The Adventures of "Fish Guy" (Superhero fiction)

[pinecone]

I'm thinking a fish net coverall look, with shells in the right places..."No one escapes..The Net!"...?

[Hermit]

Nice. So is she so competent he gets no points as a DNPC?

 

At this rate, she may deign to allow Fish Guy to be her adorable sidekick

 

Stop trying to give "Fish Guy" a new name. "Fish Guy" is what he chose in the first place, and "Fish Guy" is what he's stuck with.

 

Did I hear someone say something about "Eel?" Nope, no, didn't. Or, anyway, can't hear it over my ignoring power.

You work for News 3, don't you?

 

Ariana and Meghan could have such an interesting conversation...

 

No doubt Ariana would have eagerly take any advice on the care and management of water breathing love interests.

 

If they think Eel is slimy and gross they ought to be glad he didn't choose Hagfish.

 

I think Ariana could hold her own in a quip war with Spiderman.

Hagfish is a superhero of Scotts Korean descent known for her proud defense of both Samch'ok and Glenegedale. Asked about her diverse migratory patrol, she merely commented "it was a hell of a commute"

 

 

 

Uncle Tina?  (giggle)  Bet Pinprick would get some mileage out of that one.

 

I went to look for whatever you were talking about... there was a cry of "Oh man" a  blur right past me and typing/editing sounds and... nope. Don't see it.

Very mysterious.

 

I'm thinking a fish net coverall look, with shells in the right places..."No one escapes..The Net!"...?

 

And now I'm thinking about it too.

Argh!

[Lucius]

he doesn't just glub the blub, he swims the swim.

I "liked" the post purely for this line. Please use it in the story somewhere.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Or I'll use it in a palindromedary tagline

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

I "liked" the post purely for this line. Please use it in the story somewhere.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Or I'll use it in a palindromedary tagline

 

Obviously on Fish Guy T-shirts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or Whale Guy.

[Hermit]

In every hero community, there comes a time to finish your corndogs and rally the troops

 

"So," I said, "you guys are taking this awfully calmly," I had filled the others in at the food court at what I had learned, "None of this makes sense. I mean, the sea beasts will be great equalizers, that's why they were trying to capture Whale Guy, so they could transform him into a monster but…"

 

"Whale Guy?" Pinprick said.

 

"The gray whale that I and Ariana found out there on our date," I said feeling a bit sheepish.

 

Tornado grumbled.

 

Ariana fought a smile.

 

"Indeed," Lady Obsidian said.

 

"Whale Guy?" Pinprick shook his head looking at me, "This is your play on a date?"

 

"Girls love guys with a sense of humor, right?" I glanced over to Arctic Fox, Lady Obsidian, and Doctor Salem.

 

Arctic Fox gave that hand shift side to side and muttered, "meh."

 

"Well, usually," Lady Obsidian said kindly, then looked to Doctor Salem.

 

Doctor Salem nodded with forced kindness, "Depends on the humor."

 

"If you'd been there, you would have found it adorable," I insisted.

 

"I found it adorable," Ariana admitted in low tones.

 

"Thank you," I shoot her a look of gratitude. Maybe she was throwing me a bone, but I really needed it right then.

 

"Could have been something wrong with the air mix in my tank though," She added just as low.

 

I shot her a hurt look. She needed to learn that with great feminine quipping came great male vulnerability.

 

"Sorry," She smirked, "Couldn't help it."

 

"Back to the subject?" Lady Obsidian ahem-ed.

 

"Even with a dozen sea monsters or what not, they would be out numbered to ridiculous levels, some of the undersea kingdoms are more tech based than magic based, but frankly, for every guy out there with a blaster, someone else is hauling around a knife made from whalebone or coral, "A thought occurred to me and I looked at Fox again, "As an aside, Can I trademark Whale Guy and his image for him? The old guy was really adorable."

 

"Focus," Lady O commanded.

 

"Yes, Ma'am," I coughed into my hand, "My point is, it can't work, we have them out numbered, and out gunned, and that's just counting not superpowered types. is that why everyone is so calm? Because at this rate, I'm thinking the Eldest is an idiot."

 

"You're assuming the goal is the Eldest wants his army to win," Doctor Salem corrected.

 

"Why would they want to lose," Tornado inquired. He'd been a bit surly after Arctic Fox's dressing down, and he hadn't been happy when I'd entered with his niece by my side. To her credit, Ariana had put some distance between us as we came in. She and I weren't actually an item and there was no need to antagonize Tornado over a first date.

 

 

Doctor Salem answered him, "It doesn't per se, but it is a mistake to assume the Eldest cares for even one creature sworn to it beyond their temporary usefulness. It wants only one thing, to be free, to have complete access to this plane. And to do that, it would let this very world collapse in on itself in madness and ash. Don't doubt it for a moment. It is entirely possible that the various peoples of the seas aren't being sent as conquerors, but rather sent as blood sacrifices," She went on, "I have no doubt those spears, if used to slay, feed the Eldest and empower him to escape. I see no reason a soul dying while holding one wouldn't feed it as well."

"And again, I say, why are we taking this so calmly?" Some of them hadn't finished their meals, "They may not be surface folks, but they're still people. We have to do something. I have to go back to where the fight was and find those other spears…"

 

"Already gone," Lady Obsidian said sadly, "I can't swim as deep as you for as long, but my fields can protect me short term and I took a plunge while you were recovering. The other four warriors you spoke of were gone and so were all the spears except for the broken one you snapped. Doctor Salem has those, but says their use is…" She glanced over at Doctor Salem to confirm, "Limited?"

 

Doctor Salem nodded, "Useless to me now as they are no longer a conduit. Of course, its influence is gone, and that's a good thing."

 

"Yeah," I agreed, imagining what a rage fueled superhero with Lady Obsidian's experience and power might do. It wasn't a pretty mental image, "But we also don't have four more to rip up, and I have no idea how to get to the other thousand plus."

 

"Ah, but we will," Doctor Salem said with a thin smile that spoke more of determination than humor, "We just need you to find another one. Anyone, and then… I can use it to find the others."

 

"You can?" I shouldn't have been surprised but I was, "how?"

 

"Magic," Pinprick said helpfully.

 

"Thanks," I shot him a look.

 

"Ahem," Doctor Salem raised a brow at Pinprick, then looked back to me, "Lays of joining, of symmetry will be at play. Like attracts like, once a part always a part, and so on," She said as if explaining the most basic of basics because she didn't have time for the advanced stuff.

 

Which was probably the case.

 

"So, I guess I'm patrolling the shores?" I said.

 

"Actually, now you're on patrol with me," Arctic Fox said, "Lady Obsidian thinks its best if we travel in pairs when possible. There's still a city that need protecting. You and I are going to track down the independents and see what they can contribute," she smiled a bit at something, "at least I'll get to see Valorous again. Is it okay if he patrols with us? At least part of the way?"

 

It was a polite request, and despite his Fish Guy label affixing he'd done with the press, after her speech about love, I figured perhaps I should give the guy another chance. She had, in her weird way, had my back even while trying to show me the door. I could go it for her sake if not his.

 

"Sure," I said, "As long as he agrees to call me Eel."

 

"I told about the results on that name," She delicately wiped her face with a napkin, "But thank you. He's really a great guy." And her smile lit up a bit.

 

"Let me go get a shower and a change of costume," I said, "And I'll be ready to join you on patrol and seeking out the independents," Then I thought of something, "And about Whale Guy?"

 

She rolled her eyes, "Fine, fine, we'll talk about getting Whale Guy is trademark."

 

"Yay," I said in a normal volume with a slight smile.

 

Her eyes rolled and she walked off.

 

Riding with Arctic Fox was easy. She made a consistent disk of ice under us, and then formed these ramps of shifting ice behind us which propelled us at a pretty fair click. I wondered why we weren't taking the hover car, but no doubt one of the others needed it, or perhaps it was ready for an emergency. But this wasn't bad. I didn't really the feel the cold, and all I had to do was stand still.

 

It was like a free ranging conveyer belt for two people.

 

"Do people ever get mad when the ice melts and leaves water everywhere?" I asked.

 

"Are you kidding?" She sniffed, "This is California. Come Summer drought they'll be begging me to race over their lawns."

 

"Point," I admitted, "I bet you're a hit around Christmas."

 

"I do not dress in trampy elf outfits at malls, Fish Guy," She said as we kept moving.

 

"Oh really? So, are the papers wrong about snow hitting that local children's hospital every year, just that hospital, on Christmas Eve?" I inquired, with a follow up at her irritated expression, "I researched the area, you know?"

 

"I'm hardly the only super in the world with cold or weather powers," She said, but I noticed she didn't deny it.

 

"You're a mean one," I sang in my deepest voice, "Missus Grinch…."

 

"Stop that," She said annoyed, then suddenly just like that she lit up again with a smile that went right to and included her amber eyes.

 

Hovering just slightly over us, was Valorous. He moved right to her side on the ice disk, and held up a smart phone to her face, "Winter Goddess come to visit," And I heard the click and saw the flash of light.

 

She laughed and pushed aside, "Hey, that close all you're going to get of me is my eyeball," Then she kissed him, and he returned it.

 

And there I was, without a doubt, the third wheel of this little ice palace.

 

"Ahem," I coughed into my hand after a silent twenty count.

 

"Ah, sorry about that," Valorous said while Arctic Fox checked her hair for mussing. The big man held out his hand to me, "Fish Guy, right?"

 

"Eel," I reminded, eyes narrowing. This time I was tempted to take his hand and squeeze the living snot out of it. It would be a jerk jock thing to do, but it was tempting. I resisted the urge and just gave him another polite if still firm shake.

"My bad," He said then asked, "So any more news on this Atlantean invasion?"

 

I wasn't sure I wanted to tell him anything else, but he was a hero, and I supposed he need to know. Lady Obsidian had directed us to for that very reason, even though I was certain there was something she didn't trust about the guy.

 

It didn't matter, the normally cool as ice Arctic Fox was talking away, "It's not just Atlanteans, in fact, I'm not sure which ones are the Atlanteans. But Eel's dreams and encounter have led to a lot more than that…" And she began to fill him in with my information.

 

It occurred to me I might be the better one to do so, but it was clear Valorous wanted her to talk, not intruding until she was done with the entire thing as well as she knew it.

 

"I'm having a hard time believing there's an Eldest thing out there," He admitted, "It sounds a bit…hokey."

 

"Trust me, it's real," I said trying not to shudder at the memory of that spear breaking, "And those spears are very dangerous to your soul and body. Try not to handle them directly if you can find something else to carry them in."

 

"So why aren't you combing the seas?" he asked.

 

"Because we don't know where to find them," Fox said gently, "The oceans are huge, and we don't know when or where the next raid will be. This one's goal wasn't even an attack on people. They were trying to transform a gray whale…."

 

"Whale Guy" I said helpfully.

 

She ignored it and went on, "Into a sea monster after all."

 

"Did the gray whale get away?" He asked, letting the sea monster bit slide.

 

"Yes, Whale Guy got away," I said kind of proud of myself for having made it possible.

 

"Stop trying to make Whale Guy happen," Arctic Fox shot me a look, "God, so annoying."

 

"The Tee shirts could depict him with a little half cape with a WG on it," I muttered, "It would be adorable."

 

She ignored me again, "So our current task is to inform other independents of what's going on. Interesting in joining us?"

 

"You know I am," He smiled and rose up into the air, "Don't worry, I'll be on my most charming behavior."

 

"You always are," She beamed up at him then when his eyes looked elsewhere shot me with a brief burst of cold even I could feel, if only as a slight sting.

 

"Ow," I said obligingly.

 

"Stop embarrassing me in front of my boyfriend," she whispered harshly with Irritation in her tone.

 

"Why, you think it will ruin his focus for the big homecoming game and then the other cheerleaders will blame you?" I asked deadpan.

 

"I mean it," She said testily.

 

"Okay, okay," I sighed. I knew I was joking around too much, but it distracted me from the questions like how was I going to get my hands on another spear when, as she had said, the next chance could be anywhere and any place. Also, I found I enjoyed being the one busting chops now and then.But the independents might not share let alone appreciate my sense of humor, so best to tone it down.

 

Sometimes other superheroes take all the fun out of world endangering events.

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

Whale Guy^® 

[BoloOfEarth]

Will he have a sidekick, Shark Dude?  Or Kid Porpoise? 

 

(Don't mind me, I'm just floundering around here.  If I keep it up, I'll probably get hit with a left hook and be lying on the floor, flat as a mackerel.  Kelpless.)

 

Thank yew, thank yew.  I'll be here all week.  Try the veal, and don't forget to tip your waitresses.

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

Will he have a sidekick, Shark Dude?  Or Kid Porpoise? 

 

(Don't mind me, I'm just floundering around here.  If I keep it up, I'll probably get hit with a left hook and be lying on the floor, flat as a mackerel.  Kelpless.)

 

Thank yew, thank yew.  I'll be here all week.  Try the veal, and don't forget to tip your waitresses.

 

 

 

 

Do not mock Whale Guy    

[Kaeto]

Will he have a sidekick, Shark Dude?  Or Kid Porpoise? 

 

(Don't mind me, I'm just floundering around here.  If I keep it up, I'll probably get hit with a left hook and be lying on the floor, flat as a mackerel.  Kelpless.)

 

Thank yew, thank yew.  I'll be here all week.  Try the veal, and don't forget to tip your waitresses.

 Only if you can see the anchor in their eye.

[Pattern Ghost]

I'm picturing Valodorous as a cross between the Tick and Captain Hammer.

[Enforcer84]

He doesn't seem dim. 

[Pattern Ghost]

I meant looks-wise.

[Tom]

 

 

No doubt Ariana would have eagerly take any advice on the care and management of water breathing love interests.

 

I was thinking of an advanced class in how to leverage what abilities you have to survive the craziness that tends to come with hanging around heroes.

 

Oh, and the suggestion to consider running if her boyfriend ever attracts the favorable attentions of a deity unless she really wants to take the relationship to the next level...

 

 

[assault]

Bits of the plot are becoming obvious now. What are the chances Valorous is under the influence of the Eldest?

 

How genre-savvy are the team veterans?

[Hermit]

Earlier on I had Pinprick say there were 'one or two ' independent heroes in the city. I may go back and up that to 3 or 4. We'll see. 

 

I'll give Valorous this much, he seemed hooked up to know the city well (certainly compared to a new arrival like yours truly) and the bulky belt he had around his waist was more than just garish. He had places for his custom job smart phone, bit of money, snacks, and even a mini med kit. I made a mental note to consider getting the latter and brush up on my first aid. He had a good grasp of where high crime rate areas were.

 

Once I stopped pushing Whale Guy, Arctic Fox became down right chipper. It was a strange side of her. Her defenses were almost totally down around Valorous. It was clear that she wasn't just whistling Dixie when she had given that speech on love to me earlier. She and he chatted from their short distance. He asked how the team was doing, and she told him, though she didn't name secret identities. Whatever else you could say about Valorous, you couldn't say he didn't show an interest in her day to day.

 

"It's such a shame I can't convince Lady Obsidian to get you in," Fox said, then glanced back at me riding along on her ice pillar, "Don't worry, Eel. I don't see why we can't have two strong guys on the team."

 

"I appreciate that," I said, and I did. It was, from her previous stance, a major concession. Maybe she was warming up to me, or maybe her boyfriend's proximity brought out her warm and fuzzy side.

 

"We're getting close to one of the independent's stomping grounds," Valorous said and I noticed we weren't too far from the piers I had frequented before.

 

"Please tell me we're not counting Bloodwatch as an independent?" I said with a growl.

 

"Hardly," Arctic Fox answered, "We're talking real superheroes, or at least those that try."

 

"What is one of the poor saps a Partial who's too stubborn to stay on the sidelines?" I tried to joke. Of late, Ariana had been on my mind, and while I was glad she found some ways to help, I wondered if that she didn't have an Uncle like Tornado, would she be suiting up anyway without guidance and putting herself in line for an inevitable ass kicking?

 

Not that I hadn't gotten my ass kicked, and kicked hard before coming here. In fact, one particular beat down still haunted me.

 

But my moment of introspection was cut short.

 

"You'd be surprised what a dedicated and resourceful Partial can do," Valorous said testily. He had had fun at my expense before, but now he appeared truly irritated.

 

"Well, you're right," I admitted, though I was surprised at his annoyance, "Some of the great heroes of the early days had just one or two powers or abilities at only slightly over human peak and I don't mean to knock partials any more than I knock firemen or EMTs…" Now that I was saying all this I wondered, was I a power snob? I mean, I always told myself I was just concerned, but there's a dangerous trap of elitism in the superhero game.

 

Had I fallen into it? I mean, I didn't think my tone was that dismissive but…

 

"I think I see her," Arctic Fox declared, disrupting my musings on if I needed some sensitivity courses.

 

Focusing my gaze on the direction she was pointing, I noticed a bouncing figure, and when I say bouncing, I mean she was springing from the side of one building to another and launching up to roof tops. I don't consider leaping that cool, but this was a lot more energetic than anything I managed, and went easily as far as I did on my longest running leaps. She was all over the place.

 

"Pogo! Slow down for a moment!"  Arctic Fox yelled at the frenetic figure.

 

"Pogo?" I said at the name.

 

"At least it's not slimy and gross," Fox shot me a look.

 

I sighed.

 

Pogo apparently heard, and, bouncing far higher than her name sake ever could, tumbled, bounced, and sprang all the way back to us covering dozens of yards in essentially three hops. Now that she was closer, I could get a better look. Pogo wore a neon green costume with yellow slanted stripes on her leggings. The visual effect was glaring. She wore some sort of face paint in the form of a half mask and green tinted mirrored shades (how those stayed on when she bounced I have no idea). Her skin was a yellow tan and it was pretty clear she was of Asian-American heritage. Her slick black hair was in a winsome bob.

 

"Hi, Fox! How how's everything who's the new guy?" She bounced over to me, seeming to move about me at all angles, "Are you Eel? I mean, you like being called Eel right? I'm Pogo! It's really nice to meet you and I am so jelly, because you're in the team I want to join but every time I try to join it's always 'too young this' 'too young that' and 'training programs' 'when you're ready' blah blah blah real drag, huh?"

 

"I'm Eel," I said realizing my introduction was late by several syllables, "How old…"

 

"Old enough to fight crime, to battle against the forces of darkness and save the day, well a small part of the day, but Lady Obsidian doesn't count that, she's like 'oo you'll get hurt honey chile' and I'm like "No I won't I'm resilient' and she's like shaking her head, and Pinprick's like 'do you ever shut up, kid?' which I think is really rude…"

 

"He can be rude," I managed to get out while shooting a look to Arctic Fox that I hope translated to 'help?'. Fox, for her part, looked like she was enjoying my struggle for a chance at expression.

 

"I know, right? I mean, you make a few jokes about height and he's all 'grrr grrrowl' and so on and I'm like 'You're not the boss of me' and I do my own thing but I would really love to join the New Samaritans like you have.  And Tornado …who is really cute by the way… he thinks I'm funny but you know he doesn't take my side either and Arctic Fox told me I had potential but should be chasing boys, going shopping, and studying my school work, but wow, I mean, I have saved lives you know? I even fought a  supervillain, ever hear of Heap! The living Refuse?"

 

"I cannot say I have," I admitted, and took another breathe ready to tell her the reason we were here.

 

The breath was a mistake, because she was off again, "Well, he was gross, nasty, and I had to shower five times after my battle with him but I did defeat him and I was awesome. But do I get credit for that and other things? No! It's always slow down, Pogo! Wait till you're older, Pogo and…"

 

"Pogo, quiet down," Fox finally said.

 

"Yeah, that too," She blushed and, to my surprise, quieted down.

 

"It's really nice to meet you," I said, offering a firm handshake, "But we're actually on hero business. It's involving a potential invasion and a mystical menace."

 

"Ow wow," Her eyes got huge as she shook my hand, "Does it involve Chinese mythology? Because honestly if it does I'm not sure I can help you, my grandmother's always going on about how I'm too western and I guess I am so I haven't really kept up on my heritage so if you need a mystical consultant on Chinese Mythology, wow, am I embarrassed."

 

"No, no," I assured her, "Though if you see anything curious involving other sea creatures, we'd like you to give us a call."

 

She was trying hard to be good, and only had a half dozen interruptions as I filled her in on the situation. She was warned, repeatedly, not to touch the spears themselves if she ever found one, and while it would not get her membership as an equal into the team, the New Samaritans would be grateful, of course.

 

It took another five minutes just to say good bye to each other.

 

"Lord love a duck," I muttered once she was gone, not caring if my 'folksy' sayings didn't count as English or not to Fox and Valorous, "Why didn't you guys warn me?"

 

"Would you really have been prepared?" Valorous pointed out.

 

'Fair," I admitted, "Who is next?"

[Kaeto]

Lord Love a Duck I think Pogo's nickname ought to be 'Motormouth'.

[segerge]

Hmm, Valorous is a flying brick with a noticeably bulky belt and an extremely defensive reaction toward Partials.  I'm guessing he's either a Partial who's supplementing his powers with invisible forcefield augmentation, or had a sibling/parent/relative who was a Partial and got into major trouble.

 

This is a good read -- as in "multiple binge-reading sessions in one day" good.

[Kaeto]

Here's a theme for Fish Guy (Eel) !

 

[assault]

Bits of the plot are becoming obvious now. What are the chances Valorous is under the influence of the Eldest?

 

How genre-savvy are the team veterans?

 

I have to admit that I was mis-remembering Valorous as "rival Fish Guy" rather than just "rival Strong Guy" when I wrote this. My bad.

 

Still doesn't entirely rule my suggestion out.

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

Here's a theme for Fish Guy (Eel) !

 

 

The best part is the enthusiasm of the drummer.

[Kaeto]

The best part is the enthusiasm of the drummer.

You have to see when they do 'Wipe Out' with a drum battle between their drummer and Buddy Rich.

 

 

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

Is that Buddy Rich? He looks just like Max Weinberg.

[DasBroot]

I find the partial thing a little odd since the super team leader has NO powers of her own that we know of (unless she has the super-power level genius thing going on instead of just top level human). Unless being rich enough to buy the right level of powers IS one of the super powers that elevate you past 'partial' or 'unpowered'...

 

I get that someone with the mutant power to ripen/age fruit (and only fruit) probably shouldn't face off against Doctor Destroyer ("No! You rotted the bananas I was using to control my monkey army! You fool... you've doomed us all!") - but I'm glad that Caleb realized it does sound a little elitist.  

 

(Ariana might not be cut out to slug it out with guys who can punch through stone - but her powers would come in pretty handy if she were a police officer, EMT, or fire fighter).

[Hermit]

Lord Love a Duck I think Pogo's nickname ought to be 'Motormouth'.

 

Psych lim or distinctive feature? but yes.

 

Hmm, Valorous is a flying brick with a noticeably bulky belt and an extremely defensive reaction toward Partials.  I'm guessing he's either a Partial who's supplementing his powers with invisible forcefield augmentation, or had a sibling/parent/relative who was a Partial and got into major trouble.

 

This is a good read -- as in "multiple binge-reading sessions in one day" good.

 

Well, thank you! The praise might go to my head yet.

We may slow down a bit as we get further along but I'll still try to have something daily.

 

Here's a theme for Fish Guy (Eel) !

 

Okay, normally I like my music with lyrics but that's really really good. I could easily see a show's intro for that if Fish Guy had a show

[Hermit]

I have to admit that I was mis-remembering Valorous as "rival Fish Guy" rather than just "rival Strong Guy" when I wrote this. My bad.

 

Still doesn't entirely rule my suggestion out.

 

It does not rule it out. But you'll understand if some things I only confirm or refute in the writing? 

 

I find the partial thing a little odd since the super team leader has NO powers of her own that we know of (unless she has the super-power level genius thing going on instead of just top level human). Unless being rich enough to buy the right level of powers IS one of the super powers that elevate you past 'partial' or 'unpowered'...

 

I get that someone with the mutant power to ripen/age fruit (and only fruit) probably shouldn't face off against Doctor Destroyer ("No! You rotted the bananas I was using to control my monkey army! You fool... you've doomed us all!") - but I'm glad that Caleb realized it does sound a little elitist.  

 

(Ariana might not be cut out to slug it out with guys who can punch through stone - but her powers would come in pretty handy if she were a police officer, EMT, or fire fighter).

 

I wondered if I had over done that, but then, Caleb is used to working alone. If there's a skilled normal or powered armor type in his original neck of the wood, I haven't mentioned it. So he may indeed have developed a bit of elitism and is evaluating that knee jerk reaction.