Scarlet Shocker - The End...

The Sun set.


It dipped slowly behind the War Walls and the shadows lengthened across Atlas Park and the rest of Paragon City. The statue of Atlas supporting the globe of the World on his back cast a long dark shadow far across the city, and seemed to stretch into the future.


The Sun slid into the sea and the shadows also stretched across the Rogue Isles, but in contrast, the statue of Lord Recluse cast a shadow that was swamped by the cold, hard, iron walls of Grandville, symbolically becoming lost in the gloom.


In Cimerora, the darkness likewise encroached – but the ships in the docks cast their shadows out to sea, masts becoming fingers, pointing to the unexplored ocean.


In the Shadow Shard, with no direct light source, it simply got darker.


In Ouroboros, the gloom became such that the four floating islands turned almost invisible against their lightless background.


Praetoria went dark, and even quieter than it had of late.


Dark Astoria turned inky black, so dark it would be hard to see a hand in front of a face, but still for all that, several shades lighter than Darin Wade's heart.


When Scarlet Shocker arrived at Atlas, there were already a goodly number of heroes congregated under the Atlas statue. There was a hushed murmur from civilians and heroes alike. They were waiting for the end. They knew this was it... and yet it was so hard to come to terms with.


Scarlet circled around City Hall and the square, then glided down to land by Ms Liberty, still in place on her customary plinth. “Scarlet! Good to see you,” she smiled.


“Hey Liberty. Likewise.” They'd known each other many years. They weren't close, necessarily but a relationship built on mutual respect, and genuine regard for each other. They'd both done their fair share of saving the world – sometimes together – and although their relationship had never been social, they worked well together whenever fate brought them together.


A young hero came sprinting up to the plinth, his feet burning a yellow trail behind him as he'd raced. He was quite breathless. He looked at Ms Liberty. “Made it!” he panted and handed her his ID chip.


Ms Liberty took it and checked it over with her scanner. “Level 50! Congratulations Alpha Shot , you made it just in time – the big one. You got the freedom of the City I guess...”


Alpha Shot nodded and shrugged. “I just... wanted to get it done.”


Liberty put her hand on his shoulder. “I understand. I really do.”


“Well done Alpha” said Scarlet. “You did well.”


“It feels pointless now.”


“Maybe. But from the day we're born, we know we have a finite span. On a cosmic scale, this means nothing but in the day to day, it means everything...” she shrugged too, lost for words. “No point in getting philosophical. We just did what we could and fought the best we could too – and it was... fun. Yes... great fun.”


A couple of heroes wandered past and nodded to the trio in acknowledgment. Scarlet didn't recognize them but they were drawn together by today's event and their common bond of hero-hood.


A few people looked up and saw a bright light falling towards the city, some with a degree of consternation, but Scarlet smiled. It was her friend – the first person she ever knew in Paragon City, Corona, the Sun... being. “Corona I'm glad you're here.”


“I am too,” replied her friend and extinguished her flames and embraced Scarlet. “I had to come for this.”


“I'm glad you did.”


A few of the staff from Wentworths, and one of the Merit vendors wandered by, in low but earnest conversation. A bit of a hubbub broke out and the War Walls flickered off, and the wasp-like shapes of three Arachnos transporters came through heading towards the city. A small group of heroes took flight towards them, and two of the flyers turned and retreated as the other landed quickly. Ms Liberty, Scarlet and Corona headed to it where it landed by the corner of the square – funny how it landed in the same place when those villains broke into City Hall during the Reichsmann affair too. The hatch opened and Lord Recluse stepped out as Ms Liberty arrived. “I trust I'm not intruding Ms Liberty”


“Stefan, what are you doing here?” Liberty growled. A hundred heroes were assembled around the flier, but so far it was an uneasy standoff. With Recluse were his four henchmen, Mako, Black Scorpion, Sirocco and of course, his ubiquitous shadow, Ghost Widow.


“We've come to join you. It seems appropriate, under the circumstances.”


Ms Liberty pursed her lips, then nodded tersely. “I understand. Just keep Mako on a very tight leash. Nobody here will think twice about putting any of you down if you've got a double-cross planned.


Lord Recluse bridled a moment, then nodded. “In this, we are all the same and all victims. I give you my word we mean no harm.”


Liberty turned and headed for the centre once more, and the heroes and villains followed suit. As Scarlet and Corona reached the square, she noticed three people – three very familiar people – stood in the middle, under the statue.


“Michael!” she exclaimed and rushed to hug her friend, better known to Paragon as Back Alley Brawler. “It's good to see you! You as well War Witch and Positron...”


Positron nodded and smiled. War Witch shimmered, translucently and grinned. The square was filling now – hundreds of heroes and their mentors had arrived. Almost all the surviving Freedom Phalanx, the Vindicators, more than one Supergroup in their entirety.


A couple of tiny clockwork ran towards Scarlet and sat down beside her. “Hey little friends. You two still around to bug me huh?” They said nothing – but they never did. They were more-or-less constant companions and never seemed to draw the ire of other heroes, unlike the rest of their kind. Speaking of Clockwork, where was...


“Hi everyone” said Penny as she arrived to stand by Positron and War Witch. “Is there nothing to be done?”


Positron looked at her and sadly shook his head. “I've run every test, gone through every scenario that I can. I...” he smacked his hand into his fist and screwed his face up trying to keep his emotions in check. “I wish I could do more.”


Scarlet looked at him with a lopsided grin. “Posi, War Witch, you guys made this – you were our guides, and mentors. You and the rest of the Freedom Phalanx, you took us from being just rookies running around to being real heroes. Your guidance, your ability to listen, and your understanding – even when sometimes we didn't – or even when you couldn't tell us. It was your guidance and determination that kept us in the game for as long as you did. Whatever happens today, you have enriched so many lives because of your dedication to this great place. Even if we're gone tomorrow – that isn't going to vanish into nothingness.” Scarlet reached out to Positron and War Witch and shook their hands. “You've been a best friend to every one of us here for a lot of years. Nobody can ever diminish that. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your commitment to us all.”


War Witch squeezed Scarlet's hand and they all allowed themselves the luxury of a single tear. Scarlet wiped hers away. “But... let's not get too maudlin about this. Let's remember the good times.”


Positron smiled and nodded. There wasn't much more to say.


Another murmur, this time as Lady Grey arrived, but beside her the large brass figure of Lord Nemesis. A few heroes tried to confront him, but Lady Grey waved them away, but there was a sudden silencing amongst the crowd as one – then the murmur became excited. Scarlet had the same thought. If Nemesis was here, was this simply an elaborate...


“Plot? Is that what you're thinking?” Nemesis addressed the crowd. “Would that it were but this... this, I'm very sad to say, is beyond even my machinations.”


A low moan escaped the crowd, hopes dashed, and once the initial surprise of one of the great schemers of Paragon being in their midst the crowd turned to other things. Scarlet Shocker and Corona ambled amongst the crowd, a nod, a quiet word, clap on the back. Friends, team-mates, SG colleagues, coalition friends – everyone out in force. It was good they all got to be there for the very end, she mused to herself.


“A word, Scarlet, if I may.” Lord Recluse tapped her on her shoulder.


“Of... course. What can I do for you Mr Richter?” she responded – trying to keep as neutral as possible.


Lord Recluse smiled and took off his mask. “I wanted to tell you something. You made life very difficult for me. You should be proud of the things you and your team-mates achieved. Without your efforts, Paragon would have been mine years ago. You kept it from me, you and your friends.”


“I don't really know how to respond to that. I guess... thanks. I'm glad to have done so.”
“Indeed. You earned our respect, with your ingenuity and cunning. Even while we were more potent than you individually, you always managed to thwart us, often in ways we could not imagine. I salute you for that.”


Scarlet Shocker grinned. “I'm very happy to hear that.”


Another rumble from the crowd as some vanguard arrived, escorting U'kon Gr'ai and H'ro'd'tz – the Rikti warlords. Many of the heroes bridled, and Scarlet more than most, but U'kon'Grai spoke:


“Rikti: Beginning. Heroes: Story. Fitting to be: Here at End.”


A rumble of approval from most, although Scarlet remembered being captured by them and the trauma of that. Her first response was to scream “Off: F...” at them but she looked around the crowd. It brought her to the sudden realisation – every single hero there had their own unique story to tell. Everyone who ever put on spandex or armour in Paragon or the Isles, or even Praetoria, had a personal, often private story. Her story was unique to her but there were so many others equally unique, equally important. Yes, maybe the Rikti should be there. They were synonymous with with Paragon's struggle for freedom. They should be there at the end.


A shivan shuffled by with a low groan, followed by a lumbering HVAS on some unknown quest to some destination. The square was filling up so she nodded to Corona and they hovered upwards a little, away from, but at the same elevation as the Stars and Stripes on top of the City Hall. Corona followed suit and they hung in the air surveying Atlas Park.


A figure waved to her from the ground catching her attention. It was Frostfire. Scarlet grinned and saluted him. He had been her toughest adversary for many months and fighting him had taught her so much. She was glad he'd managed to get himself straightened out and ended up on the right side. Frostfire saluted back and melted into the crowd once more.


Corona tapped her on the shoulder. “It's starting.” Scarlet's brows furrowed and she choked back a tear. This was utterly wrong, bitterly unfair but here they all were. United as one but defeated by a complete lack of empathy and passion and sucked into the void.


A low drown of the hero comms spilled out the names of the areas that were vanishing. “Praetoria's gone... the Shadowshard too.... St Martial.” Scarlet clutched Corona's hand and they both held onto each other. “It's really happening!”


The comms rattled off the names and Atlas went silent as everyone listened to the commentary. Independence Port went in a whisper, Lusca gone forever. She choked back tears, trying hard not to lose it. Corona, even though made of stars was feeling much the same.


A hole opened in the sky above Atlas Park, growing bigger, a nothing void of emptiness, consuming everything as it grew. The end was imminent and she found herself humming a song by the Doors. “This is the end, beautiful friend” that refrain over and over. She took Corona's hand for one last time. “I don't want to wait for it to get us. Let's fly into it. Maybe there's something on the other side?” she said in hope, rather than expectation. “Maybe we'll fly into the middle of it...” she grinned through the tears “and find one of Golden Girl's winky emotes in the middle.”


Scarlet Shocker took Corona's hand and they flew upwards into the darkness, as fast as they could.



November 30th 2012?

"You got to dig it to dig it, you dig?"
Thelonious Monk

Fantastic stuff mate. Liked the in game metaphors of real life events. And speaking of RL events, I hope you come to the player meet this weekend. I wasn't planning on going but with the game closing I thought I'd better tag along. Please come if you can.