It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

[tornado_mouth]

It was really windy that evening - and for a change, it wasn't her fault.

This was the second time Maxine had been in Londonderry for Christmas Eve...she had come years ago when she had been the gawky redhead in 5th grade.   Now she was the gawky redhead that was also a member of the oldest, most revered team of superheroes EVER...the Justice

Comments

[grundy_smash]

The Snowman statue was very detailed...so much so that a couple of the younger kids were very creeped out by it. One swore it was staring at her.

[jla_extras]

In the department store locker room, there is a locker reserved for the annual Santa. The locker, unlike the others, is always freshly painted and free of graffiti.

Ma Hunkel lovingly unpacks her red velvet costume and busies herself making sure it is free of snags, lint, stains, and other un-sightly un-Santa problems. She hums Christmas carols at an upbeat tempo as she gets dressed, spending half the verses of "The 12 Days of Christmas" to peer at herself in the mirror and make sure the false beard is arranged properly and fastened securely.

Satisfied with her appearance at last, she exits the locker room and waits for the appropriate moment to let out a hearty "Ho, ho, ho!"

[jla_extras]

Outside, the kids are getting restless. Many of them are at an age when they should, by rights, not believe in Santa anymore.

But they believe in this one.

[jla_extras]

"I see some good little boys and girls!" booms Santa, eyes twinkling per tradition. "But I can't heeeear them!"

Every good Santa knows that part of Christmas is getting to make a lot of noise.

[jla_extras]

The noise is deafening as the kids jump and clap and holla for the star of the hour.

The store manager walks over and tries to maintain some order. "Line forms this way, please be considerate of those behind you..."

Inside, he's smiling. It's good to see her again.

[jla_villains]

The line moves through for about an hour or so, and it's getting close to Santa's break time when a man walks up to Santa. He was carrying a big shopping bag...and didn't have a child with him.

He smiles at Santa, and for most people that smile would bring chills.

"I'm sorry Santa." He says. "I know it's almost your break, but I need to ask a few minutes of your time privately. You see, I'm a chef, and I need some new pots and pans for Christmas..."

He pulls out a big steel saucepot...with two very familiar eyeholes in it. It's not THE saucepot...but a very realistic facsimile.

"...and I just KNOW you can help me. Can we talk about it...away from the children?"

He pulls his coat back, and Ma can see a holster in it.

[jla_extras]

Is it Santa or Jack Frost behind the beard now? The voice of that jolly old elf is definitely more edged and cold as Santa rises, tall and imposing in the black patent leather workboots. "Why, certainly. Santa's always happy to talk to children of all ages."

Especially when they're being more naughty than nice.

"Santa has to take a quick break!" A cheerful wave, then that white-gloved hand points to the locker room. "In there," Ma says quietly to the man with the gun.

[jla_villains]

"You first, please." The bearded man says.

After a few moments, they're back in the locker room area. As soon as they are out of the sight of the kids, he pulls the gun...a fact she will see when she turns around.

"Thank you, Ms. Hunkel. I really didn't want to have to do this in front of the kids. Even with a criminal like myself, those innocent of the crime should never suffer." He smirks. "Don Corvallis sends his regards from the beyond."

Ma will recognize that name as one of the Yellow Mask Mob.

"And don't try anything. You knock me out, I guarantee you those shopping this fine establishment will be worse for the wear for it."

[jla_extras]

Ma Hunkel folds her arms across her chest and gives him a stern grandmotherly look. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself, young man."

[jla_villains]

Jay's going to only get through about half of them before the weapons he's holding explode in his hands with great concussive force. Once he's seen it, it doesn't matter how fast it's going...he can still make it go boom.

[jay_garrick]

The nice thing about speed? He can see them start to explode and react.

He'll deposit the weapons on Da Bomb as the concussive force begins to erupt from them... and then move away.

[jla_villains]

Sebastian had been waiting to see if Mr. Terrific would come.

He reaches out and concentrates...and the sphere's orbiting Terrific stop for a second...while Bruckner analyzes them, takes note of what they can do.

Very ingenious devices. Two of the standard four he's normally seen with fly over and begin to orbit Sebastian. The other two release an electrical charge right at Mr. Terrific.

[jsaboss]

Michael growls with pain, and rolls away - grabbing a snow shovel from a display in front of the store - one with a nonconductive wooden handle.

"Technopath, huh? I guess I'll have to rebuild the spheres.."

The shovel swings in an arc for the two spheres on the attack.

[jla_villains]

It connects with one sending it flying away. The two others near Sebastian move in...one adding to the electical attack, the other heading full speed towards Mr. T's head.

[jla_extras]

WHANG!

The metallic note rings out as Ma swings the pot at the back of Sebastian's head.