At the Circus, Part 2
Note, the parenthesis indicates languages other than Japanese, in this case, English and German.
Please Read and Review. I'd like to know what I'm doing right (to keep doing it), and what I am doing wrong (to correct it).
Somewhere in the Moon
Scavenger's Lair
Level 25
"(A worthy acquisition!)" The Scavenger (1) whispered. "(This will be a potent weapon against the evil forces of the Enemy!)"
"(I am sorry, but at this moment, there is a better use for it.)"
Scavenger turned around, grabbing an energy pistol from its stand. He shoot at the voice. "(Intruder! An agent! The enemy has found a way to invade my base, but you won't deliver me to your foul master!)"
"(I have no time nor inclination to argue with you, Scavenger.)" The Phantom Stranger waved a hand, creating a shield to protect himself from the laser attack. A second wave of his hand, and a cloud of mist covered the floor of the museum-like base of the Scavenger, a place buried deep into the Moon, and protected by enough countermeasures to remain undetected, even from the sophisticated sensor array in the Watchtower, back when the JLA established their new base on the surface of the moon (2).
The bionically enhanced man fell to the floor, unconscious.
Floating in the air, the Emerald Eye of Ekron (3) turned towards the Phantom Stranger. The green iris seemed to lock onto his eyes, ever hidden in shadows.
The black pupil contracted and dilated.
"(No. I am not willing to be your next master, nor your next slave.)" The Stranger said with level voice.
A green beam surged from the pupil. It crashed against the Stranger's shield.
The mysterious man extended his hands, shooting back. "(You are needed. For the future is at risk.)" He said, increasing the force of his attack.
Tokyo-3 Auditorium
C.C. Haly and Norton Bros. Circus
06:04 PM
"That's all for now, folks! Mr. Miracle will escape a deadly trap as the main act tonight." Oberon's voice claimed, as he dangled the handcuffs the man had escaped from with a bit of (staged) difficulty. Mr. Miracle waved at the small crowd while Oberon continued his pitch. "Five sets of handcuffs! Three on his wrists and two on his ankles! Chains and rope! Three tons of gravel and cement hanging above his head! Steel cutting industrial lasers at his sides! Plus a tank of liquid nitrogen under him! A triple death-trap! Three ways he could die unless he manages to escape in time! Crushed, cut to pieces, or frozen solid! If your hearts are fragile, please leave the auditorium at the announcement!"
The crowd began to disperse. Shinji waited for a moment, while Oberon gathered the stuff used in the demonstration. Asuka began to tap her foot, eager to sample the food. "(Just a moment, Asuka.)" he asked her in German.
"(Very well, but hurry up!)"
"Mr. Oberon?" he said respectfully.
The old dwarf wasn't used to so much deference in civil life. "Yes, son?"
"I… I…" He hesitated momentarily, "I just wanted to thank you."
"Just doing my job, kid." The dwarf shrugged.
"Not just for this, sir." He pulled an old magazine from a pocket in his jacket. "For your service in the JLI." He showed the old Newstime to Oberon, who took it gingerly.
For a long moment, the man looked at the cover. It was the picture taken when the international status of the newly re-organized JLI was announced. Mr. Miracle, Scott Free, prominently featured, and right at the middle and front, Oberon himself, standing proudly at the front of the group, wearing a tailor-made suit. A lifetime ago. That old suit had been left at Scott and Barda's house, when he and Shilo accepted the Haley Circus offer as the main act in their world tour.
His eyes glistened with unshed tears. "I though no one remembered that anymore." He wiped his eyes discreetly.
"Would you sign it for me?" Shinji asked.
"Me?" Oberon looked at him incredulously. "Don't you want Mr. Miracle's autograph?"
"Well… yes, of course; but also yours."
"No one ever asked me for one."
"They should have." Shinji noted. "You've done more than your share of facing danger."
"Yo! Shilo! Come here! Call M'Raia!"
Mr. Miracle came out of the tent, somewhat alarmed. "Wha...? Something wrong?"
"Relax, kid. We got a fan here. Turns out the kid who helped us with the demonstration is a fan of us..."
"Really? Well, we are the best escape artist act on the world, after all."
Oberon showed the magazine to his friend. "He remembers Scott. The JLI."
"Ah, well, that's different." Mr. Miracle took off his mask, revealing a handsome face, of clear African descent. "That's my mentor on the JLI, kid. He is… you know… not around here anymore."
Shinji smiled sadly, and bowed, "I'm sorry."
"I'm sure he will come back someday," Shilo said, "he and Barda are fighting the good fight, I'm sure."
"Would you accept the next generation's autographs, young Ikari?" Oberon asked.
"Yes, please!" he smiled at the two. Oberon was the first to sign Shinji's magazine. Meanwhile, Shilo tapped at something on his upper arm. A pinging sound was clearly heard.
Asuka rolled her eyes, a bit miffed at the shameless display of fanboyism her fellow pilot now showed.
A tall, slender girl arrived, clad in blue armor and a red cape. "Kid," Shilo said, putting a hand on the shoulder of the girl. "This is M'Raia. Scott and Barda's daughter. M'Raia, he is Shinji Ikari. He is a fan of your parents."
"Really? Oh, thank you!" Impulsively, M'Raia bent down and grabbed Shinji in a crushing hug. "I thought people had forgotten them!"
"Hey, you!" To her own surprise, Asuka interjected, "Handle him with care! He is an Evangelion pilot!"
"Oh, sorry" M'Raia blushed, as she put Shinji back on the floor. "I lost control for a moment." The Section-2 bodyguards hesitated on confronting the girl, they had seen her effortlessly carry a car to the stage she performed at, with two full-grown men inside. And once the two men had vacated the car, the girl proceeded to turn it into a ball of steel two feet in diameter. Shyly, she asked, "Are you really a pilot? I've seen some footage of the fights and I… well… Could you give me your autograph?"
"Ah… uh… sure… But I'm not the only pilot here tonight!" He stepped aside, sweeping a hand to encompass the rest of the group. "I'd like to introduce you my fellow pilots. Asuka Langley Soryu, pilot of Unit-02." At the inquiring look of the carnies, he added, "The red one."
Asuka huffed and crossed her arms. "The best one."
Shinji nodded, a big smile on his face, "Asuka is our squad leader, and she has the most victories of us three."
She nodded, mollified. "Of course I do."
Oberon and Shilo exchanged a quick look. M'Raia shook Asuka's hand with eager enthusiasm. "It's an honor to meet you!"
Shinji coughed discreetly on his hand, "And Rei Ayanami, pilot of Unit-00, the blue one."
Rei bowed towards the trio. "Pleased to meet you." M'Raia released Asuka's hand, and shook Rei's.
"And at the back, three good friends of us, Hikari Horaki, Toji Suzuhara, and Kensuke Aida." Each one waved at the carnies as their names were said.
Oberon, Shilo, and M'Raia signed Shinji's magazine with a personal dedicatory. And the three pilots signed a blank sheet of paper, dedicating it to the escape artist team.
"Well, we need to go, kids." Oberon said. "We need to prepare our act." He passed some vouchers to the pilots and their friends. "Upgrade tickets, first row. Best in the house."
Shinji smiled so widely Asuka thought his head would split.
Tokyo-3 Auditorium
C.C. Haly and Norton Bros. Circus
Manager's Office
Lita Blake (nee Brand) looked incredulously at the bouquet of flowers a man delivered at her temporary office. Quickly, she read the card. She recognized the handwriting, and the message.
"(Okay, Uncle Boston.)" She addressed the air, once she had locked the door. "(I'm sure you're around. It's been a long time since last time.)"
In the spiritual plane, Deadman hesitated. He hoped his apology would be accepted.
Lita sighed. "(Iforgive you, Uncle. But, please, don't involve us in your adventures again, okay?)" Meaningfully, she put a portrait down. Deadman had examined it when he ghosted into the office. It was Lita, a man who could be her husband, and a teenaged boy who looked just like Cleve. His heart broke a little, thinking on how the boy had to grow without his grandparent, all because of his own hubris.
Deadman nodded, "(I hope I won't have to, kid.)"
Tokyo-3
Outskirts of the City
Cherry Flower Party Hall (Bar)
07:45 PM
"It's getting late." Misato announced, looking at her watch. "I'm going to the bathroom."
"Are you going to leave us alone?"
"Nope, you are my ride back home." She smiled back, walking towards the neon sign at the other side of the bar. Kaji watched her for a moment, thinking, 'High heels. How time passes by…'
Once alone with Ritsuko, Kaji observed. "We haven't really gotten together to get a drink lately, have we?"
"There are good reasons for that. Don't you think Misato has been drinking up a bit too much? I fear she's losing control."
Kaji leaned back, "Sometimes one has to lose control a bit to actually get it back. I'm sure Misato needs a day off, that's all. Release some steam."
"Being somebody who lived with her, I think your words carry a weight of truth."
"That was a long time ago, Ritsuko. A long time ago. She didn't even wore high heels back then. She was a great skater, though."
"We have changed a lot since we were in school."
"Indeed, we were just kids playing at being adults. What did we know then of real life?" he paused, taking a small bag out from his jacket pocket. "Here, I got you this. Something the cat brought for you."
"Oh, thank you. You're very welcome."
"With the ladies, yes. At work, not so much." He smirked.
"What about Misato?" Ritsuko asked while she opened the bag. "Won't you try to rekindle the fires of passion?
He shrugged, "She was very clear when she dumped me. At this point in life, I respect her choice. I won't push her for anything more than friendship."
"A pity, I think you have a chance now. You have grown up so much since then, you know?"
Kaji thought about it for a moment, and avoided the question, "What about you, Ritsuko? Are you seeing someone?"
She examined the coin, engraved with the image of a cat. "I never talk about my private life, Kaji. There's nothing even remotely amusing or endearing about me."
"She's taking her own sweet time…" Kaji demurred, "Just how much time does she need to powder her nose?"
"Hmm…" Ritsuko recognized the engraving style on the coin. "What were you doing in Kyoto?"
"Nothing, I got that from Matsushiro."
"Don't try to fool me, Kaji. You'll get your fingers burnt if you dig too deeply. I'm telling you as a friend."
"I'll take it seriously. But I'd rather burn in the fires of my passion for you."
She rolled her eyes, but before she could reply, Misato came back. "Should I get some fireworks and organize a stag party?" She sat down on her place. "You never change, do you?"
"Of course I've changed. It's an unavoidable part of life, just like death and taxes."
"Change and status quo. The two forces that rule our lives. I'd like to wax philosophical, but I have to go back home. I have a lot of work to do tomorrow, and I'd like to do it without a hangover." She picked her purse up, "Bye!"
Tokyo-3 Auditorium
C.C. Haly and Norton Bros. Circus
07:50 PM
Shinji's cellphone rang as he and his friends were standing on line to buy some snacks before the show started. It was a voice mail from Misato.
"Hey, Shinji. It's me. Please tell Asuka and Rei I'll be late. I'm going to stay a bit at the reception with Kaji. Don't wait up for me, okay? Have fun at the circus!"
Shinji texted an "OK. We'll text you from home later." back, and relayed the message to his companions. "It was Misato, she says she will be late tonight."
"Great," Asuka grumbled, "She will stay out until morning."
"Hey red, what's the problem?" Toji asked.
"None of your business, Jock-Stooge."
"Geez, relax. I was just curious, that's all."
Asuka huffed, but looking at Hikari's expression, she sighed. "I… apologize. I expected Misato to come back after the party. But if I know her, she and Kaji will come back really late. If they even come back tonight."
"Ookay." Toji conceded. "Tell you what, let's worry about that later, okay? They are both adults and they need some time to do adult stuff and all that."
A Pocket Dimension
Barter's Store
"(You took your time, Stranger, I was beginning to worry you wouldn't bring this thing here.)" Barter examined the Emerald Eye with great care.
"(I had to wait until it was brought close to Earth. It had been in deep space. Scavenger located it and brought it through a hole in the planet's protective web. It is no longer open. The Scavenger is now confined to his moon base for as long as the web exists.)"
Barter shrugged. "(How long will it last?)"
"(As long as needed.)"
"(Very well. In any case, it will do the job.)" Barter set the eye on a stand, and put a set of jewelled bracelets around it. "(The Piercer of the Veils is not yet at full strength. But I'll use the Eye to charge it. It will be ready soon.)"
"(Good. I'll come for it when it is charged.)"
"(I'll let you know when it is ready.)"
"(I will need to recover the Eye later, it has a fate to fulfill in a few centuries in the future.)"
"(You know the rules, Stranger. I will trade it back to you for something of equivalent value.)"
"(Of course. I look forward to haggling with you. But that will be later. Once this crisis has been solved.)"
Barter nodded. "(Something to look forward, yes. In the meanwhile, I'm in the mood for some tea. I'd appreciate the company.)"
Tokyo-3 Auditorium
C.C. Haly and Norton Bros. Circus
08:00 PM
"Ladies and gentlemen!" the ringmaster's voice dominated the whole auditorium, "C.C. Haly and Norton Bros. Circus is proud to welcome you to our show. Thrills and awe! Magic and laughter! Death defying acts and tests of skill and strenght!" The man walked around the stage, mesmerizing the audience with each word.
The pilots and their friends had occupied the VIP section, each kid with their snacks of choice. Toji and Hikari had caramel apples, Rei had a king-sized cotton candy, Kensuke a corndog, Asuka a very spicy hotdog, and Shinji had a big bucket of popcorn.
No one knew that for a while, instead of Shinji Ikari, Evangelion Pilot, the one who enjoyed the popcorn during the first couple of acts was actually Boston Brand, the ghostly guardian; in Shinji's body, just as they had agreed. The best time for that would be during the opening acts, when everybody was engaged by the performances.
'(At last!)' Deadman thought, absolutely enjoying the popcorn, '(It really tastes right!)'
He proceeded to demolish the bucket during the contortionists and the strong man act. A big and very muscular man, raised a platform over his head, while two girls of mixed descent contorted their bodies in awesome ways, under them, M'Raia grabbed the handles under the platform, and pushed it upwards. She looked absolutely happy as she raised the group and the platforms over her head.
Author Notes
(1) A very peculiar character. He debuted in Superboy issue 2 (March, 1994). Neither hero nor villain, he is very delusional, thinking he is part of an eternal war against an unnamed enemy. He first attacked Superboy in Hawaii, ranting about the young hero being an agent of his enemy. As befits his name, Scavenger is always in the hunt for relics, objects of power, weapons, and whatever he thinks he can use against his enemy. Apparently, his loyalty is directed at an entity called Human Justice. This entity has been channeled by Hero Cruz, a user of one of the H.E.R.O. Dials. The Dials have not yet appeared in this story, but they are alien artifacts that allow their users to become a different hero each time the word "Hero" is dialed.
(2) The JLA Watchtower debuted in JLA issue 4 (April, 1997), it was built to be a base for the team in a place it could easily watch over the whole Earth. It was made with technology from Earth, Krypton, Thanagar, and even New Genesis. That the Scavenger could keep his base hidden from them is proof enough that the Scavenger was more resourceful than it could be thought from his obviously delusional behavior.
(3) The original version of the Emerald Eye of Ekron debuted along with its best-known user, the emerald Empress, back in Adventure Comics issue 352 (Jan, 1967). It was retroactively introduced in L.E.G.I.O.N. 90, issue 11, found by Garryn Bek. The Eye was last seen in L.E.G.I.O.N. 90 issue 22 (Dec 1990). After Zero Hour rebooted the DC continuity in 1994, the Eye was part of a series to introduce the rebooted Fatal Five. It was first seen as one of the many objects Scavenger had collected in the centuries since his debut as Superboy's enemy, in Legion of Super-Heroes issue 74 (Nov 1995). Though at first, its importance was not shown.