shazam

Leaving Champions, Fred Fawcett had to make a serious admission to himself, one he would never dared have made to his best friends. The Sea-King Fish Sandwich was absolutely delicious. He'd already burned the calories for it. Walking to the Super Museum from the West End had been quite an exertion for the old man. But he'd made the effort because it was important, and he wasn't sorry he had. Freedom City hadn't forgotten its heroes of the Golden Age. There was a whole wing set aside for the first generation of heroes, and a small theater set aside reserved just for newsreels and documentaries on the Liberty League and the Allies of Freedom. It wasn't enough, never enough for the sacrifices of his dead friends, but it was something. Though he hated the negative comparison to his own city, Fred couldn't help but remember the Wonder Museum. Memphis had erected a museum to its greatest hero in 1954, after he'd disappeared after the fight with Apep. But funding had shrunk over the years as Memphis's city government had honored other heroes and other legacies, and as it became clear that Captain Wonder wasn't coming back. He'd visited it last only a few months before moving to Freedom City, and spent most of it fuming over dusty exhibits, absent tour guides, and broken toilets. The Super Museum, though, that was something. It was a good way to honor the past, and for a hero of a previous generation to learn about the heroes of today. Fed and rested, Fred headed for a small informational kiosk near the front door. He knew how computers worked, at least a little, and this one was some sort of specialized unit set to search for information on Freedom City's superheroes. Kids probably used it for school projects, a very healthy outlet for their energies. Fred cracked his bony knuckles, stretched out thin fingers, and began to type. It didn't take him long to find what he was looking for. "Valkyrie? VALKYRIE!?"

"He's still alive? Great Ra, that's good news." Wonder smiles again. "So many of us who were around in the old days are gone. Centurion, Lady Liberty, Dr. Tomorrow, Midnight..." He shakes his head, then takes a deep breath to pull himself back together. "You know, Emissary, I know one man who did know your father very well who's still around in this city. Have you spoken with the first Johnny Rocket?"

"He's still alive? Great Ra, that's good news." Wonder smiles again. "So many of us who were around in the old days are gone. Centurion, Lady Liberty, Dr. Tomorrow, Midnight..." He shakes his head, then takes a deep breath to pull himself back together. "You know, Emissary, I know one man who did know your father very well who's still around in this city. Have you spoken with the first Johnny Rocket?"

"The Envoy." The name of a friend and ally, one he hasn't seen in sixty years, sharply reminds Captain Wonder of days gone past. He remembers a flashing smile and a cunningly wielded weapon of pure gold. "Not as well as I might have liked," he admits. "By the time I was free to work with the League full-time, he'd already gone back to his home. But I knew enough to know he was one of the finest men I've ever known, and a great hero. And a few good stories..." He grins cheerfully at the memory, until the weight of years catches up with him. Soberly, Wonder adds, "Is he still with us? It's hard to picture him middle-aged, much less old."

"The Envoy." The name of a friend and ally, one he hasn't seen in sixty years, sharply reminds Captain Wonder of days gone past. He remembers a flashing smile and a cunningly wielded weapon of pure gold. "Not as well as I might have liked," he admits. "By the time I was free to work with the League full-time, he'd already gone back to his home. But I knew enough to know he was one of the finest men I've ever known, and a great hero. And a few good stories..." He grins cheerfully at the memory, until the weight of years catches up with him. Soberly, Wonder adds, "Is he still with us? It's hard to picture him middle-aged, much less old."

Wonder nods in satisfaction as the boys go, remembering years past and young heroes of old. Looking at the saved day all around them, it's hard not to be grateful for his second chance. Looking over at Emissary, he extends a hand. "Captain Wonder," he says simply. "It's good to see grownups in uniform."

Wonder nods in satisfaction as the boys go, remembering years past and young heroes of old. Looking at the saved day all around them, it's hard not to be grateful for his second chance. Looking over at Emissary, he extends a hand. "Captain Wonder," he says simply. "It's good to see grownups in uniform."

For all that Fred doesn't much like teenagers, the fact remains that he's always been a pretty indulgent grandpa. (For that matter, he was a pretty indulgent father back in the day.) It's not their fault they're unsupervised; kid heroes need some guidance that they didn't have in this situation. And it does sound like they're going to see some consequences for their actions. "It's all right, boys. It's good to hear you boys talking sense. Just remember to use your heads...and try not to use any cussing where the civilians can hear. That's just the grownup way to do it." He pauses, then shrugs. "You go along and fly back home now. My friend and I will take care of cleaning up the mess." He pauses for a moment, then adds, covering something of an old wound, "And by the way, Elvis was impersonating me. He used to be president of my fan club."

For all that Fred doesn't much like teenagers, the fact remains that he's always been a pretty indulgent grandpa. (For that matter, he was a pretty indulgent father back in the day.) It's not their fault they're unsupervised; kid heroes need some guidance that they didn't have in this situation. And it does sound like they're going to see some consequences for their actions. "It's all right, boys. It's good to hear you boys talking sense. Just remember to use your heads...and try not to use any cussing where the civilians can hear. That's just the grownup way to do it." He pauses, then shrugs. "You go along and fly back home now. My friend and I will take care of cleaning up the mess." He pauses for a moment, then adds, covering something of an old wound, "And by the way, Elvis was impersonating me. He used to be president of my fan club."

Having bristled under the insults of the kids, and obviously close to a caustic reply of his own, Wonder settled down when Emissary begins to speak. He is less surprised than he probably should be to be recognized by another superhero. Surely most people who remember their history remember him, and surely that's most people in general. He folds his arms, listening with firm agreement to someone lecturing the kids and encouraging them to speak to their elders with respect. The city is in better hands than he might have thought. On the other hand, being concilatory at this point certainly can't hurt. He lets the insults pass, for now. He already knows they need a lesson in manners. "That thing came down right on the heads of all those people," he says, making a gesture in the direction of the dismantled aerodyne. "And then you started shooting into the crowd! Look, I'm sure you boys had good intentions, but this is no way to be a hero. You've got to use your heads." He taps his temple for emphasis.

Having bristled under the insults of the kids, and obviously close to a caustic reply of his own, Wonder settled down when Emissary begins to speak. He is less surprised than he probably should be to be recognized by another superhero. Surely most people who remember their history remember him, and surely that's most people in general. He folds his arms, listening with firm agreement to someone lecturing the kids and encouraging them to speak to their elders with respect. The city is in better hands than he might have thought. On the other hand, being concilatory at this point certainly can't hurt. He lets the insults pass, for now. He already knows they need a lesson in manners. "That thing came down right on the heads of all those people," he says, making a gesture in the direction of the dismantled aerodyne. "And then you started shooting into the crowd! Look, I'm sure you boys had good intentions, but this is no way to be a hero. You've got to use your heads." He taps his temple for emphasis.

"I'm Captain Wonder." Unexpectedly, saying the name almost brings a tear to the old man's eyes. But he carefully fights that urge; what kind of man cries in front of a woman and little kid? Instead he smiles, floating up a little in the air, the sun playing off the gold in his costume as his short cape flies behind him. "You be a good boy now, and listen to your mother. I'll be...up there." He turns back and faces the crowd, his eyes passing over the black kid in the bandit's mask, his colorful ally with the odd grammar, before he settles on the bizarre punk-rocker-looking man in the black mask. With the day saved and no serious injuries in the crowd, Captain Wonder is free to do what he started this entire affair for. "You." He flies over the man, keeping the sun behind him, and points. "Star, or whatever you call yourself. What on Earth were you thinking?" Admittedly, he'd probably be less irritable if his jaw didn't still ache.

"I'm Captain Wonder." Unexpectedly, saying the name almost brings a tear to the old man's eyes. But he carefully fights that urge; what kind of man cries in front of a woman and little kid? Instead he smiles, floating up a little in the air, the sun playing off the gold in his costume as his short cape flies behind him. "You be a good boy now, and listen to your mother. I'll be...up there." He turns back and faces the crowd, his eyes passing over the black kid in the bandit's mask, his colorful ally with the odd grammar, before he settles on the bizarre punk-rocker-looking man in the black mask. With the day saved and no serious injuries in the crowd, Captain Wonder is free to do what he started this entire affair for. "You." He flies over the man, keeping the sun behind him, and points. "Star, or whatever you call yourself. What on Earth were you thinking?" Admittedly, he'd probably be less irritable if his jaw didn't still ache.

"Just doing my job, ma'am," says Captain Wonder with reassuring warmth and gravity. He reaches down and offers her his hand. Fred Fawcett's doubts about this moment seem very far away just now. "As long as the people need heroes, we'll be there. Are you and your family all right?"

"Just doing my job, ma'am," says Captain Wonder with reassuring warmth and gravity. He reaches down and offers her his hand. Fred Fawcett's doubts about this moment seem very far away just now. "As long as the people need heroes, we'll be there. Are you and your family all right?"

For the record, if the Nazi had murdered the mother and little boy right in front of him, Captain Wonder would have punched his head off...then APed Time Travel off his Flight, gone back in time, and done it again! :twisted:

For the record, if the Nazi had murdered the mother and little boy right in front of him, Captain Wonder would have punched his head off...then APed Time Travel off his Flight, gone back in time, and done it again! :twisted:

All-Out Attacking and Power Attacking on this one. Like ya do. Still doing non-lethal damage, though, because that's the way they did it in the High Golden Age.

All-Out Attacking and Power Attacking on this one. Like ya do. Still doing non-lethal damage, though, because that's the way they did it in the High Golden Age.

"No," whispers Wonder in horror, a moment before he flies into action. He blows past the other heroes with the literal speed of a god, plowing into the SHADOW agent with one spectacular punch that hits hard enough to break through a tank's armor. With a mother and child threatened, Captain Wonder does not hold back.

"No," whispers Wonder in horror, a moment before he flies into action. He blows past the other heroes with the literal speed of a god, plowing into the SHADOW agent with one spectacular punch that hits hard enough to break through a tank's armor. With a mother and child threatened, Captain Wonder does not hold back.

Taking 10 on the attack on the minion, and rolling an impressive natural 20 in the Strength check to divest him of the big gun.

Taking 10 on the attack on the minion, and rolling an impressive natural 20 in the Strength check to divest him of the big gun.

Taking 10 on the attack on the minion, and rolling an impressive natural 20 in the Strength check to divest him of the big gun.

As very welcome as the new arrival is, Captain Wonder can't help but briefly think Just how many heroes are in this city? There are a lot of people around he's never met before, and no time to draw on the Wisdom of Imhotep for a clue. But the new man seems to have his head on straight, and that's what really counts. He leaves 'Star' with his ears ringing and dives into the heart of the melee. It takes him only a moment to see the main threat, and he acts quickly. "Gun!" he calls, not sure of what the payload is or what damage it can do to his ally. (Or himself, for that matter.) He dives for the bazooka and rips it right out of the hands of the SHADOW thug. "Little boys shouldn't play with guns!"