Futuristic A Superhero's Diary (Completed)

[ArcticFox]

"I know, right!" Jane ignored her snarky comment and squeezed her tightly. "I had to come tell you right away." She pulled away then, looking all professional. Cleared her throat once, before continuing. "So, apparently, they want you to be very secretive about it. You have to lay low, don't say a thing and come to the ceremony in your suit. You'll use the maintenance entrance to get in. I think Gloria planned for some elaborate surprise just to show you off." She giggled. "After all that's happened, you have to go out there and show them all."

Every two years there was a big HoT party to announce the honored hero and publish the accompanying article. As it turned out, that big party was tonight. The HoT Board actually chose a different hero to receive this year's award, but they had to switch to their alternate choice when the hero's legs were tragically broken two days ago.

Spark was the runner-up, which was why she only found out about the party that morning.

Jane gave Genevieve the full presentation article that Gloria prepared. It was beautifully written and recounted everything she had done since her very first day in getting the people out of the New Agency building, all the way up through her recent dealings with Jury. It painted her as a flawed-yet-promising hero and only hinted at her heroic family legacy, creating a healthy dose of mystery.

Every prior recipient of the HoT grant had been catapulted into superstardom, so Gen couldn't even fathom what was going to happen to her career after tonight. And out of all of the perks of the HoT award, she was most excited about:

- The $100,000 cash prize.
- The freedom to be a proper Hero with all the resources.
- The celebrity status.
- The glamorous party in your honour.
- You are angry about being the last minute replacement.

 

[Truff]

The freedom to be a proper Hero with all the resources.

Genevieve did her best to ignore the fact that she was the last minute replacement. The universe worked itself out and it was happening to her now, that was all that mattered. Even being runner-up was an honor, even if it didn't have all the benefits of the winner. She pouted slightly when Jane informed her that she had to be at the party in her suit. It was an opportunity to get dressed up all fancy and pretty, something even Gen enjoyed doing from time to time. It was fun to put on a beautiful dress, but she was going to be stuck in her suit. She swallowed back the complaint, giving Jane a grin. At least this opportunity was going to give her the freedom to be a proper hero.

The superstardom was beginning to make her nervous, though. She took a breath in. "How are we going to manage all of this, Jane? You know I wasn't in this with the interest of becoming a superstar..." She was becoming nervous about the whole thing.

 

[ArcticFox]

"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on you." Jane said. "Look at it from the bright side. No one will block you from the good cases or the really dangerous villains now - you'll have access to all of the finest heroic opportunities. It might even be time to start thinking about signing with a hero agent! I think that many will be pursuing you after tonight."

Genevieve knew she should be focusing on finding Prodigal, sorting things out with Black Magic and the MG, or dealing with the Victons, but after all she had been through, shed deserve at least one day off to enjoy this big break.

She had only to practice her speech. The sad thing was that Genevieve's parents won't be there to hear it.

- Go up on the roof to think of a speech.
- Fly around the City and think of a speech in mid air.
- Go to a park and write it out there.

 

[Truff]

Roof

Genevieve swallowed, just giving her a nod. She reminded herself that she would get more opportunities to help people. To help the city. That was why she had become a hero and unfortunately, in this world, you had to be famous to really do that. This was a good break too. She could be happy at a party with good food and drinks.

She made herself a bagel and a glass of orange juice, grabbed a notebook and made her way up to the roof to write a speech for tonight. She wasn't great at speeches. She wasn't great at charming people, either. It would need work and she was grateful for the quiet space to sit and think.

 

[ArcticFox]

"So who do you think it will be this year?"

"No one knows but I'm putting my money on that Tumbleweave character…"

"Really? I was betting on Black Diamond. His knife-skis really are quite fetching…"

"Do you think they have the hero out here with us or hiding away somewhere backstage?"

Genevieve overheard two women whispering loudly nearby, their diamond earrings jangling as they gab. The salon was filled gorgeous gowns and elaborate costumes. It was littered with socialites, politicians, and famous heroes - everyone who was anyone in MC was invited to the HoT party. Of course, the elites of the press world were also all in attendance, along with dozens of aspiring heroes.

Gloria was nowhere in the party though, even though she was supposed to meet Genevieve there. Perhaps she was running late.

Luckily, the organizers of the event and some key members of the HoT Board were there to greet her and fill her in on the evening's proceedings, in private. Right now, they told her she was just supposed to enjoy the party and mingle a bit, pretending to be just one of the many heroes. But who to talk to?

- Rexford Schillers.
- The Diva.
- Mayon Victon.

 

[Truff]

The Diva

Genevieve was beyond nervous. She kept a smile on her face and greeted the board members who filled her in on the evening to come. It was going to be a long one and she was sure she was going to enjoy falling into bed after the night was over. For now, she mingled and ate a little of the amazing food set out for the socialites, politicians and heroes. She wanted to avoid anyone from the Victon family unless she really needed to interact with them. When she saw Diva, she nearly ran up and hugged the woman. Instead, she approached her with a smile.

"No one told me this party was going to be this big." The salon was decorated with glamorous chandeliers that seemed to match the earrings that hung on the ears of rich women.

 

[ArcticFox]

Since there weren't any other Group members close by, The Diva must be there representing the entire team.

"Hello, darling." The Diva greeted her with a smile. "It is good to see you. I was terribly sorry to hear you didn't make the Group." Then she leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Black Magic sends his regards, by the way."

She straightened up, offering Gen a knowing stare.

- Stay and talk with The Diva.
- Talk with someone else.

 

[Truff]

Stay and talk

The stare The Diva gave her seemed similar to the stare her own mother would give her: slightly disapproving, a little teasing, mostly amused and knowing. It took all Genevieve had not to burst into giggles like a teenager. Instead, her cheeks turned a slight pink. "Let the whole group I said hello." She gave a short, nervous chuckle. "Disappointed I didn't make the Group, but all rivalry aside, Jury is a good fit. I'm happy for him." She gave a small smile.

 

[ArcticFox]

"Oh, well, that's very sweet of you to say, my dear." The Diva smiled. "I will make sure to relate the greetings."

As Genevieve was thinking what to say next, she spotted someone who made her do a double take...

It was Jane.

And she was not in her usual business suit getup - she was wearing a floor-length, nude dress that clung to her slender frame with surprising elegance. She stared at Gen from across the ballroom, waving sheepishly.

- Compliment her.
- Tease her.
- Act surprised.

 

[Truff]

Compliment her

Genevieve's jaw nearly dropped when she saw her friend in her dress. She politely excused herself from The Diva and approached Jane. "Look at yourself! You look beautiful! You know, those business clothes really don't compliment your frame now that I think about it." She gave the girl a wink and a smirk.

 

[ArcticFox]

"Don't even try. You are not my type, love." Jane said with a wink. Then she laughed. "Let me tell you, finding formal wear on such short notice was a task and a half!"

Joe was prevented from coming however. Even though he protested, it was too much of a risk. Someone could have made a connection and uncovered Gen's identity on national TV.

Suddenly her phone rang. It was an incoming call from Gloria. So she was finally answering.

But, when Gen picked up, it was not her image on the holo screen. It was... Prodigy.

"My little Spark, I thought you'd never answer!" He said. "Don't you know it's rude not to call a guy back after the first date?"

A million questions begun running through Gens mind but she decided to ask:

- Where is Gloria?
- What do you want with me?
- Who are you?

 

[Truff]

Where is Gloria?

Not this. Not tonight. This was supposed to be a good night. When Genevieve saw Prodigy instead of Gloria, she raised her eyebrows. Where was Gloria? Did he do something to her? If someone else got hurt because of her...she would be furious. She glanced around before looking back to Prodigy. "I would hardly call it a date." She scowled. "What did you do with Gloria?"

 

[ArcticFox]

"Come now, do you really think I'm going to tell you where your little reporter friend is holed up?" Prodigy asked, laughing. "No, I'm going to tell you exactly what I want and nothing more, chicken. Then you're going to have quite the choice to make…

"No, no. I can already see that little mind of yours churning. You will tell no one else about this phone call. Do you want to know why?"

But he kept talking without waiting for her to answer.

"Because I kidnapped your reporter friend. Oh, and your little brother, too. He didn't listen to his older sister and tried to come to the party!" Prodigy snickered again, offering a healthy pause to let that sink in.

"Now here's the real kicker. If you don't do exactly as I say…" He finished. "they're both going to die."

As if on cue, the holographic image shifted so that Genevieve could see Gloria and Joseph, both of whom were tied to chairs and gagged.

"Don't bother wondering how I got ahold of them or where we are, you won't have time for silly worries like that. Now listen carefully, because I'm only going to say this once." Prodigy said, interrupting her thought process. "I do feel rather terrible about ruining your big night, so I suppose I'll be a bit generous. I was going to kill both of these little darlings, but I think I'll let one live…

"And that choice, big hero, is entirely up to you."

- "You must be joking."
- "I don't believe you."
- "Why are you doing this?"
- "I'm not going to do that."
- "I'm hanging up."
- "How can I trust you?"
- Something else.

 

[Truff]

Genevieve felt like she was going to pass out. He had Joe and Gloria. How stupid had she been to leave Joe at home? She should have argued with Jane and let him come to the party. He would have been the safest he could've been in a room full of heroes. Why did Joe have to leave? He couldn't have just watched the party on tv?! Did Prodigy know where she lived? Or had Joe gotten out of the apartment? She stared at the screen with a blank expression. Prodigy had full control of her at this point and he knew it.

"Why are you doing this?"

 

[ArcticFox]

"Wrong answer, Spark." Prodigy said, holding up a rather nasty looking handgun. "Now I'm giving you quite the opportunity here. You get to save a life! That's every hero's dream, right?"

He laughed at himself, enjoying the show very much.

"So here's how it's going to work. You choose: Gloria or Joseph. Whoever you decide to save will be teleported right to your side and then you can go back to enjoying your big night in peace. The other? Well… you won't be seeing them again for quite some time, I fear.

"I'm giving you two minutes to make this decision. If you fail to do so in the allotted time or try to break the rules in any way, I'll simply shoot them both. So no funny business, you hear?"

As Prodigy said this, he held up a clock that begun counting down. One minute, fifty-five seconds remained.

"Spark." A voice said from behind her. Gen twirled to find the president of the HoT board staring at her. "Come with me, it's almost time. By the way, have you heard from Gloria?"

She did not have time for this right now.

- Say you have to go to the bathroom.
- Ask for Mayor Victon.
- Say you will look for her.

 

[Truff]

Say you have to go to the bathroom

How was she going to choose not just who lived, but who died? This was a nightmare that was going to plague Gen for a long time. She would not be settling comfortably into her bed that night. She spun around to face the president of the board. She didn't have time for this stupid award. She had exactly one minute and fifty-five seconds and counting. She gave a smile. "I'm going to head to the bathroom, actually." She nodded in the direction of the rooms. "I'll meet you very soon ok?" She really didn't care if it was ok or not, she was already turning herself towards the bathrooms and away from the HoT president.

 

[ArcticFox]

By the time she got inside an empty bathroom stall, she only had fifty seconds left on the clock.

"So who is it going to be? The loving brother or the helpful reporter?" Prodigy said, holding up his hands to weigh the options. "I do like a nice ethical conundrum - it really does show one's true colors, don't you think?

"What will good ol' Spark do? Will she save the reporter who's about to give her the ultimate fame? Or will she save her only brother, who is not really useful, now that I think about it. I really can't wait to find out. Oh, twenty seconds left, by the way."

Perhaps the choice was obvious. Joe was her bother after all. But did that mean Gloria deserved to die?

"Time's up, hero." Prodigy said. "Speak now or forever hold your peace."

- Joe.
- Gloria.

 

[Truff]

Save Joe

Neither of them deserved to die. Neither of them deserved to have someone else choose their fate and whoever lived was going to forever live with the guilt that they were chosen over someone else. Genevieve couldn't do a thing about it. The only thing she could do was save one of them.

Gloria would give her ultimate fame and fortune. She would live the life of a superstar hero, finally given the opportunity to be an unrestrained hero allowed to have just about any case she wanted. The money from those cases would set her for life.

But Joe was her brother. Joe was family and just about the only family left not forced to go into hiding. She had gone into this hero business vowing never to let anything leak into her actual life and hurt Joe. She couldn't look at the screen and as the name left her mouth, she decided she wanted to kill Prodigy the second she could get her hands on him.

"Joe."

 

[ArcticFox]

"Thy will be done." Prodigy said, bowing his head. "Be seeing you soon, Spark."

Before she could respond, the call went dead.

A couple of moments passed and Joe was not teleported to her like promised. Was Prodigy lying the whole time?

- You think he was bluffing.
- You think he's a psychopath.
- You just want to see Joe.

 

[Truff]

You just want to see Joe

Genevieve wanted to scream out in that bathroom. Scream at the top of her lungs until her voice gave out. She hoped he was lying to her about the whole thing. Whether he was lying or telling the truth, he was a psychopath for the whole thing. Her head was spinning and she wanted to see Joe.

She walked out of the bathroom and back into the party. She was going to leave, no matter what. No award was worth leaving Gloria and Joe with that psycho for one more minute. But she didn't know where he was.

 

[ArcticFox]

But before she could exit the bathroom, she heard a whooshing sound. As she spun to check it out she saw Joe, who was still gagged and bound to a chair. She rushed forward to untie him.

"No, no, no, no." Joe yelped once ungagged, trembling and crying. "No, please no."

- Ask about Gloria.
- Ask where he was kept.
- Ask what happened.
- Just hug him.

 

[Truff]

Ask what happened

Genevieve rushed to untie Joe, blinking back tears at the situation he was put in. This should have never happened. She hugged him, shushing him to calm him down. "You're safe now I won't let this happen again." She looked at him again. "You need to explain to me what happened the best you can." She spoke softly and as soothing as possible to him.

 

[ArcticFox]

"I don't know…" Joe sobbed, hugging her tightly. "I wanted to see you. I know you said no, but I still wanted to. That weird guy ambushed me on the street." He took a deep breath to calm down. "Next thing I knew, I was tied up. It was too dark, I had no idea where I was. Right before he teleported me here, Prodigy told me to take you back into the main ballroom…

"I really think we should listen to him."

She and Joe ran into the main ballroom, but no one even noticed - everyone was transfixed by a video that is playing on a large holo-monitor on the front stage.

Gloria appeared on the monitor, displayed in front of a crowd of her finest press peers.

"The hero named Spark betrayed me in my hour of need." Gloria said into the monitor, through sobs. "I was the reporter about to name her Millennia City's Hero of Tomorrow but she failed to save me after all that I've done for her. Spark is nothing but a hack! A danger to society! A… a selfish sociopath!"

The words were clearly scripted, yet they still cut.

- You are hurt by her words.
- You think you made the right choice.
- It doesn't matter, you can still save her.

 

[Truff]

It doesn't matter, you can still try to save her

Genevieve's mouth fell open at the sight of the monitor. She gripped Joe's arm tightly as she heard the words. What was she supposed to do?! Either she was a hero who sacrificed a child for fame and fortune or she was a selfish hack who saved her brother over someone she barely knew. Her chest tightened. A danger to society because she was sabotaged. She could still try and save her though, no matter how badly her words cut. She wouldn't let words stop her from saving someone's life.

 

[ArcticFox]

"That'll be enough from you." Prodigy said, stepping into the frame with his gun raised.

There were several screams from the crowd as Prodigy pointed the gun at Gloria.

"No!" Gloria screamed. "You said if I recited your speech that you'd spare-"

But next there was a loud bang.

Then silence.

"Hey there, Millennia City." Prodigy proclaimed, turning toward the horrified crowd. "I have some breaking news for you. I'm happy to announce that your brand new Hero of Tomorrow is none other than Spark. Let's give her a round of applause!"

But all that can be heard were muffled gasps and sobs.

"And here's another juicy tidbit for you: Spark is really Genevieve Bunchner. That's right, ladies and gentlemen! Spark is the spawn of The Sound and The Fury, the 'heroes' responsible for the murder of Miss Artillery."

The crowd rippled with whispers. This simply cannot be happening.

"Yes folks, you heard it here first: Genevieve Bunchner is Millennia City's Hero of Tomorrow! And what a bright future MC will have under Spark's purview, hailing from a family now responsible for multiple murders.

"And finally, this breaking news report has been brought to you courtesy of Millennia City's Villain of Tomorrow…

"Prodigy."

With that, the monitor went black. And everyone in the ballroom turned to look at Gen and Joe. Everyone in the City now knew their identity.

This was how her parents must have felt that day when their lives ended forever.

- Grab Joe and run!