Blood, Sweat, and a Face full of Dirt.
Limo traveled through uptown then stopped at the top floor of a skyscraper. A trap door at the top of the building opened letting the limo slip down into a parking area. Once the limo had landed Dash exited the vehicle and stood by the door waiting for Circe. She exited the vehicle and headed for a door that looked plain, but had a unique feeling to it. Dash followed in step behind her with the butler also falling in step behind him. It seemed strange that the butler followed him instead of being in front of him, but at the same time, the back of his mind knew that he was in the place that was demanded by rank. This feeling whispered to him that the butler was some how lower then him in rank. Circe opened the door and stepped through to a world hidden by magic. What the room may have been like before was now lost in the amazon like jungles. Dash was going to continue following Circe until a furry hand grabbed his shoulder. He turned to see that there was a creature standing in front of him. It had the body of a gorilla, hands and feet of a bear, and the face was that of the butler.
"This way, Mr. Brenton." The butler said in a dire tone, while indicating a path that was hidden in the brush.
Dash headed down the path followed by the butler who didn't make a sound despite his large size. They entered into a clearing that held a large manor of strange creatures. All the creatures and at least one thing in common, they all had humanoid features. It seemed like all who are in the clearing were thrown in to a blender with a few animal along with them. From the group separated one that looked like a centaur.
"Brother, who is this you bring into your grove?" Said the centaur as he came to a prancing stop.
"This is the new blood, brother." The butler said with a bow to the centaur. "This is the one that the master wants to be trained in the uses of his new body and magical abilities."
The centaur looked at Dash and had a look of respect and vengeance on his face. "So this is the new project that we were assigned to." The centaur said, with slight hint of venom in his voice, to the butler while looking at Dash.
Dash stopped paying attention to the two creatures talking about thing that didn't concern him. The feeling of the jungle un-edged Dash, and it was not from that it was in a building to small. He was dead or something like it; if the structure was bigger on the inside then the outside didn't matter to him. In stead he felt out of place, similar to a reflection on two pieces of glass where one was slightly off from the other. This was a world of supernatural phenomenon; it just wasn't his world of supernatural phenomenon, which caused the nervousness to appear. His attention snapped back to the world when both creatures had finished the conversation and were looking at him. Dash looked at them absent mindedly and with a shrug of his shoulders he asked. "What?"
He had regretted saying that since only after a few minutes after he found himself running through the brushes. He felt heavy since the butler was standing on his shoulder and he felt like he was going to be crushed by the weight.
"Tell me why I am running with you on my shoulders?" Dash said huffing with each step as he ran down the path.
"In order for you to become accustom to your new body we must put it though its paces. " Replied the butler as he absent-mindedly` peeled a banana.
"And how is me carrying around five hundred pounds while running through a jungle putting me through its paces?" Dash replied as he jumped over a high tree root that was sticking out in the middle of the path.
"It's quite simple since your body is no longer human." Began the butler as he paid more attention to the banana then Dash. "Your body has qualities of animals themselves that is similar to us. Until like us however you do not take a mixture form of those animals. This training is for you to realize your powers. The power of a rhino, the speed of a cheetah, the stealth and weapon of a panther, the wisdom of a wolf, and finally the venom of a cobra. To put it simply you are not to different then a splicer."
"Yes, but how many splicers you know who had to go through the same experience as me?" Dash replied while breathing a little heavy.
"Just think of it as delayed investment." Said the butler as he through the finished banana in front of Dash path.
Dash realized something was up when the butler jumped off his back and into one of the trees. A normal banana would just trip a person if it were stepped on just right. This banana however was not normal and would stick to Dash's foot and would always be stepped on just right. At the speed Dash was going there was very little he could do since the butler jumping off made him run at a much higher speed then normal. Dash was forced to use what ever he could in order to stand up right while the banana and him moved across the jungle floor. Behind his wild sightseeing tour of the space between spaces was the butler who was directing him with one of his bear claw fingers. Dash had thought the ride had stop when he gripped a near by tree with his claws that shot out from the tips of his fingers. Despite his best effort this was to in vain since from the claws carried a venom like substance which broken down the bark of the tree continuing his joy ride.
Cruel training like those continued for another week each one as hard as the next. They ranged from: running through a jungle as logs where dropped from above while carrying eighty-pound bags of sand. Running on all four with a weight on his head pushing it down into the ground. Slipping on a banana peel while balancing on a log floating down a river, and finally fighting continuously for twenty-four hours with out rest against ten opponents at once.
Once he had finished that course of hell he moved on to a tougher course of hell. He moved on to a tougher training, learning on how to control his magic. His lessons where taught by not some creature like the others in the grove, but by an old man wearing a brown trench coat covering his face with shadows. His torso was covered in white linen bandages that wrapped around him. His hands were also wrapped in the same linen clothe but had metal clasps on his wrist that where stained black. He also wore a pair of baggy blue pants that were wrapped at the bottom with a brown leather strap that was used in addition as warping for his feet. There was no doubt that the man was old, but since he body was covered in mummy fashion style he wasn't sure if the man was mummy or a living being.
He first read over fifty book, scrolls, and stone tablets on the subject of magic. From there he spent another day in mediation on the rules, principals, and why are they set in place. His answer was that they were there in order to keep a person from getting killed. From there is was nothing but practice, practice and practice with the added benefit of the training from before thrown in to make it seem more inhumane for those who are inhuman. Once the 2.0 version of hell was finished the butler walked up to Dash who was sitting down on a fallen log that he had knocked over by throwing a guy who looked like a rhino into it.
"Mistresses Circe wishes to speak with you in her private section of the jungle." Said the butler with a bow to Dash.
"Very well, I shall go see Lady Circe immediately then." Dash said in replied as he stood up with a towel hanging down over his shoulders.
As Dash headed down the path he stopped to pat the butler on the shoulder then continued onward. A few feet afterward he landed his back for what seemed to be him tripping on something. The butler went to say something then fell to the ground with his body paralyzed from hitting a few nerve endings as he patted him on the shoulder. He jumped up and avoided a small object similar to a silver ball barring. He looked over to the butler and called out.
"Nice try, but you need to think of what your opponents need to do next."
The reason Dash did that was because he knew that the other creature did not like him. The butler had dropped the object in hopes that Dash would step on it. There was definitely some one with there face in the dirt and for once it wasn't Dash. He head down the path and waved over his shoulder at the place where they hated his guts. He walked down the path ready to move on instead of weighting in the place that he figured was hell. He walked down the path with a quick stride kicking his legs up in a hurry to get his normal life back.
New Age, New Life, and Same style.
Circe's private area was a structure similar to a pantheon found in Ancient Rome. The white marble pillars were decorated with green of vines that had taken root in the cracks. There was slight hint of roof from the crumbling mortar above him, but the ever blue, magic, sky shown clearly above him. As Dash entered, he saw Circe lunging on cushion eating grapes that were feed to her by a serpent like creature. Over by a corner of the ruins was a fountain that a few mermaids sat playing instruments. Dash took a slight glance at the mermaids as he walked to the center of the room. They wore a white toga that hid their finned feet and legs. They had long hair in shades of blacks, blonds, reds, and browns. Around the hair were copper colored bands that held their hair in place. Their hands simmered blue, green, and red from the patches of scales that covered them. As they played they sung beautiful song that would capture the heart of a mortal man. Thankful due to his training he knew that the mermaids where in fact Sirens, the ancient race of humanoid monsters that lead sailors to their doom.
"You called for me Lady Circe?" Dash said with a bow as he stood before her.
"Yes I did Dash." She replied absent-mindedly as if Dash wasn't there. "Now that your training is finished you shall enter Gotham city and locate a former follower of mine. " With a wave of her hand she motioned the serpent like creature forward to give Dash a packet. The reptile humanoid waddled forwarded and handed Dash a data pad with information concerning his target. Even though dash was out of touch with existence for some years he gained a brief crash course on the technology of this age. He flipped through the pad see that his target is some where in Gotham and that traces of his power where found in a Jokers prank known as white wash. He finished his brief glance through the pad and turned to Circe.
"Is that all Lady Circe?" He asked respectfully.
"No, that is not all." Said Circe as she now turned her full attention on to him. "As you may recall there are certain parties that wish to keep in the dark of my continue existence. In short, after you leave this building we shall cut all ties with you. We will continue to be in touch via outside sources and transfers of credits from unconnected companies. You shall be given a place to live from one of these companies along with other necessities needed. On top of that you shall be sent to a place in which rumors and persecution breed at a rapid pace. But first," She said with a snap of her finger. "You need some work clothes."
Little did Dash notice that the music had stopped form the Sirens. Around him the Sirens begin to circle holding a type of magic in their hands that glowed a white with a blue hue.
"Now girls if you would please give him some working clothes." Circe said lounging on her cushions.
As the Sirens circled him they let the glow of magic wash over him. The magic forced his clothes to change form. At first they changed form of a classic super hero getup. It was white and red while Dash felt that he was forced in to a rubber glove.
Circe glanced at the suit and shook her head in disapproval. "No, that will never do." Circe said with a slight of disgust in her voice. "It's to old fashion we need something more original then that."
This continued a pattern of displeasure for all the clothing, suits, and armors that were forced around Dash's body. The costumes he found himself in ranged from: a cowboy suit, a hooded cape with the classic super hero look, one with out the hood, an animal fur costume, and a armor that could only move with a burst of flames from his magic.
After three hours had past Circe left to tend to a matter leaving Dash and the Sirens behind. The Sirens were exhausted and still could not find a match for Circe option. Dash had been watching Circe reaction with each piece of clothing he tried on. After three hours he now had a rough idea on what Circe would agree to. He turned to the Sirens who were resting on some benches and began to explain the idea that might free them from this tiring job.
Once Circe entered the room and was in her normal lunging position she command the continuation in the search for Dash's work clothes. The Sirens began to move around Dash once more changing the fabric to metal as the new clothing took shape. As the Sirens stepped back Dash was wearing a metal like armor that resembled roman armor. The main body color was a deep crimson red with gold trim along the edges. His gauntlets covered his hands and allowed his claws to slip through. His boots and hand covers also looked similar to that of a giant cat. Finally was the mask he wore on his head. The mask's three points were to change the focus making him have a more wolf like appearance. His brown hair that is normally covering his eyes was pointed back in to two points. The hair color changed to a brilliant red with strips of blond that held a golden shine. His eye to the viewer looked white given him an extra detail for people to remember him by and not when he is with out it.
Circe looked at Dash with an inquiry look. She sat there and gave a long a dramatic pause before saying that she was pleased.
"Now Dash Brenton, I shall give you your codename. From today on whenever you wear that armor you shall be known as Thalássios Fo̱tiá. Do you under stand this Dash?" Circe asked in a almost serious, but still annoyed tone.
"Yes, Lady Circe." Dash replied with a bow to her.
"Very well then, this ring I am going to give you will allow your costume to appear at will." With a way of her hand she sent the serpent to give the ring to Dash. "Now you shall take your leave from this building and find the traitor and remove him from the picture. I shall give you a seal to place on him which would work as well as killing him." With those words the serpent also produce a piece of paper with runes around the edge of a circle. "One last thing before you go my agent." Circe said with a pause. "Your ring will also direct you to location that might lead you to your target. Now you will take your leave." Circe snapped of her fingers, which created a smoke to form up around Dash. Once the smoke had disappeared he found himself inside an apartment room. On the table there was a note that read. "Welcome to your new life Dash Brenton, don't forget you have school in the morning."
First Day On The Jobs.
Dash spent the last few hours of the night sleeping before it turned to dawn and he would have to head out for school. His alarm clock went off telling him that he needs to get up or he will be late. Dash smashed the clock with he new found strength and rolled out of his bed. He was somewhat tired, but the day had only just begun. Dash put on the same style of clothing that he wore when he was incinerated almost sixty years ago. He grabbed a sandwich from the refrigerator and walked out of his single bedroom apartment. It was nice for a single person; it had a fully stocked kitchen, a bathroom, and living room with a couch and TV. All and all, it was perfect for some one like him.
He had to take one of the cities monorails to get to school on time. The place was named Hamilton Hill High School. Dash was expecting the normal experience that a person could find in any high school. Jocks, Nerds, Geeks, Preps, and a few other groups could of formed while he was gone for sixty years. He also knew that he wasn't going to fit in since he saw the world through at least two different views. That didn't matter know since he was alive again even though the person holding his leash was a one of the greatest super villains of her time. That did not make him feel any better. Well compared to that high school should at least be a breeze.
Dash walked through the front doors and ducked right as a football went passing over his head. Another person caught the ball and threw it back to the first person.
"Not even a five minutes and I am already going to have my first run ins with the jocks." Dash thought to himself as a jock with red hair and wear a number seven on his shirt through the ball once more. Dash lifted up his arm and grabbed the ball from the air. "Yo, Jocks." Dash said in a load tone so that he could be heard by the jocks who where throwing the ball. "Don't go throwing something that can hurt someone."
The Jocks looked at him like he was a ghost or something since they where rarely interrupted in this kind of manor. The one jock walked up to him and pointed to the large green number seven on his shirt.
"Do you know who I am?" Barged the jock.
"No I do not." Dash replied unimpressed by the jock's rash behavior.
"Well then I'll tell ya. The name is Nelson Nash, the greatest athlete in this school." Nelson boosted in his arrogance.
"Well, good for you. Now if you don't mind I need to find my classes." Dash said as he pushed Nelson out of the way while forcing the football in his chest.
"Why I might have to teach you a lesson in respect." Said Nelson dropping the football while he reached out to grab Dash's shoulder.
"Easy there Nelson." Said a figure that had just entered the scene and was grabbing Nelsons's hand. "Acting this way early in the morning is so unschway. Besides, you wouldn't want to be causing a scene that would get you kicked off the team before the game on the week end."
"Get you hand off of me McGinnis." Nelson said pulling his hand back then pushed Terry to the side. "We'll settle this latter new kid." Nelson said as he tried to pass by while sticking out his shoulder. Normally comparing sizes a person would think that a thin guy like Dash would be run over by some one like Nelson Nash. That would be turn in most cases, but Dash has a strength that can be described as a rhino charging through a brick wall. As Nelson pasted by he felt his shoulder crash into the thin Dash. If Nelson didn't move he might have bruised his shoulder against the unmoving wall of Dash.
"Sorry about the raging bull over there." Said Terry who was holding his hand out to Dash. "The name is Terry McGinnis, and I have to say it was pretty brave of you to stand up to Nelson Nash."
"Dash Brenton, and I didn't get along with the jocks in my old school to, so I am used to it." Dash said as he shook Terry's hand.
"Well, my advice to you is to steer clear of them if you don't want to end up as gym paste." Terry stated as they began to walk down the hall.
"Dually noted." Replied Dash with a shrug. To him it didn't matter since he had fought of tougher looking people and also learned more then a few dirty tricks in his time at the wall.
"Well this is my stop." Dash indicated as he stopped at the first class room they came to.
"Alright then, I'll catch you later." Terry replied over his shoulder as he continued to walk down the hall.
Dash had nothing eventful happen to him during class however at lunchtime it was a different story. He was in the lunch line when he noticed Dash and his group approaching from behind. They were most likely to do the old flip the lunch tray in to the face routine. He waited at the credit station before dropping his chit on the ground. He bent over and looked at Nelson, this caused them to hold their advance a few seconds letting Dash finish paying and turn around to face them. He ignored them and started to walk past them, and then Nelson went to reach out and grab his shoulder. Dash took a step to the side right before Nelson touched him making it look like Nelson shoved him by the shoulder.
"Watch it you big, lumbering, oaf." Dash exaggerated while putting a little more emphasis in to his back steps while adding this at the end. "What did your mother raise you on a trough?"
Nelson seemed a little confused at the words he used since they were uncommon in Dash's day even less now.
There was a laugh from one of the people in line. The laughter emanated from a female who had darker skin tone and wore a yellow shirt. Her hair was also a pink, she continued to laugh since she was the only one who knew what Dash's lashes where about.
"Hey Nelson, are you just going to stand there and be called a pig." She said with mocking tone at his dumb founded look.
Nelson turned to Dash with a rage building up to a volcanic eruption. "Did you just call me a pig?" Nelson asked in excusing tone.
"No, of course not since pig have a much high IQ score then you." Dash replied in the mocking tone that would drive the nail home.
Nelson lunged at Dash almost as if he was wild beast throwing out the window of their limited sanity. Dash side step Nelson creating a large gap between them. Each passes that Nelson took Dash sidestepped and cried out "Olé" while holding his lunch plate up in the air. Around the tenth pass Nelson starting to get dazed and would only be able to do one or two more charges at him. Dash position himself so that the next pass Nelson took would place him in front of a vat of an unknown food substance that Dash took for as brown gravy. Nelson charged at Dash but was once again dodged by Dash's light toes. Nelson stopped at the edge of the counter with vat lid open on the other side of the low counter edge. As Nelson turned around, with the room spinning around in his head, he saw Dash walk up to him. Dash stopped in font of him and gave out a dramatic puff up of his checks and blow out a large puff of hot air. To a normal person it was a cartoon knock out of blowing on the person, but Dash used heated the air causing Nelson to jump back into the vat with surprise. A cheer went up from those in the cafeteria for one of three reasons: One was because Nelson was humiliated; two was that they no longer had to eat the brown gravy substance; and finally was that revenge was taken out on Nelson for some of the nerds that happened to them not long ago.
Dash spent his lunch with Terry and his friends. He found out the girl who knew what he was saying to Nelson was called Max. There was also Terry's girl friend who's name was Dana. There were a few more of Terry's other friends where coming as well, but Dash didn't stick around. He had a few things that needed to be done before last period, so he left to prepare. Once last period came around he took his sit placed, a note on the teacher's desk, and pulled out a pillow and placed it in front of him. Some of the students were curious why he was doing such a thing. Dash only replay was just to wait until ten after. Once the clock hit ten after his mind automatically clocked out as his head hit the pillow. He slept until sunset and woke up to the teacher sitting at his desk. The teacher wanted to test if what he said in his note was true and not some kind of ruse to get out of class. Since Dashes body did everything that was explained in the note the teacher was less doubtful of him and let him go. Dash walked over towards the monorail stop but continued down until he reached an alley. His ring that allowed him to change in to his super hero persona was relaying directions to a warehouse in old town that was creating the chemical known as white wash. Dash made sure that no one was around living or dead before turning to his ring and bringing it up to his lips and spoke.
"I am the fire that burns in darkness, the flames shall force evil to flee into the light." Dash said to the ring. Its response was the crimson stone turned into burning red haze as his clothing changed into the red armor and mask. He taped the metal boots on the back ally wall that resounded back to him. Dash looked at the wall and took a few steps back aiming a v-line up the side of the building. Using is combination of strength and speed he ran up the side of the wall leaving small indents where a metal spikes shoot out to give him a better grip. Dash hit the rooftop and burst to his full speed racing towards the edge. He jumped of the edge created a trail of flames from his hand to increase the area of his jump landing on a build across the road that was little higher up.
"That is so rad." Dash said as he looked down at the ground far below him. Now Dash turned to the direction of old town. Old town was Gotham that didn't change with Neo-Gotham. Most of old town was run down and bordered up. The people that lived in old town were mainly homeless, runaways, and a few Jokers and other lowlifes. Bruce Wyane saved it to be a historical district of the city. Some parts of old town had already started the renovation, but most had a long wait.
Dash landed in a ruined building of an old theater that was in front of his target. His information said that the building was a warehouse, but all he saw differed from what the report said. Instead the building was an apartment building that been renovated to fit as a shipping area in the back. With that Dash headed to the top of the build via running up the side of the wall. By now the Neo-Gotham shined like a beacon against the black moonless night. Dash stocked the rooftop and found a door that was bolted shut across the door. This wasn't a problem as Dash used his claws to open the door by slicing the bolts. Little known to Dash, a joker was on the other side of the door. The Joker's jaw dropped as Dash entered through the broken door. The Joker was so shocked that he didn't have a second to call to others. Because the next second the Joker was knocked you from a kick to the head. Dash entered through the building and found himself in lab areas set up in some of the old rooms. Any Joker he found he removed with his stealth and a few well placed strikes. Dash stopped in front of a hole in the floorboards and listened to the conversation below him.
"Ya boss, they both just disappeared after that request we had received." The voice came from a Joker that he recognized as the giant from the alley. "What should we do if we happen to find them?" Said the Joker as he continued his conversation. "Understood sir." The Joker hanged up the phone and yelled up the stairs.
"Oh, well." Thought Dash as he jumped down on the giant Joker. Dash brought his elbow down on the back of the Joker's head knocking him out, but this altered the other thirty Jokers in the rooms near by that they where not alone. Dash ducked behind cover as flurry of laser fire came shooting into the room that he was taking cover in. He created a ball of fire and thrown it out towards the Jokers that were trying to flank him. A few more, well placed, fireballs cause the Jokers to scatter creating an opening for him to slip through. The three Jokers in his path were no better off then a lion would be to a rhino. His shoulder plow caused the Joker to be thrown into another wall as Dash ran right through it. Most of the Joker where already flee since they saw the fireballs and him running three others through a wall. Using his enhanced speed Dash was able to catch another twelve Jokers that where trying to escape. He had finished tying up the Jokers and started looking for clues when he heard a voice behind him.
"It seems that I missed the party then." Dash stopped and began search for the origin of the voice. Above him batman decloaked and dropped down to the floor.
"I don't know who you are, but you are messing with my investigation." Batman designated with a firm tone.
"Well I am afraid that you are trying to involve yourself in a world beyond your understanding Batman." Dash said with the same amount of force.
"I am afraid that you have me at a disadvantage in name, and what do you mean 'beyond my understanding.'" Terry said in a cross tone as Batman
"My name is Thalássios Fo̱tiá, and that is all I am going to tell you." Dash said as he pushed past Batman as he pocketed a small gray rock that he was looking for.
"Hold on, your not going any where until a get some answers." Terry said as he grabbed for his arm.
Dash didn't take well to being man handled by anyone. He pulled his arm away and made a move of a leg sweep on Batman. Terry landed on his back with an "Oof," and responded with his own leg sweep as he jumped to his feet. Dash fell backwards crushing the table behind him.
"Like I said your not going any where until I get some answers." Batman said with confidence as he stood over Dash in his armor.
Dash heard a voice from the ring telling him to retreat in his head so that he wouldn't be discovered. In his mind he yelled back that he could handle this, but he was cut short by the voice. He looked at Batman with a disapproving glare.
"Epacse Ym Ediug, Eralf." From his hand a bright flash of white light blinded Terry allowing Dash to escape. Dash lunged through the window off the second story and headed from rooftop, to back ally, to rooftop. He moved like a fly searching for a placed to land, never staying in one direction for long. Meanwhile back at the building Terry had started to regain his sense of sight.
"Was that one of yours to?" Terry said in pain over his suits radio to Bruce Wyane who was watching the exchange back at the cave.
"No" Replied Bruce is his normal cut and dry tone. "But, it looks like we have some training to do. Head back to the cave and I will explain to you then."
"Roger that." Terry confirmed as he shook his head trying to get the black spot from his vision gone.
"By the way Terry your mother called. She would like you to bring home milk again, but this time to remember it." Bruce said as he gave a small smirk.
Terry gave a sigh as he climb out the window and headed for the Batmobile. "Great now comes the hard part of remembering it." Thought Terry as he entered the Batmobile then gave another Roger that to Bruce before leave the building.