Tag: Shorty

They Say Time Heals All Wounds

They Say Time Heals All Wounds

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April 10th, 2024 – Wednesday: 6 AM

Darting away from Century Plaza about ten minutes before 6AM Garrick could still hear the hum of the city as he flew in black sweats. Trying very hard to shake Ameera’s playfully, pouting, face as he disentangled himself this morning to leave for sword practice. Aircar traffic was low at this time of day so he ducked lower between buildings excited to get back to Master Tyrone Nitobe’s class.

Landing about a minute before class started the students and the teacher looked a bit surprised as to his arrival. He was now very glad about the strict no phone policy of his sensei. While he had made a number of friendly acquaintances in the class he knew most of the guys were getting tired of and use to the ladies trying to flirt with the superhero in the ‘proverbial room’. Having his identity public as Garrick only seem to embolden some of them. Master Nitobe always squashed it if it got out of hand. Today was no exception, however, he let it linger a few extra minutes as personal way of acknowledging his actions in saving everyone. When Garrick explained to the group that he was 30 to 40 feet away from two heroes getting blown apart by a few of the active clones of the Ultramarine everyone paused. Garrick looked at his sensei and said he needed today to help meditate and process those images and that’s why he showed up to class. He wanted something more normal than the last 24 hours.

A number of students whom either had been in or had family that had served in: military, law enforcement, or medical professions. Instantly understood what he had seen and what he needed, they quietly spoke to anyone trying to get close to Garrick. Master Nitobe carefully went through the group lessons and hand picked whom would spar with Garrick that day. At the end of class Garrick was surprised when Master Nitobe called him up and nodded at the class. All of them and his sensei bowed and they thanked him for his service. They could see his stunned expression and class was dismissed. Nothing else was said and Garrick was allowed to leave without anyone trying to accost him.

April 14th, 2024 – Sunday: 11:33 AM

Garrick had just looked at the last issue of the Everyman paper targeting his team

“S” IS NOT FOR SOBER – Targeting the Rubberband Man
“A” IS NOT FOR ALLY – Targeting the Black Phantom
“V” IS NOT FOR VIRTUE – Targeting Hank of all people.
“I” IS NOT FOR INNOCENT – Targeting Caedechron.
“O” IS NOT FOR OBEDIENT – Targeting the Beast and his special consciousness.
“R” IS NOT FOR REPENTANT – Targeting Garrick “The Gryphon” Faulkner

Katherine had been looking at his reaction as he read the paper. The Garrick article contained interviews from some of the other folks who were in prison with Garrick, telling stories about the “infamous” Professor Gack and the deaths he caused. The article included information about his younger days too, described in a way that obviously reflects Adeline’s viewpoint, though from an interview with her husband. He wonders if the man is even capable of remorse, noting that Garrick’s sister has been in an institution for years and he’s never once tried to make contact – for all the good it would do.

Garrick made numerous frantic calls and used A.R.C.H.I.E. to help find out what he feared. The year he was released early was the same year she was institutionalized in Collingwood Psychiatric Hospital, in central Georgia. Garrick immediately flew over to try and see her, but he wasn’t allowed to see her because there was a restraining order against him, from the husband. It was filed the day after Garrick revealed his identity as The Gryphon.

That evening Katherine had Janosh set the record straight regarding those portions of the late Dr. Cuthbert Faulkner’s journal. The Monday papers ran stories about a sobbing Gryphon pounding on the door, screaming his sister’s name and “I had no idea. Your letter said you wished I was dead. So I stayed away.” Richard Gray showing up to drive him home and offer to pay for the dented door.

The narrative never belittled the husband or Adeline and their children however the facts regarding Adeline and her torture of Garrick were not sugar coated. Next to that headline was everything Garrick was willing to take to the grave regarding his sister including the letter she wrote. It portrayed Adeline as being a child having a hard time at handling grief that grew into an adult whom came to act on her brother in the manner he enabled to continue. Cuthbert Faulkner was tarnished slightly in the eyes of history for not taking a better role in raising his children.

Social media and everyone had an opinion with Garrick being seen as far more tolerant and compassionate. Katherine asked Janosh to over time make in roads and politely wear the husband down in hopes the brother and sister could both heal. Time will tell how successful that will be.

April 16th, 2024 – Tuesday: 6:02 PM

Outside the Giving Tree

Eliza Gunn was surprised when Garrick “The Gryphon” Faulkner walked up to introduce himself wearing black work boots, press tan pants with cargo pockets, and a black, denim, button down shirt embroidered with the orange and white logo for Mallic-Faulkner Technologies. He wore a rather robust golden bracelet sculpted to look like a gryphon biting its tail. It looked very secure and did not move around his left wrist. She mentioned that she’d expected a different outfit and Garrick shook her hand saying that might be a great opener for the interview and he cocked his head while smiling. Eliza finally understood what Kelly Thompson had been yammering on about.

One of the recent things that had made it onto the superhero forums was pictures of Garrick with four different women: A) A blonde, white woman; B) a blonde, middle-eastern woman with color streaked hair, C) A blue hair white woman which many took to understand as Miss Amazing out of costume, D) A black woman whom was nearly as tall as Gryphon. The term playboy and man-whore had been tossed around depending upon whom was posting and their favor of the Gryphon. Only a few people thought about polyamory as a reason for being seen with the women on a consistent basis.

“Hello Century Station, this is Eliza Gunn, reporting live in the Norwood sub-district. We’re at the charity organization the Gryphon has been a long standing patron of, The Giving Tree. With me,” as the camera shot changes from a close up to a wide angle, “is the S.A.V.I.O.R. team captain, Garrick “The Gryphon” Faulkner, all around renaissance hero.”

“Thank you, Ms. Gunn, but I’m just a man whom works for a robotics company and is a volunteer member of the C.S.P.D.”

Flipping over a small pad off camera “As president of the Faulkner Division of Mallic-Faulkner Technologies by day and the Gryphon of Norwood at night how do you find time to even sleep?”

Garrick looked around, “I can think of three people that put you up to asking me that question.” Garrick gave a hearty laugh before continuing, “The fact is one of my powers is not needing to sleep. It’s interesting because when I choose to sleep it’s to enjoy using my dreams as the avenue of processing countless thoughts at the same time. I believe some people call the process active dreaming.”

“You brought up a point I know countless users of the superhero forums want to know. There are a plethora of pictures showcasing you being seen out and about with four different women. I am also curious which one of them, if any, is related to your son, Sherman Faulkner?”

Garrick made a face suggesting he was impressed how quickly and deep she dug in on him, “Okay, can bring you bring up the photos on your phone and I can answer those questions? As to the information regarding my son. None of the women are his mother. Sherman lost his family and chose to stay with me when he had nothing and I stepped up to make sure he had a place to stay. In many ways I feel more like an older brother than a father figure. Sherman to me is family now and I hope that addresses the issue for you.”

Eliza’s tech person takes her phone and taps a few things on it then hands it back. The viewers see the pictures as follows:

  • Garrick having dinner Constance.
  • Garrick performing a morning jog with Ameera.
  • Garrick having coffee with Mavis.
  • Garrick hanging out with Katherine doing bummer cars. It’s from last Saturday since she has blue hair.

As he tapped each one in succession, “Girlfriend, Girlfriend, just friends, and Girlfriend that also lives with me.” The viewers saw a blue highlighted frame on their screens as he touched each picture.

“Some of our viewers I’m sure are surprised that you would admit to dating multiple women on air.”

“I don’t know why,” he seemed perplexed as though this might be normal, “There are plenty of single parents that date, and I just happen to be in a polyamorous relationship with three of the four women. All four of them are at least aware of each other and the last two have met in person. Not only have all three of my girlfriends met but they have their own private chat server where they talk all the time. I hide nothing from the three that have graced me with being my friends and partners. You might say my life is one giant exercise in time management, but I am a very happy man.”

“It sounds like you have it all, why are you donating your time here?”

Eliza regretted her wording when she saw his brow furrow, “Ms. Gunn, it is vitally important to remember the people that gave you a hand “up” from earlier situations where you find yourself near bottom. When I was released from Gramercy years ago on parole, I vowed to be better. Were it not for the Giving Tree those first few months I would’ve starved to death. So when I got employed and even later when I got my powers I made sure to give back to the place that helped to keep me alive and whole. I learned to cook in prison and have been getting pretty good at it I might add.”

He motioned for Malik, whom was leading a group of kids with food set up a spread and began serving the T.V. crew, “I taught them how to make chicken marsala because this week’s meal was Italian. Please try some.” Eliza had some on air and you can’t fake the reaction of happy surprise. She took an extra bite before handing it back to Malik and thanking him.

“That was incredible! They could start a cooking program here!”

“Well, if you know any chef’s wanting to help people find careers. Then by all means send them over to talk with the center director.”

“How did everyone here take your revealing your identity?”

“To be fair I sprung that on everyone, while everyone here at the center took it very well. Not everyone in my life was happy to be unprepared at such a revelation. We all worked through it though and I feel have become stronger and closer.”

“Would you mind changing tracks here in light of recent events?”

“No, ask away.”

“The reports, testimonies, and video footage suggest you deliberately set off a nuclear explosion off the coast. Over a hundred clones of the Ultramarine were found alongside Synistry’s near-complete roster, with the Scream Queen currently in Gramercy. I’m sure everyone has seen the footage streamed live regarding the rogue A.I. Thanatos and Synistry. How did you even know you could do it and why?”

Garrick sighed slightly, “I knew it because my father and I had built the facility in secret before we revealed our first “public” prototype of the Bio-Dome the day I gave my T.E.D. Talk about it on YouTube. As the E.P.A. has pointed out the design is similar to the one Iron Mike used in that it left no lasting radiation. I’ve often wondered how Iron Mike got a design that from historical records emulates my father’s design. However, we were not the only people trying to replicate the Daedalus power source. So it may likely never get answered,” Eliza looked shocked expecting she would have to draw some of this out. In seconds a link appears on the screen for people watching with touch displays allowing them to bring up the T.E.D. Talk in another tab or a mini window. “As to the why, it was to save everyone but they had also personally pissed me off.”

“How so?”

“I surprised my father when I single-handedly built my first A.I. using my late mother as the baseline, Cynthia Faulkner. My goal was to be able to talk with a version of her and I wouldn’t be so lonely. I was a teenager when I did this, but I didn’t truly understand how special what I had done would be. When I realized that Thanatos had stolen a part of the code I’d lovingly refer to as the last shred I had of my mother. Followed by Synistry perverting the experiment to provide not just power but sustainable living to the planet in every corner of the globe. I finished writing the code string that would auto-execute their destruction as I cut them off from the outside world.”

“You sacrificed your past to save the future?”

“Yes, I believe in the promise of Century Station,” Garrick nodded and looked sad yet somehow impressive.

“I did some checking and you’ve been to see Caedechron a few times. What are your thoughts regarding your continued support.

“Cai was his name when he was alive, thugs of Urien Daniels were sent to kill him. They succeeded when Urien Daniels tipped them off Cai had learned about their illegal activities. Let me be clear, Cai’s mortal body died and he was effectively murdered. Just before his death he was able to upload his consciousness into a robot he’d been working on. He murdered the responsible person after he’d been physically killed. His quality of existence was irrevocably altered and he sought revenge quietly. I don’t condone murder unless it is in defense of a person or parties unable to defend themselves. However, I feel he had extenuating circumstances that need to be taken into account when the justice department decides his fate. Regardless I will stick by him and help him stand should he fall because I have no interest in being a fair-weather friend. Cavalry knows that, Miss Amazing knows that.”

“Whom were you defending in your words when you murdered Synistry?”

“You, your crew, my teammates, my girlfriends, a woman I saved on a roof top in January. My sister, and all of Century Station. Perhaps even planet Earth if every single clone had been unleashed.”

“Your sister that was reported to be in an institution you’ve never visited until very recently?”

“Yes, however, per her husband’s restraining order I am not allowed to visit and once I knew that had happen to Adeline, I tried. Given the documents that have been made public in the papers its not hard to see how I might have missed reaching out to her. Next question,” his tone impressed moving on or finishing the interview there.

Eliza weighs the risks of poking the bear and decides to move on, “Polls are indicating that Mayor Zardona will win a re-election and that the federal government is inclined to ease impending sanctions. What do you say to that given rumors about the Mayor not being your biggest fan?”

“The Mayor has a rough job and I don’t envy him. That said I want him to win because I believe he’s the right man to help restore law and order to every part of Century Station.

“Thank you to Garrick “The Gryphon” Faulkner for giving us the time to get to know you a little better?”

“Absolutely, make sure to get some more food before you go the kids worked hard to make sure there was enough,” Garrick gestured to the spread on the two tables set up. He turned to the camera to give a farewell smile and wave. The feed went down and Ameera and Ramona were waiting inside with everyone to congratulate him. Even the woman he saved with the mangled leg was there sporting her leg still in a power assisted splint until her ankle completely healed and therapy was over.

April 18th, 2024 – Thursday

‘The Magic of Books’ was Garrick’s destination during his lunch break. It was fun to drive his truck for him because people often looked for him in the sky and not driving around. When he got there the place was locked, empty and a for sale sign was up. It looked like Charlie took Garrick’s advice and got out of town. There was no forwarding address when he poked around online regarding the property.

As far as S.A.V.I.O.R. was going today had one other item of note. A psychiatric doctor named Johanna Fullard was hired to be the team’s psychic psychiatrist. This woman is the hero who was once known as Joan of Arc – one of the founding members of the Centurions. In a statement at the small press conference where the Mayor welcomed her on board the team once again. She says her “hero” days are behind her, as she’s decided she can be more helpful in this role than she ever was as an active Centurion.

April 22nd, 2024 – Monday

HyperiaA few days after discovering Charlie closed his store and moved out of town, Patsy shows up to join what’s left of S.A.V.I.O.R. She transforms into Hyperia and stays transformed, never turning back. She devotes herself full-time into being a hero and lets the work fully consume her. She maintains a good relationship with the rest of the team, but she never talks about anything personal. Whenever Garrick is accidentally charming or seductive around her she suddenly finds an excuse to leave and go on patrol or do research or be anywhere but there. She deliberately avoids doing anything that might make it seem like she’s vying for Garrick’s affections or interfering with any of Garrick’s relationships.

Dr. Fullard is concerned about Hyperia/Patsy, and they have sessions often, but nothing seems to change. When Garrick was asked by Dr. Fullard about Hyperia/Patsy he said she reminds him of how he felt a few years after getting out of prison. “Everything is very raw, and she talked about feeling unworthy of her power, that the gifts were like an intoxicating drug. Right now I suspect she’s feeling as though she has to prove she can beat the power and do good before she can forgive herself. It’s going to be a long road. In my opinion she still has some survivor’s guilt from the alternate dimension she hails from. We may all be broken in some ways but its how we deal with it that is what defines us. Time will tell how she handles it but I’ll always be there to help.” Dr. Fullard nodded silently while making notes.

May 1st, 2024 – Wednesday

Garrick was informed that the widow Imelda Zarovsky passed away that morning. Janosh informs him she left her estate and wealth to Garrick. It is noted in the autopsy that she had an odd physical abnormality – her teeth were sharper and more pointed than a normal human’s, but otherwise she seemed to have died of old age. No foul play is suspected. In dealing with her estate and personal effects Garrick discovers that she destroyed much of her personal history, though enough of it was left behind to suggest her and her late husband Emil weren’t human, but were instead aliens known as Erishik Dopplegangers who were trying to hide on Earth and live peaceful lives, defying all preconceived notions of their race. This evidence is inconclusive, and raises more questions than it answers, but that’s where that story seems to end.

Garrick makes this the house where he comes to think and wants to be alone. Over time it becomes equipped with robotic assistants he designs with A.R.C.H.I.E.’s manufacturing capabilities. The S.A.V.I.O.R. A.I. begins calling him “The Idea Man” for a nickname. Time will tell how such a friendship will affect the world.

May 10th, 2024 – Friday, after 10 PM

Public opinion of S.A.V.I.O.R. had been on a serious upswing. The “take no survivor” methods of S.A.V.I.O.R. seemed to really resonate with many folks. The Everyman was STILL experiencing a media backlash from the general public. Crime was starting to curtail given S.A.V.I.O.R.’s confirmed win and destruction of Synistry. Scream Queen being the only surviving member and stuck in Gramercy Island for the foreseeable future. Papa Zombie had eluded capture and was at large but keeping a low profile for the time being.

Garrick and Katherine had just left Constance’s place in Xenophan. Both Ameera and her had moved back to their homes last week since the security measures were finished that Amanda had ordered. All of them had a family dinner while Shorty #5, Sherman Faulkner, was off on a Worlds Online – Gizergleam Peaks raid with Horace. Before his departure that night Constance reminded him that his new Gel-Matrix brain had worked in the robot A.I. they had been testing on with flying colors. Should things go well production use could start as soon as Spring of 2025. When she asked him about the project name he smiled and told her he’d picked up on the word Nexus from all the talks of magic and ley lines. He liked the confluence of ideas it had suggested to him when he thought about it. Ashmadiel made a great project name because no one would guess it or the true friend and partner it obfuscated. He mentioned to Constance about talking with Amanda regarding making a miniature version for human subjects, especially those using cybernetics. Amanda thought it had merit and would run focus groups to check on market viability. Constance mentioned she’d help in any way she could.

Gryphon and Miss Amazing had just arrived in the air above Norwood and tapped their comm units. Gryphon informed A.R.C.H.I.E. & S.T.E.V.E. that they were on shift and would start working the southern half of Brisby that night, barring any emergency calls. Their optimistic replies made Gryphon chuckle, as he thanked them and began his patrol with Miss Amazing. Calling into each precinct as the A.I.s informed them when they crossed jurisdictional boundaries. A group of sirens could be heard in the distance alongside the crack of gunfire. “Duty Calls! Onward!” rang out Ashmadiel’s voice his head as he grinned at his partner and flew off!

Art by: AZ_Artisan
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Thank You

Thank You

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April 5th, 2024 – Friday: Lunchtime

The hell that is the MOTOR VEHICLE DEPARTMENT

“Sherman Faulkner? Man, Shorty, this I.D. looks good! Does Garrick know your his adoptive son now?”

“Umm, not really, but he did offer to adopt me if Richard didn’t. He didn’t say anything did he?” The young teen with the number “5” tattooed on his shoulder was driving the car that was about to be made his. Katherine Davis had made it the one demand of Shorty when she spoke to him. She had begun scanning Garrick’s mind because he was convinced she did it anyway. Peering into Shorty #5’s mind reminded her of how she felt after finding out Michael had cheated on her.

Fear.
Paranoia.
Trust Issues.

“No, Garrick just wants you to have a home, but he thinks of you as a little brother more than a son. It’s why he’s been trying to stay ‘hands-off’ in dealing with anything you need. He wants you to have all the room to grow and become whomever you wish to be.”

“Really? I thought he didn’t like me.”

“He has a sister whom he does not get along with.”

“Adeline.” Katherine looked perplexed when Shorty said he knew how to use the City-Net as well as the next person. They pulled into the parking lot of the M.V.D. location, “Yeah, he’s worried trying to be to involved with you might have the same result. He’s trying Shorty, he left you a spending card with a $1,000 a month on it. He doesn’t have to do anything!” Katherine looked up to the sky as she continued, “Yet, he keeps trying to be available to take care of all of the Shorties. Okay, you do a good job driving so let’s get this sorted, shall we?”

They both got out and went inside. Two hours later both of them walk out looking as though a little bit of their life had been sucked away. Shorty looked at the deed to the car he now owned. Katherine saved him twice from saying the wrong thing acting as his older cousin. She knew Garrick would have wanted her to help make this happen. She was worried about Garrick taking on to much, and this was helping him keep his promise to Shorty as much as showing the teenager that some people keep their word. As they got back in the car Shorty #5 looked at Katherine and gulped.

“Thank you Katherine, this means a lot.”

“No problem just don’t wreck it, or the house.”

They drove away.

Art by: AZ_Artisan
Come watch the next game for our super friends on HippoTV!

You Shouldn’t Have

You Shouldn’t Have

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April 5th, 2024 – Friday: 2:00 AM

Miss Amazing had heard Gryphon mention they should head back after checking his phone. They had just finished up busting a gang looking to move up to color punk status in Drummond. Earlier that night they had stopped some car jackers in Norwood. Whom confused them both when they told the cops they did it to say they got busted by the Gryphon! Garrick/Gryphon was finding his emerging fame very weird.

As they were flying high in the clouds back to Jenga Tower Miss Amazing got the notification on her comm-unit from ARCHIE that they had arrived and could just drop straight down to the roof. They began to descend and Miss Amazing heard her partner tell ARCHIE they were going off shift for the remainder of the evening. Miss Amazing used hand signals to get his attention as they got close. There was a sporty looking aircar on the roof and Gryphon signaled back to land. They landed and he asked if it looked cool to her as much as it did to him? She said yes but wondered why Richard was here. Gryphon said he’d explain when they got inside. He called Optimus to open the roof glass door and they went inside.

Upon an oval table in front of the base of the stairs from the roof was two keys and an envelope addressed to Katherine. Garrick points to it as he dismisses his heroic form and sits on the couch next to the table. As she reads Richard’s letter of how Garrick asked for help getting her an aircar. He wrote that he was hoping she enjoyed the aircar as much as he did her eyes began to go wide. There were several head flips to the segment of the roof that was glass and her jaw dropped, “You did not.. you did not… Oh my fucking god! OMG OMG OMG!!! Garr-bear!”

Garrick just smiled as she began to jump up and down in her outfit. Chuckling he said, “Just promise me to change before you go and check it out. You’ll need to get classes now if you want to drive it on anything other than auto-pilot. Carl may even be able to teach you?”

Katherine and him changed into much more comfortable clothes and they went back up to have her try the key. She began crying when it worked and the inside car had played a voice clip in pre-recorded greeting of HELLO KITTY KAT. Garrick was tackled against the side of the aircar as she got back out of the car from gawking at the luxurious insides. She began kissing him and after a few moments she blinked, having just read his mind. She let go of him gasping, “A $150,000! Why the hell did you spend a $150,000 on me?” He got her to lock up the aircar and he would explain inside. Katherine is completely taken aback by this surprise of his! His answers surprised her even more.

“Kitty Kat, I love you and want you to have the world. While I do love all three of you, each of you need different things. You need a safety net should something happen to me. I got you this car from Richard because it can also drive on the road. It will still look cool as hell and the rims and axles help to deliver the thrust to the vector jets in flight mode. Should I die, and that is a real risk given what we have accepted doing. I want to make sure you have as much of a safety net to fall on as you can have. This house is paid for! That air car is $2500 a month I have already worked into the budget. When I get rent next year for the lease, I’ll pay the remainder and the aircar will be yours free and clear. If I die I sent word to Janosh about making sure to cover it from my estate. Regardless, I think you know now how invested I am in your well being, long term care, and my love and adoration for you.”

Struggling to find the words she watched him continue, “Now I have a small request. Would you please sign your small car over to the Shorty that lives with us. I promised him either yours or a starter car.”

She found the words, “That pervert! Ugh, why?”

“Look, he’s a clone that effectively has nothing, and while I am sure one of them perved on you if not multiples with this he will begin to find independence and be home less often. When he decides to move out or prove to Geist he deserves another shot as Cardinal then having a car will be useful. Besides it would make me happy.”

She sneered playfully at the happy comment, “Dirty pool mister. Okay, fine, I’ll do it at lunch before we meet up with the team in the evening.”

After a passionate showing of her appreciation she laid next to Garrick as he began his short sleep period. He seemed very worried about this new role with C.H.I.M.E.R.A. and she could not say she blamed him given their last battle with Synistry. She knew there was a lot to think about but one thing was for certain, no one would hurt him if she could stop it.

Art by: AZ_Artisan
Come watch the next game for our super friends on HippoTV!

Texts And Chit Chat

Texts And Chit Chat

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April 1st, 2024 – Monday: 2:31 PM

Gryphon was sitting next to Miss Amazing in a diner with Hank the Horse-Man and one intoxicated Rubberband Man. They had left the funeral of Jake Thompson where Victor had brought a case of beer to. Being in front of City Hall many of the super heroes that had shown up had done so in costume. Gryphon was slightly envious of her suit he had created with Granny2Good’s help. She was wearing her mask and had used the technology in it to make it black for mourning.

Gryphon was perturbed Victor had gotten drunk at the public event. Still, he tried looking at it from his angle. Perhaps he had lost his jockey career and now this spokesperson job with Tecate© was the reason he got up in the morning. Maybe he nearly lost that job and now has become hyper vigilant in representation to avoid that circumstance. Now, imagine finding out you’re to replace a hero some 15,000 people showed up to honor them at their funeral. Gryphon acknowledged he could sympathize with the last thought sitting in the diner after finding out S.A.V.I.O.R. was to replace the Centurions! Director Balisong seemed to be having a hard time with the words and Gryphon thought of understudies in Shakespearian plays, the show must go on. He wasn’t happy with his choice of wording but it seem to get them through the meeting.

However, perhaps this was the chance people dream of and few ever get. S.A.V.I.O.R. had to seize this opportunity and then when the Centurions returned they could move up to National level threats while S.A.V.I.O.R. handled Century Station. Ugh, his head was everywhere and he got a reprieve to hold off on the official press release until tomorrow morning. He had a call scheduled, and had been given her direct contact information.

The primary reason for waiting was to see if things could be smoothed over with Black Phantom. Geist appeared to have a handle on it. Today though, an item was clarified for Gryphon when Geist deferred to him as the team leader. Gryphon realized at that moment it wasn’t merely a field promotion but he would lead the team in all aspects. This was something he was going to have to work on finding the balance with Amanda. So much was changing as he received a text from Constance.

[Garrick, I wanted to check on you, honey. A few Google searches and Obelisk is no joke. I spoke with Katherine earlier and made sure she’s doing okay as well. Please let me know you’re doing okay.]

[Honey, I’m doing fine right now, I have been voted as the Team Leader and today was my first trial by fire with the CHIMERA director. It went well and Miss Amazing is with me.]

[Okay, I just miss you. I know Ameera didn’t get to see you last week and with the funeral I suppose this might be my week to not get to see you. I’ll try to visit on Tuesday after helping get Cai through their new-hire process.]

[Yeah I deserve none of you wonderful women, you’re so good to me. I’m helping one of my teammates with an errand before going over to comfort Jake’s sister.]

[Then I will leave you to helping her go through this terrible event. Be safe honey and I love you.]

[Love you back <3.]

When finally put the phone away Hank leaned over a bit and reminded him of a moment between his father and he. “Oh, someone’s finally decided to join us.” Cynthia Faulkner had always disliked distractions at the dinner table, and Garrick had said a very similar statement to his father after her passing. He felt a little embarrassed and just nodded at Hank. After stopping Rubberband Man from rolling away as a ball, and then returning him to Hank and his custom-sized fanny pack. The group headed off to Tecate’s corporate offices in the city. Rubberband Man did indeed sober up by the time they reached there and collected the outfits for a photo shoot.

Seeing the new shirt on Hank, Garrick was thrilled for Horse-Man’s fanny pack because like his centaur pal he was only required to wear a shirt based on precedent. However, his genitals were just out in the open, and on a centaur body it is not as noticeable. However, Hank stood upright and, well, god bless that fanny pack. It was a true hero to be certain. Miss Amazing snapped a few shots of Gryphon flying with Hank hanging on by one of his ankles. Heavens knows you don’t see that everyday. Thank goodness most aircar’s could be programmed with a destination and flew themselves.

Granny’s, or Ethel’s house had some positive issues going on from Garrick’s perspective. Geist had made some headway talking with Black Phantom. Deathwish and he were headed back to the base and would be awaiting the rest of the group there. He shared some information before he left and Garrick/Gryphon heard it but was trying to process how to talk with Victor/Rubberband Man to express his concerns about him being the spokesperson and preventing any embarrassment to the group or the city “if” they decide to take Balisong up and step to the role previously held by the Centurions. It was how Granny left her wake for Jake that had everyone at a loss. There was a phone call in her bedroom on her land line phone. She she went to pick it up there was a green flash and she was gone! Garrick chuckled understanding much better why Shorty asked “again” about Jake’s death.

While he was at Granny’s house he reached out to A.R.C.H.I.E. the base’s A.I. entity. He heard some static and wondered about a connection issue. When he and everyone made it to the base later he made a mental note to check in with Shorty in the next 24 hours in case Shorty #1 now needed a place to stay. He suspected if Jake was indeed not dead and had taken Granny. Then he would also take the Shorties because of his famous phrase – What’s a Jake without his Shorty! He made another mental note to have Geist check in discreetly with any families that had a Shorty placed with them. Revisiting the connection issue made him remind A.R.C.H.I.E. over comms so the whole team heard the conversation, specifically Geist. That he needed to list Hank as a guest so the base defenses would not target him.

April 1st, 2024 – Monday: 5 PM’ish

After being at the base for a few minutes having conversed with Hank throughout the day. Realizing Hank’s development as a human level intellect is around 8 to 12 years of human age, based on his limited observations. Sighing about wanting to help him progress quicker, and knowing nothing there was a quick fix. He asked A.R.C.H.I.E. where everyone was currently. Now he knew based on the response the static was not an effect of location, but of an unknown issue with the computer’s neural gel make-up. Geist mentioned wanting to talk with him about this. Having installed and two copies of Optimus in the last few months (one for Mallic, and one for Richard in his corporate office on a lone server), Garrick felt he could look at the logs to get a better idea. He informed everyone about this also over comms, then he asked Miss Amazing to assist him. Her ability to mimic skills she could see used would allow him to divide the work in half and make it about 10 minutes rather than 20 or 30 by himself.

Miss Amazing lived up to her name as she tore through the diagnostic logs using the knowledge she had for about an hour! When she started asking questions and pointing out things she was finding out a great deal regarding how Garrick thought about things, problems, solutions, and general processing of data. She was very smart herself and realized that he had a genius level IQ. Not Super-Genius like Jake and his father, but he also didn’t require sleep transformed and only three hours when he wasn’t! She began to think of all the things she could accomplish and wondered what did Garrick want. Why was he doing hero work, with his sword’s powers he could solve world hunger or something like that! Between Gryphon, Black Phantom and Beast they were able to determine the hacker was indeed Thanatos.

While Gryphon looked worried Miss Amazing saw him just sigh, make sure everyone knew what he’d be doing and then get to work after asking for a cup of coffee. Miss Amazing was thrilled to go and get that for him. She left Black Phantom in the room with Gryphon and found Geist getting a cup of coffee as well at the machine just outside the kitchen on a small counter area. Instead of returning right away, she took some time to have a small conversation with the Geist.

Art by: AZ_Artisan
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Nightly Banes Of Fate And Faith

Nightly Banes Of Fate And Faith

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March 28th, 2024 – Thursday: 8:30 PM

In the Zericho sub-district of Century Station the Church of Reflections branch located here. Had just seen a massive upheaval as its leader the ‘First Reflector’ had just been eliminated! As Gryphon, dressed still in normal clothing, dragging his two charges to the door would soon learn was another skirmish in the war twixt Light and Dark.

As Caedechron landed because Gryphon had told them that he didn’t know whom John and Stella were. They’ve likely fled outside with everyone else. Just then from Gryphon’s perspective a very confused Hank the mutant horseman came blasting through the doorway nearly knocking Cai over but they held their ground rather well against Hank’s over 7 feet of horse power! Gryphon’s companions, Black Phantom and Rubber Band Man came running up to prevent the altercation from getting any worse. All of them went chasing after this John and Stella individuals B.P. said were critical to neutralizing and interrogating as to their connection to the corrupt ‘First Reflector’

After setting the two he had been carrying outside down. Gryphon, still in normal clothing but his transformed body heads back inside to find three more church members. Covenant has transformed back to Alex the college student. Deciding to treat him like a bystander to keep his cover, while helping people he thought were innocent Gryphon leans over to the college student, “Hey kid, grab that lady and get out of here I saw a guy with a gun! It’s not safe!” Gryphon turned to pick up two men cowering near the stage and all of them head for the main door.

Alex stayed outside and Garrick/Gryphon headed back inside to an empty room. The buffet table still had plenty of food upon it to the right. Most of the chairs were still where people had left them as they scattered during the take down of the ‘First Reflector’ just minutes ago. Eventually he makes his way into a back room where the ash pile that had been known as the ‘First Reflector’ had prepared himself before coming out. Searching the room he overheard a small conversation between Trip and Black Phantom as he located a laptop. When his password hacking attempts failed he got frustrated and used one of his thumb drives and booted to a recent distro of Kali Linux Live USB.

Soon enough he had root access to the machine and quickly found files of a mystical nature. He began moving them off to show to Patsy for later review. She was the magic scholar after all. Through the mystical files he was removing from the laptop, he found what he had hoped and prayed for! This church was on a national and to a small degree a worldwide level given its creation in the 1940’s! It was indeed organized as a cult, and here was damning documents cementing that fact! Including how they financed the deeper non-public level with various illegal endeavors! Apparently there was to be rituals performed on April 8th, across the country! Gryphon aimed to gather it all up and send it to Geist and Director Balisong. Hopefully this would be the smoking gun to stop the Church on a national level from some gigantic group ritual. This took a fair amount of time as everyone else was engaged in their tasks, clean up, and whatever the hell Trip was doing.

Gryphon kept working on scouring this laptop and creating a reference document. A power point with links to the associated documents to bring Geist and Director Balisong up to speed quickly. Black Phantom, Caedechron, Rubber Band Man, and Hank apparently found John and Stella. He believed they were going to the base, which he thought was a stupid idea. Argue about it in analysis paralysis or take a page from Carl’s play book and give those that had the power ammunition to defend the team from the coming public backlash. Gryphon had hoped they would have made the raid after service was over. However, that would be armchair planning and the quote was: ‘To accept everything as it is.’

Overhearing comm chatter, Black Phantom was apparently in the building and gone downstairs to find Trip? It just click for Gryphon that Carl had transformed. As a gamer Trip was recon sniper level in cool, as anything else… Well he was really good at games. Looks like he owed Miss Amazing another dinner since he had to agree with her.

Gryphon had finally finished the power point presentation and sent it along with the incriminating evidence to the two people with the ability to stop a nationwide incident from happening through legal means. Gryphon now had magic, something or other, documents and a wand, maybe something in all of this would help get Patsy home. Given the look she gave him, he started to think maybe he had horribly misread what he thought she felt for him. It would be easier to be just friends the way he was with Mavis Beacon. Perhaps they could still be friends and Miss Amazing, Katherine, could finally calm down? He chuckled at the idea of an interdimensional pen-pal!

When he headed back into the room with the chairs he looked around at the side doors and remembered the one that had some commotion at it on what would’ve been the left if you had just come in from the outside. Entering he found a short hallway with additional doors into small rooms but at the end was indeed a staircase leading down. The din of noise from outside was fading away as he summoned his armor on top of the normal clothing he was wearing. His hand was shaking ever so slightly as he summoned his sword, Ashmadiel. Feeling its comfortable weight he steadied himself and moved forward when Caedechron came of the comm unit in his ear, “Where is everybody? What’s the situation? What’s going on?”

“Hello, hello, umm hello, I am with Caedechron,” said the Rubber Band Man.

Geist replied, “I’m just pulling up to the church. You guys alright? I’m just here to grab those captives. Alex is out here too, entertaining the crowd.”

Gryphon replied, “I’m going down to assist Black Phantom in rescuing Trip, I think, from cultists.”

“Ahh, so we confirmed then there was something going on about this place?”

Nearly cutting Geist off, “I sent you and Director Balisong all the information.”

Caedechron tried to ask, “Okay does anyone…”

Cut off by Rubber Band Man, “Señor Geist the captives are at headquarters.”

[silence for a few moments]

“I must have misheard you about the captives when you asked me to come here. Well, there’s something about the cultists let me come in then.”

Caedechron said, “Yeah, if you could go in with Gryphon we’re on our way.”

“Are they secure?”

Caedechron replied, “They are.”

“Alright. Shorty, Cardinal, make sure you keep an eye on them. The rest of you why don’t you come in on this location.”

Caedechron replied, “Roger that.”

Shorty #5 replied that he’d been kicked out of his office. More silence for a few moments, “You don’t need to be in there to keep an eye on the captives do you?” Shorty #5/Cardinal in training gave a reply Gryphon had to stifle a laugh at. He told Geist no but he was making a sandwich first. Geist was calm, he did not appear frustrated and he kept his words even the way Gryphon did with kids at the center. When he mentioned for everyone else to go then Caedechron mentioned Rubber Band Man and he would find Hank and join them.

Gryphon heads downstairs very slowly and Ashmadiel realizes he is burying his fear that something else might blow him up or kill him. The Celestial watches from the swirling desert inside the sword as he pushes past his fear with each step. He feels shame that he is not brave right now, and yet Ashmadiel sees him not giving up or running from trouble. As he made it to the door on the lower level Gryphon could hear some of his teammates coming up behind him. Steeling his courage to know that his days were to be filled with more near death experiences he flung the door open to squash his fear from shell shock.

Only to run in five feet, clearing the doorway and getting frozen a few inches in the air! People DO NOT transform like that! This felt like a Tokyo Ghoul Anime meets superheroes and all he could think of in his head was, ‘What the hell is all this, looks magic to me!’

Then Hank the Horse-Man was flung through the doorway by Rubber band Man at one turned into a giant bull! As the other members were coming into the room and most were subsequently stunned as he by the metamorphic changes in those present in some sort of ritual gathering. One human began to show sores all over his body in which a few sprouted tentacles! Another looked like a gigantic rat with robotic legs! Then as though this couldn’t get weirder Gryphon heard Alice yell out, “Black Phantom! You stupid racist Gaijin! These are my people, stop fighting!” Apparently they were no longer saving Trip, but Alice now? Was this even becoming a rescue mission anymore?

Then as Gryphon noticed Alice’s location, mirrors in the corners of the room behind her began to darken unnaturally! Before Gryphon could do anything the room began to rebound and reverberate all the noise! Clearly a power Alice had, and then she screamed which made it the only sound he heard. While nearly everyone else whom was here previously appeared to have been blinded by something. Gryphon watched as three of the transformed monstrosities turned invisible. He began to take stock that this situation was still non-violent. As Alice walked away from the mirrors reverted to a normal state. As he began to fly over to one of the mystically invisible human turned monsters he continued to think, ‘Magic, yep definitely magic!’ Gryphon tried tapping the fellow on the shoulder gently to attempt a parley before things get much worse.

Caedechron, was somewhat successful in canceling out some of the reverberation. The recently transformed monster tried to brush Gryphon’s arm off while Hank tried to make peace with the bull. Seemingly unaware his voice would add to the sound reverberation Hank attempted to offer the bull a beer as a peace offering. Gryphon found it odd still, seeing Hank naked except for a shirt. He thought briefly this would make a good comic book! Gryphon tried to respect the personal space of the ‘person’ he tapped on the shoulder. Reminded of his father saying to not judge a book by its cover he was trying – hard – to find a non-violent way through this. In that moment he realized this was still a duel only he wasn’t using a sword, physically! He had new questions for his instructor when he saw him next time.

Gryphon started making the “T” gesture with his hand and mouthing “…TIME OUT, WHOA…” in hopes people would stop and this doesn’t turn into a real fight. His sword, Ashmadiel, is transformed back to an ornate armband, which looks like angelic ornamentation upon the bracer on his left arm. Geist got into the room and called out, “Alright everyone, clam down!”

Gryphon heard someone in the room cry out, “Oh! By the night!” Everything then went dark! ‘Well,’ Gryphon thought it was nice that at some point the sonic reverberations had stopped. Then Gryphon heard the sound of rushing hooves moving farther away from him. He wasn’t sure if it was Hank the Horse-Man or the monstrous bull running away? Gryphon summoned his sword to regain the power of heat vision while he held it, because all he could make out where the shapes of those that were mystically invisible. Once heat signatures similar to a certain alien predator movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger were visible as he held Ashmadiel once again made him re-think, ‘Yep this is definitely magic.’

Geist yelled out in a more reasonable tone, “We need to hold off! S.A.V.I.O.R. let’s stand down!”

From inside his head, “I have seen many strange things in my existence. And you do not forget the look of those who are the bane of the night. These people here they are not like you, they are not like others, they are Nightbane. They are those who will fight against the darkness of the other world. They are our allies.”

With a deep breath Gryphon cries out, “Everybody! These people fight against Night Lords!”

From out in the darkness the heat shape that resembled Hank the Horse-man asked, “So they fight Dracula?”

To which the Rubber Band Man replied, “No, Señor Hank, they fight Chupacabra!” There was no heat signature for him in this room though – did he not give off any heat?

At this point the darkness vanished and the group leader said to Caedechron’s plasma arm cannon pointed at him but still blinded from some event earlier, “We just wanted to help Trip, what it happening?” The room finally looked to Gryphon as though they may avoid an all out slug-fest! It looked as though there was an opportunity to address everyone again.

Gryphon states, “Okay, okay, putting it away!” A brief pause as the swirl golden mercury once again transforms the sword back onto the vambrace on his left arm, “These are Nightbane, they’re our allies. They fight against Night Lords!”

“Like Dracula,” asked Hank?

“Yeah, like that,” replied Gryphon.

“So are they from the ‘Belmont’ family,” asked Hank?

“Kinda, but I didn’t play that video game all the way through,” replied Gryphon.

Caedechron calls out, “This one is not what he appears! He’s fighting with the Night Lords.”

As Gryphon turned his head to see the man in question lunged for Caedechron snarling, “I’ll tear you to pieces!”

ZAP! The smell of electricity and burning flesh took to the air as Caedechron fired in self-defense with a direct hit from his plasma arm-cannon! This individual had managed to punch his body armor leaving a respectable dent on Caedechron. However, the plasma arm-cannon was a point blank into his face! The resulting explosion quite literally covers the room in far more blood than would seem possible! Huge globs of a dark reddish viscous liquid hit everyone, with varying sizes of bodily chunks tagging quite a few in the room. Gryphon had been never more thrilled to be flying. However, from the middle of his chest down to his boots he had been hit with the gore, viscera, was that a toe?

Gryphon looked up hoping to diffuse the current situation, “Okay, so who needs a shower?” [Silence] “Okay, rough room tonight.”

Alice replied slowly also a little taken back by the recent explosion, “Uhh, everyone.”

Black Phantom started to ask, “Okay, with Con-dick gone. Who’s in charge now? Step up.” He watch the monstrosities begin to retake their human forms, so he holstered his weapons. Provided something didn’t attack the city tomorrow Gryphon pictured a night of him cleaning his weapons. As he was holstering so covered in blood, Alice, also dripping gore walked up and asked if she could trust him. Gryphon said nothing, just ‘accepting everything as it was’ and letting two adults once again sort out their differences by talking. He had a quiet hope seeing them talk would inspire similar actions in the others once they came out of shock. He looked down at the blood once again and slowly clenched down his fists, internally repeating, ‘This isn’t me. This isn’t me. This isn’t me.’

Poor Alice and Rubber Band Man were just trying to catch up to all the weird this year had been so far. When she asked for the Beast to be brought out. Gryphon saw a nearly comic level of shock come over Rubber Band Man’s face, as he appeared to see it as a sexual reference. The former jockey turned superhero was not deterred in trying to safeguard the young Japanese looking girl in just the top half of a authentic Green Hornet ‘Kato’ uniform. He wrapped himself around B.P. when Gryphon tried to explain how Alice, Trip, and the Beast were multi-faceted manifestations of a core identity. Alas, he was unsuccessful but told B.P. to continue and then he would understand.

“Hey everyone, I’m going to go and prepare a room for everyone, I’ll be right back,” Caedechron stated.

“Señor Robot Man, never go alone, please take someone with you!”

“It’s fine I’ll be right back,” Caedechron told him and effectively everyone as they leave.

Just then Alice changes into the brownish, sandstone colored, rock-scaled, six-limbed, now bald, Beast.

“Dios Mio!” The Rubber Band Man let go of Black Phantom (B.P.) and stretched quite a distance away.

“That’s what I was trying to tell you,” Gryphon replied with a wave of his hand as more gore flecked off of it, internally repeating, ‘This isn’t me. This isn’t me. This isn’t me.’ “The centaur, the little girl, the monster are all the same person.”

“No comprender,” replied the Rubber Band Man is somewhat stuttering speech.

“Se habla monster español,” asked Gryphon hoping simple words might help focus the poor guy clearly not used to how weird it can get. It failed, kinda, as it did get others talking.

Hank asked, “We’re good right? Because I need some dessert.”

Gryphon turn, “Oh hi! You’re Hank, right?” He smiled and waved at the mutant Horse Man, and his gore soaked top. Seeing Gryphon try and be upbeat made a few people in the room chuckle at the exchange in the now macabre surroundings.

Hank replied, “Yeah.”

“Nice to finally meet you,” Gryphon floats over and he shakes Hank’s hand. The Geist walks up to us both but addresses the room, “S.A.V.I.O.R., let’s take a moment here. Everybody this is Hank, he’s joining us alongside Victor.”

Stuttering Victor aka: Rubber Band Man interjects, “Que le paso a la niña? What happened to the little girl?”

In perfect Spanish, granted unto him by his sword, with a flawless accent, “El centauro, la niña pequeña, la bestia son todos la misma persona.” While this inter-lingual exchange was happening the Beast walked over and thanked two of the Nightbane for taking care of Carl. Gryphon realized that this was the first time they responded to anything spoken amongst them. He could understand the shock, the gore disassociating them from the present moment. When they talked it was calmer than he thought it would be, which Gryphon found encouraging. They mentioned needing to figure things out for themselves as they looked around. Then they emphasized that he, the Beast, was not alone and he needed to know that.

“I have Dissociative Identity Disorder. There are four of me,” chuckled the Beast as he tried to explain the issue. A few more of the Nightbane, all of the ones left were back into their human forms. They came around to the Beast and one of the two talking with him nodded and agreed that would explain it, or some of it. “Carl, was the primary personality before our first change when we were 16.” Another of the Nightbane asked if that was when his mind broke, and the Beast mentioned he has strong suspicions someone helped it break. He went on to mention a Pharmacologist that was prescribing drugs to Carl in hopes of stopping the change. Everyone in the exchange chuckles a bit when they mentioned that it clearly didn’t work.

Gryphon floats over to the Nightbane nearest to him, “Um, excuse me you are Nightbane that fought the Nightlords right? Or are you younger versions of them?”

The one Gryphon had spoken to turned and replied, “What, you said that earlier, what, no we didn’t fight…”

“But you are Nightbane, right?”

“Yeah its what we’ve been told,” said the one speaking to him and another one now listening, nodding to each other, “That would explain our weird abilities here.”

Black Phantom interjected and explained about the captives: John & Stella. Only to find out both of them were Nightbane as well. Both Black Phantom and Gryphon found out as everyone else was listening that these Nightbane explained the ‘First Reflector’ created the whole church. The Nightbane seemed perplexed when Gryphon explained he had been corrupted and was working with the Nightlords, also that he was dead as well. The Nightbane said they knew the Nightlords were the rulers of the Nightlands and they were trying to get back to the homeland they had originated from!

Everyone now looked confused, but no one looked like they were ready to fight. The night was officially looking up to Gryphon, whom was keeping his blood soaked hands down so he didn’t have to look at them. He was saved from his internal monologue by the Beast talking, “Yeah, I know a lot about ‘Super Hero Lore’ which includes a number of things that are similar to superheroes, like the Nightbane. At least in all the old tales the Nightbane were revolting against the Nightlords, they didn’t work with them.”

“Well…, We were told differently by Conrad, and the ‘First Reflector.’ That we would be welcomed back to the Nightlands.” replied at least three of the Nightbane. They continued on by various ones in their group, “We were told the Nightlands were our home. That we’re trying to get back to. Because we’re not normal people, like you,” gesturing at the Beast, “… The Nightlords would welcome us. We had been sealed away from this dimension for a long time. At least, well, at least decades.”

Gryphon watched as the Beast spoke up, “Well, let me point something out. A member of our team had been given super powers to seek after a great supernatural evil, somebody who was seeking to end the world. His powers were designed for one thing and one thing only. When he confronted the ‘First Reflector’ he recognized his ancient enemy. A single shot from his specially prepared weapon killed him and completely destroyed his body.”

During that statement Victor and Hank head out of the room followed by Geist as Black Phantom asks, “So are John & Stella Nightbane or Nightlords?” Confused slightly the group responds that they’re Nightbane, and when B.P. tries to get them to clarify. They remark that nothing is certain right now because everyone is telling them that all or at least part of everything they knew was wrong. Gryphon was relying on complete faith of what Ashmadiel had told him, and it had appeared to be correct, making him look “in the know” far more than he was. He had been waiting to find a nice quiet time to try what he was about to attempt. It was taking a page from Aaziakel’s play book. He remembered how resplendent he made Patsy look. He hoped trying this now would appeal to his celestial guardian’s sense of seeking to right wrongs. Into his mind he went to speak with her.

 

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Art by: AZ_Artisan

 

Cardinal Rising

Cardinal Rising

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March 28th, 2024 – Thursday: After 8 AM

The Geist answered his phone, “Hello, Gryphon, shouldn’t you be resting still?”

“Oh, I still am but I am waiting to change back till tomorrow just to be safe. Oddly enough, I kinda need your help with some items and you may need a list?”

“Sure, how can I help?”

“First, Shorty #5 and I have been talking and I wanted to see if you’d consider taking him as your ward and training him to be the new Cardinal? Either you or I could adopt him, and he’s aware he may have to move in with you if you decide to provide his training. Okay, next item.”

“Wow, you aren’t messing around.”

“If you adopt Shorty #5, I think #1 will continue to live with Granny2Good, but I think its #4 that lived with Jake and for now he can stay in a spare room, but eventually we’ll need to find him a home as well.”

“Right, I’ll see what I can do about that one.”

“Last item is a two parter, I checked and I can easily afford to finance an air car for Miss Amazing and pay for lessons. It might have to be one from last year or the one before that. $150,000 can easily be done over the next five years or a standard car loan. I need it to be a surprise and I was hoping you might know a good person to buy from or you had an old one laying around? I need to rent a billboard for a month in the sub-district our base is located in. I just need it to say ‘Kat is Awesome!’ and nothing else.”

“Finally, something simple! Let me make some calls and I’ll see what I can do about helping with those two.”

Gryphon thanked him for his time and that he was going back to lie down. Geist told him he’d give the Cardinal idea some thought before an answer. They hung up and sleep took the healing hero.

The Scientist And The Swordsman

The Scientist And The Swordsman

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March 24th, 2024 – Sunday

Jake had mentioned needing three days in our world to prep a way to stop the Atorians in the dimension Gryphon called Earth Three. Everyone came home in the first few hours of the 24th of March, 2024. Jake tapped Gryphon on the arm and said he wanted to talk on Monday when his work had a window. Gryphon nodded, saying he’d be available, he bid Granny2Good thank you for the lovely dinner. He then said his goodbye’s to all present, asked Katherine for her hand, transforming back to Garrick. Both of them heading for his truck to proceed home.

Katherine was quiet watching him drive on the way back to their home. He sat in the truck after their arrival and just whispered, “Dad, how would you make this right? I’m stumped!” He never even noticed Katherine go and come back with a mug of coffee that had the Transformer’s Autobot symbol on it. Shorty #5 knew something was up when Katherine asked him to find Garrick’s favorite coffee cup. He got the quick rundown about the other, slightly ahead, dimension that revealed something really screwing with Garrick’s psyche right now.

What had bothered Katherine the most was seeing the Gryphon taken down when he heard Mallic Robotics had gone under. She was worried for him and putting her concern about Patsy still being in this dimension on hold. When he finally laid down to sleep she could sense Ashmadiel whispering soothing things inside his head. The sword kept telling him to rely on his friends for aid and support. That they were partners and that means not letting the other down when things get rough.

When he woke up it was almost noon! He heard Constance say, “Katherine, he’s opening his eyes, let Ameera know she’s getting a new pot ready.” “On it,” Garrick heard Katherine reply.

Realizing he was half dressed, Garrick understood how awkward Patsy must have felt when she found out she’d been saved again. It was only a few seconds and he was FULLY awake! The woman he was worried most about leaned into view, “Honey, I love you, and Katherine gave me the rundown about you both going to another dimension! Tell me about what happened to us there after you eat something.” Garrick sits up to food and tea from Ameera. Katherine and Ameera sit and listen to his recounting of Miss Amazing’s and the Gryphon’s trip! Including the rundown of what 6 months in the future does to Mallic Robotics at news from that Geist of Earth Three. Garrick is careful to use “Hero identities” for Ameera and Constance’s benefit. Constance is troubled by the news regarding Earth Three’s Blake Masters. She kisses Garrick on the cheek as Ameera explains she told the Norwood Knights that today was dealing with personal issues.

Brandon arrived about 30 minutes after Constance calls him. Garrick gives him the thumb drive saying he knows these files are named identically to the naming conventions we use in this dimension. Brandon thanks him and said Constance made him a small script to check the names for matches and then to verify if anything had been copied to an external drive. Brandon thanks him for looking out for the company, him, and his sister. When he thinks everyone is busy he leans in, “Buddy, I don’t know what super powers you have but, Wow! oooOOOWWWWW!”

Constance is small next to her brother and hasn’t yanked his ear in a long time, “Brandon, don’t you have a company to save from corporate espionage thanks to Garrick? Besides the fact that the people with the information were trying to prevent another Alpha Prime moment. They also have a follow up meeting with him on Monday, so he’ll be off that day to make sure he doesn’t miss it. Oh, and brother, dear, you might want to take notes to avoid a third ex-Mrs. Mallic,” Brandon nodded as Constance let go of his ear, “Okay, oww. Well, provided Pavek had no part in this someone else is getting a promotion.” Brandon headed off to his office to run the scripts and verify whom was and was not involved.

Once things settle down Constance takes Ameera home and tells Garrick she’ll see him at 10 PM. Katherine sees him behaving more upbeat and asks him how he’s feeling. “Well, about average, Ashmadiel has been great about about reminding me I’m not alone anymore. All of you have been great about making sure there was a way through the fire I saw my life turning into once again. You were able to brace others for news that would wreck some people. Constance, is the best crisis manager I have ever known. Ameera has this soothing aura around her wherever she goes and I think Ethel and her must know the same stuff about teas. I forgot to thank you this morning for bringing me coffee, and being sweet enough to do so in a Autobot mug.” Katherine made a mental note Shorty #5 got one free pass in the future for something dumb because of his help.

When Garrick asked her what she wanted to do she paused and asked if he wanted to watch the Wonder Woman movie? Then she’d watch Transformers with him, he could even invite Shorty for the Transformer stuff. She watched him perk up and run down stair to tell Shorty #5. She smiles because it was the first night they really hung out like a family. Garrick even showed Shorty #5 how to toss pizza dough, make a mess, and do it two more times till they got it right. At 9:30 PM Garrick watched him go back down stairs with the last two slices and hit the next raid online. She finally understood his obsession with the Optimus Prime voice even if it was still weird. After he left she sent a text to Geist that Gryphon seemed better having rested. She sent another text to Constance he was on his way and just let her know he got there in one piece. She looked up about 20 minutes later to see the confirmation from Constance.

Constance, met him at the door in a long silk robe. She had him change into one and told him tonight they were going to relax and he was going to get rewarded for saving all her hard work from being used against them. Then she grabbed his chin, “So help me if I wake up alone tomorrow…” never finishing the sentence but kissing him.

March 25th, 2024 – Monday

Brandon fires Blake Masters first thing Monday morning after finding evidence that he transferred files from their system to an external device. Blake’s firing is loud and the police are brought in to escort him off the premises. Brandon opts to not press charges though, he creates a little power point presentation about corporate espionage and sends it out to the company. Everyone is required to click the link at the end acknowledging watching it. Constance and Garrick know that he had been planning on doing that until Garrick got back with the bombshell from his meeting with Jake.

When the Scientist and the Swordsman met at lunch time. Jake looked like what Garrick used to on the film sets. However, there was one noted missing aroma, the stench of various alcohols! The smell of coffee came from the flask this when Jake would partake. Jake explain the initials were a deliberate attempt to make Garrick think of his dad. While Jake didn’t know him he did admire how much he pushed science and therefore the collective intelligence of the human race. Garrick had become distracted from that goal by events in his life and he was here to offer him a top position next to Amanda Surges and Starbucks Guy!

He produced a document about excepting the position and Garrick mentioned he had not expected this direction! Jake had one goal, to get Garrick back to working on science and pushing the boundaries once more. Garrick was excited but loyal to the people who gave him his second chance when he needed it most. He hand wrote the addendum on the back of Jake’s copy and his. Jake and he both signed each one, stating Garrick would turn in his two weeks when there was an offer to buyout Mallic on the table. Later, Garrick made sure that part of the video had a copy off line stashed where he kept various other recordings. Jake explained using the Starbucks Guy to make sales they had managed to snag Mallic’s largest account. He was hoping this could be leverage that might make them amenable to the buyout. Garrick mentioned that by absorbing Mallic they could get the already up and running factory which would expand at the start of next month when he moved out. Jake told him when he came on board he could change the name to what he wanted.

  • Amanda would be the VP of Operations
  • Starbucks Guy would become VP of Sales
    • Brandon would work under him as a Director of Sales.
  • Jake mentioned wanting to replace the current H.R. employee because of outbursts. They both laughed but Constance could either work with Garrick or fill that role.
  • Garrick would be Director of Innovation and R&D.
    • In the event of Jake’s passing the title of CEO would pass to Garrick.

Garrick signed both contract copies and that point and so did Jake.

Constance listened to his proposal and watched him get passionate about how this merger could help in the long run, Mallic/Faulkner Robotics. When she brought up Garrick just went from wanting to divorce himself from Mallic to wanting to be a partner. He mentioned he was trying to make sure in the longterm survivability of the company and still help as the hero: Gryphon. Constance watched Garrick get passionate about trying to convince her – did he really not realize how seductive he was being?  She tried to distance herself from that by playfully chiding him about it, asking if now was really the best time for that? She’s deep in thought about what this means for them and how this could work. Mallic is still working to expand into the full building before the move begins on the 1st. She’d have to talk with her brother of course, but this has potential and she can see it working out.

In the afternoon on Monday, Constance finds out that Hideyoshi Motors decided to go with “Mallic’s cheaper competitor. It’s nothing personal.” Manufacturing Hideyoshi’s robotic parts was a large percentage of the manufacturing Mallic performed, and while losing it wouldn’t drive them out of business it would be a loss that is felt. Of course, this comes as no big surprise based on everything Garrick learned recently. Constance notes as she heads off to discuss the proposal with Brandon that they would not loose anything if they went with Garrick’s offer. When she mentioned this conversation might take time. Garrick said he needed to talk with precinct captain in Norwood as Gryphon about his 24-hr crime fighting marathon on the end of the month. They decided to make it up to each other tomorrow with lunch together before heading their separate ways.

Shorty 5 Is Alive

Shorty 5 Is Alive

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March 23rd, 2024 – Saturday 7 PM

Shorty #5 Was getting back to Garrick’s Home at the last third of the Mallic Robotics building. There was a note, a physical, ink on paper note on top of the huge smart table in front of his room in the basement. He sighed and wondered what had happened now. He picked it up and upon reading found that Garrick had left a larger letter on his bed.

Shorty Five,
Buddy, you’ve done so good in school and I’m proud of you. I know how jittery you and your cousins can get when people ask you questions or, well, make eye contact when you talk to them. I thought a letter would let you process my question better. What I have to say is meant for you #5. Not #1 whom is Ethel’s concern, or #4 whom is Jake’s concern.

Do you want to be a superhero?

Stop, think this through, do a risk assessment because it is not fun and games. There’s work involved more than you might think. I don’t expect an answer when I get home. Take some time and think about it. If your answer ends up being ‘NO’ then throw the letter away. If it ends up being ‘YES’ then read on because I won’t move forward on any of this without your consent.

Still here, okay then.

My father told me you can achieve your dreams if you help the people around you achieve theirs. It’s part of the reason I help Jake and S.A.V.I.O.R. out. Would you like to know a secret though? I’m still figuring out my new life and what my dreams are, and that’s okay. Adults rarely have all the answers and often were just trying to not repeat mistakes we made growing up. I have just started to realize it might be okay to be happy again.

I know I am getting to the superhero part, patience. If you’re reading this then you agreed to come along for the full story. I will endeavor to make it worth your time.

First, you’ll need a secret identity to hide in when you begin this line of work. Now ‘Shorty-5’ is an option but suggests at the minimum there are four siblings if not more for the super villain to find and hurt in order to get to you. I am going to try and adopt you so we can make your identity legitimate. My back up plan for adoption is Richard so your new last name would either be Faulkner or Grey. Now either way this goes Richard is still a big part of the plan. Never fear though I have a plan B option should that not work. Now there is a reason for the adoption. It will make it easier to pass you off as my 16 year old adopted kid for your driver’s license. Which may or may not involve getting the learner’s permit first. This is the reason for an actual first name which will be [Name] followed by Faulkner or Grey for the surname.

Second, I will be talking to Katherine about buying her a new car. Now the more paperwork people can find on you the easier it is to legitimize your identity. For her, if I’m the co-signer on a car her in her name as primary. Her name will now have a house and car attached to it. I am hoping to then have her sign her Smart Fortwo car over to you. Adding to the paperwork of the adoption to your identity. My concern if anyone found out how you were created you would loose your legal rights and be treated as property. I know it’s easy to think that Jake, Ethel, or I would always be there to protect you. However, I’m trying to make you ready for that moment when we are not there.

Now to be fair trying to get Katherine a new car will happen no matter what. It’s whether or not you get her’s is the part I’ll be waiting on your answer for. Now, your first car is often never cool, but this car would be yours alone and you would not be required to share it.

Third, aging and growth. I don’t know if you were engineered to age and grow. Given how tall Jake and how short Ethel is I suspect there is a recessive gene for dwarfism within your genetic makeup. This may be something we need to address with Jake or you could have a growth spurt soon and this be nothing. However, if there are answers to how this might play out you should know so you can learn to deal with these potential issues accordingly.

Fourth, mentors and training. My Plan A is to ask the Geist to train you to be the next Cardinal. Before you worry about Jake and wearing a costume the Geist and the Cardinal have an interesting history and tradition. The ‘next few pages’ are what I remember of it. It could be an amazing opportunity for you if he agrees to it. It may require you living with him, it may not. The plan B is I train you which would mean building you a suit similar to the one you have been trading on and off. Only I would probably add laser canons and a plasma sword. Because hey plasma swords are cool am I right?

Fifth, be yourself. This is the hardest part is learning to find your own path in the world. Jake can help you but will expect compensation in some form or fashion. Most people in the world will expect something: favors to be called upon later, payment in some form of currency, or trade / time to equal what they feel they put into helping you. I want you to be able to not owe anyone for your life. Make your own choices, and hopefully be a decent person. I also accept that the choice right for you I may not agree with, but I will respect your sovereignty as a living creature to make it.

Let me know when you’re ready.

Sincerely your friend,

Garrick

Come watch the next game at: HippoTV!
Art by: AZ_Artisan

 

Trembling Hearts

Trembling Hearts

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Sunday – 11th of February, 2024

“Nicholas, wait a second,”

Professor Nicholas turns back to the blue haired woman approaching him in Everette College sweats to hide her outfit underneath, “Yes, Katherine?” He’d just taken off his long coat and put it in his trunk and was buttoning his blazer over the vest he wore as Zeau.

“Please don’t hold it against Garrick. He was with Jake, and we both know he’s crazy enough to steal a starfighter.”

“Well, there’s two positives I can deduce from this. A) You should be happy to know that when he thought “you” might be in danger he came for you, just done smarter. B) We can both take solace that he referred to “us” when he mentioned Jake and Granny2Good. Therefore he likely came with the rest of the team, and learned from running off on his own, he can be taught.”

They both chuckle at the last part and mention they’ll catch up again soon enough. Katherine heads to her Smart Fortwo car while Nicholas heads back to the get some work before heading home. “He came for me!” She kept saying all the way back to home. She realized as she was pulling into the fenced yard that she just called Garrick’s place home! It had only been two days but it had felt like an eternity since she left him on Friday.

Swiping her badge, the familiar click of the unlocked door, and she pulls the door open to head inside. Her eyes adjust quickly as she bounds across the ground floor avoiding the numerous workout machines surrounding the training mat. There he is, her boyfrien…
…why is that half-dressed bitch kissing her man? They make eye contact and her anger is mounting visibly on her face. “Garrick, thanks it was a wonderful time…,” the half dressed woman walks away seemingly unconcerned about her potential nudity! Katherine’s eyes dart back and forth between Garrick and the slut whom is about to die.

Pointing at the woman walking away Garrick exclaims, “That’s a man!”

Black Phantom in the process of taking off some of his gear begins to laugh, “Yeah, that’s so much better!”

Just then the woman in the torn clothing is nearing the bathroom as her hair changes color, she bulks up to 6′ 7″ and grows and extra set of arms! A second or two later Katherine is staring at the Beast. Her angry expression melts away to confusion as Garrick points again, “See! I told you its a dude!” Black Phantom smirks as he heads over to Jake and they talk about some of the items picked off the deceased. Garrick can’t stop starring at Katherine’s new blue hair. In his mind he is wondering how hair color makes her look even more amazing.

Garrick remembers the usb stick and he inserts it into the table and grabs one of the tablets plus four of the eight monitors on the data pole at the table’s center. Aside from the documents dictating a disturbingly clear plan to mind control students through these psychology experiments. Katherine hugs Garrick when she sees that! Covenant and he explain the cops have all of it because these the are copies of the laptop files Garrick made from his house. What they found next was shared with everyone! It would appear there’s a figure of apparently unknown repute to our heroes. This individual is selling powers to people that can pay his price! Apparently, Dr. Crosby acquired his power of mind control from the individual only known as “The Dealer” to their clients. Katherine then leaned over his shoulder to read along as her blue ponytail fell down into his peripheral view. Everyone got the hint when the next sentence Garrick blurted out was…

“…I REALLY like blue!”

Garrick’s face turned eight shades of crimson, a fact Katherine did not miss and she whispered, “Boy, you sure are hot mister G.” Ad-libbing a line from a cartoon character she had seen once, many years ago. Bounding off upstairs leaving an even redder face Garrick to awkwardly bid everyone a wonderful day but he had some “research” to work on. The Shorties had already disappeared into the basement and the online world of Gizergleam and Worlds Online. After Garrick saw the last guest off he walked into exercise mat and floated up towards the second floor catwalk balcony. He found Katherine sitting on his bed and he asked if she was okay?

“I’m sorry I worried you, your thoughts though weren’t hard to read. I was worried my actions brought me back to the attention of the organization I’ve been on the run from, so I left to find out what happened to me and make sure nothing bad happened to my Garr-Bear.” Katherine shakes her head for a second, looking into Garrick’s mind she’s caught off guard by some of his more lewd thoughts as to why he thinks he likes the blue hair so much. She waits for a few seconds he apologizes being distracted by the fact somehow she got even prettier!

Katherine told him she got Zeau involved because as a teacher he’d be able to help her on campus. “Garr-Bear, please don’t be jealous though! There’s no room in my life for another man, so please don’t think that I would be cheating on you!”

Katherine saw the amorous look drain off his face and one of concern replaced it. When he called her ‘Baby’ though, there was a quiet confidence he’d not displayed before. “Look, you’re my first girlfriend at 27 years of age. However, as a scientist, I tried to study any relationship I could identify in hopes of making me a better husband one day.”

When Garrick said ‘husband’ looking her in the eye she saw a silhouette of her in a gown in his mind. His face grew older in her perception of its features. The vision of her was gone replaced by what she could only describe as a modern scene of Sodom from the bible! Naked men surrounding Garrick and taunting him from the shadows with gestures ranging from wholesome to extremely lewd. He continued, “All my previous experience in relationships comes from watching inmates in relationships. I don’t feel the being gay is a factor actually. I saw monogamous couples, harem styles (though slavery might be a better term), poly pairings (3-way groups or “V’s”, quads or four people), straight up internal prison prostitution. What I took away from that was sex was not just for love.”

Katherine saw that act as the highest form of love between a couple. She felt so sad understanding how shattered Garrick’s heart must have become from his every loss he’s suffered. Maybe he’s forgotten how to love so he’s grabbed a bit from wherever he could find a morsel.

“It could be just a stress reliever for a bad day, it could be a commodity, and it could be done between friends and never lead to anything else.”

Couples used it to deepen their own commitment to each other, and he thought of it as a handshake option!? Only pimps and whores used it as currency! Oh my did she have her work cut out for her! Then there was the erotically charged poetry and harlequin romance novels he read in prison. Oh dear god what did he consider a “hall pass” to be? Katherine had envisioned him getting drunk for certain and sleeping in, but she was starting to see how different his frame of reference was.

He continued, “The simple trick was being completely honest about each of your expectations and checking in with your respective partner or partners to make sure everyone’s needs were being met.”

Did he just reduce an intimate relationship down to a therapy session with result updates? The concepts he’s proposing are good but can be applied to any relationship. He’s obviously never had a caring monogamous relationship since she was his first. If he’s an honest scientist then time with her should make him reassess his views! A plan began to form in her mind.

Onward he went with shocking revelation after the next, “Hypothetically, if you had wanted to have sex with Nick / Zeau I would have a few requirements:

  1. We all meet and know each other a bit better.
  2. Make sure he’s okay with the fact I would not be involved due to my hang-ups.
  3. You’d let me know when you’re going and coming home, especially if it was overnight.
  4. We spend some time afterwards just so we make sure our feelings as a couple don’t suffer and don’t get brushed under a rug.
  5. That we both would study and work on “ethical non-monogamy” to make sure honesty, trust, compassion, and love are the cornerstones of our relationship. Which I feel is good advice for any type of couple or pairing.
  6. If you chose to pursue that I would likely find another person in my spare time for a friends with benefits relationship, because no one could replace the feelings I have for you or ever take your place in my heart. You can bank on that.

She pulled him close and hugged him realizing that her anger was really placed on those that had violated him. It was becoming clear to her that since the torture and rape was in regards to his sword. He may not even know to be on the run from the people in Black Phantom’s vision regarding the Wayfarer. Garrick had said many times to her that he was broken and why would anyone want him. She can tell what he is thinking and therefore should be able to mend him better than anyone else. Certainly better than Patsy, the horrible-house maid, Palmer. She envisioned him as a Kintsukuroi project that had just begun!

They lay down just slept, wrapped up in each other.

9:00 PM

They woke up about 90 minutes prior and began to get dinner together and trying to talk about non-superhero related things. Garrick has one of the eight or so white boards (a couple were transparent) normally in the basement up in the kitchen and would jot down notes about a micro reactor while he was cooking up food for them both. She felt things were starting to get back to normal, so she felt if she read his mind while asking him a question she’d see his thought process at work as he answered. She expressed the hope that Garrick’s hall pass the other night to have a fun night out with the group without her went better than her night did.

Garrick was honest about about how much he had fallen for her even farther than before. That she trusted him with no restrictions for an evening and then come back to her! Katherine now understood what he considered a “hall pass” for certain. When he talked about getting drugged she was watching most of his thoughts were on a man named Thad, but when he added the parts about the group telling him their experiences her thoughts went to the bar staff. It was the only common factor in all the drinks.

Then she learned about his conversation with Stefania as she watched and he charmed her even though he mentioned he had a girlfriend! Apparently when Garrick mentioned he had not had the exclusivity of their relationship stated she pressed on getting to know him. This girl reminded Katherine of a younger, hotter version of Patsy! Then she hears the gunshots as Garrick remembers it. She sees Garrick launch into armored Gryphon and begins saving Stefania and her friends. She can see everything skewed and knows he is in fact high based on the memory images that come as he goes through each detail he is straining to get right.

Then she finds herself trying to not show the body movements as Garrick describes the feeling of being touched. As Katherine sees the colors and trembling reminders in his mind he’s got to be a hero and not screw anyone! He didn’t want to violate his prior promise of insulting Katherine regardless of the “hall pass” gift. Oh my god! He considers the hall pass and ability to fornicate outside the relationship an item that can be a gift? She had never intended for him to get a coupon to a whorehouse! Once at Stefania’s house she gets the full run down as Garrick struggles to remember the details. However, to Katherine it was like reliving a nightmare because it was becoming painfully clear he did not associate sex with love in the slightest! He wasn’t even jealous of Zeau because she could still pick up thoughts he never felt he was good enough for anyone! That’s why he just assumed anyone interested in him would always seek a second partner or more to become satisfied!

What did she have to do to show him he was enough for her? After dinner she said she needed to sleep and she went into the other room on the second floor and shut the door. She just didn’t know how to tell him how painful everything he had said was. Katherine was worried because she couldn’t sense or see any falsehood about what he discussed. His tact though and his delivery was almost to factual. She was worried he might hold back in the future if he knew how hurt she was. That her efforts to please him physically were not associated with how she loved him.

Love. It was the first time she had really said it regarding him. Did those college girls think it was fun to take advantage of him? Did they even think of it as consent or not consent? Given his time in prison did Garrick think this was the way it worked or did he even feel taken advantage of? His father was gone most of the time and if he didn’t follow Cuthbert around by founding Dalus Dome. He’d have to endure countless attempts by his sister, Adeline, trying to kill him. Reading his mind he had tried to set boundaries to make sure he didn’t do anything wrong, however, his boundary was the moment something went inside another person regardless of location. Anything else up to that point was considered fair game! She began to loop her thoughts in a raging cyclone, crying and eventually just screaming until hoarse. It was midnight when she fell asleep.

Monday – 12th of February, 2024

 

Morning, she open her door and walked into a streamer of 3M clear tape. Thinking about which Shorty was about to die! She untangle herself and walked into a folding chair and square matching table. There was a number of plates with covers on them and a folded card. Hand written on the card was: 8:53 AM – Eat or refrigerate by 12 AM. Your Boyfriend <3. She saw that everything was food she told him she like during breakfast. She saw the bedazzled cased Pearphone X she’d given Jake to fix was on the table! Looking back at the tape a folded paper was on its end with a double sided note.

“Kitty Kat,

It’s hard for me not to be self deprecating if I feel I screwed up. I cook, however, the burrito place says hi and that’s where the flan came from. They told me you get it on your cheat day. I went out on patrol last night. I also wanted some time to think, and I feel I owe you an apology.

At first I thought the “hall pass” was your faith in me to do whatever and then come home to you! I was elated beyond words! It is the reason I let things go as far with the girls because not long after being there. My sword had purged me of the drug in my system. I (this was my mistake) assumed you read my mind all the time because of your ex-husband. I’ve been wondering for some time how heroes that lie about their identity maintain a relationship? Maybe being polyamorous was a path to making that work.

Full disclosure, I often don’t think I’m enough to make such an amazing woman happy. After all if you take the sword away I’m just a nerd. My father and Jake are the real geniuses. As my sister would say I’m just a poser. A perfect example of this was not having any clue you were in to me. I was fine just being friends with you. You were as amazing to me as you are beautiful so I was not surprised when I screwed up sharing to much. Not including Patsy my only social experience after prison was work. The two owners of Mallic are brother and sister, with the Sister seemingly interested in me. I have not gone after that for three reasons A) we work together B) my superhero side job has made her brother ask me to pick her or it C) the most recent reason is I have strong feelings for you.

Before my mistakes that landed me in prison I designed and built structures to end homelessness and work on other worlds! Now I suffer from impostor syndrome. I push myself at work and hero stuff because I feel like a fake. I’m no knight, there’s no damsel to save that won’t see me as a broken failure in the light of dawn. Look, you scare me because without your instruction I wouldn’t really understand “practical knowledge reference” for how to please any woman. Watching porn is like reading books, it only goes so far. Every day I am waiting for the other shoe to fall. You’ll read my mind see something about me so broken fixing it would be a waste of your time and you’ll move on. Three times now I have been trying to work up the courage to say something to you and failed. Failed myself and failed the affections you’ve placed on me.

When I saw the black outfit, I thought you had given me the “hall pass” to distract me, for a second time. The first time you lied to me when you and Patsy had your confrontation. I was mad at being lied to for what I thought, at the time, was the second instance. Ethel pulled me out of my prison defense thought process. She made me think, why was being lied to hurtful? If Jake’s bomb, big enough to be larger than WINSLOW, and Ethel nearly setting it off because she had forgotten patience and innocent lives matter more than ours. I would’ve found a dark corner and probably given Adeline what she’s been wanting since my mother died.

I still don’t understand why you like me but Ethel’s lesson has got me trying out the real side of my appearance more. I fear that trying to make use of the “Hall Pass” was what I feared, a test. I should have never gone that night but again my social cues are so fucked I let you down.

I know I don’t deserve forgiveness, but for what little it’s worth I am truly sorry if I hurt you in any way.

Lo..
…sorry I was dreaming again.

With a heavy, trembling heart, apologies,

Garrick”

Her first class wasn’t until noon today as a senior in high school. She ate the amazing meal and noticed a text appear on her phone. Apparently, Garrick had to work late on a special project his boss was flying out to California for. There were a bunch of pre-made meals he always did for the Shorties and now her in the refrigerator. Between that and his Tuesday visit to the Giving Tree, Garrick didn’t think he was going to see her much until Wednesday morning.

When she went into Garrick’s bedroom to take a shower half of Garrick’s stuff was placed or folded neatly on his bed. A note on the empty side read: Making room for the most important woman in my life. -Garr Bear. Katherine was still out on how she felt so she got ready and headed off for her classes. She stopped at the burrito shop and picked up a Horchata rice drink. While she was in there she saw an incredibly handsome man sitting there talking with another person and both were wearing Mallic Robotics embroidered polos.

“Sam, I know you must have seen that fucking fraud in his superhero outfit.”

“Blake, you may not like Gary but language, please,” gestures at Katherine, “I have daughters myself, please.”

“I’m sorry, Sam, but come on you’ve had to seen what Maverick he is, tell me and a single call to the cops and he is gone! No way he’s a legal hero.”

“Blake, is that why you took me to lunch?”

“Look he’s ugly and to smart for his own good, he’s an ex-felon! Once a felon always a felon.”

“Blake you could say once a butt, always a butt,” Katherine giggled at Sam’s rebuttal.

“Ha ha, so really whom is he?”

“Blake are you daft? Gary is the reason I have my job and your director says he fought for you in the lead marketing job. You hated him then and he put his ego aside knowing your talents at your job were better than Pavek the Romanian kid.”

“Sam, I’m just looking out for the company! I saw the interview his sister gave replay on YouTube..”

“..Blake, it was ten years ago and his father died, he was not the only one to loose everything when Daedalus went offline! His project could have replaced it one day!”

Katherine was not fond of Blake at this point.

“Sam, have you seen him in his stolen hero gear or not?”

“Only what you have seen, Blake.”

“No way, I can’t prove it but I don’t believe you, Sam!”

“Blake what the heck is the bug up your butt about Gary? He’d give you the shirt off his back! I’ve known him for two years and no one works harder, cares more, or gives more of himself than Gary.”

“Novia, dumped me the day he showed up at work all changed!”

“Blake, Novia, told me she caught you banging a stripper!”

“Who cares, I’m hot and it was just a stripper!” Katherine just got up to grab her drink when she heard Blake expound that. “Sam, you can only love a troll like Gary the way you love a smart puppy.”

“First, that stripper was someone’s daughter. Second, you’re pissed because Novia, whom couldn’t walk without help. Had been given that ability because the ‘troll’ whom has a bigger heart than Shrek, built her a new leg she has proof of you complimenting on style and beauty. That was done by Gary, so yes she is inclined to have fond caring for him, she dumped you for cheating. Third, Gary’s into some other girl not Novia.” Blake looks perplexed and Katherine begins to take her time picking out a straw and a napkin. “I’ve seen the Arabic girl move out and a blond girl, a hot blond girl I might add, move in. There’s no reason to hate him. You’re being ridiculous because you won’t accept Novia left you for being a butt!”

“You’re drinking the Gary Kool-Aid, Sam, wake up he’s a fraud.”

“You’re an idiot Blake, he gives charity once a week! He works harder than everyone at that office.”

“Charitable people are to stupid to make the world work for them. Nobody cares about their neighbor anymore, they care about how to make themselves better off than everyone else around them. It’s how humans judge their self worth – oh my life doesn’t suck as bad as that guy!”

Sam looks at his phone, “ahh crap, that’s Constance, Brandon gave Gary another monster assignment he’s trying to get done in a day!”

“Aww, who cares how wrecked that mule gets! I’m the one that makes that hack look good. Marketing is everything, spin is king! Coders are a dime a dozen.”

Sam shook his head and walked out Katherine followed behind him among other patrons leaving. He makes a call as he gets out to his car, and Katherine starts to head out but maintains line of sight. A few seconds later she skims his thoughts to find out the call is to Brandon about the lunch meeting with Blake. The large project is actually just getting his week assignments in early so he can take Valentines Day off. Brandon just made it seem like he needs everything by close of business on Tuesday for a trip to California. Brandon hopes Constance finding out he’s in a real relationship will make her stop fawning over him. Sam mentions the hate and Blake being dumped by Novia. Brandon sees it as simple jealousy but the legal concerns of employing a super and having that super retaliate against a normal person is a legal nightmare. Sam asked how can Gary put up with it and is told Gary said it really wasn’t anything new for him. If they let Blake go it will have to be completely devoid of any connection to Gary. The call ends and Sam gets in his car and heads back. Blake walks out and Katherine snaps a photo of him and leaves.

Garrick has never told her what he goes through at work, and she realizes he’s never talked about his job at all. He is trying to plan something for Valentines Day and not lie to her, hmmm. She made it to school when she realized how much about his day he never shared with anyone! Her anger was starting to ease up because he appeared to be trying to get his life situated around her and not other women now. School went as most days do, Shorty nodded at her in the hallway, she’d flip him off but wink, and then she’d avoid everyone as much as possible. When she got home all of her laundry was ironed, folded, and put away in the various spots of his room he had made space for. There was a new Optimus Prime figurine in the bathroom holding her tooth brush on the sink. Notes were taped to the fridge about food for Shorties and food for Kat. She broke down and sent him a text asking if he needed anything because it looked like a late night for him. His reply made he choke back some tears.

Nope. Well, if you can some how teleport in here so the door access can’t tell, then become invisible so the cameras don’t see you, and snuggle the crap out of me while code compiles. Well, now my heart feels warm so thanks for being so quick! #Kissyface.

Tuesday – 13th of February, 2024: 4:30 AM

Garrick’s room was dark broken only by the neon blue glow of various electronic buttons. A preprogrammed text has left a message on Garrick’s phone that it was sent and delivered at 12:02 AM. Kat didn’t know why she woke up, but her eyes had adjusted well to the very dim conditions. When she tried to move her head something was snagging her hair prohibiting her. Turning to find out what, she realized Garrick had taken a handful of her hair and pulled it to his nose, then fell asleep. Nothing of the rest of him was close enough to touch her. Slowly freeing her hair she sat up and looked at him. He was in boxer briefs and his normal form. Now when she saw the scars on his back she knew exactly how they got there. On his back was the disfigured skin from the glowing hot threaded rod drug across his back. There wasn’t an arm or leg free from scars and when she touched one there was a flash of mental images of her grabbing Garrick and pulling him out of a nightmare on to a beach for dinner!

She could see his chest heaving as he rolled on his back and his arms went to his sides fingers pressing in so hard in clenched fists they were white and noticeable in the dark room. She reached out and read his thoughts and got and image of a shadowy ten year old girl speaking to a handcuff Garrick:

Don’t wake Katherine, you already hurt her.
Don’t wake Katherine, you don’t deserve her.
Don’t wake Katherine, you don’t deserve anyone.
Don’t wake Katherine, no one loves you.
Failure, Murderer, Fraud, Brother.

She snapped out of his mind as he sat up lightning quick cold sweat bleeding out of him. She found cover behind the bed canopy supports against the wall. He touched where she had been laying, “Oh thank god that was part of the dream. She must be in her room, it was so vivid though. I could smell her.” He sighed and walked over to his large table tapping the screen and letting it log him with a face scan, “I have not dreamed of Adeline in a long time, I am scared of her finding out about me but I know becoming sponsored is the right thing to do.” He stripped naked and walked to the shower turning it on and getting in. “How do you ask her if she wants to be exclusive and not sound dumb? It is bad enough you got the “Hall Pass” test wrong. Your boss knows your in a relationship and he knows whom to slip that to in hopes that anyone at work will cool their jets. Tonight, let Ramona know that he can be friends but that’s it. Already let the only fans I have from the bar know it’s exclusive. Now I just need to hear her say it to confirm my adjusted hypothesis is correct.”

Katherine left the room and got dressed in yoga pants and a shirt. As the automated coffee finished, so did the shower. Garrick came out dress in tan slacks and one of his company polos, “Good morning, your up early and a wonderful sight. Oh I can wait if you haven’t had coffee yet?” Katherine realized at that moment how often he put on a happy face for everyone. She left a stern face on but smiled briefly trying to not act like she had gained a bunch of insight into him, “To be fair, I did not completely communicate what I thought a “Hall Pass” should be.” She holds up her hand as she pours him a cup of coffee, “I need to make sure I am clearer with you, we promised each other that. Don’t answer yet, take 24 hours as I hear you tell people on occasion. If you want to be with me I want you exclusively to myself. I’m not interested in other guys or girls, and I don’t want you having dates and wild nights with other women. Okay I’ve said my piece.”

Garrick nods, “For the next 24 hrs I am asking that you not read my mind so I can plan a surprise for you. I don’t want to lie about it, even for a surprise. I’m just asking that Tuesday night you also sleep in your room. I should be home by 11:30 PM from the Giving Tree and I will begin then. Thanks for the cup I have to go in now, large project.” Katherine walked over and tenderly brushed her fingers on his cheek before she walked away with her cup. Anything longer and she’d have lost the composure she was trying to put forth. She waited for him to head downstairs before coming out once more.

He stopped in the basement and found one Shorty getting ready to login to Gizergleam, Worlds Online. He made sure to get the other two up and told them he had a surprise tomorrow for Katherine. Good or bad on the outcome he needed some privacy. He gave each Shorty $25 to cover whatever they needed but they couldn’t go upstairs. Not until after 12 Noon Wednesday from 11 PM Tuesday night. They all agreed and one of them got ready for school.

11:30 PM

Garrick came home after the Giving Tree and letting Ramona know they were just friends. After this week he’d work on going to visit this church and likely bring Kat along. What he didn’t mention was that he wanted to be certain it wasn’t a cult after the psychology department fiasco. When he checked on the Shorties they have soda, water, and three pizzas with two ice chests! He nodded his approval at their prep and got thumbs up and they’re busy! Smiling he went up to the second floor he could hear music coming from the second bedroom. He set up his easel and the board and got his water color paints out to try and make a picture with her blue hair.

He used the card he made her as a guide and repainted her portrait. This time it had her changed hair color to blue. Now he had to replicate it by the morning, so he got to work. Optimus would warn him if she tried to open the door so he could cover the gift. The trick he ran into was waiting in drying from adjacent sections and moving on to others. He combined heavier white ink to get soft colors but thicker paint when needed on the face. Soon he was in a simple t-shirt that it, his hands, and his arms were covered in paint from using his fingers to force semi-dry paint to behave how he wanted it to work.

He listened to German Folk Metal from “Call Of The Deep” (his favorite band) all night on a Pearpod-Mini he kept for just this purpose. He’d found three tracks that when played on loop he could work for hours making art. His bluetooth, bone-induction headphones wrapped around his head but kept his ears free in case someone needed to talk with him. With sounds traveling through his bones and every shade of blue he owned his brush continued to glide across the taped down, heavy, watercolor paper. Soon the a sea of azure became the backdrop to his first attempt at speed painting!

He had recorded his efforts and mentioned on the video this was the last time he’d be painting this model. He mentioned to his teacher he had found two other students willing to be his models for further work. He was unsure of whether they could be compensated with credits toward electives if he chose to pay them for their time. He covered everything that he thought might give away something about him or Katherine in drop cloths. He uploaded all his work on the watercolor and heavy ink mix medium to the class online folders assigned to him. He replied that he would be happy to make a public showing once he had a few more pieces of his new models.

Wednesday – 14th of February, 2024: 5:46 AM

Katherine wakes and checks her phone and there’s a text from Garrick only an hour ago: “I’m done, hope you like it – G.” She gets dressed in workout clothing because Nathaniel should be there at 6 AM and may already be there downstairs. When she opens the door of the second bedroom she sees the huge blue painting taped to the very dense plastic slab. A clipped note talks about how hot she looks (which he did not believe could be more amazing) with blue hair even if its just a blue streak. As she looked down at the bottom left corner there was a folded red card with wax paper to drape over it. She realized it was to prevent the card from being damaged while the larger picture dried.

She picked it up and removed the wax paper and read it.

The door to his/their room is open and Garrick is passed out in his normal form and dried paint stains cover his hands and arms. She can see he stayed up all night to get the painting right. He’s still wearing pants and shoes and his legs are draped off the bed as though he had intended to untie them. Shutting their door behind her she crawls on the bed and tries to wake him. When he finally opens his eyes he smiles, “I’m sorry ma’am but I’m in a relationship now and my love has made it clear sharing is not permitted you’ll have to leave.”

Kat arches an eyebrow, “Is that so? Well I don’t see her around it could be our little secret!”

“Nope, I love her and this was her request of me if I wanted to be with her,” he yawned and Kat realized he may not be fully awake.

“What’s her name then?”

“Katherine Davis and if god let’s me win the lottery then one day several years from now it’ll be Katherine Faulkner. Shhh don’t tell her that dream I have yet. She hates it when I over share,” he giggled slightly as he finished his statement and his eyes rolled back in his head.

Lightly patting him on his cheek she asked, “Did you have a request of her to be with you?”

Yawning again, “No, she’s still terrified I might leave her for some pretty girl. I’m not sure she has realized how amazing she is. Besides I still don’t think I am worthy of her trust yet so I would ask nothing.”

“What would your request have been if you had one?”

“I love painting the human body and painting it in various locations. Just let me paint and I promise never to share anymore paintings of her so the bad people don’t find her.”

“How many have you shared?”

“Four, three head shots and one of her falling off a building as a perspective piece. She sent me a photo, it was so hot!”

“Where did you share it?”

“School, art class with only my teacher. I want her safe so I found other models that I can afford. My teacher thinks I am getting good enough for a showing. If I’m over sharing I am sorry.”

Katherine looked at his work and had to agree he was indeed getting good, “So you’d be painting nudes then?”

“Only with a clear demarcation line between the male or female model and I. Then an assistant that would be the one to help the model or get stuff for me as well. This way I can assure her of no contact! Otherwise the models would be dressed because head shots don’t require nudity. Sometimes I’m smart unless Jake is around then I’m just the less dumb kid in the room.”

“I’ll think about it but your plan is good.”

Garrick falls asleep and Katherine can read his thoughts realzing he had been speaking in a form of waking dream. She kisses him strong and hard, within a few seconds he wraps his arms around her, “Good morning Kitty Kat I have been waiting on this for days, I love you!”

“I love you too.”

“There’s a lovely beach front Italian restaurant in Garden Valley I’d love to take you to. Now don’t worry I have reservations, its called “Giardino dei Sogni” or Dream Garden. We have a table on the beach because I wanted our first official date to be special.”

Whatever she felt about the conversation with his sub-conscious or waking dream state. Everything he was saying now was music to her ears. Her trembling heart eased a bit as she kissed him over and over again.

Art by: AZ_Artisan
Come watch the next game for our super friends on HippoTV!

 

Monday – 5th of February, 2024

Monday – 5th of February, 2024

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February 5th, 2024 – Monday: A little after 9 PM

After everyone left Jake’s place and make it to there respective homes. Katherine shows up at Garrick’s only to find him dancing and playing air drums when he thinks no one is watching. It’s so dorky it’s hard not to laugh. He stops mid air-drum finale balanced on one leg both arms raised in the air.

“So, stud, would you like a moment to super-glue your dignity back together?”

He straightens up and then breaks into a smile, laughing, “Oh, I think I am way past super-glue at this point!”

Garrick shimmies like he has no shame to loose anymore back to the worktable and begins humming, “After 11 months, 3 weeks and 2 days I have a breakthrough!!” He is stuffing some gray fabric with a very slight sheen on one side into a duffel bag, “Optimus please call Mrs. Falkenberg.” Katherine sees him smiling and looks around for his ‘maid’ but stops when she realizes he is packing his own duffel bag.

Shorty #1 answers, “Hello, you’ve reached the house of the future.”

“Shorty #1, please put your grandmother on the phone.”

Though muted Garrick can hear, “Hey Ethel, Garrick, is on the phone!”

After a few moments, “Yes? Garrick dear, how can I help you?”

He takes the time to make sure her day went well. He asks permission to stop by mentioning to Ethel that he needs to stop by before going out on patrol to drop off fabric for the project, 10 yards worth! Plus, he has the 3-D printed inserts based on the designs he’ll be bringing. He mentions that Katherine will be with him for measurement verification, before saying good bye and hanging up.

“Garrick, what did you make?”

“You’ll have to wait until I show Ethel, but could you please hand me that bag?” After she does, he stuffs it into the duffel bag alongside the fabric. They drive over and Garrick is so excited and animated that Katherine decides to wait to talk about her day. She doesn’t want the pictures to loose any impact and in this state he is not focused on her. It was kind of fun for her to watch him “nerd out” because he just didn’t hide his emotions when excited. He seemed to have some well trained automatic responses to things like making sure he opened the car door for her and shut it as well. Asking if she was comfortable, did he need to stop anywhere, and even mentioning the bottled water he brought two of in case she was thirsty. She reached out and read his surface thoughts and saw a flurry of images about a failed vambrace arm-guard, but the invisible fabric just had a breakthrough in light refraction manipulation via electric current. At a stop light she saw him sigh and the visual image was her in the shower. His cheeks flushed ever so briefly because at the green light it was visions of a jacket with removable sleeves, hidden armor inserts so it could be cleaned…
…followed by a string of profanity because some jackass cut him off and he had to slam the breaks to prevent himself from murdering the idiot on the crotch rocket cycle in front of him. When he was angry his mind was hard to read and she stopped her connection. His arm had swung out instinctively to prevent her from moving forward in her seat. He appeared very conscious of not actually touching her because he was merely and inch or two away from her breasts. He pulled back saying, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you by suggesting you needed my protection, but my father always did that when he drove.”

He was very focused for the remainder of the drive over to the House of the Future. When they arrived at Ethel’s home, Garrick gives Shorty the foldable Samsung phone/tablet that had come out in October of 2023! It could create a virtual keyboard and track-pad when folded into certain configurations. Half of it could even become a drawing tablet for the built in stylus! Garrick had re-formated it back to ‘factory specs’ and then installed his game’s client software. Once Shorty thanked him and found out he could get online he disappeared even though Miss Amazing was there. Garrick told Ethel he would continue to pay the bill so he had access to the unlimited phone and data plan.

Finally came the big reveal. Garrick had been working on a way to make cloth that would turn someone invisible when charged to the correct frequency. He mentioned that to sew it would require leather sewing needles. The kevlar and carbon fiber reinforcement needed the stiffer needles to work with. Ethel and Katherine exchange looks when he drops a self deprecating remark, “I know Jake could probably invented three versions of this in a day, but this has been a pet project of mine for over a year! I think it could give Kat a great new outfit with armor and also parts of it can be worn as normal clothes! Just in case covert ops need to happen!” Looking slightly crestfallen he plunges ahead, “Well, I finally got the material to take on two colors, White & Black! Other colors should come with a few more weeks of testing different frequencies!”

Taking the second bag out of the duffel he clips to wires to the shiny gray cloth. He plugs the wires into a thin, candy bar shaped box and taps a white button on it. The fabric turns completely white! Then he hits the black button and it changes color to black! Ethel claps and mentions she saw something very similar on the other side of the galaxy during their trip! Garrick looks astounded that anything he thought up may have a counterpart out in the galaxy somewhere! Excitedly he rambles on, “Well, soon I should be able to get the prime colors or red, blue, and yellow. Then its just playing with shading and tri-lateral variations to get pink, mint and once I can get them all. I’ll be able to figure out how to get it to bend light around itself and make something invisible!”

He looked super pleased with himself and continued, “Well, Kat, I thought if we gave you a changing outfit maybe we could hide other tech in it to make people confused as to whether the power was in the suit or you! That way the spy group that made you could still think you’re dead!”

Ethel, was very nice and didn’t add the reason he mentioned to her when he asked for her help. Whenever he was excited like this the teenager in him was very visible despite being 27 years old. Katherine had never run across anyone that had been thinking of her well-being this much aside from the director whom was likely dead. He never pressed her for information, he took her at her word, he trusted her when others wouldn’t. Now he was trying to arm and improve her gear! No, he wasn’t Jake smart, but he was very intelligent and diligent in anything he did. She sent him a text of her sitting on the Atorian Starfighter in very suggestive pose, and the group selfie in front of it. Then she submitted to the many, many, measurements Ethel took of her on top of making duct tape body molds for various parts.

By the time they left for patrol it was almost midnight. When he finally checked his phone at 1 AM during a break. Miss Amazing found him excited and a smile with a confused look.

“Gryphon, what’s wrong?”

“I am turned on by your umm, pose in the picture and yet really excited you’re sitting on a real starfighter!!!”

Miss Amazing promised a full run down about the starfighter when they got back to his home! She seemed genuinely surprised he was appeared more excited about the starfighter, when she had a different run down in mind. A brief glimpse at his surface thoughts involved math equations, material density, heat ratio coefficients, her picture, thrust yield tests on the engine, what were the maneuvering thrusters like,….

 

 

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