บท 2: Chapter 2
Flashback
A man sat on a park seat, enjoying the pleasant bright day, holding a comic book in his hands. The cool breeze flowed through his dark-silky hair, while the warm sunlight kissed his tanned skin. He had a little smile on his face from reading something he considered especially amusing.
He suddenly felt someone sit down next to him but paid it no mind, or at least tried to before said person suddenly struck up a conversation.
"Do you ever get sick of it?" A stranger inquired, forcing him to look away from the comic he was reading to look at them, for some reason, their faces were difficult to make out despite their near proximity.
"Get sick of what?" He questioned back, not understanding what they meant by that.
"Those superhero comics, don't you ever get sick of it?"
Looking at the comic in his hands, he realized what the stranger was asking. He took only a moment to think, before quickly coming to an answer. He idly flipped through the pages and skimmed through the pictures before he replied.
"Nope."
Not satisfied with his simple reply, the stranger pushed on wanting him to say more.
"Why not? Every story in that genre is the same, becoming more and more repetitious with each new one made." The stranger protested, with what the man could only think was a grimace on their face. "The hero triumphs, the villain perishes, and the damsel in distress is saved. It's the same song and dance over and over, like a never-ending merry-go-round. It makes me sick!"
The man waited for the stranger to finish their tirade. The stranger made valid points that he could not dismiss, but there was more to superhero comics than just that.
"Is that what you think they're all about?" He asked, closing the comic book to fully pay attention to the stranger.
"Yes! The superhero genre is overused and I don't understand how people can still enjoy them!" The stranger finished, crossing their arms like an upset child.
The man smiled at the stranger before gazing down at the comic in his hands and tossed it at them.
"Here, read this," The man said before getting up from the park bench and began walking away from the stranger. "You can keep it if you want."
Looking down at the comic book now beside them, the stranger grabbed it and examined the front cover. A bunch of individuals, made up of mostly men with only one female, were on it, and all of them wore black coats. At the very top of the comic, written in big bolted letters, was the title.
" The boys? " The stranger read aloud while turning the front page of the comic book, utterly unprepared for the content within it.
______________________
Chapter 2
Queen Maeve, one of the world's greatest heroes, smiled as she watched John awkwardly wave at the screaming crowd of his adoring fans surrounding him. They were enjoying a nice time together in the restaurant she mentioned when a crowd of crazy fans suddenly surrounded him.
She was having a difficult time holding back the urge to giggle as his eyes darted towards her in a plea for help.
"Homelander! I'm your biggest fan!" A young man said while trying to give him a pen and paper to sign.
"OH MY GOD! I can't believe I'm meeting THE Homelander!" A random woman shouted out from the crowd in a craze.
"Homelander! Homelander! Homelander!" Someone started chanting wildly.
Maeve, who was struggling to remain composed, smothered a chuckle by covering her lips with her palm. Maeve knew how much he detested being the center of attention from the two years that she had known him. John realized Maeve was not going to assist him, so he made the decision to escape on his own.
"What is this? Do you hear that? The pleas for assistance are coming all the way from China, according to my enhanced senses! I apologize to everyone, but I must be elsewhere! Up, up, and away!" He launched himself into the air with a powerful leap and began to fly in an arbitrary direction at supersonic speeds.
The crowd of fans was outraged that their favorite hero had flown away.
Not being able to hold herself back anymore, she doubled over and held on to her stomach, crackling madly with laughter. Up, up, and away? When did he come up with that?! Hahahahaha! The PR department was going to have a field day with this!
She herself started flying as well and followed after him, laughing all the while. She was so going to hold that over his head! She took a few deep breaths, giggles still coming out, and called out to him.
"John~Hahaha! Wait for me!"
Maeve quickly caught up to him, seeing as he slowed down enough for her to catch up, and could see his face was a brilliant red.
"I can't believe you just stood there and laughed!" The number one hero of the world grumbled as he flew through the air with Maeve flying alongside him; she was still giggling, much to his embarrassment. "You didn't even try to help!"
"I'm sorry! It's not every day that I get to see you deal with your fans! Watching you interact with them is like watching a nervous child trying to make friends with new people!" Maeve giggled out while flying over him, a wide smile on her face as her arms wrapped around his neck and let herself rest on his back. The hero blushed at the feeling of her breasts pressing against his back.
"And don't even think for a second that I would forget about what you just said! Up, up, and away? That's going to be your catchphrase from now on!"
"Maggie!"
"That's not a no I'm hearing!"
John could only hang his head down in defeat, she was not going to let this go was she? He could practically feel her smile on the back of his head.
"Where did the girl, who could barely look me in the eyes, go?" He questioned, trying to remember how different she was two years ago when they first met.
"She got to know you and discovered that you are not only the world's number one hero, but also the world's number one goofball!" Maeve responded, having heard him over the wind. Her face lit up with nostalgia as she remembered how it all started.
__________________________
Two years before
"Reporting on Global News!" Homelander has done it once more! Saving thousands of lives by defeating a giant rampaging monster the size of a skyscraper that even twenty other heroes couldn't stop! The best part? There were no casualties as a result of this incident! Fortunately, we had a cameraman on hand at the time of the incident to record everything that happened!" A pretty news reporter exclaimed, proudly wearing a Homelander merchandise t-shirt to show off her fandom.
A lovely blonde-haired woman was seen watching the news with a keen interest on her face. She was in a rather small living room, curled up on a worn-out couch, with nothing on her mind but the news on the television in front of her. The woman was dressed casually in short pants and a shirt that was a couple of sizes too big for her, ready for a long day of lounging.
"Are you watching the news, Maggie?" Her mother inquired, entering the living room with a plate of tea and crackers and a glance at the television. "It appears you've grown quite fond of this Homelander fellow; is this a crush I sense forming?"
She was just as beautiful as her daughter, with her blonde hair that had streaks of white from old age, and a mature look of a woman who was still in the prime of her life.
"It's not like that mama! I was just wondering what was on the news and it just so happened to be about him!" The now-named Maggie explained to her mother with a blush on her cheeks.
"That's the exact same thing you said the other fifty times I caught you watching him." The older woman smirked while bringing up a cup of tea to her face and taking a sip.
Her daughter had no answer to that and remained silent, but that was all the answer she needed.
The screen switched away from the obviously crazed fan of Homelander, and a recording was soon pulled up, showing a man going toe to toe with a monstrous creature.
His red and white cape was blowing majestically through the air as he floated in front of the monster's face, his eyes glowing red. His dark blue superhero suit was in tatters, but there were no injuries on his body.
Chaos could be seen happening all across the street as random citizens ran for their lives. Fire and rubble from destroyed buildings could be seen all around the area, all of which was caused by the hideous creature that was once human.
For a split second, the camera moved away from the chaos to show the injured and battered bodies of the other heroes lying on top of one another in a garbage bin, but it quickly returned to the hideous monster.
"Oh my! He defeated that monster?" Her mother was taken aback when she saw the size of the monster. Maeve remained silent, her gaze fixed, not wanting to miss a single second.
"I gave you a chance! Over and over! But it appears you're too much of a prick to take it! Why in the world did you destroy that hospital?! It wasn't in your way! Yet you still decided to destroy it!" As he glared at the monster, the camera picked up on his rage. "Do you know how many people would have died if I hadn't been there to save them?!"
"You're a stupid cocksucker if you think I'll listen to you! So what if a few shit ants die? I am a fucking GOD!!! I can do whatever the fucking hell I want! If I want to demolish a fucking hospital, I'll demolish a fucking hospital! Nobody can fucking stop me! No one!" The monster growled, sneering at him, turning the man's glare into a scowl as his red eyes began to burn even brighter. "What exactly are you supposed to be? Wait, Let me take a guess! You're one of Vought's new bitc-vrrzzzz!"
Before the monster could finish his sentence, a red beam of death detached the villain's head from his body, killing him instantly.
The hero's burning red eyes dimmed and returned to normal, but his scowl remained as he gazed down at the now-dead villain.
Maeve and her mother gasped, unable to comprehend how he had instantly killed the villain. That villain was famous for being invincible, able to withstand attacks from other supers, and high-powered military weapons. Yet the way he did it so easily, as though it were no more difficult than killing a mere bug, made Maeve shiver in a strange way.
The hero flew closer to the corpse, faster than the human eye could track, grabbed both the body and the decapitated head, and did so with impressive strength. TOSSED! After flying hundreds of feet above the city! A powerful throw propels the impossibly large and heavy body into space.
The two women watching this all unfold stared at each other, astounded by what they were witnessing. Superheroes were strong, but not that strong! Heroes grew stronger and more powerful with each new generation, and what Homelander was demonstrating was far beyond what the current heroes, new and old, were capable of.
The camera zoomed in on the rapidly shrinking body as it got further away. It switched back to the hero filming him staring in the direction he threw the body.
By using his supervision, he ensured that it did not collide with anything that might get in its way. After a few moments of observation, the hero returned to the destroyed area of the city.
Homelander's scowl soon softened when a crowd of children in hospital gowns, along with their nurses and doctors, emerged from the nearby hiding area he had left them in.
Like an angel coming down from the heavens, the children were in awe of him. Using his x-ray vision to check for any injuries he may have missed, his rage seemed to fade as he warmly smiled at the children with a worried expression.
"Is everyone okay? Nobody feels like they're going to die, right? If you're hurt, don't be afraid to speak up! My top priority is your safety!" Homelander addressed the children who surrounded him with wide eyes, and several of them began to cry, much to the hero's distress.
The screen went black, the camera dying due to a low battery, and it returned to the news anchor, who was disappointed with how short the video was.
"It appears that's all we have for you today, folks; after these commercials, we'll move on to the weather forecast." She expressed her disappointment that it wasn't about her favorite hero.
The mother and daughter pair quickly stopped paying attention, and the younger woman began searching for anything else interesting.
Finishing her cup of tea with one last sip, the older woman turned towards her daughter and began making conversation with her about the hero that was rapidly rising in popularity.
"What do you think?"
"About what?"
Maeve did not turn away from surfing the Channels but did glance at her mother at the corner of her eyes.
"About that fellow Homelander, of course."
Her face was intensely focused now that she was sitting up on the couch. What was her opinion of him? America's newest hero, reputed to be the greatest hero ever born?
"…he's ok." Was her reply after a moment of deep thinking.
"Just ok?" The mother questioned, knowing for a fact that there was more to it than just an 'ok'.
"Yup." Popping the P at the end.
"Hmm…" Staring suspiciously at her, a plan quickly formulated in her head that was sure to show her daughter's true colors.
"That's interesting because I was just thinking abou-OH MY GOD! Is that Homelander flying outside our window!?"
"WHAT!?!" Maeve jumped over the couch to hide, panicking at how she was dressed, which was far from presentable. "No way, no, no! He can't see me this way!"
"Pfft! Hahahaha!!!"
When she heard her mother laughing uncontrollably, she quieted down. She jumped up from behind the couch, realizing she had been duped by her own mother, and glared at her like a kicked puppy.
"MAMA!" She shouted out in embarrassment.
"Hahaha! I'm sorry dear! But in my defense, I didn't expect you to jump behind the couch like a frightened cat!" After getting a good laugh at her daughter's expense, she calmed down enough to ask Maggie the same question again.
"But in all seriousness, what do you really think about him? You're going to be working with him, along with other heroes, in the future after all."
Maeve and her mother were overjoyed when Vaught contacted them about joining a hero squad with well-known heroes. Especially since she hadn't even become a hero yet! Her abilities had only just recently manifested.
It got even better when they realized she'd be the team's lone female hero, which meant she'd constantly be the center of attention! Obtaining all of the fame and popularity she yearned for.
But to work with someone like Homelander? Someone who could easily defeat a monster with a single glance?
Maggie, after a minute of thinking, made to answer her mother's question when a knock was suddenly heard at their front door.
Knock!
Knock!
Knock!
The mother and daughter looked at each other, not expecting any visitors. Getting up from the couch, the small-time superheroine went to get the door to see who it was. When she opened the door, a woman in a formal suit could be seen standing in front of the doorway, a phone in one hand and a file in the other.
"Maggie Princeton or should I say Queen Maeve?" When she had the response she wanted, the woman pulled a page from the file and offered Maggie a business smile. "I am from Vaught America, and I'm here to tell you that It's time for your big debut."
___________________
A few moments later
"Alright! you got this! All you have to do is get out there! And stop the bad guys! You got powers now! You can do anything!" Queen Maeve thought to herself as she hopped up and down in place getting ready for her big debut.
She was currently peering down at the city below her, ready to intervene if any crime occurred. There was also a camera team nearby, most likely dispatched by Vought, ready to begin filming her in action, which she found strange but rationalized as it being her debut, so she didn't think much of it.
She was dressed in a rather revealing outfit, emphasizing all of her curves and showing a little more skin than she would have liked, but she was willing to put up with it because today everything was going to change, she was going to become something more than a simple girl who no one thought would ever achieve anything in life!
She was on her way to becoming a superhero! The one thing everyone wished to be more than anything else in the world! Wealth and stardom would soon be hers!
She could see it now: being surrounded by adoring fans, having more wealth than she could ever wish for, and living in an expansive house with more space than she'd ever need. There will be no more living paycheck to paycheck! There will be no more begging! There will be no more filthy, rat-infested apartments!
Crash!!!
"AAAAHHHH!!!!"
A piercing cry caused her to look towards the direction of the sound, only to see mayhem and ruin spread. A massive figure could be seen rushing down the street, shaking the entire neighborhood with each stride.
Huge veins protruded from every area of the man's physique, indicating that he was more muscle than anything else. Because of how horrible and malformed his face was, it would make grown men scream and children cry.
He was on a warpath, and everything in his path was either forced aside or crushed beneath his feet. Maeve stood there, stunned and unsure of what to do beyond staring at the creature underneath her.
Could she take him on? She now has powers, but will they be enough to defeat him?
Doubts began to muddle her mind as she continued to look down at the destruction taking place below her. The happy idea of being a hero is beginning to die a horrible death.
Was she truly cut out for this? Was it too late to go back? Fear began to consume her as she began to move away from the edge of the building.
"This is insane! There's no way I can take that thing on, that's suicide!" Fear-filled thoughts ran through her head until a sudden realization came to her. "Wait, isn't this Lamplighter territory? He can deal with this Bullshit! It's not my problem!"
She prepared herself to fly off to another area, leaving someone else to deal with the villain and find an easier crime to deal with. But a sudden scream of help made her pause and look back down to the chaos happening below her.
A tiny girl of seven remained transfixed in horror in the path of the rushing monster. Her mother yelled at her to move out of the way but she was prevented from rushing forward and killing herself by other people.
"Move out of the way, Merry!" She pleaded to the child, but it had no effect; she was trying with all her power to break free of their grip and run to save her daughter, even if it meant certain death. "Let go of me god dammit!!"
But Merry remained motionless, and the stampeding creature did not come to a halt. She'd be crushed beneath his feet soon, leaving only a gory mess of organs and broken bones.
Queen Maeve stayed planted safely on top of the building she was on. The heroine, if she can be called that, felt as if her entire body was held down by an ocean's worth of pressure. Too scared to go down and save the girl, and too fearful to be the hero they desperately need. She stood there like a coward, watching the villain bring his massive foot down and crush the poor, innocent girl.
"MERRY!!!" Her mother screamed out to her with a voice full of anguish as she watched the monster about to kill her daughter.
…
…
…
In an idealized world, this would be the moment in which the hero appears at the last second to save the girl, stop the evil, and save the day once more. Beautiful rainbows and sunlight were everywhere, and everyone went about their day, happy and safe.
…
…
…
Unfortunately, that part would never arrive because there was no hero in the immediate area brave enough to risk their lives to save the girl; they were more concerned with themselves than with some random idiotic girl who got herself killed.
Why should they be concerned? They were, after all, heroes! They had more important things to do than stop a minor crime that would bring them no fame or notoriety!
It wasn't their problem.
When things go out of hand, the heroes utilize the same excuse. If things became even slightly difficult, they would step down immediately and transfer responsibility to someone else.
…
…
…
Crack!
Unable to turn away from what could only be a horrible scene, everyone watching saw red and heard the sound of cement crumbling. They expected to see a horrific sight of the child's mangled and crushed body.
…
…
Or would've if a red and white caped crusader hadn't swooped in at the last second, pulling the girl into his chest and blocking the deadly blow with his body! The giant's foot, which could easily crush steel, couldn't bend the man's back even an inch as he held the terrified girl in his arms protectively.
"It's alright, everything is going to be ok now, I promise ." His voice, which was in a calming whisper, rang out for everyone to hear. He had a kind smile on his face that made the girl feel as though no harm would come to her.
Queen Maeve, and the rest of those present, could only watch with astonished eyes as the man stood up with ease despite the villain's colossal foot crushing down on him. Their eyes widened even further when they realized who it was that saved the girl; Maeve exclaimed the name of the hero, whom everyone in the vicinity recognized.
"H-Homelander."
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