Mission 056 - Danger Ahead - Metroville
"Fat guy poses threat to world insecurity. How hard can this be?"
Marluxia looked around a the towering skyscrapers, the vast, stretching monorail, the innocent inhabitants going about their daily lives. It didn't look as though there was much world insecurity at all.
"So where is this Mr Incredible?"
"He's a family man. Wife and kids. Lives in a place on the outskirts of Metroville. There's a lady, too - an "Edna Mode". Xemnas seems to consider her a problem, too. A few miles north of here there's a vast complex where she can be found."
"The name sounds familiar, " Marluxia said thoughtfully.
"There's a picture here. She's hideous. Anyway, we don't actually have to deal with her, just this Mr Incredible guy."
They made their way out of the city centre, through the sprawling suburbs, until they found the man they were looking for. He was bending over in the front garden, picking at weeds with ruthless inefficiency. As Larxene slipped out of sight, Marluxia smiled, and summoned his Graceful Dahlia, hidden behind the wall that he leant against, seemingly relaxed.
"Excuse me, sir?"
"Huh? Whaddya want?"
He barely hesitated for a moment before swinging the scythe expertly, aimin right for the man's head. Something stopped him and he realised that the man had actually /caught the scythe.
"They don't call me Mr Incredible for nothing," The man muttered with a frown. Marluxia hissed, banishing his scythe. It was with minute satisfaction that he watched the man lose his balance and stumble.
"Just a test," He said pleasantly. "You never know who's a hero and who's not these days."
The man mumbled something about scythes and being no way to greet a man, but straightened up and held out a podgy hand nonetheless.
"So you're a superhero too?"
Marluxia nodded with a smile.
"Allow me."
"He extended his other hand over the wall and called to the plans. The roses, previously so pathetic from indecent care, blossomed spectacularly. The weeds withered and died poor things. The man watched, his whole afternoon's worth of work completed in moments.
"Useful for gardening," He finally admitted, but Marluxia could easily read from his tone of voice that he wasn't convinced, and possibly a little concerned for Marluxia's state of mind. Pink hair and flowers tended to do that to people.
"Oh, you'd be surprised at that can be achieved with a creeping vine and a little imagination," He murmured, letting one slide from his sleeve and curl, lovingly, around his fingers. "And you. Strength you could never forget...?"
It'd have been nice if Xemnas had actually cared to alight him to that.
The man frowned a little.
"You'd better come in for a cuppa."
"Thank you. I don't suppose that you could extend your hospitality to my wife?"
Right on cue, Larxene stepped seamlessly out from the shadows to wrap her hands around Marluxia's waist. ("Wife? I'll kill you in your sleep.")
"Her name's Relane," Marluxia added, ignoring Larxene's snappish comment. Mr Incredible led them inside, oblivious.
"And your name?"
"Maria." Larxene quickly said before Marluxia had a chance. He glared at her.
("Maria my ass. I was Lu! Lu!!"
"Lu Maria."
"You're pronouncing it wrong...")
"Maria? That's... unusual..."
"A little gender confusion at birth. Pay it no heed."
Mr Incredible nodded with the vague aura of I-don't-understand-but-stop-talking-anyway. Marluxia knew those vibes well.
"So what brings you here?"
Larxene sighed dramatically.
"Oh, you know how it is." She said with a wave of her hand. "Us superheroes have to stick together, right? We ran into some trouble so we thought we could find a place somewhere else."
"We shan't stay long," Marluxia quickly continued, the perfect actor. "All we need is a little information - where we can go where we won't be stigmatised, things like that."
"Keep yer head down and you'll be fine," Mr Incredible said as he gave them each a cup of tea and offered them digestive biscuits. "But you might want to ditch the matching black coats. People will think you're villains, and that's even worse."
Larxene cast a furtive glance at Marluxia.
"Ah." He said on cue. "I see where you stand. I'd have hoped that- oh, it doesn't matter."
"Huh?"
Larxene smiled a cruel smile.
"Well, you see," She said, "We are villains."