!
More please!
Pax
If you take time to help others, you help yourself grow.
If you take time to help yourself, you realize how far you have to go.
If you take time for chocolate . . . you've discovered the secret to a happy life
!GL & be safe in game & real life!
*hug*
Pax
Quote:
Powerful.
| We are not made of ice or stone. We do not have the luxury of rebooting like a machine. We are flesh and so much blood. What you feel right now, the pain, the fear will happen so much more if you choose to follow me. |
"Goodbye, Jean-Luc. I'm gonna miss you... you had such potential. But then again, all good things must come to an end..." -- Q
Excellent, very nicely written.
Yeah, Hell of a story, there, Bungee.
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.
Hope there is going to be more, B!!!
VERY nice! Hope there is more.
@tiggy
Beware the attack cat
Definately nice work ! Creepy as hell in some parts, but nice ! LOL
Thanks guys. 
Was thinking of writing more stories from the various members of The Off Shoots, my version of the JLA.
Some are darker than others, some have horrible origin stories while others just do this for the kicks.
I usually don't name them in the stories but I'm curious if you can figure out who is who. I don't want to be too obvious when I write about them, just enough for those that know my heroes to get an extra inside glimpse into their psyche.
And if you don't then hopefully the stories stand on their own legs.
Ah... obviously, I left my comment on you OTHER post before I read this one.
So, I'll say this: I recognize THIS character as your archer. Not sure who the other is.
Quote:
Yep, this one was about Red-Falcon. My archer. |
Originally Posted by Sooner
Ah... obviously, I left my comment on you OTHER post before I read this one.
So, I'll say this: I recognize THIS character as your archer. Not sure who the other is. |
I'll leave the identity about the other guy in that thread.
Hes out there, in the darkness watching.
Studying my every move. Looking for weaknesses.
I can feel his eyes on me even now perched atop this roof analyzing the scene playing out below. I can hear his silent comments playing in his head. Critiquing my form or my manner of approach.
Below me in the alley several of the Outcasts are nearly finished their deal. The portable mic built into my suit picks up every word below as if I was standing next to them
Have to say this about my Protector he does somehow manage to always have the latest in gadgets at his disposal. Have to ask him someday how he does it.
The meeting below is about to break up. Thats my cue.
Always have a plan
That rule has been beaten into me for over a year now. Sometimes literally.
When I first told him I was going to follow in his steps. Wear the mask. Avenge those that had fallen he hit me.
Not light and gentle. Not like scolding a child. He hit me as hard as I had ever been hit before.
His hands moved like lightening and struck three times that I could count and a fourth that I didnt even feel from the shock.
As I lay there on the ground crying he walk away and said, We are not made of ice or stone. We do not have the luxury of rebooting like a machine. We are flesh and so much blood. What you feel right now, the pain, the fear will happen so much more if you choose to follow me.
Then he tossed me a towel to wipe my face with and helped me to my feet.
Still. The choice is yours
I havent had a decent nights sleep since then.
Each night from then to now has been preparation.
Making my body stronger. My mind quicker.
It wasnt until I was 8 months into the martial arts training that I managed to block a blow of his. Ten until I was able to counter with an attack of my own that landed.
I thought he would be proud when I tagged him finally. Like the father he wasnt.
He never once said a word of approval though. Just went back to training harder and longer.
Its funny that I learned more about the use of makeup from him than I had from my own mother. Early on he taught me how to hide the bruises.
It was something he had to do each day as well.
I caught him once before he headed out to the world at large. Dressed in his shiny Armani, gold star affixed at the hip. He was trying to cover up a massive blue welt on the cheek. No matter what amount of concealer he applied it still showed.
Finally he wiped it off and asked me to step into the room. I hated how he always knew I was there.
He told me to scratch his face on the side that wasnt already hit. The look on my face told him the silent question.
Your cover is everything. Details are never to be missed.
I ran my nails across his face and winced at the blood each drew.
As I left him there I overhead him going over his story about the wild girl with the temper he had met last night.
..
Back in the alley I hear the final details of the plot. The last bit of information I was sent to retrieve.
I could go back to the Cave now but I want to show these hooligans that there is a new crime fighter in the city.
I take out my bow and carefully nock an arrow into place.
Just as Im about to let fly a copter circles overhead nearly giving away my position. I freeze in place. Studying the faces looking up below.
Can they see me? No, if they did they would have run or opened fire by now.
I remain unmoving. The bow held taut. I can stay like this for 37 minutes .
..
It was on my first year anniversary of training that he gave it to me. My first bow
He said that after watching me move I should stick to this. Gives me range. Gives me options in the field. Gives me an exit strategy.
My nightly sparing gave way to target practice. The ways a well placed arrow could disable or maim.
I was amazed to see how a precise shot could even take out a mech or escape vehicle.
In time I was even allowed to use arrows he had tricked out for me. His somehow endless funds and limitless access to weaponry let him outfit me with enough fire power to take on a Mothership if need be.
Not that he ever let me try in those early days. I never even got the chance to go on patrol with him. Always in the Cave. Always with the safetys on the training systems.
It was in my 14 month of training that I snapped.
I want to go out and fight crime now! Not waste away in this damp, ugly Cave forever!
He didnt even look up from his computer he was hunched over. Analyzing some new threat or case. He simply said, Gear up.
My moment of elation at those words became confusion when he was still sitting there 30 minutes later.
Finally I broke, When are we going?
Now. He stood up and strode across the room to the target range and up to a new item he had added. How did he manage to put that in without me noticing.
It was a bow exactly like mine. Only attached to its handle was a blinking device of some kind.
Pick it up
I did so with flourish, thinking it was some new toy he was giving me on my first night out.
In front of me three targets appeared. One directly in front, two on either side.
Aim at the centre target and fire.
Bulls eye!
Do the same on the left target.
I let go a smirk at him. All too easy I thought.
As I turned the bow to aim at the other target a sudden pain shot through my arm. Like I had been stabbed in the shoulder and hand. I let go of the bow and it clattered to the ground.
He simply picked up the bow, adjusted the device attached and handed it back to me.
What you felt was a mild electrical jolt. Set at level 1 it merely causes a great deal of pain. Set at level 10 and it will incapacitate you for a great deal of time.
I looked at the device on the handle. It read level 10.
Take aim at the centre target again. Once you do if you move the bow an inch in any direction you will get the shock.
I stared at him. Lost for words.
Do it or quit.
I did it out of pure spite I know now. I wasnt going to let him cheat me out of what I had worked for this long.
I notched the arrow and pulled it back. Waiting for the order to fire.
Thats when he went and stood between me and the target.
Just as I was about to bring the arrow back to resting place he warned me.
If you move the bow the shock will go off. If you dont release the arrow the shock will go off. The only way it wont is to hold it taut like that. Or fire it at me.
With that he turned his back and took out a portable computer device he had in his pocket. Going to work again on the solution to whatever issue was troubling him before I had started this.
He never said a word to me as I yelled at him.
How this was unfair.
How he never believed in me or let me help in anything.
I thought about a lot of things as I held on.
My arm was tensing up. My face was white and sweaty from the pain and stress.
It was around the ten minute mark that I knew I was done.
I screamed at him to move.
I pleaded with him to help me.
He never even turned his head once during it all.
When I finally let go of the arrow I closed my eyes in fear of what I was doing. I collapsed on the floor afraid to look at what I had done.
As I opened them I saw him standing there. Arrow in his hand. Staring down at me.
To this day I have no idea how he managed to avoid it. Let alone catch it.
His voice wasnt angry or scolding.
Now you know your limits. Next we push them.
.
Crouched on the roof top arm held stiffly I see the crowd below start to relax again and I think back to how he helped to push my limits after that night.
How he helped to prepare me for this night. My first solo assignment.
I look back now and realize that it was all to get me to this point.
All the pain and suffering he made me endure. All the training and rules.
All the lessons learned with bruises and blood.
Everything to get me to now.
I hope hes still out there in the darkness watching me.
Its going to be one heck of a show!
I take aim at the leader and let go a flurry of arrows.
Time this Falcon flew!