For as long as I've been a member of this site, I have loved to write heroic characters. Part of that is because I find the psychology of such selfless people very interesting, I find it far more intriguing to delve into the mind of a heroic character and try to figure out why they do what they do; as opposed to diving into the mind of a self-centred thief, to find that they do what they do because they like having stuff. Should point out that I'm not trying to criticise other characters here, non-heroic characters can be very interesting and I love seeing what the rest of you guys do with them, it's simply not something that I find particularly fun or easy to write. Heck, even my neutral characters always have heroic tendencies.
But here's the problem with writing a hero: obligation. If your character is a classic villain, dedicated to self-preservation and the spread of their own ideals, you only have to participate in the stories that you want to participate in, often stories where your character is the driving force behind it. If they are a true neutral, they really have no responsibility to do anything, ever. However, if they are a hero, you have an obligation to do things befitting such a character. You must do good, spread peace and justice, all that typical good guy stuff.
This can occasionally become an annoyance.
Essentially, every time someone else on the Vine does something villainous, the heroes feel like they have to react to that thing. Very rarely can we actually proactively do anything, it's simply a matter of responding to the things that everyone else is doing. For the most part, I have tried to avoid this and focus on small, story-driven team RPGs and one-on-one interactions. I used to avoid open RPGs in general because they moved too quickly for me to participate (though with the smaller and tighter community of roleplayers we currently have, that isn't as much of an issue and I feel able to join in). I'm just not especially interested in just writing gigantic battle after gigantic battle, I'd rather write smaller stories between characters and how they interact with each other through words, rather than fists.
Yet the reality is that my FuzionGuy character is supposed to be the leader of the Champions of Peace, one of the mightiest heroes on the planet. Then there is also the reality that the archetype I choose to write is not as popular as the street leveller, that has always been the case here (which, again, is fine, people can write whatever they want to, lol), which leaves me in this position. There are few consistently active heroes who are on a similar power level to Guy (and I myself am not always active), so when someone like Imperator Imperatorum invades Washington DC, I know that this character would respond to that and therefore I have no real choice about getting involved. While I actually happened to really enjoy that particular RPG, it was because the character doing the invading and the concepts involved really interested me, it was a story I would have joined even if I felt no obligation to do so.
I'm sure a lot of people can figure out what has brought all of this on, and I want to make it clear that I am not trying to have a go at MrYashimora or RedSunRising. Both are trying to conquer Japan for reasons relating to their character's motivations and goals. That is fine, neither have broken any rules and are free to do what they like. The problem is, I do not feel motivated to be a part of that story. Decimus' invasion of Washington brought Guy back into the game and produced a lot of character development. With this one, I don't see any opportunities to develop my own character, which leads to a lack of motivation to be involved. There is nothing wrong with the story or the characters, I simply do not feel any personal connection, other than the fact that they are invading COP headquarters. I basically have no choice, because either I try to stop them invading or I give up my home and have to relocate the whole team. I'm sure a lot of other Champions can relate to this feeling of frustration. And this is why I felt the need to rant, because as much as I love writing heroic characters, I do feel frustrated that doing so comes with the obligation to get involved with stories that you do not feel any real connection to. I dislike the lack of choice.
Not really sure I have much of a conclusion here. I don't have anything productive to say, I don't think Yashimore or RedSunRising have done anything wrong or that their story is intrinsically bad or that there is any problem with the rules (though I know that some people disagree with me on that). This is not meant to be an attack on anyone, and I apologise if anyone was offended or annoyed by anything I've said. I simply feel frustrated and unmotivated and needed somewhere to vent my feelings so I could move on and hopefully manage to write a response to the Japan RPG. I may not enjoy the obligation, but if I want to continue writing heroes I suppose I have to accept it.
If anyone else feels this way or has anything to say in response, please do so. But please, keep things civil, I don't want anyone to start a fight over my ramblings.
WARNING: This is the final entry in a five-part story. If you're interested in reading this, I'd recommend going back to the beginning and reading the story in order. However, I realise that's asking a bit much, so I'll try my best to make this one a good standalone story for anyone who just wants to read this one!
Yearning a return to the thrilling life of superheroics, but aware that his wife would take issue with the idea of him donning the costume once more, Guy Geller had signed up with a secretive peace keeping organisation known as DRAGO. While he had yet to receive a coherent explanation for the origin of this acronym, he had met his former arch-enemy, Professor Phusion, who had been rehabilitated and was now apparently dedicated to righting his many wrongs, once again under his original name of Philip Stein.
In the time since that reunion, Giga-Guy had effectively resumed his old life, though at last his secret identity was actually a secret. He had made a promise to Stacy years ago, when she announced her pregnancy, that he would retire from his dangerous and unprofitable line of work in order to provide for their new family. By the time their daughter was born he had already begun his hugely successful acting career.
Now tired of that life, the Academy Award winning actor was a secret agent, in a rather peculiar situation. While his own actions were to be kept under wraps for the sake of his family, his old nemesis was receiving all of the media attention for their work together. Front page stories featuring the tale of his reformation were to be found across the nation, as the once despised man found himself adored by the public for the first time. In part, Guy was glad to be rid of the attention, though seeing Stein basking in his accomplishments was a little hard to take.
It had been an interesting month. Little did Guy know, it would be the last month of his life as he knew it.
"You realise you have no way to stop me, right?" Guy replied, shaking his head in frustration as he marched straight past Agent Harrison and ploughed through the locked doors. "Stein!"
"Ah, Gideon," Philip smiled, quickly moving away from his station with a large faux-grin on his face in an attempt to distract his counterpart from seeing his work. "What a wonderful surprise, you weren't supposed to be in until--"
"You wanna call me Gideon one more time?" the hero bellowed, leaning right into the professor's face. "The hell is this, huh?" With his face still inches from his former foe he gestured wildly at the desk filled with all sorts of technological paraphernalia, in addition to several samples of his own hair. A few feet away there was a large chair sat inside an even larger glass tank, clearly designed to contain his massive frame. "I told you, I'm not your damn guinea pig!"
"Yes, I recall that you refused to give me a sample of DNA for my research," the scientist coughed, not backing down, but still avoiding eye contact (no easy task at such close range). Finally summoning his courage, he glared through his thick glasses at the giant he had unintentionally created all those years ago. "Though perhaps you recall my numerous warnings of the danger we both pose to the world? A miniature star lives within your heart and one day, that star will collapse with disastrous consequences."
Striding away from his accidental creation, Philip waved a hand in the direction of his chalkboard, filled with all sorts of scientific jargon and diagrams. "My power is far more limited than your own, while my brain is swimming in fusion energy, my internal structure and general physiology remain relatively unchanged. When I die that energy will burst out of my skull in an explosion I estimate will be around ten miles in diameter, incinerating everything at the epicentre. A disaster, by any stretch of the imagination. Now, would you like to hear what happens when you blow?" Spinning the board over, Stein revealed the rest of his calculations.
"Your heart will erupt into an unrelenting supernova, consuming everything in its path!" the professor yelled, stomping angrily back towards the former Brigadier as he clutched at his bald head. "This will set off a chain reaction as you ignite the atmosphere itself, and anyone or anything who is not instantly incinerated will slowly perish as the Earth simply burns them off its surface! Within one hour, your death will result in the absolute extinction of all life on this planet." Falling to his knees, tears cascaded down Stein's face as he pleaded with his old arch-enemy. "I'm sorry, Geller. I created you, I bear the responsibility for everything you do, and I cannot be responsible for the apocalypse. That tank has been designed to remove your abilities and return your physiology to that of a normal human being. You can live an ordinary life, Guy. A life without the weight of the world on your shoulders. It is my gift to you."
"No!" Guy spat angrily, his rage causing the very room they stood in to tremble. It was too much to take in for the hero, to accept that he was a ticking time-bomb and that, one day, he would annihilate everything. All of it seemed unbelievable, and so he chose not to believe it. He was a hero, the greatest hero the world had ever known. Stein was the villain, he was Professor Phusion, hated enemy of the mighty Giga-Guy. How many times had the dastardly maniac duped Geller in the past? This was a trap, like it always was, a means to rob the superhero of his strength and allow Phusion to gain the upper hand. "I can see through your lies, Stein. You haven't changed at all! Why not go into the machine yourself? Remove your own powers first?"
"I... It's not that simple--"
"Ha! I knew it!" Seizing his enemy by the throat, Guy screamed into the scientist's face. "If I step into that contraption and become a mortal man once more, you will seize your opportunity to finally be rid of me! Did you really expect me to fall for such an obvious trick? I am the hero, Stein, and you are the villain! I'm not the one who destroys the world, I am the one who saves it!"
"Guy, please..." Philip spluttered, trying in vain to pry the mighty fingers from his throat as Agent Harrison called in reinforcements. The professor felt heat radiating from the powerful hands of the nuclear giant, blistering the skin of his face and neck. Harrison and the others trained their weapons on the great behemoth, knowing that there was really nothing they could do to stop him. "Think of your family... you have to save them... You have to... save Stacy..."
"That's exactly what I'm doing!"
"No... save her... from yourself..."
"You... you think I would hurt her?! She is everything to me! You almost killed her, all those years ago, on the day I was born. I saved her! I saved her from you that day, and today I will do it again!" Tears of fusion energy began to leak from his eyes, as his pupils dilated and became crimson, filling with the power of the sun.
"Don't do this, Gideon... Don't..."
For a moment, Guy Geller felt absolute relief, having finally done what he had wanted to do for so many years... Beams of energy burst from his eyes and tore through the face of his hated enemy, melting the flesh and shredding the skull. Victory was his, there was no way Phusion could win now. A moment later, everything erupted into pure light, as sheer energy spilled out of Stein's ruptured brain. Heat and concussive force tore outwards, blasting Guy away, still clutching the remnants of the professor's lab coat. In his last millisecond of consciousness he saw as the waves of fusion energy ripped apart Harrison and his squad.
Then, there was darkness.
Eventually awakening with a start, the hero found himself totally naked in the middle of nowhere. His costume had been incinerated by the explosion, but even a blast that powerful could not kill him. With panicked, panting breaths he stood up, taking in his surroundings. It was just as Stein had predicted... The blast had destroyed everything in its wake, stretching out for five miles in every direction.
The city of Littleton, Colorado had been annihilated.
"I did the right thing! He was a maniac, he would have killed me if I didn't act first!"
It had been over a month since Guy had murdered Philip Stein, yet the world had spoken of little else in that time. The same was true of the Geller household.
"Thirteen thousand, three hundred and thirty two people." Stacy reiterated quietly, her entire body shuddering as she stared down her husband. "That's the final count, Guy. That is how much blood is on your hands."
"His hands, not mine! He forced me into it, manipulated me! He wanted to take away my powers Stacy, then what would stop him from coming for you? What would stop him hurting you?"
"You've done a pretty excellent job of that on your own!"
"That's... You're my wife, you're supposed to stand with me! They're putting me on trial for killing that bastard and I need you to stand by my side."
"I wish I could," Stacy sighed, brushing her hand against her lover's cheek as she moved towards him. Her eyes lacked the fire and energy that had driven her for so long, the passion that had drawn Guy towards her in the first place. "I have loved you all these years, despite everything... maybe that's not enough anymore. I'm sorry, Guy." With a sob, she tried to move past him, but the mighty man seized her wrist. His powerful grip was an inescapable vice. "Let go!" she began to sob even louder, pulling away from her husband even though she knew that escape was impossible.
"Promise you'll stay!" Guy demanded in return, choking back his own tears. "I need you, Stacy. You can't leave." His fingers began to tighten around her arm.
"Please Guy, not again... I can't take this anymore!"
"And you think I can? No, you have to stay! I can't--"
Over years of being a superhero, the man once known as Giga-Guy had learned to react quickly to any potential danger. So when he felt a sudden tug on his trouser leg, he reacted instinctively. He forgot that he was safe in his home, surrounded by only his family. Forgot that he had a seven year old child in the house. He forgot everything and simply lashed out at the disturbance with a kick, resulting in a high pitched squeal as his daughter was propelled backwards, slamming the back of her head into the frame of the doorway.
"Esther..." Guy muttered with his eyes wide in shock, releasing his wife as his legs gave way and he collapsed onto the floor. Stacy ran to her screaming child and took the girl into her arms. This wasn't the first time Guy had turned violent against his family. Over the past year he had become hostile towards his wife, particularly during the last few months. Yet the great love of his life refused to leave him, refused to take the easy way out. She was a dedicated woman, one who had taken her marriage vows incredibly seriously. For a long time she had suffered the full brunt of her husband's frustration, barely leaving the house due to the sort of injuries one would sustain from superpowered domestic abuse... but he had never turned on their child before.
Now, at last, Stacy Geller could take no more. Guy had killed thousands of people seemingly without remorse and had now struck Esther, the slippery slope was looming and the poor woman had no desire to see where that path lead. Ignoring her husband's pleas, she held their daughter close as she marched through the doorway and out into the hall. Without pausing to grab a coat or even put on her shoes, Stacy almost ran out of the front door as she tried to block out the cries of her husband, clutching the screaming babe to her chest. The broken man stood on the porch in the rain, watching as his family was slowly drowned out by the howling winds.
They never came back.
Within a few months Stacy had filed for divorce and reverted back to her old name. She received full custody of their daughter, but refused to take any of the substantial Geller fortune. By February the next year Gideon Geller would be sentenced to twenty years imprisonment for his murder of Philip Stein.
"Some day I'm gonna walk outta this place, Kings... Nothing anyone can do to stop me."
"Everyone knows this place can't hold you, man, but it's probably a good idea to stick around anyway." Kingsley Kaine warned his friend, who sat before him in a set of fairly impressive-looking arm and leg restraints. It was all an illusion, of course, the guards knew that there was nothing capable of containing the nuclear man. "You got out of being charged for the destruction of Littleton thanks to a loophole and some damn good lawyers. Still, most of the public blame you and that ain't gonna change any time soon."
"So what, just sit around here for a couple decades until people forget what I did? I'm a hero, I should be out there helping people." Guy refused to make eye contact with his friend, bitterness and resentment boiling up in his veins. He felt as if the world were against him and that no-one else really knew the truth. Stein was mad, he had to be put down.
"Yeah, that brings me to the reason I came..." Kaine reached into his bag and pulled out a laptop, placing it on the table between the two men. "Some kids on the internet managed to hack DRAGO, found some secret tapes and released them to the public. Thought you might find this one pretty enlightening." He pressed play and span the portable computer around to face his imprisoned friend.
"Research log number eighty seven," the recording of Dr. Stein cleared his throat, peering into the camera. It appeared to have been recorded on the morning of the day he died. "I have finally managed to synthesise a cure for our condition. Soon, neither I nor Gideon will pose any risk to the rest of the world. While I do not anticipate that my counterpart will respond positively to the suggestion, we have time to gradually introduce him the idea. Still, he seems to suspect I am up to something nefarious, so best to proceed with caution. Despite our co-operation over these past weeks, Geller still does not trust me or my claims of reformation... perhaps he simply hasn't forgiven me. I hope this cure will be enough to earn that."
Philip appeared distressed, wiping sweat from his brow as he, rather uncharacteristically, fumbled with his words.
"Returning Gideon's body to normal will be a difficult procedure, one that will require my full concentration. My mind is required for such a delicate operation, while removing my own abilities will be significantly less... more... Ah, I suppose this is as good a place as any to say this. Unfortunately, Geller will need to give up his powers first. This will prove difficult, due to his lack of trust, but it is entirely necessary because my own procedure will... well..." Stein coughed again and wiped his face with a hand that was now noticeably shaking. "My brain is completely saturated in fusion energy. To remove that energy would also... shut down my brain."
"Gideon will not know how easy he has it. I am asking him to exchange his extraordinary life for an ordinary one in order to save billions; while I must sacrifice my life entirely in order to save mere thousands." The professor smiled nervously. "While I naturally fear my own demise, I understand that it is necessary. All of this is my responsibility, a result of my carelessness eleven years ago. At first, it seemed that I had created a hero and become a monster. As it turns out I did neither. Instead, I created the most powerful bomb the world has ever known. Fortunately, I am also the only man alive who knows how to defuse it. I just hope I can cure him, before it is too late. The Gellers deserve a normal life, I owe them that much... I hope that Gideon forgives me, after I'm gone. It's really the only hope I have left."
The video cut to black, and all Guy could see was the darkened reflection of his own petrified face. He could feel a gnawing emptiness deep within, as if his stomach was consuming him from the inside out. The murderer was trembling all over as his world came crashing down around him, everything he thought was true about that day was wrong.
He was not the hero.
Suddenly the guilt overcame him all at once: the merciless murder of a man who had crawled up the path of redemption; the incinerated bodies of thirteen thousand, three hundred and thirty two innocent people caught in a blast that could have been so easily prevented; the slow and painful destruction of his family as he realised how he had been gradually driving a stake through his wife's heart for years.
Staring hatefully at his own face in the monitor, Guy realised at last that he deserved to be in prison. He deserved to suffer for his crimes. Everyone knew that he could break out easily if he wanted to, but now he no longer wanted to. There was no reason to try, nothing left for him in the outside world... He cast his mind back to the boy he once was and wondered what his life could have been like if he had never taken that physics class, if there was no Giga-Guy at all. Maybe he could have had an ordinary life.
WARNING: This is chapter four of a five-part story (the first three chapters went up last year). If you're interested in reading this, I'd recommend going back to the beginning and reading the story in order.
Also, sorry in advance for the length of this chapter. I usually try to keep these at around two thousand words, but I went over this time... by like a thousand words... >_>
Humans have many qualities that set them apart from the other creatures who dwell on the Earth. They have a great capacity for complex languages; a tendency to work together to achieve goals that none of them could accomplish alone; and the desire to celebrate and revere other humans. There is no real animal equivalent for fame, there is no canine version of Ryan Gosling, no dog that is celebrated above all other dogs. Humans, however, love to hound these celebrities for their thoughts and opinions, as if a successful music career comes with an additional qualification as a life coach. Yet it is even more savage than that, as above all else they crave the image of the celebrity. A photograph of a man taking his dog for a walk or a woman going for a run becomes suddenly more valuable if the subject happens to be a person of cultural significance. It is not enough to simply revere them, their fans desire to feel involved in their lives, to know every detail about the object of their admiration.
It was an intrusion that Guy Geller knew all too well.
For three years he had been a superhero, one who was famously lax about his secret identity. Given the way people build up entertainers into figures of great importance, it should have been obvious how the press would react to Guy. He was not just a masked vigilante like the rest, he was a person. He was just an ordinary guy. People were obviously interested in his life. So, when news that the protector of New York was engaged began to circulate, the press naturally started salivating. The date was announced, and photographers and supervillains alike began to gleefully plot how best to capitalise on the situation, all while the bride-to-be lay awake at night filled with dread. As a young girl she had dreamed of a simple wedding, so it was unfortunate the marrying the man of her dreams meant giving up the other one.
Ignoring the alarm for the fourth time, Stacy began her weekend in the usual fashion: lazily. Her first year of working towards her doctorate had come to a close and she found herself back in her old room once again, having yet again moved back into her parents' house for the summer. It was a yearly routine that had begun with her first year of college, but soon the routine would be over. In a week, the young physicist was set to marry the love of her life, the man who won her heart when he saved her life over three years ago. Unfortunately, that act of selfless heroism also transformed the young man into a superhero, which added an extra complication to their lives.
Slowly beginning the process of disentangling her legs from her comforter, she squinted at the calender on the wall. All the arrangements for the ceremony had been made, the only thing left to do was wait for the big day. Her feelings were incredibly confused, the couple had originally planned a small wedding, before it quickly became apparent that the press would invade the day somehow and Guy's agent (superheroes need agents, apparently) advised them to take advantage of the situation. If the press were going to ruin their wedding, they should probably try and make a profit out of it. With Guy hopping between jobs whenever he wasn't doing his hero thing and Stacy studying for most of the year, they could certainly use the money.
Eventually the comforter was conquered and the scarlet-haired scientist made her way downstairs. Mr and Mrs Lane were usually out of the house on a weekend, being productive and serving their community, allowing their daughter freedom in the kitchen. As she pondered her brunch (it was too late for breakfast) options, her ears suddenly detected the sound of movement in the adjoining living room. Cautiously approaching the doorway in order to identify the disturbance, she peered around the corner to see her fiance grinning at her.
"I'm getting a real sense of deja vu here..." Stacy frowned, as she noted that her soon-to-be-husband was down on one knee and dressed in a pretty excellent suit, while she walked softly towards him, barefoot and clad in a matching set of pink pyjamas. "Didn't we do this already?" she waved her engagement-ring-adorned hand in his face.
"Stacy Henrietta Lane," Guy began, clasping her hand relatively gently for someone with his strength.
"I don't have a middle name, stop trying to give me one," she rolled her eyes, though she was unable to disguise her amusement at his persistence with that particular joke.
"No interruptions! I rehearsed this whole thing, don't confuse me..." Geller pouted, trying to remember the rest of his speech. "Okay, so..." the hero began again, "Stacy. I have never been a particularly well-liked person. Back when we were in school, I didn't really fit in anywhere. I wasn't cool enough to hang out with the popular kids and I wasn't nerdy enough to be a nerd. I just floated around. Speaking to me wasn't worth the effort, no-one even bullied me, they just ignored me. You never did that. You spoke to me even back in the days when I said barely anything back, you helped me to realise my potential, that I wasn't a lost cause. Three years ago, my life was turned upside-down. I got my powers and became a superhero. But, I don't think you realise how important you were in that decision. The old me wouldn't have used this gift, he would have hidden it from the world and continued to float through life. It wasn't the accident that transformed me, it was you. You made me realise the good I could do, so that when I finally got the power to do something, I knew how to use it. Without you, I would not be the man I am today. You give me a reason to keep going, and I can't imagine a world without you. So... Stacy Theresa Lane... Will you marry me--?"
"Of course I will, you dope! You already asked me!" Stacy shook her head in an attempt to hide the tears welling up in her eyes. His build-up-speech was much better this time.
"You didn't let me finish. I was going to say: will you marry me today?"
"... Today?"
"Today."
"But... The big ceremony?"
"There is no big ceremony," he grinned, revelling in the absolute shock on the face of his fiance, "I needed something to distract the press with."
"Yeah, but... you... We don't have anyone to perform the wedding!" the panic was clear on her face now.
"Your dad is a minister and he's already agreed. So?"
"So?"
"Will you marry me today?"
"I'm not ready! I need to do my hair and--"
"Will you--?"
"Yes I'll marry you today, now let me get ready!" Stacy planted a kiss on his lips and sprinted back up the stairs.
A few hours later the ceremony began. The front room was converted into a makeshift chapel, with the sofas piled up in the spare bedroom as the kitchen chairs formed the front (and only) row of chairs for the guests. It was a family affiar, and neither the bride nor groom had any siblings, so the seats were fairly unoccupied. Mrs. Lane was perched at the piano and Mr. Lane was waiting to give his daughter away, so the only person actually sitting on a chair was Guy's mother, as his father had declined the invitation. Guy stood at the front of the room, accompanied by his best man, a fellow superhero by the name of Kingsley Kaine. Giga-Guy was fairly tall, but even he paled in comparison to the seven foot giant who was currently standing next to him, his back hunched in order to avoid driving his head through the ceiling.
The music began to play as Stacey's best friend made her way up the 'aisle', followed by Stacy and her father. Obviously she looked beautiful. Her dress had been bought on a budget and was fairly simple, but Stacy had a way of making even the most simple clothing look fantastic. Guy would have happily married her in her pyjamas. They reached the front, and Peter Lane mumbled something through his tears about how proud he was of both of them, and made Guy promise to take care of her. He then looked confused for a moment and sat down next to Mrs. Geller, before remembering that he was supposed to perform the ceremony too.
And a few minutes later, the groom kissed the bride, and the wedding was over. It was a simple ceremony, an intimate affair involving only the people who were closest to the couple. Stacy may have been hesitant at first, but by the time it was over she realised that Guy had somehow given her the wedding of her dreams. Certain details were not quite as she imagined them, like the family dog charging into the room as they were reading their vows; or the reception afterwards, where they all managed to squeeze in around the kitchen table for an extravagant pizza-centric buffet. It wasn't a perfect wedding, but the memories it created were. Years later, Stacy would still cling onto her perfect memory of that imperfect day.
Guy Geller, the Earth's Mightiest Man, had been retired from the superhero game for over seven years, giving up the costume after his wife fell pregnant with their daughter. He realised back then that he needed to re-examine his priorities and find a way to provide for his family. Since then, his fame had sky-rocketed as he turned his attention to acting. After seven years in the business he had starred in five films based on his exploits as Giga-Guy, serving as executive producer on the latter three. Having appeared in and produced a number of other films over the years, he was a four-time Golden Globe nominee, three-time Academy Award nominee and one-time Academy Award winner. With the occasional foray into directing and one fairly... unforgettable rap album, Geller had cemented his place in the Hollywood history books before he even turned thirty.
Yet while life was easier since his retirement, Guy still missed the thrill of superheroics. He had grown restless, tired of playing the family man when he could be out making a real difference and putting criminals to justice. Against Stacy's wishes, he had decided to try and get back into the game. Apparently, the game had changed. You couldn't just go out and beat on thugs anymore, evil had matured since his debut. He had heard that the best way to get stuff done was to get involved with one of the many supposedly 'secret' organisations that had cropped up in recent years. One of his old Brigadier team-mates had recommended him to a secret agency that specialised in the effective utilisation of superhuman assets. They followed the trend of having a colourful acronym (D.R.A.G.O!) though no-one in the group seemed to have the slightest idea what it stood for.
"Thanks, but as I said I'd like to keep my involvement quiet. Don't want the wife to find out, you understand," Guy shook the hand of the eager young agent who had greeted him.
"Ah, absolutely sir, we know how to keep secrets here!" the agent grinned, leading the hero further into the facility. "You'll find that all the equipment here is state of the art. We're talking about the cutting edge of crime fighting technology!"
"Right..." Geller nodded, his face creased in a frown as the agent led him through a series of labyrinthine rooms, filling with blinking lights and whirring machines with functions that he couldn't really comprehend. Truthfully it was all rather unimaginatively designed when compared to the lucrative props used in most of his movies, though it was all certainly more confusing.
"And, of course, we have several other superhumans working for us. Ah, here we are. I believe you are familiar with Professor Stein?"
The agent turned to face the hero, but he had already blasted through the air at high velocity and wrapped his mighty hands around the throat of the man responsible for creating him. "Phusion!" he growled, his eyes burning with radiation as he lifted the professor onto his toes by the neck. "How did you escape?"
"It's called reformation," his former arch-nemesis chuckled, "and contrary to popular belief, it's what prisons are actually for. Don't worry, I expected this," Stein smiled reassuringly at the baffled agent, who was unsure how to proceed. "Oh, and I don't use that name anymore. Philip will do fine."
"But... you're a bad guy." Guy mumbled as his eyes started his return to their usual blue, still suspecting some kind of trick. Phusion was his greatest enemy, and yet this man seemed so different to the villain he had known for so long.
"Do you really not understand the meaning of the word 'reformation'?" the professor raised a curious eyebrow. "Yes, I committed a fair number of crimes all those years ago, but in my defense, I wasn't mentally sound. The accident that turned you into an action movie star turned me into a true mad scientist, remember? I'm better now, though. I served my time, got some help, even got released early for good behaviour. Now I'm working with these fascinating people, trying to help the world again. So I'd be fairly grateful if you could put me down..."
Guy released the scientist, the shock still fairly evident on his face.
"Thank you," Stein coughed, straightening his glasses and regaining his composure. "Now, it's a good thing you're here. You'll recall that a few years ago, I revealed that the both of us were destined to go out of this world in a rather spectacular fashion. Well, I think it's probably best if we try and find a way to stop that, don't you?"
"How do you intend to do that?" Geller glared, trying hard to restrain himself. He had grown to loathe Stein's face, and it was difficult to reist the urge to punch it. "How do you stop a star from falling?"
"I'm not entirely sure. But don't worry, my dearest Giggy, we have a long time to try and figure that out, together. Just do me one favour?"
It was raining outside. Stacy had always liked the rain. It seemed like an inconvenience most of the time, ruining plans and forcing people to stay indoors, but in fact the rain brought life. Through that inconvenience, life was possible. Something that seems negative in fact gives birth to something incredibly positive. She was always able to see the best in every situation, in every person.
"Mr. Geller?"
Apparently, she could no longer see any good left in her husband.
He sat in his empty mansion and found that his home adequately represented his heart at that moment. His frame was just as mighty as it ever was, with bulging muscles and a handsome face, despite having not left the house at all for months. Yet inside, there was nothing there. His eyes were empty, his handsome face was gaunt and unshaven. For years, his heart had been filled with love and happiness. Now, he had thrown that all away. There was no way to win it back.
No way to win her back.
Finally, Guy picked up a pen and scrawled his name. He had become incredibly proficient at signing his name, it was usually accomplished in one swift movement, but this time he struggled to complete it. When he signed things, they would increase in value. His autograph was a gift that he could give without actually needing to give anything up. This time was different. This time, his signature represented that he was giving up everything.
His now-ex-wife's attorney collected up the divorce papers and made her way towards the door. She paused on the mat and turned around, trying to catch the eye of the disgraced former superhero. He refused to give her the satisfaction.
"You know, my son is a big fan of yours," she abandoned her professional demeanour, smiling somewhat sarcastically. "He looks up to you. He's got all the action figures, watched all the movies. You're his hero. At least, you used to be. I want you to remember that. Over the last ten years you have wormed your way into the hearts of millions of children all over the world... and then stomped on them." Finally, she opened the door, wiping angry tears from her eyes. "I hope you get life. I hope you go away for so long that the world forgets you ever existed."
"Me too." Guy muttered, pouring himself another glass of whiskey as the door was slammed shut. He took a swig from the glass and the liquor rushed down his throat, before being immediately burned up by fusion energy as soon as it entered his digestive system. Drinking was a waste of time, he couldn't get drunk. Still, it wasn't entirely pointless.
Life is a curious thing. There are many who would draw imaginary lines across reality, separating everything that is into into distinct, recognisable sections like 'order' or 'chaos'. The universe relishes the opportunity to quash such simplistic notions. Take, for instance, the origin of all life in the solar system: the Sun. Without its life giving rays, there would be no living thing around to observe the universe at all. It is consistent and ordered, always dependable and never changing as it passes over the sky from East to West. The Sun is perhaps the most stable and ordered object in our solar system. And yet, if one looks within, there is absolute chaos. The Earth orbits a self-sustaining nuclear reaction, a continuous explosion of energy, bursting forth in fiery flares of devastation. What we see, then, is neither order or chaos, but both at once. The star we orbit is in a state of ordered chaos, of chaotic order. What seems on the surface to be so solid and dependable is not so, but rather wild and unpredictable.
"You're a sick man, Stein." Giga-Guy growled as he stared down at the villain, clenching his mighty fists.
"Oh-ho! Sick man he says!" The man formerly known as Professor Philip Stein chuckled, his eyes wide with glee. "If only you knew the truth of it, Giggy boy!"
It was the middle of the day in Times Square and Guy Geller was yet again facing down his arch-nemesis, Professor Phusion, the man who built the fusion reactor responsible for his incredible powers. Through the disaster and the resulting hospitalisation of the boy caught in the blast, Stein lost his funding and place at the university. Additionally, the blast appeared to cause severe mental damage to him, thus discrediting him further. Weeks later, however, it emerged that Philip was also granted a new life in that disaster. While Guy's heart was transformed into a fusion reactor, it was Stein's brain that was saturated in the fusion energy, greatly increasing his intellect. Easily deducing that Giga-Guy was in fact the very same student responsible for the fall of his career, he became Professor Phusion and dedicated himself to ruining the boy's life as vengeance for his own shattered reputation.
Guy had been summoned to Times Square to once again do battle with his hated foe. Yet as Phusion stood atop a pile of debris, holding a little girl aloft by the scruff of her collar with his hand planted against the side of her face, ready to vaporise her head with a blast of fusion energy, he seemed uninterested in fighting for once.
"You want to talk? Let's talk. You and me. Leave her out of this."
"Ha! Good joke, good joke!" Stein barked a laugh, stifling a scream from the child as he wrapped his hand over her mouth. "Let her go and what stops you from flying over here and socking me in the kisser or dislocating my shoulder... again? The Professor is a clever one, he knows Guy's game!"
"Okay. Fine." Guy raised his hands in the air, displaying his palms as a sign of peace, through gritted teeth and furrowed brow. "Go ahead, say what you need to say."
"Ah!" Phusion beamed, his excitment plain to see. "I've figured it out, you see. How to beat you, how to ensure you fall from your pedestal in the most spectacular fashion! How to ensure the demise of you, my hated foe, in a manner befitting your nature!"
"Out with it!" The hero barked, frustration overcoming him. Stein simply grinned in reply.
"I must simply do... nothing!" Erupting into laughter once more, Phusion released the girl as he could no longer contain his amusement. Guy did not make a move, too perplexed to contemplate his next course of action.
"Nothing?"
"Nothing! And you know what you have to do, if you want to finally be rid of me? Not a thing!" The Professor managed to spit out before returning to his hysterical fit. "It's so obvious, Gigi! Don't you see? That fateful day we were both transformed into fusion reactors, into miniature stars! And one day, you and I will run out of fuel! You know what happens, when a star runs out of fuel? It dies! And not just any death, no no! Explosions, implosions, supernovas and black holes, a dying star can become any number of things... And some day you will leave your final mark on this world! You will leave a burn, a scar upon the very Earth you once protected! There is no escaping it, Guy!"
The story spread like wildfire as reporters and journalists gathered outside the hospital, waiting for the news. It was a tranquil August evening when retired superhero Guy Geller appeared in the hospital foyer, hovering above the ground with his heavily pregnant wife in his arms.
That night was the premiere of Guy's first film, directed by James Cameron and based on his exploits as New York's greatest protector. Geller starred as the titular 'Giga-Guy' and, thanks to his powers, the film required no additional visual effects, saving a lot of time and money in post-production. Guy had never been particularly secretive about his identity, he often forgot to wear his costume altogether and his name was a big giveaway, so the Gellers had always been under a lot of media scrutiny due to his status as a celebrity superhero. Now, he was a celebrity superhero turned movie star, thus attracting even more attention from the press. It was a bittersweet change for Stacy, who was growing tired of being hounded by paparazzi, but equally wanted her husband to provide for their family, especially with a child on the way. The film was set to bring in millions of dollars, so money was no longer an issue, but only at the sacrifice of their privacy. Their lives were lived in the public eye, and only time could tell how long they would bear that pressure.
As Guy walked the red carpet at last, clad in a suit tailored to his massive frame, something he could never have dreamed of affording a year ago, he soaked in the applause and relished the feeling of photographers frantically calling his name, striving to get the best shot they could. He was always admired and respected as a superhero, but this was a whole new level. A buzz emanating from his jacket pocket, he quickly glanced at it to see that he was getting a call from his wife. Enjoying the high he was on too much to allow his cranky, pregnant spouse to ruin it by screaming at him again, he ignored it, placing it back into his pocket and continuing to wave for the crowd. Another call, which he ignored. Finally, on the third attempt, he sighed and stepped to one side, opening up the device.
"Honey, I'm on the red carpet, I'm gonna have to--"
"YOU PIECE OF SH*T!" Stacy screeched through groans of agony. "Aghhh! Guy, my water broke. I'm in a cab, I'm on my way to the hospital, but something is -- AGH -- wrong..."
"Stacy?" Through his exceptional hearing, he heard the cab driver swearing loudly, the sounds of squealing tires as the car lurched from side to side, and the unmistakable crackling sound of raw fusion energy. "STACY!"
In a flash of violet light, he shot into the skies, tearing off his tie and letting his phone drop to the ground. He started by heading towards their apartment in a streak of purple, then honed in on the energy signature. He followed it and, within moments, found the taxi in question, the driver having abandoned the vehicle as he sprinted down the street away from it. Landing with a thud and tearing the door off the car, he looked inside to see his wife undergoing contractions that only the child of a superhero could cause. Her belly was glowing like the sun, red hot radiation bled from her eyes and mouth, her bright locks illuminated by the power of their child as her mouth was open in a silent scream of pure energy.
A moment later they were in the hospital, Stacy in her husband's arms. He begged for a doctor, tears of indigo falling from his own eyes. For a while the nurses stood in shock, stunned at the sight before them, before leaping into action and leading Guy into a private birthing room. Her skin was flushed, her temperature through the roof and as they changed her into a hospital gown one of the nurses recoiled, the stench of burning flesh emanating from the back of her hand as it brushed past Stacy's leg. Unable to touch her, the doctor was forced to stand back and shout instructions and reassurances to the woman with blazing hair and screams of flame.
Only Guy could withstand the burn of his wife's touch, only he could bear to hold her hand as she squeezed it hard with new-found strength. Running his fingers through her burning locks he whispered soothing words into her pulsating ears. The doctor, positioned a safe distance away, yelled that he could see the child's head. As the only one able to get close to the woman, Guy moved away from her side and into position. He cradled the child's head in his powerful palm, then its shoulders, back, buttocks and feet... The woman ceased her screaming as the high-pitched squeal of the newborn child bounced around the room. Slumping with relief, the flames atop Stacy's skull subsided, only a faint glow remained on her exhausted face. The doctor and nurses finally leapt into action as Geller retook his place at her side, both of them with tears in their eyes. As he kissed her, the residual fusion energy within her flowed from her lips and into his. Her grip was still firm, but her temporary strength had left her with the child.
The doctor approached and passed them a bundle of cloth with the cause of all the commotion hiding within. Stacy took the bundle in her arms with a sob of relief and the family huddled together.
"I'll take it easy when you tell me where my family are!" He roared, taking a step forwards that caused the chandelier to fall with a crash onto the marble floor.
"They're safe, Geller." The man replied firmly, not flinching in the face of his son-in-law. "And you might wanna watch that temper."
"You think that--" The fallen hero yelled, about to take another step, before thinking better of it, allowing his shaking fists to fall to his sides, eyes welling up. "I... Please. They're all I have left."
"Well, fortunately for them, you're not all they have left." His father-in-law shook his head, his face a picture of disgust. "You know, when I walked her down that aisle eight years ago, about to give away my only daughter to a genuine superhero? I felt like the luckiest father in the world. You were a good man back then. But somewhere along the line, you changed. You stumbled. And that's fine, we all stumble. What's not fine, is to drag the people that love you down into the mud too."
"Pete..."
"No." Peter Lane snapped, as he started to walk towards the man formerly known as Giga-Guy, a giant who towered far above his balding head, and yet seemed so small in that moment. "It's Mr. Lane to you, you scummy lil piece of filth. We gave Stacy to you so you could look after her, so you could care for her. You've proven you can't do that, so guess what? We're taking her back. She's gonna live with us for a while, somewhere safe, away from you." He got right up in the face of the slumped, drained figure before him. "Dammit Geller, you have a daughter. You think she needs this? Think she needs a father like you? You think having all them powers makes you a big man... You're not. You're nothing." Winding back his arm, Peter slammed his fist into Guy's unmoving jaw. His wrist crumpled under the force of the blow as he punched the invincible man in the face. Blinking back tears from the pain, Peter gritted his teeth and waved his bloody knuckles under his son-in-law's nose.
"That was worth it." He hissed, striding past Guy and leaving him to stand alone in his empty mansion.
Heralded by April showers, spring had been ushered in at last. The rain came thick and heavy, becoming a nuisance for the people of New York as they hurried from shelter to shelter, wielding make-shift magazine umbrellas or briefcase hats. Yet this torrential torment was absolutely necessary, as it was every year. Citizens rushed to and fro, complaining constantly about the horrid weather, ignoring the many blessings of such a season. Flowers blossomed in window sills; Central Park once more flourished into a green haven; Earth was filling up with beauty again, though the very rain responsible for such radiance was admonished as an unwelcome intruder. Akin to cursing a guest at a dinner party whilst simultaneously praising said guest's anonymous contribution, such was the attitude of New Yorkers to their weather.
The caterpillar must undergo the prison of a cocoon before gaining its wings. And now, at last, our heroic caterpillar had earned his wings.
Guy Geller's life had changed dramatically in only a few weeks, he had undergone a metamorphosis from a skinny, stuttering nerd, into a muscle-bound, confident young man. Throwing away his life to save the girl of his dreams from a malfunctioning fusion machine, Guy was rewarded with a new life. His entire physiology had been drastically altered, as the experimental attempt to spark a fusion reaction succeeded, transforming the teenager's body into a fusion reactor. With boundless energy, his body began to heal and grow, until the young man was the pinnacle of human potential... but it didn't stop there. His heart converted into a self-sustaining power source, Guy started to see even more changes, as he started expelling the excess energy in flashes of light, blasts of pure energy.
Soon enough, Guy was like a god. His strength seemed limitless; his skin impenetrable; he was even able to fly. Adopting an alternative identity as Giga-Guy, he became what he had always dreamed of: a superhero! Dedicating himself to the protection of others, Giga-Guy was the champion of New York. And, with his new-found powers, came the confidence to finally admit his feelings to the girl he loved...
"I'm not looking forward to going back out there..." The windows of the restaurant were plastered in water. "Do you want dessert?"
"I like the rain." Stacy mused as she stared silently at the chaos outside for a moment, before turning to her date with a smirk: "But I like cake more."
The couple perused the menu for a while before settling on a shared chocolate sundae. Guy had wanted the cherry pie, but had bowed to the convincing counter-argument that a dessert without chocolate was really no dessert at all.
"Except donuts." Stacy explained once their order was taken. "And even then, chocolate is preferred."
"I'll have to make a note of that, for future reference."
"Oh! So confident already that there will be future dates, are we?" She giggled, leaning forwards on one arm, before her face suddenly turned serious as she gazed into the boy's eyes. "You've changed."
"Yeah, I've grown, you won't stop--"
"It's not that." Stacy interrupted, still staring directly at him with no expression. "Physically you've changed a lot, but you're still recognisable. It's your personality, the way you talk, the way you hold yourself... That's changed. You're less reliable than you used to be, always running away from danger, instead of headfirst into it... I'm not sure who you are. Not sure if you're the same Guy who would always be there to listen to me drone on about my dreams. Not sure if you're the same Guy who threw himself in harm's way to protect me. Are you, really?"
"Of course I am!" Guy exclaimed, though he was unable to break her poker face. "At least, underneath..." Breaking eye contact, he started to glance nervously around the room, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to explain himself. "Since the accident, I've gained a lot of confidence. I don't stutter anymore because I'm not worried about what people will think of me, I'm not afraid to show people what's inside anymore. Now, I finally have the courage to be this man, the man I've always wanted to be, but was always afraid of being. I finally have the courage to actually speak to you instead of just listening. I know I've been less reliable recently and I'm sorry, but I'm very... busy. I'm just glad that I finally-- what?"
Stacy was rolling her eyes with a look of exasperation on her face.
"Come on, I gave you the perfect opportunity to finally tell me the truth there!" She groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Fine. How do I put this... Guy, I know who you are. I'm not an idiot, I happen to be something of a genius. Did you seriously think I wouldn't notice, that your costume would be enough to disguise you? I mean, for crying out loud, you go by the name Giga-Guy!" Their sundae arrived, and Stacy began to help herself while the hero sat still, utterly speechless. "I mean, I'm not angry about it or anything, just thought you'd have told me about it by now, given how embarrassingly obvious it is. I get it, okay? You've been given an incredible gift and you have to use it to try and help people. I get that it has to be your priority and that sometimes you're going to have to bail on our plans because of your work. I'm not going to ask you to give it up." With a smile, she nudged the sundae across the table.
"You waited." Guy looked surprised as he stepped out of the alleyway, clad once more in his civilian clothes.
"When you ran out of the restaurant the waitress thought you'd just broken up with me. So I may have just spent the past hour eating free muffins..." Stacy giggled as the rain trickled down her crimson locks. "How did it go?"
"It was... interesting. Turned out to be a little more complicated than just your average bank robbery, but I managed to sort it out in the end. It was really easy, actually, I mean the dude clearly had some kind of super strength, but it didn't really..." He stopped and sighed, rubbing the back of his neck again. "This is weird. Talking about it. I haven't talked to anyone about it before."
"It's okay." His date smiled sweetly, reaching out and grasping his hand. "Guy, I've known about all of this ever since the first time you bailed on me to go be a superhero. When you asked me out, I knew exactly what I was getting into. I'm okay with this. I want to help, if I can."
"Thanks." Guy managed a smile as he held back a tear, leaning in closer. "It's hard, you know? I thought this would be easy, and most of the time it is. Physically, I can handle anything anyone throws at me. But mentally? It drains you, makes you question why you even bother in the first place. I think... with you at my side, it'll be easier to take it."
"The world is heavy on my shoulders, but with you beside me... It feels a little lighter."
Shattering as it collided with the back of his impenetrable head, the vase burst and the flowers within were scattered across the floor. Guy turned to face his wife, half of his body already out of the window. In his hurry, he hadn't even changed into his costume.
"You are not doing this again! You're not going back out there until this is settled!"
"Stacy, there are people out there who need my help, I need to do my job!" He bellowed in reply, stepping back inside to face her directly. He towered over her, though she did not move or allow her glare to waver. Christmas carols echoed outside, the chirpy voices of jubilant children acting as the ironic backing music to their row.
"Don't you dare. Don't you dare use them as an excuse again! How many times are we going to go through this charade, Guy? How many times are you going to run away from an argument because 'people need you'? Why didn't they need you earlier, when you were out getting drinks with the rest of your little gang?" Guy's muscles tensed, but Stacy continued, completely fearless despite the fact that she was screaming at a human bulldozer. "Well guess what, Mr. Geller? Tonight, I need you! What's more important to you? Your adoring public, or me?"
"I-- You! Of course it's you!" He replied, as if that were obvious, though he still remained close to the open window. "I'm just tired of going through this, tired of coming back home from a day of saving lives to get into another shouting match with you! You don't show me any respect! The people of this city, they worship me--"
"You want me to worship you?!" Stacy screamed hysterically, the ghost of an incredulous laugh upon her face as her eyes began to fill with tears of frustration. "I'm not your cheerleader or your groupie, I'm your wife! And I'm sorry, that after a hard day of being loved and applauded, that you have to come home to me, I really am. I mean, it's unfair for me to put any pressure on you when my life is so wonderful, right? I spend my days cooped up in this apartment or in the library, studying for a PhD in a field I'm unlikely to ever be employed in. No-one in my field takes me seriously, why would they? I'm married to Giga-Guy, I can't go anywhere without a posse of paparazzi on my tail!"
"Like my fame hasn't opened a few doors for you? All those modelling contracts you've been offered, the clothing lines, the TV jobs... People are throwing money at you and you won't take it!"
"For f*ck's sake Guy, I'm a scientist, not a performing monkey! I'm working towards my doctorate and, when I get it, I'd like to be judged on my academic merit, not how good I look in a bikini! I can't work a full-time job while I'm studying, and I'm not going to trade my dignity to make a living. You're my husband, you're supposed to provide for me!"
"I'm not sure whether you've noticed, but my line of work doesn't exactly pay well! What do you want me to do, get sponsored like some sort of race car? Cover my costume in slogans and brand names? What do you want me to do, Stace?"
"I want you to give it up!"
...
"I know what you're going to say. You're going to say that you can't give it up, that the people need you, but you know that's not true. Things were different when you started, crime was rampant and you were the only one willing to stand in its way. Now this city has a whole team of like-minded people standing with you; you're not the only hero anymore. It's been nearly four years since you first put that costume on, you've done so much since then. Now it's time to step away and have a real life, Guy. All of your enemies are in jail, even Professor Phusion hasn't been seen in over a year... The Justice Brigade can handle things from here, they've been handling things for a long time. It's not about helping people anymore, it's about the fame, it's about the glory... Come back to the real world."
"I need you, Guy." Stacy coughed, tears trickling through her hair as she struggled to form a smile, her hand reaching down towards her belly.
It began early in the month of February. Spring was on its way, though the brisk winter chill remained in the streets of Brooklyn. An old lady sat at a bench feeding a gathering of pigeons; a hot dog vendor loudly flogged his wares; and a haggard, balding teacher led a gaggle of students along the street. This group was the freshman Physics class of City College New York, on an outing to see the work of Dr. Philip Stein, a Professor of Brooklyn College. Stein had been making huge leaps in fusion technology, and most of the students were very excited to see his work. Among them was the brightest, most promising young physicist in school: Stacy Lane. Her fiery red hair made her stand out from the rest of the crowd, a beacon of radiance in a sea of drab and dirt.
Towards the back of the group was the hero of our tale: Guy Geller. He, unlike Stacy, was neither brilliant nor beautiful, instead he was scrawny and uninteresting. Like Stacy, he was a nerd, though this does not imply that he was a smart kid. Quite the opposite. Guy was a science fiction nerd, and his understanding of real world physics paled in comparison to his extensive knowledge of the mechanics of the Star Wars universe. Why would one so incompetent at Physics even take such a class? Because like all nerds, Guy was hopelessly in love with a girl who was lightyears out of his league. Guy had been in love with Stacy since high school. She was the reason he chose to go to college, the reason he took a class he couldn't comprehend, and the reason he was in Brooklyn on that cold morning, on his way to see the work Professor Stein had accomplished in a field that Guy didn't know the first thing about.
Little did he know, the events that day would eventually define his life.
"Welcome students, welcome!" The Professor beamed, shoving his CCNY-counterpart to one side as he happily greeted his audience. As usual, Stacy was front and centre, the most eager and engaged of the bunch. Meanwhile Guy was standing to the left, watching his crush intently out of the corner of his eye. "This way, this way!" He lead the way through the compound to his laboratory, which was truly more of an empty warehouse than a lab.
"This is the product of my blood, sweat and tears!" Stein boomed, gesturing triumphantly to the machine which occupied most of the building. It consisted of a huge metal container with a variety of tubes, pistons and lots of other high-tech thingamabobs protruding from it. According to their own Physics lecturer, this machine was a prototype nuclear fusion reactor, an attempt to create an unlimited energy source with the power of the sun, contained within a space the size of a bungalow. "The concept is simple, though the actual mechanics would boggle the mind of students like you!" Philip chuckled, receiving some awkward, nervous giggles from the crowd in return. "It came to me in a dream..."
The Professor continued to ramble as Stacy wandered away from the group, examining the machine with a look of awe and wonder twinkling in her emerald eye as she leaned up against one of the safety rails preventing them from getting too close. Guy followed her gaze with a look of puzzlement as he also stepped away from the group, drawn by her intoxicating presence.
"Amazing, isn't it?" Stacy grinned, turning to face him, as Guy suddenly realised that the two of them were alone (though the rest of the group were only a few feet behind him). "A power plant that endlessly generates its own energy. Just imagine it, Guy! No more fossil fuels, no more pollution, just clear, unlimited energy!"
"Uh, yeah... p-p-pretty exciting." Guy stuttered. He always stuttered, but it was worse around Stacy. Not that she probably noticed. The two of them were occasional lab partners, but Guy rarely said a word to her. He found it far more enjoyable to simply listen, hanging on her every word. Stacy loved to talk, and he loved to listen. "S-seems like he's li-li-living your d-dream." He added with a nervous smile, knowing that this was the sort of work she wanted to pursue. "You c-can't sa-save the world if he d-d-does it f-first."
"Professor Stein is taking the first step," Stacy replied, making eye contact one again, "and I intend to take the second. This is the prototype, the basic building block. There's plenty of room for improvement and innovation." She flashed her perfect smile again. "Which is where I come in!" She looked away, staring at the machine in much the same way that Guy stared at her.
"I wish I c-could ch-ch-change the w-world." He muttered quietly, not really wanting to be heard.
"You will change the world, dummy!" She snapped her stern gaze back to the scrawny teenage boy, before launching into a speech he had heard many times before. "It's like my mom says, everyone excels at something, we all have different gifts. My gift is a thirst for knowledge and a brain the size of Alaska. Your gift... Well, I'm sure you'll figure out what it is eventually. The point is, we owe it to the world to use the gifts that we've been given. Everyone leaves a mark on the world, Geller, like it or not. All you can do is try and make sure that mark, isn't a scar."
"Behold!" The two students were interrupted as the machine before them began to whir into life. The Professor proclaimed, gesticulating wildly. "The future!"
"Hold on. No..." Stacy gasped as she stared intently at the mighty mechanism. "No, that's not right at all."
"Wh-what're you t-talking about?" Guy mumbled, having no clue what his far-more-intelligent counterpart was saying.
"Professor!" Stacy yelled, turning away from her companion. "Are you sure this is--"
A mighty BOOM cut her off, as a piston was sent hurtling across the room. The rest of the students screamed and began to scatter, their teacher leading the charge to the exit as tubes and wires were blasted off the machine, flames bursting from every orifice. Guy made to give chase, before noticing that he was not being followed. Turning around, he saw Stacy struggling frantically to get free, entangled in her own bag strap as he satchel was jammed tight in the safety bar. The warehouse was empty now, save for three people: Professor Stein, running in circles trying to fix the machine while muttering frantically about the impossibility of his invention's failure; Stacy, fighting for her life against the ironically named safety bar; and Guy.
"Go! I'll be right behind you!" Stacy shouted, though each attempt to get free only worsened her situation. The machine was starting to groan now, as the metal shell which contained the fusion reaction began to burst at the seams. The crimson-haired beauty had no chance of making it out in time. But she had to live, he decided. He was useless and she was brilliant and she had to live, no matter the cost. Making a split-second decision, Guy ran towards his love. "No, Guy! Get out of here!" He ran past Stacy, vaulting over the bar as he stood over the girl, his body a pathetic, skinny little human shield. "GUY!" Stacy screamed, as the walls finally burst, and the fusion energy erupted, engulfing the entire building. Guy Geller's life was over...
"You're nineteen years old, puberty happened a long time ago. And this isn't just normal growth, we're talking about seven inches in fourteen days."
"Now you're just exaggerating." Guy grinned, looking down at Stacy. It was true, he had grown. Before the accident he had to look up at her, not down.
"It's unnatural. That explosion should have killed you, but what happened instead? You spent a week in hospital and by the time you were discharged your burns had healed completely; your eyes suddenly work perfectly; your asthma has completely gone; and you're a freaking giant!" Stacy waved her arms, clearly quite frustrated that she had no understanding of how any of this had happened. "You've even lost your stutter!"
"New York City, huh? Best medical care in the world..."
"Oh, shut up." The girl-genius smirked as she elbowed him in the ribs, quickly noticing how much more muscular he was now, too. "You wanna get something to eat?"
"Absolutely." Guy replied, steering them in the direction of his favourite chinese restaurant. He was stopped in his tracks, however, when he heard the sound of gunshots echo from around the corner. "On second thought, rain check? I gotta do a thing. See you at school!"
"Guy, what're you--? There's a gunfight over there, we need to-- Guy!" But Guy had already disappeared into a nearby alleyway. Tearing off his shirt, the miracle boy revealed the green undershirt beneath...
Stacy made her way over to the commotion, where a gang of criminals had been caught robbing a jewellery store and were now engaged in a gunfight with the police. Civilians were being kept back a safe distance, but it seemed like the cops were being overwhelmed. Fortunately, help was on the way...
"Don't fear, citizens!" A voice echoed from the skies. "Your city is under my protection now!"
Falling down from the clouds, the thieves unloaded their weapons on him. The green giant stood still, allowing his body to soak up the bullets, which were completely ineffective. With great speed, he rushed at the villains, shattering each of their guns with a single punch, and knocking them out cold with another. Seizing the final criminal by the collar of his shirt, the hero lifted him off the ground with ease.
"My name is Giga-Guy. And you're going away for a long time."
"Has the jury reached a decision?" The judge asked loudly, as a solemn hush fell over the courtroom.
"Yes... I mean, we have, your honour." The representative stood nervously, clearing his throat, wiping the sweat from his brow and avoiding eye contact with the accused at all costs. "After much discussion, having seen the evidence, we have decided... despite the defendant's spotless criminal record and stellar reputation... We have no choice, but to declare the defendant..." The man seemed to choke on his words, as he finally managed to cough out: "guilty."
"Very well." The judge nodded, raising his gavel. "Then it is with great sadness that I sentence you, Mr. Guy Geller, to twenty years in prison. Court dismissed."
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