Vixere
rabidbacon
rush99999
Sky Blue
MrSkimobile
Simple Unicycle
Ojiro Mashirao
Guardian Angel Haruki
Otakuforreal
Izurich
Two weeks ago...
Jeremy adjusted the watch attached to his wrist until it snuggly fit around his dark skin. Nervously he kept his eyes fixated on it and away from the team of heroes and STAR labs scientist staring him down. They all seemed to be awaiting some sort of response for their heroics, something he knew they deserved but dreaded saying. With a heavy sigh he finally put his hands back at his side and looked up to them.
"Thank you. I don't know what would have happened if-" He began, but was cut off by one of the metahumans surrounding him.
"We all struggle with our powers in one way or another. We're just glad no one was hurt"
Jeremy let out a nervous chuckle in response. sure, he hadn't caused any physical damage to anyone but he had heard the screams and he knew exactly what he had done to his fellow citizens of Bludhaven. They would need therapy for years, and he might too, the panic in their voices and the gagging and coughing, it was all seemingly too much for him to bare. nevertheless he kept a brave face, giving the crowd a cheeky grin.
"So now what? I don't think I'm going back to that powerplant. Do I just start searching for a new job?" He added snarkily.
The group around him pondered in a painful silence. The scientist began to leave to let the metahumans work out their own issues. Finally, after a staggeringly long moment of thought one of the heroes spoke up, softly at first but quickly gaining some level of confidence in their idea.
"you know, I heard that a friend in Gotham was looking for some metahuman protectors. You've got a very powerful ability, you should use it for good!" She said with an optimistic gleam in her eyes. The other heroes eyed him with more scrutiny. He knew what they wanted to say: 'It's the least you can do to make up for the pain you've caused'. Worse yet, he couldn't deny it either. This was his turning point, the time when he decides whether he goes villainous or heroic, as he had long since cast aside any chance of living a normal life in Bludhaven. His face was plastered over the news, and he didn't have the drive or the money to start anew. Especially knowing a watch was all that stood between him and another outbreak.
"Well..." Jeremy begrudgingly spoke up.
Present day
Oracle's words caught Jeremy off guard. He had been fiddling with the watch on his hand idly, a nervous tick he had procured over the past few weeks. Having never met this 'Gemini' character he merely grimaced at the loss. Another hero was swallowed up and tossed aside by this dreaded town. Since he had gotten here all he could think was that Gotham was a truly hellish town. How people still managed to live here baffled him. He kept a brave face, but he couldn't help but frown as the others in the HQ broke down. Some went to sulk in their rooms and others openly wept. A pang of guilt hit him when he realized how little he was reacting. The hero-to-be procured a cigarette from his pocket, flicked a match across one of his combat boots, and lit it. Oracle had advised him not to smoke here, but given the circumstances he felt he could make an exception this one time. A small puff of smoke filled the common room and quickly dissipated as the ventilation sucked it up.
"What's going on here," Travis asked as he cracked open the soda can. "Ya'll are acting like somebody died or something"
A half-hearted scoff came deep within Jeremy at Travis' reaction. He replied to the young man, hoping to keep anyone from being in the dark. He didn't need them going around making people feel worse with his ignorance. Luckily Tiara answered for him.
Hearing it said out loud. Again made the young hero feel the harsh truth first hand. He choked him up just saying it. It could have been any one of them, even himself.
"I think it's worth giving him a moment of silence. He had a good heart, from what I've heard" He added solemnly. The moment of silence did not last long though, as another hero emerged from the quarters with a rage in his heart and a burning passion in his eyes. He clearly hadn't taken the news well.
“I don’t care what the Wizard of Oz says. Gemini was my brother. I’m going after this armored nutjob. Who’s coming with me?” Bolt asked the group.
Jeremy raised his fist, ready to show his allegiance to the reckless plan. Ever the bombastic daredevil he was eager to risk it all. Fortunayely, Tiara was quick to interject. The young man sighed as he listened to her try to reason. Shaking his head he harshly disagreed.
"We've got numbers and some gnarly powers. We can't just sit on our asses and wait, what's the point of a metahuman super squad if we don't deal with troublemakers like him" he interjected with a wavering smile.
"Besides, electricity powers to zap the cyborg, me to fill his lungs with toxins, we only need a few more guys and a sick plan to take him out, right Bolt" he asked with his best attempt at rationalizing his plans.