Fangirls are Heroes

Attack of the Starros

"Marvel." I get his attention. "The key is under the doormat. It was forged in a star so it is heavy despite it's size." Everyone takes a huge step back so it isn't dropped on their toes. The latch clicks and the door creams open ominously. Red Tornado reminds politely, "We should be on alert." "Don't gotta tell me twice." Static Shock chides. Batman steps forward adopting the persona I know him best as and barks, "I'll take point. Everyone watch each other's backs and don't touch the Starro."

It's surprisingly warm inside the Fortress of Solitude. Batman leads us down a corridor to the left of the main entrance and we go for a while silently until a random Starro flops down from the ceiling directly onto Captain Atom's face. Everyone raises their weapons when Batman jumps in between them screaming "Don't shoot!". Captain Atom then promptly kicks him in the groin, but I catch on quickly. "Ice! Freeze it off!" I order, "Captain Atom is a walking nuclear bomb. We can't taze or burn him without blowing ourselves halfway to the watchtower!"

Ice struts up and gently freezes only the Starro from Captain Atom. Atom looks slightly groggy, but otherwise unharmed. Ice smiles and flirts, "Maybe ve should stick together." while grabbing his hand. Atom grins back. I begin to fangirl on the inside, mentally sketching out fanart and pre-writing fanfic, when Batman angrily growls, "Now that, that is taken care of, The mission." He's right (and pissed that Atom kicked his manhood). When I was watching from my own home I could afford to be distracted, but now it is literally life or death.

Quite a bit later, after a long and awkward walk Batman stops abruptly in front of a seemingly random door in the corridor forcing me to quickly swerve around him to avoid walking into him. He presses one of his electrified brass knuckles into my hand and I grin at his thoughtfulness, but it soon fades when I remember it's for the nest of killer, mind-controlling Starro that we are about to attack. All of this to save B'Wanna Beast of all heroes, "But it's still a life and he'd do the same for you." My inner hero chides.

I gather my courage and whisper, "Is everyone ready?" The group nods in unison. "Then let's go." I nod at Batman. I run my thumb over the button on the side of the electro-knuckles and raise my first in preparation. The entire group tenses for the oncoming fight as Batman quietly picks the lock. I whisper over my shoulder to Red Tornado, "Hey Red. You're water-proofed right?" Red answers, "Correct." "Then when we get in close off the opening at the bottom from the outside." I plan. Then I whisper over my other shoulder. "Static, when Red's out of the way hit the water with all you've got okay?" He nods still watching the door.

Batman reminds, "Don't touch the Starro." Then he whispers, "3...2...1" ending the countdown with a camel kick to the already ajar door. (So that's how he does it!) I speed around him, through the door and zap all the leaping Starros before Batman even has one foot in the door. I slow down to grin at him and Atom blasts one over my shoulder. Batman looks angry at me for endangering myself, but still yells, "Jessie, the ceiling!" I speed up thinking. "Come on Jessie. You can do this. Barry and Wally can. Or rather Wally will be able to. Just don't slow down." I dash in a circle on the floor to build up speed and then I go straight up the cave wall and onto the ceiling. It seems like I'm just walking on the roof and zapping Starro as I go. I pause a moment to see how to team below is doing, but when I stop it feels like I'm falling through Molasses. "I don't like that." I decide quickly.

I notice a small group of Starro flying through the air towards me. I calmly place the tip of the electro-knuckles on the center eye of each and put them down. In that moment I get it, "This is why Barry doesn't kill. As a speedster we are forced to see every dying moment of our victims and it feels awful. Despite knowing what these Starro will do if they are unchecked it still feels cruel and wrong to destroy them. I've cleared almost half the ceiling when I hear a familiar arc of electricity. I glance down at the team to see Static Shock electrifying the entire water dock. I continue the ceiling clearing job as a smell similar to burnt lobster, Yeah I'm a bad cook, permeates the air. I smash down the "taze" button as I slug the last Starro left on he ceiling. The "Tessa coil" noise silences signifying the end of the aquatic battle. I successfully run back down the wall, and I'm greeted by a handful of tired heroes facing the door.

I slow down for them and ask, "Is everyone okay?". They turn around to face me and show the Starro's plastered to their faces. Suddenly I'm jumped by a small army of Starro-infected heroes. My reflexes kick in and I start to speed up while taking down as many as possible. I fight my way towards the team and free Static Shock as he is closest. I dodge a few leaping Starros while defending Static who is recovering from the Starro brain scramble. "I'm definitely keeping this electro-knuckle" I think to myself. Bruce will probably be ticked, but I can always just blackmail him. A familiar arc of electricity fires over my left shoulder as I punch/taze a Starro off Ice's face. I speak slowly as I use my speed to protect her, "Geeeetttt........Attttoooommmmm...." She nods slowly. I rush off towards Batman who surprisingly knocks my feet out from under me before I knock the Starro off his face.

I slow down to help him up joking, "Not cool Batsie..." while sticking my tongue out. "This isn't a joke Jessie." He says quietly. Once we had Fire and Captain Marvel back, it was quick work to decimate the final Starros, excluding one which Batman wanted to interrogate. And with that we locked up on our way out the door and headed back to The Watchtower.

On the ride back to the Watchtower, Static Shock leaned over and asked me

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