The Adventures of "Fish Guy" (Superhero fiction)

[Hermit]

Interesting segment. Frankly, one that could be the introduction of the main theme for the larger work. IMO, that bears considerable thought and planning, if you're that sort of writer.

 

Alas, I am winging a lot of this so planning may not be my strong point. I have only a few rough general ideas.

 

I can only say about this story  It is Great!

 

Thank you. Ego boosts are always welcome, I am shallow like that.

 

 

Looking good.

 

A note on the Miscreants: If they're really net savvy, odds are they probably have a deep web presence on TOR, I2P, and/or Freenet; since the darknets are even more of a wild west than the regular internet.

 

While I'm not that tech savvy myself so the villains may suffer from the short coming of the guy writing them, I do hope to touch on some of that. 

 

Wait, I'm confused. So, his name isn't Fish Guy?

 

 

Darn it, Channel 3!

 

I'm thoroughly enjoying this.

 

Yay! I am too actually. Some of the supporting characters are forming up in ways I didn't expect which is a pleasant surprise.

 

 

 

Take your just revenge, Eel, start referring Valorous as Vain-glorious.

 

Great minds think alike... Though I was thinking of having Pinprick or Tornado beat him to it. How Arctic Fox will react to that...well, I suppose I best see how that goes down.

 

Was thinking more something like this...

 

https://youtu.be/Pt2E59xG13s

 

Classic moves.. Fliers always think swimmers cheat when they take it below Love you, Wondy, but sour grapes.

 

A wonderful read, I just went through the whole story in one go. Do you have other stuff on FanFiction.net or anywhere?

 

I'm very flattered. But no, not for a long time, unless you count some blabs on some of the past superdraft selections on these boards.

 

I'm actually a bit afraid to try fanfiction, friendships have gone south if the "wrong" star fleet captain wins

[BoloOfEarth]

A wonderful read, I just went through the whole story in one go.

 

Agreed.  I've been copying each piece of text from the thread and pasting it into a single Word document so I can re-read it later without hopping through the thread. 

 

(Currently 28 pages and over 13,000 words, BTW.  Pretty darn good for a first week's work, Hermit.)

[Hermit]

Agreed.  I've been copying each piece of text from the thread and pasting it into a single Word document so I can re-read it later without hopping through the thread. 

 

(Currently 28 pages and over 13,000 words, BTW.  Pretty darn good for a first week's work, Hermit.)

 

Thank you kindly. And good to know, Bolo. Sometimes when I do the nanowrimo stuff I start watching the clock or word count so much it works against me. So YOU handling that works fine for me

[Hermit]

In which our hero watches all the news that's fit to ..meh

 

 

The others had gathered in what I guessed to be called the monitor area. As before, screen swapped and switched now and then to stress priority but this time with a focus on news. It had been over an hour  and a half since the fight with the Miscreants, and that was enough time for afternoon/early evening news to touch up copy, interview witnesses, and so on.

 

Some of us had changed out of our costumes, and frankly, that was pretty nice sign of trust. Like I said, Dr. Vernon had gotten her identity outed a while back, but  Tornado had just met  me and there he was wearing a lightweight blazer over a red shirt. His maskless face still had that easy going grin from earlier and he he sat down before the screen offering me a seat and a bowl of popcorn as I sat down.

 

"Hot date tonight," I indicated his outfit.

 

"Depends at how well I do at the club, mi amigo," He grinned, "And as there will be dancing, I do pretty well."

 

It occurred to me that super speed and hyper agility on the club floor probably did help with dancing even if he had to tamp down on it, "Women love dancing that much?"

 

"Not all women are the same," He conceded, "But in my experience? The more you make a woman feel like a heavenly body as you orbit her, the greater chance she will increasingly speculate on how delightful it might be to have your worlds collide. And I am very good at making women feel heavenly"

 

Arctic Fox had not changed out of her costume, perhaps she was patrolling later, maybe she was hoping to find Valorous again and patrol with him, she shook her head, "The Latin Lover lives," but it was said with resigned amusement, "You're so confident it might serve you right if you crashed a bit more often."

 

"I find I can face the positive stereotype of the Latin lover with great fortitude," he grinned.

 

"Good luck, Tornado," I smiled, glad from the distraction from the news that was about to start.

 

"Please, when I'm not wearing the mask, call me Valentino," He assured.

 

"You're kidding," I chuckled, "Valentino? Okay, That probably would help with some ladies I know."

 

"Thanks, man," He didn't ask for my secret identity in return. Maybe because I was still wearing my mask and it's a good habit to train yourself to associate the mask with one name, and the face with another. Being a solo hero I hadn't had much chance to put that in practice, but I resolved then and there to try.

 

"I give him hell every  February 14th," Pinprick spoke up happily. After escorting me here, he had co opted an arm rest and was now lounging on it.

 

"And this is different from other days of the year how?" Dr. Vernon inquired with amusement. She was out of her armor again, and to my surprise was wearing sweats and had a just showered look Somehow she wore even that with class.

 

"I'm more general in my distribution with the team the other days of the year," Pinprick answered in a 'you should know this tone'.

 

"Point," The team matriarch conceded then quieted as the news flickered up.

 

One Channel 3, a blonde woman with large blue eyes was talking, "Brandy Searlie with Costa Sagrado's own Super 3 newswatch!"

 

"Boo..."  Valentino threw a popcorn at the screen, "gonna be the only honest thing you say."

 

"What the ..." I glanced at him questioningly.

 

"Nah, let him roll, Fish Guy," Pinprick waved me off, "he's right. We're starting with the worst first. Channel 3 in this town is anti super to the extreme."

 

And Brandy was already talking, "Yet another dangerous superbattle in our fair city, this time the New Samaritans laid siege to the Miscreants in the middle of our financial district uptown with numerous lives on the line.  After the battle was done, damage was estimated to be in the thousands of dollars and no  less than fourteen people required medical oversight."

 

"Did I miss something? "Who got injured?" I asked the others worriedly, "Did the flames hit someone after all?"

 

"Eel," Vivian assured me, "She's using the term 'medical oversight' for everyone the EMT's looked over after the event. We're not talking broken arms, we're talking nerves being rattled and the like and making sure that anyone with heart conditions doesn't need oxygen or medication," And then the older woman shook her head, "And thousands of dollars worth of damage?That's a lot better than what it would have cost if he hadn't stopped them from really damaging the area. One place they hit with no superheroes to stop them  had property damage in the hundreds of thousands. This is sloppy reporting."

 

"No, Viv," Pinprick said, "it's a freaking hatchet job."

 

"Boo!" Valentino lobbed another thing of popcorn at the screen, and offered me the bowl.

 

This time I took some and threw it as well, "Hiss!" I joined in. it was kind of therapeutic.

.

Even Arctic Fox was joining in, "Someone should really tell bleach job that the 80s called and wants its hair back."

 

Unaware that she was the subject of righteous mockery, Brandy kept blathering on, "Perhaps part of the problem was the new  rookie on the team, referred to as Fish Guy."

 

I winced at that, and tried to focus on what Pinprick had said. I wasn't sure he was right about the reporters needing us though.  Some of them seemed content to go with what little they knew and build the story they wanted around it.

 

Case in point, her next comment, "We have footage of him clumsily falling into a flaming attack he could have easily avoided...." And indeed, footage taken from someone's cellphone showed a warbled clip of me getting Body Suit's flames and dropping but the angle didn't show .... 

 

"That's not fair, there were at least three people that would have been hurt by that!" I said a bit louder than I needed to, "This isn't telling the whole story."

 

"She never does," Valentino said, flinging  more popcorn, "She's a lying liar what tells lies!"

 

"You tell 'em, Captain Thesaurus," Pinprick agreed, lobbing a popped piece with perfect accuracy right between her eyes on the screen. While shrunk, he had a strong arm.

 

"In the mean time, insults more suited to a school yard were shouted by our heroes," A clip of Fox's 'flat ass' comment, the one that bought me time to recover, was played, "And much chest beating abounded."

 

Another sound clip, it sounded like Pinprick? Yeah, that was his voice "King Kong ain't got nothing on me!"

 

Everyone turned to glance at Pinprick.

 

"Okay, that one I said, and there wasn't much call for it beyond gloating," Pinprick confessed, "In my defense I had watched a Denzel Washington marathon the other day. You're lucky I edited it."

 

Doctor Vernon chuckled at that throatily, "Pinprick, if you were Denzel Washington, I'd be keeping you in my cupboard all to myself."

 

Tornado/Valentino gave a look like that of a teen who just found his grandparents still got it on, Pinprick was saying "TMI Chief," And I guess my eyes must have bugged out a bit too.

 

Only Arctic Fox smiled.

 

Lady Obsidian glanced at our reaction, "I'm old, I'm not dead." she harrumphed, "Younger generation acts like you invented the bedroom boo..."

 

"Please, don't finish that sentence," Valentino pleaded with added melodrama, "I've lost so much already."

 

The answer to his comment  was Vivian lobbing one popcorn at him before turning back to her tea perhaps with another mutter about the fragility of the younger folk.

 

And somehow, a session of slander that should have gotten my blood boiling didn't feel that bad, for the moment. I mean, I'd still get upset no doubt, and it bothered me, but the popcorn throwing, the jokes about Brandy SearLIE , it took the edge off.

 

"Valorous was also reported on the scene having given at least some aid at the end, While an independent, it's clear the flying strong man continues to sniff after team membership and continues to be denied. What do the New Samaritans have against him? A better question might be, given their seemingly dubious standards, what is wrong with Valorous that disqualifies him?"

 

"#####" Arctic Fox's bared her teeth as she spoke the word then looked over at Lady O as if ready to ask a few questions of her own, but instead she clamped down and we resumed watching.

 

Channel 6 News had a rather sober looking middle aged man who was less speculative, and more brass tacks. I'll give him that. He wasn't exciting to watch. I don't remember his name, but he was fair and informative.

 

"Unfortunately, it is said that already millions are ready to go for the release and defense of the Miscreants thanks to funding channeled through Darknet websites and sponsors we cannot identify. Miscreant T-shirts, jackets and other fashion accessories continue to sell, some of them even seen on high schools and college campuses," The Newsman shook his head, "This reporter is paid for observation, but not opinion, but clearly there is a segment of society that idolizes the famous, or in this case infamous, and doesn't care how they gained it. We'll have a sociologist interview later this week on this disturbing trend, which maybe older than we think. In the mean time, due to conflicting reports, we can not be sure of the name of the New Samaritans' aquatic addition, but it is clear he was of great help in this particular clash."

 

And then, to back it up, they played a brief clip of an older woman after the battle. She looked vaguely familiar, then I realized  she was one of the people that almost got torched, "Well I don't know his name, but I know I would have died with out him, and not just me. That young man stopped that crazy tattooed harlot from roasting us alive..." She covered her mouth, "I'm sorry, can I say harlot on tv?" the reporter interviewing her assured her she could, and she went on, "So I just want to thank him and the other  Samaritans. My children might be missing a mother if not for them."

 

Valentino slapped me on the shoulder while Pinprick gave me an 'I told you so' look.

 

I beamed a bit goofily.

 

"It was well done, all," Lady Obsidian said a note of pride in her voice.

 

Channel 13 was as different from Channel 3 as could be. An excited trio of news folk rattled on about the fight as if it was a really awesome scene from a movie. 

 

"Another amazing battle at the financial district..."

 

"Minimal property damage...."

 

"Arctic Fox continues to be in the top five most desirable  super heroines in California according to you, our viewers..."

 

"Most desirable super-heroines? I marched for feminism for this," Vivian sighed and sipped her tea.

 

"It is what it is," Arctic Fox shrugged, "The important thing is we get the job done."

 

Mabel's voice chuckled deeply, "So you weren't voting for yourself the other day?"

 

"Mabel," Arctic Fox blushed lightly, "Maybe you should run a self diagnostic, you're clearly miss-remembering things."

 

"My mistake," Mabel's sultry voice gave an amused sort of apology.

 

The Channel 13 guys went on, and mentioned me! By name! Well, my hero name!

 

"And the list for most desirable male superhero may have a new contender, behold Eel!  Footage from the fight earlier indicates someone who might give Tornado a run for his money."

 

"Oh, it's on," Valentino said. I think he was joking.

 

"Wait, is this news or a celebrity gossip show?" I inquired confused. I mean, I was thrilled they got the name right but what the heck?

"Yes," Vivian said with a tone of sadness, "Yes it is."

 

"Wait, so this city's news options on TV are hateful slander, boring but researched, or a glorified fashion report?" I blinked.

 

"Welcome to the Fourth Estate!" Pinprick mimed raising a drink.

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

Fish Guy better go out and trademark that name or he won't be seeing any returns on the inevitable Fish Guy T-shirts.

[BoloOfEarth]

While he's at it, he might want to trademark "Valodorous" too.  Because something stinks about that guy.

 

I mentioned the Adventures of Fish Guy to my gaming group last night.  They loved Pinprick's statement about archer superheroes:  "A third of the super teams in America have one, the other two thirds suck."

 

Great work, keep it coming.

[Cancer]

Fish Guy better go out and trademark that name or he won't be seeing any returns on the inevitable Fish Guy T-shirts.

I would be surprised if "The Fish Guys" isn't already a trademark for some seafood store somewhere.

[BoloOfEarth]

I would be surprised if "The Fish Guys" isn't already a trademark for some seafood store somewhere.

http://thefishguysinc.com/#overview

[Lucius]

I would be surprised if "The Fish Guys" isn't already a trademark for some seafood store somewhere.

A couple seafood restaurants, a couple pet shops, etc.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=pathfinder+slavery&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi3rYjo8prTAhXl64MKHV-dB6EQ_AUIBygA&biw=1366&bih=651&dpr=1#q=fish+guy&spf=181

 

Lots of fish guys.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Not so many palindromedary guys

[Lucius]

In which our hero watches all the news that's fit to ..meh

 

 

The others had gathered in what I guessed to be called the monitor area. As before, screen swapped and switched now and then to stress priority but this time with a focus on news. It had been over an hour  and a half since the fight with the Miscreants, and that was enough time for afternoon/early evening news to touch up copy, interview witnesses, and otherwise

 

otherwise......

 

wonderful as this fish tale certainly is, you seem to have failed to finish a sentence here....

 

 

Lucius Alexander

 

How many palindromedary guys?

[Hermit]

otherwise......

 

wonderful as this fish tale certainly is, you seem to have failed to finish a sentence here....

 

 

Lucius Alexander

 

How many palindromedary guys?

 

Yeah, lots of mistakes will be found. Like I said, this is all rough draft stuff...very rough in fact....small dogs will be barking at it.

I am, some days, just typing the story straight onto these forums.

[Lawnmower Boy]

a lot of people seem to be confusing Fish Guy with somebody named "Eel."

 

He should really get his publicist on that.

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

I would be surprised if "The Fish Guys" isn't already a trademark for some seafood store somewhere.

 

Sponsors! Endorsements! FREE FOOD!

 

[Tjack]

Alas, I am winging a lot of this so planning may not be my strong point. I have only a few rough general ideas.

 

 

 

Thank you. Ego boosts are always welcome, I am shallow like that.

 

 

 

 

While I'm not that tech savvy myself so the villains may suffer from the short coming of the guy writing them, I do hope to touch on some of that. 

 

 

 

Darn it, Channel 3!

 

 

 

Yay! I am too actually. Some of the supporting characters are forming up in ways I didn't expect which is a pleasant surprise.

 

 

 

 

 

Great minds think alike... Though I was thinking of having Pinprick or Tornado beat him to it. How Arctic Fox will react to that...well, I suppose I best see how that goes down.

 

 

 

Classic moves.. Fliers always think swimmers cheat when they take it below Love you, Wondy, but sour grapes.

 

 

 

I'm very flattered. But no, not for a long time, unless you count some blabs on some of the past superdraft selections on these boards.

 

I'm actually a bit afraid to try fanfiction, friendships have gone south if the "wrong" star fleet captain wins

 

 

 

 

I've read some wonderful stuff on FF.n and I certainly think you should post this, but it's your call. Keep up the great work.

[Marcus Impudite]

Excellent work, buddy.

 

Some thoughts on where Miscreants fans might come from:

1. Anyone so disillusioned with the system they're quick to assume that anyone rebelling against it are "the (real) good guys" without doing any critical thinking on the matter. (the teens and college students among them are likely to fit in this category).
2. Common crooks who are kissing up to the villains in hopes they'll be in consideration if the team is ever in the market for some henchpersons.
3. People on the net who mistakenly believe the Miscreants are protagonists in an ARG (alternate reality game) and none of it's for real. This particular segment of the fandom are the ones most likely to be in for a shock when they realize the truth.

[BoloOfEarth]

I'm very irritated.  I had a long, detailed critique almost finished, and Firefox suddenly went wonky and bounced back a bunch of web pages so I lost it.  Maybe I'll try and recreate it tonight after I'm off work.  (No worries, Hermit, it was almost all positive.)

 

I am, some days, just typing the story straight onto these forums.

 

You're a braver man than I.  When I write anything, I bounce all over the place, rewriting constantly.

[Kaeto]

We want more Adventures of Fish Guy (a.k.a. Eel) !

[BoloOfEarth]

Patience, padawan.  Patience. 

 

As to my take on what has been written to date:

 

Character-wise, I like the depth of the characters.  They're not two-dimensional cardboard cutouts.  Thankfully (at least thus far) that depth hasn't been overdone.

 

Story-wise, I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes stuff as much as the action piece.  The talks between Pinprick and Eel, the team's TV news watching, stuff like that humanize the characters, make it easier for the reader to relate to them as people.  So long as there's not 100+ pages between action scenes, mind you.  You don't want to overdo a good thing.

 

Side-story-wise, the asides the character makes aren't really overdone.  (I'm talking about things indirectly related to what is happening to the character, stuff like the bit about costumes, or musings on individual vs. super-team bases, or things like that.)  Such asides add depth to the world itself, though again you don't want to overdo it.   You don't want the reader getting bored and skipping over whole sections of text to get to the "good stuff."  I do think the intro bit on costumes, as well as the start of the next section (about lawsuits), could be tightened up a bit when you get to editing this, but don't go slashing major parts of any of it. 

 

Also, I appreciate that some of the world exposition is done in conversation with others (like Eel and Pinprick talking about Bloodwatch) rather than just in Eel's thoughts. 

 

Overall, the story flows very nicely.  It seems like the kind of work that, when done, is the type of thing you start reading, and before you know it several hours have passed and you're still not wanting to put the book down.  Or you've finished the book and anxiously awaiting the next one to know what happens next.

[aylwin13]

Ditto this  ^^.

 

(Short concise post, so that Hermit can spend less time reading and more time writing.)

[Hermit]

a lot of people seem to be confusing Fish Guy with somebody named "Eel."

 

He should really get his publicist on that.

 

Let's just say that Lady Obsidian is probably going to introduce him to the facts of superhero life when it comes to protecting personal trademarks however silly that feels.

 

Sponsors! Endorsements! FREE FOOD!

 

 

 

No, he's gonna have to chip in for Pizza at the base like every other team member!

 

I've read some wonderful stuff on FF.n and I certainly think you should post this, but it's your call. Keep up the great work.

 

Thank you very much, but who knows? Maybe I'll get down to the last chapter. Delete all my posts here, then put it up to sell on Smashworlds or something and piss off a lot of folks just so I can get afford a new video game.

 

 

 

Excellent work, buddy.

 

Some thoughts on where Miscreants fans might come from:

1. Anyone so disillusioned with the system they're quick to assume that anyone rebelling against it are "the (real) good guys" without doing any critical thinking on the matter. (the teens and college students among them are likely to fit in this category).
2. Common crooks who are kissing up to the villains in hopes they'll be in consideration if the team is ever in the market for some henchpersons.
3. People on the net who mistakenly believe the Miscreants are protagonists in an ARG (alternate reality game) and none of it's for real. This particular segment of the fandom are the ones most likely to be in for a shock when they realize the truth.

 

 

Spoiler alert. I definitely plan to have a "Henchmen bar" in the setting.

 

 

 

 

You're a braver man than I.  When I write anything, I bounce all over the place, rewriting constantly.

 

In this case, I want to progress and THEN perfect, or I fear I'll just crumble and quit using the many imperfections or flat out screw ups as an excuse to fold like a lawn chair in an earthquake.

 

 

We want more Adventures of Fish Guy (a.k.a. Eel) !

 

Thank you. I will try to get at least a paragraph everyday, but some days will be later than others. And sometimes, it's just going to be 'is that it?' 

 

 

Patience, padawan.  Patience. 

 

As to my take on what has been written to date:

 

Character-wise, I like the depth of the characters.  They're not two-dimensional cardboard cutouts.  Thankfully (at least thus far) that depth hasn't been overdone.

 

Story-wise, I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes stuff as much as the action piece.  The talks between Pinprick and Eel, the team's TV news watching, stuff like that humanize the characters, make it easier for the reader to relate to them as people.  So long as there's not 100+ pages between action scenes, mind you.  You don't want to overdo a good thing.

 

Side-story-wise, the asides the character makes aren't really overdone.  (I'm talking about things indirectly related to what is happening to the character, stuff like the bit about costumes, or musings on individual vs. super-team bases, or things like that.)  Such asides add depth to the world itself, though again you don't want to overdo it.   You don't want the reader getting bored and skipping over whole sections of text to get to the "good stuff."  I do think the intro bit on costumes, as well as the start of the next section (about lawsuits), could be tightened up a bit when you get to editing this, but don't go slashing major parts of any of it. 

 

Also, I appreciate that some of the world exposition is done in conversation with others (like Eel and Pinprick talking about Bloodwatch) rather than just in Eel's thoughts. 

 

Overall, the story flows very nicely.  It seems like the kind of work that, when done, is the type of thing you start reading, and before you know it several hours have passed and you're still not wanting to put the book down.  Or you've finished the book and anxiously awaiting the next one to know what happens next.

 

There are some excellent points and suggestions here.  I may fall into a trap now and then of having him hit superhero documentary mode, but I've tried to keep it brief when he has. I have read, and enjoyed, day in the life stuff for superheroes that didn't involve big fights. I still smile when I see the X-Men grab baseball gloves or the Thing and several superheroes sitting down at the poker table. 

 

Heck, I even enjoy a little romance (Don't tell Enforcer, he thinks he's alone), but I definitely don't want to neglect action. I won't promise a super battle every 10 posts or anything, because as soon as I  say that i'll blow it, but I will try not to neglect punching, explosions, and sweaty angry dragon ball Z like man poses (Though don't worry, it won't take five episodes to finish every fight).

 

 

Ditto this  ^^.

 

(Short concise post, so that Hermit can spend less time reading and more time writing.)

 

Ha. I admit, I was caught up in the responses for a bit, but I also appreciate the praise and courteously worded input. I think I'd be more worried if I got no responses at all.

[Hermit]

This one took longer than I thought it would. I started in one direction, backtracked a bit, and went for another. 

 

 

The battle with the Miscreants had thrown off "tour and orientation" they had planned for me, or so Dr. Vernon had told me. After the news, I learned that the food was pretty good. While the trays that shot out looked like something from an army messhall, It turned out Mabel could cook!

 

I guess she had tiny tractor beams to move things around in a kitchen area?  All I know is the tray shot out fully prepared and I had some of the best shrimp fried rice I'd had in months. I only then realized that I hadn't eaten all day. I tried not to shovel my food in and, I think, succeeded. As soon as I was done with that, Dr. Vernon showed me the room they'd picked for me. 

 

Honestly, after the talk of considering living among the people I would protect, I felt it was a bit of a cheat to show me something far bigger for free than any apartment I could afford on my own but I kept my yap shut. The furniture was comfy if on the Spartan side. And I hit the bed hard.

 

That chanting was deafening and I didn't understand it. I looked to the guy floating in place next to me on my left and whispered, "Can you understand what they're saying?"

 

The man next to me shrugged, "Only a few of the educated and nobles speak the Deep Tongue, though if you want to progress in this army I am told your chances for promotion are better if you know it," The guy was about my age, maybe a bit younger. I guess I'd place him in at twenty one. The helmet he wore sported loose strands that moved in the current. He also had remarkably pale skin where his archaic armor let it show. It was almost albino like, but instead of pink, his eyes were dark with very little white around them, "Do not be troubled, soon the ritual will be complete and all will be able to understand each other and we'll hear the speech proper they use to give us a boost in morale. It's something about our inevitable victory, no doubt," He said it with a wry sort of 'don't they always' tone.

 

"No doubt," I answered and looked at the hundreds (or was it thousands?) of soldiers in the great stadium where we had been gathered in a ring. Many of the army looked a lot like the guy I had just spoken to; Pale with large dark eyes, Others however were more green, and some were blue. A few,   I swore, had gills! Some were almost metallic gold. And one segment of the gathered population had fish tails instead of legs like real mermaids and mer men of legend. All of them were dressed for war in various armor designs that looked like someone had ransacked a whole movie studio's inventory of period piece films from the middle ages and back.

Weird, I thought.

 

"Do you hail from Tir Fo Thonin?" He asked, then noticed my look and mistook confusion for something else, "Sorry if I'm not pronouncing it right. You do not look like you are of  Yongwangguk, that is of certain.  This whole unifying the kingdoms  is really making me wish I chased females less and studied more." 

 

"I thought chasing women was an education," I joked even as I wondered what the hell this guy was talking about. I fished for more information, "Do you think we can do it?"

 

"Drive the rebels under the banner for the great unification and then, once truly united, the great kingdoms of the sea will at last have their revenge on the surfacers for millennia of wrongs?" He lowered his voice as the chanting continued, "I have a spear in my hand that I'm told is blessed by the Eldest Deep. Frankly, it gives me nightmares. It's like a part of him inside it. I only pull it out when I have to. But the surfacers have progressed fast and far. Can it be done? Maybe. It will not be easy. And if it weren't for the fact it would hurt those in my village let alone have me slain on the spot for betrayal? I'd be just as happy to float on."

 

I nodded, "I'm scared too." I wasn't really scared, I was confused. What the hell was going on?  That chanting was getting louder and louder only I swore it was starting to make sense. However, the guy next to me grinned as I too admitted fear. His teeth were surprisingly needle like.

 

And how did I know what this guy was saying if some ritual was being cast for communication? That didn't make any sense.

 

Then the ritual finished and a figure in a cowled robe swam forward to the center of our great ring. The outfit was sinister enough, but the tendril like fingers at the end of his hand writhed as he greeted us in a voice that carried to every ear, bit it round, pointed, finned or nearly invisible.

 

"Denizens, citizens, inheritors of the depths... know then, the signs are marked. Know then, the Wheel is posed to be broken and remade. More and more of the rebels, traitors to the deep one and all,  are slain to feed him so the shackles maybe broken, and we may have what is promised! Those that do not abide in his wake are heathens, blasphemers who cling to their new gods. Only the Eldest can bring us victory. Only the Eldest can bring the lands above into their proper place as servants to the rightful lords of the deep! To the loyal! Conquest. To the heathen, their blood will drag along the currents as their souls feed his glory. To the surfacer? Chains that bind body and soul, and whips that break minds with every crack! PRAISE TO ELDEST!"

 

"Praise to the Eldest!" The hundreds chanted, but I noticed some chanting louder than others, and some who yelled loudly were yelling not because of loyalty, but because they did not want to be seen as disloyal.

 

This was an undersea pep rally from hell!

 

The guy next to me brought his spear down after the yelling ended and looked at me knowingly, "I know not if we are in the same sea or shall be fighting together in the war, so... it was good to meet you. I am Mayo. I hope we survive and that victory is gentle to us."  His eyes indicated the look of a man who feared success more than failure, and that? That surprised me.

 

"I am Caleb," I told him, breaking a cardinal rule of superheroing. Then again, I was in funky armor, not not my costume. Besides, I'd finally realized this was a dream, "Wait, what do you mean we're not in the same sea now?" 

 

His dark eyes blinked, "How else are they to talk to all at once? Save in our sleep?"

 

I woke up in my bed. I was in the base, everything was fine and as it should be except for memories of the most bizarre dream I'd ever had in my life.

And I could think was...what the hell was in that shrimp?"

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

Let's just say that Lady Obsidian is probably going to introduce him to the facts of superhero life when it comes to protecting personal trademarks however silly that feels.

 

 

No, he's gonna have to chip in for Pizza at the base like every other team member!

 

My client would like renegotiate his contract.

[Hermit]

My client would like renegotiate his contract.

 

Shush, you. I'm too busy worrying I turned folks off with the lovecraftian elements

[Zeropoint]

Everything's better with Lovecraft!

[Cancer]

Sponsors! Endorsements! FREE FOOD!

That raises a question: What do the Good Guys do for economic viability in this fictional universe? Do they sport advert logos?

 

 

And if so, what's the advertising rate on the ... ah ... most strategic parts of Power Girl's costume?