"Unlikeliest of Friends"
The Fisher King knocked on Kegilert's door in the middle of a rainy
afternoon. Kegilert was watching television and doing lazy non-hero
things.
"Hey, Tiny, I got a call from a contact
of mine that we need to take down some Family. Was wondering if you
want to give a hand?"
The purple robot was
hovering at his side seconds after he finished the question.
"Thank heavens; I was bored out of my skull! Let's go let's go
let's go."
"We're going to hook up with
some old buddies of mine. One of them's going to have to mentor you
for this mission."
"Aww, Fisher, can't you
just do it?"
"Sorry Kegi, you're going to
need the leg up from one of them to mentor you."
"Hrumph." Kegilert was obviously displeased about placing
her safety into the hands of a stranger.
Dulcinae was waiting at the mission door as Kegilert and
Fisher flew up. They landed next to the mystic and Fisher King made
the obligatory introductions.
Well, this
might not be so bad. She seems nice enough, Kegilert thought. I
wonder where this other person is?
Dulcinae held up
her communicator and called out, unceremoniously through it,
"Challenger, you ready for a port? Fisher and his friend,
Kegilert are here."
"Yes, please, little
lady," came a slight southern accent through the comm. channel.
Dulcinae whispered a few soft words, concentrated,
and reached her hand out. With a flick of her wrist she pulled
Challenger to the mission door. He flew at the door, full tilt, and
summarily smacked his head into it. Dulcinae giggled, and Fisher and
Kegilert both cringed. Challenger took off his cowboy hat and rubbed
the rapidly growing welt on his forehead.
Between
her giggles, Dulcinae managed a feeble, "Sorry, Chall."
"That's alright, there." He placed his hat back on
his head, "If y'all excuse me a moment?" and stepped
through the mission door. When he stepped back out he was wearing a
red, white, and blue costume decorated with stars and stripes. He
smoothed out his gloves and smiled, "Much better."
"Are you finished? We'd like to get started sometime
this week." Dulcinae feigned impatience in her voice,
"We're keeping these nice folks waiting for us. Challenger,
this is Kegilert. She's going to be your sidekick today."
The seven and a half foot Texan was reaching down to shake
the four-foot tall robot's armored hand when they both stopped,
looked at Dulcinae, and then looked at each other, speaking at the
same time: "Him?" "Her?"
Fisher
brushed something off his armor and put his hand on the door,
"Let's git 'r done."
Kegilert grumbled and
followed in after him.
Challenger tossed a worried
glance at Dulcinae, "Are you su . . ."
"Just get in there, you big lug," she interrupted as she
nudged him through the door.
"Fisher, I don't
know about this. He's a tank. I'm a blaster. What can I possibly get
out of this?" Kegilert queried her friend, nervously.
"What would Azuria say here, Tiny?"
Kegilert grumbled again.
"I heard that."
The group rounded the first corner and Challenger dove into
the pile of Family harassing the office worker. Fists were flying
and Fisher King let loose with the fire balls. Dulcinae whispered
some words to aid the group's attacks and shot a few radiation
blasts herself. Kegilert focused her attention on one Capo Muscle
throwing punches at her reluctant mentor and shot a powerful,
concentrated blast of energy from her right fist. The shot whizzed
past Challenger's head and knocked the Capo back a few feet. She
stood up and cast an electric fence around him to keep him back
there.
Challenger looked up from the Consigliere he
was pounding on at the purple robot, "Whoa Kegi, nice
shot!"
Dulcinae chimed in, "Next time, aim
a little to your left so you bean him."
Kegilert and Challenger both looked at her, "Hey!"
"Ahem, a little help?" Two gunners were rushing
Fisher King as the group was chatting.
Kegilert
fenced one as Challenger body-checked the other.
"Fisher, could you do us a favor and not get yourself killed,
please? Thanks," quipped Kegilert.
Fisher
grumbled, "Damned uppity robot."
She
turned and raised a playful fist at him, "Don't make me kneecap
you."
Dulcinae and Challenger chuckled and
Dulci said, "Do we have to separate you two?"
"Don't make me turn this car around."
Kegilert turned the next corner first and screamed at the Underboss
grinning down at her. He reached his hand out and lifted her
struggling form from the ground with his control of gravity.
"Get your filthy magical paws off her!" Challenger
roared as he threw a right-cross at the Underboss. Kegilert wiggled
trying to get free of the villain's grip.
Challenger
defeated him and the magical hold on Kegilert dissolved. Challenger
looked down at her and placed a huge mitt on her tiny shoulder,
"You okay there, darlin'?"
Kegilert
nodded, visibly shaken.
"For someone so small,
you sure get into big trouble," Challenger smiled down at her.
"A girl's gotta have goals," she said with
an innocent twinkle in her voice.
Fisher and Dulcinae looked at each other grinning like fiends.
Fisher looked at Dulci and smiled, "See, I told you they'd get
along," and crossed his arms triumphantly across his chest.
"Yes, yes, you are the all-knowing mad king," she
cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, "RECOVERY
HERE!"