Gooch sat behind the counter, slurping his drink down and staring off into space as I swept the floor of the shop. Junk-N-Stuff was constantly dirty due to the number of people walking in and out of the place. Although it was a Junk-shop, it rapidly needed to be cleaned; it was a hassle.
Groaning, I looked up at the foreign man, "Gooch, can you please stop slurping so loudly?"
With narrowed eyes, he shook his head no and looked into the distance. Shrugging off the weird interaction, I went back to my shop duties, until the bell rang, and the door opened. I looked up to see a blonde-haired kid, around my age, with a flannel, and baggy jeans on. I would be lying if I said he was anything short of cute, but, curious, why was he in a junk shop? It was obvious he could afford nice things.
"What are you looking at?" Grumbled a man.
"Uh, nothing. Just this turtle's butt," he stopped, "Sorry."
Polite and cute? I watched as the boy studied Gooch's strange movements. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion when Gooch let Omar, his mutated plant, drink from his straw.
The boy cleared his throat. "My name is Henry Hart," he glanced over at me, "I'm here about the job?"
"The job?" Gooch dragged.
Omar burped.
"Um, did that plant burp?" He questioned.
"Go back," Gooch said ominously.
"Come back?"
"Go, back," Gooch emphasized.
"Where?" Henry asked.
"To the back," I chimed in.
Henry glanced at me again, "Oh, to the back."
"Take the elevator down," Gooch said.
"What floor?"
"Down,"
Henry furrowed his eyebrows as the plant beside Gooch squealed at him, "Uh, you too."
I shook my head and chuckled. "Come on, Henry. I'll show you."
I sat the broom down and ushered for him to follow me. "So, why are you looking for a job?"
I moved through the beads that were hanging up in the doorway. I maneuvered around the junk that was in the walkway and reached the elevator.
"Oh, I-" He was interrupted by his phone going off. "Sorry, hey, what's up?"
I heard murmuring over the phone, something about a chicken. I clicked the button that would eventually take us down to the Man Cave and I walked into the lift.
"What? What are you and Charlotte doing in your basement?" Henry followed my actions.
I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion but just ignored the conversation Henry was having.
"Guys, I can't talk right now. I'm at a job interview, so I gotta go-"
Cutting him off, I pressed the button that led to the Man Cave. The elevator dropped, quickly. It was as if my stomach went up into my esophagus, and did thirty somersaults. I wasn't affected by the feeling however, I've done this my entire life. When the elevator stopped, Henry was thrown to the floor, and the door opened. I stepped out into what Ray and I called the Man Cave, and started to look around for him.
"Ray!"
"I'll call you back," Henry deadpans.
Turning around, Henry was staggering out of the elevator, and into the giant room. He stared in awe.
"Like what you see, Henry?" I smirked.
He smiled largely, "This place is awesome, but, are you the person who's supposed to be doing my interview?"
I sighed. "No, he's around here somewhere, though. Ray!" I yelled out again.
Henry furrowed his eyebrows and focused on something behind me. Turning around, Ray was sitting on the spinning couch listening to music. He opened his eyes and smiled when he saw Henry and me.
"Hey, how are you? Cool. Thanks. Great to meet you, I'm doing good. What's your name?" Ray shoved me out of his way.
"Um, I'm Henry Hart. I'm here about the job." Henry replied.
"Age?" Ray questioned.
"Thirteen. I'll be fourteen... on my next birthday,"
I chuckled, "Obviously," I mumbled.
"Ah, so you're aging sequentially. I like that." Ray rubbed his chin.
"Thanks?" Henry furrowed his brows.
"My name's Ray," he held his hand out, "and that's Maebel, my daughter," Ray pointed to me.
Henry shook his hand, "Hi Ray, Maebel," he glanced at me.
I nodded back in reply.
"You ask a lot of questions," Ray said, moving to the other side of him.
"I don't think I've asked any questions," Henry turned around to face him.
"Chocolate or vanilla?" Ray interrogated.
"Ah geez," I rolled my eyes.
"Vanilla,"
"Helicopters or kangaroos?"
"Helicopters,"
"Love it. Scrambled eggs or dynamite?"
"Both,"
"Maybe," Ray thought for a moment, "complete the sentence, 'I'm sorry mother, I didn't mean for my elephant to, blank."
"Lick dad!"
The room filled with laughter from Ray, and not a second too late, Henry. I rolled my eyes at both of them and sat on the back of the couch.
"Well, that's not funny."
"No."
Ray walked over to the control panel while popping a gumball in his mouth. Knowing what was bout to happen, I followed his actions but instead walked over near the elevator.
"Is this the job interview?" Henry asked, following Ray.
"Do you want it to be the job interview?"
"Um, what is the job?"
"What do you think the job is?" Ray smiled.
"Uh, well, the ad said part-time helper, so I'm thinking maybe you need someone to help you, you know, part-time," Henry trailed off his sentence as Ray began to rapidly squat, stand, then squat again.
"Do you ever dream about sleeping?" Ray questioned.
"No," Henry furrowed his eyebrows.
"Good, if you did, you'd be dead."
"I am so confused," Henry said.
"Ray, come on. Stop torturing the boy and let's show him," I suggested.
With a sigh, "David?" Ray called.
"Henry," the boy corrected.
"Can we trust you?"
"Sure,"
"Can you keep a secret?" I asked.
"Totally," Henry replied switching his gaze to me.
"So, we can trust you to keep a secret?" Ray interrogated.
"Yes, sir!" Henry smiled.
Ray backed up, closer to me than Henry. "We're gonna blow a bubble,"
"You're going to blow a bubble?"
"And we're going to blow your mind," I smirked.
Ray and I blew our bubble like we normally would. We waited for it to get bigger and bigger until it popped. As soon as the bubble popped, a cloud of bright green and blue washed over me, only to reveal a look of awe over Henry's face.
With a broad smile, "You're Captain Man and Danger Girl!"
"That's right, Henry!" Captain Man smiled.
Captain Man was wearing his usual uniform, as for me, my black hair was pulled back into a slick ponytail. I was in my blue spandex bodysuit, red cargo pants, black combat boots, thin red gloves, and my red and silver mask that showed my bright blue eyes. I had armor on my sides, shoulders, and forearms.
"Oh, hold on a second. Stupid zipper, it always sticks. Ah! That's my skin!" Ray struggled to tug up his zipper.
I struggled to help Captain Man pull his zipper up. He had told me to get his zipper lube and lube it up. After, it was much easier to pull.
"There we go!" Captain Man smiled and chuckled, "Whoo! Always good to keep the old zipper lubed." Captain Man sat the lube down on a table and turned to Henry, who was talking to us.
"I-I can't believe I'm standing here and talking to Captain Man and Danger Girl," he beamed.
"Why? Are you a fan?" I asked.
"Do you like me? Most people like me, but not everyone," Captain Man babbled.
"Yeah, I'm a huge fan!" Henry reached into his pocket and pulled his phone out, "Oh man, I've got to tell Jasper about this. He's gonna freak when I tell him I'm standing here next to Captain-"
I quickly pulled out my controller and shot Henry's phone out of his hand with my laser.
"Sorry, Henry, but you can't tell your friends about this," I apologized.
"Okay, but, did you have to melt my phone?" He picked up the smoking computer.
"She'll get you a new one," Captain Man assured.
"Really?" Henry looked over at me.
"No," I said bluntly and glared at Ray.
Henry frowned.
"So, Henry," I said while walking over to the control panel, "Tell me why you want the job."
"Well, you know, to learn responsibility and challenge myself,"
Captain Man saw through his words. He sat on the couch and raised an eyebrow at him, "So, you want money?"
"Lot's of money," Henry nodded his head.
Before anything else could be said, the elevator dinged open, and an old lady came wobbling out.
"Oh! Is this the ladies' room?" She said in a strange accent.
"No ma'am. You're not supposed to be down here," I replied.
"What an interesting place," the lady said.
I looked over to Henry to try to grasp his emotion. He looked nothing short of confused and suspicious.
"Thank you, but I'm conducting a job interview, and you're very old so can you please get back in the elevator?" Captain Man shooed the lady away.
"Oh, I'll just take me phone out of me purse and call me nephew." The lady sifted through her purse.
"Great. Danger Girl and I will just turn our backs and look at something,"
Obliging to what Captain Man ordered, I turned around and watched the auto-snacker.
"Captain Man!" Henry yelled.
I turned around in time to be shot by a laser. I fell, acting as if I were knocked unconscious. I heard grunting, shoes clinking on the floor, and a low thud.
"Goodbye forever, Captain Man and Danger Girl," Boris spoke in his normal voice.
"No!"
A laser shot right past my ear.
"Get off of me!" Boris spoke again in his phony accent.
"Quit talking like a British lady!" Henry demanded.
I bit my lip, attempting not to laugh.
"Stop pulling me wig over me eyes, I can't see."
The elevator dinged. As soon as I heard it open, I heard it close.
"Captain Man! Danger Girl!"
Footsteps stomped close to my head.
"Guys! Are you okay?"
"We're always okay!" Captain Man and I said in unison, jumping up.
The elevator opened once more and Boris walked out taking the wig off his head.
"Nice work, Boris," Captain Man said.
"The boy did good job,"
"Wait, you know the-"
"That's Boris," Captain Man cut Henry off, "He works for us."
"What?" Henry scoffed.
"How'd you know he wasn't really an old lady?" I questioned.
"Cause of the tattoo on his neck. I saw it on him up in the store," he explained, "and his boobs are too wobbly."
The four of us looked at Boris' fake boobs.
"True," Captain Man begins, "Go get those under control," he said releasing Boris from his duties.
Boris marched out of the room. Captain Man and Henry stepped off of the platform the couch was on.
"Henry, you have a sharp eye," Captain Man pointed out, "Good instincts, a nice shirt, and you're brave,"
I smiled, knowing where this was going.
"Thanks," Henry smiled.
"Do you know how to make sandwiches?"
"I do!"
I rolled my eyes and turned Henry to look at me. "You have all the qualities we're looking for,"
"But, I don't-" he stuttered, clearly confused.
"You're the one, Henry." I beamed.
"The one to make you a sandwich?"
I busted out laughing, "No."
"Well, yes," Captain Man said.
I rolled my eyes again, "No, Henry, but everybody gets old someday."
Henry's eyebrows furrowed.
"Even Captain Man," Captain Man continued, "I can't do this forever." He said walking over to the computer screens on the wall.
"Do what?" Henry asked, following.
"Protect our town, Swellview, from bad guys, bad things, bad smells,"
"Smells?"
"You wanna be horrified?" I asked.
"No,"
"Watch this!" Captain Man turned on videos of The Toddler on the screens.
The videos were of a short man rolling around and acting way younger than his actual age.
"Who's the freak in the diaper?" Henry asked.
"The Toddler, and don't let the diaper fool you, Henry. He's pure evil," I sighed.
"Wow,"
"I'll show you wow," Captain Man plopped into the chair next to him, "Watch this secret video that was intercepted by my people who intercept secret videos," he pressed play.
It showed Toddler pacing around a guy in a purple shirt tied up in a chair.
"You were supposed to bring me my applesauce two minutes ago," whined the Toddler.
"I'm sorry, Toddler," the guy tied up cried.
"Sorry don't make baby happy," Toddler blew raspberries into the guy's face.
A large guy came out from behind a doorway and tapped on the Toddler's shoulder, "Toddler, good news. The radioactive zenite is here,"
"Really?" Toddler smiled and pumped his fist into the air, "Whoo-hoo! That means we can begin phase two of my plan,"
"Will someone wipe my face?" The man tied up asked.
"No!" Toddler screamed and continue to blow raspberries in his face.
Henry scrunched up his nose in disgust.
"Dang, that takes so much effort!" Toddler reached up to grab his minion and yanked him down to his height, "Have one of our scientists build me a device to do that."
"To do what, sir?" The minion asked.
"This!" The Toddler spits again.
Captain Man grunted and paused the video. "You see that?"
"He's a maniac," Henry said.
"And there's more maniacs like him, all dangerous to the good citizens of Swellview," I told him.
"Well, yeah, but we've got you two to stop them,"
"True," Captain Man said, standing up and walking to the other side of Henry, "but I'm not as young as I used to be," he sighed, "I'm almost thirty-four. We're gonna need help, and someday, someone's gonna have to take over for me.
"Like," Henry beamed, "Like me?"
"What do you say, Henry?" I shrugged, "Do you wanna be our sidekick?"
"How much does it pay?" He chuckled.
"Nine dollars an hour," Captain Man said.
"Whoa!"
"I know right!"
Suddenly, the monitors kicked on. It showed kids looking around the store.
"What are they doing here?" Henry groaned.
"Friends of yours?" I asked.
"Uh-huh,"
"Jasper, please don't embarrass me," the girl said.
The girl was dark-skinned, she had black curly hair, and, from what I could tell, she was fairly short. The boy, who I presume is Jasper, had brown curly hair, he was broad, and he wasn't much taller than the girl.
"Excuse me, sir," Jasper yelled out.
"He's gonna do it," the girl shook her head.
"Yes?" Gooch replied.
"How much?" Jasper nodded toward the barrel of swords.
"Each sword is one hundred dollars,"
"No, how much for the bucket?"
"The bucket?"
"That's not a bucket, that's a barrel," the girl corrected.
"It's close enough to a bucket. I collect buckets," he said turning to Gooch.
"Don't say it," the girl warned.
"I'm a bucketeer!"
"Well, they seem nice," I commented.
Henry giggled, "Yeah, their names are Jasper and Charlotte. I've known them ever since-"
"Get rid of them," Captain Man commanded.
"I'll get rid of them," Henry ran off to the elevator.
Ray and I sat on the couch, eating bananas, watching Henry try multiple suits on. We were attempting to find the perfect uniform for him. First, we found a bicentennial costume, it wasn't very fitting. Then, we found one that was way too sparkly and loud. Then, after that, he put on one that reminded me of Broadway. After that, he put on a gold spandex suit that looked too tight. Finally, we came across the perfect one. It was similar to mine, but his was more masculine and had armor surrounding his torso.
"It looks really good on you, Henry," I complimented.
"Yeah, I like it," Ray said.
"Thanks, but, it takes a lot of time to put on,"
"And that's why you'll need this special bubble gum," Ray said handing him the transforming gum.
"Special?"
"Read the instructions,"
Henry lifted the tube of gum up to read, "Chew gum, blow bubble, fight crime."
The lights were off behind me as I genuflected to put Henry's new watch on his wrist. Captain Man should've been the one to do it but he whined that he didn't wanna get his pants dirty so, I had to.
"What's this for?" Henry asked.
I looked up at him, "It means we're engaged."
"What?"
"No, I'm just kidding," I stood, "That's how we'll contact you," I smiled.
"Well, why can't you just call me?"
"I melted your phone?"
"Right,"
"Now, listen closely, that wristband flashes," Captain Man said.
"It flashes," Henry repeated.
"A triple flashing light means emergency, like, 'major sitch going down, so get here fast,"
"Right,"
"A double flashing light means it's just important,"
"And what does a single flashing light mean?" Henry asked.
"Just to, you know, shoot me a text whenever," Ray shrugged.
"Got it,"
"Now, raise your right hand," Ray said.
The three of us rose our right hand.
"Spread your fingers,"
The three of us spread our fingers.
"Turn your head and cough,"
I rolled my eyes but smiled at his playful nature. Giggling, I watched as Henry did what Ray said but turned back around confused.
"Joke," Ray said laughing.
Henry chuckled.
"Place your left hand over your right lung,"
Henry did as told.
"Repeat after me," Captain Man said, "I, Henry Hart,"
Henry repeated, "I, Henry Hart,"
"Pledge to be an awesome sidekick to Captain Man and Danger Girl,"
"Pledge to be an awesome sidekick to Captain Man and Danger Girl,"
"And to never, ever, ever, tell anyone that I am Captain Man and Danger Girl's secret sidekick,"
"And to never, ever, tell anyone that I am Captain Man and Danger Girl's secret sidekick,"
"You left out one 'ever," I informed.
"Ever," Henry added.
"It is done," Captain Man said.
We lowered our arms and Henry sighed. I smiled at him with raised eyebrows.
"Feels good," Henry said waving his arms around.
"Yeah,"
Suddenly, the emergency alarm sounded.
"Uh-oh," I mumbled.
We ran over to the computer screens so Gooch could give us the rundown.
"What's up, Gooch?" Ray asked.
"Someone sabotaged the bridge over the Jandy river," Gooch explained.
"The bridge is down?" I gaped.
"Affirmative,"
"That means yes," Ray informed Henry.
"I got that," Henry replied.
"Situation?" Ray asked Gooch.
"Cars in the water, lives in danger."
"Understood," I said and ended the call.
"Phase two of the Toddlers plan," Ray said, "Let's ride."
Ray and I bolted toward the tubes. Since there were only two tubes, Henry and I had to share one because we're smaller.
"Ride where?" Henry asked.
"We've got people in the Jandy River that need saving, come on," Captain Man beckoned him over.
"You mean, we're going there together, like, right now?"
"Yeah, get under my tube," I said.
Henry came and stood next to me. Captain Man's tube came flying down as he shot up into it.
"I don't know how to-"
"Just tap your belt buckle," I giggled.
"Up the tube!" Henry yelled.
Just like that, Ray and I had gotten a new sidekick. One that I was, unarguably, comfortable with. We'll see how he does tonight with saving people at the Jandy River.