"In celebration of Diamond Alien's promotion, I, Mayor Arthur G. Parks, am proposing the sixth grand Hollow Festival! To truly welcome our newest S-Class, in three months time a worldwide get together will be held. Not only will this allow Diamond Alien to solidify his legacy as one of the elites; this festival will show the world just how amazing our city really is!"
Mayor Parks held his hands up high, arms outstretched. Beads of sweat ran down his face as he stood front and center in the court of the Cardinal Council themselves. He could see none of their faces, their seats too high. He desperately wanted to lower his arms but he didn't dare.
' I won't lose in this battle of wills! ' He inwardly declared.
"Mayor," one voice spoke. He craned his head to the voice, a man. "With all due respect, would inviting the whole world to Hollow city really be wise?"
"I agree," another voice, to his left. An elderly woman. "Why would we, frankly, do something so stupid?"
"Counselor Hector and Counselor Daphne are correct," a third voice spoke, this time differently from the middle.
'The head councilman…' The Mayor thought.
"Such a childish request is expected of your son, not you, Arthur Parks. " The head councilor chided. "Though, I suppose it isn't the worst idea.."
"Head councilman Castor!"
"What? This city's heroes are our pride and joy! We can have fun, no..?"
"If I may," a fourth voice spoke. "Mayor Parks, I am Counselor Adhara. We can come to a compromise, right? Or is the whole world a necessity?"
"W-well no, I suppose we can keep it secluded.."
"Excellent!" Adhara spoke. She sounded younger than the previous councilors, a lot more lively to his ears. "Then it's settled. Why not host your festival this summer? That way we have enough time to prepare, route stations for heroes on stand-by and it'll give us proper time to prepare the celebration itself!"
"That'll give us five months," Hector noted.
"That's more than enough, I'm sure Diamond won't mind a late welcome party anyway." Castor said, excited. "Oh it's been too long! All in favor?"
All seven members said the phrase, lifting their hands. They brought them down in unison and suddenly Arthur was back in his office, far from the Coalition's HQ.
"Wha..!?" He scrambled to stand up, adjusting his hair, tie and glasses all in one swoop.
"That damned council..Bastards! They may as well have more authority than me! I'm the mayor!!"
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"Sam, quit picking at your food." Margo chided. Her youngest son, as strong as he had become, was still a child nonetheless. And as expected of a kid his age, veggies were a no-no.
"Mommm do I have to? You don't make Stef eat hers!"
"Well Stefani is a twenty one year old crime fighting woman. Don't you want to become like her?"
"No… I don't really wanna be a woman."
Margo stared at her son with a plain expression as he burst into laughter. His laughing immediately died out as his father entered the kitchen.
"Listen to your mother. "
"Okay.."
The boy ate in silence from then on, watching his parents walk off and talk elsewhere. His eyes drifted to a family portrait of him, his older sister and his mom and their dad. He looked at another photo, one with just his sister and older half brother he had never met. When he'd ask about him, his father would always brush Sam off, saying that he was a fool or an idiot.
Sam had always wanted to meet this mystery brother of his, only knowing what Stefani told him about their sibling. It didn't help that she and their brother also had a huge age gap between them too, making her memories of him fuzzy.
"Well for starters," she'd always begin. She'd have Sam in her lap, stroking his spiky hair gently. "He was very kind, and very very fun. It's sorta crazy how Seth could be related to someone as grumpy as dad. " They'd both laugh at that, giggling at the image of their mean old dad next to a "sunshine and rainbows" type guy.
"But he taught me many things, even if I wasn't old enough to understand. "
"Like what?"
"Well, I guess if I have anyone to thank for me becoming a hero, it'd be him."
Stefani would then get this look in her eye, a look of pure determination and hope.
"I know he didn't just disappear out of the blue, he was taken, or something. Nobody as great as him would just up and leave."
"Woah.."
"Our brother is out there, Sam. He is . And I'm going to be the one to find him, bring him back home and kick the crap out of whoever took him!"
Sam missed those conversations with his sister. Now, it was just him and their parents. Though, he wondered why his dad always isolated himself in his own room, separate from the shared bedroom he had with his wife.
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"Filthy criminal scum! Taking innocent lives.. You'll pay for this! "
Stefani watched as Dagger Star, the 13th ranked B-Class hero defeated some unnamed villain with a swift kick to the groin. Stef sighed as she clicked her TV off and walked over to her glass window backdoor, her apartment high above the street ground. This apartment was specifically chosen by the Hero, due to its convenience and cheap price. Not to mention, being able to fly in and out of her backdoor was a major plus. When she got up early enough, she loved to see the dutiful sunlight stretch coral colored arms across the city, from within its horizon view of the city, especially from that angle. Something about standing on her patio deck, wearing nothing but pajamas and bunny slippers, sipping a cup of joe while watching the early morning rush felt good. It felt humbling.
So that's what she did. Out on her deck, bunny slippers and all.
The Dante fight replayed in her mind, as it had been since the night of the attack. Wreckless, embarrassing, sloppy. Those were the words she'd applied to her performance that night.
"That can't ever happen again. How am I supposed to find Seth if I can't even defeat some goat guy?!" She furrowed her eyebrows and clenched her cup handle tightly, leaning on the railing for support. "I can't be so careless. Once we all get in tune with one another is the time I can make my next move.."
The thought of them revealed something to her. She walked inside and into her room, opening a drawer. In laid neatly her iconic red belt. She ran her hand along its cool surface, fingers dipping through each crack and scratch.
"What do I do next?"
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"N-no no! Please, please!"
"Volt...You had your chance. You told me it was your time and then you failed."
"Boss, please! Give me one more chance, I beg you! Just let my daughter go!"
Volt fell to his knees, bowing his head to Doctor Aurora, Cass, and Silver. Cass currently had his younger daughter, Vanessa, tucked under her arm. A sharp, bloody claw hovered over the young girl's large eyes as the Doctor spoke.
"Very well…" The doctor walked up to Volts bowed body, glaring down at him. "I want you to sniff out those four dastardly heroes and kill them all! One by one if you must or all together, I don't care! Get Dante and get those Heroes DEAD!!" He roughly kicked Volt in the stomach to emphasize his point.
"If they posed such a threat that Dante had to use the Alpha Serum then they must be eliminated at once! The product can't just be used half assed!" He hissed, spit flying everywhere. "My Animen army will rise, I will be the KING!"
"Yes sir!" Volt bowed once more. "Please, count on me!"