Another Road

[shazam]

For all that Fred doesn't much like teenagers, the fact remains that he's always been a pretty indulgent grandpa. (For that matter, he was a pretty indulgent father back in the day.) It's not their fault they're unsupervised; kid heroes need some guidance that they didn't have in this situation. And it does sound like they're going to see some consequences for their actions.

"It's all right, boys. It's good to hear you boys talking sense. Just remember to use your heads...and try not to use any cussing where the civilians can hear. That's just the grownup way to do it." He pauses, then shrugs. "You go along and fly back home now. My friend and I will take care of cleaning up the mess." He pauses for a moment, then adds, covering something of an old wound, "And by the way, Elvis was impersonating me. He used to be president of my fan club."

[shazam]

For all that Fred doesn't much like teenagers, the fact remains that he's always been a pretty indulgent grandpa. (For that matter, he was a pretty indulgent father back in the day.) It's not their fault they're unsupervised; kid heroes need some guidance that they didn't have in this situation. And it does sound like they're going to see some consequences for their actions.

"It's all right, boys. It's good to hear you boys talking sense. Just remember to use your heads...and try not to use any cussing where the civilians can hear. That's just the grownup way to do it." He pauses, then shrugs. "You go along and fly back home now. My friend and I will take care of cleaning up the mess." He pauses for a moment, then adds, covering something of an old wound, "And by the way, Elvis was impersonating me. He used to be president of my fan club."

[MarkK]

He looked entirely pleased at their eventual apology.

"If nothing else, I am certain this simply means that next time, the pair of you will be that much more effective."

[MarkK]

He looked entirely pleased at their eventual apology.

"If nothing else, I am certain this simply means that next time, the pair of you will be that much more effective."

[Veiled Malice]

Sonic resisted the urge to say the obvious thing about swearing in the middle of a gunfight - that being, when under fire, who the hell cares what you say as long as you don't get shot? And the during the supremely condescending "fly on home part"? It was lucky he was better under control of himself these days, or that would have gotten him deafened for the better part of a day.

"A'ight, coo. C'mon, 'Star, we outta here." Sonic turned and began to walk away with his friend in tow.

Megastar leaned over to whisper to Sonic, "So when did you become such a goody-goody?"

"After ol' man Summers tol' me the next time I get in trouble, I gotta clean the boy's bathroom with a toothbrush."

With an askance expression on his face, Megastar replied, "You're not serious, right?"

"Wish I was, bra. He showed me the brush. Thing's got like one bristle on it." He then grinned up at his companion. "An' I think ya'll went more off-mission than me, here."

"Oh, son of a..."

Perhaps it was best that they were out of hearing range by the time Megastar got that little bit of information.

[Veiled Malice]

Sonic resisted the urge to say the obvious thing about swearing in the middle of a gunfight - that being, when under fire, who the hell cares what you say as long as you don't get shot? And the during the supremely condescending "fly on home part"? It was lucky he was better under control of himself these days, or that would have gotten him deafened for the better part of a day.

"A'ight, coo. C'mon, 'Star, we outta here." Sonic turned and began to walk away with his friend in tow.

Megastar leaned over to whisper to Sonic, "So when did you become such a goody-goody?"

"After ol' man Summers tol' me the next time I get in trouble, I gotta clean the boy's bathroom with a toothbrush."

With an askance expression on his face, Megastar replied, "You're not serious, right?"

"Wish I was, bra. He showed me the brush. Thing's got like one bristle on it." He then grinned up at his companion. "An' I think ya'll went more off-mission than me, here."

"Oh, son of a..."

Perhaps it was best that they were out of hearing range by the time Megastar got that little bit of information.

[shazam]

Wonder nods in satisfaction as the boys go, remembering years past and young heroes of old. Looking at the saved day all around them, it's hard not to be grateful for his second chance. Looking over at Emissary, he extends a hand. "Captain Wonder," he says simply. "It's good to see grownups in uniform."

[shazam]

Wonder nods in satisfaction as the boys go, remembering years past and young heroes of old. Looking at the saved day all around them, it's hard not to be grateful for his second chance. Looking over at Emissary, he extends a hand. "Captain Wonder," he says simply. "It's good to see grownups in uniform."

[MarkK]

He takes the hand with a nod and a bright smile.

"The Emissary. And actually, in terms of being grown up, well, actually I am.. Hm. I'd never really put thought to it. I suppose technically I am both very old and very young at the same time."

He shakes his head.

"An immaterial thing. I had wanted to ask.. ahm.."

Something of a hesistant pause.

"You knew my father? You would have known him as the Envoy. He told me many shining tales of the heroes he fought alongside when he walked in the wider world. It had saddened me a little to find I was unable to make their aquaintance."

[MarkK]

He takes the hand with a nod and a bright smile.

"The Emissary. And actually, in terms of being grown up, well, actually I am.. Hm. I'd never really put thought to it. I suppose technically I am both very old and very young at the same time."

He shakes his head.

"An immaterial thing. I had wanted to ask.. ahm.."

Something of a hesistant pause.

"You knew my father? You would have known him as the Envoy. He told me many shining tales of the heroes he fought alongside when he walked in the wider world. It had saddened me a little to find I was unable to make their aquaintance."

[shazam]

"You knew my father? You would have known him as the Envoy. He told me many shining tales of the heroes he fought alongside when he walked in the wider world. It had saddened me a little to find I was unable to make their aquaintance."

"The Envoy." The name of a friend and ally, one he hasn't seen in sixty years, sharply reminds Captain Wonder of days gone past. He remembers a flashing smile and a cunningly wielded weapon of pure gold. "Not as well as I might have liked," he admits. "By the time I was free to work with the League full-time, he'd already gone back to his home. But I knew enough to know he was one of the finest men I've ever known, and a great hero. And a few good stories..."

He grins cheerfully at the memory, until the weight of years catches up with him. Soberly, Wonder adds, "Is he still with us? It's hard to picture him middle-aged, much less old."

[shazam]

"You knew my father? You would have known him as the Envoy. He told me many shining tales of the heroes he fought alongside when he walked in the wider world. It had saddened me a little to find I was unable to make their aquaintance."

"The Envoy." The name of a friend and ally, one he hasn't seen in sixty years, sharply reminds Captain Wonder of days gone past. He remembers a flashing smile and a cunningly wielded weapon of pure gold. "Not as well as I might have liked," he admits. "By the time I was free to work with the League full-time, he'd already gone back to his home. But I knew enough to know he was one of the finest men I've ever known, and a great hero. And a few good stories..."

He grins cheerfully at the memory, until the weight of years catches up with him. Soberly, Wonder adds, "Is he still with us? It's hard to picture him middle-aged, much less old."

[MarkK]

He beams to hear his father spoken of well, eyes alight with joy.

"He is. He sits on the ruling council of our homeland. His temples have greyed compared to pictures from his heroic career, and there are a couple of lines of care and laughter to his features, but I have told him in my view, it lends him an entirely distinguished and statesmanlike cast. Very fitting for oratory in the central governing chamber."

[MarkK]

He beams to hear his father spoken of well, eyes alight with joy.

"He is. He sits on the ruling council of our homeland. His temples have greyed compared to pictures from his heroic career, and there are a couple of lines of care and laughter to his features, but I have told him in my view, it lends him an entirely distinguished and statesmanlike cast. Very fitting for oratory in the central governing chamber."

[shazam]

"He's still alive? Great Ra, that's good news." Wonder smiles again. "So many of us who were around in the old days are gone. Centurion, Lady Liberty, Dr. Tomorrow, Midnight..." He shakes his head, then takes a deep breath to pull himself back together. "You know, Emissary, I know one man who did know your father very well who's still around in this city. Have you spoken with the first Johnny Rocket?"

[shazam]

"He's still alive? Great Ra, that's good news." Wonder smiles again. "So many of us who were around in the old days are gone. Centurion, Lady Liberty, Dr. Tomorrow, Midnight..." He shakes his head, then takes a deep breath to pull himself back together. "You know, Emissary, I know one man who did know your father very well who's still around in this city. Have you spoken with the first Johnny Rocket?"

[Veiled Malice]

The news media showed up shortly after the police, as they were wont to do. The only surprise there was that they hadn't arrived before the cops. They swarmed over the areas not yet taped off by police tape, photographing everything. Certainly a meta fight inside Riverside park was huge news. Something this destructive happening near the Centurion statue would be a big draw.

It only took the networks bare moments to identify the gaudily dressed members of the area as superheros, and seconds more to inundate the two with cameras and microphones.

"Mr. Emissary! Mr. Emissary! What happened here?"

"What were SHADOW agents doing in Riverside park?"

"Is this a prelude of something bigger?"

"Was anyone hurt?"

"Do you know the stance of The Freedom League on this incident? What are their plans to follow this attack up?

Most of the questions were directed towards The Emissary, the most visible member of the superhuman community on hand, but a few reporters seemed to be doing double takes as they looked at Captain Wonder. Some of them began whispering among each other that he looked somehow familiar...

[Veiled Malice]

The news media showed up shortly after the police, as they were wont to do. The only surprise there was that they hadn't arrived before the cops. They swarmed over the areas not yet taped off by police tape, photographing everything. Certainly a meta fight inside Riverside park was huge news. Something this destructive happening near the Centurion statue would be a big draw.

It only took the networks bare moments to identify the gaudily dressed members of the area as superheros, and seconds more to inundate the two with cameras and microphones.

"Mr. Emissary! Mr. Emissary! What happened here?"

"What were SHADOW agents doing in Riverside park?"

"Is this a prelude of something bigger?"

"Was anyone hurt?"

"Do you know the stance of The Freedom League on this incident? What are their plans to follow this attack up?

Most of the questions were directed towards The Emissary, the most visible member of the superhuman community on hand, but a few reporters seemed to be doing double takes as they looked at Captain Wonder. Some of them began whispering among each other that he looked somehow familiar...

[MarkK]

He begins to respond to Captain Wonder's question.. and then it's drowned out in the cacophony of the media's arrival, and his response instead becomes a quiet...

"Oh bother. Ahm, steel yourself Captain, one of the things I know for certain is that the public news media seems to act quite differently towards heroes than from the clippings and recordings of your era. But there will be an expectation for some sort of statement from you, and if you do not provide one here, there will be a staggeringly vigorous effort to hound you until you do. Look to me when you wish to leave the scrum, as it is called, I will note, and quite truthfully, that with this situation for the moment in hand, we must depart to tend to other matters."

Emissary, while still very much in the context of his personality and worldview, had developed by now an ambassadorial media savvy.

Managing to have spoken just before reporters surrounded them, he turns to the cameras with a calm practiced from numerous diplomatic functions, keeping his tone level and firm, so that even such vague answers as he will have to give will yet have a reassuring cast to them.

"At this time, it is not known for certain what the SHADOW agents sought outside of their usual mayhem and attempting to flee from the consequences of it, but I am sure that a subsequent investigation will bring full clarity to the matter, and that one will indeed occur. What is important to note is that they were once more stopped regardless, and that thanks to the efforts of such as my friend here and others, no citizens of this fine city were harmed, and this sacred and honoured place escaped significant damage."

[MarkK]

He begins to respond to Captain Wonder's question.. and then it's drowned out in the cacophony of the media's arrival, and his response instead becomes a quiet...

"Oh bother. Ahm, steel yourself Captain, one of the things I know for certain is that the public news media seems to act quite differently towards heroes than from the clippings and recordings of your era. But there will be an expectation for some sort of statement from you, and if you do not provide one here, there will be a staggeringly vigorous effort to hound you until you do. Look to me when you wish to leave the scrum, as it is called, I will note, and quite truthfully, that with this situation for the moment in hand, we must depart to tend to other matters."

Emissary, while still very much in the context of his personality and worldview, had developed by now an ambassadorial media savvy.

Managing to have spoken just before reporters surrounded them, he turns to the cameras with a calm practiced from numerous diplomatic functions, keeping his tone level and firm, so that even such vague answers as he will have to give will yet have a reassuring cast to them.

"At this time, it is not known for certain what the SHADOW agents sought outside of their usual mayhem and attempting to flee from the consequences of it, but I am sure that a subsequent investigation will bring full clarity to the matter, and that one will indeed occur. What is important to note is that they were once more stopped regardless, and that thanks to the efforts of such as my friend here and others, no citizens of this fine city were harmed, and this sacred and honoured place escaped significant damage."

[shazam]

"At this time, it is not known for certain what the SHADOW agents sought outside of their usual mayhem and attempting to flee from the consequences of it, but I am sure that a subsequent investigation will bring full clarity to the matter, and that one will indeed occur. What is important to note is that they were once more stopped regardless, and that thanks to the efforts of such as my friend here and others, no citizens of this fine city were harmed, and this sacred and honoured place escaped significant damage."

Wonder takes a step back as the crowd of reporters practically swarms the Emissary, watching uneasily as the brightly-hued paragon easily parries their pile of questions. In many ways the press hasn't actually changed much from his own era, and at least there aren't flashbulbs going off in his face every few minutes. But this situation feels wrong, and he's beginning to feel more and more uncomfortable.

[shazam]

"At this time, it is not known for certain what the SHADOW agents sought outside of their usual mayhem and attempting to flee from the consequences of it, but I am sure that a subsequent investigation will bring full clarity to the matter, and that one will indeed occur. What is important to note is that they were once more stopped regardless, and that thanks to the efforts of such as my friend here and others, no citizens of this fine city were harmed, and this sacred and honoured place escaped significant damage."

Wonder takes a step back as the crowd of reporters practically swarms the Emissary, watching uneasily as the brightly-hued paragon easily parries their pile of questions. In many ways the press hasn't actually changed much from his own era, and at least there aren't flashbulbs going off in his face every few minutes. But this situation feels wrong, and he's beginning to feel more and more uncomfortable.

[Veiled Malice]

The reporters took down everything The Emissary said, favoring him with the kind of rapt attention one of his charisma was due. The obvious question was not long in coming, however.

"Emissary, who is your friend?"

Before anyone else could answer, a feminine voice near the back of the pack rang out. "That's Captain Wonder, Bill. Don't you recognize a legend when you see one?"

His identity uncovered, the crowd beset the beleaguered Captain with questions of their own. Most seemed to overlap one another, and threatened to overwhelm the already-anxious superhero.

The woman who had spoken up before muscled her way to the front of the pack. She had wavy brown hair, worn down to her shoulders. Her outfit, Captain Wonder noticed, was fairly conservative for the times. A maroon jacket with a small metallic tulip covered her top, while a barely above the knee skirt handled the bottom. The most striking part of her, though, was her eyes. She had almost inhumanly crystal blue eyes, the type that drew attention to her whether one wanted to or not.

"Can we get out of here?" she asked Captain Wonder, her no-nonsense manner coming through immediately.

[Veiled Malice]

The reporters took down everything The Emissary said, favoring him with the kind of rapt attention one of his charisma was due. The obvious question was not long in coming, however.

"Emissary, who is your friend?"

Before anyone else could answer, a feminine voice near the back of the pack rang out. "That's Captain Wonder, Bill. Don't you recognize a legend when you see one?"

His identity uncovered, the crowd beset the beleaguered Captain with questions of their own. Most seemed to overlap one another, and threatened to overwhelm the already-anxious superhero.

The woman who had spoken up before muscled her way to the front of the pack. She had wavy brown hair, worn down to her shoulders. Her outfit, Captain Wonder noticed, was fairly conservative for the times. A maroon jacket with a small metallic tulip covered her top, while a barely above the knee skirt handled the bottom. The most striking part of her, though, was her eyes. She had almost inhumanly crystal blue eyes, the type that drew attention to her whether one wanted to or not.

"Can we get out of here?" she asked Captain Wonder, her no-nonsense manner coming through immediately.

[shazam]

The woman who had spoken up before muscled her way to the front of the pack. She had wavy brown hair, worn down to her shoulders. Her outfit, Captain Wonder noticed, was fairly conservative for the times. A maroon jacket with a small metallic tulip covered her top, while a barely above the knee skirt handled the bottom. The most striking part of her, though, was her eyes. She had almost inhumanly crystal blue eyes, the type that drew attention to her whether one wanted to or not.

"Can we get out of here?" she asked Captain Wonder, her no-nonsense manner coming through immediately.

Given Wonder's generation, flying away with a friendly reporter seems like a completely logical thing to do. He's responded to the questions as best he could; confirming that he was the original Captain Wonder, and that he had permanently settled in Freedom City. But when he has the opportunity to leave, he's not one to turn it down. His new friend obviously doesn't need his help with the crowd, after all. "I'll be in the sky, Emissary. Remember, find that man!"

With that he bends down, scoops up the lady in the most gentlemanly Centurion-carrying-Laurie Leeds manner he can, and takes off into the sky with a woosh. The magical nature of his flight makes it easy on flier and passenger both as he levels off at around a thousand feet, heading off across the city below. "I don't know your name," he admits, "I don't watch enough television."