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Post by DocQuantum on Jun 15, 2017 4:40:27 GMT
Author's note: This story is set in the summer of 1986, between " Mary Marvel: To Fly Again" and " DC Universe: Challenge of Shazam" (the Shazam DC Challenge). It is my continuation of two completely different unfinished stories, "Road Trip" and "Syndicated," but melded together into one enjoyable, action-packed, character-driven story. If I could give it a subtitle, that subtitle would be: "How Billy Got His Groove Back..." Cheers, Doc
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Post by DocQuantum on Jun 15, 2017 4:41:07 GMT
Prologue: When the Captain's Away
by Cynthia Finnegan
One month ago:
At a super-maximum security prison, Dr. Thaddeus Bodog Sivana, the World's Wickedest Scientist, had heard the news of the disappearance of his arch-nemesis from his older children, Magnificus and Beautia. His reaction to the news of Captain Marvel's four-month absence was predictable. He danced a jig in the middle of his cell, laughing his head off.
"Don't you think you're overreacting, Dad?" the tall, curvaceous, attractive blonde who resembled a Vargas pinup sighed, her exasperation obvious.
"Not on your life, Beautia!" the dwarfish madman retorted, cackling gleefully. "Next to that Big Red Cheese being a corpse, this is the best news you and Magnificus could've given me! Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-hehhh!"
"Come on, Tia, let's go. We're just wasting our time here," Magnificus Sivana said, snorting in irritation. The tall blond man stormed away from their father's special marvelium-lined jail cell.
A few minutes later, Beautia and Magnificus approached their car, ready to leave. "Mags, why didn't you tell him?" Beautia Sivana asked as they drove away.
"Tell him what?" said Magnificus. "That I'm joining the Police Department, becoming a member of the one thing he despises as much as the Marvel Family? Dad barely tolerates us as it is, unless he can use us in one of his schemes to rule the universe."
"I know that, Mags."
"It's as though he resents us because we remind him of Mother."
"And yet, he dotes on Georgia and Junior because they're exactly like him, mentally and physically." Beautia couldn't remember their mother, since she had died shortly after she was born.
"I think losing Mother is part of what drove him mad," said Magnificus.
"That and having every good idea he ever had either laughed at or stolen from him." Beautia winced as she realized she'd just psychoanalyzed her own father.
***
Back in Sivana's cell, the mad genius paced the floor, seemingly talking to himself. However, there was not one, but three voices speaking. Sivana was taking a conference call with his son and daughter.
"Sorry for the interruption," Sivana said, returning to the nano-transmitter he had created from his own designs, "your brother and sister were paying their old, incarcerated father a visit. Now, where were we?"
"We heard the whole thing, Papa," Georgia chimed in excitedly from her cell in solitary. She'd been a naughty girl again, attacking another inmate for cutting in front of her at lunch. "Do you think she was telling the truth? That the Big Red Cheese hasn't been seen in months?"
"And that the Blue Cheese and the Little Red Cheesecake were picking up the slack for nearly half a year?" Sivana Junior asked avidly. His hatred of Freddy Freeman was greater than his father's for Billy Batson, but not as great as his younger sister's for Mary Batson. Georgia's hatred of Mary bordered on the obsessive.
"And that Billy Batson is currently in the hospital, and when he gets out, he, his insipid twin sister, and crippled little friend plan to vacation on the West Coast together," continued Sivana. "Your big sister has many faults, children, but she isn't a liar."
Sivana laughed again and said, "Well, this is an interesting turn of events. So the Marvel Family are taking some time off, eh? This couldn't have worked out more perfectly if we'd planned it. Let Mister Mind go the slow route of laboriously assembling his new Monster Society of Evil -- while he's still recruiting, we can defeat the Marvel Family at their lowest point and take over the world!"
From their individual cells, the three evil geniuses laughed, and the sound was more terrifying than humorous.
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Post by DocQuantum on Jun 15, 2017 4:42:02 GMT
Chapter 1: Road Trip
by Doc Quantum and Cynthia Finnegan
Now:
Billy Batson sat in his chair, watching a movie on cable. He was depressed. His college football career had ended far too soon, all because his doctor had ordered him to quit. His heart just couldn't take the strain anymore. The doctor also ordered him to change his diet and start exercising more often, or his chances of surviving the inevitable heart attack that he was heading for would be almost certain, rather than something that could still be averted if he acted in time.
But football was all Billy had in his life. It was what gave him a reason to get up in the morning. Without football, all he had was college and college parties. And since he was no longer on the football team, he wouldn't get the same kind of respect he used to get.
Scratching his unruly mop of red hair, Billy sighed and opened up another can of beer. He knew Robyn didn't want him to just give up like he was, but he didn't feel like he had much of a choice. If he couldn't be Billy Batson, football hero, then what did he have to live for?
The phone rang just then.
"Yo," said Billy, picking up the receiver.
"Hi, Billy, it's Mary," said the sprightly voice on the other end of the line.
Billy's mind raced as he tried to pick out the voice, but he was on his third beer already, and it wasn't coming to him. Which Mary was this? Was it one of the girls who used to throw themselves at him, back when he was on the college football team?
"Hey, babe. How's tricks?" he said, trying not to slur his words.
"Not... too bad," replied Mary in an unsure tone. Could she tell that he was a little bit drunk? "I wanted to let you know that I'll be going on a road trip with my Billy, as well as Freddy and Uncle Dudley."
"Oh!" said Billy, quickly realizing who this was and what it was about. He hadn't gotten a call like this since last July, a year ago. Though what the reason was that they'd called him then, he couldn't remember. All he knew was that it was something big, possibly a worldwide cataclysm or crisis of some kind. Whatever it had been, it would come back to him eventually.
"Anyway," continued Mary after an unsure pause, "we'll be heading out of town tomorrow morning, and I was wondering if--?"
"Sure thing!" said Billy, straightening up in his seat. Yes, this was that kind of call, and yes, he was very interested. "Ya want us ta become da Lieutenant Marvels again and protect the city while yer gone! Well, don't worry, toots! We'll take care of it nice and good!"
"Thanks, Billy!" said Mary cheerfully. "Though we'll probably only need you this time. I'm hoping that the trip will do my brother Billy some good. He's been down in the dumps for a month now, and just hasn't been acting like his old self. We're hoping a drive to California will lift his spirits a bit."
"Sure sounds like it could, Mary," replied Billy. "I know how that feels. I've been there myself a few times. T'ain't no fun at all."
"No, it isn't," said Mary. "Well, thanks again, Billy! I'll catch up with you when we get back, okay? Talk to you later!"
"Ciao," said Billy, and as he hung up the phone, he found himself smiling for the first time in days. "Dat's aces! As Fat Marvel, I won't have ta worry about none o' my ailments, or how the quack told me I was gonna croak! It'd be like I'm takin' a break from myself fer awhile. Now that's cookin' with gas! Robyn is gonna be so proud o' me!"
Billy put his big bowl of potato chips aside and stood up in his Brooklyn apartment, brushing off all the crumbs from his soiled shirt. He still felt a bit woozy, but somehow more energized than he'd been in a while. Being a big-time super-hero was even better than being a football star.
Then a frown crossed his face, and he muttered to himself, "Oh, wait a sec. How'm I gonna turn inta Fat Marvel all by my lonesome? I always needed Captain Marvel or the other two Billies around ta pull it off!" But he resolved to give it a try, just to see if it worked. "Uhh... Shazam?"
Fat Billy braced himself, but nothing happened. He sighed. This was going to be a bit more difficult than he thought.
***
Billy Batson, still recovering from his most recent run-in with the demoness Blaze, was in no mood for an argument today, especially not with his twin sister, Mary. The handsome, dark-haired teenager also wasn't in the mood to drive all the way to Pacific Grove, California, where Mary's foster parents were renewing their wedding vows in two weeks, at the end of July.
It wasn't that he didn't like the Bromfields. No, that wasn't it at all. In fact, he was grateful to them for raising Mary to be the normal, loving young woman she was, even though Mr. Bromfield was out of the picture for most of those years thanks to Blaze. Now they treated both he and Freddy Freeman like the sons they never had. And the Bromfields had known Billy and Mary's birth parents, Merrill and Jocelyn Batson. One day, not too long ago, Nick Bromfield had told Billy that, had they known about the boy's abandonment by his uncle Ebenezer, he and his wife Nora would have adopted him themselves.
But then, what is the problem? Billy thought, staring at the ceiling. I know the answer to that one already. It's Blaze and what she put me through for four months, while her brother took my place here on Earth. What if she managed to corrupt me? It's not like she wasn't trying.
"Billy, what's the matter?" Mary asked, packing another of her twin's shirts into his suitcase. "I know you're not exactly looking forward to this trip right now, but..."
"No, I'm not," Billy replied stiffly, crossing his arms like there was a sudden chill in the room.
"...but Mom and Dad have been planning this for almost a year," she continued, "and you promised them you'd be there. Now, if you don't get your butt out of this room, march it downstairs, and get it in that car, I'm going to say the Old Wizard's name and carry you to California myself -- and I won't be flying!"
Billy lowered his eyes from the ceiling and gazed directly at Mary's doll-pretty face, which looked even more angelic by the faintly amused expression she was wearing. But the impatient thrumming of her fingers on the dresser gave her away. She meant every word she just said. Taken aback for a moment, Billy finally stammered out, "Y-you wouldn't!"
"Wanna test me, hotshot?" she responded flippantly. She then paused for a second, thinking about her next words. "Look, I don't know if what's going on with you is some kind of delayed stress, but when you're not at work, you mope around here, and you haven't called on Captain Marvel in weeks. The doctor said..."
"The shrink, you mean?" he shot back irritably.
"The psychiatrist said that the best thing for you to do is get out of the city for a while, and you're going to, if I have to drag you out of this house, kicking and screaming."
"Fat chance."
Meanwhile, Freddy, who had been waiting outside with Uncle Dudley, went back in to see what the delay was. He'd greeted Billy's landlords the Potters with a cheerful wave, and as always Mrs. Potter sat him down in the kitchen and plied him with a hot cinnamon roll, telling him he was "too skinny." Minutes later, a blast of thunder rattled the windows.
"Land sakes!" Ma Potter exclaimed. "What on Earth was that?!"
"Thunder," Pa said, "and close, too! Sounds like it was practically on top of the house!"
"I'd better go check to see if Billy and Mary need any help!" Freddy knew, of course, what had just happened, and wasn't in the least bit surprised. He stood, leaning on his crutch, and went to investigate the noise, the cinnamon roll in his other hand.
Freddy almost burst out laughing at the incongruous sight that met him in the stairwell. Floating an inch above the steps was the red-and-gold-clad form of Mary Marvel. In one hand, she carried two of Billy's suitcases, with more than enough clothes, while slung over the other shoulder like a sack of potatoes was Billy himself, looking rather cross.
"Don't. Start," Billy said irritably, as Freddy sputtered, trying to contain his mirth and not choke on his cinnamon roll.
"I said I'd carry you," Mary stated evenly, "and you just had to push it."
Mary's lack of temper amazed even her at that moment. And, to Freddy's ears, it sounded as if she'd gotten her old sense of humor back as well. Hopefully Billy would also be his old self again soon.
"Put. Me. Down. Now!" Billy growled through gritted teeth.
"To quote your own words, brother mine, 'fat chance.' Now, I'm going to take you down to the car, and you're going to sit back, relax, have fun on this trip, and stop acting like a major grouch, or..."
"Or what?"
"Or we really will be walking to California just like this."
Much to Billy's chagrin, Freddy stood there with the back of his hand, still holding the half-eaten roll over his mouth in a vain attempt not to laugh, but he couldn't help himself. Seeing his best friend being packed around by said best friend's sister was just too much for him, and apparently for Mary, too, proving that laughter really was contagious.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Billy asked, looking from the back of his sister's head to Freddy and back again, which sent the pair into another fit of laughter. Things had been far too serious of late, and he realized that they were just blowing off a little steam. "I really have been acting like a jerk, haven't I?"
"Yes," Mary and Freddy both replied immediately.
"Sorry. It's just that..."
"Billy," Mary said sternly, her twin still slung over her shoulder, "if Blaze had corrupted you -- and this is a huge if -- I'd know it. You have absolutely nothing to worry about."
"Anyway, didn't you have to change into Cap to break the spell Blaze put on you?" Freddy added. "The one that kept you from saying 'Shazam' while she held you in her realm in the first place?"
"Well, yeah," Billy replied, his face full of uncertainty. "But Caitlin helped me get my powers back."
"Uh-huh," Mary chimed in. "She did so by saying the Old Wizard's name with you, and she wound up tapping into a spell that he created in case I didn't want my powers -- which I did, so that's a moot point."
"Hey, I was there, too, so I do remember that part," Billy said defensively.
"Oh, whatever," said Freddy, already fed up with Billy's uncharacteristically sour mood. "My point is, since you two were psychically linked at the time, and she says Blaze didn't get to you, then you don't have anything to worry about, you dope."
After a pregnant pause, Billy asked, "Um, sis?"
"What?" Mary replied.
"Can you please put me down? It's kind of embarrassing having my sister packing me around like... like..."
"A sack of potatoes?" Freddy finished for his friend.
"Exactly."
"Are you going to behave yourself?" Mary asked ingenuously.
"Will you get off my back about it if I do?" Billy answered with another question.
"Of course."
"Then yes." A moment later, Mary set her twin back down and said the Old Wizard's name, changing back to Mary Batson. As soon as his feet were on the ground, Billy straightened out his sweater and led the way to the car, where Uncle Dudley was waiting.
"Well, there you are!" Uncle Dudley called out to the trio. "I was beginning to think that Mary would have to carry you out."
"She almost did," Billy replied, blushing hotly.
When Dudley looked at the twins askance, Mary only smiled brightly. She put Billy's bags into the trunk of the car, then closed it for her honorary uncle.
"Oh, don't mind Billy, Uncle Dudley," she said, teasing her brother remorselessly. "He's just not used to being 'picked up' by pretty girls."
"Pretty girls? Where?" Billy joked back, looking around with no sign of his previous unease. "The only girl I see here is my sister!"
Mary squinted and wrinkled her nose at Billy, to which he added, still teasing, "Y'know, sis, one of these days your face is going to freeze like that."
"And if it does, it'll be your fault," she shot back with a satisfied grin, tucking a stray lock of her honey-brown hair behind her ear.
The three teenagers and their adopted uncle got into the Chevrolet Caravan. Mary and Freddy took the back seat, while Billy sat up front with Dudley. After Dudley started the engine, he reminded the kids about fastening their seat-belts.
"After all," the elder gent added, "even though this vehicle has those newfangled airbags, those contraptions can't keep us from flying out the side windows."
Minutes later, the minivan hit the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, which, next to the Long Island Expressway, was one of the world's largest parking lots during the lunch rush. While trapped in gridlock, the trio started talking.
"Just think," Mary stated, a look of near-contentment on her lovely face, "for the next two weeks, no Sivanas, no super-villains, no crises, and no craziness that Fat Billy can't handle. The Marvel Family is officially on vacation!"
"I don't believe it!" Billy admonished his twin. "Did you draft Fat Billy into taking over for us?"
"'Draft' him? He was practically tripping over himself to volunteer!" Mary replied. "You know, brother-mine, the Lieutenants are a part of our family, too, and Fat Billy just wanted to help."
"So," Freddy said, in an attempt to change the subject. "Are we going to pick up Cissie, or not?"
"Not," Billy answered, looking a bit upset at the mention of his longtime girlfriend. "Cissie's not coming, and before you ask, she said that we needed some time apart."
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Post by DocQuantum on Jun 15, 2017 4:43:04 GMT
Chapter 2: The Stand-In
by Cynthia Finnegan and Doc Quantum
"You're kidding!" Mary Batson exclaimed, stunned to hear the news about Billy's longtime girlfriend, Cissie Sommerley. "When did all this happen?"
"Last night, after my last six P.M. newscast for the month," replied Billy Batson glumly. "She called me up at work just as I was about to leave and asked me pointedly where I'd been for several months, then brought up all the other times I'd disappeared on her when Captain Marvel was needed. I couldn't tell her what really happened, so..."
"She dumped you?"
"In a nutshell. You've got it, sis."
"Oh, man, sorry to hear that," Freddy Freeman remarked.
"Well, did you try to win her back?" asked Mary. "Send her flowers, chocolates, anything?"
"Uh... no," said Billy, shrugging. "I just agreed that we needed time apart and left it at that."
"Oh, Billy..." remarked Mary knowingly. "Cissie probably didn't really mean to break up with you at all. She just wanted you to step up and show her that you still love her. You haven't exactly been all that pleasant to be around lately, y'know."
Billy sighed. He knew it was true; his current foul mood, ever since returning from Blaze's realm, was largely responsible for the break-up. Instead of trying to patch things up with Cissie right away, he'd felt resentful that she'd noticed Billy wasn't acting like himself, yet hadn't done anything about it. Still, he loved her and hoped to get her back someday, but knew he needed some time alone to work things out. It would take a while before he was back to normal, and he hoped a summer vacation away from all the usual problems he faced as Captain Marvel would do the trick.
It also hadn't helped matters between him and Cissie that Billy had been thinking about a certain white witch of their recent acquaintance who was quite pretty and had Marvel powers, to boot. Though he didn't think of her in the romantic sense; he was thinking about what having another girl in the Marvel Family meant, and how it would change the dynamic. But since his release from the hospital, Caitlin had become good friends with them all, so when Mary asked Cait to join them on their trip, she accepted. Cait was somewhat shy and didn't know too many people in New York, though how she could sing and move like she did and still be so shy was a surprise to Billy.
Well, Billy mused, a lot of performers are shy in public. I mean, look at that guy called Prince. The man barely speaks in public, but get him on the stage, and...
"Woolgathering, Billy?" Uncle Dudley asked. The gridlock had cleared up, and they were on the move again.
"Hmm? Sorry, Unc," he replied with a self-conscious grin. "Guess I was."
"Perfectly all right, m'boy. You have every right to think things over, considering all that's gone on in the past few months."
"Uncle Dudley, I know that I don't say this often enough, but thanks."
"Thanks? For what?"
"Just... for everything."
"Hey, everybody, look!" Mary exclaimed excitedly, pointing out her window. "There it is!"
It was an enormous public service billboard featuring the Marvel Family advertising Habitat for Humanity, which built homes for poor and homeless families. The photograph they used had been taken just before the Crisis on Infinite Earths, but it was still an excellent picture. It had a simple caption, a toll-free phone number, along with Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel, Captain Marvel Junior, and even Uncle Marvel building a house.
"Turned out pretty cool, after all," Freddy said admiringly.
"It sure did," Billy added, "and if ads like that get people off the couch to help, then it was worth all the spilled paint."
Mary and Freddy, both in the back seat, exchanged good-natured grins as they remembered that day. While the photographer had been setting up for another shot, Mary had accidentally dumped a full, open can of paint on Captain Marvel's head. The gooey white mess had covered him from top to toe, and after he cleaned some of it away from his face, all he said was, "Get me a hose."
"Okay, okay, enough admiring of our alter egos, guys," Mary quipped, just as happy about the board as they were. "Next stop, New Jersey."
Billy turned around in his seat, looked at his sister quizzically, and asked, "Huh? Why there?"
"Because that's where Cait's visiting her grandparents, and where we're going to pick her up. We did invite her, after all."
"You invited her, sis."
"Only because you asked me to, twin. You know, if I didn't know better, I'd swear you have a crush on her, you heartbreaker, you."
"I do not. Cait's a sweet girl, but I have no feelings for her other than friendship."
"If you say so..." Mary finished in a sing-song voice.
***
In Brooklyn, Billy Batson awoke in a daze and with the worst hangover he could ever remember having. He wasn't in his bed, either, but lying on the kitchen floor.
"Aw, fer the luvva Pete!" said Fat Billy. "Can't believe I blacked out again. Must'a had too many beers last night ta celebrate... what was it I'm celebratin' again?"
Standing up painfully, Billy almost passed out again as the blood rushed to his head. "Dang it. Not here, not now!" he muttered, and placed his left hand on his chest to feel for his pulse. Ever since he began having heart flutters, he'd been paranoid that he was going to have a heart attack. His doctor had confirmed that he was at extreme high risk for one, too, which worried him even more. Luckily, however, this time it was a false alarm, and Billy's heart soon started beating normally again. "Whew! Close call."
Walking into the bathroom, Billy stared with blurry eyes at himself, trying to figure out why his face looked so strange, until he realized that a few crushed pieces of popcorn were stuck to his cheeks and forehead. He brushed them off and laughed as he remembered why he'd been so happy last night.
"That's it!" said Billy, snapping his fingers. "Mary called me up an' wanted me ta protect the city as Fat Marvel while da rest'a the Marvel clan was on vacation! Hmm... dey'd never asked me ta do that before. How'm I gonna pull this off without botherin' original Billy? Aw, I just gonna have ta call up Mary and tell her no dice."
Calling Mary Batson at her old number, a butler answered to tell Fat Billy that Mary was living in Los Angeles while she was attending UCLA, and she had been for a year now. (*) But when Billy asked for her new number, the butler declined to give it out. It didn't matter, anyway, since Billy remembered that she and real Billy were going on a road trip today.
[(*) Editor's note: See Mary Marvel: To Fight No More.]
"How is this gonna work?" Fat Billy said to himself, trying to think. "I tried saying Shaz -- well, that word -- by myself, but nothin' happens. I only ever became Fat Marvel when I was with the other Billies. Maybe if I called one o' them, I could get 'em to help out.
Fat Billy decided to first call Hill Billy Batson down in Nashville, Tennessee. The last time he'd seen Hill Billy was a year ago, and he'd become a fairly successful country-western singer with a huge fan following in Australia, Norway, and Sweden, of all places, though he was less well-known here in America. Fat Billy recalled that Hill Billy had recently been married as of a year ago and was preparing to go on a world tour. He hoped that Hill Billy would be able to spare the time for an old friend.
But when Fat Billy called Hill Billy Batson down in Nashville, Tennessee, he received no answer. In fact, all he got was a message saying that the number had been disconnected. He guessed that Hill Billy was still on tour. Although he would never know it, the truth was that Hill Billy Batson was currently experiencing the biggest rut of his life and career. He'd spent all his money and gone broke, he had lost his house and had moved into a trailer park, his wife had left him, and he was currently sitting at home depressed and doing nothing but watching TV and drinking beer, instead of working at the studio and recording his next album like he was supposed to. Fat Billy could have related to that, himself.
Crossing his fingers, Fat Billy dialed Tall Billy Batson's number down in Texas. The last time he'd seen Tall Billy, he'd been a successful rancher down in Texas with a ranch of his own. If Tall Billy wasn't around, well, Fat Billy would end up breaking his promise to Mary, and he didn't want to do that. Luckily, someone on the other end of the line picked up.
"Y'ello, Billy here," said the voice.
"Tall Billy!" yelled Fat Billy jubilantly. "It's me, Fat Billy! How the heck are ya?"
"Howdy, Fat Billy! It's good to hear from ya. Been a whole year since I've heard from any o' the Marvels. We oughtta get together sometime soon an' shoot the breeze!"
"Ain't that the truth, brother," said Fat Billy. "Anyway, lissen... I need ta turn inta Fat Billy ta protect the city while the Marvels are gone. Can ya help a Billy out an' say the word with me?" There was a pause on the other end of the line, so Fat Billy said, "Hello?"
"Hi," said Tall Billy a bit uncertainly. "Well, I'd like ta help you out, Fat Billy, but we always promised real Billy that--"
"Oh, I know what yer sayin'," said Fat Billy. "An' I agree a hun'red percent. But dis is a special case, an'..."
"I don't know..." replied Tall Billy. "I just wouldn't feel right about this."
"But Mary asked me ta become Fat Marvel!" said Fat Billy. "I wouldn't'a called you ta ask you otherwise, pal."
"Oh? Is that right?" said Tall Billy. "Well, in that case, I guess just this once should be all right. But I'm'a gonna say the word again by myself. There's a lot of work ta be done on my ranch, an' I just know those lightnin' bolts'll spook the horses. To tell you the truth, I'm barely holding things together here. If'n I don't manage to turn things around in the next couple'a months, I'm gonna lose the ranch, and I'll be forced ta find work in the city doin' gosh knows what. Other than my ranchin' skills, all I got to trade on is my good looks. So I'll help you, Fat Billy, as long as it's just this once."
"Yeah, of course, buddy. It's just a one-time deal," assured Fat Billy, but inwardly he realized he'd have to remain as Fat Marvel for the next two weeks, or he'd have to go through this whole painful process again with Tall Billy. That meant he'd also have to miss his doctor's appointment, and he'd have to change plans for his date with Robyn O'Malley. But making sacrifices was the mark of a true hero, wasn't it? "Now let's say the word on the count of three, got it?"
"Yep."
"One... two... three... Shazam!" cried Fat Billy.
"Shazam!" yelled Tall Billy at the same moment.
***
At the Rock of Eternity, the Old Wizard was interrupted from his studies by none other than the apparition of Zeus, the King of the Gods.
"By all the clouds that grace Mount Olympus, dear Wizard," grumbled Zeus, "thou shalt not believe the tangled web we have chanced upon."
The Old Wizard chuckled from his throne. "Ah, Zeus, it's always an adventure when it comes to the Marvel Family. Please, enlighten me with the celestial predicament."
With a sigh, Zeus said, "Verily, thou art acquainted with the Lieutenant Marvels, art thou not? Forsooth, twain of their ilk -- Portly Billy and Lofty Billy -- hath resolved to harness the Power of Shazam sans consent from Captain Marvel or Mary Marvel. Canst thou conceive such audacity?"
A few moments passed before Shazam replied, having consulted his Historama to discover the true facts of the matter. "Ah, young Mary is behind this, I believe. She's given Fat Billy the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play the role of hero, allowing the Marvel Family to engage in a vacation of sorts. Unfortunately, it also appears as if she's left Fat Billy in quite a predicament, forcing him into this breach in cosmic protocol."
"Verily," continued Zeus, "mine eyes did witness a near celestial folly upon hearing the sorcery-laden utterance from Billy Batson's lips, only to discern 'twas not the sheen-clad Billy Batson that turns to almighty Captain Marvel, but naught but two of the Lieutenant Marvels that stood before mine presence. Methinks, by fortune's grace, my arm did stay its course, withholding the enchanting bolt ere it was cast."
Shazam nodded, the crack of a smile playing over his wizened lips. "Hmm, Mary's plan to keep the peace was so secret that even I was left unawares. Quite resourceful of her, but not without its complications. Still, their intentions are noble, so perhaps we can proceed, Zeus."
"Thinkest thou so, Wizard?" queried Zeus. "Very well then, I place my trust in thy sagacity. Pray, grantest thou me leave to cast two bolts of lightning instead of one?"
"Granted, Zeus," said the Old Wizard with a nod. "Let the thunderous magic flow, empowering both Fat Billy and Tall Billy with their newfound and temporary abilities."
"So be it!" replied Zeus. "Gird thyself, Wizard, for I am poised to unleash the bolts and bestow upon them their powers. Lightning bolts, away!"
***
The result was soon seen on Earth as it was in the heavens, for during the entire celestial discussion only a split second had passed in the corporeal realm. Two lightning bolts -- one in Brooklyn and one in Texas -- struck these young men and transformed them into two of the three Lieutenant Marvels: Fat Marvel and Tall Marvel.
"Dang it! There go my horses. I'd better go and check on 'em!" said Tall Marvel in a rush. But before Fat Marvel could so much as object, Tall Marvel began his apologies. "Sorry, Fat Billy. I gotta go! Shazam!" And Tall Marvel became Tall Billy once more, hanging up the phone to attend to his spooked horses.
"Aw, heck. There goes any any chance for a Lieutenant Marvel team-up," muttered Fat Marvel as he hung up the phone. "Still, I suspect I'll be kept pretty busy savin' the city on my lonesome."
***
On the Jersey Turnpike, Billy Batson and Freddy Freeman had switched seats, and since he would be driving later, Freddy was dozing in the front seat. Whether he liked it or not, Mary Batson was going to take the opportunity to get Billy to talk to her during this trip. She was becoming sick of Billy's sullenness and depression in the past month since she and Freddy rescued him from the clutches of the demoness Blaze. Even the news that the Sivana family had escaped prison and were currently on the loose hadn't been enough to bring Billy out of the funk he was in. Under normal circumstances, he'd have already transformed into Captain Marvel and would be out searching for them right now.
"Tell me something, sis," Billy asked Mary, interrupting her train of thought. "Why aren't we flying to California?"
"What?" Mary replied in mock surprise. "You mean you were perfectly willing to change into...?"
"No, I mean I've been a licensed pilot since I was ten, so why aren't we chartering a plane and flying there?"
"Because when I told Mr. Morris about the trip, he said, and I quote, 'Don't let Billy fly under any circumstances,' unquote."
"Okay, so I've cracked up a couple of planes in my time. Those accidents were not my fault."
"He wasn't referring to that."
"Then what?"
"Mr. Morris said not to let you fly because he thinks you've got post-traumatic stress disorder, and I agree with him. Billy, after what you've been through the past few months..."
"Mary, I don't want to talk about it now."
"You're going to have to sooner or later, William Joseph Batson, or it's going to drive you mad," Mary admonished, crossing her arms. She only called Billy by his full name when he was being a blockhead, which he'd been a lot lately.
"Later, okay? I'm just not ready to talk about it yet."
Exactly what did Blaze do to you while she had you in her clutches? Mary wondered as her twin closed in on himself once more.
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Post by DocQuantum on Jun 15, 2017 4:44:02 GMT
Chapter 3: The Power-Corrupt-O-Scope
by D.S. Wynne, SHG 79258, Doc Quantum and Cynthia Finnegan
The Danube River in Europe was often hot and humid during the summer. That was why Princess Celia of New Aretias and her chaperone and older sister, Princess Promethea, were enjoying an evening ride in a canoe down the middle of that great river. Ever since they had left their home for Europe a few months earlier, Celia and Promethea had seen all kinds of action, whether it was facing rogue Amazons or the demoness Blaze and her agents.
Celia's powerful alter ego had been dubbed Thunder Girl by the Fawcett City press, and she had suddenly become an overnight celebrity, a concept that had been completely foreign to the twelve-year-old girl. (*) European children and adults alike were thrilled that they had a hero all their own, and they showed their appreciation. It was all Promethea could do to keep Celia's head from getting too swelled, though Promethea was flattered to find that she already had fans of her own, and under her real name, too, not a made-up one like Thunder Girl. Still, their adventures had been worthwhile, and Promethea was slowly gathering clues that could help her uncover her own mysterious past and hopefully also help her find her father, the Titan named Prometheus.
[(*) Editor's note: See Whiz: Thunder Girl: The Child of Thunder and Lightning.]
Now the two had decided to take a break for some much-needed rest and recreation by floating down the Blue Danube toward Vienna, where they would begin their travels once more.
"Promethea?" Celia began. "Do you ever have any regrets?"
"Like what?" Promethea asked as she continued to paddle.
"I mean, with all the craziness that we end up facing. I'm sure that you're sick of that witch Blaze harassing us and stuff."
"Well, sure. But that's what is expected when a certain super-powered Amazon Princess and her guardian sister leave the safety of New Aretias Isle. Besides, the antagonism we have to deal with allows us to stay in tip-top shape. I mean, what would mother say if two of her daughters got soft?"
"I guess you have a point, Promethea."
"And, speaking of which," added the young woman, "I think it's time for some more training. So pick up that paddle of yours, and let's get moving. We want to make it into Vienna before sundown. Now, let's go!"
"Geez, Promethea," Celia replied, smiling. "You don't have to be such a taskmaster!"
With that, the two sisters began to paddle furiously, hoping to make it to their destination before it became too dark.
***
In an ancient mansion outside the city, the World's Wickedest Family was hard at work. It had been less than a week since Thaddeus Bodog Sivana and his family had escaped the super-maximum-security prison. Since then they had found haven in their current headquarters, and were hard at work finding a way to destroy their most persistent foes, the Marvel Family. Sivana himself had just completed his latest device and was just starting it up.
"So, what does this device do, father?" asked Sivana Junior.
"This is the Power-Corrupt-O-Scope!" explained Dr. Sivana. "It enables us to locate all those with super-powers on this world, and bring them to our ways of thinking!"
"Why would we want that?" asked Georgia Sivana, puzzled.
"Because the Marvel Family may be the World's Mightiest Mortals, but they're one short, with the Big Red Cheese in apparent retirement!" Sivana explained with maniacal glee. "Logically, if we are to make the most of this opportune time and defeat them, we must find allies that are powerful enough to do so!"
"But Black Adam and Captain Nazi have always proven to be too headstrong to work with, father!" noted Sivana Junior. "What if we have the same problems with others?"
"That's the beauty of my Power-Corrupt-O-Scope!" continued the elder Sivana. "Not only does it make literal the phrase, 'power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,' but I've also built it to cause anyone affected by it to defer to me!"
"Then why don't we just use it on the Marvel Family?" questioned Georgia. "We could have those cursed Marvels eating out of our hands!"
"Nonsense, girl!" said Sivana with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Where is the challenge in that? Besides, I've waited too long to defeat that Big Red Cheese and his compatriots. I'm not about to share the spoils of this world with them, even if those sickening do-gooders could be corrupted!"
By now, the Power-Corrupt-O-Scope had become fully activated and was now beginning its search for nearby super-powered individuals. "Ah, here we go!" said the mad scientist as he adjusted some dials, and glowing red dots on a digital map showed a number of individuals in the surrounding area to have super-powers. The brightest ones indicated that those powers were being used at the moment, so they zeroed in on those first.
A few seconds later, the view-screen adjusted to reveal a scene. The three evil geniuses looked gingerly on as they saw Bulletman, Bulletgirl, and a new, light-based super-heroine known as Sunbeam easily overcome the powerful Ibac, who was terrorizing downtown Fawcett City.
"Bah!" muttered Sivana, wanting nothing to do with any of Shazam's Squadron of Justice.
Immediately, they readjusted the view-screen to show another scene. They looked in greater dismay as one of the Lieutenant Marvels, the obese one called Fat Marvel, was busy flying over New York City on patrol and looking very pleased with himself.
"Humbug!" cried Sivana, who wanted even less to do with the three Lieutenant Marvels.
Angrily, they readjusted the frequency to a much wider scope. However, when they did so, the screen flickered, immediately adjusting itself to view the brightest dots all over the world, showing those who were using super-powers at the moment.
The view-screen quickly adjusted, revealing a small slip of a girl wearing a very familiar-looking white outfit with a thunderbolt insignia as she flew up under her own power from the Danube near Vienna to soar over the Austrian Alps. To Sivana's great surprise, she was a prepubescent girl no older than Mary Marvel had been when she'd first debuted. The fact that she greatly resembled the younger sister of his arch-enemy was only a delicious irony.
"Hmmm..." murmured Sivana as he watched the girl. "It looks like we've found at least one individual with power on the level of the Marvel Family, and she's young and naive enough to be easily influenced by my Power-Corrupt-O-Scope!"
A gleam came to his eye just then, and then Sivana raised his arms gleefully and danced another jig for a few moments. His son and daughter recognized that for what it was immediately. Their father had just had another brilliant idea.
"What is it, father?" asked Junior.
"That's it!" said Sivana. "I should have thought of this in the first place! Of course, I wouldn't want any of the members of the Squadron of Justice, or any of the other heroes who have worked alongside the Marvel Family for decades! It would be too difficult to keep them under control, for one thing, and their friendships and emotional attachments could prove to be a severe liability. But give me a fresh, untried hero, or one who has only ever seen the Marvels on the news, and I'll have a ready-made puppet who'll be more than eager to do anything I ask, with a bit of prodding from the Power-Corrupt-O-Scope!"
Sivana's children grinned wickedly as they continued to search for more heroes to corrupt.
***
The journey to Caitlin O'Malley's grandparents' home was a serene one. Nestled within the picturesque New Jersey shore, the town exuded a quaint charm with its serene resort, an unassuming boardwalk, and the siren call of the ocean.
Following Caitlin's meticulous directions, courtesy of Uncle Dudley, locating the residence of Tom and Diana Ballard proved a breeze. Dudley maneuvered onto their street when an eccentric elderly gentleman, wild-eyed and exuberant, flagged them down from the road's center.
"Who's that, I wonder?" Dudley inquired, eyeing the enthusiastic figure.
"That's probably Cait's granddad," Mary explained. "She mentioned he's a tad eccentric, but harmless."
"Wait, when did you chat with her?" Billy's curiosity was piqued.
"Just yesterday. That's how Unc got the directions," Mary replied.
"Let's hope he doesn't get himself run over," Freddy remarked in concern.
As they pulled into the driveway, Tom Ballard summoned an elderly woman engrossed in tending to an English-style garden. Rose bushes and lavender flourished amidst the foliage, an easel and painting supplies nestled beneath a sprawling elm tree.
"Diana, quick! Cait's friends are here!" Tom's voice brimmed with childlike glee.
Diana Trent-Ballard, a woman of varied roles through her seven decades, responded with a mix of exasperation and affection. A World War II ambulance driver turned photographer turned gardener and painter, her life was a tapestry of experiences. She hurriedly grabbed her cane, chiding Tom about his antics while battling her own physical ailments.
"Tom, get out of the road, ye daft old brush! You'll be the death of me one day!"
"Hurry, Diana! They're almost here!"
Muttering to herself about the folly of old age, Diana managed to reach the porch before Tom did, her movements marked by deliberate slowness and evident pain.
The group approached the porch, greeted by Diana, who welcomed them cautiously. Mary introduced themselves, the descriptions Cait had provided resonating with the real personas before Diana.
Inside, as they settled, Billy observed the absence of a television. Books, newspapers, and a radio occupied the space, prompting curiosity about Cait's whereabouts.
"Where's Cait, Mrs. Ballard?" Billy inquired, puzzled. "She was supposed to meet us here."
"She's at the Renaissance Festival in the park," Tom quipped, offering tea. "Join us, won't you?"
"I believe I'll take you up on that," Dudley responded. "And I'm sure the kids will relish the Renaissance Festival."
***
Soon, Billy, Mary, and Freddy were venturing toward the park that held the Renaissance Festival.
The scene at the festival delighted the trio -- jugglers, wandering musicians, vendors peddling their wares, and a mystical fortune-teller's tent. Elaborately costumed individuals mingled with visitors, many donning red and blue T-shirts adorned with the Marvels' insignia.
Freddy's excitement bubbled forth. "This is fantastic! I'd almost forgotten why I felt so at ease in Robin Hood's era." (*)
[(*) Editor's note: See "In the Days of Robin Hood," Captain Marvel Jr. #118 (April, 1953).]
Mary teased, "Oh, really?"
"Yeah, people should act like this more often. It's like they forgot what common courtesy is nowadays."
Billy, intrigued by the Marvel Family T-shirts, mused aloud, "I wonder where those came from."
"I have no clue, Billy, but they look pretty cool, don't they?" Mary replied, and Freddy nodded in agreement.
Amidst the fair, a withered-faced woman, dressed as a gypsy, intercepted them. Her bony fingers tapped on her gauze-covered arms as she extended an offer to read Billy's fortune.
"No, thank you," Billy declined, attempting to retract his hand, but finding it more difficult than he'd expected. "Hey, let go!" This ol' granny has an awfully strong grip for her age! he thought as the gypsy pried his left hand open.
Despite his resistance, the gypsy stubbornly examined his hand and playfully alluded to romantic prophecies. "You've a very long life line, dearie, and quite an interesting love line, too..." She cackled.
A suspicion nagged at Billy as he scrutinized the odd but strangely familiar character. "What's going on here? Who are you, anyway?" he demanded.
The mysterious old woman invited him into the tent with cryptic allure. Against his better judgment, Billy entered, compelled to uncover her identity.
Inside, the crone quickly shed her disguise: an elaborate wig, latex mask, and wrinkled gloves. Finally, she revealed a swim cap, unveiling a cascade of copper hair. Billy's jaw dropped as his new friend Caitlin O'Malley greeted him with a mischievous smile.
"Surprise!" she exclaimed. "Hello, Billy. You look as surprised as a codfish." Giggling at his astonished expression, Caitlin playfully snapped his open mouth shut, savoring the reveal of her clever disguise.
***
Princess Celia of New Aretias Isle, the adopted daughter of Lysippe Hippolyta XXXIII, Queen of the Amazon Nation, soared gracefully through the air over the mighty Austrian Alps as the sky grew darkened. She and Promethea had reached Vienna several minutes earlier by traveling by kayak along the Danube under their normal strength. After promising that she would only be gone for half an hour at the most, Celia said the magic word Shazam and became Thunder Girl. Immediately, she'd shot up into the air and began to explore this beautiful, mountainous country.
As glad as Celia was to be able to explore the outer world alongside Promethea during her sister's sojourn, she still missed her family. Even after learning she was adopted and likely had another biological family somewhere out there, she knew her place was still beside her mother and sisters of New Aretias. But ever since she had learned that her Thunder Girl powers were not unique, and that she bore a striking resemblance to the young Mary Marvel, Celia had begun wondering the members of the Marvel Family were like. Unfortunately, Celia was about to get her wish, and in the worst way possible.
Suddenly, a storm brewed over the high peaks. Caught up in the melee, Thunder Girl used her considerable willpower to adjust her flight patterns. Celia knew that her sister and mentor Promethea would disapprove of her grandstanding, but she had to learn how to weather the tempest.
Using the Power of Selene, Thunder Girl warped the air currents to create a tunnel effect, causing a vacuum. She could easily move through the torrential storm with the aid of Zephrya. Almost immediately, Celia began to move faster than expected, maybe too fast.
Thunder Girl suddenly realized that her slipstream was pushing her faster than expected. Soon, she was exceeding speeds that she had never tried before. She could continue to ride the wave, so to speak, but her Amazonian upbringing forced her to challenge herself. She wondered just how fast she could go. Though her wisdom beckoned her to use caution, Celia instead pushed herself to the brink, and beyond.
And then she was gone.
***
On New Aretias Isle, Queen Lysippe had been in silent meditation when she suddenly felt that something was amiss with one of her daughters. A sinking feeling came upon her, for she had realized that something terrible had happened to Celia, as she was able to retain a connection with her daughters, even her adopted ones, on a subconscious level. And now something had abruptly cut off that connection.
With no time to spare, Lysippe left her chambers to summon her two most trusted advisers, chief scientist Polydora and Magala the Sorceress. The Queen was bound and determined to find out what was threatening her youngest daughter at this moment.
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Post by DocQuantum on Jul 28, 2017 20:26:41 GMT
Chapter 4: The Best Laid Plans
by SHG 79258 and Doc Quantum
Before the notorious Dr. Thaddeus Bodog Sivana and his equally notorious children, Georgia and Junior, stood five new figures. Each of them had been plucked from their original locations to this ancient mansion by the teleportation device built in to the Power-Corrupt-O-Scope, and a side-effect of the teleportation had also caused each of them to arrive unconscious. It was only a matter of time before they would learn if the device had done the other job it had been supposed to do.
Suddenly, the Power-Corrupt-O-Scope sputtered and sparked, then died. Sivana Junior ran and severed the machine's power, but as a glance within told them, the circuits were fried. The strain of activating it five times in a row had been too much for the prototype machine. Fate, it seemed, had only given them this one chance.
"No matter," said Sivana dismissively as he eyed the newcomers warily.
The first one was the brown-haired twelve-year-old girl they'd seen earlier, who wore the white knockoff of a Marvel Family costume, and who had been found flying over the Alps.
The second was a young man who, although he seemed to be Native American, currently had a coyote's features; he wore a turquoise ring with a coyote's head insignia on it.
The third, right next to him, was the man he'd been abducted with, an African-American man wearing a lab coat.
The fourth was a Chinese teenager, a girl no more than seventeen years of age, dressed in green and wearing a green ring on each of her hands, with a green sword at her side.
The fifth man was middle-aged and Japanese, and wore the uniform of the Star Patrol, a band of international monster-hunters known as the Foreign Legion of the Air. Of these five, he was the only one who was known to be an experienced hero; still, all of his experience had been overseas, and he had never been associated with the longtime heroes of America, where he was not at all well known. (*)
[(*) Editor's note: See Whiz: Ultraman and the Star Patrol.]
"Should we awake them?" asked Georgia. "It's been several minutes, and not even the horrid little girl we brought here first has woken up yet."
"Be patient, my child!" said the old scientist with confidence. "Rest assured, my Power-Corrupt-O-Scope has done its work -- their minds are now performing the rest of the job. But you're right. They've been asleep for too long. I'll use one of our many scientific devices to wake them. Now, let's see... maybe a blast of sonic waves?" He activated a nearby device that transmitted a variety of sonic frequencies to their targets, but they remained asleep. "Curses! Well, let's try the subatomic amplifier."
However, the results were the same. The Sivanas then tried other various devices on the five figures, but had no luck. Then Georgia spotted something.
"That one's eyes are flickering, father!" she said, pointing at the man dressed in a lab coat.
And sure enough, that man opened his eyes first, followed by the other four in quick succession. All five of them seemed to be in a daze, confused by where they were and how they'd come to be there. After a few seconds of orientation, the one in the lab coat looked meaningfully at the Native American man, his friend, then turned back to the scientists and broke the silence. "Where are we? Who brought us here?"
"That would be me. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Dr. Thaddeus Bodog Sivana, the World's Greatest Scientist and Rightful Ruler of the Universe."
"I recognize you," said the Native American. "Sivana."
"Dr. Sivana, yes. And these are my children, Georgia and Junior. We've found you thanks to an invention of mine, and..."
At that moment, the Chinese female, who appeared to be no older than seventeen, moved forward and grabbed him, shouting something in Chinese. When he didn't respond right away, Jade Dragon said in an accented voice, "What do you want with us?" Sivana couldn't help but to notice the two green rings she wore, one on each hand, as well as the green sword at her side. All three of the objects on her person were glowing, causing him to wonder if they were radioactive. (*)
[(*) Editor's note: See Whiz: Jade Dragon: Choosing Destinies.]
It took several minutes to calm each of them down, during which time Dr. Sivana was able to bring them up to speed, explaining how he'd brought them there and why, and how he was responsible for opening their eyes to new possibilities. All three of the Sivanas had glanced at each other as they watched the five adjust to their new situation. From what they could tell, they had all indeed succumbed to the corrupting influences of the Power-Corrupt-O-Scope and were each eager to use their powers purely for their own benefit.
After pondering this information, the man in the lab coat spoke up. He had introduced himself as Speed Demon, a meta-human from the Southwest who had used his super-speed only in secret ever since he'd gained them from a lightning bolt that had struck him one year ago. (*) He and the Native American, known as the Coyote, had teamed up a few times in the last few months. (*) "So, essentially, you want us to take care of the Marvel Family for you bozos?"
[(*) Editor's note: See Secret Origins: A Real Speed Demon and Whiz: The Coyote Howls.]
"Precisely!" said Sivana gleefully. "Because, with your combined powers, you can help us defeat them once and for all!"
"You forgot one important detail," said the canine-like man named Willie White Raven, who was known as the Coyote while in this form. "What's in it for us?"
"Yeah!" said the twelve-year-old Thunder Girl, looking more like a cranky kid than a burgeoning super-criminal, though looks were deceiving.
"Well..." began Sivana nervously, "...after we defeat them, we can take over the world, obviously!"
Dan Hayata, the Japanese Star Patrol officer, smiled politely, but there was a menacing look in his eye at the same time. "Of course," he said with an accent. "We would like to take some time to make our plans. We will let you know when we are ready." He then left for the next room, where the Coyote and the others had started to research all the information the Sivanas had on the Marvels. Although the Marvel Family were famous super-heroes known the world over, none of the five had ever before tried to think of ways to take them down.
Immediately, Junior went up to his father. "Did you see that look in his eye? I don't trust any of them, Papa!"
"Heh-heh-heh... Relax, my dear boy! Have you forgotten that they must defer to us, thanks to a built-in property of my Power-Corrupt-O-Scope? And even if they do ever plan to betray us, we'll just use one of our many inventions to subdue them!"
"Of course, father!" said Junior, but deep down, he didn't feel reassured.
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Post by johnreiter902 on Jul 28, 2017 23:03:28 GMT
I absolutely LOVE this! Carry on, great writer! These characters were too awesome to be forgotten.
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Post by DocQuantum on Aug 4, 2017 21:23:28 GMT
Thanks, John!
I suspect I may have to edit this story a bit more for consistency's sake when I'm done. For now, though, I'll try to post as I write. Please let me know if you notice anything contradictory.
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Post by DocQuantum on Aug 4, 2017 21:42:13 GMT
Mary Batson and Freddy Freeman were laughing as they walked alongside each other from the Renaissance Festival in the park and back to Caitlin O'Malley's grandparents' home. Billy Batson couldn't help but feel envious of the way his sister and his best friend were able to be so open with each other. It was only natural, of course, since they'd all known each other for far more years than most people would guess, but there was something special between Mary and Freddy that Billy wasn't privy to.
As for Billy, all he could think as he walked in near-complete silence next to Caitlin was that this all felt wrong, somehow. Had she been flirting with him earlier? He was flattered, of course; Caitlin was a pretty girl, after all. But Billy had been with Cissie Sommerley since they were kids back in the 1940s.
Billy and Cissie had a true connection, he couldn't deny that, but there was always the secret of his other self that he could never tell her. Did that mean he couldn't trust her? Wasn't trust the cornerstone of any relationship? Still, he had always simply assumed that it wasn't his place to reveal Captain Marvel's secret, especially since it would jeopardize Mary's secret as well, and possibly also Freddy's.
After meeting the strangely alluring young witch named Caitlin O'Malley, Billy had begun to wonder if there was any hope of having a completely open and honest relationship with this one instead. He couldn't deny that he was attracted to her, and it seemed as if she was attracted to him, but he also couldn't shake the feeling that this was all wrong -- so, so wrong.
"Penny for your thoughts?" said Caitlin suddenly, causing Billy to jump slightly, as if worried she'd added mind-reading to her bag of tricks.
"Oh, n-nothing," said Billy, feigning a smile. "Just thinking of the long trip ahead of us."
"Well, we could make it a lot shorter if we said a certain magic word..."
"Not you, too, Cait," he groaned. "I'm -- I'm just not sure I'm ready for that just yet."
"Hey, just thought I'd ask," said Caitlin, shrugging her shoulders.
After another long pause in the conversation, she added, "I hope you don't mind my saying so, Billy, but something really seems to be bothering you right now. Would you want to talk about it at all, or...?"
"Yeah, Cait, I would," said Billy. "Just... not right now, okay?"
"Okay," said Caitlin, and that was that.
Soon enough, the four youngsters had arrived back at the home of Tom and Diana Ballard, where they were given a pancake breakfast before they began their road trip in earnest. Caitlin still needed time to pack, so Billy, Mary, and Freddy had been sitting around the old radio listening to an Old Time Radio episode of Lux Radio Theater starring Fred MacMurray, when an hourly news break interrupted the program with a timely story that interested each of the listeners.
"This just in," said the radio newscaster. "Fat Marvel of the Lieutenants Marvel has just stopped a daring bank robbery conducted in broad daylight in downtown Manhattan. Lisa Carmen is on the scene right now."
Freddy and Mary looked at each other, while Billy just stared blankly off into space, paralyzed by indecision. "Do you guys think we should...?" began Freddy.
"Wait," said Mary. "Let's keep listening."
As the female reporter was reporting from on the scene, she sounded stunned when she described how Fat Marvel himself had just landed right next to her. Recovering from her initial shock, Lisa Carmen proceeded to interview the hero.
"You certainly seem to be the man of the hour, Fat Marvel," she said.
"Just doin' my job," replied Fat Marvel. "You can expect to be seein' a lot more of me over the next couple'a weeks, too!"
"Is that so?" said the reporter. "Then are the rumors about the Marvel Family true? Have Captain Marvel and Mary Marvel retired, after all? Only Captain Marvel Junior has been seen much since February, while Mary Marvel has only made a couple of appearances, and Captain Marvel himself has been completely absent. Can you tell us what the world wants to know, Fat Marvel? What has happened to the Marvel Family?"
"Nah, don't worry none about the Marvel Family, toots," said Fat Marvel. "They just needed a break, is all."
"Is that why you're on the job for at least the next two weeks, then?" she asked him.
"Yeah, that's exactly why. Da Marvels is just goin' on a road trip across America, y'know? Off to see 'Frisco, and a few other places in-between, too."
Mary Batson brought her hands up to her face and groaned, "Oh, no... Fat Billy, what are you doing?" Beside her, Freddy looked just as concerned, while Billy himself just kept on staring into the distance, the frown on his face growing.
Realizing she was now breaking an even bigger story than she'd had at first, Lisa Carmen continued asking Fat Marvel questions. "That's very interesting! Could we expect to see the Marvel Family show up in Chicago this weekend? As you may be aware, Ibis the Invincible is giving a lecture on Egyptology at the Chicago Museum of History. Will the Marvels be dropping by to say hello?"
Fat Marvel replied, "Hey, why not? That's what I'd do if I was passin' through Chicago like the Marvels will be."
Freddy Freeman placed his palm over his face, dumbstruck by how much vital information Fat Marvel was revealing on a live broadcast, even if he was just making wild guesses at this point. "No, no, no..." he said.
"Well, we're going to have to change our plans," said Mary. "Just stay in the city. Otherwise, the crooks will have a field day knowing we'll be out of town. I wouldn't be surprised if the Sivanas were planning a trap for us at this very moment."
"Aren't they still in jail?" asked Freddy.
"Um... no," said Mary sheepishly. "I thought I'd mention it once we were on the road. But now we've got to call it off."
"We're going," Billy said suddenly.
"But, Billy..."
"Listen, Mary, you literally dragged me out of my home to take me on this road trip," said Billy with an intensity they'd only seen in him recently. "And now you want to turn around and go back home? No, we're going."
"All... all right, Billy," said Mary, glancing at Freddy with concern. "Whatever you want."
"So, are we ready to go, or what?" said Caitlin O'Malley, dressed in traveling clothes and hauling a huge suitcase behind her.
"I hope so," said Dudley H. Dudley, coming up from behind her, "because I've just finished wrapping up these snacks that your grandmother has so kindly prepared for us!"
"Then it's settled," Billy said, turning the radio off. "Let's go." And at that he stood up and strode out to the car. The others said their goodbyes and followed him out.
***
In a certain ancient mansion, others were watching a television broadcast of the same interview with Fat Marvel and taking notes on every word that the Brooklyn-based part-time super-hero said.
"So... the Marvel Family will be passing through Chicago this weekend, will they?" cackled Dr. Sivana. "Then so shall we! We'll prepare an ambush that they'll never forget!"
"No," said the Coyote.
Sivana was taken aback. "'No'? 'No'? What do you mean, 'no'?! This was my idea!"
"Respectfully, Sivana, if we followed every one of your ideas, we'd end up failing just as you have every time you'd tried to defeat the Marvel Family in the past," replied the Coyote.
"He's got you there, Papa," said Georgia Sivana, earning a hard glare from her father.
"The ultimate ambush should be at the location of their final known destination: San Francisco," said the Coyote. "I'll go to Chicago myself."
"Oh, so you're planning on taking out one of the Marvel Family while you're there, then?" asked Sivana Junior. "Which one will it be?"
"For all we know, he might want to take on Uncle Marvel," laughed Georgia.
"No -- Freckles Marvel!" said Sivana Junior, laughing even more.
"I will not be taking on any of the Marvels while I'm there," replied the Coyote, unruffled by their jeers. "Instead, I'll be tipping the power levels to our side just a bit more before we finally confront the Marvels out west." At that, he turned off the television and strode off to plan alone.
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Post by DocQuantum on Jan 2, 2024 9:10:28 GMT
Chapter 5: A Theft in the Windy City
by Doc Quantum and SHG 79258
The presence of Caitlin O'Malley on the road trip definitely helped lighten Billy Batson's mood by quite a bit. When just with his family members, whether biological such as Mary Batson or honorary such as Freddy Freeman and Uncle Dudley, Billy could be as cranky as he wanted to be. But with Cait introduced into the mix, Billy's attitude changed quite a bit, since he was more concerned about making a good impression on her, a newcomer, than with the family he'd known for many years now.
For the rest of the day, the group began to genuinely enjoy the road trip. They listened to music -- a strange mixture of contemporary pop music and big band music from the 1940s -- and played a few classic road trip games, such as I Spy and several rounds of rock, paper, scissors.
Billy, Mary, Freddy, and Uncle Dudley also got to know Caitlin a bit more as she began sharing stories about herself and her own family, and the Marvels soon found that their newest member had a lot more in common with them than they'd at first thought. Cait was also somewhat of a fangirl of the Marvel Family, one who was was already quite familiar with many of their old adventures as she proved whenever they began to speak of old cases.
The road trip's journey westward also took them through scenic landscapes and winding highways, as they decided to make a few key stops along the way.
***
The next morning, with the majestic roar of Niagara Falls echoing in the background, the group explored the iconic site, marveling at its beauty and the sheer force of nature that it was.
As they strolled along the misty pathways, the camaraderie between the Marvel Family and Caitlin deepened. Laughter echoed through the air as Freddy challenged Uncle Dudley to a game of Would You Rather?
Mary and Billy, having embraced the newfound joy, exchanged playful banter while sharing stories from their vastly different childhoods.
"Mary, did I ever tell you about the time I tried to fly off the roof of a tenement with an umbrella?" said Billy.
"No!" Mary said. "What happened?"
"I fell like a rock, of course. Thankfully, there was a garbage strike at the time, so my fall was cushioned by a huge pile of trash."
"I can't believe you never told me about that!" Mary said laughing.
Billy grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, you know, I was a curious kid. What can I say?"
Caitlin, genuinely enjoying the camaraderie, chimed in with her own tales. "When we were kids, I convinced my cousin Robyn to trade her comic-book collection for a small bag of marbles. I told her they were fairy jewels. She never forgave me for that!"
Uncle Dudley chuckled, patting Caitlin on the back. "Ah, family shenanigans. Sounds like you fit right in with this bunch."
As they approached an overlook, the thunderous cascade of Niagara Falls provided a breathtaking backdrop. Billy, however, seemed a bit quieter than usual, occasionally stealing glances at Caitlin. Mary, ever perceptive, nudged him playfully.
"Hey, Billy-boy, you seem awfully quiet. Something on your mind?"
Billy shrugged, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. "Nah, just enjoying the view. It's pretty amazing."
Mary exchanged a knowing glance with Freddy, who raised an eyebrow with a mischievous grin. Unbeknownst to Billy, his subtle glances toward Cait had not gone unnoticed by the observant Marvel Family.
Caitlin, oblivious to the undercurrents, shared more anecdotes, her laughter filling the air. "You guys are the coolest road trip companions ever. I never thought I'd get to see Niagara Falls with the Marvel Family!"
Billy, trying to steer the conversation away from himself, gestured toward the falls. "Speaking of which, did you know we once fought an evil sorcerer who commanded an army of green robo-sharks?"
Caitlin's eyes widened with excitement. "You're joking, right? That sounds like something out of a bad comic-book!"
"You'd think so," laughed Mary. "But even the comic-book company that published fictional versions of our adventures thought it was too silly to publish!"
***
Two days into their road trip, the family stopped to visit Uncle Dudley's niece Mary "Freckles" Dudley, a graduate student at the University of Chicago currently enjoying her summer break. Despite the fact that the whole world knew they'd be in Chicago this weekend thanks to Fat Marvel, they thought it only fair to pay a visit to their ostensible "cousin" Freckles.
By the time they reached the outskirts of Chicago, Billy had begun to get a bit more comfortable around Cait, and that meant he also became a bit more irritable with her just as he'd been with the others. After being cramped in such close quarters over two days, it was decided that now would be a good time for everyone to take a much-needed break from each other. Thus everyone was free to do whatever they wanted in the Windy City, then meet back at Freckles' college dormitory at dinnertime.
That was why Mary Batson, Uncle Dudley, and his niece Freckles were visiting the Field Museum of Natural History, where they were being given a personal tour of a special, recently opened ancient Egyptian exhibit by their friend, Ibis the Invincible. He had helped organize the display, with permission from the museum and Egyptian authorities, as a technical adviser. The truth of the matter was that the ancient Egyptian Prince Amentep wanted to make sure the artifacts were displayed with proper dignity.
Dudley was examining a solid gold statue of Anubis, while Mary and Freckles were examining some ornate jewelry in a display case.
"Ooohhh, this looks pretty!" said Freckles, examining an amulet.
Ibis came to take a closer look. "Ahh, that is the Amulet of Horus. It was an important treasure of the ruling pharaohs of the age known as the Third Dynasty."
Mary looked at the treasure as well. "That's him -- Horus -- isn't it?" she said, indicating a human figure with the head of a bird.
"Yes. As you know, Mary, Horus was the God of the Sun, and was believed to have fathered the pharaohs themselves. One of the gifts he had bestowed to them was this amulet, which would give the wearer the power of flight."
"Really?" said Dudley, who was listening to this conversation with great interest.
"Yes. However," the ancient magician continued solemnly, "only the pharaohs themselves were given the knowledge of the amulet."
"Oh, I see," said Dudley, somewhat despondently. "Ah, well, at least the pharaohs had fun with it."
At that moment, an announcement came over the P.A. system, informing the public of the museum's closure in five minutes.
"Darn. I wanted to check out the Japanese exhibition!" said Mary.
"If you wish, I can arrange it so you could come in for free next weekend," said Ibis.
"Maybe," said Mary. "We should be in California by then, though, but since when has a little distance stopped us?" she added with a smile. "Oh, that reminds me. We're all having dinner in an hour somewhere near the university. Would you like to join us?"
"Thank you, but no," replied Ibis politely. "One of the museum curators had already asked me to translate a scroll from Upper Egypt. I promised him I would look at it tonight."
"Oh, I see. Well, maybe next time."
"Very well. Good night, Miss Batson."
Shortly, the trio joined the other crowds who were leaving the museum. However, as they were passing by the exit, none of them noticed a solitary figure wearing a large hat and a trenchcoat, who was examining one of the displays, apparently oblivious to the museum's closing.
One of the guards, noticing this, came up to him. "Excuse me, sir. You have to leave."
The man turned. Just below the brim of his hat, the guard noticed that he appeared to be wearing some kind of dog or wolf mask, and instantly became tense. Frowning, the guard blinked and looked again, only to find that the wolf-like man was only a young man. "Eh? What was that?" he asked, seemingly hard of hearing.
"The, uh, the museum is closing, sir," said the guard, confused by what appeared to have been nothing more than an optical illusion. "If you'll please come this way..."
"Oh, of course, of course..." muttered the young man as he slowly followed the guard to the exit, having done what he'd come there to do.
***
The next morning, the corridors of the Field Museum echoed with the hushed footsteps of curious visitors exploring the wonders of Ancient Egypt. Among them was Willie White Raven, a seemingly unassuming young Native American man who had a curious white streak in his otherwise jet-black long hair.
Behind his façade of innocence, he harbored a secret, for he was a hero known as the Coyote who had been corrupted by Sivana's machine. Having cased the museum the previous day, Willie had already put some thought into how he would win his chosen prize, the one object whose value outweighed everything else in the entire museum.
Ibis the Invincible, the Egyptian sorcerer-hero, held court at the museum, his lecture on the ancient Egyptian exhibit captivating the crowd. The air buzzed with wonder as Ibis brought to life grand tales of pharaohs and deities, blissfully unaware that a lurking danger awaited him.
Blending seamlessly with the crowd, Willie observed Ibis with a calculating gaze. His sixth sense, an innate warning system, tingled, signaling the arrival of an impending opportunity. The Coyote craved power, and he had set his sights on Ibis' wand, the Ibistick, a conduit to ancient magic that could amplify his already formidable abilities.
Casually approaching the exhibit at the end of the lecture, Willie struck up a conversation with Ibis, feigning genuine interest in the artifacts. "Fascinating stuff you got here," he remarked, a disarming smile playing on his lips.
Ibis the Invincible, perpetually eager to share his arcane knowledge, engaged in animated conversation with Willie White Raven. Unbeknownst to the benevolent sorcerer, the Coyote's sixth sense wove a silent narrative, guiding the villain through the delicate dance of deception. Thanks to Willie's own senses, Ibis remained oblivious to the young man's true intentions.
Seizing the opportune moment, Willie warmly thanked Ibis before retreating into the unseen recesses of the museum, a hidden vantage point from which he could observe the Ancient Egyptian Prince without being noticed. There, Willie transformed into the hybrid form of the Coyote, his mystical powers intensified in this state of animal-human fusion.
As Ibis gave another short lecture, capturing the rapt attention of the audience, the Coyote prepared for his calculated move, employing the skillful manipulation of his newfound ability to create force-fields. With a subtle gesture, a wire in the live microphone Ibis wielded snapped, sending an electric shock coursing through the unsuspecting sorcerer.
"What the--?!" exclaimed the shocked Ibis, caught off-guard. He involuntarily let go of the Ibistick, and the sacred artifact went tumbling to the floor, rolling beneath a nearby table.
Someone in the crowd called out, "Did he just drop the Ibistick?"
Despite his embarrassment, Ibis tried to salvage the situation with a friendly grin. "Ah, just adding a little flair to my presentation, folks! I wouldn't want any of you to get too bored by the political intrigues of the Twelfth Dynasty," he said, provoking amused laughter from the crowd.
In the shadows, the Coyote seized the opportunity he had orchestrated and used his teleportation powers to whisk the Ibistick to his side. Then he commanded the wand to conjure a false Ibistick -- a flawless replica that mirrored the original down to the finest detail.
As Ibis, still recovering from the shock, reached down to retrieve the Ibistick, he remained oblivious to the intricate ruse that had unfolded. The convincing fake nestled in his hands, and the Coyote, veiled in the anonymity of the unseen, reveled in the success of his theft.
Hours later, by the time Ibis the Invincible would finally discover that his Ibistick was a fake, the Coyote would already be long gone with the powerful artifact, and Ibis had no particular reason to suspect the young man he'd met of any connection to the theft.
***
The Marvel Family's road trip continued westward, the scenery changing dramatically as they left Chicago behind that same morning, having never learned about the theft at the Field Museum.
As the van traversed the vast expanse of the western states, Uncle Dudley took it upon himself to be the unofficial tour guide, reminiscing about the various places he and Billy had visited a decade earlier, when Uncle Dudley had been given the role of mentor to Billy by the Old Wizard himself. (*) The nostalgia-laden tales were meant to lift Billy's spirits, yet he remained stubbornly sullen, seemingly impervious to the charm of the journey down memory lane.
[(*) Editor's note: See "The Case of the Kidnapped Congress," Shazam! #26 (November-December, 1976).]
Billy's melancholy cast a shadow over the familial atmosphere. Despite Dudley's animated storytelling, Billy withdrew into his own thoughts. The others, sensing his persistent bad mood, reluctantly accepted that cheering him up was a futile endeavor at the moment.
On the third day out of Chicago, the Marvel Family arrived at the Grand Canyon, a breathtaking natural wonder that could stir the most stoic of hearts. The vastness of the canyon and the play of colors in the sunlight could have been a balm for Billy's troubled soul. However, his sullen demeanor persisted, and the majestic landscape seemed to go unnoticed by the brooding teenager.
Uncle Dudley, noticing Billy's ongoing gloominess, approached him with a gentle reassurance. "Billy, m'boy, sometimes even the most monumental views can't lift us out of our own burdens. But remember, son, we're all here for you, no matter what. You can always talk to us when you're ready."
Billy acknowledged Dudley with a half-hearted nod, still lost in his thoughts. "I know, Uncle Dudley," he said, his voice a mere whisper. "I know."
***
Meanwhile, in Brooklyn, Fat Marvel was having the fight of his life. The only problem was that it wasn't with a super-villain or monster, or any of the typical threats that Captain Marvel faced. It was with his girlfriend, Robyn O'Malley. They'd only been dating for a few weeks now, but they'd become very close during that time.
"What do you mean you skipped your doctor's appointment?!" Robyn shouted at Fat Billy. "You told me this heart specialist had a long waiting list, but they put you to the top of the list because you're still so young!"
"I know, baby, I know," said Fat Marvel, trying to make her listen to reason. "But I have responsibilities right now, and--"
"Responsibilities?" cried Robyn. "Responsibilities? You're dying, Billy! Your doctor made you quit the football team and all that junk food you constantly eat because you're going to have a heart attack if you keep it up at this rate! If you ask me, the Marvel Family should never have asked you to fill in for them. Why can't the other Lieutenant Marvels fill in for you? You can't skip this appointment!"
Fat Marvel sighed and tried to speak. "Baby, part of being a hero is making sacrifices. Now, I know it's gonna cut into some of my doctor's appointments, and it's gonna mean a change of plans for our date, but--"
"I don't care about our date!" said Robyn. "Your heart -- your health -- is more important, William!"
Fat Marvel stiffened. She'd never called him by his formal first name before. This was getting serious, wasn't it? He decided to change tactics. "All right, all right, baby-doll," he said. "I'll go to the appointment. Happy now?"
"You mean it?" said Robyn, still looking angry but letting a tear fall down one cheek.
"I do," said Fat Marvel.
Robyn O'Malley rushed into his arms and gave him a hug. "Thank you, Billy."
"No problem, doll," replied Fat Marvel. "No problem at all." But inwardly he was thinking, Dang it. I really hope I can get that doctor's appointment switched to a couple'a weeks from now, because I can't stop being Fat Marvel -- not until the Marvel Family gets back. I can't take the chance of leavin' this city unprotected! I just hope my best girl will understand...
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