For far too long I have been mocked.

For far too long I have been insulted.

For far too long I have been humiliated.

For far too long I have been IGNORED…

No more. I could no longer take it.

I called together JAGOW after using my powers that I inherited, and with their power and mine, I succeeded in doing what nobody else had EVER done before…finally removing Blue, Sylvia and Joe from the superhero buisiness!

But then it all went horribly wrong. That dumb kid, Nicholas Michael Grey, got involved when I asked for a human family as a sacrifice to double my powers, allowing me to expand them to the world HE calls home.

I told my men a lot of lies, but I also left out a lot of things. Like I left out the fact that I was planning on killing them as soon as I had the power from the family, and as soon as Nick was dead. But neither has happened.

So now I have to do things MY way.

I WILL become the only one true hero…no stupid wanna-be is going to stop me!

Just he wait…just they ALL wait!

You'll see…

YOU'LL ALL SEE!

"Wow, that's quite the sight." Nick said.

It was a huge, ENORMOUS, castle. More interestingly, the castle was located on what appeared to be a huge floating island, and right behind it, a twirling kaleidoscope of colors, an infinite horizon, as if a black hole of colors had taken up residence. It made Nick dizzy just looking at it. And leading up to the island…a long, twisting stairway of colored glass.

Nick ran up the stairway two steps at a time, up to the front door of the black, gold and blue castle. He walked up to the huge double doors and opened them up.

There was a HUGE hallway, and at the side was someone who was obviously a butler. But this wasn't just ANY butler. It was…

"Black Joker?"

"Well look who finally showed up. Welcome to Movieland Castle, home of the Director's power and the apex of Movieland's great resources." "Huh?" "This place has got so much power it's BLEEDING it. The whole place, anything within a fifteen mile radius, is constantly mixing up reality with fantasy, which is weird even FOR Movieland. It used to be harmless, you know, like butterflies turning into doves when you tried to touch one and stuff, but now it's gotten eerie."

"Okaaaay…" "Oh, and your family is somewhere in the castle. The master moved them away herself. If you wanna find them, start looking in the doors." "Something weird behind the doors?" "Well, this IS Movieland Castle. Behind every door is the enterance to the world of a movie, from made-for-TV movies to cult classics to new releases. There's even a few previews rooms, they're located across from every bathroom." "Okay, then. And I don't suppose you know WHERE my family is?"

Black Joker, who looked very uncomfortable in the butler suit, shrugged. "No clue whatsoever." "Okay. See you later."

Nick walked off, heading for the nearest door. He opened it up and stepped inside, into a dark room, flipping on the light.

"Oh, wow." He said. "Star Wars."

He was floating in space as Tie-Fighters and X-Wings zoomed around. He walked to the left and found himself facing down Yoda.

"I sense much fear in you." Yoda said wisely.

"Uh…you seen a scared family and a black-haired teen anywhere around, probably being threatened by a dangerous female?"

"Ah, yes. Beware you must. Trouble she is."

"I'll bet. But powerful am I."

"Use the Force…and try checking down the hall."

"Oh. Thanks!"

"No problem, hmm-hmm."

Yoda nodded sagely. Nick bowed and began to walk back.

"Oh, wait just a moment, young one!"

"Yes, Master Yoda?"

"If see you E.T, tell him: Owe me fifty bucks he does."

"I will." Nick said, leaving.

Taking Yoda's advice, he walked down the hall and opened the first door he came to. Then he immiedately closed it and looked back into the other hallway, yelling at Black Joker.

"You could have warned me there were porno flicks in this castle!"

"Porn movies are movies too…"

"Darn you, Yoda!" Nick said. "Okay, I'll try another door."

He opened the door across from that one. He was now watching…oh! Ol' Yeller!

Fifteen minutes later…

"Oh god, that mvoie always makes me cry…" Nick said, as he exited the door, sniffling. "Poor old yeller! That son of a bitching bear! I would have shot it! And if I'd had a gun…"

He opened up another door. He looked around. "Animal House. Nice."

John Belushi was sitting at the table, cauliflower in his mouth. Nick knew what was gonna happen next and ducked. PLORSH!

"I'm a zit. Get it?"

Nick laughed so hard he got the attention of the patrons in the diner. He excused himself and walked down the hall, still laughing. "Aw, man…I love that movie." He opened the next door and went in. Freaky…he seemed to be in a closet of some kind…no, it was the kitchen…wait…this kitchen looked familiar…

CRACK!

Nick turned around and saw Jack Nicholson's face poking through an axed door.

"Heeeere's Johnny!"

"AAAAAA!"

He screamed, running out the door and closing it. "Why, oh WHY did I watch the last half an hour of that movie?" He moaned. He walked down the hallway and found a twisting staircase that led upstairs. He walked up it, and then saw ANOTHER huge hallway…but he could hear singing, and he saw…snow? Yes, it was snow, slowly drifting from underneath the doors! Nick ran to one of them and yanked it open. Could it be?

YES! A hallway of animated Christmas specials! The Grinch was carving up roast beast in this one, Snow Miser and Heat Miser were doing a duet in that one…oh! Rudolph! Nick couldn't resist it, he ended up running right over to Rudolph and petting him. "You rock, Rudolph." Nick said. "Thanks!" Rudolph said. "Hey, you seen Charlie Brown around here?" "Oh man, that guy's got an entire hallway devoted to him! Take a right at the end of the hallway, go past the bathroom, and then take a left and you'll find him." "Thanks. My man, Rudolph!" "Word." They knocked hands and hooves, and then Nick left the room, following Rudolph's directions.

He passed the bathroom, then remembered…

The prieviews room was right across from ALL the bathrooms, right?

Nick opened the door across from this one and took a look in. There was a huge screen, with a large array of buttons in front of it, located on a table. Each one had the name of a movie that was going to come out. Nick pressed on that sounded good, "Super Size Me".

Da dum…

"It's hard for me, to watch him do this…"

Da dum…

"These, these numbers are outrageous…"

Da dum…

"You're killing yourself. You'll die. You're gonna die."

Da-da-da-da-da-da-da…

"I want more. More-more-more."

"You gotta STOP."

DA! DA DA!

"Wow. Nice movie by the looks of it." Nick said. "I'm gonna have to check that out when it gets out on DVD."

He picked another one, labeled "Star Wars III".

"Wooooowwwwww…" He said when it finished. "Awesoooome. That Grievous guy is creepy, but…cooool! Anny going bad!"

Leaving for Charlie Brown's hallway, Nick ducked into a room, and was witness to a classic "Peanuts" scene…poor "Chuck" was about to NOT kick the football. Lucy van Pelt took away the football at the last moment and Charlie Brown landed on his back in a painful fashion. Worse still, Linus and Sally were watching from afar, both looking really annoyed at Lucy and feeling sorry for Charlie. Lucy was smug, as usual, and poor Charlie groaned as he tried to stand up.

Suddenly Nick felt it.

He was ANGRY.

He had always HATED when mean cartoon characters made the lives of decent, nice characters rotten. From the comics to Saturday morning cartoons to books…he had NEVER liked it. He'd always taken it personally…

And now…he could vent the anger.

He grinned and walked over as Lucy was talking.

"Well whatcha' think of that, Charlie Brown? I was .5 seconds faster than I usually am!"

"I'll tell you what I think, Lucy van Pelt! You're a bitch, and I'm gonna belt you one!"

Everyone was suddenly surprised by the teenage boy who picked up Lucy by her skirt and slung her over his back. Lucy was paralyzed in dumb shock for all of five seconds before she started whacking her small fists against Nick's back, to no avail. Nick walked over to Snoopy and held Lucy out. "Give her the biggest kiss you can muster." He said to Snoopy, grinning.

Pooch smooch!

"AAARRRGGGHH! Dog germs! I've got dog germs on me! Icky-icky dog germs!" Lucy ran down the sidewalk, screaming at the top of her lungs. Nick gave Snoopy a pat on the head. "Good dog. VERY good dog."

Then he looked over at Charlie Brown. "Hey Chuck, where's the "Kite-Eating Tree" that gives you so much crap!"

"Over there." Charlie Brown said, suddenly smiling. Nick eagerly walked over to the tree, which quivered in fear. Nick grinned and pointed at the tree. "Your day has come, tree! TIME TO ROCK! HENSHIN!"

Transforming again, Nick then activated MACH SPEED and ZOOM, and in a few minutes, the Kite-Eating Tree was up in flames, burning to dust. Nick grinned and clapped his hands. "My work here is done." He said. Everyone, especially Charlie Brown, jumped up and down, cheering.

It's over…it's oooohhhhverrrr…

Charlie was HUGGING Nick, he was so happy. "Thank you, thank you, THANK you!" Nick de-transformed and shrugged. "No biggie. Hey, I'm looking for my family. Seen them around?" "Well I heard they were at the end of my hallway, in the room with the HUGE double doors." "Cool. See you later, Charlie Brown. Don't go changing." He gave Charlie Brown a hug, then left the room, heading down the hallway and walking up to a large pair of double doors. "Well…here I go!"

Nick opened the door and stepped inside. It was dark, for sure, but there, to the left of a huge, plush chair that was turned around, was his family all tied up and looking like they were about to scream. When they saw Nick they broke into huge grins and cheered. "NICK! You finally came! Get us outta here!"

But Matt had something else to say.

"Nick, be careful! The Master, she…she can do freaky stuff!"

Nick nodded. "Okay, Master, who are you?"

The figure sitting in the plush chair began to laugh insanely…then she wheeled the chair around.

Blond hair…blue eyes…blue dress…NO glasses…

"Oh my God…Goldie, Sylvia's twin sister!"

Goldie glared at him. "You know, in your incredibly short career as a superhero, you've ruined a whole lot of really clever plans, you stupid kid!"

"Goldie, why on Earth would you want to do this?"

"Because of people like HIM!" Goldie pointed an accusing finger at Nick. "Huh?" Nick and Dave said at the same time.

"Oh sure, after the game was released, I wanted to be a real superhero like Sylvia…but…but I hadn't SEEN the game. When I saw the extra part that I was in, how I was portrayed…"

Nick knew what she was saying.

"Oh…but weren't you TICKLING your sister in that opening part of the game?"

"Yes, I was! But idiotic, ignorant, sophomoric people like your brother thought I was doing some kind of sex act! They thought I was a lesbian, and that Sylvia was bisexual! For the record, we're not lesbian OR bisexual." "Okay…but who cares what some idiots think?" "Because "some idiots" accounted for 68 of a Movieland poll who were asked as to what they thought I was DOING in the beginning of the game bit I starred in!" "Wow…you mean you polled people to find out what they thought you were doing, and most of them thought…gee. That sucks out loud."

"Yes…and I got SICK of it! Being humiliated…and then being ignored! Getting no game time! Getting so few lines in the movie…I get no more than five. FIVE! I'm practically a fking extra in the movie you went to see!"

"Oh, gee, I'm sorry…" "I don't want any PITY!" Goldie snarled, standing up. "As a daughter of a director, I've got incredible power, and now that I'm here, in the home turf…my powers are AMPLIFIED. I can do ANYTHING!"

Nick grinned and took up a battle pose. "We'll see about that! TIME TO ROCK! HENSHIN!"

He transformed, and rushed forward with MACH SPEED, cape trailing behind him and fist flying forward…

Goldie snapped her fingers.

KABANG! Nick was back in civilian clothes. Nick gasped. "How the…what in the…you can't…" Then he saw it.

His v-watch was broken on the floor.

Nick knelt down and cradled his broken v-watch, which had helped him out of so many tough scrapes. Saved so many lives…done so much good…and now it was all broken. "My v-watch…" It shone no more. Nick lowered his head, shamed. Goldie laughed. "Now then…where was I? Oh yeah…I was gonna destroy you!"

Nick's family gulped.

This…did not…look good.

Meanwhile, outside…

Joe and the others were speaking with Black Joker. "Nick already ran inside?" "Yep. He wouldn't be stopped. He really cares about saving his family. I forgot to tell him that Goldie could break his v-watch if she concentrated enough."

Sylvia wiped some tears away. "I can't believe Goldie betrayed us…" Blue nodded sadly. "If only we'd seen the signs…" "We should have tried to include her more in our jobs…she was just as skilled as Sylvia…" "You should have listened to ME!" Alastor growled. "I told you all time and time again that she was ready to go on the big missions, but you always left her behind, and she had so much time on her hands she conducted that dumb poll…"

Suddenly Rachel spoke up. "Wait…this castle…it contains Director power in it?" "Yeah…" "And you can't call up another v-watch for us, right?" "And the villains are…well…you know. According to the rules, villains don't get v-watches, and Alastor only had one to bring out his dormant powers, which he now has total control over." "Yeah, I'm all good, but Nick…Nick is in trouble. How are we gonna help him?"

Joe was silent. He thought and thought. Then, an idea popped into his head.

"Dad-in-law…could you use your director's power…uh, with Sylvia's help of course, to uh…make some stuff that could make Nick stronger?" "Well…I can't summon up a better v-watch, if that's what you mean…" "No…not that. You once told me that the v-watch only brought out the hero within. Is there something else you could make that would bring out the hero within Nick?" "Well…maybe there is…but I need something to focus on…something that his heart could respond to…"

Alastor blinked slowly. He thought hard. Hulk Davidson began to hum.

"Would you stop-" Alastor suddenly froze, and then he snapped his fingers.

"That's it! I know what'll help unleash the hero in Nick!"