazzle before sleeping.

The man just shrugged. “I dunno, all the message says is to have you guys report to the council chamber immediately. Just bring him I guess, I don't think anyone wants a kid wandering the base alone.”

Golden Eagle nodded his agreement. “Fledgling, carry him.”

“But he's so heavy, Dad. And I had to fly him all the way back to base already,” Fledgling complained.

Dazzle just sighed and gathered the boy up against her chest. “You need to spend more time in the weight room then,” she told the junior member of the team. The youth just reddened in embarrassment, whether because of her words or the fact a woman was carrying the load he had refused. Teenaged super heroes often let their machismo get the best of them, which was annoying most of the time but did present good opportunities for good old-fashioned ribbing.

The trek down the hallways was uneventful, and they were greeted by Hammerblow's matronly secretary in the waiting area. “Is this the boy? Of course he is, well set him down on this chair and I'll watch him while you lot go into the chamber. They are waiting for you,” she fussed. “Then to medical area for you Dazzle, you still need to get checked out.”

Dazzle gently deposited her still sleeping cargo on indicated chair. “Thanks, Mary. His name is Thunderbolt,” she said with a fond grin. The boy looked very peaceful and innocent, she decided. "He is going to be someone special someday."
 

QE1

Well-Known Member
#2
'Wait for it.'

'Wait.'

The footsteps in the hallway became louder as his target neared. The boy shook with nervous energy, his body coiled and tensed in preparation for his coming attack. Finally, the sound of boots on worn linoleum reached the door he was hiding behind. The heavy, metal door opened into the corridor beyond with a grease-defying screech. After a short delay, his prey blundered into the entryway of the door.

“Death from above!” he yelled.

Thunderbolt allowed Fledgling an instant of surprised panic before dropping from the ceiling in a flying tackle. A wide grin stretching across his face, the blonde child grabbed the flailing teenager by the shoulders and drove him backwards onto the ground. The meaty thud of two bodies slapping into the faux marble floor echoed around the waiting room to the Luna City Hero Center. The cavernous space was unoccupied aside from the receptionist behind the front desk, a blonde woman seated with a number puzzle book, and the battling duo. Neither of the women bothered to look up, well used to the antics from the child in question.

“Oww! Thunderbolt! That hurt,” Fledgling whined. He tried unsuccessfully to shift his younger opponent off of him, the blonde fighting off his efforts.

Dazzle sauntered casually into the room and stood smirking over the two boys. Golden Eagle also approached the pair, a critical frown on his face.

“That was not a very heroic defensive maneuver. Wherever did you learn in?” The bland delivery only made the barb more amusing, at least in Dazzle's opinion.

The super heroine decided to pile on. “This is what you get for teaching a nine-year old how to fly.”

“Dazzle!” Thunderbolt cheered. He craned his neck to look up at her, smiling innocently. “I was just sparring with Fledgling. I beat him of course, now you can send him off to the beginner lessons and I can take his spot on the team,” the child bragged. To add emphasis, he pressed his opponent flat onto the floor eliciting a gasp of escaped breath from junior hero.

“A spar? Did you use any of your powers at all in the fight?” Dazzled asked concernedly, pulling the boy off of Fledgling without any resistance. “You aren't allowed to use any of your powers except under strict supervision, remember?”

“Nu-huh,” Thunderbolt shook his head vigorously. “I just let go and fell on him.”

Dazzle decided to leave the matter of shrugging off a sixteen foot drop onto hard tile floor and overpowering a teenaged boy twice his weight. It wasn't exactly surprising that a child with the ability to fly and shoot lightning bolts didn't consider that out of the ordinary. She let a playful smile spread across her face. “Ok. But how did you get on the ceiling if you didn't fly?”

“Umm.” The boy screwed up his face in thought. “I know. My mom was here and she's plenty strict so it's ok that I flew.”

The blonde woman shoved her puzzle book into the designer purse beside her. “You can waste your babysitter's time now,” she announced acidly as she stood up. “I'm leaving for work.”

“Okay. Bye Mom. Have a good day,” the boy called to the retreating figure. The woman gave a half-hearted wave in reply without turning around before marching through the revolving door and out of sight. The child's smile slipped from his face.

“Thunderbolt, why don't you race Fledgling to your classroom? He needs to work on his speed,” Golden Eagle kindly told the crestfallen boy.

The boy perked up immediately.“Yeah! I'll teach him how to be fast.”He turned to Dazzle, leaping up at her. “Hug first!”

She caught him reflexively against her torso, and he embraced her tightly. Dazzle marveled at how warm his body was now. He had grown considerably in power since she had first met him only three weeks ago. Visually, his body was the same but his quick rise in power had some side effects. As she internally cataloged all of skills and powers he had already shown, Thunderbolt wriggled free and leaped to the ground.

“Ready set go!” he yelled, without pausing between the words. Then the boy charged through the doorway and out of the room. “I'm so winning this race,” he called back.

“Hey! That isn't fair!” Fledgling chased after the boy. “No flying in the hallways, Thunderbolt!”

Dazzle and Golden Eagle shared a quiet laugh before turning sober.

“Is she like that every morning?” He asked Dazzle.

“Yeah, pretty much. That's the reason why I asked you to come along this morning when I picked him up.” Then she grinned. “Also 'cause he kept asking about Fledgling. I didn't know he wanted to beat your kid up and take his spot on the roster though.”

“He probably could if he really wanted to. He's a tough kid, even without taking his lightning ability into consideration. That could be his mother's problem, she might be afraid of what he can do.”

“Maybe. Doesn't make everything fit though. He almost looks resigned when she blows him off, not confused. That tells me he is at least somewhat used to it. And she always wears expensive outfits, aside from the shoes that villain bought him Thunderbolt has always been dressed in cheap, ill-fitting things.”

“Once a bitch, always a bitch,” the receptionist suddenly declared. “Sorry for listening in,” she sheepishly added.

Dazzle grinned on the inside. They had received precious little information about the boy despite the apparent danger he was in, even after appearing in front of the ruling body of super heroes in Luna City. This receptionist was a known gossip, and Dazzle sensed the opportunity for answers. “It's ok Staci, we weren't exactly speaking state secrets. You know that woman?”

The receptionist looked around for a moment. Seeing the coast was clear, she stood up and took off her earpiece. “Yeah, we attended heroine training together. She was a psionic, and also a cow. Seriously, if she had been good enough to hack it, her costume would have had udders on it. It doesn't surprise me that she is just awful with that little cutie. She always was to everyone more talented than her back before she got pregnant and had to drop out of the program.”

“I think we are getting a little off-topic here. Do you know anything about the boy's father?” Golden Eagle was giving Dazzle their secret retreat signal, but she wasn't about to give up.

“Oh, the dad could have been lots of people,” Staci was on a roll. “She was a total slut. Slept with practically all of the male trainees in our class, and some of the recent graduates. Like I said, she wasn't going to make the grade by her skills alone so she might have been trying to sleep her way into a pass. Or, maybe she was just looking to be the notch on as many costume belts as possible? I couldn't really tell you.”

“Alright! Well thanks for the assistance. Dazzle and I need to go make sure my son isn't being beaten up by a nine-year old now.” Golden Eagle started herding her towards the door.

“Yes, thank you very. If you can think of anything else that will help, let me know,” Dazzle called to her.

“Sure thing, dear.” Staci sat back down and replaced her phoneset.

Dazzle let Golden Eagle drag her halfway down the hall before pulling free and stopping against one of the walls of the passageway.

“We found out more from the receptionist than from Hammerblow and the Council combined,” she told her partner smugly.

“All we really found out is that Staci hates Thunderbolt's mother with a passion,” he countered.

“No, it makes sense if you read between the lines.”

“The lines of frothing hatred?”

“Yeah, whatever.” Dazzle started ticking points off her hand. “Thunderbolt's mother wanted to be a super heroine until she got pregnant and had to stop training. She resents him for the loss of that chance, and now the fact he gets to go through training. Since she slept with a lot of heroes and hero candidates it makes sense that at least a good chuck of his incredible strength comes from the father.”

“Yeah, but what about the villain claiming to be his dad?”

“Still working on that one. Maybe he thought the kid was his, and turned to a life of crime to help support him?”

“That seems pretty farfetched.”

“I didn't say we knew everything. But I'm pretty confident we are on the right track now. We'll have this thing solved in a couple more weeks. You'll see.”

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX​

“How the heck did he get a costume already?!”

“Don't ruin his moment Fledgling,” Golden Eagle chided. “It's been blatantly obvious that he will be a hero as soon as he's old enough. It's been that way since he's started training. Once he passes this flight test he qualifies to wear one anyway. Maureen likes the kid as much as everyone else, it was probably easy for him to convince her to make him since we all know he will pass. What I do want to know is why he chose white with black trim,” Golden Eagle finished by giving Dazzle a light shove.

“Hey! I didn't influence his decision. I didn't know he was getting his costume yet either,” she protested. “He just happens to have good taste.”

Another of the watching heroes laughed at that. “Good taste in women, maybe. 'Hey, why were you talking to Dazzle? Stay away from her, she's my friend.'”

Dazzle glared at him. “Will you quit bringing that up, Spike? He just wanted my attention.”

“Yeah, right then and every waking second since. Spike has a point, Daz.”

“You're just saying that since he's on your side.”

“Well, would I say he had a point if he was wrong?”

Dazzle huffed in good-natured exasperation, and turned away from pair of mean old men. She would probably regret leaving her upcoming nuptials with Thunderbolt to be planned by two clueless idiots but she was tired of them bugging her about that. Fledgling was looking a little sullen, so she decided to engage him in conversation.

“So, what time do you think he'll get on this course?”

Fledgling looked up in surprise. “Oh. One minute, thirty-four seconds.”

Dazzle made a show of thinking it over. “Hmm. That would put him five seconds slower than your personal best.”

“Ye-Yeah. That's a bad guess isn't it? He'll probably beat me like always.” Fledgling looked down at his hands nervously.

'Geez. Insecure-Fledgling isn't much better than Cocky-Fledgling. Does this kid have a happy medium?' Dazzle thought.

“No, you need to give yourself some credit. Sure Thunderbolt is fast for his age but you are older and have much more flying experience. He still has a lot to learn from you. It makes sense that he wouldn't beat your time.”

“You really think so?”

“Sure.”

Fledgling nodded, confidence clearly restored. “Yeah, after his test is over I'll tell him I can help him train. A little work with me will probably improve his time.”

“I'm afraid I'm already training him,” Golden Eagle cut in to their conversation. He shrugged sheepishly, “He is tough to turn down.”

Dazzle goggled at her teammate, stunned. “What?! You are training him? Why didn't you say anything?”

“He wanted the lessons to be secret, and like I said he is quite convincing when he wants to be. If you wanted him as your student I'm sure you only needed to offer.”

Dazzle just shook her head. “This is unbelievable. I did offer, and he accepted on the condition that I didn't tell anyone. I just figured he was embarrassed about admitting he wanted extra help. I spent about five of my off duty hours giving him pointers this last week alone,” she said wryly.

Spike couldn't contain his laughter, slapping his knee. “Ha, the little blighter figured out how to get private tutoring from two active-duty costumes at the same time. Are you sure his powers don't include mind control? He'll be a shoe-in for the Council by the time he's twenty at this rate, and running all of Luna City by thirty.”

“Pay attention, the Boy is about to start the course.” Hammerblow never referred to Thunderbolt by his hero name for reasons of his own. Since the child flatly refused to answer to his given name, the two compromised on Boy. It sometimes caused a bit of unnecessary confusion for the rest of Flight Team 2 and others, but everyone preferred to stay out of any arguments between the prickly Flight Leader and the notoriously stubborn child.

Dazzle turned to watch just as the boy reached the first of many turns on the twisty course. She was confident his performance in the corners would be excellent, that was what she had practiced. He zipped through the left half of the ring, giving himself a better angle to approach the second which he also took with ease. “A good start,” she said admiringly.

Thunderbolt used the little stretch before the next set of rings to build his speed impressively. He entered the third ring at full speed, using the sudden climb to the fourth ring to slow himself. The boy was tight to the pole as he turned and passed through the fifth ring. Then as he was jetting off at full speed to the next section a thought occurred to Dazzle.

“Golden?” Dazzle asked sweetly.

“Yes, Dazzle?” He replied.

“Did Thunderbolt ask you for tips to help increase his speed, by any chance?”

“Indeed.”

“I thought so.”

“So, I assume you assisted him in refining his turning technique?”

“Yup.” Dazzle mentally winced as Spike cackled softly in the background. She was surely in for another round of teasing after this. And she couldn't argue they didn't deserve it either. The boy had worked the two of them with a skill and foresight well beyond what a child his age should have been capable of. But it didn't change the fact that two super heroes had been tricked by someone who still able to count his birthdays with a single digit.

Thunderbolt had cleanly navigated the middle portion of the course, and he was racing towards the final and most difficult section. The the last three rings were placed in such a way to require the test-taker to loop just in front of solid concrete wall, to deter the faint of heart. Dazzle watched for him to reduce his speed, but he was clearly waiting for the last possible instant. Except he kept going even then. Dazzle's grip on her armrests was suddenly very tight.

“He's going to crash!” Fledgling shouted.

Olympus, a flight instructor and the proctor in charge of shadowing the examinees, cursed and lunged in a vain effort to stop the inevitable collision. Thunderbolt finally exploded into action mere feet from the wall. He flung his head back, arms and legs spread wide into a perfect Star Brake. His head kept traveling backwards, his feet came in and gathered into his body as he flipped back and up, away from the wall he had nearly rammed. At the peak of his flip he slipped neatly through the second to last ring. Untucking his limbs, Thunderbolt powered into a simple dive through the last ring.

Amid the shouts, shrieks, and cheers springing up from all corners of the flight grounds an irate Dazzle flipped to her feet to loom menacingly over a cowering Spike.

“Heh, so that's why he wanted to know how to do my signature flip,” the hero said weakly. “Looks like he tricked three active heroes into helping him, huh?”

“Yeah. Looks like,” Dazzle ground out, expression fierce. A hand on her shoulder restrained her.

“What were you thinking, teaching a young child a risky trick like that?” Golden Eagle's voice was calm, but reminiscent of a calm before the storm that beats you to death for endangering a small child.

“All's well that ends well?”

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX​

After the last candidate had taken their attempt at the course, Thunderbolt was finally free.

“Dazzle!” He yelled into the observer's box. Super heroes were not spectators, no matter how flimsy an excuse they might have had to give for watching the trials if anyone had bothered to ask. “Did you see that?! I was the fastest,” he crowed victoriously.

Dazzle looked up from where she was giving Spike a lecture, and gave him one of her brilliant smiles that turned his stomach into wriggling insects. “Yes I saw, you were very good. Wasn't he, Spike,” she asked, her voice going funny at the end.

“Yeah, great job kid,” Spike told him, giving him an energetic round of applause. He was also acting weird. Thunderbolt decided to ignore him and focus on Dazzle.

“What do you think of my new uniform?” he asked her, standing at attention and puffing his chest out to better display the garment.

“Very fancy. I love the colors too,” she told him warmly.

“Yeah, it's awesome. I told the lady I wanted it to be like yours.” Spike was coughing now, and Golden Eagle was laughing.

“How nice. I'm flattered,” Dazzle knelt down and gave him a big hug. Thunderbolt stuck his tongue out at Golden Eagle and Spike from behind her back. “What was your time, anyway?” She asked.

The boy stepped back from the hug and waved his certificate in front of her face for inspection. “One minute twenty two. Olympus said I'll probably have the course record someday! If I don't kill myself before then, that is.”

“That is exceptional,” Golden Eagle stepped over, smiling down at him.

But then Dazzle was leaning forward. Thunderbolt froze as her face came very close to his own. He didn't know what to do but just stand there, time seemed to be moving impossibly slow. Finally, Dazzle pressed her red lips firmly to his right cheek. Warmth flooded his body, starting from his cheeks. Then she retreated, rocking back onto her feet and standing next to Golden Eagle.

Thunderbolt still had no control over his body, all he could do was cover his cheek with his right hand. He was dimly aware that all of the adults were laughing now, only Fledgling was not. The teen was red in the cheeks as well, and looking away from the group. Thunderbolt wondered then how he was level with Fledgling now. Looking down, he noticed his feet weren't even close to touching the ground.

“Oh,” he exclaimed softly. He retook control of his body and gently glided back to the ground from his hovered position.

“Wow, that must have been some kiss you laid on him,” Spike joked.

Thunderbolt looked down at the ground for a moment, but when looked up again Spike was walking away and Dazzle was smirking. He caught her gaze again. She winked down at him and they shared a smiled. Then she was extending a hand for him to latch onto and swing happily with one of his own, and Thunderbolt let himself bask in the triumph of the afternoon. 'Dazzle is special.'
 

QE1

Well-Known Member
#3
'Wait for it.'

'Wait.'

Adrenaline was coursing through Thunderbolt's body. His heart was thudding violently in his chest. He knew he would only have one shot at this. All of his strength, all of his skill, all of his training; it was all meaningless here. The most important mission of his life, and all he could count on was his courage.

“It's easy to be brave when you know you will succeed,” he whispered, ruefully.

“Failure is guaranteed if you don't try,” his partner piped up from behind.

Thunderbolt turned to stare down the teenaged girl leaning against the wall of the hallway beside him.

“Hey now! I brought you along for moral support Allison, not to bore me with useless platitudes.”

The girl snorted, her glossy blonde ponytail swishing behind her. “You were the one who started this cliche fest, I just finished it. And, I was supporting you completely. You need to let her know you feel before it's too late, just grow a sack and ask her. All she can do is turn you down.”

“I know that. It's just a little more complicated than you make it sound.”

Allison punched Thunderbolt in the shoulder, hard. “Ouch! This is all your fault,” she hissed at the smirking male. She waved her hand around for a brief moment before continuing. “Look at it this way, you big dummy. It's either you or him, and you don't want her to be with him, do you? Now get it together, she just left the administrative wing.”

Thunderbolt whipped back around. “Showtime. Target is acquired. Mission is a go.”

“Only a total dork like you would turn asking a girl for a date into a mission,” she told him playfully, giving him a non-too gentle shove for motivation. “Now get going before you miss your chance.”

He turned back to face Allison again and nodded seriously. “Agent Snowflake, thank you for your cooperation on this vital assignment.” A smile cracked his face, and then they were both laughing quietly. “Seriously, thanks. Wish me luck.”

As he quickly made his way down the hallway to intercept the object of his affections before she could reach the first intersection, the young female gazed forlornly after him. “Good luck,” she whispered. Then she shook her head to clear the current thoughts from her brain, and retreated down the hallway.

XxXxXxX​

The abrupt shift in scenery when passing through the doors that delineated the end of the administrative wing and the beginning of the operational side of the Luna City Hero Center used to be jarring to Dazzle. Now she was used to it though. She even thought of it as rather symbolic of the organization as a whole.

Like the lobby, the administrative wing was regularly in the public eye. Television and newspaper personnel needed regular access to the building for press conferences and interviews. The decor there was carefully selected to be tasteful but not too extravagant, and everything was kept in immaculate order by an army of janitors and maintenance crews. The other parts of the building restricted to the public were still decently clean and certainly in habitable condition, but everything was more functional than decorative. 'Just like heroes. We may look good in spandex, but we all have our flaws inside.'

She was shaken from her reverie by the appearance of a male figure on her elbow. “Hey Dazzle. Got a sec?” He asked, smiling down at her.

Sometimes it was hard for her to reconcile the image of the small child she had met all of those years ago and the figure of the confident young man standing beside her now. But the curve of his lips was so very familiar, and it prompted a smile of her own. “Sure Thunderbolt, if you don't mind walking while we talk. I have to get back to my squad's ready room.”

“I would be delighted to escort a lovely young lady like yourself,” he replied, placing her hand in the crook of his elbow. “Clear a path for lady, knaves,” he barked at a pair of bewildered academy students who had the temerity to use the hallway to hold their conversation.

Dazzle giggled despite herself. “You know, this could be part of the reason why you're not more popular within the ranks.”

“Doubt it. Everyone thinks I'm amusing. Besides, I know those two from when I was in training,” he told her, grinning unrepentantly. “So, what were you doing in Hell? Convincing the demons you can no longer fight crime without the mighty Thunderbolt at your side?”

She shook her head. “No, not hardly. The Council wants me at the Mayor's Ball on Friday,” she put careful emphasis on the proper name for their superiors. Probably in vain, she knew.

“So the old billy goats have decided to whore you out for the fatman? Makes sense, he certainly won't be winning re-election on his own popularity. Or merits for that matter,” he continued flippantly. “I assume you told them they are disgusting pigs, but you'd do it anyway. Are you gonna be in civvies or costume?”

Dazzle just smiled. As much as his refusal to learn proper manners sometimes frustrated her, his blunt way of speaking was refreshing at times. Especially when it was in outrage on her behalf. “I expressed my displeasure rather more politely. And yes, I'll be wearing a dress.”

“Nice, a chance to see Dazzle all dolled up” he cheered. “At least there will be one perk to playing rent-a-cop for a bunch of snooty bastards. You better save a dance for me.”

“Why, so you can stare at my breasts the whole time?” she asked, amused. She had to laugh at the embarrassed glare he gave her. “I'm sorry, I forgot. Let's see, your head just happened to be at the same level as my chest due to your growth spurt. Oh, and your neck was hurting from flight practice so you couldn't look up to make eye contact. I apologize, it had nothing to do with you being a teenaged boy with raging hormones.”

“Dazzle, we made a solemn pact to never speak of that again,” he growled.

“Actually, I think only you agreed to that. But very well,” she acquiesced, as he kept glowering at her. “Won't you get written up for leaving your post, though? You'll lose your spot on Heavy Response Team One at this rate.”

“All they could do is demote me to some place that actually sees some kind of action. Like I'd complain about getting kicked off the glorified parade unit.,” Thunderbolt rolled his eyes. “It's fine, I'm assigned to mingle on the main floor every other rotation. The geezers will love the sight of us dancing, I'll probably even get another medal out of it. 'For great civic service, and unflinching bravery in the face of smashed toes courtesy of a clumsy brunette, it is with great pride we present Thunderbolt with the Badge of Valor.'”

The heroine let out a little huff. “Well, since the wonderful Thunderbolt has offered to share the spotlight with me, I had better go shopping for a new dress to wear.”

“Good plan,” Thunderbolt offered cheekily. “Just make sure your dress matches my eyes.”

Dazzle laughed again, and let him open the next set of doors for her with a flourish. They turned down the corridor leading to the flight team ready rooms. She couldn't help but notice that the teen was looking a little nervous. It was a very odd look on a face that normally displayed a confidence bordering on arrogance. It was so cute she wanted to laugh, but he was quite sensitive when he opened up. And it was touching he still came to her for advice.

“So, was there something you wanted to talk about?”

He responded to her gentle inquiry with a grateful smile. “Yes, actually. Uhh, you know my birthday is in two weeks, right?” At her nod, he quickly plowed on. “Can we go to dinner to celebrate it?”

Dazzle could only blink. “We always go to dinner for your birthday. I know we might have to work around our different schedules since you and Spike are on different teams than the rest of us. I'm sure we can find a time and date that works for everyone. Or,” and she softened her voice, “did you think we were going to forget about your birthday because of everything that happened with Golden Eagle?”

“No. But it is sad that's he gone now. Anyway, I meant just you and I having dinner. Alone, together.”

She almost reflexively agreed, but she noticed that the blonde was now looking at the wall instead of her. Then it dawned on her what he was really asking. Her mind raced furiously, trying to figure out what had brought this on. To buy herself some time she asked, “Dinner, as in a date?”

He looked back at her face. “Well, sorta. Yes,” he admitted.

“Oh,” she replied slowly. She let them ease to stop a few feet from the door to her team's ready room. “I don't think that would be quite appropriate. I have a boyfriend, and the age-gap. It just wouldn't be right.” He looked so miserable she couldn't let him leave like that. “I know, what about your blonde friend? The one who just recently mastered her power over ice?”

“Allison? How did you know she got her control?”

“I keep tabs on you and your friends,” she shamelessly conceded. “She's really pretty, don't you think so? We could go on a double date. It would be a lot of fun.”

“Yeah, maybe.” He tried to put on a brave face, but she could tell he was really disappointed. She felt awful, but she didn't know of a gentler way to let him down. She heard the click of a door lever opening behind her. Thunderbolt glanced at the door and abruptly turned to leave.

“Well let me know, ok?” Dazzle told him.

“Okay. See ya,” he replied.

The heroine bit her lip as she watched him make a hasty retreat down the hallway. She felt a pair of strong arms wind their way around her waist. “What did Thunderbolt want?”

“Oh, not much,” she lied, leaning back into her boyfriend's chest. “We were talking about the Mayor's Ball, his team is providing security. The Council called me down today to give me two invitations on behalf of the Mayor.”

“That's quite an honor,” he gushed, sincerely. “Mayor Crikson is a good man, don't you think so?”

She inaudibly sighed, turning around to look upon the masked visage of the Blue Eagle. “Yeah, of course.” She climbed onto her tiptoes to plant a chaste kiss on his lips. “I'm looking forward to it.”

XxXxXxXxX​

Thunderbolt weaved his way through the gathered crowd of socialites and corporate honchos with the same grace he displayed in the air. Despite his foul temper, he managed to keep a pleasant expression plastered across his face. He probably wasn't fooling any but the most dim-witted attendees, but he figured these people were used to others faking happiness around them. And probably orgasms too.

Unfortunately, he made a wrong turn and ended up directly in front of Dazzle and Blue Eagle as they conversed with the editor of the Luna Daily. He was happy to note that Dazzle's smile was as fake as his own, Blue Eagle on the other hand looked absolutely delighted to be there. 'Dolt.' The heroine beckoned him over to join them before he could pretend he hadn't noticed her.

“Thunderbolt owes me a dance, if you would please excuse me,” she explained to the men beside her. Blue Eagle's casual caress of Dazzle's back as he expressed his indulgence raised Thunderbolt's hackles. He shoved those feelings down with a ruthlessness he found himself resorting to more and more since his last conversation with the heroine.

It felt wrong to put Dazzle's hand on his arm then, but he did so anyway. As he guided her towards the dance floor, he let his frustration get the best of him. “Fledgling seems to be having a good time,” he said, accusingly.

Her rebuke was as cool as her body language. “This is a party, is it not. And you know his name is Blue Eagle.”

He worked his jaw for a few moments, and the rest of the short trek was silent and awkward. As he was stiltedly taking her hand into his own in preparation for the dance, he suddenly hated the wall he felt between them. It didn't belong there, and he wanted it gone.

“Before we begin, I must warn you. I have a slight crick in my neck from flight practice.”

Dazzle laughed loudly, and he felt the tension disappear. He smiled at her, and she winked back at him. Relaxed now, he pulled her in close and they began the dance.

“So, what do you think of my dress,” she asked, as they slid gracefully around another couple. “I bought it just for you, you know.”

As he let himself drink her form in with eyes, words failed him for a moment. The dark green dress clung to her athletic frame, showing off her legs to great effect. His gaze lingered at the hint of exposed cleavage, and when he met her eyes again she wore a knowing smirk. “Well it's not too bad I guess, considering you didn't even manage to find a dress that matches my eyes.”

She laughed again, throwing her head back in the throaty way that had driven him crazy ever since his body had matured. He caught a glimpse of the wicked look in her eyes before she was leaning close to whisper in his ear. “Shall I take the dress off, then?”

All he could do was gulp. His cheeks were flaming, he was sure, and he knew he was well on his way to surpassing Blue Eagle as the laughingstock off this party. He just remained quiet and focused dancing until the song was finished. Dazzle remained silent as well, but the mirth shining in her eyes every time he risked another look at her chest filled him with warmth. “I'm sorry I have been avoiding you,” he apologized as they walked to the edge of the dance floor hand-in-hand. “I was upset and- well I was being a jerk. I hate it when we aren't talking to each other.”

“Apology accepted, I've missed you this past week too. I just hope you know I'm not trying to hurt you. I still really care about you, just not in that way.”

“Yeah, I know.”

She gave his fingers a gentle squeeze. “Got time for one more?”

Thunderbolt gave her a sad smile full of regret and pulled his hands free. “Unfortunately, our show did not go over so well with all of our audience. Alas, parting is such sweet something. Good night, Dazzle.” The last bit was projected to reach the arriving figure of Blue Hawk.

“Ah Thunderbolt, thanks for returning her,” he announced, snatching Dazzle's recently vacated hands up in his own.

“Oh, and what did I return?” Thunderbolt asked in mock innocence. He favored a clearly annoyed Dazzle with a wink as she pulled Blue Hawk away from the dance floor. His laughter chased after the arguing pair, speeding their exit from the room and possibly the ball. 'I'm lucky I'm her special friend,' he thought fondly.
 

QE1

Well-Known Member
#4
“I hope the little prick hurries up.”

The taller of the two men crouched on the roof checked his watch. “He'll be another five to eight minutes, assuming he shows at all.”

“The Boss said he'll be here, so he will. You know the Boss is good about stuff like this,” his partner barked. His voice echoed across the darkened, empty unloading yard of the manufacturing plant below them.

The taller man winced. “Ryan, not so loud.”

“Hey, code names only. I'm Scorch, you're Krieg,” Ryan-Scorch told the taller man, thumping him on the shoulder.

“Fine then, just knock it off. This is dangerous enough with you letting the whole city know we're here.” The man called Krieg shoved his partner away in annoyance.

The pair settled down, keeping watch on a small fire in front of an abandoned warehouse across the street. Krieg's knees were screaming in protest from kneeling on the tough concrete when he finally spotted some movement in the dim light from the street lamps.

“Hey, that could be him,” he whispered.

“Hey hey. 'Bout time.” Krieg could practically hear the eager grin in Scorch's voice.

Krieg could finally make out a caped figure flying towards the fire. He checked his watch again. The unknown super hero was now drifting slowly over the fire, looking around at the area below.

“Is it him?” Scorch asked suddenly.

“Does it really matter? We've got less than sixteen minutes until we are supposed to meet the boss,” Krieg reminded him. “Once he lands we have to go.”

Scorch simply nodded. The caped figure had apparently given up on looking for the arsonist, and was descending slowly to the ground with his back still their hiding spot. Krieg's sword hissed softly as he pulled it from the sheathe. He gave Scorch a nod and stood up. The caped figure was now gesturing lazily with his arms, directing streams of water from where it laid puddled beside the building onto the fire.

“There, that about does it here,” Krieg heard the figure say to himself as he flew in silently towards his back. The voice was very familiar, and Krieg smiled grimly to hear it. “Now-”

The whoosh of Scorch's signature technique from Krieg's right cut the hero off mid-sentence. A cone of white flame wrapped the man in seconds, instantly combusting all of his costume apart from his cape. Shrieks erupted from the blazing form as it jerked about madly. The little water remaining on the asphalt flew into the air in wild explosions as hero's control failed in his agony.

Scorch was laughing now, Krieg could hear him even over the screaming man in front of him. He brought his sword up in a two-handed grip, gliding over above the ground to put the dying hero out of his misery. He could feel the intense heat from the unnatural fire on his face, and somehow on his back as well. Puzzled, he watched flames shoot up both his arms from around his shoulders.

He roared a battle cry, trying to face his betrayer. He crashed to the ground after only completing half of his planned turn, stumbling into a fall that dropped him heavily onto his right side. All he could do was glare up at his one-time friend.

“Sorry, Bill,” Scorch sneered. “The Boss doesn't need doubters to get his revenge. Our revenge. I'll make this quicker for you than it was for him though.”

The villain spat a narrow jet of flame from his mouth directly into partner's face, cooking away all the skin and muscle and leaving only a blackened remnant behind. Scorch took a moment to savor the stench of burnt flesh, breathing deeply in through his nose and sighing as he exhaled. Then he was leaping from the ground and racing away from the scene as quickly as he could fly, leaving the two bodies forgotten where they laid.

XxXxXxXxX​

Thunderbolt paused in front of the mirror in his bathroom. He reached up to straighten his white mask, really just a narrow band of that covered the area around his eyes and nose. Most of the super heroes and heroines favored more complete masks of the tough material or even helms for added protection, but he didn't like the look or feel of having his head encased in the synthetic material.

He picked up a bottle of designer aftershave Spike had given him last Christmas, considering for a moment. Shrugging his shoulders, he carefully dabbed the scent onto his neck and both wrists. He set the bottle back on the vanity and looked at the jogged out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. A quick glance at his alarm clock and he was racing down his apartment's tiny hallway with keys in hand. Reaching the door, he yanked it open and-

Almost trampled a surprised Allison standing right in front of his door. Reacting with his now famed reflexes, he slammed to a halt and reached out with his empty hand. His friend had stumbled backwards from the contact but he was able to catch her by the small of the back and pull her up in a one-handed hug. The heroine gasped out a breath of air but wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, helping to hold herself up.

“I'm so sorry Allison, are you okay?” Thunderbolt gushed worriedly. “I didn't expect you to be there.”

“You mean this isn't how you greet all of your dates? I was looking forward to telling everyone how you swept me off my feet,” she teased.

“Oh yeah, how about this?” He rapidly spun about on his heels, sending her long hair flying about and causing her to shriek in delight. He stopped before they could get too dizzy, and they shared a quiet chuckle. Allison was smiling, her cheeks pink and her hair cascading over one shoulder. He thought she had never looked more lovely, and he told her so. She winked down at him, and his familiarity with that signal from another source suddenly caused him to realize the intimacy of their position.

Clearing his throat, he awkwardly set the pouting girl back on her feet and stepped back two paces. “So, umm, what brings you here at this time of night?”

“I needed to talk to you, of course,” she told him innocently.

“Can't it wait? I have somewhere I need to be.”

“It's bad form to send women home from your apartment unsatisfied,” she replied, shaking her head. Then she strode past him and through his open door. “Please, just let me talk to you. You know it's important if I came to visit you at your home,” she called back.

Biting back a sigh, he followed her inside, closing the door behind them. “Fine, what is this about then?”

“Why yes, a glass of wine sounds positively delightful. How kind of you to ask.” Sitting daintily on his battered couch with legs crossed, she continued to ignore his question. “Did you bathe in that cologne? I hope your date is with Andromeda, every heroine other than that old bat would choke to death in five minutes. A normal woman would probably die in less than two. Not that you are the type to date a civilian,” she added as an afterthought.

Thunderbolt just shrugged, stepping into the adjoining kitchenette to collect the bottle and a glass. As he poured the drink, he snuck a measuring look at his friend. She was fussing with her hair, combing it back into place with her fingers after the mussing it had received. Ordinary enough for her, but something about her behavior still seemed to be odd. Spike had warned him long ago that all girls acted in a strange manner from time to time.

“Oh, thank you,” she gratefully told him as she accepted the glass of wine. She smiled expectantly at him after taking a sip, and taking the hint he sat next to her on the battered couch. As he leaned forward to place the bottle of wine on the coffee table she shifted to be closer to him, brushing his knee with her own in the process but leaving a bit of space between them when she settled back into the cushions.

“Well, what did you want to talk about,” Thunderbolt prompted again.

She sighed, leaning her body into his chest. “Why do you always have to go chasing after her like a little boy? Jen doesn't need you there, she can practice the flight course on her own.”

“It's just something we both enjoy. I don't get to see her that often anymore. And how did you know I was meeting Dazzle anyway?”

“Because it's always her!” After her outburst, Allison looked away for a moment to regain her composure before continuing at a whisper. “Even when we're alone, the only girl you talk about is her. Hell, she's probably the only girl you can think about. Why can't you think of me? Just one time, that's all I ask.”

He was surprised, but he felt he had to do something to calm her down. One of his hands started rubbing her back almost on it's own accord. “I do think of you, you know that. You're my best friend...” he trailed off.

“After Dazzle, I know.” She gave him a sad smile. “Why is she always Dazzle to you, anyway? You never call me Valkyrie, it's always Allison. You almost never call anyone else by their real name though. And sometimes I wonder if you even know Dazzle's real name is Jen.”

“Of course I know her real name. She's just Dazzle to me, I can't explain it,” he told her.

“I used to think it was a sign; a sign that you loved me the most,” Allison continued, crying softly now. “Only, you refuse to answer to any name but your costume name. So it couldn't be that. You know what I think? I think you were so excited you had found a reason for someone to love you, that you've clung to that reason ever since. And you've never been able to see me on the same level. As someone that could love you.”

Thunderbolt was at a loss for words. “Wow. I don't know how to respond to that,” he truthfully stated. “I've never thought about it before. And I certainly never knew of your feelings.”

“I think I spilled some wine during all that,” she told him, smiling tremulously. “Can you get me a towel?”

“Sure,” he replied gently. He retreated to the kitchen to give them both a little break to work through some thoughts, snatching up a dish towel in the process. He started back into the living room, only to be stopped dead in his tracks by Allison for the second time that evening. The heroine posed seductively on the couch clad in only a matching set of black lace bra and panties

“I never knew regulation undergarments were so sheer,” he joked weakly. He kept his eyes roving over her figure as she wriggled before him. The swell of her breasts, the shape of her hips, her long legs, the naked desire on her face; he looked until it was more than he could take and he felt his body aching to respond. He dropped his face into his hands, using the dish towel to help cover his face. “Please stop. I'm sorry, but I can't love you this way,” he begged.

“And she can't love you. No matter how hard to try to deny it. You know that, you know it in your heart. Please, uncover your eyes. Look at me, and tell me honestly that you don't want this. If you can do that, I'll leave. I promise.”

Thunderbolt took a deep breath, then lifted his gaze back to Allison. “I don't-,” he managed to spit out. The blonde temptress slowly reached her arm behind her back, and the hero hissed in anticipation. The skimpy bra slipped off her heaving chest and pooled onto the floor beside her costume. “Oh hell.” Dimly, he realized that he had just snatched up the collar of his uniform in his fist and ripped the tough material down to his waist in one motion. Then he was on top of her, holding her tight in his arms and crushing her lips with his own.

XxXxXxXxX​

Dazzle darted through the hoops, grinning in pride as she completed a particularly difficult maneuver. Sighing in contentment, she glided over to where she had left her towel and sports drink. Wiping the sweat from her face, she took a long swig from the bottle and looked around the empty practice field in expectation. It was unlike Thunderbolt to be late to anything, let alone to flight practice with her. Still, he would probably show up soon, she thought.

She was quite surprised to see Hammerblow flying towards her, instead. “Hey Hammerblow,” she called out in greeting.

“You were a little sloppy on that last cobra turn,” he told her. Nice to see her old team leader was as gruff as ever.

“Thanks for the support. It's nice to see you too,” she replied with a snort.

“Don't be childish,” he admonished, hands on his hips. “Now, what is all this about that?”

Dazzle just shrugged, “This is called flight practice. I'm just waiting for Thunderbolt to join me.”

“Yes, but this is just the cover for us to meet, right? Your note said we had something to discuss,” he insisted.

Dazzle let the towel in her hand in her hand drop to the ground. Reaching down, she pressed the emergency button on the Luna City insignia on her belt. The button lit for a brief moment before darkening again. Two further attempts ended with the same result. “I think we might be in trouble,” she told her former boss.

“Oh, well done!” The voice from behind her back caused her to whirl around quickly. Five men in dark clothing surrounding a man in a vintage blue and white costume had snuck up on them. While the other men were tensed for action, the costumed man stood easily. “You are paranoid, that's for certain,” he continued.

“It's how I stay alive with so many rough and tough men around,” Dazzle told him sweetly. “Speaking of rough and tough men, I don't think we've met. Who are you?”

“No no, I learn from my mistakes, my dear,” the man replied, wagging an index finger at her.

“We need to get into the air. The costumed one won't be a threat,” Hammerblow directed.

Dazzle shot into the sky as the strangers exploded into action. Only three of their foes launched into the air to join them, the others rushing along the ground to the space they had just vacated. Hammerblow was battling two of their flying opponents, a fire-breather and one with some kind of psychic energy abilities. He was holding his own despite the fact his costume had somehow lost it's fire retardant quality and one of his legs was ablaze, so Dazzle focused on her own fight.

The man appeared to be just a vanilla flier. He was fast, but it was insulting that the two more dangerous opponents had focused on the male hero. Dazzle ducked two wild punches, catching his arm on the second and tossing him into a wild spin. The villain proved he was game by recovering before he hit the ground, but Dazzle hadn't really expected him to fall to that alone. The follow-up energy attack she had fired down the same path connected with the floating target and drove him in to the ground with a loud groan.

Dazzle cheered inwardly, turning to help Hammerblow in his fight. It was more luck than anything that let her see the vine creeping towards her foot. She yelled a warning to Hammerblow and flew into a spiral climb to gain more distance from the plant attack. The other villain limited to the ground was ripping concrete blocks from wall of the flight course and hurling them at her all the while, the two combining to prevent her from assisting her fellow hero. Worse, she noticed her original opponent was getting back to his feet.

The situation seemed dire, but she was relieved to see a familiar silhouette in the night sky. “Blue Eagle, help! Hammerblow is fighting two villains!” Blue Eagle did not hesitate, diving in to smash the flame-spewing villain from behind with a perfect Eagle bomb. But Hammerblow was unable to take advantage of the opening as he had been ensnared by the vines. Dazzle froze in horror as Hammerblow was pulled to the ground, leaving herself wide open to be blindsided by the concrete slab that slammed into her ribs.

Dazed, she tumbled out of the sky toward the ground below. She could hear Blue Eagle screaming her name, begging her to fly. She knew he was too engaged in the battle to come to her rescue. But she couldn't fly, she couldn't control her fall at all. Time seemed to slow as the ground loomed below her to end her life. Dazzle closed her eyes and surrendered to the inevitability of her death.

The ground was softer than she remembered, and warmer too. The impact still hurt, but she was definitely still alive. Dazzle moaned and opened her eyes to see a disheveled Thunderbolt cradling her in his arms as he descended to the pavement below. In the background she could hear Blue Eagle whoop in joy, and the sound of him continuing to fight.

“You're safe now, Jen,” Thunderbolt told her, as he laid her down. “Blue Eagle and I will see to that, I promise. Just rest up now, you've already done your part.” Dazzle watched as lightning coursed over the entirety of Thunderbolt's body, and he leapt into the battle alongside Blue Eagle.

Dazzle tried to get up but it hurt too much to move. Instead she watched as Blue Eagle kicked the psychic villain into Thunderbolt's powerful lightning attack. She winced as the villain plummeted to the ground, flopping around as excess energy danced in his body's nervous system. “My boys make a good team,” she whispered to herself. Her eye lids began drooping, and seeing that her side had the upper hand now decided it was better to sleep.

XxXxXxXxX​

“So, one question. Do you assume that every woman is only sleeping with you to distract you from a plot to kill your best friend?”

Thunderbolt just sighed and ran his free hand through his hair. His other hand was occupied by one of Dazzle's as she laid in her hospital bed, the hero sitting in a chair pushed beside it. “The next time the doctor comes around, I am going to tell him you don't need the painkillers anymore,” he mock threatened.

“And leave me to feel all the pain of three broken ribs from being saved by some wild oaf?” Dazzle smirked down at him.

“At least you weren't saved by a crazy witch back when you were a small child. You wanna talk traumatic, that takes the cake right there.”

The pair shared a grin.

“So really, how did you know? I mean it's not every day that a group of hero-rejects attack the school.”

Thunderbolt looked down for a moment before looking at her. “Do you remember back when you and Golden Eagle were trying to discover who my father was?” At her nod he continued. “I was doing the same thing. Except I was probably more desperate to figure it out, naturally.”

“And you found him?”

“I can't be sure. Well I could be sure, but I don't care to know now.”

“Care to explain that one?”

“My mom was a bit of a hero-groupie, if you didn't know. She slept with a ton of them, including a talented instructor who happened to possess a very low power capacity. She got pregnant and tried to blackmail the instructor, and he turned her in. He went to jail for sleeping with a student, she got kicked out of program and had to raise me.”

Dazzle just snorted at that. “Obviously that was a punishment greater than serving her sentence in jail. But why did you suspect Allison?"

"Her control. She struggled with it for a long time, I tried to help, the teachers tried to help, nothing worked. Then one day she suddenly had near perfect control. I only knew of one miracle worker, and I was keeping an eye out for him."

"I never thought of that. But then how did Hammerblow know where you lived?”

“He was one of the notches on my mom's bedpost as well. She needed money after I was born so she guilted as many of her ex-lovers as she could into tossing her a few bucks each month to help pay for my care. I guess he insisted on at least delivering the money in person so he could check up on me.”

“So can't you figure out who you inherited your power using that list?”

“Nope, my power comes from my mom. I'd have to get all of them to let me DNA test them and even then there were other who never contributed. I'm fine not knowing, it doesn't bother me anymore.” He sighed. “She could have really made it, my mom, if I hadn't happened.”

“And the world would have been a much darker place,” Dazzle said, smiling.

The two sat quietly for a few moments longer, until Blue Eagle bustled into the room with flowers and a dinner tray. Thunderbolt relinquished her hand and stood up to leave. He exchanged a quick nod with Blue Eagle, who had set the flowers in a vase on the nightstand and was now fussing with Dazzle's bed to get the tray table in place.

“Hey, I'll see you around, Chris,” Dazzle called as he stepped out the door.

He just smiled. “I told you Jen, my name is Thunderbolt.”
 
Top