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I'm aiming to make Marvelous Mondays a recurring thing. So, expect a Billy post every Monday (give or take because time zone wonkiness)
J A G G A I V
Skrull Contested Territory | The Andromeda Galaxy
The girl was little more than a teenager.
Clutching at a rifle that was too large for her slight frame, the rainbow haired waif ducked as bombs were bursting in the air above.
A drop pod crashed down just a few feet from where she’d been taking shelter. The shockwave knocked her down to her knees. The rifle tumbled out of her hands, sending her scrambling on all fours as she tried to maintain her balance and also recover the weapon. Just as her hand brushed against the butt of the rifle, she saw the armored clad foot of the first soldier.
Turning her head up, the girl was presented with the face of a Skrull soldier, staring down the barrel...
...a burst of energy caught the Skrull in the chest, hurling the green-skinned alien back into the drop pod.
Swooping over the girl’s head, the blue-and-red clad figure of a small boy paused to offer her a jovial two-finger salute. Then, the glowing figure was gone again -- blazing a trail of brilliant energy bursts.
Another Skrull landed near her. This one obviously knocked into unconsciousness, even before the second stunned Skrull had landed atop the first.
“ISN’T THIS ENLIGHTENING, CHILD!”
The booming voice suggested a presence that was larger than life. And, indeed, the Okaraan’s squat frame soon blotted out the sun, as the warlord heaved a wicked looking maul up onto his shoulder.
A strange light flickered into being, as a young Kymellian boy appeared from out of the air. Reaching out to touch the teen with his large, three-fingered hands, the Kymellian and the teen both blinked out of existence, even as Okaraan lifted his maul up and began charging forward.
The Kymellian and the girl re-appeared a short distance away, sheltered atop a vantage point from which the pair could look out over the battlefield. A massive Skrull carrier was descending from above. A dark cloud spreading as starfighters and drop pods seeded the air.
Reaching a hand up to the link affixed to the side of his head, the Kymellian boy asked, “Are we winning?” No, he didn’t sound optimistic. “I don’t feel like we’re winning.”
Zig-zagging through the air, the human child was a whirling dervish of kinetic energy. Starfighters were beginning to try and zero in on him, even as he was trying to blow the drop pods from out of the sky. “I’m sure it looks worse than it is!” the boy shouted in reply, straining his voice to be heard over the sound of plasma that was sailing by his head.
He should probably stop to take a look for himself. Firing off another volley, the child snapped upward in the air to climb up over the chaos.
From up here, he could definitely see that they were getting overrun. “Ooooo... kay. Yeah, that... that does look pretty bad...” the child uttered, even as he started free falling back down. In a flash of lightning, the boy was zipping back over the battlefield again. “G’Kar, how do we win this?” the human youth asked, scanning the ground below for signs of the Okaraan.
He need only look for the pile of Skrull bodies. Heaving his maul over his head, G’Kar threw his head back and answered, “TODAY SHALL BE A GLORIOUS DAY TO DIE, COMRADES!”
The Kymellian, Majesdanian teen, and the human all just blinked in unison. Touching his hand against his forehead, the human boy muttered, “Not helping, G’Kar...” Then, speaking up, said, “Friday, what do you got on that carrier?”
A calm, disembodied voice crackled over the link. “It is a J’Gnrt-class dreadnought, BillyBatson. Twenty-seven thermonuclear missile tubes, multiple delivery warheads, forty-nine disruptor banks, primary and secondary shields. Even you will be hard pressed to breach its defenses.”
“Yeah?” Challenge accepted.
No, he had no idea about any of what the smartship had just told him. Basically, it was bad. That’s what he understood. Thing in the sky was bad thing. “What kind of battery does it got?”
“Does it have, Billy. And it is powered by a level five solar-ion cascade reactor.”
“Solar-ion,” Billy repeated. “Got it.” He had no idea. But it sounded like something that might make for a big boom. Zipping back through the air, the human imp soared up by the ledge where the Kymellian and the teen were situated. “Kofi, can you get me in there?”
The Kymellian did a double take. “Wait, WHAT?”
The horse boy’s voice totally cracked just now.
Smacking a fist inside the glove of his open hand, Billy reared back as he shouted, “Bodyslide by one!”
Kofi was trying to wave Billy off in a panic. “No no no no no! Are you nuts!? We’re not doing this. We’re not...”
“Punch it.” Billy exploded forward in an eruption of energy, rocketing right at the Kymellian child.
Kofi gave a yelp that might have been mistaken for a twelve year old girl squealing, if not for the din of bombs, blasters, and All Bad Things™ going off around them. As the Kymellian’s powers kicked in, the two boy’s slapped their palms together as though high-five’ing each other. When they did, Billy blinked out of existence.
“I guess we’re doing this...” Kofi lamented.Holding his breath, the Kymellian turned and thrust his arms out as he willed the human to reappear inside the behemoth bearing down on them.
Then he realized just what he’d done. “Oh, x’lth...” the boy uttered, swearing in his native tongue even as he slowly turned his eyes up toward the behemoth with a sense of foreboding that was increasing exponentially. “Uh, guys..?”
Alora was laid out on the ground, using her rifle as a sniper and picking off Skrulls as they started to rush G’Kar.
G’Kar was, of course, loving all of this.
Neither way paying any attention to him. “GUYS!” Kofi shouted. Ducking behind the Majesdanian teen, the boy put his three-fingered hand on the small of her back. “We...” The Kymellian and the teen blinked out. Re-appearing next to G’Kar, as a second sun was starting to shine in the sky.
No, this planet wasn’t in a binary star system.
“...gotta...” Touching the Okaraan on the arm, the trio blinked out.
“...go!” This time they appeared in a starship. As the trio spilled out on the floor, the breathless Kymellian looked out at the planetary horizon. Through the canopy, the Skrull carrier disappeared in a brilliant flash of light. The explosion radiated outward in a violent air burst that cleared the air as the Skrull starfighters were swept aside.
“WA-HOOOOO!”
Flashing with golden arcs of lightning, the human child was rocketing up into the space above.
“That’s how we do it in America! Yeah!”
As the clouds fell away, the boy was presented with a view of the cosmos. Starships and parts of starships scattered around where the fight between the Resistance and the Skrull Empire had spilled out among the stars, in addition to the ground.
The Skrulls were reeling, but they’d also be re-grouping. And a lot quicker than the Resistance could, too. “All right, the Skrull fleet is in disarray,” Billy announced, talking into the link. “If we’re gonna bug out, we need to go now.”
Friday’s measured voice came back on the line. “Allied command has already signaled our retreat. We’ll meet back at the rendezvous.”
Just one of these days, Billy would like a real victory. Like, the kind where you save the planet, not just live to fight another day.
Granted, living to fight another day was an important of the whole Resistance schtick, though.
As the first Resistance ships were lifting off from the surface, the boy planed his body out. Arcs of lightning were sparking from off his gauntlets. “First round of root beers on me,” the child said, as he suddenly sparked off far beyond the stars...
Clutching at a rifle that was too large for her slight frame, the rainbow haired waif ducked as bombs were bursting in the air above.
A drop pod crashed down just a few feet from where she’d been taking shelter. The shockwave knocked her down to her knees. The rifle tumbled out of her hands, sending her scrambling on all fours as she tried to maintain her balance and also recover the weapon. Just as her hand brushed against the butt of the rifle, she saw the armored clad foot of the first soldier.
Turning her head up, the girl was presented with the face of a Skrull soldier, staring down the barrel...
...a burst of energy caught the Skrull in the chest, hurling the green-skinned alien back into the drop pod.
Swooping over the girl’s head, the blue-and-red clad figure of a small boy paused to offer her a jovial two-finger salute. Then, the glowing figure was gone again -- blazing a trail of brilliant energy bursts.
Another Skrull landed near her. This one obviously knocked into unconsciousness, even before the second stunned Skrull had landed atop the first.
“ISN’T THIS ENLIGHTENING, CHILD!”
The booming voice suggested a presence that was larger than life. And, indeed, the Okaraan’s squat frame soon blotted out the sun, as the warlord heaved a wicked looking maul up onto his shoulder.
A strange light flickered into being, as a young Kymellian boy appeared from out of the air. Reaching out to touch the teen with his large, three-fingered hands, the Kymellian and the teen both blinked out of existence, even as Okaraan lifted his maul up and began charging forward.
The Kymellian and the girl re-appeared a short distance away, sheltered atop a vantage point from which the pair could look out over the battlefield. A massive Skrull carrier was descending from above. A dark cloud spreading as starfighters and drop pods seeded the air.
Reaching a hand up to the link affixed to the side of his head, the Kymellian boy asked, “Are we winning?” No, he didn’t sound optimistic. “I don’t feel like we’re winning.”
Zig-zagging through the air, the human child was a whirling dervish of kinetic energy. Starfighters were beginning to try and zero in on him, even as he was trying to blow the drop pods from out of the sky. “I’m sure it looks worse than it is!” the boy shouted in reply, straining his voice to be heard over the sound of plasma that was sailing by his head.
He should probably stop to take a look for himself. Firing off another volley, the child snapped upward in the air to climb up over the chaos.
From up here, he could definitely see that they were getting overrun. “Ooooo... kay. Yeah, that... that does look pretty bad...” the child uttered, even as he started free falling back down. In a flash of lightning, the boy was zipping back over the battlefield again. “G’Kar, how do we win this?” the human youth asked, scanning the ground below for signs of the Okaraan.
He need only look for the pile of Skrull bodies. Heaving his maul over his head, G’Kar threw his head back and answered, “TODAY SHALL BE A GLORIOUS DAY TO DIE, COMRADES!”
The Kymellian, Majesdanian teen, and the human all just blinked in unison. Touching his hand against his forehead, the human boy muttered, “Not helping, G’Kar...” Then, speaking up, said, “Friday, what do you got on that carrier?”
A calm, disembodied voice crackled over the link. “It is a J’Gnrt-class dreadnought, BillyBatson. Twenty-seven thermonuclear missile tubes, multiple delivery warheads, forty-nine disruptor banks, primary and secondary shields. Even you will be hard pressed to breach its defenses.”
“Yeah?” Challenge accepted.
No, he had no idea about any of what the smartship had just told him. Basically, it was bad. That’s what he understood. Thing in the sky was bad thing. “What kind of battery does it got?”
“Does it have, Billy. And it is powered by a level five solar-ion cascade reactor.”
“Solar-ion,” Billy repeated. “Got it.” He had no idea. But it sounded like something that might make for a big boom. Zipping back through the air, the human imp soared up by the ledge where the Kymellian and the teen were situated. “Kofi, can you get me in there?”
The Kymellian did a double take. “Wait, WHAT?”
The horse boy’s voice totally cracked just now.
Smacking a fist inside the glove of his open hand, Billy reared back as he shouted, “Bodyslide by one!”
Kofi was trying to wave Billy off in a panic. “No no no no no! Are you nuts!? We’re not doing this. We’re not...”
“Punch it.” Billy exploded forward in an eruption of energy, rocketing right at the Kymellian child.
Kofi gave a yelp that might have been mistaken for a twelve year old girl squealing, if not for the din of bombs, blasters, and All Bad Things™ going off around them. As the Kymellian’s powers kicked in, the two boy’s slapped their palms together as though high-five’ing each other. When they did, Billy blinked out of existence.
“I guess we’re doing this...” Kofi lamented.Holding his breath, the Kymellian turned and thrust his arms out as he willed the human to reappear inside the behemoth bearing down on them.
Then he realized just what he’d done. “Oh, x’lth...” the boy uttered, swearing in his native tongue even as he slowly turned his eyes up toward the behemoth with a sense of foreboding that was increasing exponentially. “Uh, guys..?”
Alora was laid out on the ground, using her rifle as a sniper and picking off Skrulls as they started to rush G’Kar.
G’Kar was, of course, loving all of this.
Neither way paying any attention to him. “GUYS!” Kofi shouted. Ducking behind the Majesdanian teen, the boy put his three-fingered hand on the small of her back. “We...” The Kymellian and the teen blinked out. Re-appearing next to G’Kar, as a second sun was starting to shine in the sky.
No, this planet wasn’t in a binary star system.
“...gotta...” Touching the Okaraan on the arm, the trio blinked out.
“...go!” This time they appeared in a starship. As the trio spilled out on the floor, the breathless Kymellian looked out at the planetary horizon. Through the canopy, the Skrull carrier disappeared in a brilliant flash of light. The explosion radiated outward in a violent air burst that cleared the air as the Skrull starfighters were swept aside.
“WA-HOOOOO!”
Flashing with golden arcs of lightning, the human child was rocketing up into the space above.
“That’s how we do it in America! Yeah!”
As the clouds fell away, the boy was presented with a view of the cosmos. Starships and parts of starships scattered around where the fight between the Resistance and the Skrull Empire had spilled out among the stars, in addition to the ground.
The Skrulls were reeling, but they’d also be re-grouping. And a lot quicker than the Resistance could, too. “All right, the Skrull fleet is in disarray,” Billy announced, talking into the link. “If we’re gonna bug out, we need to go now.”
Friday’s measured voice came back on the line. “Allied command has already signaled our retreat. We’ll meet back at the rendezvous.”
Just one of these days, Billy would like a real victory. Like, the kind where you save the planet, not just live to fight another day.
Granted, living to fight another day was an important of the whole Resistance schtick, though.
As the first Resistance ships were lifting off from the surface, the boy planed his body out. Arcs of lightning were sparking from off his gauntlets. “First round of root beers on me,” the child said, as he suddenly sparked off far beyond the stars...
All right, people, let’s do this one more time.
My name is Billy Batson and, for the last eighty years, I’ve been the one and only, often imitated, never duplicated, Billy Batson! I’m not originally from here, I’m from Ohio. Fawcett City. I was born there in 1929. Not much to talk about really. My parents disappeared when I was little. I was raised by my Uncle Dudley. We didn’t have much and I worked in a glass factory for about a dollar a day until 1938, when Congress passed a law that made child labor illegal. At that point, I had to start going to school.
Then, in 1940, the greater galactic conflict came crashing down on Earth. The rest you probably know. I saved the city. Fought in the Second World War (vivé la Resistance!). Buried Uncle Dudley, fought an industrial tycoon, and then I spoke up for a friend and got black-listed by this biscuit boxer, braggart named McCarthy. Holy Moley did that ever go sour quick! I took the hint and left the world stage. Went back to cleaning up the streets where ever I went. I think I was looking for answers, but I don’t think I ever figured out what the question was.
The Great Horse-Lord from beyond the stars (his name is actually Aelfyre) came back in 1975, as he promised. Come to find out, there’s this thing called relativity that makes the passage of time all kinds of wonky when you’re traveling faster than light.
Now, I don’t just fight for one world. I fight for all of them. The Daily Planet called me Captain Marvel. The Kree call me Mar-Vell. The Z’ynx call me... something unpronounceable. And the Shi’ar call me Ja’loja.
DON’T ask me what that means (I’m not supposed to say those words).
Through it all, no matter how many times I get hit -- no matter how hard I go down or how many times I fail—I always get back up.
Not because I’m Captain Marvel, but because I’m Billy Batson.
My name is Billy Batson and, for the last eighty years, I’ve been the one and only, often imitated, never duplicated, Billy Batson! I’m not originally from here, I’m from Ohio. Fawcett City. I was born there in 1929. Not much to talk about really. My parents disappeared when I was little. I was raised by my Uncle Dudley. We didn’t have much and I worked in a glass factory for about a dollar a day until 1938, when Congress passed a law that made child labor illegal. At that point, I had to start going to school.
Then, in 1940, the greater galactic conflict came crashing down on Earth. The rest you probably know. I saved the city. Fought in the Second World War (vivé la Resistance!). Buried Uncle Dudley, fought an industrial tycoon, and then I spoke up for a friend and got black-listed by this biscuit boxer, braggart named McCarthy. Holy Moley did that ever go sour quick! I took the hint and left the world stage. Went back to cleaning up the streets where ever I went. I think I was looking for answers, but I don’t think I ever figured out what the question was.
The Great Horse-Lord from beyond the stars (his name is actually Aelfyre) came back in 1975, as he promised. Come to find out, there’s this thing called relativity that makes the passage of time all kinds of wonky when you’re traveling faster than light.
Now, I don’t just fight for one world. I fight for all of them. The Daily Planet called me Captain Marvel. The Kree call me Mar-Vell. The Z’ynx call me... something unpronounceable. And the Shi’ar call me Ja’loja.
DON’T ask me what that means (I’m not supposed to say those words).
Through it all, no matter how many times I get hit -- no matter how hard I go down or how many times I fail—I always get back up.
Not because I’m Captain Marvel, but because I’m Billy Batson.
P O S T C A T A L O G:
S E A S O N O N E: T H E L O N G W A R
S E A S O N T W O: P A S S I N G T H R O U G H G E T H S E M A N E
Issue 1.01: The Battle of Jagga IV
Issue 1.02: A Voice in the Wilderness
Issue 1.03: Sic Transit Billy
Issue 1.04: Terrax the Pants-Less
Issue 1.05: Battle of the Gods
Issue 1.06: No Surrender, No Retreat
Issue 1.07: By Any Means Necessary
Issue 1.08: The Long Fall Down to Earth
Issue 1.09: The Return of Captain Marvel
Issue 1.10: Lieutenant Muldowney
Issue 1.02: A Voice in the Wilderness
Issue 1.03: Sic Transit Billy
Issue 1.04: Terrax the Pants-Less
Issue 1.05: Battle of the Gods
Issue 1.06: No Surrender, No Retreat
Issue 1.07: By Any Means Necessary
Issue 1.08: The Long Fall Down to Earth
Issue 1.09: The Return of Captain Marvel
Issue 1.10: Lieutenant Muldowney
S E A S O N T W O: P A S S I N G T H R O U G H G E T H S E M A N E
Issue 2.01: The Battle of Gorangkaa
Issue 2.02: Moral Imperatives
Issue 2.03: Knowhere
Issue 2.02: Moral Imperatives
Issue 2.03: Knowhere
@Natty
Basically, he's been 11 years old for the past 80 years.
The in-universe explanation for this is that the Nega-Bands connect him to an alternate dimension where the passage of time is disconnected with that of the main universe, essentially disassociating Billy from normal space-time. If you look in the Character Notes, you'll see mention of this in the second bullet under that heading.
It's a bit of a reference to another Absolute RP where I wrote Billy as Captain Mar-Vell. Billy suffered a subdural hematoma as a result of an intergalactic conflict crashing down on Fawcett City, and the Nega-Bands prevent that hematoma from progressing. So, its a means of extending his death rather than saving his life.
As his story matures, it's possible that Billy will be healed of the condition that required Aelfyre to use the Nega-Bands to save his life. But, starting out I wanted to write a young Billy Batson and then see where the story would venture off from there.
Basically, he's been 11 years old for the past 80 years.
The in-universe explanation for this is that the Nega-Bands connect him to an alternate dimension where the passage of time is disconnected with that of the main universe, essentially disassociating Billy from normal space-time. If you look in the Character Notes, you'll see mention of this in the second bullet under that heading.
It's a bit of a reference to another Absolute RP where I wrote Billy as Captain Mar-Vell. Billy suffered a subdural hematoma as a result of an intergalactic conflict crashing down on Fawcett City, and the Nega-Bands prevent that hematoma from progressing. So, its a means of extending his death rather than saving his life.
As his story matures, it's possible that Billy will be healed of the condition that required Aelfyre to use the Nega-Bands to save his life. But, starting out I wanted to write a young Billy Batson and then see where the story would venture off from there.
Tagging @ErsatzEmperor as the writer in control of Shazam/Ms. Marvel. Mention of Wonder Woman in the history coordinated with @Star Lord.
C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T P R O P O S A L
C A P T A I N M A R V E L
BILLY BATSON ♦ HOMELESS ORPHAN ♦ FAWCETT CITY, OHIO ♦ JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA (1941-1953)
[ Theme: Starsailor - Way To Fall ]C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T:
"One thing I've learned is... you can't save everyone. Try to save them anyway."
Truth. Justice. The American Way. The Protestant Work Ethic. Billy embodies a number of tropes typical of "Golden Age" superheroes. At the same time, he's a character defined by opposites -- primarily, his youth contrasted by his experiences in World War II and the Kree-Sh'ar Conflict that consumes the greater cosmos. Through it all, no matter how many times that he gets hit, Billy keeps getting back up. Why? There's no single answer for that question, other than Billy Batson has the courage of Billy Batson.
Captain Marvel is just a label that the newspapers gave him. Billy Batson is just who he is.
William Joseph "Billy" Batson was born in Fawcett City, Ohio in the year 1929. His parents died during an archaeological expedition to Egypt in the mid-1930s, leaving Billy to be raised by his Uncle Dudley and he started working at the age of eight years in a glass factory in order to bring home what money that he could. Then, in 1938, Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act, effectively making child labor illegal. Billy managed to pick up work as a paper boy, though truancy laws coming about at the same time caused him to go to school for the first time. In 1940, shortly before his eleventh birthday, Billy became caught in the middle of a battle between Aelfrye Whitemane and the Skrulls, as the latter struggle crashed down on the planet Earth. The mortally wounded Billy was tended to by the Kymellian sorcerer, resulting in his becoming the empowered hero who emerged in the 1940s.
At first a local hero, the Fawcett Gazette dubbed the anonymous hero Captain Marvel -- though their artist reconstructions were often highly inaccurate, typically portraying Billy as some strange mix of Elvis Presley and Steve Reeves. The name was picked up by the Daily Planet, leading to nation-wide association with the hero. Billy participated in the Second World War in the European Theater, often mistaken for a mere child as he served as both a courier and a secret weapon of the French and Allied Resistance against the Third Reich. During this time, Billy was also a founding member of the Justice Society of America, an organization that he continued to serve until the early 1950s, when McCarthyism black listed him as a Communist sympathizer for his support of his fellow World War II veteran, Wonder Woman (who had made "un-American" statements regarding the use of the atomic bomb in Japan). This ultimately led to Billy leaving the Justice Society when the hero was prohibited by the U.S. Government from providing aid to the Korean Conflict.
Fifteen years passed. He battled against industrial tycoon, Thaddeus Sivana, ushered in the space race, and buried his Uncle Dudley. By the time that Saigon fell and the United States found itself embroiled in the Vietnam War, Captain Marvel had disappeared from both the media and the popular culture. A homeless vagrant, Billy traveled the world searching for answers about who he was supposed to be. The return of the Kymellians in 1975 ushered Billy into an interstellar conflict apart from Earth. Now, he returns to the planet of his birth. A little older, a little wiser, but still possessed with the courage of Billy Batson!
Captain Marvel is just a label that the newspapers gave him. Billy Batson is just who he is.
William Joseph "Billy" Batson was born in Fawcett City, Ohio in the year 1929. His parents died during an archaeological expedition to Egypt in the mid-1930s, leaving Billy to be raised by his Uncle Dudley and he started working at the age of eight years in a glass factory in order to bring home what money that he could. Then, in 1938, Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act, effectively making child labor illegal. Billy managed to pick up work as a paper boy, though truancy laws coming about at the same time caused him to go to school for the first time. In 1940, shortly before his eleventh birthday, Billy became caught in the middle of a battle between Aelfrye Whitemane and the Skrulls, as the latter struggle crashed down on the planet Earth. The mortally wounded Billy was tended to by the Kymellian sorcerer, resulting in his becoming the empowered hero who emerged in the 1940s.
At first a local hero, the Fawcett Gazette dubbed the anonymous hero Captain Marvel -- though their artist reconstructions were often highly inaccurate, typically portraying Billy as some strange mix of Elvis Presley and Steve Reeves. The name was picked up by the Daily Planet, leading to nation-wide association with the hero. Billy participated in the Second World War in the European Theater, often mistaken for a mere child as he served as both a courier and a secret weapon of the French and Allied Resistance against the Third Reich. During this time, Billy was also a founding member of the Justice Society of America, an organization that he continued to serve until the early 1950s, when McCarthyism black listed him as a Communist sympathizer for his support of his fellow World War II veteran, Wonder Woman (who had made "un-American" statements regarding the use of the atomic bomb in Japan). This ultimately led to Billy leaving the Justice Society when the hero was prohibited by the U.S. Government from providing aid to the Korean Conflict.
Fifteen years passed. He battled against industrial tycoon, Thaddeus Sivana, ushered in the space race, and buried his Uncle Dudley. By the time that Saigon fell and the United States found itself embroiled in the Vietnam War, Captain Marvel had disappeared from both the media and the popular culture. A homeless vagrant, Billy traveled the world searching for answers about who he was supposed to be. The return of the Kymellians in 1975 ushered Billy into an interstellar conflict apart from Earth. Now, he returns to the planet of his birth. A little older, a little wiser, but still possessed with the courage of Billy Batson!
C H A R A C T E R M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S:
This is a familiar concept by now. It's been done and re-visited before, but always seems to work well in a DC/Marvel setting. At the same time, the addition of EE's Kamala Khan caused me to remove any of the usual references to Billy's usual source material for a character who relies more on Marvel's Captain Marvel. At the same time, this allows me a lot of freedom to dump the usual baggage that comes with picking up a character with such a long publication history. Otherwise, this is just me doing what I do best, writing kids who punch above their weight.
In terms of goals, I hope to do a better job of pacing myself in this RP. Rather than rapid firing posts in quick succession, which leads to my burning out, I hope to do a better job of posting at a consistent rate by writing posts ahead and then adhering to a post schedule (maybe pick a particular day to post each week) so that I'm remaining active without pushing it too hard.
In terms of goals, I hope to do a better job of pacing myself in this RP. Rather than rapid firing posts in quick succession, which leads to my burning out, I hope to do a better job of posting at a consistent rate by writing posts ahead and then adhering to a post schedule (maybe pick a particular day to post each week) so that I'm remaining active without pushing it too hard.
C H A R A C T E R N O T E S:
• Billy's power comes from the Nega-Bands and the Negative Zone, not from the Rock of Eternity. This means that Captain Marvel and Shazam have different sources for their powers, even if they act similarly.
• As Billy is connected to the Negative Zone, where time passes differently than in our dimension, he does not appear to age. On a practical level, this prevents the cerebral hematoma that he suffered in 1940 from killing him for so long as he continues to wear the Nega-Bands.
• Other characters associated with this Billy concept: Aelfyre Whitemane, Kofi Whitemane, and the Smartship Friday. Nothing about the usage of these characters is intended to prevent or dissuade someone from picking up Power Pack at a later date.
• As Billy is connected to the Negative Zone, where time passes differently than in our dimension, he does not appear to age. On a practical level, this prevents the cerebral hematoma that he suffered in 1940 from killing him for so long as he continues to wear the Nega-Bands.
• Other characters associated with this Billy concept: Aelfyre Whitemane, Kofi Whitemane, and the Smartship Friday. Nothing about the usage of these characters is intended to prevent or dissuade someone from picking up Power Pack at a later date.
S A M P L E P O S T:
All right, let's do this one more time.
My name is Billy Batson and, for the last eighty years, I've been the one and only Billy Batson! The Daily Planet calls me Captain Marvel. The Kree call me Mar-Vell, the Z'ynx call me... something unpronounceable. And the Shi'ar call me Ja'loja.
...DON'T ask me what that means (I'm not supposed to say those words).
A Kymellian and a Skrull fought to the death in 1940 (their fight, my death) and a horse-alien sorcerer named Aelfyre Whitemane brought me back with these things that I call the Nega-Bands, because they draw power from this alternate dimension known as the Negative Zone. The rest, you probably know. I saved the city. Saved the world. Even saved a girl (gross), but hey... being a hero means sometimes you have to do things that you don't want to.
I couldn't save my Uncle Dudley though.
I fought the Nazis and the Japanese through the Second World War, then wound up fighting Congress only five years after the war ended. I had the absolute privilege of being part of the Justice Society of America, then, holy moley, it all turned sour when some biscuit boxer, braggart from Wisconsin named McCarthy started laying down the law on us! We each went our separate ways. Without Uncle Dudley, I didn't have a home. So, one day, I just started walking. Newark, Cincinnati, Beijing, Marseilles... I just kinda lost track of things. Went where the wind would blow. I think I was looking for answers, but I'm not sure I knew what the question was.
Aelfyre came back. The Kymellians were apparently in a bad spot. The Kree and the Shi'ar were warring and didn't care about what planets might be in their path, so I went and gave them something to think about. I didn't think that I was gone all that long, then I got back to Fawcett City and nothing looked the same!
Einstein said that time was relative, but jeepers!
My name is Billy Batson and, for the last eighty years, I've been the one and only Billy Batson! The Daily Planet calls me Captain Marvel. The Kree call me Mar-Vell, the Z'ynx call me... something unpronounceable. And the Shi'ar call me Ja'loja.
...DON'T ask me what that means (I'm not supposed to say those words).
A Kymellian and a Skrull fought to the death in 1940 (their fight, my death) and a horse-alien sorcerer named Aelfyre Whitemane brought me back with these things that I call the Nega-Bands, because they draw power from this alternate dimension known as the Negative Zone. The rest, you probably know. I saved the city. Saved the world. Even saved a girl (gross), but hey... being a hero means sometimes you have to do things that you don't want to.
I couldn't save my Uncle Dudley though.
I fought the Nazis and the Japanese through the Second World War, then wound up fighting Congress only five years after the war ended. I had the absolute privilege of being part of the Justice Society of America, then, holy moley, it all turned sour when some biscuit boxer, braggart from Wisconsin named McCarthy started laying down the law on us! We each went our separate ways. Without Uncle Dudley, I didn't have a home. So, one day, I just started walking. Newark, Cincinnati, Beijing, Marseilles... I just kinda lost track of things. Went where the wind would blow. I think I was looking for answers, but I'm not sure I knew what the question was.
Aelfyre came back. The Kymellians were apparently in a bad spot. The Kree and the Shi'ar were warring and didn't care about what planets might be in their path, so I went and gave them something to think about. I didn't think that I was gone all that long, then I got back to Fawcett City and nothing looked the same!
Einstein said that time was relative, but jeepers!
P O S T C A T L O G:
Coming soon?
M A R V ’ S P I Z Z A
Midtown, Manhattan, New York City
The boy just blinked as Barbara's message came back through the mental connection.
Had he done something wrong? What was 'intellectual property'? And why did Barbara think that he was trying to do a 'trick'? Were surface dwellers incapable of telepathy? Or was their vocal communication perhaps sacred to them?
Wally's message seemed to put a vote in the latter category, as he described the telepathic link as 'different'. At least the Kid Flash supplied a much needed clarification for the present crisis. Though... who was Agent Orange supposed to be? The Superboy would be the teenager wearing the symbol of the Superman. And the green guys would be the Gorgons. Or, at least, Gorgon-like beings.
Which left the...
...oh. She was orange, wasn't she?
"Oi, Fishboy... Surf's Up!"
A fountain of water erupted from the ground, released from some kind of red-colored fixture in the sidewalk. The boy's violet eyes regarded the sudden appearance, before his head turned in the direction of the voice that had spoken. It was another teen, this one armed with a type of weapon that he had seen the Amazons of Themyscira wield during the Greek festivals that they often shared with the Atlanteans.
"HEY!"
As the young Aqualad turned, he saw the super-powered teen throwing a Gorgon across the air.
"SOMEBODY HIT THIS!"
Flexing his knees, Garth bounced up on the balls of his feet for a moment. It was difficult to judge a jump through air. The atmospheric pressure and lack of viscosity made the surface environment seem chaotic to the boy. Leaping up into the air, the boy reared both arms up over his head, clasping the fists together as the child sailed up toward the Gorgon. Dropping his arms, the momentum of Garth starting to drop in the air combined with his strength as he knocked the Gorgon from out of the air.
Garth dropped back onto the top of the pizzeria roof, while the Gorgon slammed down onto one of the yellow-colored conveyances that were labeled with the letters T-A-X-I along the sides. The boy's eyes glowed, his hand passing through the air.
A stream broke off from the column of water, splashing down over the cab and encasing both it and the Gorgon in ice.
His other hand made a pulling motion, prompting a ball of water to shoot out over toward him. The water was both cold and refreshing as it connected, swirling and pooling in a manner that was unnaturally opposed to the gravity as it seemed to coat and spread over the child's body.
He needed that.
Had he done something wrong? What was 'intellectual property'? And why did Barbara think that he was trying to do a 'trick'? Were surface dwellers incapable of telepathy? Or was their vocal communication perhaps sacred to them?
Wally's message seemed to put a vote in the latter category, as he described the telepathic link as 'different'. At least the Kid Flash supplied a much needed clarification for the present crisis. Though... who was Agent Orange supposed to be? The Superboy would be the teenager wearing the symbol of the Superman. And the green guys would be the Gorgons. Or, at least, Gorgon-like beings.
Which left the...
...oh. She was orange, wasn't she?
"Oi, Fishboy... Surf's Up!"
A fountain of water erupted from the ground, released from some kind of red-colored fixture in the sidewalk. The boy's violet eyes regarded the sudden appearance, before his head turned in the direction of the voice that had spoken. It was another teen, this one armed with a type of weapon that he had seen the Amazons of Themyscira wield during the Greek festivals that they often shared with the Atlanteans.
"HEY!"
As the young Aqualad turned, he saw the super-powered teen throwing a Gorgon across the air.
"SOMEBODY HIT THIS!"
Flexing his knees, Garth bounced up on the balls of his feet for a moment. It was difficult to judge a jump through air. The atmospheric pressure and lack of viscosity made the surface environment seem chaotic to the boy. Leaping up into the air, the boy reared both arms up over his head, clasping the fists together as the child sailed up toward the Gorgon. Dropping his arms, the momentum of Garth starting to drop in the air combined with his strength as he knocked the Gorgon from out of the air.
Garth dropped back onto the top of the pizzeria roof, while the Gorgon slammed down onto one of the yellow-colored conveyances that were labeled with the letters T-A-X-I along the sides. The boy's eyes glowed, his hand passing through the air.
A stream broke off from the column of water, splashing down over the cab and encasing both it and the Gorgon in ice.
His other hand made a pulling motion, prompting a ball of water to shoot out over toward him. The water was both cold and refreshing as it connected, swirling and pooling in a manner that was unnaturally opposed to the gravity as it seemed to coat and spread over the child's body.
He needed that.
M A R V ’ S P I Z Z A
Midtown, Manhattan, New York City
Large, violet eyes just blinked.
In the time it took him to do so, the Kid Flash had vanished from inside the pizzeria, leaving the young Atlantean to try to make sense of the words that he'd spoken. Had Wally suggested that they go check that out? Wait, check what out? The surface world? He didn't know the first thing about the surface world!
As anxiety crept through the dark haired boy, a sharp scream was muffled through the windows of the restaurant. Turning his head toward the sound, Garth watched as a panicked group was running through the streets as the people mulling about outside reacted to something that he couldn't see.
Not from inside the pizzeria.
Yep, totally outside the comfort zone right now.
Swallowing, the boy stood up from the table and started to make his way toward the door. Skidding to a halt just past the doorway, the small Atlantean turned his head. This strange urban jungle of glass and concrete was disorienting as he tried to look up in search of the commotion.
Whatever it was, it was happening on the other side of the restaurant.
Bracing himself, Garth leapt up into the air. Awkwardly, he fumbled about as he landed atop the roof to Marv's Pizza, which gave him a vantage point for seeing...
...well, he wasn't really all that certain.
There were a bunch of really strange looking creatures. They kind of reminded him of the gorgons of Greek mythology. Then there was a lady with red hair, who was swimming in mid-air. And she wasn't the only air-swimmer either, there was a teenage guy as well.
So, next question.
Who's the good guy? Or, gal?
Turning to look around, Garth was presented with the fact that he couldn't exactly ask that question. He'd left Barbara and Donna's side. And Wally wasn't in sight.
At times like this, the surface world's mode of verbalized communication was frustrating for its obvious limitations. Taking a deep breath, Garth's purple irises flashed as the boy paused to switch to a more familiar style of communicating. In his mind's eye, he could visualize Donna, Barbara and Wally. Touching each of their minds, the boy found himself reassured by the knowledge of their presence as the telepathic rapport was built between them.
Hey, guys. Question. Which one's are the bad guys?
In the time it took him to do so, the Kid Flash had vanished from inside the pizzeria, leaving the young Atlantean to try to make sense of the words that he'd spoken. Had Wally suggested that they go check that out? Wait, check what out? The surface world? He didn't know the first thing about the surface world!
As anxiety crept through the dark haired boy, a sharp scream was muffled through the windows of the restaurant. Turning his head toward the sound, Garth watched as a panicked group was running through the streets as the people mulling about outside reacted to something that he couldn't see.
Not from inside the pizzeria.
Yep, totally outside the comfort zone right now.
Swallowing, the boy stood up from the table and started to make his way toward the door. Skidding to a halt just past the doorway, the small Atlantean turned his head. This strange urban jungle of glass and concrete was disorienting as he tried to look up in search of the commotion.
Whatever it was, it was happening on the other side of the restaurant.
Bracing himself, Garth leapt up into the air. Awkwardly, he fumbled about as he landed atop the roof to Marv's Pizza, which gave him a vantage point for seeing...
...well, he wasn't really all that certain.
There were a bunch of really strange looking creatures. They kind of reminded him of the gorgons of Greek mythology. Then there was a lady with red hair, who was swimming in mid-air. And she wasn't the only air-swimmer either, there was a teenage guy as well.
So, next question.
Who's the good guy? Or, gal?
Turning to look around, Garth was presented with the fact that he couldn't exactly ask that question. He'd left Barbara and Donna's side. And Wally wasn't in sight.
At times like this, the surface world's mode of verbalized communication was frustrating for its obvious limitations. Taking a deep breath, Garth's purple irises flashed as the boy paused to switch to a more familiar style of communicating. In his mind's eye, he could visualize Donna, Barbara and Wally. Touching each of their minds, the boy found himself reassured by the knowledge of their presence as the telepathic rapport was built between them.
Hey, guys. Question. Which one's are the bad guys?
S T R A I T O F M A L A C C A
Hours earlier | Indonesian Archipelago, Pacific Ocean
The SS Sun Vista lay under more than two hundred feet of water, in the middle of the busiest shipping strait in the world.
The shadow passed through the halls of the majestic ocean liner. It was perhaps even more crowded inside now than in its golden age, when it ferried passengers between Italy and Australia in the late 1970s. Large schools of small fish moved in and through the wreck. Eels passed through shadow, tucked away in the cupboards and closets. A blue-clad hand passed through the lightless expanse, a fog of silt passing through the water.
A porcelain plate was withdrawn from the cupboard, disturbing an eel that spiraled along the youth's arm before shooting off into the inky darkness. The white enamel was emblazoned with colorful tones of lapis lazuli and gold. The plate shone under the violet light of a pair of vibrant purple irises that pierced through the darkness. The Atlantean boy turned the plate over in his hands, inspecting it for a moment, before he returned it back to the shelf and withdrew a tea cup that was emblazoned with a similar pattern.
The Prince of Idylls hovered in one of the galleys that had serviced the many lounges across the ship that had ended its career as a cruise ship. Much of the flatware was recognizable from Themyscira, when Garth had visited during the Isthmian Games, such as the spoons and knives. But the one object he could not identify was a most perplexing form. It was like a miniature trident, no larger than a spoon, with four prongs instead of three.
Turning the small utensil over in his hands, the youth hovered there in the galley looking over the object as he tried to imagine its purpose.
Come on, Tadpole. You can explore later.
The words were not spoken so much as they were thought. Transmitted might even have been the apt term. At the telepathic summons, the young Garth altered his buoyancy without so much as a thought to what he was doing. Effortlessly, the child rose up through the sea, emerging from the inside of the ocean liner that was resting on its side on the sea floor. Halting his ascent, the youth glided through the water toward where an iconic hero of orange and green waited for him. Why do they have miniature tridents? the boy asked, holding out the object that he had found.
The Aquaman was looking upward. Overhead, the silhouette of a large oil tanker blotted out the sun with its massive shape. A plethora of smaller shadows created large wakes around themselves, as the distorted sound of muffled gunfire tricked down through the water. Turning his head toward the boy, Arthur paused for a moment. A quizzical looked crossed his face at the question. It's a fork, he uttered simply. Now, come on.
With that, Arthur began rising up toward the surface. Garth followed beside, starting to push with strong dolphin kicks as he fought to keep pace with the Aquaman as the two built up speed. The surface of the water was coming up fast.
The pair exploded from out of the water. Arthur arcing through the air like some Greek hero of the ancient legends. Cresting from out of the top of a wave, Aquaman sailed from out of the sea to land on his feet atop the bow of the tanker.
Garth followed, shooting out of the sea like a flying fish. A brief panic knotted the pit of his stomach, as he felt the water fall away and the air hit him. Feeling a loss of control, the boy's arms floundered as he realized that swimming in the air really was not a thing.
The boy smacked down on the ship, face-planting as he effectively belly-flopped the landing next to Aquaman.
Keep your head down. Look out for any crew that are in trouble. Arthur's words echoed from inside the boy's head, as the Aquaman launched himself toward one of the small boats.
Pushing himself up from off the deck, the boy found himself gripped in a moment of vertigo as he slid with the sudden roll of the ship, listing in the open sea. Staggering, floundering, and possibly screaming, the boy struggled to find his balance walking upright on the moving deck of the ship. The sound of bullets whizzed by, men shouting in an indistinct language, as Arthur's orange and green form moved from boat to boat.
Holding a hand against the side of the ship's superstructure, the boy crouched down low as he traveled around where he imagined the crew would be. As he rounded the corner, a man wielding a rifle popped out of a doorway. For a moment, the two just stared at one another. Then the man leveled the gun at the boy.
"Ah!" the Aqualad yelped. Not at all sounding like a twelve year old girl. Nope, not even a little bit. Well, maybe a little bit.
Panicked, a sweep of the boy's arm to knocked the barrel away had the effect of smacking the weapon right out of the man's hand. As the rifle spun through the air, it was all that either could do to just watch in surprise as it sailed over the side and splashed down into the water. The pair then looked at each other again for a moment, before the modern pirate drew a machete.
Ducking to one side, the boy side-stepped his attack, then ducked as the man lashed out with a backhand slash that caused the machete to thwak hard against the side of the ship's structure. The man's arm came back for another strike, as Garth lunged forward with a shove.
This didn't go how either planned. In rapid succession, the two connected. Then they were no longer connected. Garth's foot slid out from under him, dropping the boy to his knees as he nearly face-planted a second time. The pirate, meanwhile, went airborne. Straight over the ship's railing.
The feeling of relief at no longer being attacked quickly drained aware to a feeling of impending doom at the sound of the man splashing into the sea. "Ah!" the boy yelped again, scrambling back to his feet and over to the side of the ship.
The pirate was floundering in the ocean, sputtering as he was lifted and pulled away by the seas. I can do this... the boy thought, as he brought his hands out in front of him.
You can't.
The child's purple eyes burned with a vibrant, violet light. He could feel the tide. I can do this...
You will fail.
You're just a tadpole. You can't do anything.
Sucking in a breath of air, Garth pushed his hands forward. As he did, a swell lifted the pirate up in the ocean. Turning his palms inward, the boy then made a rowing motion, pulling his arms back toward the sea. As he did, the swell transformed into a wave that swept back toward the ship. Gritting his teeth, Garth planed his hand out as the crest of the wave reached the side of the ship.
The wave crashed into the side of the ship, slamming the pirate against the superstructure. Bouncing off the bulkhead, the pirate slapped down on the nonskid deck.
Garth winced, shying back at how that had been... a little more rough than what he'd had in mind.
But wait... it worked? Purple irises shone brightly as he child looked over the water-logged, semi-conscious pirate. It worked. IT WORKED! "WAHOO!" the boy shouted, jumping up into the air with a newfound energy.
The sound of something landing on the deck behind him caught the boy by surprise. An Arthur-sized shadow passing over him. Withering, the boy seemed to shrink as he anxiously turned to look back at the Aquaman.
Arthur brought a hand up to sweep his water-soaked hair from out of his face. Looking over the nervous, suspiciously guilty-looking, hand-wringing Aqualad and the unconscious pirate sleeping in a puddle on the deck, it was all that the man could do to give the lad a nod of respect. Good job, Tadpole, Arthur remarked simply, before moving the boy aside so that he could reach down and pick up the pirate, then wordlessly moved to carry the man back toward where he had tied up the others on the deck.
Garth just watched, wide-eyed and breathless.
It had worked. It had worked. And... had Aquaman said good job? To him? A nervous giggle slipped from the child's lips, only growing louder as the boy tried to hold it in. Grabbing hold of the front of his red shirt, the boy cautiously walked out toward where Arthur was being joined by the crew of the tanker. They were coming out to congratulate and thank their hero.
His hero.
Shyly, the boy skirted back toward the shadows. He gave an involuntary jump when his back hit against the railing. Turning his head, he looked down the side of the tanker to where the sea looked inviting below.
Excited about your date with Donna?
Arthur's voice caused the boy to whip back around with a gasp. Then, he gave a scowl. Across the forecastle, Arthur was laughing with the crew, seemingly fitting right in with them. The man cast a spare glance over toward the boy.
It's not a date! Garth voiced in protest, an involuntary shudder passing across his body as he stuck his tongue out in disgust. A date? With a girl? Much gross. Many no thank you.
Wait, what day is it? the boy thought, panic taking hold as he suddenly remembered that Donna had said something about meeting some of the other kids that hung around the Justice League. They were going to some place called New York.
Which, why was it New York? Was there an Old York?
The shadow passed through the halls of the majestic ocean liner. It was perhaps even more crowded inside now than in its golden age, when it ferried passengers between Italy and Australia in the late 1970s. Large schools of small fish moved in and through the wreck. Eels passed through shadow, tucked away in the cupboards and closets. A blue-clad hand passed through the lightless expanse, a fog of silt passing through the water.
A porcelain plate was withdrawn from the cupboard, disturbing an eel that spiraled along the youth's arm before shooting off into the inky darkness. The white enamel was emblazoned with colorful tones of lapis lazuli and gold. The plate shone under the violet light of a pair of vibrant purple irises that pierced through the darkness. The Atlantean boy turned the plate over in his hands, inspecting it for a moment, before he returned it back to the shelf and withdrew a tea cup that was emblazoned with a similar pattern.
The Prince of Idylls hovered in one of the galleys that had serviced the many lounges across the ship that had ended its career as a cruise ship. Much of the flatware was recognizable from Themyscira, when Garth had visited during the Isthmian Games, such as the spoons and knives. But the one object he could not identify was a most perplexing form. It was like a miniature trident, no larger than a spoon, with four prongs instead of three.
Turning the small utensil over in his hands, the youth hovered there in the galley looking over the object as he tried to imagine its purpose.
Come on, Tadpole. You can explore later.
The words were not spoken so much as they were thought. Transmitted might even have been the apt term. At the telepathic summons, the young Garth altered his buoyancy without so much as a thought to what he was doing. Effortlessly, the child rose up through the sea, emerging from the inside of the ocean liner that was resting on its side on the sea floor. Halting his ascent, the youth glided through the water toward where an iconic hero of orange and green waited for him. Why do they have miniature tridents? the boy asked, holding out the object that he had found.
The Aquaman was looking upward. Overhead, the silhouette of a large oil tanker blotted out the sun with its massive shape. A plethora of smaller shadows created large wakes around themselves, as the distorted sound of muffled gunfire tricked down through the water. Turning his head toward the boy, Arthur paused for a moment. A quizzical looked crossed his face at the question. It's a fork, he uttered simply. Now, come on.
With that, Arthur began rising up toward the surface. Garth followed beside, starting to push with strong dolphin kicks as he fought to keep pace with the Aquaman as the two built up speed. The surface of the water was coming up fast.
The pair exploded from out of the water. Arthur arcing through the air like some Greek hero of the ancient legends. Cresting from out of the top of a wave, Aquaman sailed from out of the sea to land on his feet atop the bow of the tanker.
Garth followed, shooting out of the sea like a flying fish. A brief panic knotted the pit of his stomach, as he felt the water fall away and the air hit him. Feeling a loss of control, the boy's arms floundered as he realized that swimming in the air really was not a thing.
The boy smacked down on the ship, face-planting as he effectively belly-flopped the landing next to Aquaman.
Keep your head down. Look out for any crew that are in trouble. Arthur's words echoed from inside the boy's head, as the Aquaman launched himself toward one of the small boats.
Pushing himself up from off the deck, the boy found himself gripped in a moment of vertigo as he slid with the sudden roll of the ship, listing in the open sea. Staggering, floundering, and possibly screaming, the boy struggled to find his balance walking upright on the moving deck of the ship. The sound of bullets whizzed by, men shouting in an indistinct language, as Arthur's orange and green form moved from boat to boat.
Holding a hand against the side of the ship's superstructure, the boy crouched down low as he traveled around where he imagined the crew would be. As he rounded the corner, a man wielding a rifle popped out of a doorway. For a moment, the two just stared at one another. Then the man leveled the gun at the boy.
"Ah!" the Aqualad yelped. Not at all sounding like a twelve year old girl. Nope, not even a little bit. Well, maybe a little bit.
Panicked, a sweep of the boy's arm to knocked the barrel away had the effect of smacking the weapon right out of the man's hand. As the rifle spun through the air, it was all that either could do to just watch in surprise as it sailed over the side and splashed down into the water. The pair then looked at each other again for a moment, before the modern pirate drew a machete.
Ducking to one side, the boy side-stepped his attack, then ducked as the man lashed out with a backhand slash that caused the machete to thwak hard against the side of the ship's structure. The man's arm came back for another strike, as Garth lunged forward with a shove.
This didn't go how either planned. In rapid succession, the two connected. Then they were no longer connected. Garth's foot slid out from under him, dropping the boy to his knees as he nearly face-planted a second time. The pirate, meanwhile, went airborne. Straight over the ship's railing.
The feeling of relief at no longer being attacked quickly drained aware to a feeling of impending doom at the sound of the man splashing into the sea. "Ah!" the boy yelped again, scrambling back to his feet and over to the side of the ship.
The pirate was floundering in the ocean, sputtering as he was lifted and pulled away by the seas. I can do this... the boy thought, as he brought his hands out in front of him.
You can't.
The child's purple eyes burned with a vibrant, violet light. He could feel the tide. I can do this...
You will fail.
You're just a tadpole. You can't do anything.
Sucking in a breath of air, Garth pushed his hands forward. As he did, a swell lifted the pirate up in the ocean. Turning his palms inward, the boy then made a rowing motion, pulling his arms back toward the sea. As he did, the swell transformed into a wave that swept back toward the ship. Gritting his teeth, Garth planed his hand out as the crest of the wave reached the side of the ship.
The wave crashed into the side of the ship, slamming the pirate against the superstructure. Bouncing off the bulkhead, the pirate slapped down on the nonskid deck.
Garth winced, shying back at how that had been... a little more rough than what he'd had in mind.
But wait... it worked? Purple irises shone brightly as he child looked over the water-logged, semi-conscious pirate. It worked. IT WORKED! "WAHOO!" the boy shouted, jumping up into the air with a newfound energy.
The sound of something landing on the deck behind him caught the boy by surprise. An Arthur-sized shadow passing over him. Withering, the boy seemed to shrink as he anxiously turned to look back at the Aquaman.
Arthur brought a hand up to sweep his water-soaked hair from out of his face. Looking over the nervous, suspiciously guilty-looking, hand-wringing Aqualad and the unconscious pirate sleeping in a puddle on the deck, it was all that the man could do to give the lad a nod of respect. Good job, Tadpole, Arthur remarked simply, before moving the boy aside so that he could reach down and pick up the pirate, then wordlessly moved to carry the man back toward where he had tied up the others on the deck.
Garth just watched, wide-eyed and breathless.
It had worked. It had worked. And... had Aquaman said good job? To him? A nervous giggle slipped from the child's lips, only growing louder as the boy tried to hold it in. Grabbing hold of the front of his red shirt, the boy cautiously walked out toward where Arthur was being joined by the crew of the tanker. They were coming out to congratulate and thank their hero.
His hero.
Shyly, the boy skirted back toward the shadows. He gave an involuntary jump when his back hit against the railing. Turning his head, he looked down the side of the tanker to where the sea looked inviting below.
Excited about your date with Donna?
Arthur's voice caused the boy to whip back around with a gasp. Then, he gave a scowl. Across the forecastle, Arthur was laughing with the crew, seemingly fitting right in with them. The man cast a spare glance over toward the boy.
It's not a date! Garth voiced in protest, an involuntary shudder passing across his body as he stuck his tongue out in disgust. A date? With a girl? Much gross. Many no thank you.
Wait, what day is it? the boy thought, panic taking hold as he suddenly remembered that Donna had said something about meeting some of the other kids that hung around the Justice League. They were going to some place called New York.
Which, why was it New York? Was there an Old York?
M A R V ’ S P I Z Z A
Now | Midtown, Manhattan, New York City
The boy's feet didn't reach all the way to the ground.
You do not belong at this table.
Awkwardly, the Prince of Idylls was squirming in his chair as he looked around the table. He wished that he could be invisible. It was just so amazing. The Kid Flash. The Batgirl. Wonder Girl. These were teenagers who were real heroes.
Not like him.
The boy was quiet as he watched the interaction between Wally and Barbara, taking cues from them as to how he was supposed to eat the pizza. Which, the hands was that it was okay to use hands. That suited Garth just fine. With all the stories that he'd heard from Arthur, about multiple spoons and needing to know the difference between which plates of food that they went with, Garth had some very peculiar ideas about what surface dweller table manners were like. But, these seemed like normal people eating normal flat bread. Which, was really quite good. They didn't have anything like this in Poseidonis. It actually reminded him of Themysciran flat breads, which were one of his favorite foods to get during the Isthmian Games or the Arrhephoria festival or Thesmophoria.
You definitely couldn't get flat bread at Thierna Na Oge's Thesmophoria celebration in the Strait of Gibraltar.
The Atlantean youth reached across the table, pulling out a salt packet. Opening the contents into a glass of water, the boy swirled it around for a moment before he brought the glass up to drink. It wasn't sea water, but it helped to mask the taste of that fluoridated tap water that had been supplied by the waiter.
In retrospect, Garth wasn't sure whether he heard or felt the explosion. A tremor rattling the windows as the loud BOOM rolled like thunder. The boy choked as he had been mid-drink, spilling some water on himself as he looked around the table.
You do not belong at this table.
Awkwardly, the Prince of Idylls was squirming in his chair as he looked around the table. He wished that he could be invisible. It was just so amazing. The Kid Flash. The Batgirl. Wonder Girl. These were teenagers who were real heroes.
Not like him.
The boy was quiet as he watched the interaction between Wally and Barbara, taking cues from them as to how he was supposed to eat the pizza. Which, the hands was that it was okay to use hands. That suited Garth just fine. With all the stories that he'd heard from Arthur, about multiple spoons and needing to know the difference between which plates of food that they went with, Garth had some very peculiar ideas about what surface dweller table manners were like. But, these seemed like normal people eating normal flat bread. Which, was really quite good. They didn't have anything like this in Poseidonis. It actually reminded him of Themysciran flat breads, which were one of his favorite foods to get during the Isthmian Games or the Arrhephoria festival or Thesmophoria.
You definitely couldn't get flat bread at Thierna Na Oge's Thesmophoria celebration in the Strait of Gibraltar.
The Atlantean youth reached across the table, pulling out a salt packet. Opening the contents into a glass of water, the boy swirled it around for a moment before he brought the glass up to drink. It wasn't sea water, but it helped to mask the taste of that fluoridated tap water that had been supplied by the waiter.
In retrospect, Garth wasn't sure whether he heard or felt the explosion. A tremor rattling the windows as the loud BOOM rolled like thunder. The boy choked as he had been mid-drink, spilling some water on himself as he looked around the table.
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