A sick scent permeated the air, a smell that invaded one's nostrils and infected them, a foul aroma best described as boiled vegetables. It drifted from the southeast, spreading through the city, polluting every alleyway and house, clinging to the body like a parasite, and making the lives of those running for their lives even worse.
Civilians ran from a great beast, some stumbling, some being thrown away as buildings collapsed behind them, sending them flying in the distance, the culprit of it all was a creature of brimstone and spikes. A beast held at bay by the Guardians of Justice.
Missiles were thrown, whizzing in the air but doing little more than annoy the creature as the true hero, in their fifth-generation iconic pink battle armor and The Justice Bringer, their trusty armored gauntlet containing three spikes in the knuckles.
The air screamed as The Justice Bringer shone like a star. Captain Justice’s fists sent shockwaves every time it made contact with the creature’s deceptively soft fur.
The hits did little more than ruffle the monster’s fur, and as the beast opened its mouth, a foul-smelling miasma leaked from it, tainting the lands around it for generations to come. From its tongue left a potent adhesive solution, and with each swing of it, it snared poor civilians as they tried to flee their demise.
Captain Justice heaved in exhaustion, their arms heavy like anchors as not even the augmented fifth-generation Justicar Armor in Pink Hyper Drive— the armor's strongest form— was enough to hurt the beast. Stopping their assault, the ninth carrier of the mantle of Captain Justice looked up at the massive snout of the creature and at their friends lying strewn on the ground, spent from the fight.
Captain Justice's eyes burned with determination, their star-shaped visor lighting up like a beacon of hope as they cocked their fist back, they felt the weight of fate trying to pull them down, but then, at their lowest moment the voices of the others who carried the mantle before them whispered in their ears, fortifying their determination and their next attack, “You hells damned beast! YOU SHALL FALL IN THE NAME OF JUSTICE!”
Their mighty fist burned like the midday sun and the air sizzled like oil in a frying pan. The punch met the creature's snout.
The creature’s head reeled back from the impact, and its animalistic eyes went wild, bloodshot with anger. Their allies depended on them, not the person behind the armor, but the symbol of everything right, the nameless one, the one only known to the world as Captain Justice.
The beast's mouth opened in a snarl that showed its wickedly sharp teeth as it whined in pain, sending shockwaves that made Captain Justice fly.
“That’s it! Justice always pre—” The Captain's encouraging words were cut by the hell’s beast lunge. Their body still in mid-air.
Its maw, gaping wide open like a portal to the nine hells, closed around Captain Justice's torso. Teeth sunk into the armor as if it were merely jelly and jerked violently.
It was trying to separate the torso from the legs.
Screeching, I pulled on the legs with all my might. But the furry monster, held on tight, his teeth clamped firmly on Captain Justice's plastic body, covering it in drool.
“No, Brutus!” I shrieked, firmly holding onto Captain Justice's legs, but with each tug, the evil dog only bit tighter.
Holding onto Captain Justice, I attempted to mount Brutus’ head, trying to overpower him. But Brutus, larger and stronger, refused to let go, his mouth a prison from which the hero couldn’t escape.
Wagging his tail rapidly, Brutus trampled over the remains of the city, scattering them all around the living room. Making them fly where they will never be found again, innocent citizens smothered below the dusty prison of the sofa and the web-filled jungle below the TV stand.
Feeling both disgusted and desperate, I tried to open Brutus’s mouth, but it was no use. His drool covered my hands, making me even more upset.
“Moooom, help meeeee…” My voice dragged in a loud whine, echoing my desperation.
A soft laugh echoed from the kitchen, a sound that, under different circumstances, would be comforting. But now, it only fueled my irritation as there was no sign of her coming to my rescue. “Please…” I tried again, feeling the plastic of my beloved action figure softening.
“Brutus…” Mom’s voice, annoyingly calm and composed, floated again through the air as if Captain Justice’s plight was of no concern. “I have snacks.”
At the mention of snacks, Brutus’ mouth opened in glee, releasing my action figure as the furry monstrosity rushed to the kitchen. Dragging me along until one of the legs of my pajamas snagged on the wooden flooring.
Brutus continued his charge unperturbed, but I was left behind.
My face met the carpet with a painful thud. Tears welled in my eyes as I lay there, groaning and rubbing my forehead and nose, my mouth tasting of coins.
My eyes blurred with tears as I closed them and hugged the slobbered Captain Justice, but they felt unnaturally small in my arms.
Slowly opening my eyes, I saw Captain Justice's torso lying on the ground, while only their legs were still in my hands.
“Mooooom! He killed him!” I wailed, the pain in my mouth and face forgotten for the much more urgent death of the greatest hero ever born. “Brutus Killed Captain Justice!”
Soft steps could be heard and Mom's head peeked into the living room, her hair bobbing up and down, and her eyes shining in the dim living room as she took in the scene. The culprit of my plea and ruthless killer of Captain Justice followed after, his tails wagging happily as he clutched a thick bone between his teeth.
“I told you to stop hitting Brutus with your toys,” After saying that she softly tapped Brutus on the head, which made him yap as if struck by lightning, he then ran to his bed, disappearing from sight. Then she walked back to the lit kitchen, leaving me alone.
She doesn’t care! I huffed, kicking the remaining blocks that once made the great city of Metrotopolis, scattering them all over the place, some even bouncing south and into the kitchen.
“You’re gonna have to clean that later!” Mom’s voice was firm, but not too loud.
Rubbing my forehead and cleaning the tears from my face, I put both halves of Captain Justice together and went to retrieve his companions.
Virtue Vanguard was still in the rubble of the city; Temperance Tempest was below the TV; Justice Javelin was below the sofa and I couldn’t find Fury Fang.
“It’s just like him, always disappearing after a fight!” Huffing I arranged The Guardians Of Justice around the bisected Captain Justice and closed my eyes.
The heroes started their mourning rites, the rubble of what once was metrotopolis around them. It wasn’t the first time the city was destroyed, the first was when the third wearer of the armor of Captain Justice tried to create Pink Overdrive for the armor and lost control, destroying the city and locking his soul in the newly formed Justice Bringer to warn others of his mistakes.
“What do we do now?” Justice Javelin asked, her voice glitching as her heart-shaped visor was filled with static.
“We wait and save who we can. I can sense that most of the city got to the bunkers in time.” Virtue Vanguard said, the circuits around his body lighting up as he sent warnings to the bunkers about the situation of the city.
“Dinner is ready.” A stranger's voice echoed through the city.
“The shield generator didn’t have time to activate,” Temperance Tempest said, retracting the newly made Justice Shield that he had installed in Captain’s Justice armor before the fight.
The shield generator became a small green turtle that huddled near Temperance Tempest’s feet. The other modifications also left soon after, forming all types of animals, most were hurt. Their limbs were missing as they limped together.
"So it’s gonna be like that.”
Jumping, the scene disappeared from my mind as I spun around, my face almost hitting Mom’s as she was close enough to bite my neck. Mom's face was set in a smug smile. Her eyes almost blended with the darkness.
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“I called you three times, the food is gonna get cold.” Her voice was gentle, but firm as she crossed her arms, squatting on the ground.
Closing my eyes, I turned back to the funeral, the city reforming in my mind.
“Just as expected—”
“Just as expected, a giantess formed in the distance, her head piercing the clouds, with eyes like lighthouses, searching the rubble for the cutest girl in the city.” Mom rudely interrupted me.
Her legs were open comically wide as she took large wobbly steps towards me, still in her squatting position.
“And by the gods!? What shall be her fate,” Mom hooked her arms below my armpits and heaved me up as she got up. Carrying me despite me kicking and swinging myself, trying to break free. “The heroes couldn’t do anything but watch as the beautiful giantess took the prettiest girl in the city so that she could get her dinner.”
I refused to open my eyes, even as I felt Mom putting me in my seat. I felt the rising hot air of my food being poured in front of me and my face distorted in disgust at the smell.
“You should be grateful, there are kids out there wishing they had this much to eat.”
Staying silent, I refused to move. What felt like minutes went by before Mom spoke again. “I can get you a new Captain Justice—”
My eyes shot open, my face lighting up in a smile, but Mom’s next word dampened it. “But you’ll have to clean the mess you made and promise to stop pestering Brutus. I didn’t see what happened, but I know you hit him, then he bit Captain Justice.”
“I didn’t hit him! Captain Justice was just protecting the city!” I defended myself.
“Call that what you like, just stop it. If you’re a good girl, I’ll get you the new Captain Justice and the new weapons that they are making for them.”
My eyes grew wide, “I’ll be a good girl, no. The best girl!” I declared, before giving Mom my best puppy eyes, “Can it be two Captain Justices? There’s the new black-pink armor, from when Mister Thievery fed Captain Justice the sandwich of mistrust.”
“Depends on price.” Mom declared, her spoon sinking into the soup and bringing a spoonful of vegetables to her mouth.
I couldn’t help but giggle, looking down and picking my spoon, and stopping it before bringing it into my mouth. “Where’s the non-green stuff?” The soup was swimming with broccoli, lettuce, and pasta but I couldn’t find any signs of meat.
“There’s chicken, I just cut it into small pieces for some more flavor. Meat has been crazy expensive these last few months.”
The dinner went by without any more words, just the quiet slurping of soup and me giving Brutus the stink eye every time he peeked from Mom’s room.
“I'm full!” I exclaimed after my eye caught the time.
Zipping into the living room made me trip over some of the toys, and finally catch a glimpse of Fury Fang under the kitchen sink as I tripped.
Finding the remote in the creases of the sofa, I turned the TV on.
****
“Today, at the scene of another unexplained phenomenon, we have our number one field reporter Nikoleta Aveza.”
The scene shifted to a helicopter view, revealing an expanse of destruction that seemed almost surreal. Buildings stood on the verge of collapse, their once sturdy frames now collapsing under their weight. Concrete powder fell through the air like snowflakes making one feel like choking just by looking while the streets below were marred by craters.
“Thank you, Robin. As you can see from the aerial view, the extent of this calamity far surpasses any precedent. Initial estimates place the death toll in the thousands, potentially surpassing five digits. The damage to the infrastructure, meanwhile, stretches into the millions.”
The camera zoomed in, searching through the scene to capture the emergency response in real time. Ambulances and fire trucks, they navigated the rubble-strewn roads. Their sirens, usually commanding, now seemed to merge into a larger, somber song that enveloped the disaster.
Nikoleta’s voice, a blend of professionalism and worry, narrated the unfolding tragedy. “The scale of destruction is unfathomable. Entire blocks have been erased in moments, leaving behind a void where life once thrived. The emergency services are stretched thin, battling against the clock to find survivors amidst the debris.”
On the ground, the camera found Nikoleta. Dressed in a jacket and protective gear, she stood as a solitary figure against the backdrop of devastation. Her face, lit only by the harsh glare of the camera light, held a mix of resolve and empathy.
“Survivors,” Nikoleta concluded, her voice soft yet carrying a weight of solemn respect, “are shell-shocked. Each face here tells a story of loss, resilience, and an uncertain future. But in this hour of need, the community isn't standing alone.”
The scene transitioned back to the studio, where behind Robin a screen flickered to life, displaying the glowing emblem of Luminex—a stylized star with a blade shooting out of the top, “Amidst this tragedy, there’s a beacon of hope in the form of support from Luminex and their emergency volunteer group, equipped with groundbreaking technology to aid in the recovery efforts.”
Returning to the disaster site, Nikoleta and her camera operator navigated through the debris-laden streets. The feed wobbled as the operator stumbled on rubble, but Nikoleta quickly steadied him. “As you all can see, navigating this isn't easy, and the feed might wobble a bit—that’s the price of bringing you live coverage.”
Robin, back in the studio, couldn’t help but say, “It’s remarkable you two can keep broadcasting in these conditions. Stay safe, and keep up the incredible work.”
Approaching a group of Luminex volunteers, each donned in gear marked by the glowing emblem of Luminex, Nikoleta was drawn to a figure directing a team. He had a broad back and hair that seemed in an awkward stage of growth, “Hi, I’m Nikoleta with Channel 9,” she said, reaching out. “May I ask your name?”
Before the man could say a word, their attention was then captured by another volunteer, her hair dyed in electrifying blues and purples as she practically threw herself in front of the camera, “Hi there! I’m Mia, one of Luminex’s junior engineers. We’re testing some cutting-edge tech to assist in situations just like this.” She gestured to the technology around them, buzzing with an almost lifelike energy.
Mia introduced a device scurrying beside her, resembling an oversized beetle, its legs clicking in unison and its back heaved as if the metal was breathing. “This is what we’ve been calling the SearchBeetle. Its back opens to release mini-drones for navigating tight spaces. Not the official name, but it’s catchy, right?”
The camera zoomed in as the SearchBeetle’s back split open like a flower bulb, deploying smaller, snake-like drones that buzzed into the crevices of collapsed buildings. Nikoleta watched in awe as this ‘swarm’ worked in unison, sending back real-time data to handheld devices the volunteers carried.
Before the Nikoleta could say anything, Mia then showcased a bracelet-like device on her wrist, which writhed and twisted, its segmented body clicking and moving with a fluidity that made it really feel alive, before extending into a drill. “And this is the Drillipede,” she explained. “It’s great for creating access points or widening small openings. Like a drill but much more versatile—and yes, it feels a bit like having a pet.”
As they observed the Drillipede in action, Nikoleta was visibly impressed. “It’s almost like these devices have a life of their own. How do they impact your efforts here?”
“They’re game-changers!” Mia beamed, her pride in the technology evident. “They allow us to reach places we couldn’t before and do it faster. It's about saving time when every second counts.”
The segment wrapped up with a return to Robin in the studio, who echoed the sentiment of awe. “The innovation at work here is truly remarkable. Thanks to Nikoleta, Cassandre, Mia, and the entire Luminex team for their dedication. This is Channel 9, bringing you the latest as it happens.”
The broadcast transitioned to commercials, showcasing the sleek, new Luminex phone: the Neo-Nova. “Redefining communication with the Luminex Neo-Nova,” the narrator voiced over visuals of the phone projecting a 3D map of a city, allowing users to manipulate the hologram with gestures. “With the Neo-Nova, the future is at your fingertips.”
****
“Things only seem to get worse,” Mom remarked as she took a seat near me, the extra fluffy sofa sending me up.
My heart palpitated slightly, “Will that happen here?” I shakily asked, leaning my head into Mom’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Pancake. If something happens I know you can fight it off,” Mom said with a smile as she ruffled my hair, making my curls cover my face. “I know you and The Guardians of Justice can keep us safe.”
Subconsciously, I let my body relax, “You can count on us! Even if only rubble is left behind, There’s nothing The Guardians of Justice can’t do.”
My eyes landed on the bisected body of Captain Justice, “There’s nothing they can’t do.”