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Post By L! Mon Jun 21, 2004 at 07:48:07 pm EDT |
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A Crescent Fresh Adventure of Semi-Transparent Lad! | |
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A Crescent Fresh Adventure of Semi-Transparent Lad!
Last time, we saw Semi-Transparent Lad's origin of his powers & was introduced to some of people in his life. To read the last story Go here!
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In mid town Goth Haven, in the Ballard District there is a store, The Gulp N' Go is it's name.
Ben Hermes has just finished his shift for the day, nothing blew up in his face today. He goes, clocks out for the day, gets his jacket & walks home. He lives only a short walk from the Gulp N' Go.
He's one of the few people he knows that doesn't own a car. He sometimes takes the bus but there are strange people on the bus, he deals with enough of them at work. He doesn't want to deal with them on his way home. Plus, everything he needs is within walking distance from his apartment, so why would he need a car? Well, there are few things which aren't within walking distance but Ben can live without those.
Ben walks home to the Whispering Pines apartment building & up the 3 flights of stairs to his third floor apartment. He fumbles with his keys. There's his work keys, the key to Brooke's apartment, the four or five key's he doesn't know what they go to.
"Hi, Ben." said a kindly female voice from behind Ben.
"Hey, Laura."
Ben turned around to see the head & shoulders of a young women sticking out of the closed door across the hallway.
"How was your day at the Gulp N' Go ?" Laura asked.
"It was ok. Nothing much happened. How was your day ?"
"About the same. I haven't gotten any call backs from the Auditions I went on yesterday." Laura says & then she hears her phone from inside her apartment & says "See you later!" Then she pulled her head back thought the door.
"Ok."
Laura is an out of work actress & can become intangible. It seems like every couple days she going out for auditions but never getting any parts. Maybe it's because when she become nervous she become intangible & falls through the floor or something else like that. Ben thinks that Laura said her powers came from her dad, he's a scientist or at least someone connected to science.
Ben finds his apartment key, unlocks the door & walks in to his apartment. It's not much but it's home. Waiting in what is loosely considered Ben's living room is an astral projection of Ira Johnson's head. Mr. Johnson is a amateur mystic & Ben's landlord. Ira does mostly parlor tricks but can also do some actual magic. One reason Mr. Johnson uses astral projection to deal with his tenants is because he's over weight & can't make it up the stairs easily.
"Hermes, do you have my money ?"
"I'll have it to you by tomorrow. I get paid tomorrow." Ben said as he took of his jacket.
"You better get it or I'm kicking ya out. I got a guy, with money & he's willing to pay two month's rent in advance, who would like an apartment in this building. I'm considering giving him your apartment. It's a rat hole but slap some paint on the walls & it's good as new. I'll be waiting for you when you come back from work tomorrow. " Ira's head said before it disappeared.
"Yeah, yeah. That's what you say every time I'm late with my rent." Ben said as he went into his Kitchenette. Ben opened his mini fridge, gets out a root beer, takes of the bottle cap & went to sit on his half couch. Ben only owns half of the couch he & girlfriend bought when they used to live together. His ex-girlfriend, Annie, owns the other half. She wanted what was hers & legally she owned half of the couch, so she took it.
Ben turns on the TV, there was a rerun of the old Space Ghost talk show is on. Ben wonders whatever happened to that guy ?
* Knock Knock * comes a knock from Ben's front door. Ben knows it's not Laura because she would walk right in.
"Who is it ?"
"Open the door & find out ?" said a male voice.
"Why? You could tell me & save me from having to open the door."
"Just open the stupid door."
Ben got up off the couch & opened the door. It was Roger, Roger is one of Ben's coworkers.
"So, Roger. How's life?" Ben said as he stood in the doorway.
"It sucks."
Then Ben & Roger hear, "I thought I heard someone out here. Hi, Roger !" It was Laura, again with her head poking out from her door.
"Hi, Laura. Could you leave alone, were trying to have a private conversation ?" Roger says without turning around. Roger doesn't like Laura, they had a bad experience which Ben doesn't know the exact details but it does involve her walking on him doing something very private & her making a rude comment about what he was doing.
Laura goes back thought her door. Laura likes to be in the know about what's happening in the building. She's gotten a few restraining orders because of that.
"What brings you to my humble home?" Ben said.
"You need to cover my shift at the Gulp n' Go on Thursday." Roger said rather forcefully.
"Why ?"
"I got this hot date with that chick, Stacey from Books without Borders. You know that bookstore, it's in between Ronnie Bryan's House of Toys & the Chunky Monkey Ice Cream Parlor. She's hot..."
"Who ? The Monkey ?" Ben said interrupting.
"No, Stacey & the only time she is willing to go out with me is on Thursday when I am scheduled to be at work."
"The Gulp n' Go is a nice place for a date, just bring her to your shift. You'll have food & you could watch old security tapes. I bet you could find some romantic footage somewhere."
"No. Stacey is a classy lady & she deserves more than that. She is not like the girls you go for."
"Hey!"
"I'll pay you twice what you make for that shift."
"Wow, a whole $14.75." Ben said with a monotone.
"Will you do it?"
"Sure, because you know that I have no life." Ben said sarcastically.
"I already knew that & Thanks, I own you one." Roger says as he turns to go down the stairs.
Ben closed the door & on the inside of door is a dry erase board. It has written on it a list of people's names & tally marks next to their names. Ben adds one to next to Roger's name with a dry erase marker. "Yes, you do."
Ben goes back to his half couch & flips the channel. A local talk show, Goth Haven Afternoon, is on. They do mostly human interest pieces about stuff you already know about. One of the host's was in mid-interview with local hero, Jet Starscream. Ben rolls his eyes.
"Jet, can I call you Jet ?"
"Only if I can call you Nancy, Miss Olsen ?" Jet says as he lays on the charm.
"Sure." Mrs. Olsen said, blushing. "Now Jet, It's been reported that your an alien that has secret plans to take over the US Government, is this true ?"
"No, Nancy. I was born on a farm in North Dakota, I was & still am an All American Kid! It was not until I went to college at North Dakota State University, GO BISONS! That I became Jet Starscream. One night I was studying in my dorm & I saw a meteor crashed down just outside of campus. I went to go check it out, my studies could wait until later. When I got to the crash site, I came upon the glowing meteorite that would change my life forever."
Ben rolls his eyes, again. "John is such a cornball. Plus, were from New Jersey." He thinks.
"So, how did this meteorite make you Jet Starscream ?" Nancy asked.
"I know this may make me sound a tad insane but the meteorite talked to me."
"Yes, it does make you sound insane" Ben thought.
"It told me that it was part of vast intergalactic society, a corps you might say, of Meteorites. It was dying from injuries that it got from fighting some evil space menace. Before it died it want to pass it's powers & knowledge on to someone, I was that someone." Jet said.
Nancy sat there amazed, Ben rolled his eyes again.
"With it's permission, I created my armor from it's self & with the powers it granted me, I became Jet Starscream!"
"That's Amazing. We'll be right back after this message from our sponsors." Nancy said then a commercial for Prozac appeared on the screen. Ben goes back into the Kitchenette for something.
"John is such a cornball. But it wouldn't have made as good a story for the media if he said he hit a meteorite with his truck on his way back to school from a party. He was drunk & it partially took over his mind and body because it was dying from injuries that it got in space." Ben thought.
Ben sat back down on the half couch & Goth Haven Afternoon was back, too. Nancy Olsen continued to interview Jet Starscream, Ben wasn't really listening. they never ask anything new. Ben has heard the same questions & answers every time they interview John. John was laying on the charm, the one thing he did well in life. He has always depended on his charm & good looks to get ahead in life, something Ben couldn't.
Then Ben's train of thought is derailed by the phone ringing, Ben picks up. "Ben Hermes here, what can do for you ?"
"Well, Mr. Hermes. You could come to my class every once & awhile. But I'm calling about your friend, Miss Bridge." Said a stuffy voice on the other end. It was Professor Edgar P. Ward, Ben's English professor at Goth Haven University. Ben's been having to cover extra shifts at the Gulp N' Go so he hasn't shown up for class in a couple weeks.
"What's Brooke done now ?"
"She's on top of the English Building threatening to jump."
"Let her."
"What?" Professor Ward can't believe his ears "What did you say ?"
"Let.. her.. jump.. off.. the.. building!" Ben says slowly.
"We just can't do that. Goth Haven University can't let it's students commit suicide on school property."
"But you will let them off themselves off of school property ?"
"No! At least I don't so. But I thought you could come down to school & talk her out of it."
"Sure. I got nothing better to do with my afternoon."
Ben & Professor Ward hang up. Ben picks up with jacket & goes out off his apartment by way of the fire escape to avoid Laura.
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A few minutes later at the Goth Haven University's English building, There is group gathered around the front entrance of the building looking up at the person on the roof. Ben finds Professor Ward, he's with some of the Campus & Goth Haven police officers.
"Hey." Ben said.
"Oh good, Mr. Hermes, your here." Professor Ward said, then turning to the an officer " This is one of the jumper's friends." Ben waves hello.
"Now, Sir. Were going to give you this megaphone to talk your friend out of jumping, ok ?" An officer said.
"Sure." Ben said, thinking it was cool that someone called him sir.
Ben gets the megaphone & says "Hey, Brooke!"
"Ben, is that you ?" Brooke calls down.
"Yeah. This group is gathered around to see you jump, so do it already! These people have lives to lead & your keeping people from leading them."
Most of the group is shocked at what Ben said, he then has the megaphone taken away from him by an officer with a look of disgust on the face. Brooke takes a step forward & falls off the building. She falls faster & faster. Then, flips over & floats gently to the ground.
She says "Hey, Ben." like nothing is wrong.
"That was cool!"
"I know." Brooke said with a smile on her face.
Ben then turns to Professor Ward. "Didn't you know she could fly or at least float ?"
Ward shakes his head no. He's shocked at what just happened.
"Well, she can & my midterm will be late, hope you don't mind ?"
Again, Ward shakes his head no.
"Ok." Ben says then walks over to the group of cops who are now talking to Brooke, she gets the same speech every time they show up to her stunts. Ben sits on bench & waits for them to finnish with her.
After their done with their speech, Brooke gets a ticket for disrupting school & after she gets a clean bill of health from a paramedic. She & Ben walk off. Most of the group has left by then.
"So what do you want to do now ?" Ben asks.
"I don't know. I got an adrenaline rush so we need to do something."
"Like what ?"
"I'm not sure."
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They go back to Ben's apartment, they hang out there mostly. They go down to Common Grounds, a bar for super heroes, super villains & non powered people, sometimes but mostly they try avoid it during the afternoon & early evening, a lot of freaks hang out there during those times.
"This makes it, what, fifteen tickets this month ?" Ben says, he was laying on the half-couch.
"Yeah. I should get a license for my stunts but that cost to much. I doubt daddy wants me to ask him for some money to pay for a stunt license." Brooke says, she was sitting on the floor by the half-couch.
"Brooke Lynn Bridge, Girl without fear!" Ben says. Brooke shakes he head no while he says that.
"What ?"
"I hate my full name. I wish I could go back in time & have my parent's rename me."
"You can do that now."
"What, We can time travel ?" Brooke said, her eyes brightened up & thinking off all they could do.
"Not that I know about. You could change your name, My brother did."
"Oh, you mean Jet Starscream, media darling."
"Yeah."
"Is that his real name now ?"
"No. He changed his last name from Hermes to Vegas."
"Why ?"
"So he could be Johnny Vegas or at least that's what he said his reasoning was."
Brooke laughed a bit & said "That makes him sound like a sleazy lounge singer."
Then she changed her tone to sound more like an announcer. "Next on the main stage is Johnny Vegas!"
Ben & Brooke then broke into a fit of laughter.
After there fit of laugher, Ben asks "Hey, what to go to the super powered lounge singer himself ?"
"We can do that ?"
"I am his brother."
"Sure."
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At the top of one of Goth Haven's highest skyscrapers, in the penthouse, is the headquarters of one of Goth Haven's resident super teams, The Wonderful Seven. They are mostly a elite group of snobby super heroes but they do help the city out so no one really minds that their snobby.
A blur flies through the city at super sonic speed, it stops & floats down to one of the Wonderful Seven's Balconies. Then, standing on the balcony with his white cape blowing in the wind, Jet Starscream surveys the city. He was coming back from the Goth Haven Afternoon studios.
Jet walks into the WS's HQ. The members are gathered in the meeting room & they are sitting around the octagonal table, talking. The table has the words "Wonderful Seven", which are surrounded by a golden halo, etched into the table. The words are in gold lettering. The members see Jet come in & stop talking.
"Wonderful Seven Roll Call!" Jet says.
Each member goes around the table & says there name.
"Of course, you all know me. I'm Jet Starscream!"
"Nite Owl." Said a man in gruff voice, not really paying attention to what was happening around him. He is wearing a black leather cape with matching cowl, gloves & boots. Only the lower half of his face is showing & Note Owl hasn't shaved in awhile. Under his cape could be seen a grey form fitting costume, he has a black symbol of an owl on his chest. He has a bright yellow utility belt around his waist, which betrays his dark nature. The Dark Detective was sifting through a couple of files on the Beltway Butcher, a case he had been working for awhile. "None of these clues make any sense, unless.." He mumbles to himself & then rearranges some of the papers.
"I'm Speed Freak!" said the teen hero, who was slightly vibrating out of sync with the rest of the team. He is also the team's token sidekick. It was either him or a talking dog.
"Golden Guardian is present!" Said the metal armored hero.
"Artimis is here!" Said a woman with strawberry blond hair. She was wearing greco roman attire & she was cleaning her sword at the table.
"Da Hunta is 'ere also." said a man with an aussie accent. He's dressed like he's ready for a safari.
"And lastly, I'm Inter-Planet Janet. Can we get this meeting going, I have a Fan Club meeting to attend ?" Said the lovely space faring hero of the team with a slight whine. She wore a full body red unitard & matching mini-skirt. She also had a white helmet, white gloves & white, high heeled, boots. She wore a white plastic belt & had a gun holster for her ray gun. On her back was a rocket pack.
Jet nodded yes to Janet. Then, the doors to the meeting room were opened & three people entered (One walking & two struggling to get free from the first).
"I assume these belong to you, master Jet ?" Benton, the team's seven foot tall butler, said referencing to the people in his hands. "They said they did when I found them sneaking around our offices."
Benton was holding Ben & Brooke up by there shirt collars. They were struggling because they were being held a foot or two of the ground & they were being choked by there own collars.
"Yes." Jet said with a sigh of disappointment. "Put them in my office & I'll deal with them after the meeting."
Benton nodded. Then, escorted Ben & Brooke to Jet's Office. As they left the meeting room, Jet could be heard saying "Our first agenda item is Merchandizing: who's getting it & who's not ?"
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Ben & Brooke are thrown into a lavishly decorated, wood paneled room. One wall was all windows. Trophies, awards, framed photos & other mementoes line the walls. In the middle by a huge window that lead out to a balcony are two leather chairs & in between them is a small side table with a lamp on it. Near the back wall is a set of bookcase which are behind a desk, it also has a leather chair.
"John has nothing on Donald Trump." Ben said as he looks around.
"John's met the president ?" Brooke says as she shows Ben a picture of John in his Jet Starscream outfit shaking hands with President Bush.
"I guess so, he meets a lot of people."
"Look at this!" Brooke said with amusement, showing Ben a framed comic book.
Ben reads out loud. "Jet Starscream #1."
The cover showed Jet lifting a car off the ground & throwing at another car. Random people were running around him.
"What next a Jet Starscream doll ?"
Then, Brooke shows Ben a Jet Starscream doll.
"Oh."
Ben stops in front of a cabinet with mirrored doors. Ben opens the cabinet & see that it has various of odd items in it. Ben takes out an ray gun, it has a tag hanging off it. Ben reads out loud to himself, "Space time compasitor from the case of The Many Headed Serpent." Then Ben accidently pressed a button that opened a door in space & time. From the other side of the doorway, a monster said.
"At last, the doorway has re-opened. I am no longer exiled to this dimension & I can now continue to wreak havoc on Earth for I am, Ang Gar the Terrible!" said a stereotypical Chinese warlord in a gruff voice. Ang Gar was also a giant lizard, but didn't have multiple heads.
Then, Ben press another button. The doorway closed & the word "No" could be heard screamed until it fades away.
"What was that ?" Brooke asked.
"Ang Gar the Terrible. Whoever that is ?"
Ben puts back the compasitor back in the cabinet. Ben also sees a glowing rock & assumes that it is part of the original meteorite.
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After an hour of Ben & Brooke wondering the office. The man formally known as John Hermes & currently as John Vegas in his Jet Starscream costume walks into the room.
"Ahem!" John says to get their attention.
Ben stops what he was doing, he was going through John's file cabinet & Brooke stops looking though John's desk.
John let's out another shy & says "Put that stuff back."
They unload there pockets. Brooke was at least hoping to get out of there with some free paper clips.
"Come, sit." John says & motions them to sit on the leather couch which is facing the leather chairs by the window. John sits on the leather chair on the left.
"So what brings my little brother & his..." John says & then stops.
"Friend!" Brooke says, a bit insulted.
"Oh yeah." John says, rolls his eyes & then turns his attention to Ben. "Ben, you haven't made her your girlfriend yet ? I've never had a relationship with a girl longer then three weeks unless I know I'll get some loving at some point." John says with a evil smile.
"I don't think of Brooke in those terms." Ben says.
"Well, I do!" John says as he looks up & down at Brooke. Brooke shivers in disgust. "But, back to my original question, what brings you two to the Seven Freedoms Tower ?"
"We were bored & decided to visit." Ben said with a shrug.
"What ? You interrupt a meeting of this city's elite guard just because you were bored ?" John almost yells.
"Yeah, I guess so."
"How did you get in here anyway ? We keep the doors locked & they can only be opened with a special key." John asked as he pulled out a bottle of wine from a cabinet behind him & poured himself a glass.
"I used this!" Ben said as he showed his brother an ID card.
"What ? You stole my key card ?"
"No, I found it in my apartment. You must have left it last time you were there."
"What, that thing you call your home that is decorated in early american crack den ?"
"I knew you could get another one."
"Give it to me!" John said with his hand out, Ben gave him the card reluctantly. Ben got a lot of free stuff with that card.
"Don't you & Ms. Bridge have lives or something like that ?" John said & then took a drink of his wine.
"Yeah, but everyone gets bored." Ben says.
"I don't. I don't have time to get bored. I'm off saving this world & other world as well a couple of times a week currently. Then, I got my multiple media appearances & a team to lead. What do you do ? Just work a shift of the Stop N' Rob then go home & watch TV ?"
"It's the Gulp N' Go." Ben says.
"Whatever! I have responsibilities now. I can't have my kid brother hanging around me all the time anymore & taking my stuff. Ok ?"
"I guess so." Ben mumbled.
John stands up. Ben & Brooke do, too. John escorts them to the front door of the Wonderful Seven offices, says goodbye then slams the door behind them.
"Sara, never let those people in unless I'm with them." John says then walks back to his office. "Oh & send Miss Olsen some flowers. Say that I'll see here at eight."
"Yes, Mr. Starscream." Sara Jones, the WS's secretary says.
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Ben & Brooke standing outside the huge wooden doors of the Wonderful Seven offices, the Wonderful Seven name is also etched into the door with gold lettering.
Ben & Brooke heard what John said & then Brooke said "Your brother's a jerk!"
"No, that's just the meteorite."
"No, I think that's John."
"John use to be super cool before he went to college. Then after going to college & his encounter with the meteorite, he became that!" Ben said.
"All younger brothers think there older brothers are 'super cool' but people change during college. Well, maybe not all of them come into contact with a meteorite that gives them powers & make them act like they have a 2 X 4 up there butt but people do change during the college years. Look at us!"
"We haven't changed since the ninth grade."
"Says who ?"
"Everyone we know."
"Oh. But we've got powers!"
"I can turn mostly invisible & you can float. Yeah, great powers!" Ben says sarcastically.
"Hey, I'd rather be the same old Brooke Lynn Bridge who can float then be Jet Frigging Starscream!" Brooke said loudly, not caring you heard her.
"You know what ?"
"What?"
"Me, too."
"You'd rather be me ?"
"No. I'd rather be me then my brother."
"Yeah!" Brooke yelled.
Ben feels a little better. Then, one of the wood paneled doors to the Wonderful Seven opens, Ben & brooke turn there heads. Sara pokes her head out & says " Could keep it down out here, some people are trying to conduct business here."
"Sorry." Ben said sheepishly.
Sara closes the door.
"Let's go!" Brooke says.
They walk down the hallway to the elevator.
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Ben & Brooke leave the building. As they walk down the street, they notice a battle between a super hero & villain. After some destruction, the hero's teammates show up. Some witty banter is exchanged & more destruction is done. A large crowd has gathered around to watch.
Ben & Brooke pass a Poster that has a picture of Mr. Epitome pointing his finger out & at the top of the poster is reads. "Enemies of our nation, beware!" & at the bottom it reads " Mr. Epitome works for us!" No one really pay any attention to the posters, most people draw on they or rip them down. They know that Epitome just a puppet for the "Man".
Ben & Brooke take a detour around the fight. They can still here the destruction & the witty banter a few block away. Then, it all stops. Ben & Brooke guess that the heroes prevailed & the villain is defeated & disgraced. He'll spend a few months in jail, then break & try this all again.
Ben & Brooke part ways into of Ben's building, Ben walks up the stairs to his apartment. He fumbles with his keys at his door.
"Hi, Ben." says Laura.
"Hey, Laura." Ben says not turning around.
"The mailman came."
Ben opens his door & walks in. Laura has gotten his mail & placed on a table near the door. Ben looks around at his apartment & thinks that his apartment doesn't look like a crack den. They look much nicer.
THE END!
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FOOTNOTES:
Well, Ben didn't get a costume, his codename or fight someone like sort of promised last time. Maybe, next time if there is a next time.
Would anyone like to see the continuing adventures of Semi-Transparent Lad ? I don't mind writing more, I just don't want to write & have no one read it. Plus, I have a few more ideas for Ben.
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