[League meeting hall 10:34.56 pm EST
Hard backup completed…
Commencing Synaptic Defrag…
Synaptic Defrag complete…
Warning, neuron degradation detected in prefrontal cortex…
Warning, severe neuron degradation detected in motor control cortex…
Warning, severe neuron degradation detected in amygdala…]
Dr. Brian Barth was dying, I am dying. Admittingly slowly for a man with a degenerative brain disease and not other organic parts, but dying nonetheless. So it was only natural I considered the importance of my actions, like attentending league meetings. Sensors with proprietary feedback loops took in the whole of the room at once in most spectrums of light, sound, and gravitational microwaves. The twelve seats around a stylized Omega were the product of the league’s egotistical founder Zeus, not the god. Of the twelve seats all but one was filled ahead of the 10:35pm meeting. From left to right there was: Lady Day, Dr. Malevolent, Myself, The Ooze, Mr. Night (ironically no relation to Lady Day), the empty seat, Vulcan( named for the tires not the god), Zeus(not the god, nor the original founder. Simply the last in a short line to bear the mantle), Goliath (why our side of the table had seven seats not six), Dark knight, The Architect, and finally Ms. Plush. Exactly my internal clock stuck 10:35.00 I blinked and all twelve seats were filled. It’s aggravating beyond words that’s how he chooses to arrive, because I CAN NOT FUCKING BLINK! I went over the logs only to find that somehow the infinitesimally improbable event that all of my sensors synced in exactly the right way to create a three millisecond gap in coverage had coincided with Oddballs arrival. Given my sensors were designed to not do that I chalked it up to the being I most suspected as being some eldritch nonhuman horror. His gray pinstripe suit, white gloves, and Tragedy Mask were impermeable to my sensors’ penetration. Given every test I could conduct discreetly told me the suit and other accessories were either a common blend of cotton and polyesters or simple thin ceramic that was immeasurably off putting. Zeus, long used to the eccentricities of his peers, called the meeting to order.
“ Welcome my associates.” His gaze swept the table as his rich baritone filled the room.
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“ I have called this meeting at the request of several of our members. Mr Night, would you care to start us off ?”
The man who’s form consisted entirely of a dark energy spectacled with motes of light stood the address the room. “ I would like to raise a formal complaint against Ms. Plush. Her underlyings running an operation abutting the stated neutral zone between our territories allowed a rampaging chimera to enter my territory and damage several of my production facilities. I request a formal admission of responsibility and recompense as stated by the leagues bylaws.”
Zeus turned to the end of the table to the apparent twelve year old in a frilly pink dress and two blonde pigtails. “ Ms. Plush, how would you like to respond to the complaint raised?”
She stood on her chair as was her custom when addressing the group.
“ I counter that assertion with the context that the chimera was only out of the lab due to interference by a Cape.” Her high almost sing song voice proclaimed.
“ I state that the damages to Mr. Night’s production facilities were not malicious, nor intentional on the part of myself or my organization. I do acknowledge responsibility for the damages and agree to restitution under the bylaws”
Zeus nodded his head. “ Then I shall call this matter closed. Dark Knight, I belive you also requested tonight’s meeting.”
The tall figure seemingly bedecked in full plate armor of a dark slate color addressed the table. “ I would like to put forth a formal request for aid. One of my subordinates suffered grievous spinal damage in the course of his duties. I request aid in returning function to his body, or similar capability by other means.”
Before I could signal that I intended to answer the call for aid and claim the price for aid given, Oddball stood. The mask turned to Dark Night and gave a single nod. Dark night wrote ‘IOU one favor’ on a sticky note and passed it down the line to Oddball. Oddball nodded once more and passed a single business card back. On its back read ‘ One favor given, one owed. Your subordinate shall make a full recovery.’
The card hadn’t existed as far as I could tell before it had appeared in Oddball's hand. Ugh, at some point he needs to die.
Zeus took back control of the meeting at that point.
“ Lastly, a reminder. By our agreement minimize damage to primarily residential areas. Some minor members of our organization had to be disciplined over failures to abide by that standard. A review of the reprimands will be published and read at the next full convocation of the league. That is all”
With that a bolt of lightning stuck his position and he left, leaving the others blinking blind spots out of their eyes.
Oddball simply stood, waved, turned counterclockwise once, and was gone.
[Warning, elevated stress response detected…
Warning, Cortisol levels critical]
Yeah fuck that guy.