Idea: Taking NJPW/ROH Cody and turning him into a comic book supervillain (because Iâm obsessed with him being the redeemed villain trope)
â-
âMy dear dad was called the dream. Everyone loved him.â
The machine knights immediately returned to their phalanx stance, protecting their creator. Cody gets onto his hands briefly before hacking up a glob of his own blood, the very image of it sent him into a rage.
He slams his right hand onto the concrete, the mechanical gauntlet causing the ground to cave in below. Kotaâs glow dimmed slightly in caution. Even if he didnât have any mutations, the makeshift robot army was proof that Kennyâs traitorous second-in-command was enough of a threat.
Cody stands back on his two on feet with labored breath. His robots appear to change their stance, their blue led eyes turn into a bright red.
âBut Iâm the fucking nightmare and I will tear this planet apart.â
Kota focuses a short wave of solar energy to his arms anticipating an assault. âStop this now!â He says, putting his hands out preparing to attack.
âStop? Stop?â Cody lets out manic laughter. âIâm not going to stop until you, Kenny, and the rest of the WORLD grovel at my feet!â
Thinking about a superhuman version of Randy Orton -
Test tube baby engineered to be an apex predator - to hunt down and kill whoever deemed to be enemies.
Powers - Heightened strength, reflexes, vision (especially night vision). Under duress, he has the ability to spit out a toxin that can brainwash and infect others to do his bidding for him. Effect does wear off over time but thereâs some long term effects in some subjects that have repeated exposure to toxins (Cody Rhodes)
Bio - Formerly a supervillain that terrorized Titan City for years, Randy has mellowed out and lives in the city as a regular civilian. He still has an affection for Cody, and tries to mentor him along as the former has become the cityâs protector.
The dash to Hart Plaza didnât take long, but apparently a lot had happened during that time. The two discover the source of the chaos - the community park facility at the center of the area, well whatâs left of it.
âWhy in the heââ Damian canât even get the sentence out before something goes flying over both him and Rhea, crashing to the ground behind them. They turn around to discover that robot from earlier, looking worse for wear. It slowly gets back up and wobbles forward, noticing and acknowledging both Damian and Rhea before moving around them and moving back towards the rubble. It raises its right arm, metal extruding from its chassis to reveal a weapon of some sort, neon blue energy focused and aiming at the wreckage.
Rhea takes a step back. âWhat the hell is it seeing?â Not a moment after she utters that word, a thin steel beam rises from the fire on its own. It ascends a few feet above the wreckage, hovers for a second, and shoots down at the robot, piercing it straight through its chest. The knight falls to one knee, trying not to fall over completely.Â
Immediately after, several other beams rise from the same wreckage, seeming to point at both Rhea and Damian. The duo dodge in opposite directions, the steel sticks into the ground, a terrifying image to comprehend if they stood still for another moment.
âMierda!â Damian shouts.Â
The dust settles and they look over at each other to confirm that they were okay, both giving silent nods. A voice cuts through the night that alarms all three of them.
âI expected the goody two shoes robot, but you two are something else.â
A female figure appears in front of the fire, seemingly hovering in an imaginary seated position. Long brunette hair traces a slender frame - but obviously if she was behind this entire mess, then looks could be very deceiving. âBut we got what we came for, so it doesnât really matter.â She continues.
Rhea grits her teeth, the womanâs patronizing voice was already aggravating her. âI donât give a fuck what youâre doing here but do NOT start fights you canât finish.â In a fit of anger, she goes back to the metal beam beside her, and with effortless strength, she picks it up with a single hand, and heaves it like a javelin towards the woman. It misses and lands among the wreckage, with the woman remaining unimpressed.
She lets out a short chuckle. âHoney, you arenât even in my league⊠in more ways than one.â She licks her lips slightly, enjoying this confrontation. The machine regains its composure and returns to its feet, aiming its arm weapon straight at the woman, totally ignoring the metal beam sticking out from its chest.
âSTOP.â The only word it utters, synchronized through a thousand random damaged filters where it sounded warbled.
The woman rolls her eyes. âOf course. Youâre just as irritating and persistent as your creator.â She looks back to Rhea. âIâd love to stay and chat, but Iâm working on something ⊠special.â
âWhat the bloody hell are you talking about?â Rhea replies?
âYou, and all of Titan City will see.â She taps her fingers on her wrist, signifying a watch. âTick tock.â
And with that, the woman seemingly vanished into a puff of red smoke. Rhea and Damian werenât completely sure they didnât just hallucinate that, but from looking at the robot, it was certainly real.
It's a rainy Wednesday night, and Rhea is lying on one of her tattoo shop's chairs. She's waiting for Damien to finish up with his last client for the night, then the two were going to Truth's to get a drink. That's if her body doesn't override her and goes to sleep. The golden hue of Universal Tower peaks into their little shop's windows and lulls her to sleep before she hears the shuffling of footsteps behind her. It was the last client.
"Thanks, P!"
"Aye, just keep it covered and don't let it hit the rain." Damien replies and waves the man off. He leaves, and its just the two of them. "You ready to go out?"
"I was." Rhea yawns. "Now I just want to go to bed."
"C'mon, Mami. This was your idea."
"Does Truth make coffee?"
"Let's just get out of here. If we pass by anything interesting before Truth's we'll go there. You promised we could get a venting session and I'm holding you to that." Damien heads towards the door, which causes Rhea to get up from her chair.
"Alright, alright." If anything, Rhea Ripley didn't renege on promises. The two put on their jackets, turn off the lights and head out the door, officially shutting down for the night. Where they were going next was anyone's guess.
Titan City is surprisingly busy for a rainy Wednesday night. People were on every corner, moving from one bar to another. Rhea tried to look for a place that didnât focus on alcohol, but the odds of finding a place that served coffee at 11 at night was a pipe dream at least.
Once again Damianâs voice lifts her from lull.
âHey, itâs one of those weird robot things.â
Rhea turns around to see one of Dreamtechâs 'Knights' Robots supposedly created to protect the city from the increased crime and violence from gangs as of late. Designed to resemble a certain blond haired blue eyed philanthropic billionaire, It seemed to be staring into the ether, completely unbothered by the rain or the small gathering of people surrounding it.
âWhatever, it probably blue screened.â Rhea replies, uninterested. It scored a laugh with Damian though.
âMoody tonight huh?â He asks.
âIâm trying so hard to turn around and go home.â
âYou ditch me and Iâll never let you forget it.â
âI know, I know." Rhea stops suddenly, with Damian taking a few more stops before realizing. "You know what I have a craving for all of a sudden?"
Priest raises an eyebrow.
Rhea smiles. "A burger from Belly to Belly."
Damian pulls out his phone to check the time. "Well we got an hour before they close." Rhea's energy returns to her, raising her eyebrows in unison, the idea of their milkshakes didn't sound too bad either.
"Alright, alright." Damian says. "We're going in the wrong direction. Really wished you changed your mind sooner, chica."
Rhea lets out a childlike giggle as the two turn around and quickly walk down Broadway St. with intention. Her mood finally lifts up. She always enjoyed drinks after work, but tonight -- she felt like treating herself.
While Rhea was daydreaming about what she was going to order, a loud explosion from afar rattles the surrounding area. A nearby street lamp falls onto a car and sends the nearby pedestrians into a panic. A plume of fire rises to the east of where they are, towards Hart Plaza. A streak of blue light flies into the night towards the fire, presuming to be Dreamtech's robot, investigating the source of the explosion.
Rhea sighs. "Should we check it out?"
"Tin can's got it." Damian replies and shrugs. "Don't see a reason to get involved. Not our problem." He starts walking again, putting the whole thing out of his head. Being a resident of Titan City meant you dealt with explosions and supervillain attacks at least twice a week.
Once again Damian walks for a second or two before realizing something is a miss. He turns around to find Rhea standing her ground, her excited smile replaced with a determined stare. Damian's shoulders drop in aggravation. "C'mon, you JUST said you wanted to get something to eat."
Rhea crosses her arms and pivots her hips slightly. "It's going to be our problem, if we ignore it." She nods her head back towards the fire. "You know how these things go."
"So, we're just going to give up on our plans for tonight."
"I guess so."
Damian rolls his eyes. "I'm never going to get this out of you." He turns around and heads back to Rhea. She just smiles.
"If we're out for another few hours, let's do waffles."
"If you're willing."
Rhea and Damian give each other mischievous grins before running towards the scene of the action - running off of fumes at this point.
Favorite Music: Classic Rock, Jazz, Blues (after his wife)
Morpher: Titan Driver - a watch-esque gauntlet on his right wrist. Due to his public identity, he keeps it on his person at all (or most) times.
Bio
From Tennessee, Daniel had a normal life. Originally went to the University of Tennessee for Sports Nutrition. Way into his 30s he changes his career into teaching, moving west to Port Cerulean, California. He fell in love with Vivian Matthews, an astro physicist (who for the longest time felt he was way out of her league), and they had a child together.
However, Vivian's secrecy due to her job put a strain on their marriage. She insisted that it was to protect him and their daughter, Vanessa - but Daniel wasn't too sure. He frequently noticed her writing in a journal, but he could never get his hands on it. Surely there was some information about what she was doing in there, right?
Suddenly one day, Vivian disappears without a trace. Daniel and Vanessa wait for days, but days turn into weeks, and they fear the worst. Daniel's only lead is her job at the Cerulean Astrophysics and Nuclear Research Network, CANRN. To his surprise, he discovers that Vivian was working on something that was beyond this planet and anyone's understanding of astrophysics.
In addition, CANRN had Vivian's journal and gave it to Daniel, saying that she insisted that he receive it if something happened to her. He discovered that there was something in the desert that she wanted him to retrieve. Something she's been tracking for awhile, and according to her writings, would save the planet from impending disaster. CANRN researches explain that she was a part of a project monitoring extraterrestrial threats and just before she vanished, she believed that she might have found something to help combat them.
With nothing else to go on, Daniel leaves Vanessa in the care of Auntie Valerie and Uncle Terrance, and heads out to the desert, with no idea what he's about to discover. Finding the coordinates, Daniel comes across a meteorite, glowing a dull purple. He touches it (typical dumb male behavior), and something happens. He can HEAR his wife's voice, calling out to him in his head. But there was something else, a burning sensation, among a series of visions. A city rumbling, gargantuan monsters, and him.
That meteorite did something to him, but he had no time to process it, because there were several MUCH larger ones about to hit Cerulean City, at something told Daniel they were harboring something very bad within.
Itâs revealed that the Earth is a linchpin holding the balance of the galaxy together, and there is a single planet like this in every galaxy. In addition, there is a race of gigantic alien conquers that use biotechnology and machinery to conquer these planets and use their innate abilities to harness the galaxyâs power for their selves.
Sensing the danger, the galaxy reached out as a distress call, but it went unheard until Vivian and Daniel both arrived. But with Vivian missing, Daniel has to investigate what happened to his wife while also saving the planet. All while developing a lesson plan for next school year.
Personality
Daniel's nurturing personality is a tremendous trait as a grade school teacher. He's patient, kind, and empathetic, but don't mistake his kindness for weakness, as Daniel is known for his booming voice and sudden change in demeanor when he's angry and upset. It's something that he tries to keep in check in the classroom, but so many rampant students can take a number on him.
Additionally, being a single father gets the best of Daniel. He relies on Vivian's sister - Valerie, and her brother, Terrance, for help with Vanessa, especially when duty calls as the Titan. As time progresses, he turns into a "Pinterest mom", looking up slow cooker recipes or way to make the morning rush of getting Vanessa ready for school. If anything, this journey has taught him that no one person can save the world alone, and he needs to rely on others not just for the planet's sake, but for his own as well.
Powers
The galaxy is revealed to be a grid of power, and somehow, it is reaching out to us. The meteorite, is revealed to be a sentient portion of the galaxy, and Daniel created a link with it from a single touch. Sensing danger, the galaxy feeds a surge of energy through Daniel, causing his anatomy to expand exponentially. This was uncontrollable until he reluctantly worked with CANRN to create a suit he can summon and wear that he could control and channel the surge into something he can use to combat any threats.
In addition, Daniel can call upon constellations in the night sky to aid him in battle, transforming him into something akin to the zodiac signs. This can be a large bullish form with horns, representing the Taurus, or turning into a centaur like creature representing the Sagittarius.
âYou have ruined enough, John. I have given you solace for too long.â The voice bellows.
John is on a single knee, frantically looking around like a caged animal. The voice was coming from thin air, but he knew who it belongs to.
âCome out Cody!â Cena spurts out between shallow breaths. Where in the hell was Dwayneâs men? He promised backup.
The voice continued. âYouâve destroyed the trust of these people.â
âI threw you off of Universal Tower! You should be dead!â
âI guess Iâm just a nightmare inside of your head, John.â
A figure comes forth from the shadows. Cena couldnât make it out at first, but then his stomach dropped at the unmistakable image of a skull emerging from thin air.
The nightmares are back. Karma for once naming himself one, probably.
It was always the same. Cody was knelt over in a seeming abyss. Far emptiness as the eye can see, but he could tell that he was back in Aethelon. The blue-green hue of the ground floor of Elite Tower gave it away. But it wasnât just that.
The marble floor was stained with blood. And he knew for certain it wasnât his - but he was covered in it. Not just that, but the burning sensation from his nano technology was present. Codyâs vision becomes blurry, he closes his eyes, and kneels over - deciding to wait for this lucid dream to end. It was the same thing every damned time. It was a like an ugly hangover but there was no drinking involved.
Seconds feel like hours though, and he wonât wake up. He was being kept here.
Cody slowly opens his eyes to reveal heâs someplace different. It looked like Hart Plaza in Titan City, north of Universal Tower during the daytime. He looked down at himself and the blood was gone. But it was replaced with tactical gear and black longcoat from Japan - he could feel the half-skull gas mask wrapped around his face.
Cody touches the mask and attempts to remove it to no avail.
He looks around. The normally busy space is empty, yet he can hear murmuring and whispering around him. The burning sensation remained. Codyâs breathing shallows as he rises to his knees. The whispers become louder and closer, yet thereâs no one around.
A gust of wind picks up from behind him, and he turns around. A storm cloud emanates from thin air approaching him. Cody could feel something was in that storm.Â
Before anything else, he wakes up finally on his couch - amongst the comfort of the penthouse of Universal Tower, even that did little to comfort Cody.
Seth felt something in the manâs back pocket. Felt like some keys. And yup, it was. He reaches in and pulls it out. Several assorted keys on a ring. No guarantee that it would open Chelseaâs door but it was worth a shot.
Actually, sheâs been quiet for a few minutes. Was something up? Seth gets back up and sticks his head out, confirming the coast was clear, and heads out into the hallway. Making a left, he finds the next door over and looks for the lock.Â
âHey Chelsea?â Seth says, lowering his voice above a whisper, but not as loud as his normal speech. âAre you still there?â
No response.
God, was he too late? Seth hurries up and fiddles with the various keys on the ring until one of them gave way to the door opening. He carelessly steps in and is blindsided by Chelsea jumping at him. Her momentum only made Seth stumble a bit, as she falls to the ground with a thud.
Seth just stares for a moment.
âWhat the hell are you doing?â
Chelsea flails around, struggling to get to a seated position with her hands zip-tied behind her back. Seth huffs and kneels down, using one of the keys in an attempt to cut through the plastic.Â
âI heard noises next door and thought they killed you!â Chelsea wails.
âReally?â
âI donât know but I heard SOMETHING. And I thought I was next!â
The zip tie gives way and Chelsea is free. She immediately inspects her hands and gives a pout. âAlmost ruined my manicure.â She shoots up and looks out the door. âIâm going to give someone a stern talking to. I had my ENTIRE night planned! After the gala I was going to the after party and do a live stream. Iâm 200 followers away from 300,000 and I was CERTAIN tonight was going to ââ
Seth zones out once again. Theyâre free, but now itâs time to get out of here. He looks to Chelsea who is still talking and tries to focus his mind.
There was nothing, almost like white noise. It wasnât just Finn. Seth wasnât able to read minds for whatever reason. Judgement Day did something to him and he was hellbent on finding out.Â
âAre you ignoring me again?â Chelsea huffs.
âYeah. No, wait. Chel.â
âChelSEA.â
âChelsea. Can you read my mind?â
She raises an eyebrow. âWhat? Why?â
Seth insists. âCan you read my mind?â
Still confused, Chelsea furrows her brow and stares at Seth. But she could only mentally hear white noise. Almost muffled talk. Her eyes widened slightly. That was all Seth needed to know unfortunately.
The guard dog -> loyalty has been ingrained into their bones, following their handler around like their shadow. No one dares stand against the organization because of the legendary dread surrounding this living weapon. They hardly say a word but every movement is calculated, eyes always darting, always watching. (âYou always were their lapdog.â)
The loose cannon -> dangerous for both sides. Always talking back and never predictable, their value is dependent on their skill. If it wasnât for that, theyâd be dead a long time ago. Their loyalty is earned, not bought. No one wants to be on their bad side, walking on tip toe whenever they show up. And they enjoy it. (âWhatâs everyone looking at? Arenât you happy to see me? I even brought my rifle!â)
The broken down -> most common type of whumpee Iâve seen. Theyâve been overpowered and forced into the commission. They hate their handler more than anything else but see no way out. When theyâre told to shoot, they donât even blink. Itâs always âyes, sirâ this and âyes, sirâ that. If they feel any sympathy, they donât show it. Theyâll do anything to avoid punishment and flinch at quick movements. Nothing they face on the field is worse than the cards theyâve been dealt. (âI understand, sir/ maâam. I-Iâm sorry.â)
The dissenter -> Usually recruited into the organization or joined as a last ditch option. Not necessarily against using their abilities or skill, they just hate being told what to do. As time goes on and their disobedience is punished over and over again, they grow reluctant. Bitter. With every order, they slip in a snarky comment. Roll their eyes. Anything to assert their own identity. Or whatâs left of it. (âah ah ah, you didnât think iâd notice? The middle finger was a bit much. Iâm afraid it will have to go.â)
The ghost in the machine -> known only by their codename by outsiders and by their number in the organization, theyâve been stripped of all humanity. They live, breathe, and think by their handlers orders. Theyâve been told over and over again that they are just a weapon. And a weapon does what itâs told. Their anonymity is attached to the organization in the same way a gun is simply an extension of their arm. But at night they still stare up at the ceiling with a blank stareâ did they ever a life before this? They canât remember. (âItâs not like itâs a person. It doesnât have feelings like that.â)
The rest of the Titans go into Sethâs room. At first it was nothing noteworthy. He was one of the neater Titans, everything was in its place. Clothes were hung up neatly in his closet, organized by outfit.Â
Papers and receipts neatly stacked on his nightstand. A Kindle was lying on his made bed, assorted with various colored throws and blankets. Everything seemed normal, until their eyes move to his desk in the back of the room.Â
âOooooh.â Naomi whispers, moving past her fellow Titans towards the desk. It wasnât just the table that got their attention, it was what was hanging above it.Â
A pinboard. A completely filled up pinboard cluttered with news articles, photos, and hand written notes, string and push pins connecting certain documents.
âOh god, please donât tell me Iâm dating a conspiracy theorist.â Becky groans. Her eyes start from the edges of the board, reading the seemingly unrelated pieces from the rest of the board.
Heyman Consulting closes mega deal for Universal Tower
Dreamtech announces HQ move from Aethelon to Titan City
What happened to Titan Cityâs former defenders, The Shield?
Beckyâs eyes glance across seemingly more important articles.Â
Heiress Green set to attend 31st annual Richter Gala on the 12th
String of kidnappings expand to prestigious North Waveside neighborhood; Police scrambling
A picture catches her attention. It looked like a still from a surveillance camera. A man in black, but you could make out something purple on his face, like a covering or something.
âAny chance someone can make out this mess?â LA Knight asks, hanging behind everyone else, arms crossed and seemingly unmoved.
âA bunch of articles?â Naomi responds. âI donât get it.â
Jey moves in between both Naomi and Becky and takes a closer look at the photo. âAye man, black and purple? Arenât those Judgement Day colors?â
Bianca, standing by the bed still, rolls her eyes and the mere mention of the Judgement Day. âThose guys? Please tell me itâs not them again.â
âThereâs a string connecting that photo to an article about kidnappings.â Becky replies.
âSeth thinks Judgement Day is behind them?â
âI guess?â Becky looks around at the board some more. She comes across an article detailing a genetic breakthrough in understanding super powers. And another photo of a missing scientist, Savanna Ward. âThis is absolutely nuts.â
âNo kidding, Naomi responds, her eyes also fixated on the apparent conspiracy board. âYou got an idea on where we should start?â
âProbably with the Judgement Day guy in the picture?âÂ
âWhere would we even find a Judgement Day member? They just appear randomly.â
Jey interrupts. âAye, I got an idea. Take that picture down.â
Becky blinks, reaches over, removes the push pin and takes down the photo.Â
âI might have a friend that can help us out.â Jey continues. âBack from my days working with my cousin. When we needed to find shiz out, weâd go to him.â
âYou sure they want to help us?â Knight interjects. âWhat if theyâre loyal to Roman?â
âThey not. Trust me. They got a bone to pick with Roman too.â
âAlright so thatâs that.â Bianca says. âAnything else?â
âI hope not.â Becky mumbles to herself. She felt aggravated more than anything else. She made Seth promise her that heâd at least talk to her before going on any of these investigations. It was going to be a long week after all.
Veteran Titan Becky Lynch is looking up at a screen in the heart of downtown with a bunch of civilians surrounding her. They were watching yet another video from this so called âMessiahâ.
He sits on an ornate gothic style chair, arms resting. His confident gaze was centered on the camera. The background was dimly lit, but she could make out some features. Blocked out windows, Pillars on either side of the camera frame. The Messiah takes a bored breath, before continuing his speech.Â
âItâs only simple. Pledge your allegiance to me. Let me guide you. Believe in me. And cast out the dissenters. All of them.â
Becky could feel him staring straight at her, even if it was only video. Fortunately for her, his oratory powers were filtered through video.Â
âThey walk among you, pretending to be your protectors. So-called âTitansâ. They are a scourge on the very same city they claim to defend. And deep down, you all know the same.â
She could feel a few eyes on her. Maybe itâd be for the best if she started making her way back towards the street. Becky ignored the rest of the Messiahâs speech, she could hear his voice but no words were heard. Her focus was getting to safety.Â
It was weeks of this. This Messiah guy has used the citizens of Titan City to carry out his schemes, in an attempt to take down the Titans themselves and rule over the city. He apparently had some sort of mind control that turns a normal person into a thrall of some sort.
Theyâve had regular people try to attack them in broad daylight. Fortunately, Roman and John were able to render them unconscious without too much consequence, but the point remains.Â
This guy was weaponizing the people they were sworn to protect.
Becky makes her way into an alleyway, thinking she slipped past the watchful eyes of some possible brainwashed folks. The neon sign advertising ramen lit up much of the backstreet, illuminating dumpsters, abandoned furniture, and chained up bicycles. She knew this area, it was a quick shot from here back to Main St and to Titan Tower.
As she went down the corridor, Becky thought about the video of the Messiah playing downtown. The background with the two pillars seemed familiar. And the window covered with a tarp. It seemed to have been several different colors. Almost like stained gâ
Becky heard some footsteps behind her. She turns around, her fists clenched, activating her electric gauntlets.
âPlease donât let me get tetanus, please donât let me get tetanus.âÂ
Seth mumbles to himself as he tries to rip the zip ties off using the rusted chair. Chelsea was blabbering in the background about how Dreamtech was going to pay her to star in some commercials or whatever. It wasnât anything of consequence though. He tries rapidly moving his hands up and down to create some friction between the plastic and edge, still cautious of the latter piercing his skin.
He can feel the zip tie weakening, but Sethâs guard is still up. Even if heâs able to break free â
Seth hears footsteps. Shit.
He has no other choice. Seth hurries up and leans backwards into the chair trying to force it apart. At this point maybe the tetanus wouldnât be soâ
The zip tie breaks apart before he can finish that sentence. Probably for the best too. Seth gets up and positions himself adjacent to the door. Telepathy be damned, he was going to get the jump on whoever was on the opposite side. The door indeed opens, and without thought, Seth slams it back into the other person. Confirming a thud sound, he goes around and heads out the exit.Â
It wasnât Finn, sadly, but itâll do. Seth had no clue who this guy was, but he was wearing Judgement Day colors, so he was obviously in on it. He drags him into the room, and lays him down by the chair. Seth quickly looks for a key or anything on him before the guy comes to.Â
âUhhg.â The man writhed. Seth was too late. Time for plan B.
Seth looks behind him, making sure that noone else was approaching, and if he had enough space. He backs up a bit, and with a brief moment, Seth leaps forward and uses his left foot to stomp on the guyâs head, rendering him unconscious completely.Â
After a few moments of silence, confirming the man was out cold, Seth goes back in to pat him down. There had to be something.
The rest of the Titans go into Sethâs room. At first it was nothing noteworthy. He was one of the neater Titans, everything was in its place. Clothes were hung up neatly in his closet, organized by outfit.Â
Papers and receipts neatly stacked on his nightstand. A Kindle was lying on his made bed, assorted with various colored throws and blankets. Everything seemed normal, until their eyes move to his desk in the back of the room.Â
âOooooh.â Naomi whispers, moving past her fellow Titans towards the desk. It wasnât just the table that got their attention, it was what was hanging above it.Â
A pinboard. A completely filled up pinboard cluttered with news articles, photos, and hand written notes, string and push pins connecting certain documents.
âOh god, please donât tell me Iâm dating a conspiracy theorist.â Becky groans. Her eyes start from the edges of the board, reading the seemingly unrelated pieces from the rest of the board.
Heyman Consulting closes mega deal for Universal Tower
Dreamtech announces HQ move from Aethelon to Titan City
What happened to Titan Cityâs former defenders, The Shield?
Beckyâs eyes glance across seemingly more important articles.Â
Heiress Green set to attend 31st annual Richter Gala on the 12th
String of kidnappings expand to prestigious North Waveside neighborhood; Police scrambling
A picture catches her attention. It looked like a still from a surveillance camera. A man in black, but you could make out something purple on his face, like a covering or something.
âAny chance someone can make out this mess?â LA Knight asks, hanging behind everyone else, arms crossed and seemingly unmoved.
âA bunch of articles?â Naomi responds. âI donât get it.â
Jey moves in between both Naomi and Becky and takes a closer look at the photo. âAye man, black and purple? Arenât those Judgement Day colors?â
Bianca, standing by the bed still, rolls her eyes and the mere mention of the Judgement Day. âThose guys? Please tell me itâs not them again.â
âThereâs a string connecting that photo to an article about kidnappings.â Becky replies.
âSeth thinks Judgement Day is behind them?â
âI guess?â Becky looks around at the board some more. She comes across an article detailing a genetic breakthrough in understanding super powers. And another photo of a missing scientist, Savanna Ward. âThis is absolutely nuts.â
âNo kidding, Naomi responds, her eyes also fixated on the apparent conspiracy board. âYou got an idea on where we should start?â
âProbably with the Judgement Day guy in the picture?âÂ
âWhere would we even find a Judgement Day member? They just appear randomly.â
Jey interrupts. âAye, I got an idea. Take that picture down.â
Becky blinks, reaches over, removes the push pin and takes down the photo.Â
âI might have a friend that can help us out.â Jey continues. âBack from my days working with my cousin. When we needed to find shiz out, weâd go to him.â
âYou sure they want to help us?â Knight interjects. âWhat if theyâre loyal to Roman?â
âThey not. Trust me. They got a bone to pick with Roman too.â
âAlright so thatâs that.â Bianca says. âAnything else?â
âI hope not.â Becky mumbles to herself. She felt aggravated more than anything else. She made Seth promise her that heâd at least talk to her before going on any of these investigations. It was going to be a long week after all.
Veteran Titan Becky Lynch is looking up at a screen in the heart of downtown with a bunch of civilians surrounding her. They were watching yet another video from this so called âMessiahâ.
He sits on an ornate gothic style chair, arms resting. His confident gaze was centered on the camera. The background was dimly lit, but she could make out some features. Blocked out windows, Pillars on either side of the camera frame. The Messiah takes a bored breath, before continuing his speech.Â
âItâs only simple. Pledge your allegiance to me. Let me guide you. Believe in me. And cast out the dissenters. All of them.â
Becky could feel him staring straight at her, even if it was only video. Fortunately for her, his oratory powers were filtered through video.Â
âThey walk among you, pretending to be your protectors. So-called âTitansâ. They are a scourge on the very same city they claim to defend. And deep down, you all know the same.â
She could feel a few eyes on her. Maybe itâd be for the best if she started making her way back towards the street. Becky ignored the rest of the Messiahâs speech, she could hear his voice but no words were heard. Her focus was getting to safety.Â
It was weeks of this. This Messiah guy has used the citizens of Titan City to carry out his schemes, in an attempt to take down the Titans themselves and rule over the city. He apparently had some sort of mind control that turns a normal person into a thrall of some sort.
Theyâve had regular people try to attack them in broad daylight. Fortunately, Roman and John were able to render them unconscious without too much consequence, but the point remains.Â
This guy was weaponizing the people they were sworn to protect.
Becky makes her way into an alleyway, thinking she slipped past the watchful eyes of some possible brainwashed folks. The neon sign advertising ramen lit up much of the backstreet, illuminating dumpsters, abandoned furniture, and chained up bicycles. She knew this area, it was a quick shot from here back to Main St and to Titan Tower.
As she went down the corridor, Becky thought about the video of the Messiah playing downtown. The background with the two pillars seemed familiar. And the window covered with a tarp. It seemed to have been several different colors. Almost like stained gâ
Becky heard some footsteps behind her. She turns around, her fists clenched, activating her electric gauntlets.
Irin's Writings and Drabbles @impulsenova - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
