United
PART ONE
Ricky realized everything depended on him.
At this moment the Titans United were anything but. Captain ArmStrong and Black Flash refused to even occupy the same room, FlexxGrrl was upset at them both and Rock Wall was leaving the team. Stuck in the middle was Ricky, just an apprentice hero, the H2Ogre - his feeble water-based powers making him feel worthless next to the others.
Making matters even worse, Ricky knew that PsyKlone was on his way, out to add some heroes to his swath of merciless destruction. The villain had apparently already gotten into their heads, exacerbating their divisions. It was up to him to unite the team, as only together could they defeat this foe.
“I’m… not… budging… until… he… apologizes…” ArmStrong said between reps on the weight machine, his massive arms pumping upward to emphasize each word.
“But we’re all in danger here,” Ricky said, pleading. “We’ve got to go together.”
ArmStrong sat up, glanced around the solid concrete walls. “I’m safe here,” he said. “Go talk to Flash.”
In another room of the compound, Flash and Flexx stood at opposite sides, glaring daggers at each other.
“Guys, you gotta put this aside,” Ricky said.
Flash angrily turned to him. “I don’t gotta do nothin’,” he growled. “And I’m doing nothing until I get some respect from the Captain. I didn’t get my position because I’m black; I’m here because I’m the fastest thing on two feet, and he knows it.”
“He didn’t mean to sound racist,” Flexx pleaded. “He’s an ass, but he’s not like that.”
“Oh, he’s an ass all right,” Flash responded. “I’ve seen the way he treats you.”
“That’s between us,” Flexx said. “And besides, we’re breaking up. I’m tired of bending over backwards for him.”
“But we’re in danger if we don’t go together,” Ricky said. “PsyKlone is coming…”
“Shii…” Flash snorted. “We’ll be fine here. Besides, if there was real danger, ArmStrong would be all over us about it.”
“He’s refusing to talk to you,” Ricky said.
“Fine,” Flash said. “I’m tired of his mouth anyway.”
Feeling he was getting nowhere, Ricky left the room. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw FlexxGrrl quietly making her way back to the weight room.
Ricky found Rock Wall standing next to some lockers. He gazed at his uniform like it was something unfamiliar.
“What do you want?” he asked Ricky, still staring into the locker. “I’m done here.”
“We’ve all got to go, together…” Ricky said.
Rock turned to him, tears in his eyes. “There’s no ‘together’ anymore. They KNOW. They know about me. There’s no place on this team for me.”
Ricky’s mind swam. How could he get this big man, turning into putty before him, to pull it together? Had PsyKlone gotten his mental hooks that deep into the team? Ricky wondered how he could stay immune, but then, maybe he was just beneath the supervillain’s notice.
Suddenly, a door banged open. Beyond, PsyKlone advanced on them with alarming speed.
“Move!” Rock Wall screamed, pushing Ricky ahead of him as they retreated. As they passed the reconditioning tub, Rock picked Ricky up and threw him in, commanding “Stay down!“
The world around Ricky exploded as he flattened himself into the steel tub. But above him, he saw an amazing sight. Titans United together!
Black Flash was a blur, countering the villain’s every strike. FlexxGrrl wove her way easily around debris and lightning flashes that emanated from PsyKlone’s massive hands. Rock Wall expanded and stood solid to shield Captain ArmStrong, who threw weight plates with amazing accuracy and coordinated the team’s attack.
The Titans had PsyKlone nearly stopped, Rock wrapping his bulk around the villain’s legs, when he delivered his counterstrike. Deadly hailstones of various sizes pelted the heroes.
Without thinking, Ricky reached out towards his friends, wishing he could help them. Then he realized, he could! Hail was just frozen water, after all. Concentrating like he had never done before, the H2Ogre manipulated the hailstorm, turning it on its creator. PsyKlone lashed out desperately, dumping Ricky from his shelter, but it didn’t stop the apprentice from pressing his attack.
Moments later, the villain was gone, vanished. Ricky stood in an open field. He looked up to see the four Titans hovering above him, smiling.
“You really saved us there,” FlexxGrrl beamed.
“That was some quick thinking,” Black Flash added.
“Thanks for bringing us together,” Rock Wall said.
“You were truly one of us today,” Captain ArmStrong said. “One of the team.
“Our headquarters was destroyed,” he continued, “so we’ll go set up a new one.” He gestured towards Ricky’s feet, where a cell phone rested on the ground. “We’ll call you when we’re ready for you to come join us.”
Ricky kneeled down and picked up the phone. He looked back up to say something, but the heroes had disappeared into the clear blue sky.
( Continued in this entry)
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This is my entry for LJ Idol Season 8, Week 33, Topic one of two, “ Ensemble.”