Bee Good And You Will Bee Lonesome (IC)

[Avenger Assembled]

The queen's chamber was deep in the depths of the hive, a massive peanut shape big enough to hold dozens of the giant bees at the same time. The vast room was largely empty upon Baxter and Stesha's arrival, outside of their hovering escorts, at least at first. As their escorting bees landed and he and Stesha dismounted, a massive apian loomed out of the gloom and began taking slow, deliberate steps in their direction, her voice seeming to blend perfectly with the distant buzzing that filtered through the massive walls all around them. Closer and closer she came to Baxter, a massive bee half again as large as the others, looking over them both with a great black and yellow face large enough to swallow a car, obscenely bloated body trailing off behind her.

"ZOOO. FLEUR DE JOIE, IT IZ ZOOO DARK. ONE OF THE BABYZZ ATE ZE GLOWING MOZZ AND NOW IT IZ DARK. MY APOLOGIEZ." She evidently wasn't bothered by the dim light, instead she fixed an eye on Baxter bigger than he was, and as she did so Baxter was able to pick out giant shapes moving along the ceiling. The queen wasn't so alone after all; her escorts had just been watching them silently the whole time, stealthy insects big as Mack trucks.

"WHO IZ THIZ? HE IZ VERY FAMILIAR, BUT HIS WORDZ ARE WRONG. HE HAZ NONE OF THEM YET."

[SpicyWaffle]

"Complicated? No kidding," the Bee-Keeper hummed back in mild amusement despite the grim tone of the former queen's passing, the complicated fiasco that was his life almost synonymous in some strange modicum of his heritage. It was a tricky thing to really explain to someone, but that was neither here nor there at the moment. But all this talk of giant fire-breathing bees being grumpy about their exile struck a nerve though; a palpable wave of concern forcing his body to tense ever so slightly which only seemed to compound alongside the fact they were off to see the queen!

As the descent continued on into the work of wriggling, living things, the Bee-Keeper couldn't help but watch the squirming masses in the darkening depths of the hive as he rode along with Fleur atop his own impromptu mount. It was quite the sight for the boy; and while the bees were intimidating due to their size, they were at least distinguishable. But these writhing creatures were disconcerting in another way, hidden away behind their waxy covers. There was something nightmarish about the unidentifiable; like something creepy out of an old science fiction B-movie. Yet, strangely, Baxter found himself mildly curious about what was in those weird little combs. Whatever questions he might have had for Fleur and the bees though would have to wait as they buzzed on along through the darkening corridor, nearly colliding with another group of more minuscule but nevertheless ginormous and well-mannered bees going about their haphazard daily routine.

Within the large, shadowy domicile where Superbee landed, the Bee-Keeper III's dismount echoed lightly as his heavy frame hit the hive's floor, the only other sound he could viably discern being the soft buzzing of wings from somewhere else. But while the mossless cathedral might have been devoid of light, the Bee-Keeper's eyes - thanks to the marvels of technology! - managed to find their way towards something looming in the shadows; a bee, bigger than any other he'd seen yet. Fear, once again, gripped the Bee-Keeper as the bloated yellow-and-black honeybee stared right into his soul, her massive eye feeling as though it were burning a hole right through his armor, and her booming voice nearly knocking the young boy off his feet.

"H-hello," mumbled the Bee-Keeper, his voice growing suddenly quiet in the presence of the even more abnormally large queen bee. Giving a slight wave, something caught his eye in the gloom of the bleak chamber; a small cadre of bees atop the ceiling, watching his every move! The pressure was on as the examination of the queen unsettled the armored teenager, the cracking of his voice thankfully obscured by the synthetic dubbing of the suit's modulator. "I'm... uh... the Bee-Keeper. The third one, I mean. It'zz nizze to... uh... meetcha! F-Fleur de Joie thought it might bee n-nizze to zzee zzome of the giant beezz, zzo zzhe brought me here. To... uh... meet the giant beezz. And zztuff."

[Electra]

Fleur put a reassuring hand on the arm of the Beekeeper's suit, deferential but not intimidated by this very, very large queen. "Your majesty," she said, her voice loud and clear, "I know you have heard stories of The Beekeeper from the elders of the hive. On the world where your mother was born, The Beekeeper was a villain and used his abilities and the bees he created to do harm. This Beekeeper is different. He is a hero and will be a friend to human and bees here and on Earth Prime. It is important that he knows the stories of what came before him, so he can learn and be wise." As an intelligent race with no form of writing, oral history was already very important to the bees. In a few more generations, Stesha suspected, they would have their own legends and fables to match any of the storytelling human societies.

[Avenger Assembled]

"TO BEE WIZE IZ GOOD," pronounced the queen, her cable-thick antennae dangling in Baxter's direction. "A FRIEND OF FLEUR DE JOIE IZ A FRIEND OF THE HIVE. IF YOU HAVE COME TO BEE A FRIEND, THEN THAT IZ WHAT ZHALL BEE." There was, at that, a general noise of approval from the other bees, a briefly deafening echo of apian applause as they rubbed massive forelegs together. When it was done, the Queen backed away to her roost, a massive enclosure along the far wall that took up half of her deep inner chamber. "YOU WEAR IMPORTANT COLORZ, BEE-KEEPER," she added, and as she spoke Super-Bee helpfully provided a puff of fire from her mouth that lit up the room in a cheery glow. Baxter could see his own colors, and the deep yellow and black of the bees, shaded by the reddish light of Super-Bee's fiery breath to match the colorview that an insect's eyes might have. "REMEMBER ALL THAT HAZ BEEN DONE, THE GOOD AND THE BAD, AND YOU ZHALL BEE WORTHY OF THEM."

[SpicyWaffle]

Within the cherry red illuminated den of the queen, the Bee-Keeper III found himself the focus of the wobbly-antennae bearing matriarch, yet he didn't feel quite as alarmed as when he'd first set foot in the darkened chamber. The weight of her words through her regal bearing tore at the young heroes heart, her loud yet surprisingly uplifting tone as inspirational as it was awe-inducing. Just to hear the gigantic insect's praise was enough to uplift his spirit in a way he'd never really thought would happen. Then again, a few hours ago Baxter was just as sold on the fact that he'd likely never meet Adrian Eldritch, or fight giant money-men alongside Fleur de Joie, his uncle's sworn nemesis/love interest. It took a moment for her words to truly sink in, but it felt... good. It was hard to explain, but it was like a great burden had been tossed from his shoulders as the queen spoke of friendship and bee-like wisdom.

Turning to Fleur for a moment as if seeking guidance, the third incarnation of the hero of the hive panned back to face the Apian Queen of Sanctuary, finally mustering a small nod in return.

"I'll try my bezzt," came the clumsy yet earnest reply. It was all he could say in the face of all that had transpired in such a short period of time, the familiar sensation of fatigue gnawing at both his mind and body as he stood within the interdimensional beehive.

[Electra]

"Thank you, your majesty," Fleur said with another bow, nudging Beekeeper to copy the action. "If you are ever in need of anything, please send your emissary to my house. For now, let me fix the lighting conditions in here. Too much moss will give the babies a stomachache, they aren't equipped to eat it, she warned. Even as she spoke, moss was beginning to creep up the walls, forming narrow stripes of light that looked vaguely bee-patterned on the dark walls. With the increased light, it was possible to see to the further reaches of the chamber, where one end held a recessed pool of water that gleamed in the near darkness, and another held a large pile of a dozen or so of those yoga-ball sized eggs, being tended to by little zamboni-sized juvenile bees.

"And now we must depart," Fleur said as she completed her work. "Superbee, would you give us a ride?" One bee was more than large enough to seat them both, and it allowed them to converse as well. "It's not really safe to walk in the lower reaches of the hive," she explained to Baxter as they flew up the long and twisting slope. "The bees fly very fast down here, especially the little ones, and they can get sensitive about outsiders in the nursery."

[SpicyWaffle]

After a light prodding from Fleur, the Bee-Keeper followed the ivy-haired woman's example, giving a slight - albeit clunky - bow towards the gargantuan queen of the hive. Even from his somewhat hunched position, the Bee-Keeper III's eyes couldn't help but watch the massive leader of the outrageously huge bees; his uncle's experimental work in the form of the bees a strange thing to even bear witness to, though they certainly put the bags of sentient money, mock markups of vogue villains, and the meeting of legendary persons to at least marginal shame by comparison. And yet, even as the creeping of light found its way anew across the interior of the hive at Fleur de Joie's beck and call and more of those odd ball-things made their presence from amidst the formerly darkened chamber of the queen, Baxter didn't feel quite so unnerved. Maybe it was the fatigue from all that had transpired in such a short time; perhaps it was the praise bestowed upon his shoulders by what might have otherwise been a woman scorned had Fleur not vouched for him, but whatever the reason, the newest Bee-Keeper felt strangely elated. It was as though a great burden had been hoisted from his shoulders.

As he floated back into position upon the impromptu Mack-sized mount at Fleur's mention of safety hazards at ground level, the young would-be hero couldn't help but secretly beam beneath his apiary-themed helm. This had turned out better than he'd ever expected, even if he hadn't expected a day like this at all! Regardless, from atop the mighty steed that was Superbee, the Bee-Keeper barely managed a farewell wave towards the sagacious matriarch before the trio took off like a shot through the corridors of the hive, the roar of massive beating wings once more echoing throughout the incognito teenager's ears.

"Can't blame them, I guezz," the Bee-Keeper yelled back to Fleur over the hum of Superbee's thunderous orchestra, more than content to let the large insect lead the charge through what Baxter might have once called an impossibility as he took up his position behind the bee's emissary, utilizing the hairy carapace of his sweet ride like a set of handy reins. "The nurzzery'zz, like, zzacred ground, right? I don't wanna accidentally upzzet this whole... y'know, thing we juzzt went through by having one of buzzy lil' beezz run me down! That'd totally zzuck."

After a moment of pause to collect his thoughts, the Bee-Keeper cleared his throat; the modulation of his voice causing an almost guttural, feral sound to emanate from his person against the drowning of the cacophonous flapping of the giant bee he was straddling. A lot had happened today; and there was so much more to think about once he got home about all the highlights - whenever that might be! But for now, Baxter had something to say.

"Lizzten, uh... I juzzt wanted to zzay thankzz, Fleur. Y'know, for zzmoothing thingzz over with the beezz and all that other zztuff. Definitely didn't think I'd ever zzee them up clozze and perzzonal; today'zz juzzt been... it'zz been zzomething," the yellow-and-black themed hero chimed, his voice strangely vexed with a combination of excitement and honest emotion. "So, uh... thankzz. For everything."

[Electra]

"You're very welcome," Fleur told him with a warm smile, balancing on the giant bee like it was second nature. "The Beekeeper legacy is one with a lot of potential, and I'm glad you're going to take it up as a hero. It's a dangerous universe for heroes, dangerous and often lonely." She seemed pensive for a moment, but her smile was still in place as she went on. "We all need to stick together and help each other out, whether that's backing each other in a fight or simply being there to lend an ear or pay a visit. I'm sorry again about the misunderstanding earlier. Beekeeper II and I have a lot of history between us, and it tends to make me a bit... hmm, a bit oversensitive, perhaps. I'm glad you weren't hurt or badly frightened."

[SpicyWaffle]

"Hey, it'zz cool. I underzztand. Everything turned out okay, and that'zz all that matterzz," Baxter replied, voice raised just enough to be audible over the whir of wings. Fleur certainly had a way of looking at things; a way Baxter couldn't help but agree with. Despite the rocky start and the weird shenanigans that had entailed the entire day for the Bee-Keeper, it was clear the experienced heroine knew a thing or two about the business, and the fact that she was so willing to let bygones be bygones touched the aspiring hero. Her poise and confident demeanor was surprisingly reassuring, even as the duo atop the magnificent Superbee skittered through the air with the greatest of ease. Even the fear of Fleur de Joie discovering the true link between himself and his incarcerated uncle felt diminished... or, at the least, it had until she mentioned it. Once more, the pit within Baxter's stomach seemed to enlarge, causing the boy to shuffle awkwardly for but a moment before he recomposed himself.

"You're right. About the zzticking together thing, I mean," Baxter buzzed, watching as the corridors shifted and changed within the hive, bearing witness anew to the slew of semi-truck sized insects still busily tending to every little thing within the massive compound of wax and honey, antennae occasionally bobbing hither and fro towards various skittering sounds. "It'zz definitely been hard to get zzome friendzz in the buzzinezz zzo far; y'know, the whole Bee-Keeper thing. It'zz uzzually more of a punch firzzt and azzk quezztionzz later deal. I just really wanna turn thizz thing around; make zzomething out of thizz whole mezz, if that'zz even pozzible."

[Electra]

"It's definitely possible," Fleur assured him staunchly as Superbee buzzed past the bee meadow and over a dense deciduous forest. "It can feel so difficult when you're just starting out, like you'll never get the hang of heroing, or that all the bad things out there are overwhelming. But it gets much better once you break that initial learning curve." She laughed. "I remember when I was just starting out, I would be spending time with Dark Star and Phantom, watching them reshape the very fabric of reality to their whims, while I hid behind the nearest cover and tried to trip some unwary bad guy with a vine. But I learned, and you will too."

"Oh, and don't worry about the other heroes," she added. "I can put the word out that there's a new Beekeeper in town, and that you're on the side of the angels now. It'll pass down the grapevine, so to speak, quickly enough, and nobody should give you a hard time." She paused as the massive bee alighted in a clearing in the middle of the woods, waving a hand to encourage a vine to rise to meet them. "Thank you, Bay- ah, Superbee," Fleur told their obliging chauffeur. "I'll be over tomorrow to make new flowers for you all."

[SpicyWaffle]

Atop the massive bee, Baxter couldn't help but silently take Fleur's words to heart as the trio soared through the open air, leaving behind the legendary beehive for the vaguely familiar meadow and nearby woods. She had the right of it, to be sure: the learning curve was certainly feeling more like a vertical incline rather than a steep slope for the aspiring apian adventurer. Baxter had learned all too recently that there was quite the spike in difficulty between apprehending common gangbangers and dealing with super-criminals. But still, it wasn't so much the talk of the curve that captivated the boy, but the way Fleur de Joie spoke of her experiences - briefly though they might have been; how she'd learned alongside what he could only guess were her friends and colleagues alike, picking up the tricks of the trade whilst they did all the heavy lifting. It might have been rough, but it seemed to have done the job - after all, she'd managed to join the Freedom League!

"You'd... you'd do that for me?" At the green-haired woman's mention of smoothing things over with the rest of the heroes dotting Freedom City, Baxter's heart skipped a beat, surprise rife on his modulated voice. It was hard to believe one person could do so much; and on such a gamble! Here he was, some fresh-faced yokel with an inherited rap sheet as long as it was flippantly comical whom only a short time prior was being accosted by the very same heroine who had so poignantly arrived on the scene. Thankfully, the insectile helmet saved Baxter some minor face by concealing his shock and surprise as he hurriedly descended the awaiting vine near Superbee's landing zone. He didn't know what to say; how could he have? To have someone of such station vouch for his besmirched name was just so altruistic; even for a superhero. At a loss for words, even the Bee-Keeper found himself looking towards Superbee for insight on what to say, making the entire thing feeling even more bizarre that it had been.

"I... I juzzt... wow. I can't beelieve you'd juzzt... juzzt like that and everything," the boy stammered as he touched down on the loamy soil, antennae preening themselves backwards as he struggled to find the words to express his feelings on this sudden shift. While the pressure was certainly alleviated, what with making peace with the bees and now this, Baxter's mind was afire with all the potential of how things might be now, if Fleur really could make good on her promise. The rough patch might be over; a chance to really change the image of the Bee-Keeper was on his doorstep. He had to take it.

"I can't thank you enough, Fleur de Joie! You've juzzt... I mean, in one day you've done zzoo much for me! Firzzt the bank, then the not-Malador, the beezz, and now thizz. I don't... I don't know if I can really, y'know, repay you for everything, but it meanzz a lot to me that you're willing to give me a chanczze," spouted the armored avenger, his animated being practically on the verge of flailing with excitement. He had a lot to live up to now - an heir to his uncle's shenanigans, the good name of the giant bees, and now Fleur de Joie's word. That was quite a lot; and yet, it felt... natural. Strangely so, as if it were a burden he felt he could bear.

Turning to Baybee and putting a hand where his heart was atop the armored carapace the dark-skinned teenager remained hidden behind, all Baxter could think to say was, "I promizze I'll try and do my bezzt to make zzomething of thizz - of the Bee-Keeper name. To make zzure the people of Freedom Zzity won't be afraid of me anymore, and do what'zz right by em'. You guyzz put a lot of faith in me, and that'zz... well, that'zz more than mozzt people give me. It won't be eazzy, but azz Zzuperbee as my witnezz, I'm gonna try and live up that."

[Electra]

"I'm sure you will," Fleur assured the eager young hero, for young he obviously was, even under the anonymizing cover of the power suit. "Everyone deserves a chance, and you more than earned a favor today with the way you helped out on that bank robbery." She patted his shoulder, the metal of her gold wedding bands tinking lightly against the metal shell. "You're going to do just fine in Freedom City. There's no better place on Earth to learn the hero game." It amused her that in just a few short years, she'd gone from being a scared and excited newcomer in her own right to a dispenser of wisdom and advice, but that was just how it went. It was a good sign that so many young heroes were coming to the city! The forces of good needed all the help they could get.

The clearing where Superbee had let them off looked like a simple gap in the trees at first, but a closer look revealed it was much more. Tucked back amongst the sturdy hundred-year trunks was a structure that seemed to be carved out of the forest itself, its walls built of leaves going brilliant with autumn, its doors and eaves made of wood with the living bark still on. It was an odd sight, but still oddly charming and cozy, with a crushed-shell path that stretched nearly to where they were standing, and a small pink push-bike standing out front. "I would invite you in for some tea and cookies," Fleur told him, "but you're probably just about done in after all of this. Maybe a raincheck?" she suggested kindly.

[SpicyWaffle]

"Yeah. Not that it doezzn't, y'know, zzound nizze, but I think maybee... uh... maybee I'll pazz thizz time. Next time, though," the Bee-Keeper replied with a weary sigh, a metal gauntlet brushing back the partially faux antennae atop his cranium as he oggled the very out-of-place but strangely inviting cabin over yonder. As tempting as cookies and tea sounded, Baxter was just too pooped to go on. All the excitement and action-packed shenanigans that had unfolded had left its mark on the armored boy; he was tired, but his mind was still afire with so much information. It was a lot to take in, to say the least. Besides, even if he wanted to stay, his parents were probably worried sick that he hadn't called in yet - and Baxter was pretty sure parallel worlds didn't all have the same cellular service coverage.

"It'zz been a day, and I honezztly can't thank you enough for everything you've done, Fleur," the bee-themed hero laughed, another sigh escaping his modulated lips as tried to recompose himself. Baxter wished for just a moment that the helmet wasn't so concealing; to be able to give the young lady whom had been so altruistic to him at least a smile in return. "But yeah. I juzzt... I juzzt need zzome time to let all thizz zztuff zzink in. Different worldzz, giant beezz, meeting you and Eldritch. Definitely wazzn't ready for all that today!"

[Electra]

"Of course, another time then," Fleur said graciously. "I'll just pop you back to Prime, wherever you'd like to go, and let you get some rest." Reaching into the belt pouch at her waist, she withdrew a small lavender card and gave it to him. It was printed with her contact information, and smelled faintly of flowers, much like the woman herself. "Feel free to get in touch anytime," she told him. "I am very serious in what I said about heroes being there for each other. Call if you run into any trouble, and if I can't help, I'll find someone who can. And I'll hold you to that raincheck as well." She chuckled, then touched her fingers to a nearby bush, which began spiraling open a large yellow flower. "Where can I send you?"

[SpicyWaffle]

Gently plucking the lavender calling card from the woman's hands as politely as he was able, the young Bee-Keeper gave the peculiar note a once-over. To say he was enthused about having someone he could call upon for assistance was quite the understatement. Behind the bee motif helmet, Baxter was positively brimming as he scoured the little piece of parchment. It was his first step into a larger world as a hero thanks to Fleur de Joie, and his list of heroic contacts - now a whopping total of one! - was on the rise. With all the care and surgical precision of a child coming off of a sugar rush, Baxter opened a small wrist-mounted compartment and stuck the little purple card inside, sealing it with a simple flick to keep the important information safe.

"Thankzz! I'll bee zzure to do that," the Bee-Keeper buzzed back happily at the aspect of getting in touch again should the need arise. It was comforting to hear the flowery woman's assurance, as if Baxter could just put his mind at ease somewhat. But, hopefully, it wouldn't come to any sort of serious summons - Baxter on the brink of defeat (or worse), or in some sort of dire straits.

Drifting from his thoughts, the Brigadier of Bees watched as the mystical matron of the earth called forth a dazzling yellow flower from the nearby bush, its petals unfurling with grace and poise; its inviting floral form no doubt his ticket from this dimension and back to his own. Giving it a moment of thought as to where exactly he wanted to find himself returned, Baxter wanted to be careful not to get too close - nor too far! - from home. He wanted to crash, and as soon as he got home that was chief on his agenda right after a hot shower.

"Hmm. Could you maybee drop me back off in the Fenzz? Outzzide the bank?" Baxter asked, pushing the helmet's antennae down as he ran a gauntlet-clad hand over his head. "The crowd'zz probably died down. That'zz probably clozze enough to get where I'm going."

[Electra]

"Absolutely. Take care now," Fleur reminded him, even as the center of the flower seemed to yawn open, revealing the steps in front of the bank. She waited until the new hero stepped through safely onto the streets of Earth Prime, then let the flower close and return to its normal, far more diminutive size. She had to admit, at least to herself, that it was very strange to have a new Beekeeper in town. She'd thought that was one name she wouldn't have to hear again for awhile, with Barry in the institution for the foreseeable future. But this young man seemed sincere, and he'd done well in a crisis and handled himself in front of the giant bees on an entirely different world. Stesha wasn't at all sure she herself would've been as graceful so early in her own career. There was also something oddly familiar about him, now that she thought back on it, but it wasn't anything she could pin down. Maybe it was just something that came with legacy heroes.

At any rate, she'd promised to help out, and help out she would. The first thing she'd do, she decided as she turned to walk to the house, was make a few phone calls. Bad enough that she'd hit first and asked questions later, the poor kid didn't need anyone else doing the same thing!