Chapter 47
“How the fuck did we mess up so badly on those last two?” June thought as she and Ken peered out a window at a red balloon strung up over 500 feet in the air between two of the HQs’ towers. The previous failures had occurred while trying to release a balloon from a cage of spikes, and while attempting to untie one hanging over an open flame. Both times, June’s mini explosions had popped the delicate plastic-wrapped goo balls, spraying ketchup all over, and staining their clothes. Now they stood, covered in stinky, sticky red splatters, staring at another potential fuck-up, wondering how they could possibly retrieve the dangling doom ball.
“So, I think it is my turn to retrieve?” Ken knew the answer to his own question, but his fear of extreme heights had him rambling. He knew it was going to be on him to get up to that death trap.
“Yep, but I think I can help.” June offered.
“Does that count as a suggestion?” Ken looked into one of the floating drone cameras, “Jax? Ralph? If either of you two are watching, that was a question. Not a suggestion!”
“I’m sure they knew that. You know, you don’t have to clarify or monitor all of my words and actions. I am capable of thinking and handling myself!” June insisted.
“I am well aware,” his face reddened. “Your displays of excellence and skill were the seeds of attraction for me in the first place.”
Well, that shut her up. June stared at Ken wide-eyed and blinked twice before squinting. “That’s not fair,” she finally objected. She poked him in the chest, “Just because you are all handsome and charming doesn’t mean I’m gonna let you off the hook, bud-o”
Ken couldn’t help but laugh. “Fair enough.”
“Do you trust me?” she asked.
“Of course, I do,” he asserted.
“Then follow me,” June took off, sprinting down the hallway and eventually stopping at the elevator bay. She pressed the “up” button several times in succession as Ken caught up. The doors opened just as he arrived, and June skipped in. He followed as she pressed the button for the observation deck near the top of The Spire. Calming music permeated the small space as the two warriors stood awkwardly next to each other, watching the numbers climb.
“I could have reached Jax and teleported him out,” June said.
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“Maybe,” Ken responded.
“No. Not maybe. I know my capabilities, and I definitely could have made it.”
“Maybe,” he repeated. “Emotions can cloud judgment, even memory.” And as the elevator doors opened, Ken reaffirmed, “I would do it again.”
June sighed, shook her head, and sprinted out onto the observation deck. She made it to a high railing and looked over, walking the perimeter until she was over the balloon that was dangling from a support cable 20 floors below them. “Ok. It’s your turn to retrieve, so I get to make the plan of action, and you have to do what I say. So you are going to have to learn to trust my judgment while under pressure.”
Ken nodded but didn’t say anything, so she asked, “Can you transform in mid-air?” He nervously nodded again. “Okay. So here’s the plan…”
***
The All-Stars sat in their own loft, laughing at the chaos that The Challengers were causing throughout The Spire and taking bets on who would be the eventual winner of the game, when all of a sudden, a blazing light shone through their living room window. They rushed over in time to witness one of the craziest things they had ever seen.
Fireworks exploded in the sky as Skyrocket carried Lizzy’s cousin high into the air before dropping him. As Ken fell from the great height, he spoke his magical phrase, “I call upon the ancient power of the shell!” Music blared, and radiant energy overtook his body until a giant tortoise in a black mask materialized in his place. Katana in hand, Samurai Tortoise did a mid-air somersault, diving head-first toward his target: the red balloon hanging between The Spire and one of The Herald’s towers. But he was drifting too far to the right! This was about to go horrifically wrong.
***
Like a bomb dropped from a B-52, Samurai Tortoise pierced the air as he fell face-first toward the ground. His ultimate goal was to grab the balloon, but he was having too much fucking fun! He had always wanted to try skydiving. He noticed his target drifting away from him at too fast of a pace to re-adjust, so he readied his katana for the right moment. Three. Two. One. He grabbed the flat side of the sharp end with his off-hand, wrapping the sword around the structural cable, stopping his fall in an instant. Pain tore through his limbs as the change in momentum put major stress on his hands, wrists, arms, and shoulders. It felt like his arms were being torn from his torso, but he held on. No human could have pulled this off. Only his mutated anatomy could withstand the pressure on his joints. Once he had come to a full stop, Samurai Tortoise shimmied toward the balloon, maintaining a grip on his sword until he was in a position to reach out and grab his objective. This required a leap of faith and trust in his partner. Reaching out for the balloon, Samurai Tortoise released his hold on the cable. He made sure to grip the string that connected the balloon to the metal cable to avoid popping it. Luckily, it worked; his weight yanked the balloon from the cable, and he began to fall once again, target in hand and smiling like a goon.
He tucked the balloon between his body and his shell to protect it as he fell toward the sidewalk below. Suddenly, he heard the loud explosions signaling his partner's arrival. June, half transformed into her trademark fireworks, propelled herself in his direction, grabbed him under his armpits, and lifted them both upward. They shot up into the sky until June redirected them toward the observation deck, where they landed safely moments later.
When his feet touched solid ground, and June had re-substantiated next to him, Samurai Tortoise pulled the unpopped red balloon from his shell and said, “Duuuuuuude! That was awesome! Can we do it again?”