A/N: Greetings readers and writers of the Wonderful 101 archives. Allow me to formerly introduce myself as The Dimenssionalist. I have found this small section of the archive and have decided to join you in building this small group into amazing archive I know it can be. I've also come to rule it as king. So yeah, check out the new forum I've set up here and I hope you enjoy the things I write here. I know I'll be enjoying your (sorry, I have to use this pun) wonderful stories. All hail King Dimenssionalist!
Wonderful Origins: Beetle Begins
John W. Wallace was stationed in his favorite place in school: the science lab. When you're obsession with beetles causes most people to avoid or make fun of you that's where you end up spending most of your time. Most of the kids of John's elementary school were outside playing games that failed to interest him. He had far better things to do with his time than play ball games or run around playing tag or anything else his classmates were doing. He was currently involved in a much greater activity: becoming a beetle.
John had taken a variety of chemicals and lab equipment from the school's science station and set all of it on a large silver desk made for a group or three students. The next thing he did was unzip the bag filled with science equipment ordered from multiple online sites and set those on the desk as well. The last thing he needed was his trusty friend and soon to be sidekick: Hercules. Reaching into his bag, he grabbed a small glass container which was home to John's best friend, the aforementioned Hercules. John emptied the container and let the horned beetle roam the desk as it pleased.
"Get ready Hercules. Soon I'll be just like you. We'll leave this school and defend the Earth as super heroes. I'll be Beetle Man! And you'll be my amazing sidekick!" John told the beetle.
The beetle made a near inaudible sound and turned to face towards John as if recognizing the boy said something to it.
"I know Hercules. You want a super hero name too, but unlike me you don't need one. Besides, Hercules is a pretty super name as it is."
Something of a few months ago, John had decided it was his life's purpose to be a superhero. Having grown up on comic books such as Batman, Spider-Man and Superman (although at some point he decided he liked Marvel comics better due to his favorite hero being Spider-Man), he longed to have a life like the characters on the pages. He wanted super powers, he wanted a secret identity, he wanted to fight evil and be a hero. His love for comic book heroes was matched only by his love for beetles. John found beetles to be the greatest living things ever. They were cool looking, they were fascinating and they were near invincible. After rereading one of his Spider-Man comics, paying extra attention to Peter Parker's origin story this time (a part he would normally skim over as he wanted to get straight to the superheroing), he was struck with a brilliant idea. He would become a superhero himself. If a normal nerd like Peter Parker could become an insect themed hero, then why couldn't he? From that day on, John planned to become a super hero just like Peter Parker with a few alterations to the origin story of course. Instead of being a simple, socially awkward nerd who was bitten by a radioactive spider, John would be an antisocial genius who created a radioactive beetle to turn him into the greatest superhero ever: Beetle Man.
In the months that would pass, John prepared himself for his self-proclaimed destiny. He saved up his allowance to buy all the chemicals and lab equipment he could. He constantly researched information about mutation, beetles and genetics. He practiced bravery by running into his basement at night without any lights (he also practiced endurance by falling down the stairs). After two months had passed and John was left waiting for his equipment to arrive, he decided his training was complete except for one thing. He needed to be mentally like a beetle. If he were to have complete control over his beetle powers, he'd need to know how a beetle would use them. That's when John began researching a new topic: hypnotism.
John knew that the only way to think like a beetle was to force the beetle instincts into him. He purchased a beetle shaped pendulum and took weeks of online classes to master the art of self-hypnotism. Once he deemed himself ready, he loaded a subliminal message tape made by himself and used his pendulum to put himself into a hypnotic trance. We he woke up, the first thing he did was let his beetle friend, Hercules, out of his container.
"Good morning Hercules. How are you doing?" John asked, almost instinctively as he would've asked his mother on any morning.
"Good. How 'bout you?" Hercules answered.
John couldn't believe it. He could talk to Hercules. He could talk to beetles! After that moment, John redoubled his training. Now that he could talk to beetles he was getting helpful advice all over Manaus! The beetles all over were giving him tips on how to be a beetle themed hero. After another month, his equipment arrived. It was finally time for him to turn Hercules into a radioactive beetle, and for John to become Beetle Man.
That brings us back to the beginning where John had laid out everything he had needed for this to work. The only problem that had turned up was the issue of time. John was too busy mixing chemicals to notice the minutes ticking away until the bell finally rung.
"Oh no! We're running out of time Hercules!"
"Don't worry John. You already have the right chemical mixture. All you need to do is run off somewhere to finish mutating me." John found the Hercules was always full of good ideas. That's what would make him a grand sidekick.
Heeding Hercules' advice, John grabbed Hercules, the beaker of chemicals far too dangerous for children and ran out the door before anyone could stop him.
Despite being a small kid standing at a mere 57 inches, he was a fast runner. He speed down the halls and ran outside to the school's playground. He expected to find it empty so he could find a place to hide while he finished his project, but instead he found something else. Two kids, Adrian and Kaio, were pushing down a kid who looked a year younger than John.
"C'mon American't! Surely you have some money for me and my friend here. After all, you're in our country. Think of it as a host present!" taunted Adrian.
"I've already told you that I don't have any money." The boy being harassed looked like he was about to cry.
"But you're from the states! You live in a house almost the size of the school. Maybe if we hid you somewhere, your parents would pay to get you back." Kaio suggested before walking closer to the boy.
John didn't know much about the kids in his school, but he knew that bullying new kids was nothing out of the ordinary for Adrian and Kaio. Under normal circumstances, John would have just run off somewhere and pretend he didn't see anything but today was different. Today he would be a superhero. And Adrian and Kaio would be the first villains he brought to justice. Picking up the biggest rock he could find in the nearby area, he poured everything he had into throwing the stone at Kaio's head. After a quick second of flight, the rock connected with Adrian's temple, not the intended target but just as good.
Instead of knocking Adrian unconscious as he hoped it would, all it did was cause Adrian to bleed. And get really, really angry. Adrian whipped his head to see who he was about to kill and his wrath filled eyes connected with John's. Not even bothering to talk, the much larger bully ran for the meeker kid. Instead of running away and screaming like he normally would, John stood there preparing to face the bully head on. Once the distance between the two had closed, John raised his fist to punch but was cut off by a blow to his face. John's head hit the ground with his beaker breaking on impact and his sidekick Hercules' container shattering as well.
His target being on the ground defenseless did nothing to stop Adrian's assault. With John too low to punch, Adrian when to repeatedly kicking him in the face, leg and stomach. His partner Kaio walked up to the one sided fight to raid John's belongings. Kaio dumped the contents of the bag onto the ground finding nothing of interest. Then he saw the broken bug container and John's friend Hercules crawling about. Kaio scooped up the bug and showed him to John.
"Who's this, your girlfriend?" Kaio taunted. He then threw Hercules to the ground and repeatedly stomped on him.
John watched in absolute horror as his best friend was cruelly murdered before his eyes. With each stomp Kaio made, John's eyes were blurred with tears.
The bullies eventually got bored with John. After Adrian gave him one last kick, he and Kaio ran off hoping no one would find them. John just laid there crying. Crying about what a failure he was. Crying at the death of his best friend Hercules. He was too busy sobbing to notice two figures standing above him.
"Get up chap." Came a voice with a British accent. "We've got to get you patched up."
John looked up to see a man in a captain's uniform. Standing next to the man was the boy John tried to save. The man reached down to give John a hand. Reluctantly, John took it. Something about this man seemed trustworthy.
"I must say young man; I was quite impressed by your actions back there. You handled the situation like a true hero would."
"Are you nuts?" asked John. "I got beat up! Hercules died!" John pointed at the brown stain that used to be the strong Rhinoceros beetle, Hercules.
The Britain looked at the stain and deduced that Hercules was the bug that one of the boys stepped on.
"That is sad indeed; to lose a noble comrade on the field of battle. But know that his sacrifice was not in vain and neither was yours. Andrew made it out safe and sound and managed to alert me to the situation. I just wished I had arrived sooner." The man looked at John distraught face and knew that what he was saying wasn't working. He kneeled down, grabbed John by the shoulder and looked him in the eye.
"Son, what you did today is a true feet of heroism. It was two against one, you were outmatched and still you did what you could to protect a boy you don't even know. I can think of few people who would do what you just did if they were in your position." The man stood up and scratched his chin.
"Actually, now that I think about it, I can think of around a hundred people who would do what you did. Have you ever heard of the Wonderful One Double O?"
John replied he did. Everyone knew of the Wonderfuls. They aided the planet in the war against the evil Geathjerk. They were a team of amazing- no, wonderful superheroes!
"Well, as it would turn out, there are a few empty spots on the Wonderful roster. How would you like to join?"
John looked as if the man had asked him "how would you like a billion dollars?" He couldn't believe that this person was asking him if he wanted to be a Wonderful.
The man chuckled. "I'll take those oversized eyes and gaping jaw as a yes then?"
John barely managed to nod. Then, as if snapping back to reality, shook his head.
"I'd love to be a Wonderful, really I would but I'm no hero. I couldn't even save my friend."
The man took another look at the remains of Hercules before turning his head back to John. "Have you considered that maybe you could've saved the boy and Hercules if you weren't alone?"
John was puzzled. In all of his comic books, the heroes were always alone. Spider-Man, Batman, they didn't need help from anyone. John explained this to the man.
"Son, just because those characters on the pages can save the city on their own doesn't mean you can. The Wonderful One Double O thrives on teamwork. Without it, our Unite Morphs can't work. Besides, we don't need trained professionals or soldiers or anything, though they do come in handy at time, all we want are heroes with brave souls like yours. 'You provide the heroes; we'll provide the powers' that was our motto at some point."
The man reached into his pocket and took out a silver pendant. John recognized the Wonderful One Double O logo on it.
"What I'm trying to say is, we'd love to have you. We could really use you too. Are monitors have almost confirmed that return of the Geathjerk."
John thought about the man's offer. Could he really be a super hero? His eyes went to the boy he saved who nodded in return. John took one last look at the squashed beetle before grabbing the pendant.
"Glad to have you aboard. The name's Nelson by the way, Laurence Nelson. May I ask your name?"
John wrapped the pendant around his neck and felt a rush of energy flowing through him. The power flowed through his very head, looking into his subconscious, becoming one with him, until I finally surrounded him with the perfect wonderful costume and weapon.
Dawning his new costume and Beetle Gantlet, John let out a triumphant "Wonder-Beetle!"
Nelson nodded his head in agreement.
"I like it. Now follow me Wonder-Beetle. We've got work to do. We'll have to contact your parents, introduce you to the other Wonderfuls, start your Wonder training, give you your Wonderful exam…"
Nelson trailed on about work that John would have to go through, but John wasn't really listening. He was too excited about what was happening. He was a superhero now. A Wonderful! He was so excited he didn't notice when Nelson turned to face the boy he saved and said "By the way Agent Simon, I must thank you for your excellent scouting skills. I would've never thought to look here."
Simon raised his hand to his head in salute. Though he'd never admit it, he figured scouting for potential Wonderfuls in an elementary school in Brazil would've been a waste of time. He was pleasantly surprised to find one on his first day. He watched as the Virgin Victory descended from the clouds to pick up Commander Nelson and the newly appointed Wonder-Beetle. He stood there until the two boarded the ship and took off for adventure.
A/N: Not bad eh? I don't know why, but I really like Wonder-Beetle. If I had it my way, he'd be a main character. This is only the beginning of the Wonderful Origins stories I have planned. I'll be writing one for each and every Wonderful so stay tuned. Also, be on the look-out for my main Wonderful story: Wonderful Dark Future. It revolves around the Wonderfuls trying to prevent the horrible future Jergingha said would happen so hopefully that'll be a good read. So yeah, leave a review whether it be constructive, flame or just "I loved this; keep writing more my king!"
-Wonderful101 Archive King Dimenssionalist, out.