Out-thought, but never out of imagination
There was furniture to be bought (she desperately needed a new mattress for her bed), power outages to endure, meatballs and sushi to be eaten (at different times, of course), princess movies to be watched (oh Anne Hathaway, how far you've come), relatives to be contacted on Skype, convention costumes to try on, Disney shows to be devoured and unopened presents to be freed from their corrugated cardboard prisons (seriously: why are the Monster High dolls so... flimsy?). It was a very, very busy Saturday for our family.
But if you think any of that could stop LJ finishing her latest epic, you don't know my kid too well.
----------
The morning sun burned away the mist that had wreathed through Super Hero City the day before. It was a hot, sticky, uncomfortable morning... one that was about to become even more uncomfortable for some citizens. As the sun rose, agents of SHIELD descended upon the Super Hero City bank and took its manager into custody. Agents also raided several restaurants and, most shockingly of all, the Hero Times building. Maria Hill herself arrested the newspaper's video-journalist on suspicion of possessing "unauthorised post-human capabilities" and going on a "felonious super-powered rampage" during the night. That sent J Jonah Jameson's blood pressure soaring. The irascible publisher immediately put Lois Lane on the story, demanding she find out what Nick Fury was "trying to pull this time". Lois didn't say it out loud but she knew the best place to get answers: Avengers Mansion.
The scene inside the heroic headquarters was one of utter chaos. The Avengers and Justice League were still struggling with the fall-out from recent events. Batman's health was no better. The heroes remained at a loss about Doom's true plan. Iron Man had tried to spy on Villainville by launching a satellite, only to have it shot down by Kang. Superman, thankfully, had thought ahead and used the incident as a distraction: while Kang focused on the machine, he'd taken position higher up in orbit to pierce the den of darkness with telescopic vision and super-hearing. Lois tried unsuccessfully to speak to one of the harried heroes... and then the SHIELD Helicarrier landed outside. Nick Fury demanded Deadpool surrender himself, immediately, for his crime. Wade ran through his "to do" list from the day before ("help old lady across the street by attaching rocket-powered roller-skates, turn battery hen into actual battery, double the sugar in the soft drink machines, buy chocolate with wooden coins") but, as it turned out, they weren't what Nick was talking about. Deadpool was a wanted man because of the destructive tear he'd gone on in the middle of the night!
Deadpool pleaded his innocence (and flashed puppy dog eyes) but Iron Man recommended he surrender until the situation could be straightened out ("no, Iron Mommy, don't make me," Wade wailed). As the merc with a Mouth was carted away, Black Panther offered a most grim hypothesis: was it possible Doom had infected the civilian population with some combination of the madness and animal-powers viruses, creating "sleeper agents" that would transform, attack on command and remember nothing? The heroes shuddered at the thought while Lois, eavesdropping like the professional she was, took copious notes. She stole away and told Jonah, thinking he'd use the information as leverage to get the video-journalist freed. To her horror, Jonah immediately broadcast it and sent Super Hero City into a panic! The sudden rush of adrenalin caused a change in every almost citizen and they mutated into creepy humanoids that were part bird, fish, bug, lizard or feline! That brought the Lizard, the Scorpion, the Vulture, Black Manta and Sportsmaster out of hiding. They took control of the mob with their new animal powers as Doom himself landed on the roof of the Hero Times and cackled triumphantly.
Iron Man led the counter-attack, followed by Aquaman, Plastic Man, Black Panther, Ant-Man, Wasp and B'wana Beast. Tony had decided those who had fallen victim to power-snatching were the best team for the job. Surprisingly, Doom was only too happy to reveal his master plan: the previous day's mist was the virus, mixed just as T'Challa had guessed. Doom had used the heroes' own powers to make it, then the heroes themselves as unwitting guinea pigs! The virus was contagious by touch (hence Deadpool's infection) and, under the control of Doom's minions, the people of Super Hero City would spread it throughout the entire world. "Within a matter of weeks," the dictator laughed, "Earth will have become a planet of were-slaves that are totally, utterly obedient to Doom! None shall stand against me, Stark, because you and your friends... immune thanks to your armour, rubbery skin and natural animal powers... will have been wiped out. Thank you for playing into my hands one last time, fool; I've out-thought you all!"
With the stakes so high, the heroes kicked things into overdrive. Wasp shrunk down as much as she could to present a tiny, tasty target to Vulture and his bird-men. When the flock surrounded her she let loose with an enormous bio-electric sting, clipping their wings for good! Scorpion made a beeline for Jameson ( of course); Ant-Man and Plastic Man teamed up to squish him and his bug army flat with a giant rubber mallet and a Giant Man! Aquaman and Black Manta dove beneath the habour for a dangerous game of one-upmanship as each sent sea creature after sea creature to destroy the other. The Sea King was the cleverer of the pair: he pretended to surrender, then created a falling anvil with his "hard water" powers and caved in his eternal enemy's helmet! That left Lizard and his creepy-crawlies, and Sportsmaster and his lion-men, to deal with. Black Panther whispered in B'wana Beast's ear and the oddball hero nodded vigorously. Using his singular ability to combine and control any two animals, he forcibly merged Lizard and Sportsmaster into a truly hideous croco-lion thing! At his command, they ordered their armies to stand down... then the Panther took them down!
Unfortunately, Iron Man wasn't faring anywhere as well against Doom. The villain had learned from past mistakes and re-balanced his arsenal, alternating between technological and mystical assaults. Iron Man fell and, just as Doom was about to deliver the final blow... Batman attacked! Finally recovered from his ordeal, the Dark Knight swung over the combatants and dropped a petrol container onto Doom. The impact knocked the despot off the Hero Times building to the street below, where he was quickly surrounded by the rest of the team. Arrogant to the last, Doom proclaimed himself immune to Batman's "feeble attack". The Caped Crusader responded by striking a match and lobbing it at the villain. With a whoosh of flame and a howl of indignity, Doom fled as fast as his blazing feet could carry him. The others looked agog, but Batman merely shrugged. "His armour can take it," he rasped. He was promptly bear-hugged by a relieved Iron Man, and had to growl to be released.
There was still much to be done. The captured villains had to be stripped of their ill-gotten powers and the citizens had to be freed of their infections. Batman and the Pather borrowed Stark Tower to whip up an antidote (which only took five minutes because, hey, it's Batman and the Black Panther!). That's when Superman landed in the street, excited because he'd discovered Doom's plan - and embarrassed because he was too late. He still had his uses: at super-speed, the citizens were cured and the villains de-powered in a jiffy! The SHIELD Helicarrier landed and released all its prisoners so they, too, could be inoculated. And everything was fine... until someone realised Deadpool hadn't had his injection. One sneeze later, the merc with a mouth had mutated into a giant donkey and run off to destroy a nearby bridge. As the heroes rushed to follow, Iron Man turned to Batman and shrugged. "At least I'm not the giant ass this time," he grinned. Batman groaned.
----------
Greet the Fire as Your Friend,
SF
But if you think any of that could stop LJ finishing her latest epic, you don't know my kid too well.
----------
The morning sun burned away the mist that had wreathed through Super Hero City the day before. It was a hot, sticky, uncomfortable morning... one that was about to become even more uncomfortable for some citizens. As the sun rose, agents of SHIELD descended upon the Super Hero City bank and took its manager into custody. Agents also raided several restaurants and, most shockingly of all, the Hero Times building. Maria Hill herself arrested the newspaper's video-journalist on suspicion of possessing "unauthorised post-human capabilities" and going on a "felonious super-powered rampage" during the night. That sent J Jonah Jameson's blood pressure soaring. The irascible publisher immediately put Lois Lane on the story, demanding she find out what Nick Fury was "trying to pull this time". Lois didn't say it out loud but she knew the best place to get answers: Avengers Mansion.
The scene inside the heroic headquarters was one of utter chaos. The Avengers and Justice League were still struggling with the fall-out from recent events. Batman's health was no better. The heroes remained at a loss about Doom's true plan. Iron Man had tried to spy on Villainville by launching a satellite, only to have it shot down by Kang. Superman, thankfully, had thought ahead and used the incident as a distraction: while Kang focused on the machine, he'd taken position higher up in orbit to pierce the den of darkness with telescopic vision and super-hearing. Lois tried unsuccessfully to speak to one of the harried heroes... and then the SHIELD Helicarrier landed outside. Nick Fury demanded Deadpool surrender himself, immediately, for his crime. Wade ran through his "to do" list from the day before ("help old lady across the street by attaching rocket-powered roller-skates, turn battery hen into actual battery, double the sugar in the soft drink machines, buy chocolate with wooden coins") but, as it turned out, they weren't what Nick was talking about. Deadpool was a wanted man because of the destructive tear he'd gone on in the middle of the night!
Deadpool pleaded his innocence (and flashed puppy dog eyes) but Iron Man recommended he surrender until the situation could be straightened out ("no, Iron Mommy, don't make me," Wade wailed). As the merc with a Mouth was carted away, Black Panther offered a most grim hypothesis: was it possible Doom had infected the civilian population with some combination of the madness and animal-powers viruses, creating "sleeper agents" that would transform, attack on command and remember nothing? The heroes shuddered at the thought while Lois, eavesdropping like the professional she was, took copious notes. She stole away and told Jonah, thinking he'd use the information as leverage to get the video-journalist freed. To her horror, Jonah immediately broadcast it and sent Super Hero City into a panic! The sudden rush of adrenalin caused a change in every almost citizen and they mutated into creepy humanoids that were part bird, fish, bug, lizard or feline! That brought the Lizard, the Scorpion, the Vulture, Black Manta and Sportsmaster out of hiding. They took control of the mob with their new animal powers as Doom himself landed on the roof of the Hero Times and cackled triumphantly.
Iron Man led the counter-attack, followed by Aquaman, Plastic Man, Black Panther, Ant-Man, Wasp and B'wana Beast. Tony had decided those who had fallen victim to power-snatching were the best team for the job. Surprisingly, Doom was only too happy to reveal his master plan: the previous day's mist was the virus, mixed just as T'Challa had guessed. Doom had used the heroes' own powers to make it, then the heroes themselves as unwitting guinea pigs! The virus was contagious by touch (hence Deadpool's infection) and, under the control of Doom's minions, the people of Super Hero City would spread it throughout the entire world. "Within a matter of weeks," the dictator laughed, "Earth will have become a planet of were-slaves that are totally, utterly obedient to Doom! None shall stand against me, Stark, because you and your friends... immune thanks to your armour, rubbery skin and natural animal powers... will have been wiped out. Thank you for playing into my hands one last time, fool; I've out-thought you all!"
With the stakes so high, the heroes kicked things into overdrive. Wasp shrunk down as much as she could to present a tiny, tasty target to Vulture and his bird-men. When the flock surrounded her she let loose with an enormous bio-electric sting, clipping their wings for good! Scorpion made a beeline for Jameson ( of course); Ant-Man and Plastic Man teamed up to squish him and his bug army flat with a giant rubber mallet and a Giant Man! Aquaman and Black Manta dove beneath the habour for a dangerous game of one-upmanship as each sent sea creature after sea creature to destroy the other. The Sea King was the cleverer of the pair: he pretended to surrender, then created a falling anvil with his "hard water" powers and caved in his eternal enemy's helmet! That left Lizard and his creepy-crawlies, and Sportsmaster and his lion-men, to deal with. Black Panther whispered in B'wana Beast's ear and the oddball hero nodded vigorously. Using his singular ability to combine and control any two animals, he forcibly merged Lizard and Sportsmaster into a truly hideous croco-lion thing! At his command, they ordered their armies to stand down... then the Panther took them down!
Unfortunately, Iron Man wasn't faring anywhere as well against Doom. The villain had learned from past mistakes and re-balanced his arsenal, alternating between technological and mystical assaults. Iron Man fell and, just as Doom was about to deliver the final blow... Batman attacked! Finally recovered from his ordeal, the Dark Knight swung over the combatants and dropped a petrol container onto Doom. The impact knocked the despot off the Hero Times building to the street below, where he was quickly surrounded by the rest of the team. Arrogant to the last, Doom proclaimed himself immune to Batman's "feeble attack". The Caped Crusader responded by striking a match and lobbing it at the villain. With a whoosh of flame and a howl of indignity, Doom fled as fast as his blazing feet could carry him. The others looked agog, but Batman merely shrugged. "His armour can take it," he rasped. He was promptly bear-hugged by a relieved Iron Man, and had to growl to be released.
There was still much to be done. The captured villains had to be stripped of their ill-gotten powers and the citizens had to be freed of their infections. Batman and the Pather borrowed Stark Tower to whip up an antidote (which only took five minutes because, hey, it's Batman and the Black Panther!). That's when Superman landed in the street, excited because he'd discovered Doom's plan - and embarrassed because he was too late. He still had his uses: at super-speed, the citizens were cured and the villains de-powered in a jiffy! The SHIELD Helicarrier landed and released all its prisoners so they, too, could be inoculated. And everything was fine... until someone realised Deadpool hadn't had his injection. One sneeze later, the merc with a mouth had mutated into a giant donkey and run off to destroy a nearby bridge. As the heroes rushed to follow, Iron Man turned to Batman and shrugged. "At least I'm not the giant ass this time," he grinned. Batman groaned.
----------
Greet the Fire as Your Friend,
SF