House of L Vignette: Fleur de Joie & Dark Star

[Dr Archeville]

Swatting the Beekeeper, Part 1

It had been a long chase, all the way out from Freedom City to the farmland beyond it, but the green roadster hadn't lost a bit of speed the entire trip as it chased the trio of Beebots out of the city. She knew where they were going, and she knew what they had. All of Freedom City, and perhaps even the world, depended on the success of her mission. And she would not fail.

“All right, Beekeeper, I know you're in there!” Fleur de Joie challenged bravely, her short green skirt blowing in the breeze as she stood outside the giant hive-fortress of the terrible Beekeeper. “You know why I'm here. I'm not leaving until you turn over Dr. Archeville's Super-Gro Plant Serum formula! The farmers of the world need that formula to grow their crops!”

As she waited, hands on her hips, a malevolent laugh could be heard from inside the giant hive. “Oh indeed, Fleur de Joie, I know why you've come,” came the buzzing metallic voice of the metal-clad malcontent. “I know better than you do! For indeed, while you may think you have come to retrieve the Plant Serum formula, in fact, you have walked into my trap! And now I shall make you my queen bee!” Even as Beekeeper spoke, giant mutant bees began rising from the trees around Fleur, each one larger than a man's head, and all buzzing angrily. “Get her, my lovelies! Bring her to me, by whatever means necessary!”

“You fiend!” Fleur shouted, spinning to face the giant bees. The trees themselves sprang into action on the verdant vixen's behalf, swatting away some of the bees, as the vines and flowers she controlled swallowed up more of them. But the army of bees was relentless, and soon she was surrounded by a tight circle of the buzzing beasts, unable to move in any direction!

Laughing, the Beekeeper himself finally appeared, flanked by two of his Beebot minions. “A most entertaining fight!” he congratulated her, even as the Beebots flew forward and stretched a cord between them, tying her up securely. “But you couldn't possibly think you'd escape from me this time, did you, Fleur de Joie? It was foolish of you to come all this way alone, with none of your silly hero friends to help you.” The Beebots lifted her and carried her, struggling futilely, towards the Beekeeper and his loathesome hive.

“You'll never get away with this, Beekeeper!” Fleur shouted, twisting around to try and free herself from the ropes. “You're a liar and a bully, and you'll never win, not in Freedom City. And I'm never really alone! Dark Star will find me!”

“Dark Star?” Beekeeper paused, then guffawed. “Dark Star is a hundred miles from here by now! I lured him away with my Beebots hours ago, and he has no idea where you are. By the time he manages to find you, if he ever does, it will be far too late! You see, once you go into my Bee-o-Matic machine, you will be my perfect Bee-Robot-Woman partner... FOREVER!”

“No!” Fleur shouted. “I don't believe you! Dark Star will come for me, I'm sure of it!” She craned her neck and looked to the sky, hoping for the flash of black against the blue that was her hero, coming to save the day! She just hoped he'd arrive in time...

Swatting the Beekeeper, Part 2

“Look! Up in the sky,” was shouted across several cities up the Eastern seaboard. Flying through the great cities and towns of America was commonplace for Dark Star. Usually he would wave to greet the citizens of this Great Nation. Of all the places in all the galaxy, none felt more like home than these United States!

But today Dark Star flew, flew like he had never before flown before. He wasted no time waving to the good people who saw he streak by. He pushed himself faster and faster, drawing ever closer. Until…

SMASH

Dark Star blasted through the Honey Hideout as Fleur de Joies slowly moved along the conveyer belt towards the open mouth of the vile machine.

“Unhand her Villain!” He shouted, floating to a stop looking at the Bee-Keeper and Fleur behind him. “It’s over Keeper! Your insidious insectoid invention will not have her!” The hero’s hands glowed with power but he held off, giving the man a chance to see the error of his ways. Unfortunately it was not to be.

“Never! She’s mine! Mine I say!” He slapped a button on the control panel, speeding up the belt conveying Fleur to her doom. “Attack my pretties! Show him the power! Honey Bees, attack!”

BANG! OOF! BOOM! OW! POW! KABLAM! CRASH!

Dark Star, the Bee-bots and the Bee-Keeper himself struggled and fought across the Bee Fortress. Soon enough the vile minions were dropping like flies until only Dark Star and the Bee-Keeper remained. With a powerful energy punch, Dark Star laid the Keeper out across the floor. “You are beaten Bee-Keeper. Surrender and come along quietly,” Dark Star said, as Fleur drew ever closer to the depths of the machine. The hero gestured, wrapping the misguided villain up in coils of energy. “It’s time for you to face sweet justice Bee-Keeper.”

Dark Star landed and quickly pulled Fleur out of the machine. “Darling, are you alright?” he asked her. They embraced for long and tender moment, together once more.

Bee-Keeper blearily looked up from his supine position. “Impossible! You couldn’t have found us. My plan was perfect!”

Fleur and Star stepped back and looked at the fallen villain. “Wrong. For no matter what treachery villains bring to bear. No matter what dastardly schemes they concoct. None of it matters.” He turned to face Fleur, taking both her hands in his. “All of it pales before our love. No trap, no distance, nothing could stop our feelings for one another.” He dropped to one knee. “Darling, my love for you is stronger than all the stars in the sky. Will you make me the happiest fellow in the galaxy? Will you marry me?”