Pathological Vigilante 5 - (The Incredibles x Pixarverse, Syndrome!SI)
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I lack creativity. This was something that Mai had told me when I introduced to her the name of the amazing super-suit I had built for my debut in the world of supes.
The 'Iron Kid Mk.1' suit was quite the copy of Iron Man's Model 2 in appearance, but it was fairly more prepared to handle the hazards of modern/urban villains.
That and its energy battery being quite infinite.
After getting enough 'pocket money' from my inventions, I managed to get enough materials to pull a similar enough experiment to the one used by Tony Stark in the MCU to create the new element.
I succeeded in creating something of the kind but... it wasn't as unlimited as I had hoped it to be.
Depending on the size of the 'battery', it can easily burn away if the drainage was too extensive - so I had to work again to get a bigger battery to handle all the major functions of the suit at maximum capacity.
The process took months and, without me noticing, I was already 12.
The true element of 'displeasure' was the name - Iron Kid. Admittedly, it was a tentative name but... I am really that bad with names, am I?
Sure, I could bring up some cooler names like 'The Metal Child' (Kind of generic), 'Astro Boy' (Japan is coming for my ass), or even 'Ultimate Robot-Guy' (Am I even trying?!). But then, that would be too risky.
What if I risk of running into copyright? And I mean 'in-world' copyrights. To my delight, Marvel is not a thing in this world and thus I could parade myself as both 'Iron Man' and 'Iron Kid' whenever I wanted.
The size of the suit was adultish, which contrasted with the term 'kid', but I had decided on playing it as 'I am just a kidder' sort of situation as to keep the name going until I was old enough to be addressed as a 'man'.
Mai said it was stupid, and I wholeheartedly agreed with that sentiment.
Still, after getting a few kinks worked up and going for a test flight a few days ago, I was ready to make my debut.
And... it was fairly bland.
I didn't face any supervillains, but I did face a couple of thugs around Metroville. Stopped a few ongoing robberies, helped with a fire or two, and then I was back home to check out what my proto-computer had recorded of the suit's performance for this first patrol.
The data was... right! I couldn't help but cry as I had effectively created the first personal computer yet- if not something far more robust with a processor that could match those of fifth generation with a few more upgrades.
The suit's data presented some issues I spent a hour before dinner to fix, and I came to the evening meal to see my parents discuss about the 'odd super situation' that had unfolded a few hours earlier.
Despite feeling a bit cheesy, saying my name allowed for the news to get it right - 'Iron Kid, the first of a new Generation of Heroes'.
And sure, some of the more pro-government representatives and news outlet saw fit to attack me as a 'child trying to play god' or 'someone that should focus in growing up as a future inventor rather than waste my time in heroics'.
But the opinion that mattered to me the most was the one from my parents.
Mom was supportive, while I couldn't get much from dad. It wasn't like he loathed heroes so I could at least be at ease about that possibility, but he had been fairly neutral over the law banning heroes.
My first sortie didn't seem to get much of a reaction from him so... I thought he was fine with it and rolled with the next patrols.
Mai was aware of what I was doing and it would be fair to say she was skittish about it. She supported me, there was no doubt in that, but she worried about my wellbeing.
Let's just keep it at: I had to face her red panda form way more than previous times for a few months before she slowly settled back to her normal pace.
And while I got accustomed to the matters of superheroics, I kept track of the ripples behind my current efforts.
While I really didn't mind the mixed reactions, what worried me was what response the government was bound to adopt.
Either a hardline stance which may threaten my chances of an early entry in the world of supers and force me 'into hidings' with my hero identity, or I was going to be let off as a 'tentative issue'.
Vigilantism wasn't exactly forbidden. People with powers could still save folks or help around if needed, it was just the assemblement of proper heroes that represented a crime.
Hence why I could technically be 'ignored' if I didn't try to escalate things too much. If I kept myself at 'street-level', that should be it.
I had no intention to push up to higher levels until I felt confident I could keep my ass out of trouble even if I went out of line, so I was confident things were going to keep chill for another year or two but...
I should be careful with what plans I plotted - for trouble can easily come from the most unlikely path.
Evelyn Deavor was a nerdy girl at 12.
She didn't have anything fascinating going on for herself beyond helping her father in his workshop. Devtech was the leading industry in the West Coast when it comes to electronics and media, and it was going to eventually pass down to her and her brother Winston.
Some may see this as the source of future resentment, especially since the two Deavor siblings were the opposite in terms of personality, but... she loved her brother. And her brother loved her back in return.
They helped each other many times at school and she hardly had any issue with his good luck with people - not when he had some of the saddest grades one could ask for if he wasn't tutored by Evelyn herself.
Still, of the many things that she could have expected, see a super in action was not one of them. Even more intense was the situation that led her to make 'first contact' wich such an entity.
A robbery at home. They had their security grid which had caught onto the van smashing through the gates of their manor.
It had been a sudden circumstance, but everyone rapidly moved to their safe rooms. The servants would be fine, but the family didn't have the means to reach their own and were forced to hole up in the living room.
Their father, Jeremy, had mustered a special communicator that he had been given by Gazerbeam and Fironic to call upon them but... none came.
Their mother, Samantha, tried to remind the patriarch of the Deavor family that no hero would come to their rescue, to wait for the police, but Jeremy had also noticed one thing Evelyn had spotted.
These thugs were using heavy-weaponry: these weren't the common criminals.
Winston had tried to join with their mother to stop their father from doing anything stupid, but Jeremy argued it was an issue of range.
He had easily doubled the reach at the expense of his distress call being caught by the criminals' radios and prompting them to rush faster to find them.
Noticing the error of his way, Evelyn saw her father ready to act as a human shield and protect them from harm but... then something caught the girl's eye moments before the thugs arrived to the living room. Something- no, someone had arrived.
He flew fast, red and gold his armor, and she remembered about the newly-introduced Vigilante she heard at the news.
"Iron Kid," She whispered in remembrance, Winston turning to her as they both soon stared at the cameras' footage.
The thugs had noticed the rushing hero, trying to shoot him but being stunned at the sight of the armor deflecting the bullets.
Iron Kid didn't waste time, punching hard and blasting just enough to painfully render unconscious the group of delinquents.
Moments passed, Evelyn felt her heart to her throat, drumming and shuddering as she finally saw the floating armor finally push the living room's doors open.
He landed down, behind him the criminals had been bundled up in a reinforced net.
"Greetings, Deavor Family. My name is Iron Kid. Is anyone here injured? I have a First Aid Kit if needed."
"W-We are fine," Samantha muttered, the children sharing a glance as their parents did the talk.
"Are you truly real? A new hero in town?"
Their father sounded overly-joyous. The only times he would speak like this was when Gazerbeam and Fironic were mentioned. And now? He seems to have a new favorite hero.
"That's correct, good sir. Now, if no one is injured I will take my leave. The police is on its way, so you will have no issues with the thugs. So long, good citizens!"
And he flew back and out of the entrance doors.
The entire Deavor Family was shocked, each member with their own reactions.
Jeremy and Winston were ecstatic, the former due to finding out a new generation of heroes had begun while Evelyn's brother was just happy of meeting a proper hero himself.
Samantha shook her head, but she couldn't deny a relieved smile at seeing that the worst was finally over.
As for Evelyn... she was unable to keep the image of Iron Kid out of her mind. Not because of his general appearance, but the 'substance' behind the suit.
Any good technician could tell that the suit was hi-tech. It was well-armored, enough to withstand high-caliber bullets, and it had the means of keep a stable flight even in a fixed point. The propulsors and the available electric tools were also- how was he sustaining such a suit?
A micro-nuclear reactor felt the easiest guess to throw at the problem, but Evelyn could tell there was more to it. No, it wasn't the Atom to fuel such a powerful suit, and she could tell that this was the first of many grand steps into a greater innovation - the new generation of heroes...
She could become part of it if she put her best into this too!
AN
The government is very, very sadge. Especially since rich folks now wants heroes back. And because super-villains are still a thing.