Defending Howie
Meanwhile back at Jamie and Bazooka's campsite the three happy friends had no idea that their peaceful meal was going to be interrupted. "Here Howie, have another hot dog," Bazooka fed Howie a hot dog on a stick. He wolfed it down happily.
"He likes it," Jamie grinned.
"Everybody likes hot dogs," Bazooka said.
"How sweet," A voice interrupted them. "NET CARD!" Suddenly a large net materialized and draped over Howie. They turned and saw a brown haired teenage girl wearing a purple and silver uniform standing before them. She had a deck of cards in her hands.
"What's going on?" Jamie shouted. "What are you doing? Who are you?"
"Permit me to introduce myself," The girl smiled. "I am called Tarot. That is because my power permits me to solidify any figure and object on my special cards and use them for my own purposes. Let me give you another demonstration. ROPE CARD!" She held out a card and it shimmered. Suddenly a rope appeared and bound both Jamie and Bazooka together.
"Hey!" Bazooka yelled.
"Let us go!" Jamie yelled.
"So it's not a mutant after all," A blonde girl wearing a same purple and silver uniform joined them.
"No but we can still find a good use for it I'll bet," Tarot said. "Where's Jetstream, Roulette?"
Right on cue a teenage dark skinned boy with curly black hair flew in just like Sam would. However his landing was much smoother than his as he nimbly landed on his feet. "Well I see you two have things wrapped up here."
"Yeah it's not really that much of a challenge," Tarot yawned. "A dumb animal, an immature mutant boy…and a lake serpent."
"You fly just like Cannonball!" Bazooka gasped.
"Please," Jetstream sniffed. "Don't compare me to that redneck!"
"You know about us?" Jamie asked.
"The Hellions know everything about all of you," Roulette crowed. "Both the X-Men and Misfits as well as GI Joe."
"Are you working with Magneto?" Bazooka asked.
"He wishes!" Tarot laughed. "What an amateur!"
"So what do we do with them?" Roulette asked indicating Jamie and Bazooka.
"Well, I suppose we can take the brat back to the boss," Jetstream said. "He is a mutant after all. The Joe…well that's another story."
"Understood," Tarot held another card. "SPEAR CARD!"
"NO!" Jamie's eyes went wide as the spear went straight for Bazooka.
Suddenly Howie threw off the net with a roar. He grabbed the spear with his teeth just in time. The spear disintegrated. Howie then bit through the rope. It disintegrated as well. "Thanks Howie!" Bazooka said.
"They're getting away!" Jetstream snapped.
"Lucky break," Roulette snapped. Black energy disks flew from her hands. "But their luck is about to change!"
All around them the disks collided with the trees and caused them to fall. Jamie and Bazooka barely dodged them. "She's got hex bolts just like Wanda!" Bazooka gasped.
"Not exactly," Roulette charged at them. "I have much more control than she does for starters." She sent out more energy disks at them.
"MULTIPLE RUN!" Bazooka ordered. "Of all the times to be without my bazooka!" He tried to call for help on his radio but one of Roulette's disks shattered it out of his hand.
"Not that it will do you any good any wayyyyyyyyyyy!" Roulette shouted as Howie used his tail to make a huge wave and drench her with water. "My hair!"
"Okay how about this card?" Tarot grabbed one from her deck.
"Oh no you don't!" Jamie shouted. He charged her and made five copies of himself. He tackled her and kept her from using her powers.
"Let go of me you little…" Tarot shouted. "HEY WATCH YOUR HANDS YOU LITTLE PERVERT!"
Meanwhile Jetstream flew off and grabbed Bazooka from behind. "Put me down!" Bazooka shouted as Jetstream flew off with him.
"Gladly," Jetstream snickered. "Have a bath!" He dropped him over the lake. Fortunately Howie managed to swim under him and pick him up.
"Boy Howie you really are a hero," Bazooka gasped. "We should make you an honorary Joe! Come on! We gotta get Jamie!"
"Get him off! Get him off!" Tarot screamed as Jamie hung on. Jamie saw Howie and let go, scattering her cards everywhere. "My cards!" Tarot went to pick them up as Jamie managed to jump on Howie's back. Howie created another tidal wave with his tail that drenched both Jetstream and Roulette.
"Let's get outta here!" Bazooka shouted. "Hi Ho Howie away!" They swam off down the river.
"HE FELT ME UP!" Tarot shrieked. "THAT STUPID LITTLE KID FELT ME UP! I'LL KILL HIM!"
"All this fuss over a dumb animal," Roulette sniffed. "Not to mention the lake monster!"
"This isn't about an animal any more," Jetstream snapped. "Nobody makes fools of the Hellions and lives to tell about it!"
I decided to base the cards Tarot has on my own set of tealeaf fortune cards I got on a whim. But she isn't mine anyway. Just my own insane tweaking of the character. Next up, there's a big battle on the horizon as the Misfits and X-Men finally learn about the Hellions! Don't miss it!
