Legal information: Neither author owns anything, and we are poor. So if you must sue us, expect to obtain our livelihood: An expired public library membership, and a ratty pair of running shoes.
Oh yeah, also some instant pudding mix.
Shiney: Thanks for everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Remember, while food may fuel our systems, (And videogames rot our souls), we need reviews to keep us writing, so don't be shy. Here's a new chapter to the story, which should help shed some light on our heroes.
Chapter 2: Origins
Johnny had been through the ringer once or twice before. That was not the problem, the problem was the blood that filled her mouth, the way her body burned with pain, how she could feel the strain in her muscles as the tangy copper coated her gums. Johnny remembered what had happened the way the night seemed to call to her and a scream of terror rang shrill through the night as if a siren had screeched it's dying breath. She lightly sat up against the wall and her head hung her shoulders sagged the blood running from the cut across her head the way the blood dripped she swore she could feel her heartbeat in her skull. Her eyes looked up at her assailants and murmured something vulgar and proceeded to spit out the blood from her mouth.
She had responded to a call for help, like any other cape she jumped into action and busted in the dark walls of brick seemed like an invitation to crash through but less damage less questions for her roomy to ask. She decided it would be wiser to use the door on the roof. She not only thought of the building but she had just put on clean clothes which consisted of Shorts with a green camo pattern with a grey hoodie with no pockets for her hands, the hood up that she had no sleeves, leaving her arms actually exposed showing that she was a hero of sorts. She wore simple nikes that did nothing to hide the other with the circuitry that crackled green with electric energy. She sighed as her finger flexed as she got ready to do something stupid. She looked down and knew she would hurt if she fucked up her jump. She sighed took a few breaths and turned around and walked back of steps. Johnny turned in a blur and sprinted towards the end of the building and leaped forward across the gap aiming for the other roof. She could see the gravel, how it looked like it, how it would tear through skin, the electric box the antenna and other such things one would find on a roof. As she leapt she had managed to actually over-jump her target and cursed as she actually hit the wooden door that went downstairs. As she closed her eyes she heard the hinges snap off and she actually went down on to the door she had hit on her side as slid down the stairs at rapid descent and when it hit the bottom step Johnny went through another door. Instinctively she held her head to avoid unnecessary damage.
'Sir Percival' was already there as Johnny finished her tumble down the stairs, dazing herself to a stupor somewhere in the fall. Quickly checking on his friend, he noted her pulse, and amazing lack of broken bones. He straightened himself up, drawing his sword. It was bitter-sweet by definition. Where he knew that he and Johnny were both heroes, he despised the lengths she had gone for her powers, yet envied the power. He loved the fact that they were going out and doing the right thing, yet he envied her sincere motives over his mercenary. He loved nearly everything about what she had done, and tried his best to imitate, only creating a corrupted image of her deeds. As he heard the thugs coming in, he started to think of the exact things that lead his friend, and through her, him down their paths…
It was a while ago, back in Paragon City. Price, a friend, hoping to be more with a wonderful girl with a boy's name, honestly didn't know how to respond. Johnny was in his house, sobbing her eyes out. It had been recent news, just this afternoon. Amanda, Johnny's best friend had died today. One of those few 'special needs' children who always seemed all the more powerful for her weakness, Amanda hadn't let crutches slow her down, and her natural charisma and positive attitude made everyone like her, without exception. It had been sudden, a drunk driver. There had been no warning, it had been one of those cheesy Japanese imports, racing along almost faster than you could see, smashing Amanda, who was barely two feet away from Johnny, completely unharmed. It had been horrible, and Johnny had been ruined. Price had been planning on confessing that he had feelings, and that he was willing to learn to be the person she wanted, despite his lack of social skills, but now, it looked like all that was in ruins.
As Johnny Appleseed slowly got to her feet, she shook her head to make sure the scene wasn't some hallucination. There was some freak with a sword wearing a bandanna literally taking the thugs down, despite catching a few bullets in the cramped hall. Sir Percival fought onward, his mind walking down a different path than his body.
Johnny was dead. Not literally, but inside, a large part of her had simply curled up and faded away. Price knew the signs, he had taken several psychology courses. There was nothing to be done though, but the lengths she had gone to were… Extreme. She had gone to a state of the art research firm, and literally signed away her life to them. She had sold herself to them, body, and soul. Eager for human experiments, they started trying to create successful weaponized electrical cybernetics that wouldn't be rejected by living tissue. With a four percent chance of survival, she lived. And then, experiments completed, and with nothing else to live for, she turned to the hero path, seeking out a living and sating her horrible emotions in the violence she inflicted on others. Also, she saw it as a way to stop anyone from violating the law. But price didn't know this. All he knew was that she had become a true hero over the course of a few months, pulling herself together and becoming stronger than ever. She seemed more wonderful now than ever, but all the more out of reach…
Now, these thugs were used to rookie capes who fought with weird tools or in unusual ways, but the ones with swords usually had weird powers like speed, or regeneration, but this guy just stood there. They could see that he wasn't one of those invulnerable types from the way he was bleeding, bruised, and marred from the fighting, but he kept on moving forward, cutting through them like a thresher through wheat, despite bullets, brass knuckles, and knives. Then Johnny began to join the fight, and they broke soon after seeing the electrically powered brawler enter the fray again. With the thugs fleeing for their lives, the two heroes looked at each other again, hard green eyes that gave away nothing meeting red lenses that showed nothing. "So," Johnny said after a long moment. "Who the fuck are you?" The kid in long blonde hair gave this flamboyant bow as he sheathed that sword on his back. "I'm Sir Percival. You'll have to forgive me, my shining armor is in the shop." Johnny scoffed, wiping a small trail of blood from her mouth. "Funny, it's good to see someone with a sense of humor in this hellhole." Percival just shrugged, praying that his 'singing' voice would be different enough to keep her from recognizing. After knowing a cynical asshole with hardly a care in the world, it was hard to put that voice to a sincere and heroic tone. "Take care, all right?" The Blonde asked her, and Johnny nodded, not wanting to admit that she had been brash, but knowing she'd do the same stupid thing next time. Johnny walked off, and Percival waited once more, before going about to loot those who were unconscious, dead, or too messed up to resist. Meanwhile, his mind began wandering once more.
Price fumed as he stalked his apartment in paragon. There were burn marks in the living room carpet and walls, the kitchen as trashed entirely. His bedroom had a collection of knives, clubs, and other miscellaneous weapons rammed into the walls and furniture, and the only thing that seemed unharmed was a corner computer desk. He turned, his hand snapping towards a pewter statue of the Eifel Tower, which in a moment, turned out to be an elaborate knife as it found a spot embedded in his mattress. It wasn't fair. He was afraid, he couldn't take those insane risks like Johnny had, to become powerful. A four percent chance of survival wasn't for him. But he hated himself, hated his weakness, he had to get power somehow. It might be selfish, but he couldn't help it. Seeing Johnny rise to power, overcoming every obstacle in her path was inspiring, but also infuriating to someone with such an inferiority complex like Price. There was talk of a new program to relieve San Francisco, but that was months off from being official, but it meant opportunity for rookie heroes like Johnny. Finally, from a clarity born of desperation, he realized that there was a way. Not the best, not even real, but it was something. He sat down at the computer, and pulled up his search engines, both domestic, foreign, and the illegal variety. Quickly, he began to search on a number of topics. Kevlar was expensive, but it would be necessary. Lead lined glasses were harder, but possible, performance enhancing drugs? Not yet, but maybe later. And there were books, manuals, techniques… Finally, his bank account almost fully depleted, he sat back in his four hundred dollar office chair, and swiveled around to look at his wall. There was one weapon left in its proper place, lording over the others on a proper mantle. A silvery European sword, kept in fine condition, and bearing an inscription in European characters that no one alive today read without a degree in language and history. A few of the words on the ancestral sword stood out as price stared at it. "Pervical Aprhees…" He muttered to himself the archaic version of his family name, Price. A few long moments passed, and then, for the first time in years, he gave a genuine smile.
Author's Note
Shiney: Well, there we are, another marvelous chapter. Whee. Seriously though, by all means, keep on the reviews. Constructive criticism helps, positive feedback inspires us to write more, and flames make us laugh at stupid people, so go on, give us something here. Thanks to our readers out there!
The-Tramp_Truffle: Well said. Any way we have had three reviews and appreciate them very much and hope more people take notice and we'll give back more super human actions! Tune next time Children.
