ABC: Always Be Creating
I asked LJ if she wanted to play a game. This was the result:
The brand-new Hero Headquarters was visited by a woman taking donations for animal rights. She was accompanied by two of her orphaned charges: a crocodile and a "giant Macedonian spitting scorpion". Alfred, the ever-faithful butler, let the menagerie inside and went looking for spare change - but Spider-Man's spider-sense went right off the scale! The visitors were actually Poison Ivy, Scorpion and the Lizard! The villains lobbed bombs in every direction, unleashing clouds of strange-smelling gas, then ran away. Ivy was too slow to escape Spidey's webs, though, and was captured. Batman snarled at Iron Man, angry that his fellow billionaire's much-hyped security features had amounted to nothing. Iron Man snapped back, calling Batman a "paranoid worry-wart". The Dark Knight dragged Ivy off to the Batwing and flew away, bound for Arkham Asylum.
Moments later, Sleipnir - Thor's eight-legged steed - went crazy in its stable. Iron Man studied the horse... then panicked and ordered J.A.R.V.I.S. to put the mansion into lockdown! Too late had he realised the villains' plan: they'd doused the heroes with a lethal toxin that activated upon exposure to fresh air! It hyper-stimulated their adrenalin glands causing rage, then madness, and finally death by over-exertion! He tried to call Batman to warn him of the danger, but the Caped Crusader had switched off his communicator out of annoyance. Captain America and Superman did a head-count, realising everyone else was in the mansion... save for Aquaman. There was but one conclusion to draw: the villains wanted the Avengers and Justice League out of the way so they could target Aquaman and other animal-powered super heroes! Martian Manhunter sent out a telepathic alert while Iron Man, Cyborg and Dr Strange tried to find an antidote - be it scientific or magic - to the poison.
In Atlantis, Aquaman was assailed by Black Manta and a squad of goons. Plastic Man arrived in time to help drive the villains away, but not before Manta swiped a sample of the Sea King's blood. The Vulture led the attack on Wakanda - though repelled by Black Panther and Wasp, his team were able to steal one of Ant-Man's spare helmets as well as genetic material from B'wana Beast. And at Arkham Asylum, a rapidly-weaking Batman found himself fighting to protect Cheetah (of all people) from Sportsmaster and a baddy patrol. Barely able to stand, the Dark Knight had no choice but to set Cheetah, Bane, Lex Luthor and the Joker free to fight by his side ("no one's killing Batsy but me!" the clown shrieked). The bad guys... well, the other bad guys... retreated, with Ivy by their side and a clump of Cheetah's fur in hand.
The battle took its toll, and Batman collapsed. Bane, Cheetah and Luthor turned to leave but Joker begged them to help save his mortal foe. "If he dies here and now, not by my hand, I'll be insufferable to live with," he vowed darkly. Sighing, Luthor applied his genius to Batman's malady and devised a cure. He programmed it into the Batwing's computer. Bane loaded the Dark Knight into the cockpit and set it on automatic pilot. Then he and the rest of the Secret Society crept away from the Asylum, already arguing about a secret hide-out and plotting their next big caper. Meanwhile, the Batwing's return allowed the heroes to cure themselves before the toxin really took hold. Even Sleipnir was healed, though it would need more recuperation time. Batman's fate was less certain. Green Lantern sealed him within an emerald "bio-dome" while Cyborg monitored his vital signs. Thankfully Ant-Man and Black Panther soon arrived to boost the science quotient - with Aquaman, Plastic Man, B'wana Beast and Wasp in-tow.
Iron Man seethed. His house had been invaded and gassed twice and one of his friends was really, badly hurt. Plus, the last words they'd spoken to one another were cruel. Invading Villainville was no longer an option (because of Doom's return, it was once again Latverian soil) but Tony Stark wasn't about to let the law stand in his way. He assembled a team of heroes who answered to higher powers than SHIELD (Green Lantern, Ms Marvel), had more cosmic concerns (Dr Strange, Scarlet Witch) or were just as hell-bent on avenging Batman as he was (Wonder Woman). Magic shielded their thoughts from Martian Manhunter and, in secret, the heroes used an experimental teleporter to transport themselves into the shadows cast by Villainville's back wall. They worked in complete silence - a single repulsor blast would alert the entire fortress. Scarlet Witch cast a sleeping spell to take care of the guards. Ladders of green will-power allowed them to scale the walls... and walk right into Doom's trap!
Green Lantern was swooped by an army of birds. Iron Man's armour was breached and disassembled, from the inside out, by ants and bugs. A river of snakes carried Scarlet Witch away while an octopus rose from the moat and dragged Ms Marvel beneath the water. Lions and tigers pounced upon Dr Strange as plants, vines and creepers worked to ensnare Wonder Woman. Suddenly the villains' plans made sense: the stolen DNA and tech had been used to give Vulture, Scorpion, Black Manta and Sportsmaster control over birds, insects, sea life and big cats! Coupled with Lizard and Ivy's innate abilities, the villains could now call on a flora and fauna army the likes of which the world had never before seen! One by one the heroes were defeated, leaving only Dr Strange and Wonder Woman standing. Their mystic strength could match the animals - but not a sneak attack by Doom and Enchantress, as well. The last thing they heard, before they fell unconscious, was Doom's mocking laughter.
Tony Stark awoke first. He and the heroes were deep in Villainville's dungeons. Oddly, Tony's broken Iron Man armour was in the cell with them. He swallowed his pride and (after calling, confusing and getting hung up on twice by Hulk) spoke to Captain America, admitting what he'd done and asking the secret teleporter be triggered. The heroes were rescued (and Tony was in for the lecture of a lifetime). As their wounds were dressed, the "secret invaders" were found to have green and yellow spots all over their bodies. As time passed they became itchier... and sorer... more hunched and muscle-tired... until finally Tony opened his mouth and brayed! The villains hadn't just learned how to give themselves animal powers, they'd figured out how to turn the heroes into animals!
Absolute chaos reigned. Thor chased donkey-Tony through the halls, screaming "kill it with fire - it's the ass of the apocalypse!". Cap tried to talk gorilla-Ms Marvel down off the roof. Hulk grappled with elephant-Dr Strange, Superman fed bamboo to panda-Scarlet Witch at super-speed, and everyone had to team up to stop demon horse-Wonder Woman and 30ft tall glowing kangaroo-Green Lantern! Fortunately for everyone, Black Panther knew of a remedy. The same herb used to strip cruel kings of the panther-power could be used to cure the affected heroes. Soon the good guys returned to normal (though Tony had hay in his teeth, and Wanda was bloated from over-eating) but everyone was left with questions. Surely Doom's goals were grander? The animal heroes had not, after all, caused much damage in their brief rampage. What the did the tin-faced tyrant really want?
Over in Villainville, Doom nodded. Phases one and two of his scheme had gone perfectly to plan. "Now to move to phase three..."
----------
stareyednight asked LJ if she wanted to play Just Dance on the Wii. This was the result:
They were dancing to Avril Lavigne's song "Girlfriend". The on-screen graphic showed two girls performing a duet, the moves of which my favourite ladies had to copy in order to score points. The combination of lyrics and routine set LJ's mind working. "She asked me if the 'level's story' was that the two girls wanted to be each other's girlfriend," stareyednight told me later. "LJ thought one was a 'rock girl' and the other a 'preppy girl', and they were in separate bands who wanted to keep them from dating. She had it all figured out: the bands were trying to make sure the girls only dated people in their 'own kind', not someone they'd be competing with in the big, upcoming 'battle of the bands'." My wife grinned. "I told her it wasn't the case but that was an awesome idea that she should sit down and write out, because it'd make for a blockbuster movie. LJ told me I should write it for her."
I can totally see how she got there...
... and I, too, think it's absolutely brilliant. It'd made for one heck of a teen drama flick, or a Disney film if the Mouse ever found the courage to show some equality.
----------
I've always believed LJ's intelligence will out-strip mine. It's easy to see her creativity will, as well. Whether it's super heroes or real-life drama, modern canon or Silver Age silliness, "boy's stuff" or "girl's stuff", the kidlet has it covered. She's an original, that one. Although that was a really long walk for a "Tony Stark is an ass" punchline...
Greet the Fire as Your Friend,
SF
The brand-new Hero Headquarters was visited by a woman taking donations for animal rights. She was accompanied by two of her orphaned charges: a crocodile and a "giant Macedonian spitting scorpion". Alfred, the ever-faithful butler, let the menagerie inside and went looking for spare change - but Spider-Man's spider-sense went right off the scale! The visitors were actually Poison Ivy, Scorpion and the Lizard! The villains lobbed bombs in every direction, unleashing clouds of strange-smelling gas, then ran away. Ivy was too slow to escape Spidey's webs, though, and was captured. Batman snarled at Iron Man, angry that his fellow billionaire's much-hyped security features had amounted to nothing. Iron Man snapped back, calling Batman a "paranoid worry-wart". The Dark Knight dragged Ivy off to the Batwing and flew away, bound for Arkham Asylum.
Moments later, Sleipnir - Thor's eight-legged steed - went crazy in its stable. Iron Man studied the horse... then panicked and ordered J.A.R.V.I.S. to put the mansion into lockdown! Too late had he realised the villains' plan: they'd doused the heroes with a lethal toxin that activated upon exposure to fresh air! It hyper-stimulated their adrenalin glands causing rage, then madness, and finally death by over-exertion! He tried to call Batman to warn him of the danger, but the Caped Crusader had switched off his communicator out of annoyance. Captain America and Superman did a head-count, realising everyone else was in the mansion... save for Aquaman. There was but one conclusion to draw: the villains wanted the Avengers and Justice League out of the way so they could target Aquaman and other animal-powered super heroes! Martian Manhunter sent out a telepathic alert while Iron Man, Cyborg and Dr Strange tried to find an antidote - be it scientific or magic - to the poison.
In Atlantis, Aquaman was assailed by Black Manta and a squad of goons. Plastic Man arrived in time to help drive the villains away, but not before Manta swiped a sample of the Sea King's blood. The Vulture led the attack on Wakanda - though repelled by Black Panther and Wasp, his team were able to steal one of Ant-Man's spare helmets as well as genetic material from B'wana Beast. And at Arkham Asylum, a rapidly-weaking Batman found himself fighting to protect Cheetah (of all people) from Sportsmaster and a baddy patrol. Barely able to stand, the Dark Knight had no choice but to set Cheetah, Bane, Lex Luthor and the Joker free to fight by his side ("no one's killing Batsy but me!" the clown shrieked). The bad guys... well, the other bad guys... retreated, with Ivy by their side and a clump of Cheetah's fur in hand.
The battle took its toll, and Batman collapsed. Bane, Cheetah and Luthor turned to leave but Joker begged them to help save his mortal foe. "If he dies here and now, not by my hand, I'll be insufferable to live with," he vowed darkly. Sighing, Luthor applied his genius to Batman's malady and devised a cure. He programmed it into the Batwing's computer. Bane loaded the Dark Knight into the cockpit and set it on automatic pilot. Then he and the rest of the Secret Society crept away from the Asylum, already arguing about a secret hide-out and plotting their next big caper. Meanwhile, the Batwing's return allowed the heroes to cure themselves before the toxin really took hold. Even Sleipnir was healed, though it would need more recuperation time. Batman's fate was less certain. Green Lantern sealed him within an emerald "bio-dome" while Cyborg monitored his vital signs. Thankfully Ant-Man and Black Panther soon arrived to boost the science quotient - with Aquaman, Plastic Man, B'wana Beast and Wasp in-tow.
Iron Man seethed. His house had been invaded and gassed twice and one of his friends was really, badly hurt. Plus, the last words they'd spoken to one another were cruel. Invading Villainville was no longer an option (because of Doom's return, it was once again Latverian soil) but Tony Stark wasn't about to let the law stand in his way. He assembled a team of heroes who answered to higher powers than SHIELD (Green Lantern, Ms Marvel), had more cosmic concerns (Dr Strange, Scarlet Witch) or were just as hell-bent on avenging Batman as he was (Wonder Woman). Magic shielded their thoughts from Martian Manhunter and, in secret, the heroes used an experimental teleporter to transport themselves into the shadows cast by Villainville's back wall. They worked in complete silence - a single repulsor blast would alert the entire fortress. Scarlet Witch cast a sleeping spell to take care of the guards. Ladders of green will-power allowed them to scale the walls... and walk right into Doom's trap!
Green Lantern was swooped by an army of birds. Iron Man's armour was breached and disassembled, from the inside out, by ants and bugs. A river of snakes carried Scarlet Witch away while an octopus rose from the moat and dragged Ms Marvel beneath the water. Lions and tigers pounced upon Dr Strange as plants, vines and creepers worked to ensnare Wonder Woman. Suddenly the villains' plans made sense: the stolen DNA and tech had been used to give Vulture, Scorpion, Black Manta and Sportsmaster control over birds, insects, sea life and big cats! Coupled with Lizard and Ivy's innate abilities, the villains could now call on a flora and fauna army the likes of which the world had never before seen! One by one the heroes were defeated, leaving only Dr Strange and Wonder Woman standing. Their mystic strength could match the animals - but not a sneak attack by Doom and Enchantress, as well. The last thing they heard, before they fell unconscious, was Doom's mocking laughter.
Tony Stark awoke first. He and the heroes were deep in Villainville's dungeons. Oddly, Tony's broken Iron Man armour was in the cell with them. He swallowed his pride and (after calling, confusing and getting hung up on twice by Hulk) spoke to Captain America, admitting what he'd done and asking the secret teleporter be triggered. The heroes were rescued (and Tony was in for the lecture of a lifetime). As their wounds were dressed, the "secret invaders" were found to have green and yellow spots all over their bodies. As time passed they became itchier... and sorer... more hunched and muscle-tired... until finally Tony opened his mouth and brayed! The villains hadn't just learned how to give themselves animal powers, they'd figured out how to turn the heroes into animals!
Absolute chaos reigned. Thor chased donkey-Tony through the halls, screaming "kill it with fire - it's the ass of the apocalypse!". Cap tried to talk gorilla-Ms Marvel down off the roof. Hulk grappled with elephant-Dr Strange, Superman fed bamboo to panda-Scarlet Witch at super-speed, and everyone had to team up to stop demon horse-Wonder Woman and 30ft tall glowing kangaroo-Green Lantern! Fortunately for everyone, Black Panther knew of a remedy. The same herb used to strip cruel kings of the panther-power could be used to cure the affected heroes. Soon the good guys returned to normal (though Tony had hay in his teeth, and Wanda was bloated from over-eating) but everyone was left with questions. Surely Doom's goals were grander? The animal heroes had not, after all, caused much damage in their brief rampage. What the did the tin-faced tyrant really want?
Over in Villainville, Doom nodded. Phases one and two of his scheme had gone perfectly to plan. "Now to move to phase three..."
----------
stareyednight asked LJ if she wanted to play Just Dance on the Wii. This was the result:
They were dancing to Avril Lavigne's song "Girlfriend". The on-screen graphic showed two girls performing a duet, the moves of which my favourite ladies had to copy in order to score points. The combination of lyrics and routine set LJ's mind working. "She asked me if the 'level's story' was that the two girls wanted to be each other's girlfriend," stareyednight told me later. "LJ thought one was a 'rock girl' and the other a 'preppy girl', and they were in separate bands who wanted to keep them from dating. She had it all figured out: the bands were trying to make sure the girls only dated people in their 'own kind', not someone they'd be competing with in the big, upcoming 'battle of the bands'." My wife grinned. "I told her it wasn't the case but that was an awesome idea that she should sit down and write out, because it'd make for a blockbuster movie. LJ told me I should write it for her."
I can totally see how she got there...
Click to view... and I, too, think it's absolutely brilliant. It'd made for one heck of a teen drama flick, or a Disney film if the Mouse ever found the courage to show some equality.
----------
I've always believed LJ's intelligence will out-strip mine. It's easy to see her creativity will, as well. Whether it's super heroes or real-life drama, modern canon or Silver Age silliness, "boy's stuff" or "girl's stuff", the kidlet has it covered. She's an original, that one. Although that was a really long walk for a "Tony Stark is an ass" punchline...
Greet the Fire as Your Friend,
SF