The Incinerator vs. Spark
I took a deep breath as I set foot in the lair district, clutching my flamethrowers in my hands. Every time I came here, those buildings and their inhabitants seemed more hostile than I had always imagined them to be. Steadily, I continued to walk like I belonged here. I took the second street to the left, where I would meet my next employer.
It wouldn't be a usual meeting. For this kind of business, I'd meet my clients at another spot. Somewhere inside. There would be not much comfort or privacy, but it was better than nothing. That wasn't always the case, though. On one occasion, I had to go to this prestigious five star hotel to discuss my partnership with the Wolfman. I know, it's dangerous to work with him, but not more than five hours after we made a deal, the League of Heroes caught him. I got away, as usual.
So, my expectations of that street weren't very high. It'd be the first time I discussed business in the open air. Yet, this part of the lair district wasn't too populated, meaning that my client and I could talk freely. I went in that street, passing one of her lackeys who stood guard at this side. There probably was another lackey standing at the other end of the street, too, as to make sure nobody would bother us.
My new client was already present in this street. I showed her my most evil smile. "Lady Nox," I said, "thank you for taking my offer into consideration." Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like you to meet lady midnight, also more formally known as Nox. My new client. She stood in the middle of the street (there was barely any traffic in this part of the city) and I could see she dressed for the occasion. She was already an attractive woman, but that short ginger hair and her red lips made her look even more attractive. Her green dress was also quite revealing, both at the chest as with the legs.
Before you get me wrong: no, I'm not falling for her. Dude, she's evil! I wouldn't date an evil girl, not even if she would make me. Besides, I already have a woman who is good for me. And Nox has a bad reputation when it comes to men, anyway.
Where was I? right, lady midnight. She belongs to the rare category of a human born on earth with natural superpowers. For some reason I can't explain, all those people travel to Philadelphia. According to Ambrose, she once lived in Slovakia. She traveled to Mexico and from there, she illegally crossed the border to come live in the US – she didn't, or couldn't, cross the border legally. Her origin story is a bit vague and rumors have circulated about it. they always do include a city-wide black-out and a lot of deaths. Later, it was confirmed the electricity had still been running and there was light, but everyone in the city had been made blind by Nox.
That's how she got her name, by the way. Lady midnight, because she can make people blind – or make things invisible for the human eye, including other people. And apparently Nox is the Latin word for 'night', but what do I know? I never studied Latin.
Nox walked closer to me. I gulped, thinking of the advice some have given me. Play it cool. Don't be tricked. Don't let her wrap you around her finger. Do your best. I sighed inaudibly. I was ready. Time to join her.
"So you are the Incinerator." Goodness, she even sounded attractive. I nodded.
"I sure am." I wondered whether I should add something about my resume, but decided against it. We could discuss that later, once she actually said 'yes' to my offer. Nox started walking around me, checking me out whether I was good enough. I didn't particularly feel comfortable, but this is what I have to go through.
"What can you offer me?" she asked me when she was done looking at my body. I was already glad she didn't send me away – that would have been harder. Now, for step two…
I took a step in her direction and pretended she was my girlfriend, hoping my next words would sound believable. "I can offer you much." I've got flames, precision and collateral damage. I've got revenge, loyalty and passion." I let my eyes go up and down when I spoke the last word. Passion for the job or women, that was something Nox had to think of. "That and a whole lot more."
Her face stayed in the same position for a while until she nodded at me approvingly. My own smile grew bigger. This was the moment before she would hire me. She'd have another partner/lackey for a couple of hours.
Fortunately, she did not disappoint. "You make good promises," she said, "Now you must prove your worth."
"Point me to the target." But she did not say anything else anymore. She just watched me with great interest, her arms folded. I stood on my place, looking in front of me and above. Her actions were a sign that someone would attack me. One of the easiest methods to test a new lackey. When I couldn't find him in front of me, I heard him come closer from behind me.
As soon as I heard the footsteps, I reacted. I don't want to brag, but he did not stand a chance against me and my flamethrowers. With one smooth movement, I turned around and shot some flames in his direction with both hands. I hit him in the chest. The lackey fell down on the ground, cowering and shouting in pain. The suit was fireproof – his clothes had not caught on fire – but with the force it hit him, he did not have a choice but to fall down. He was terrified. This may have been the first time his opponent had noticed and attacked him immediately. To keep up the act, I walked up to him and kicked him in the stomach.
"Don't attack me from behind," I said, threatening him the best I could. Then, I turned my back to him and looked at Nox again, spreading my arms. "Is lady midnight impressed?"
Her smile grew bigger and it made me believe she wanted to give me the job.
"Yes, I am," she said. I bowed my head - I don't know why, it just felt like something to be done on this occasion. She continued to speak and I expected her to hire me on the spot. I think I might've had too high expectations for this occasion.
"You have built out an impressive reputation, my boy," she said, and her attitude became less flirtatious, more evil, "Word travels fast. I've heard you have been hired four times in the last five weeks."
I nodded. There was no use in keeping that information from her. It doesn't matte tor whom I've offered my services previously. "Yes, I have. I was looking for a partner."
"They have been captured," she said, leaning a bit closer. She was trying to intimidate me, but it didn't work at all. Okay, maybe it worked a little, but I wouldn't let her walk over me like that. I threw my hands in the air.
"That is beyond my control," I said. "I always found a way out, they did not. But really, who wouldn't leave if the alternative is joining them in Mighty Max?"
"Would you abandon me?" I opened my mouth, ready to swear I would never leave her as long as I lived, that I wouldn't just abandon her when the heroes showed up. I closed it before I did say anything. From over Nox's shoulder, I saw her.
You know her. It's impossible not to know who she is and what she's done in her short yet eventful career. Even if she's famous, people tend to stay out of her way. She is rather dangerous in her own specific way. Don't make her angry – you wouldn't like her when she's angry. If that happens, hang on for dear life or you won't make it. This emotionally unstable girl walked straight for us.
Nox must've seen the distress on my face. There was no other reason why she turned around to look at the blonde hero who had just entered the street. There was no audible reaction, nor could I hear lady midnight mutter things that might betray how she felt with this ambush.
"I know I'd find you here," Spark said. Her hands were already, well, sparkling, ready for an immediate attack. She glared primarily at me. I don't think I ever wished one of the heroes to recognize me as Kaz's brother, especially not this one. I got ready to defend myself for anything the blonde might throw at me, hoping she'd rather take down the villain in our midst.
"So, you've found me," Nox said. she folded her arms as I strategically placed myself behind her. You know, just in case Spark would attack. "How?"
"I followed that idiot," Spark said. at first, I didn't really react. then, I realized she was talking about me. I rose an eyebrow, quite disappointed in her.
"Excuse me, idiot?" I said, "I'm not—"
"Hush," Nox said. I stopped talking, but I did finish my rant in my mind. Here's what I could've said: I am not an idiot. I never was, and never will be. Maybe some idiotic moments, but never truly an idiot. If anyone's an idiot, it's you! You have no idea why I'm standing here. If you think it's for fun, think again! I left that behind me a couple of months ago.
"It doesn't matter," lady midnight continued, then turned her head to me. "Prove your worth. Defeat her and we have a deal." She smiled at me. Spark, on the other hand, downright glared at me. I now had a difficult choice to make. I blacked-out and panicked (I can't fighting Spark! I can't drop my act!), so my mind did what it had been trained to do since the very beginning: do as the evil woman says.
"So I'll have to fight her…" I said, trailing off. Then, I sighed. "Yeah, I'd rather not punch women or set them aflame or—"
It's not like I had a choice in this matter. Nox wanted me to proof my worth and Spark would just love to kick me in my face for what I've done. I had a feeling she'd actually do it, if provoked. Before I could finish what I was saying, a stream of sparks hit me. It knocked me off my feet and I landed a few yards back, on my back. I quickly lifted my head and I saw Spark coming closer to me for another attack.
I got back up as fast as I could. I held my flamethrowers tightly in my hands, bracing myself for another impact. Before I could talk her out of attacking me, she did what she'd just done to me. I stopped it, by firing my flamethrowers in the direction of the sparks. We both kept this up for a while before we broke off our separate streams.
I noticed she had to generate some energy – this might have exhausted her. He looked at her.
"Dang it, Spark," I said, "We're on the same side!" We have been for a couple of months now. She knew I made a switch of alignment, decided to be good, so that might be why she attacked so fiercely. I never told anyone – except Titanio – what I was doing. I wanted to help, but didn't know how. So I decided to take baby steps of progress and to go undercover, offer my flamethrowers for anyone who could pay and see what would happen if I told the heroes that by tracking my phone, they could get villains behind bars. I always could escape – they let me go, to my next target. Spark didn't know that.
I didn't wait for an answer. I started to walk in the direction where Nox was going to. She'd done some horrible things in the past, but her more recent acts of violence and murder is what caught my attention. Cruel deaths which could have been prevented if she hadn't blinded the victims. It was one of those incidents that never shows up in the comic books, because how could the heroes know this happened because of a villain? How could anyone proof Nox was behind it? That's why I sought her out in the first place. I know Ambrose is watching, if only because Spark just came here, and he could let the whole world know such a similar incident in our comic book world happened because of Nox.
As soon as I wanted to go from walking to running, Spark stopped me. She tripped me, so I fell flat on my face. I could only turn on my back to see a stream of spark trying to push me deeper into the concrete. When she was done doing that, she decided I haven't had enough and punched me multiple times. I covered my face, as to protect it. For such a young girl, she did hit me pretty hard.
"Go after Nox!" I yelled – I couldn't care less about lady midnight hearing what I had to say, "She's getting away!"
"So you can get away?" Spark said, then shook her head. "I don't think so!"
"No! Go after Nox!" I yelled again, but Spark already proved she didn't listen to anything I said. I started to hope she recognized Kaz in me and to realize I'm a good guy. That hope was shrinking with every passing minute, since she saw me as a traitor, part of an infiltration bent on taking down the heroes from the inside. And she just couldn't stop punching me.
"She's already gone." Spark stopped hitting me, giving me the room to recover from the many punches. We both turned her heads, though she was faster – I was a bit slow because of what she's done. Spark stood back up to face whoever got here whie I was still turning my head. We both recognized the blue exoskeleton suit.
"Titanio!" I exclaimed, though it was less loud than I expected. "Oh man, I'm so glad to see you!" I don't think I was ever happier to see him than at that exact moment. Spark looked at me, confused – why should a criminal be glad to see a hero? But then she looked back at the League of Heroes leader.
"You let her get away?" Spark said.
"I couldn't see her," Titanio admitted, "She could've walked right past me, she could still be here for all we know. She's still gone." I would've cursed loudly if I didn't get a couching fit at that moment. I was afraid I was coughing up some blood with it. luckily, I wasn't. I can tell you, it's not a pleasant feeling and really bad for the morale.
Titanio then focused on the second part of this mission: me. He looked at me, then back at Spark, folding his arms for as far as that was possible in that ridiculously clumsy suit of his. I thought of putting my arm in the air and wave at him, but I didn't. I couldn't move my hands away from my stomach and head.
"He's on our side," he eventually said. Spark's eyes widened.
"He's still on our side?" she said, "But he betrayed us—"
"So we can capture some villains who are still on the loose." Spark and Titanio them found themselves arguing about what role I played and whether I was indispensable in this operation or not. Me, I found comfort in imagining I fooled her, even if it meant I made her mad at me. Yet, at this point, I didn't even know whether I liked her to be on my side. But I'd rather have her as a hero than a villain. She'd be too much of a problem if she'd be evil, anyway.
"Can one of you call Fred?" I eventually asked them. "I think I need it."
Titanio did that, as Spark glared at me. I didn't need words to know she blamed me for letting Nox go. She didn't want to listen to my explanation and was acting very unreasonable. It wasn't my fault, anyway – I would have eventually contacted Titanio to come and 'ambush' us. If anyone was to blame for Nox's escape, it was Spark.
Fred soon arrived and took me in his invisible ambulance back to the hospital. Kaz and Oliver were not surprised to see me arrive, only to see me as a victim. One of Spark's, no less. They didn't treat me, fortunately – they were not qualified enough to help actual humans with no powers recover if there was any physical injury. No, a professional doctor helped me get better. When I could go out again, I went to villain number six while Kaz, Oliver and Skylar were still caught up in a complot involving Mr. Terror. Our lives continued separately, but every time I saw Spark after that unfaithful day, she would glare at me. I don't think she'll get over something that could've been easily avoided if she'd just listened.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why Spark can't stand me: because I was doing my job as a good guy. And that is also why I don't like her: because she's blaming me for something that's her fault.
Hey guys! I've waited long enough to share this one-shot with you. I know you've been wondering why Spark doesn't like Kenny and vice versa. I knew all those time and finally, I've found the inspiration to actually write it down. I know it's a bit short and rather fast, but there really was no need to drag it out too long. Chronologically, this takes place between Incinerator I and II. Also, I think this will be a good time to announce there'll be more stories in the future featuring Kenny, including an "Incinerator III" and (possibly, still deciding about this one) an untitled Elite Force Christmas story. Stay tuned for those: they'll come once I've finished some other stories.
Well... I hope you enjoyed. See you next time!
-Writer207