The True Adventures of Tommy Rocket

1. A Bad Man


"Don't you look at me. Put the damn money in the bag." The thug raised his gun at the old man. The owner's fingers trembled as he handled the cash register. He fumbled with the buttons twice before getting the cash drawer to slide open. He started grabbing the stacks of bills and dumping them into the gunman's bag. The robber was sweating profusely, his eyes were darting around at the various customers cowering in different parts of the store. He had another gun in a shoulder holster that he would periodically touch with his free hand.

"That don't look like much. Where's the rest?"
"We don't carry that much cash. We're just a local convenience s-store just selling milk and stuff you know..we don't do that big of a business here."
"Don't give me that crap! You got a safe in the back? Spill it or I'll blow your head off." He started to **** the gun but was distracted by the woman cowering near him on the floor. She was looking towards the doorway, eyes wide, mouth gaping.

"What now?" He look at the entry way, still holding the gun on the proprietor.

There was a little metal figure standing there. Some kind of robot or armored person, just the size of a kid. Standing there with little glowing blue eyes, it's fists up like it was about to box him.

"Hahaha..what the hell?!? Is that your security old man? What is that thing?"
"No we don't...


"YOU'RE A BAD MAN! PUT THE GUN DOWN NOW YOU JERK!" It was a kid's voice. Very metallic and distorted as it spoke, but still the voice of a young boy.

"Hey is that a kid in there? Scram kid before I put more metal in you than what you're wearing?" He waved the gun at the armored figure. "You got it? SCRAM!"

[Graviton blast charged and ready to fire. Primary emittors engaged.]

"GRAVITON BLAST!" The robot kid sank in his stance for a moment, then a ball of blue energy shot out from an opening in the helmet. Before the thug could react, it was hurled forward and broke over the gun, encapsulating it and the robber's hand in the blue light. Then the gun was jerked up into the air as the ball started to rise.

"HEY! Hey! What...What's happening?! Stop! Ow!.."

The blue energy rose to the ceiling like a bubble, carrying the gun, gunman's hand, and the rest of the gunman's body along with it. He was stuck there, swinging and trying to get loose as the ball held him. The robot-kid fired three more bursts out of his head. Pew! Pew! Pew!

"Let me down kid! Stop it! Hey!" The robber's entire body was now stuck there up on the ceiling.The store owner came out from around the counter and started beating him with a broom.

"Hey not so tough now eh? You lousy ******* tryin to steal from honest people." The customers that had been cowering on the floor all started to get up and filter out. The owner picked up the phone and dialed the police. He turned back to the entrance but the robot kid was gone.

"Hey where'd the kid go?"
"I don't know man that was trippy."
"Maybe he flew away."
"Maybe that was like...Positron's baby or somethin..."
"I dunno man."

2. School


Tommy heard them coming, saw the reflection in the surface of the water before they reached him. He clutched the straps of his backback and lowered his head a bit. Moving faster. The school was in sight. It wouldn't be so bad with the other kids and teachers around if he could just get there.

"Oh hey creep, better watch out for the puddles." Brian Johnson was next to him. Water splashed up the side of Tommy's leg as the bigger kid slammed his foot in the water. "Oh hey, there's another one over there! Watch out!" He shoved Tommy towards a pool of water to the left. Tommy skidded and managed to hop over it at the last second. He could heard The other two laughing in the background.

"Ha ha did you see him? Ha ha that was so funny!"
"Hey dork, watcha got in here? Hate to see it get wet.." Tommy spun around as someone was clutching his backpack, tring to get the zipper open while Tommy was moving. Derrick Brant. A snearing little jerk..laughing as Tommy pulled the pack away and pushed his hands off. Then he got tripped from behind. He went down, his arm flailing. His shoulder was jarred as he hit the sidewalk. The whole right side of his body wet.

"Hahahahahahahahaha"
"Seeya loser!"
"Better dry off before class jerk!"
"Hahahahahahaha"

They ran off. He stumbled up, rubbing the scrape on his knee. He would've made it sooner. He would've missed them completely. But mom needed my help. She was hurting today. He had to stay to help her. He stared blankly at the school building for a moment, rubbing his face with his sleeve. Then he clutched the straps again and started limping towards the entrance, hoping the ache would subside by the time he reached his locker.

3. Contact

Something big was happening! The armor was getting all kinds of information--like messages from the police radio! Inside the helmet, Tommy could see a beacon overlaid on his view. It was this greenish ball that showed up when there was trouble. It was how the armor showed him he was needed somewhere.
He bounced through the alley, the rockets in his boots firing and launching him in the air when he landed. It had taken him a few weeks of practice just to get that good. He still couldn't fly through the air, but he could bounce really high--like over buildings! It was pretty sweet! Good thing the armor protectected his body--he'd fallen down a lot trying to get used to it.

He was close now. The green ball got bigger. He stopped jumping and started walking through the alley, cautiously looking for trouble.

[PROXIMITY ALERT. PROXIMITY ALERT]

"What does that even mean?"

Tommy turned the corner and saw it. There was a building with a big hole in the back. Like it had been punched out. Maybe there was a giant! Awesome! He could hear sirens in the distance. He slowly made his way to the opening and peeked inside. It was like a bank or something. There were all kinds of little boxes on the wall. Or like drawers because he could see some of them had been pulled out and dropped on the floor. There were two big metal doors and there was this big metal bar that was wrapped around the handles. Twisted like a piece of rubber. Wow, how did that happen? There was someone on the floor to his right.

Tommy gaped. It was a woman. She was beautiful! More beautiful even than Mrs. Linden, his art teacher. She had long black hair and she was wearing big black boots and this outfit that was like a swimming suit or something. With a belt. And her body was like...it was like..very much like a woman...like a very woman body. Not like a girl body. His face felt hot. Good thing he was wearing that helmet!

She was taking things out of some of those boxes and putting them in two duffel bags. She turned and looked at him. She didn't say anything, she just looked at him for a long moment, then went back to putting things in the bag. Suddenly Tommy felt stupid.

"Umm hey! Don't be afraid...I'm a hero. I'm Tommy Rocket..I'm here to help!" She sat up and turned to look at him again.
"You're a hero?"
"Yes ma'am! I have super powers to fight bad people!" She jerked her thumb towards the doors.
"Oh good! Because I was trying to get my stuff out of here and some bad people came. And I had to run in here to hide." She slid one of the bags towards him. "Could you carry that out to the alley please?"
"Sure thing ma'am!" He started to walk towards the bag but she got scared and started to pull it away.
"What's wrong?"

"Oh my gosh...you're one of those evil robots aren't you?"
"No i'm not a robot! I'm a boy." She shuddered, cowering and hiding her face in her hands.
"I think you're a robot."

"No ma'am. Lemme show you!" Tommy started pressing the studs that would disengage the helmet.

[CAUTION: ARMOR BREACH NOT ADVISED!
REPEAT: ARMOR BREACH NOT ADVISED!]

He popped the helmet off and rubbed his matted hair with his free hand, smiling. "See! I'm a real person!"
"But how do I know that's not a hologram? Just let me touch you." She held out her hand.
"Ok, sure!" He went to her. She smiled and rubbed her hand over his head and down the back.

"Ow!" Something sharp poked him. In the back of his head where his neck ran into his skull.
"Oh I'm sorry honey! I have a jagged nail." She smiled. "I believe you now. Why don't you put your helmet back on."
"Ok!" He locked it back in place.

"Could you take this bag out to the alley there?"
"Sure thing!" He carried one duffel out through the hole in the wall. She followed with the second. Standing up she was very tall for a woman. Much taller than his mom. She went to a manhole cover and lifted it off. Then she dropped one of the duffels in. Tommy didn't hear it hit the ground. He glanced down the hole and saw something move.

"Is there somebody down there?"
"Yup. A friend is helping me." She took the other bag and dropped it in as well. Then she started climbing down through the hole.

"Tommy could you be a sweetie and put the lid back on after I'm through?"
"Uh..yeah sure.."
"Thhaaaaaanks." She disappeared down the shaft and he slid the cover back over the opening. It clicked into place.

[EMERGENCY PROTOCAL THETA!
EMERGENCY PROTOCAL THETA!

IMMEDIATE ARMOR SHUTDOWN!]

"Huh? Tommy stared down at his chest as the armor plates folded and receded from view until only the braclet remained. "What? Why?"

Suddenly there was a crowd of people running straight at him. Police. And men in uniforms. Big men and women with guns and red and white armored uniforms. He backed away reflexively as they came storming up with their weapons drawn. A huge, muscular man with a shiny red and white helmet took him by the shoulder.

"Kid! Did you see a woman in this alley a moment ago? A tall woman with black hair?"
"Uh..um..uh.." Tommy blushed and pointed towards the manhole cover.
"Down there?" He brushed Tommy out of the way and they had the cover off and people were dropping down the hole, one after another. The man grasped Tommy by the shoulder as the people on the street listened.

A moment passed and someone beneath yelled "All clear." Then more of the soldiers started climbing down through the hole. The big man turned to Tommy.

"What are you doing here kid?"
"Um..uh..just...playing sir."
"Ok well you get home now. There's a dangerous criminal in the area. She just robbed this tech facility. If you see anything funny in the neighborhood, you have your parents call the police, ok?"

Tommy blushed. "Ok sir I will."
"Ok then, now get on home."

Moar pls!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hyperstrike English does not borrow from other languages. English follows other languages down dark alleys, hits them over the head, and rifles through their pockets for loose grammar.

He's got a lot to learn...

3. The Rocket


After days of heavy rain, Tommy's fourth grade class was finally allowed back on the playground. He went to his favorite place--the old metal rocket. Bent metal poles formed the body. It had wide sheet metal wings that you could slide down. Or you could just climb up and sit there on the edge. The best thing was that it was off by itself. The school had been rebuilt. New stuff added. A new building, a new playground with new stuff. The rocket was on the edge, the last thing remaining from the old school. That's why he liked it so much. It was out of the way and most of the other kids didn't play there, so he could sit on the rocket and be by himself and have some calm.

He had to be careful when he got on. There were big puddles of mud below. He had to jump over it a little to get up on the wing where he could climb. But he did it, so it was good. Everything was good--except he could see them walking over. Brian and Derrick and Jacob. They were smiling and laughing.

He scooted up a bit higher, getting closer to the nose of the rocket as he sat on the wing.

"Hey dork, watcha doin up there?" Tommy just stared at them.
"What a nerd. Look at him sitting up there."
"He's got no friends. Nobody likes him."

Brian snickered and looked at them. "Even his old man didn't like him. Took off and left him alone with his momma. Ain't that right?" They all looked at him smiling. Waiting for his reaction. Tommy just stared at them blankly.

"Ok jerk, get off. We're taking over the rocket. Get lost."
"No."
"What? Did you just say no? Well then we'll just have to make you get off creep."
"Hey Brian I can't go on that thing. If I get my pants muddy my mom will kill me."
"Yeah, me too....."
"Ok you wussies. It's not like I need your help to get him off. Just watch me."

Brian stared at the mud at the base of the rocket for a moment, realizing the gap might not be as easy as he thought. He stepped back and then hopped over it. He grunted as he landed on the wing and the air was knocked out of him a bit, but he managed to grab on to the edge and hold on. He slid himself up, leaning on the edge and then looked at Tommy.

"You're getting off. Now."
"No."
"You're gonna be sorry when I get over there." He started pulling himself up the angle of the wing, grunting from the exertion. As he got closer, his hand was reaching out, grasping for Tommy's pant leg. He kept inching closer. Tommy held on to the frame of the rocket body. He pushed the bully's hand away as it started to brush his clothing.

"Come on!"
"No."

Brian apparently realized that he need to be much closer to bump Tommy off the equipment. He took hold of the edge of the wing near to Tommy's foot and started pulling himself over. At that moment, right as the thug was shifting his weight, Tommy acted. He didn't know why. It was just one of those things. He just did it. It just happened. And he wasn't sorry.

As the bully's weight shifted and he was moving towards his right hand, Tommy reached down and pulled his fingers up from the edge of the wing.

"He..HEY! HEEEY!!" Brian was sliding. He clutched around him frantically as he descended, but it was no good. Tommy could see his expression of rage, confusion, and then finally fear as his body slid off the wing. His legs slid off, his chest, then his head and arms whipping around underneath the bottom of the metal triangle. His eyes were wide, mouth frozen in mid yell. Then he was gone from view and there was a wet thud.

"Holy crap!!"
"Oh hey you splashed me!! Watch it..."

The toadies backed away in fear as Brian started yelling on the ground. Then he was rising up, a good half of his head caked in mud. He lifted his arms from his sides, water and mud and dirt streaming from his fingertips.

"YOU LITTLE ******! I'M GONNA KILL YOU, YOU ****!!! ****!! DAMN IT YOU'RE GONNA DIE!! YOU HEAR ME? YOU ****!"
"Whoah Brian stop! Shhh man stop she's coming. I think she heard you!"

They all looked towards the school. One of the recess teachers was very close, walking fast and glaring at Brian.

"Brian Johnson! To the office! Right now!"

Brian turned back towards Tommy, glaring, his eyes squeezed almost shut with raw hatred. He hissed.

"Tomorrow. I'm gonna punch you're teeth out, punk. I'm gonna kill you. You'll see."

FD, you have captured the school bully perfectly.

Go Tommy!

4. Ambush


They were looking for him. Tommy could see the three down below in the alley. The way that Tommy usually took to get home. Brian was just pacing back and forth. Glaring. The other two were bored. But nervous. He could see them trying to joke with the head bully. But he was really really angry. Slamming his fist into his hand. He just glared at them and they shut up. He kept going to the opening of the alley and looking around. Scanning the area for Tommy.

"I'm up here jerk." He was leaning over the edge of the roof watching them. The armor glistened with reflections of the setting sun. He waited until they were all grouped again. He raised his left gauntlet and clenched his fist. His HUD started listing the various weapons that he currently had access to from the suit. He wasn't looking to kill them. He didn't want to hurt them. But he was going to scare the crap out of them. He was gonna make them pee their pants. And they would think twice about every trying to bully someone again.

Yeah. That's how he was gonna do it. He would shoot them with a graviton beam. They would rise up in the air like stupid little balloons. Then he would turn the effect off and they's fall back to the ground, right as he jumped down and landed next to them and scared them away. TOMMY ROCKET DOESN'T PUT UP WITH BULLIES!Yeah! That would do it. He started to take aim with his right hand.

He could feel the energy building in the gauntlet. Then it stopped.

[UNAUTHORIZED ACTIVITY
UNAUTHORIZED ACTIVITY
MANDATORY POWER DOWN]

"What?"

The metal plating began to fold and shrink. It was receding from his body. The helmet was disassembling.

"What?! Why?!"

It converted down util he was standing there on the roof with just the bracelet. He looked down at the alley, and coincidentally the three bullies had decided to leave. He watched them walk away. With no fear. No threat. Just tired of waiting for him.

"Why?!?! Why are you doing this? Why won't you help me?" His voice started to crack a little as he choked back some tears. "Why can I use the power to help other people but I can't use it to help myself?!? They wanna hurt me! Tomorrow they're gonna beat me up! Why won't you help me??"


5. Controversy


"Are you ok Tommy? You seem down baby what's wrong?" Patti Cullen stood next to her son in the kitchen. She stroked his head as he took his lunchbag and shoved it into his backpack.

"Yeah I'm fine mom, just a little tired."
"Are you getting enough sleep? Is something keeping you up at night?"
"No no I'm fine momma don't worry."

He pulled away and started sliding the straps over his shoulders.
"You know you can talk to me about anything baby....anything that's bothering you."
"I know. I'm fine mom." He smiled at her. The best fake smile he could manage. He wasn't sure she bought it though.

Patti went to the wall next to the refridgerator and looked at the calendar. "You know Tommy. I was paying the bills yesterday. And I think that we'll have a little bit of money left over this month. I was thinking we could go to the store and get some of those cards you wanted. Those game cards you were talking about...like the ones your friend Billy gave you. How about it? I know you've wanted those for a while."

Tommy shook his head. "No mom. I don't like those cards any more. Nobody plays with those now. They're not cool any more. We shouldn't waste the money on something like that."
"Oh? Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
"We maybe we can go out for ice cream. How about that?"
"I gotta go mom. I'm gonna be late."
"Well think about it ok?" She kissed his forhead and he scrambled out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him on the way out.

.....

Tommy smiled. He breathed. Deeply. Brian Johnson was absent. It felt like a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders. Everything seemed brighter. Derrick and Jacob made comments, tried to get him scared, but without Brian they really had no guts to do anything. He could see that. He had a good day for once. And he didn't worry about the walk home.

Brian didn't show up the next day either. Tommy couldn't believe it. That kid almost never missed school. Maybe Brian got really sick with something. Cancer! yeah cancer that would be awesome. No it wouldn't.. he shouldn't think like that...nobody should get cancer that's too mean....he shouldn't think like that. Mom wouldn't like it. But...yeah! Haha jerk I hope you got cancer!

On the third day, things got a little weird. Brian didn't show up again. And Tommy noticed the other kids were acting weird. Derrick and Jacob stayed away. FAR away. Like they were really trying to avoid him. And he got so many weird looks from the other kids. Like he had done something. Tommy actually started to worry. Maybe they found out about his armor. Maybe they knew he was Tommy Rocket and now they were all scared of him. But how would they have found out?

At recess prissy Janice Sterling came up to him. She was the popular girl. She was too good to talk to Tommy, she said he was a scrub. But there she was.

"What?"
"Is it true?"
"Is what true?" She frowned a little. She was trying to act all superior, but something was bothering her. Tommy looked down at her hand and she was shaking a little.

"Brian's parents came to the school and talked to the principal. They talked to Mrs. Hayes too. Some of the fifth graders overheard. And Derrick talked to Brian on the phone last night..."
"Yeah? Heard what? Spit it out."

She rubbed her hands together and looked around at the other kids nearby. A little crowd had gathered.
"What? What did he say?"
"Brian said that he told you he was gonna kill you. Then that night, after he went to bed.."
"Yeah?"
"He said that after he went to bed..a demon appeared in his room. It was made of smoke and the room got really cold. It had glowing yellow eyes. And it told him that if he bullied you again, it would rip him apart and eat his soul..." She bit her bottom lip and quivered as she watched his reaction.

"HAHAHAHA what?!?"
"It's not true..."
"Hahahah of course not! He had a nightmare or something. What an idiot!"

Janice blushed and folded her arms. Suddenly she was superior again, looking him up and down with contempt. "I knew it wasn't true. I just wanted to hear you say it."
"Well..you know what..."
"What?" She stared at her nails, sighing and letting him know through her body language how bored she was to be in his presence.
"I could be lying..."
"Stop it." She turned away sharply and stormed off as he grinned. The other kids followed in her wake, pestering her for details of the conversation.

That...was not expected.

6. Wizards


"Stop!! Let me go!! Please..somebody help! HELP MEEEE!!!"

"Huh?"
Tommy sat up in his bed. Still mostly asleep. He looked at his hands. The suit was active. He was lying in bed with the full armor. The blue lights and sensors shined in the dark. He looked at the little clock on his dresser. 2:00 am! It was the middle of the night.

"hmmm wha--just what dreamin hmmnngh??" The sound again. A woman screaming.
"Help! Please!!! Somebody!!!"

Tommy shook his head. He slid his legs over the side of the bed.
"Someone's in trouble?"

[AFFIRMATIVE. FEMALE ABDUCTEE. PROXIMITY 3 BLOCKS]

"A lady is in trouble? I..gotta..do..." Tommy stumbled off the bed, almost losing his balance as he got a head rush and leaned against the wall. He stood still for a moment. He could hear his mother snoring down the hall. He started to shake his head, trying to wake up as he made his way to the window.

"Gotta do the trick thing again. If I slide it open, it might wake up mom." He bent his knees slightly and leaned forward. He could feel the vibration building up in the suit.

[SPATIAL RELOCATION ENGAGING]

There was a flash of blue light and then he was outside, standing on the roof of the building across the alley. He looked around the vicinity.

"Where's the trouble?" The green proximity sphere lit up in his view. it prompted him to turn around and then focused on a strange green light in the distance. It was on the top of another roof, maybe a few blocks away.

"Ok I see it. Here we go." He ran to the edge of the roof and jumped, the thrust from his rocket boots lifting him up and carrying him across to the other side. He felt his adrenaline pumping as he ran across the next one.

"Wooooooo!" He jumped even further, flying across the gap like a metal ball and bouncing like a toad as he landed on the other side.

[PROXIMITY ALERT
PROXIMITY ALERT]

"Oh my gosh!!!" He could see the woman on the next roof. She was floating in the air in a cloud of green light. She was yelling. There were these weird guys with big sticks standing around her in a circle. The were mumbling things and their eyes were glowing with energy. Wizards? Yeah! They were evil wizards. He ran across to the edge, jumping the gap and landing on their roof, not far from the circle. They all turned to look at him as he crouched there. They were mean looking men. All mad looking with weird fire glowing in their eyes and they didn't even say hi or anything. He stood up.

"YOU LEAVE THAT LADY ALONE!" Their eyes flashed with anger as they looked at him. Tommy sank in his stance, pulling his hands to his sides.

[INERTIAL ENERGY ACTIVATED
FORCE DAMPENER ACTIVATED
REMOTE PROPULSION ACTIVATED]

Tommy thrust both hands out. "ROCKET FISTS!!!" The energized mass of his gauntlets shot off his arms and flew at the woman, grabbing her by the arms. She yelled as they pulled her out of the green energy cloud and over the edge of the roof. Everyone ran to the side and watched as the rocket hands flew her down to the street and then dropped her lightly on the sidewalk. She got up. Confused and rubbing her wrists, then she started running off down the street.

"Yeah! HAHA!" The evil men turned towards Tommy. A couple in brown robes and hoods came at him. They had big, sharp looking knives in their hands.

[REACTIVE FORCE ARMOR ACTIVATED]

The first wizard guy reached Tommy and raised his blade to strike. Tommy threw a punch but missed. That was embarrassing. The knife came down and hit him on the shoulder, but blue force energy from the suit blasted the man away and he went spinning across the roof and then slipped and fell over the edge.

"Ooops! Sorry mister! Maybe you guys should get a doctor?"

The second goon started to swing, but somebody yelled something and he stopped. The wizards pulled back a little and then a big wizard came forward. He had a fiery robe and a big square hat and a beard. He looked really mad. He waved his hands and then suddenly Tommy started feeling dizzy. It was hard to stand up straight, he slid down and fell to one knee. Then another wizard came forward too and he was glowing and then the earth started shaking under Tommy. He slipped and fell on his stomach and then rolled over on his back. The wizards were all mumbling something together and then there was a big burst of flame in the middle of the roof in front of them.

"What's going on? Stop it! Leave me alone!" The ball of flame got bigger and then there was movement and..something inside. Wings! Big bat wings! It turned and Tommy yelled. It had horns and big teeth and it roared and Tommy could hear himself screaming.

[EMERGENCY OVERRIDE
EMERGENCY OVERRIDE
EVASIVE MANUEVERS]

His boot rockets fired. He bounced as they pushed him and he went zig-zagging across the roof past the scary men. Then he felt his body go over the edge. There was a moment of falling then he hit something. Something metal. The boots kept pushing him--he rolled across the surface and started tumbling down steps. He bounced off a railing and then rolled the other way, bouncing down another flight until her turned a corner and got wedged against something. It was the building fire escape. The rockets turned off. He could hear the demon roar up above. He could hear men running towards where he was. He couldn't move. He was so scared.

"Help! Somebody! Mogo..can you hear me? I need you! Please somebody help! I'm scared! I wanna go home! I don't wanna do this anymore, please! Please help me!"

7. Intervention


"Tommy! Tommy get up now!"

It was a voice. A woman's voice in his head. He'd never heard it before. "Who is it? Who's there?"
"Nevermind! Do as I say. Get up and jump off the fire escape. Now!"

Tommy scrambled to his feet. He could feel the footsteps of the wizards as they came down the fire escape after him. He grabbed the rail and hopped over the side, just as some sort of energy blast hit the deck where he had been standing. He fell about twenty feet and landed in a crouch, the armor cushioning the impact.

"Turn right and run down the street." He did as the voice told him. Having an angry woman yelling at you makes you less afraid of monsters! His mom didn't get angry at him that often, but when she did--

"OK now turn right down this alley!" Tommy looked back. The wizards were coming after him. Even though he had jumped off the fire escape, they really weren't that far behind.

"Stop gawking! Go down the alley."
"Yes ma'am." He ran as fast as he could. He saw something out of the corner of his eye. It was the demon! It was flying through the sky overhead.
"Oh no..."
"Turn left Tommy!" Tommy darted down another alley. The demon roared as it landed on the ground behind him.
"NO TOMMY! I SAID LEFT! LEFT! YOU WENT RIGHT!"
"Oh no......." The beast was walking towards him. Reaching out with its claws. Tommy backed away, cowering, the fear taking hold again.

"Jump over it!"
"I can't...I'm afraid....."
"DO IT! DO IT NOW!!"

Tommy ran forward but tripped before his legs made the leap. He fell flat on his face as the rocket boots fired, and he ended up sliding right between the creatures legs. He kept going, sparks underneath him as he flew past the group of wizards and down the other side of the alley. He slid blindly onward until he ran into a wall.

"Good! Now get up and go right." Tommy stumbled to his feet. He could hear the men yelling in the distance. He darted off to the right. He ran until there was another intersection with a small alley.

"There! On the left. Go to him." Tommy looked down the alley. At the far end, there was a man in a white suit. He was standing on a box doing some sort of dance. Like the robot or something. He had a big boombox on the ground next to him, playing some old person kind of music. What did his mom call it? A waltz?

"Him? He's just some weird dancer guy! How is he gonna help me?"
"He is the guardian of lost children. Go to him. Now!"

Tommy could hear the wizards again. They were getting closer. He ran down the alley to the man. He looked really wierd. He had a long white coat. White pants, shoes, gloves. He had some sort of hood that covered the back of his head. And on the front, there was some sort of mask. When Tommy got close, he could see that there was a smiley face drawn on the mask in thick black lines. The guy was doing slow robotic movements to the music.

"Excuse me. Mister? Can you help me? I'm in trouble."

The strange man faced Tommy. He straightened up. He slowly held out his right hand and the thumb popped up. Tommy looked him up and down. He was so weird. He looked at the box the guy was standing on, and there was a strip of paper tacked on to the front with one word:



SUPERCREEP

interesting......

Loved all of these chapters!!!

FD, you have SO captured the schoolyard politics and exchanges.

I am devouring these as fast as you can put t hem out!

8. Flashback


The part that happens next is something that I would think about for many years. Long after I was Tommy Rocket. After I had passed on the armor and developed other abilities and well...my adult life happened. I can remember it very clearly, as if it had just happened, even though things didn't make sense to me as a kid. But at least it's a bit easier to describe now. Even though describing it is kind of like describing fire to somebody who had never seen fire. Like...you need to describe fire, but all you have to do it is a pencil and a piece of paper. That's how I always feel trying to put this into words. Language can't describe the experience. But maybe I can give you the general gist of what happened.

I was standing there looking up at Supercreep when the demon landed right next to me--I just about crapped my pants. I thought I was done. It grabbed me in its clawed hand. I could feel the heat coming off the thing through the armor. And I had one of those "your life flashes before you" experiences and in that split second I remember being really sad. Thinking about my mom and how I had let her down and that I would never see her again.

And then I was being pulled away from it. Not like someone grabbed me and pulled me away from the demon--it was like there was just space between us. And I was moving away from it. I could see the thing trying to reach out for me, but it was too far away. The alley was fading. I was somewhere else.

There was light and sound, like millions of voices all talking at the same time, but in unison. As if it was millions of different versions of the same voice. And I turned to look up. And there was this giant man. His face--towering over me. He was golden..not made of gold..more like made of light that was so dense it shimmered like gold. I was in his palm. And I could see across this chasm that the demon was in his other palm. Roaring, erupting with flames. And he slowly looked down at me. And I could feel that he was looking at something. And I held up my hands, with the palms up just like his were.

And in each palm--there was something. I was expanding. Getting bigger. It was so strange. I was myself and someone else at the same time. And looking down into my palms, I could see my childish self on one side, full of fear and doubt and sadness. And in the other hand there was the demon. Roaring. Bursting with fire and cruelty. And I simply closed my hands on them both. And then I opened my fists again and I was standing back in the alley. I was Tommy Rocket again, standing there holding up my palms. There was a light as I returned. Almost blinding. And the demon just faded. It disintegrated away, literally burning up and breaking apart into little puffs of smoke and flame. At the time I
thought I had somehow wasted the thing. My mystic friends tell me that my vision probably severed the bond that held it there on the physical plain.

Who knows. I will tell you this. Since that day I lost my fear of death. I was still afraid of getting hurt--pain, suffering, getting my *** beat--yeah that still bothers me. But what happens AFTER you kick the bucket. It never bothered me again. And in the course of my career, that helped get me out of some tight spots. Times that I might have given up. Or other people were giving up around me. I was able to continue. And that was Supercreep's second gift to me, after saving me from the monster.

FD, that is AWESOME!!!

9. "Don't just take me for tryin' to be heavy"


His hands were a blur. Moving so fast as he took the masks off. Each time he took one off there'd be another beneath it, with a different picture. Moving like a flipbook. Supercreep was looking around, his eyes drawn big. And then he was throwing the masks. Woosh woosh woosh! They sailed through the air and hit the weird balls of magic fire that the bad men were shooting. Then there was a ripple in the crowd of wizards and the boss wizards with their big square hats came forward. They positioned themselves in the front. The other bag guys spread out around them. The mean one with the orange glow made some gestures with his hands. He sank in his posture a little. Then the ground started pounding, shaking a bit. Tommy could feel it under his feet, starting to get stronger. Tommy grabbed the boombox, afraid that it would get knocked over.

"Supercreep! Those are the bad ones--they have powers that--"

Something strange was happening. It was dark in the alley. It was night and the light came from street lights and little lights on the buildings and coming from people's windows. But everything was getting a little more...bluish? The light was changing somehow. And when Tommy looked at the wizards they were still for a moment. Quiet. Did time stop? He looked up at Supercreep, gaping as the weird hero slowly turned back to look at him.

"Whoah!"

Supercreep was different. He had a long dark coat. It had a white strap over the shoulder with big black musical notes. He had a black hat with silver buckles around it. There was a big feather coming off one side. He had a big frilly scarf around his neck. He looked down at Tommy. He expression was drawn differently. The eyes and mouth were wider, more rectangular. Kind of squinty. And there was hair poking out of the chin! Like a little beard! He raised his hand slowly and gestured. Tommy could tell: he wanted the boy to press play.

Tommy hit the button. The boombox buzzed in his hands as he held it up:

boom boom boom...BOOM boom
boom boom boom BOOM boom boom




boom boom boom boom......

There was a flash of lightning overhead. Thunder crashed above them making Tommy wince a little. Rain started pelting the alley. Supercreep lifted his hands. Suddenly water was shooting out of the speakers! Pouring right out of the boom box! Not just water, wind and sparks and fire too!

"OH WOW!" All this stuff flew out and poured into the space between the creep's hands. He was strumming and moving them and there was this shimmering music. Flowing and metallic but full of feeling. Powerful. Supercreep was bobbing his body and playing and the rain pelted them all. The chief wizard gestured, the ground cracked open and a big mound of earth broke out and flew at the hero. But it just crumbled, broke apart into dust as it reached him.

One of the hooded guys with knives rushed at Tommy. He turned the boombox towards the thug and wind and rain blasted out. It blew the guy off his feet. He fell flat on his back and then actually rolled over and started sliding towards the others.

"HAHAHA TAKE THAT JERK!" Tommy could see the look on their faces. He'd seen the exact same look on the faces of bullies at his school. It was that look you get when you're all proud and feel you're so tough. Nobody can stand up to you, you're the boss. But then somebody does stand up. And you realize that you have an actual fight on your hands. And that it ain't gonna be easy. That was the look. They were realizing that they had a fight on their hands.

There was more lightning over head. Closer. Louder. There was a voice on the wind. Did it come out of the boombox? Did Supercreep actually say something? What was it---"It's time to get ready for the storm.." Tommy watched Supercreep move his hands, playing his guitar made of air and water. Fire and even earth sucked up for the ground. He glanced at Tommy, pulling a pair of goggles down the front of his mask over his eyes. Then he was moving forward.

The sound wailed. The wizards were struggling to hold their ground. The head wizards were yelling though Tommy couldn't hear what they were saying. Another flash of light.

"HOLY COW!" Lightning cam down out of the sky and filled the space between Supercreep's hands. He was playing it. The wind and rain were roaring. He hit a long, screaming note, and then he was strumming very fast. Close enough now to touch them. Tommy could see their fear. Some of them actually broke off. Turned to run, But it was too late.

The strumming was so loud through the storm:

bum bum bum
bum bum bum
bum bum
bum bum
bum bum
bum bum

Then there was an explosion. Lightning came out of the sky and hit the bad men. Knocked them down like bowling pins. A wall of wind and water fell on them like a load of bricks. Knocked them out. Sent them sprawling.

"YES! YES!!" Tommy ran to Supercreep. "WOW! I've never seen..WOW! WOW..just wow!" Creep turned back.

He was all white again. Back to the way he'd been in the beginning. He shrugged and bowed. He flipped a mask off and there were little pink blush marks visible on the cheeks. It had stopped raining. The clouds were gone from the sky, Tommy could see the moon overhead.

"Wow......"

But then something strange started happening. The was a mist, it was pouring in from the other end of the street opposite them. It was heavy on the ground, like one of those smoke machines that they used for bands and stuff. He'd seen one at school one time. The mist came in and got thicker and it started to cover up the wizards. But then he actually saw some of the bodies sliding away! Getting pulling into the..smoke? Was it smoke? It was getting thick...like darkness. In the center, it was like a wall of darkness blocking their view. Tommy couldn't see the street on the other side of it.

"What's going on?"

Supercreep beat his palm on his heart. Thump-thumo. Thump-thump. Then he started flipping off his mask, really fast like before. The circles for his eyes turned into hearts, pounding big and small.

"What?" Tommy blushed. Geeze did Supercreep have a girlfriend or something? He was sooo cool, why? Why? Did she wear a mask too? Supercreep pointed to the center of the mist. There were eyes floating there. Cold, luminous yellow green eyes. Kind of wide and angled a little, with no pupils. Tommy thought about it. He supposed he should've been afraid. It did look kind of scary. For some reason he thought of Janice Sterling. Supercreep had a girlfriend? Gross. He was too grossed out to be scared.

Supercreep padded his pockets frantically. Then he pulled a rose out of his sleeve. He took a deep bow then tossed the rose into the mist. A second later something came flying back out at him. He caught it--a bunch of sharpie pens tied together with a rubber band. He took one and opened it. He flipped his mask off then drew a smiley face on the blank surface underneath. Tommy folded his arms and scowled disapprovingly.

The mist was receding. Within a minute, it was gone. The bodies were gone too, as if nothing had ever happened there--except for the patch of concrete that the head wizard had torn up. Supercreep took a pad out of his pocket and wrote a note, handing it to Tommy:

Back to Bed

9. Portents


When Brian Johnson came back, it was like he was a local celebrity. All day long kids asking him what happened. Tommy heard the story three times at least. And it was so stupid.

"Yeah, so like I got these food allergies you know? And the other night last week, my mom tried out this new recipe. It was for fish, which..I hate fish anyway right? But I had to eat that crap, didn't wanna get in trouble with my dad. And so that night I had this really bad nightmare. Like there was this thing in my room. And it was threatening me. I wasn't really scared you know, but it was weird.

So when I told my parents, they thought it was a good idea for me to stay home. Let it get out of my system. With food poisoning you know, you can't be too careful."

He was lying. Tommy knew it. He could see the fear in the kid's eyes. The three of them kept away now. They still sneered and insulted Tommy--but from a distance. And that was just fine. Tommy wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

.....

"Oh my goodness Tommy come in here! Come in! You won't believe this!"
"What? What is it mom?" Tommy tossed his backpack on a chair as he slid off his jacket.
"Oh such good news.. I can't believe it.." She looked like she was about to cry. Her eyes were wet and she was moving around--he hadn't seen her move around that excitedly in a long time.

"What mom? What happened?"
"Tommy this nice lady came by. And she told me that there had been a mistake on my disability checks. For years now! Early on, someone had made a mistake and they hadn't been paying me the full amount. Do you know what this means?!"

"Uh.."
"They're going to start cutting me bi-weekly checks to pay for the difference. Look!" She held up a large, official looking check. "It's for $500 Tommy! We can actually afford some things now. New clothes, some toys for you, and even...we can go out sometimes. Let's go out tonight! Let's go somewhere for dinner and we can have ice cream too!" She was beaming. So happy! Tommy hadn't seen her happy in such a long time. He smiled sheepishly as she grabbed him and hugged him tight.

"Oh and look! This is something separate." She fished around in the pocket of her sweater and pulled out a small plastic prescription bottle filled with little white pills. "That arthritis medicine I couldn't afford. They're going to start sending it here. I was denied coverage so they are having a pharmacy send me the medicine I need directly. Oh it feels so much better Tommy.."

"That's great mom!" Seeing her like this made tommy feel good. It was like he had something to look forward to now, and he realized how down he had been in general. Just about his life. And his mom, how lonely and shut in she was. But there was something...something just not quite right. He couldn't put his finger on it. Something too good to be true? He didn't want to think that way. He didn't want to spoil the moment. But he couldn't help it.

"Momma, what did the lady look like?"
"Oh I wish you could've been here to meet her. Such a beautiful girl Tommy, she could've been a supermodel. Really tall, long black hair. Great figure. Really really nice. I'm amazed that such a pretty girl would be in an office somewhere like that. Why do you ask sweetie?"

"Oh no reason...just curious."

Oh maannnnnnnnnnn

10. Announcement

Tommy was in the library when the principal's voice came crackling over the old PA system:

Students of Center Academy, it's my pleasure to announce this year's Family Fun Extravaganza! This is the time to bring your parents, your siblings, even your friends to our annual fundraising event. We will have games, shows, lots of good things to eat. And as usual, our always popular Father-son obstacle course challenge!!! I want to see some good competition this year! It's time to see a new champion team after Mr. Johnson and his son Brian winning it two years in a row. So boys get your game on! Get your dads down for the race! All proceeds from this event go to helping our school buy the things we need to give you all the best education possible. So help us out if you can. We appreciate your support! Thank you.

Tommy scowled. This would be the start of the hazing season. When all the jokes would be about his dad. The one that had left when he was a child.

"They only win because his dad is a cheat like he is...."
"Tommy..."

It was Mrs. Greysen, the librarian.
"Hi Mrs. Greysen."
"You know Tommy...the Family Fun Event is open. If your mom can't come you could bring any other relative. Also, they've relaxed the requirements this year...even a friend of the family. Some adult, maybe one of your mom's old coworkers or someone you know from your neighborhood. We'd really like to see you come and have fun there."
"I don't..think there is anyone."
"Really? That's.."
"Oh.." Mogo? Would Mogo come with him? That would be so awesome! But...mom said that Mogo quit. He didn't want to be Mogo any more. And how would he get a hold of him?

"Yes? Did you think of somebody Tommy?"
"Umm..maybe Ma'am. I'll let you know."
"Please do Tommy. We would love to see you there. It's still a month away, so you have some time. Just be sure to return the paperwork that we sent home. Even if it's a relative, they have to be screened, ok?"
"Yes Ma'am."

.....

Tap-tap-tap
Tap-tap-tap

[PROXIMITY ALERT
PROXIMITY ALERT]

"Huh--wha?" He rolled to his side. "Uh? WH-Oh man. Again?" Tommy was lying in his bed in full armor.

He looked at the clock. 11:00pm. What was it now?

Tap-tap-tap
Tap-tap-tap

A shiver went down his spine. There was darkness outside his window. And there was something out there. A finger kept tapping on the window. He could see it poke of of the darkness everytime it touched the glass. A single, gloved finger. He slid off the bed and raised his fists.

[PROXIMITY ALERT. WEAPONS SYSTEMS ONLINE. REACTIVE ARMOR ENGAGED.]

"Who's there?" The darkness moved away as he got within a few steps. Tommy leaned down and engaged the teleporter and in an instant he was on the roof of the opposite building. He looked back at the fire escape outside his room, but it was now vacant. Then something struck him on the back of the head. He rubbed the surface of the helmet and looked at his hand. Snow? In May? He looked of the edge of the roof. It was in the alley. A cloud of darkness. Two glowing yellow eyes staring up at him. Then it was moving away. He jumped down, bouncing off the side of the far wall and then landing on the sidewalk
next to the street. He ran after it.

.....

It was the courtyard. The one that Mogo had used his powers to clear. There was a thick mist all throughout. He yelled:

"WHO'S THERE? SHOW YOURSELF. WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH ME?"
A low sinister sounding voice floated out to him from somewhere in the darkness.

"My brother's not here to save you this time child."
"WHO?"

Something hit Tommy hard in the chest. It hurt! It knocked him off his feet and he slammed down on his back. He rolled over to his stomach and fired gravity blasts from his helmet. Pew Pew Pew Pew Pew Pew Pew! He shot a wide group in to the darkness. He heard somebody groan. Yes! A hit! He scrambled to his feet and raised his fist as he ran inside the mist. There! He could see the figure bent over slightly to his left.

"HIIIIYAAAAHHH!" His fist slammed into the shape and busted it apart. Ice! It was a decoy made of ice!

Someone swept his feet out from underneath him. He fell on his back and when he sat up, something hit him in the face and sent him sliding across the ground. His jet boots fired and stopped him. He got up to his kees then stood up, hurting. Even with the armor absorbing the force he was aching. He started to raise his fists again but something else hit him. Kind of like getting hit by a snowball, but it spread. Ice spreading over his body. It was getting stiff! Then he was stuck and he couldn't move.

[What do I do now?!]
[WARNING THERMAL DROP
DIVERTING POWER TO LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS]
[How do I get out of this?]

The darkness and mist was sucking up into a shape in front of Tommy. The glowing yellow eyes were there staring at him. He stuggled to move but he couldn't.

"That was horrible. You're pathetic. That armor is going to get you killed."

The mist all got absorbed and then there was a woman standing in front of him. She had a long dark coat with fancy fur trim along the sleeves and collar. She was wearing long black gloves. He thought she was wearing a mask or something--but he realized that her skin was purple! She had long straight white hair that blew slightly in the breeze. Her eyes were glowing yellow--the ones he seen before in the darkness. She smiled at him, then grabbed his arm and started bending it, slapping the ice off with her hands.

"Start bouncing up and down."
Tommy started working his legs. At first he couldn't move much but then the ice started to crack away and his range of motion got back to normal. He started bending and twisting and moving his arms around to see if he was completely free.

"Ok all better?"
"I THINK SO."
"Alright, lemme see that helmet."

[CAUTION: ARMOR BREACH NOT ADVISED!
REPEAT: ARMOR BREACH NOT ADVISED!]

Tommy popped the studs on the helmet and slipped it off his head. She took it, turning it around in her hands, shaking her head. Then she reached out and took his cheeks in her hand, sqeezing his mouth and making fish lips.

"Huh, hey..."

She took her hand off and slapped his face.

"OW!!! Hey!!!"
"Lemme ask you kid--Are you stupid? Is that your problem?"
"I'm not stupid!"
"Then why did you give me the helmet? Do you want to die?"
"No! I..just..."
"Did you think that because I'm a woman, I wouldn't hurt you?"
"Umm..well...sorta..maybe..I guess..." He blushed, staring down at the ground.

"Look at this." She held her finger in front of his face. Not pointing at it, but turned to the side. Psst! A long sharp, dark icicle popped out of the end of her finger. Maybe five or six inches long.

"One of those, right through the jelly of your eyeball and straight into your brain. Or this.." She wiggled her fingers and other spikes popped out. "Maybe I'd shove my hand in your throat and rip out your windpipe. That would work too."

She stared at him for a moment in silence. "I've done it many many times before, do you understand?"
Tommy nodded meekly. She handed back the helmet. "Put that back on and never take it off for anyone unless you're finished with your task."
"Yes Ma'am." He put the helmet back on, snapping it into place. She was looking at a phone or something in her hand, while she waited.

"Ma'am, where you the one who scared Brian Johnson?"
"Yes. What a waste of my time that was."
"Why?"

She looked at him. It was hard to read her emotion becuase her eyes weren't human eyes..but Tommy thought she might be thinking he was dumb to ask.

"I scared some kid that was being a nuisance. Why? I could've just killed him. Now he's free to be a nuisance again."
"But that would be wrong!"
"Really?"
"Yes!" She laughed and looked back at the phone. Tapping a message or something.
"Why did you do that anyway? Why did you help me out?" She put the phone back in her pocket and brushed her hair back.

"When I know the answer to that question, I will tell you. Now give me your hand." Tommy hesitantly reached out with his right hand. She took it and gripped it in front of her. A short, glowing spike of energy emerged from her right index finger. With his palm facing up, she scratched lines in the middle of his palm. Then she let go.

"What is that?" He looked at the grooves in his palm.
"A triangle."
"That is the essence of fighting. Everything you are going to learn about combat movement will relate back to that shape. If you are ever in any doubt, look at the shape."
"Yes Ma'am"

She held up her hands. "Punch my palm." He hit it with his right hand.
"Harder." He used more strength from the armor, but she didn't seem phased. She was really strong!
"Your punch sucks. That's all we're gonna do tonight. And then you're gonna practice it on your own. And the next time I see you, it WILL be better. Do you understand?"
"Yes Ma'am."
"Again!"

*blink blink*