BoloOfEarth

The Boot
 
Giorgio Theopolus was always a nasty, unpleasant man. When he accidentally fell into the Land of Myth that didn't change. When he came back out, he was sporting a nasty facial scar covering his left cheek, and a pair of solid iron, spiked boots, as well as a scrap of red cloth he uses as a mask. The boots enhance his strength, especially for kicking, and he's taken to dipping the cloth in the blood of his enemies.

I thought Jif was a brand of peanut butter.

Puppy Love- A Pinprick Tale
If you asked me, and even if you didn’t, I’d tell you that there is no way Eel and Valerosa aren’t eventually breeding. She’s a good Catholic Girl. He? Is a hick. Oh sure, both are intelligent young people, but currently they’ve got advantages a lot of their generation don’t. Paid college, financial stipend, marketing deals for merchandise going into savings accounts.
Though how Eel T shirts are outselling actual life sized Pinprick action figures, I do not understand. My point is, while it would put a snag in Ariana’s superheroing for a year or so, there’s no way they’re not eventually shooting for a family.
I’m Pinprick by the way. As Archer of the New Samaritans it is my sacred duty to keep my team from not sucking. I’m also a father. It’s my job to keep my son safe.
 
Try to keep up with my train of thought, I’m going somewhere with this. I connect the soon to be newlyweds and their future progeny with my own son because one day, those two will face some of the unique challenges as parents and superheroes that I’ve already faced.
 
By challenge, I mean that cold, twisting knot in your belly, that almost irrational panic, like a rising scream only you can hear coming through your bones in blood that your child is in danger. I have fought Lovecraftian horrors, been in the middle of an Earthquake, and nearly died more than once. None of that holds a candle to feeling helpless to save your child.
“What do you think?” Caleb, the groom to be, shattered my thoughts as he came out of the dressing room in what was probably the third suit he had tried on.
 
We were at the base so for once I hadn’t had to hide to get someplace public. At my forever shrunken size, it wasn’t hard for me to do that but still, it was nice I didn’t have to. This particular suit was navy blue, a true blue tie with it. To me, it looked the same as the last two suits he wore with only minor variances. At my size, I tend to either wear my costume, or just mug a discarded Ken doll for when I wanted civvies.
 
I’m a six inch tall divorcee? Who am I going to dress up fancy FOR?
 
Thank god we had Tornado aka Valentino here. He actually cares about fashion, by hetero guy standards anyway. Tino has always been the lady killer of the group; the charming gadabout who had a dozen or more hot chicks on speed dial.
Lately, he and Mabel aka Brazen had become a couple, and showing a mature relationship in the making.
Good. About time Tino grew up. Hell, it seemed love was in the air for almost every other superhero I knew lately. Me? I considered becoming a cat owner, but the feline bastard would probably try to eat me. Death by Maine Coon is no way to go for a man.
 
“I like it better than the lighter blue you had,” Valentino nodded approvingly, “Looks more dignified. Mmm, not sure about the cut though.”
 
Viewpoint, who was in the public relations and marketing angle of superheroes, or had been, agreed, “With his build, another cut might present just a bit better. Color is fine though. Ariana said her bride dress would have a ‘little blue in it’ so it should all compliment.”
 
“What do you think, Pinprick?” Caleb asked me. Nice to be included even if I don’t give much of a rats ass what he wears. Way I see it, he should have just pushed Ariana to pick something out a catalog, nodded, and put THAT one. But Ariana is no bridezilla and trusted him to find something nice.
 
“I think if you use that 3D fabric printer to make too many suits that you’re never going to use more than once, Viv is gonna wonder why our electricity bill is so high,” I replied. That was an exaggeration, the base is pretty energy efficient. We have next generation solar panels, a small cold fusion reactor, yadda yadda. You know? Standard super hero base stuff.
 
“Don’t listen to him, Caleb,” Tino huffed, “The man’s a savage. Go print out another one with this coloration, but the first suit’s cut.”
 
“Will do,” Caleb replied after an intake of breath.
 
The inhale wasn’t born of frustration, or impatience. It was just the jitters. Fish Guy was nervous. He doesn’t like letting anyone down, so the odd chance he’d disappoint the woman he loves? It’s getting him a bit twitchy. No way he’s going cold feet mind you. The team would murder him if he bailed on his bride.
 
While Caleb darted back to the machine to print out yet another suit and deprive the hard working tailors of the city of their livelihood, Viewpoint glanced over to me looking uncomfortable.
 
And just like that, I knew that there was a fifty fifty chance I was gonna get ‘a talk’.
Superheroes, one and all, are born meddlers. Thank goodness most of us have superpowers, or we’d likely all be ‘that guy’ who wanders around dispensing unwanted advice and going ‘well actually’
 
I’m including myself in that. I dispensed more than a few well intentioned words of wisdom in my time. Mostly to rookies and non-archers, but I repeat myself.
 
“Yeah?” I raised a small brow he might have missed noticing.
“Look, I realize you’ve known Caleb longer, and its probably not my business but…”
Here it comes.
“… you could be a bit more supportive of the guy,” Viewpoint said, and launched further into explaining, “He’s clearly nervous. Would it kill you to do a ‘that looks great’ or ‘she’ll love that?”
 
I made a show of stroking my chin to affirm I was deep in contemplation of his question, “It’s possible that it might. Could be my undiscovered kryptonite.”
 
He threw up his hands and looked to Tornado “I have never understood this guy.”
Tornado chuckled, “I know the feeling, amigo. But in truth, Pinprick maybe a jerk, but he’s our jerk and he does look out for us. In his way.” Valentino had known me a lot longer, and was a lot closer to figuring me out. Maybe he did have me figured out, but knew I’d resent him sharing what makes me tick too much with others?
 
Not for the first time, I realized Valentino would indeed make a good leader, or at least co-leader for his team in Port Cascade. Underneath the Zorro wanna be panache, there was a good deductive mind, and a not half bad tactical thinker. More importantly, he had matured to the point of recognizing his own selfish desires and then sacrificing them for the team.
 
I was going to miss the punk.
 
He was right, of course. At least in this case. While the other two guys were assuring Caleb this or that outfit would be the best thing since spin racks and sliced bread, I was taking another angle. By acting like a jerk, I WAS looking after Eel. Or trying to , anywho. What kind of idiot fusses over a few extra dollars in utility bills when you were saving hundreds in what a tailored suit would cost? Eel knows I am not a moron so he will chalk it up to me just busting his chops for funsies. By giving him grief over the ‘small stuff’, I hoped I was taking his mind off his wedding concerns.
 
If I kept it up too much, Eel would start to mutter and grumble about shoving me in a beer bottle (Which is hilarious as that’s pretty close to my Briar Patch thank you very much) and then move on. You know what he wouldn’t be doing? Stressing over the ridiculous notion that if he didn’t have just the right tie, he’d ruin the wedding and upset his bride.
I’ll share a little secret with you only a few have figured out: Being a jerk is kind of my love language. It might explain why I’m a single divorcee, but that’s neither here nor there.
 
“Speaking of my way,” I told them, “I need to get shopping for a wedding gift for the lucky couple.” I shot a line of gossamer line to the door way and zip lined to it, “You guys handle the suit situation.”
“You don’t have a gift already?” Viewpoint arched a brow.
“Cutting it close there, Pinprick,” Tornado agreed.
“Yeah yeah,” I waved them off as I used my feet to turn the knob and open the door to the hallway “My gift is gonna knock their socks off.”
They waved me off.
I had lied, of course. My gift was probably going to be thought of as cute as best, cheap, lazy, and presumptive at worse. What it was, if two future parents were going to keep their sanity, was absolutely necessary.
They were going to need a Gurt.
 
(TBC)

Hygiene is often overlooked in fantasy fiction. It's always a good idea to start your adventure fresh, and with clean underwear.

Hey, what about that Eel character?  I mean, we always get the POV of Fish Guy and he mentions that Eel guy a lot.  Maybe it's time to give Eel some time in the spotlight. 
 
And I know I already gave a list of three, but I was thinking that to give you a challenge, you could go with a non-powered character (say Pinprick's son, Valerosa's mom, the postal worker who helped save Eel and Viewpoint, or even one of the reporters).  Just a thought.
 
 

Eat Your Soul would be my ex-girlfriend.  Don't know whose picture that is, though.

Step Out
Virginia Wilmore was a decent, church going, moral woman. She was a loving wife, and took pride in her profession as a nurse. She was a helper.
How far her power has grown, and how far her ethics have fallen. Already an attractive woman, Virginia seemed to tone up, shape up, became even more attractive, or maybe it was more confidence mixed with discarding her old sense of modesty that really sold it? When she began to teleport, she was filled with wonder, of course, but she also began to realize a fact... she was better than other people. She deserved more. And she was going to get what she deserved.
 
Her job as nurse and powers made it easy for her to steal drugs and equipment from the hospital without getting caught. In case of cameras, she was one of the first to don a mask, but her growing vanity soon had that accompanied by a rather revealing costume. From there, she began a full blown career as not just a thief, but as a transporter for the other Denizens and  other criminals willing to pay her for her services. She's no weakling in a fight,  able to apport others high in the air to plunge, or simply causing them to blink in place so rapidly they pass out. She hasn't killed yet, acting like that's beneath her... but she doesn't feel any guilt at getting killers to their target. That's not on HER is it?
 
No longer faithful to her husband, she's taken more than one lover when the mood strikes her, though most men consider her a 'tease'. Vain, selfish, and greedy; Virginia Wilmore, the old one, is long gone. Now, in her place, is the woman called Step Out.

Another man whose life was going nowhere was Paul Grady. He had an ordinary office job and it was mundane until he was made redundant. Stuck in the apartment trying to work out what jobs to apply for and how he would have to pay rent, the chemicals and mutagens got to work while the subliminal messages turned him to the course of evil. He dreamed of another existence and when he woke he looked into the mirror and saw a stranger, a corpulent moustached fellow with a bulbous nose and large horn rimmed glasses. Startled he shook and resumed his own appearance. Puzzled he looked into the mirror again and slowly pictured himself as the stranger again. Lo and behold he changed gradually. And he had power, power over the lesser beings, power over their minds for he had developed mental powers. He found these powers only came with the new form and over a few days he experimented as he could now hear peoples thoughts, make them believe they saw things they did not, temporarily paralyse their minds and cause them pain. Then working on the basis 'Go Big or Go Home' he walked into his former employment and went after the bosses causing them to transfer money to him and some of their possessions before making them unsure of what they had done and to whom. As he returned to the apartment he let the others know he was aware of them and was prepared to be their leader. For like other mentalists before him he has an entire chip shop on his shoulder. He is Magnum Opus
 
an odd effect of the transformation is that Paul can be read by a telepath in his own ID and it will show nothing of his criminal career. However as Magnum Opus IF someone got through his ego and mental defences all would be revealed including the others. But how powerful would you have to be to do that ?

Makeup
 
Yvonne Fairchild has worked at many tasks in her 80 or so years. Barmaid, dancer-for-hire, waitress, numbers runner, thief, streetwalker when she was down and out...which was more often then she'd like to remember. Her latest one has been as a cosmetics specialist and beautician in a mid-scale beauty salon. She's still working because she has never managed to put together any sort of savings, and Social Security ran out years ago. 
But of late she's been using her makeup skills a lot on herself...because without them she doesn't look like an eighty year old anymore. In fact, she looks like she did when she was 30...well, actually, better, since Yvonne was never much of a looker. And the beautician job isn't being done for the meagre pay, but to find victims.
When she finds someone willing to chat, who has some money, who is single or otherwise living alone, that's when she strikes. She uses her ability to teleport through mirrors to go straight from her rooms to the victim's place, her knowledge of makeup to make herself unrecognizable, her newfound strength and vitality to capture the woman (or man - men don't come as often to the salon, but she isn't picky). She makes them tell her where all the money is, all the valuables, and then she paints their face - with acidic, poisonous makeup of her own devising. They come out of it beautiful to look at, but underneath, their faces are melting...
None of her victims have survived so far, and the Police have instituted a task force to find the "Makeup Killer". But who would suspect a little old lady?
 
On the team side, she acts as a scout and infiltrator. She's actually quite capable of combat, but she dislikes it. The others know she's someone in the building, but not that it is little granny Yvonne from the fourth floor.
 

My Way
 
Donald Trembly was arguably a bit of a self-centered narcissistic jerk even before the mutagens and subliminal conditioning.  You know the guy that pulls your half-finished laundry out of the communal washing machine because he doesn't want to wait?  The guy that has your car towed when you just parked a few inches over the line, rather than ask you to move it?  The guy who calls in noise complaints on his neighbors, then has a loud party that runs until 3 am?  That guy who stares and leers at any cute girl going past, making her more than nervous? That was Donnie.  His favorite phrase was, "It's my way, or the highway" but honestly, he didn't see that there was any way but his way.
 
The mutations and subliminal conditioning dialed his jerkiness up to 11 and gave him the power to back it up.  He's now a brick powerhouse, strong enough to compress your laundry into a ultra-hard cube, toss your car a block or more, and clap his hands hard enough to cause a shockwave that shatters windows and pulverizes walls.  He's taken the name "My Way" and throws his weight around wherever he likes.
 
- - - - - - - - -
 
I don't have any real idea for a new team, so I'll leave it to whomever wants to post a team idea.
 
 

Eel ? Sounds slimy and gross
 
As for a non powered representation?
Not a bad idea. And while technically Lady Obsidian might qualify I know she is not who you mean.
 
Of course, a certain Punk Rocker who hopes to sell out is probably performing with the other Kennedy Can't Duck band members as the wedding singers. No promises
 
I also considered a super powered individual who had no team affiliation but rather made a career of hiring him/herself out to super teams to play substitute during special events.  Got a Wedding day you need someone else to patrol during? Can do. New Years party and you want to get tipsy without guilt? Got it covered! Have a relative undergoing a bar mitzva? Will fight crime while you watch on in pride!

Hey, what about that Eel character?  I mean, we always get the POV of Fish Guy and he mentions that Eel guy a lot.  Maybe it's time to give Eel some time in the spotlight. 
 
And I know I already gave a list of three, but I was thinking that to give you a challenge, you could go with a non-powered character (say Pinprick's son, Valerosa's mom, the postal worker who helped save Eel and Viewpoint, or even one of the reporters).  Just a thought.
 
 

I thought Jif was a brand of peanut butter.

I thought Jif was a brand of peanut butter.

I thought Jif was a brand of peanut butter.

I thought Jif was a brand of peanut butter.

I thought Jif was a brand of peanut butter.

I thought Jif was a brand of peanut butter.

I thought Jif was a brand of peanut butter.