::Radley::
When I wake up there’s a puddle of black drool on my pillow. Fangs are protruding from my mouth and my eyes are glazed over in a pool of red. I feel taller, wider, and there may or may not be spikes rolling down my spine.
“Gah!” I scream out, although it comes out more like a disgruntled roar. It takes everything I have, a few deep breathes, and complete concentration to mellow down into human Radley.
I hate when I sleep transform, especially when i wake up like that: half-human, half-monster. But something had definitely woken me up.
I put on my glasses from the bedside table and begin to search for the source of an incessant beeping that’s taken over my bedroom.
Finally, I find it. My Anthem Force communicator has gone off, a message from the police saying something is attacking the east side of town. Groggily, I shake the sleep from my eyes as everything rushes in. The city is in trouble and I’m leader, so it’s my job to make sure my team is there ready to stop whatever’s attacking.
I call Andy first, who had already heard the communicator and was on her way. Keith gives a few smart remarks about his “beauty sleep” but says he’s on it. The last teammate is ninja girl, or Noname I guess is what we’re calling her.
“What?” she snaps over the phone, “You do realize it’s two in the morning.”
“There’s trouble in the east side of town. I need you there now,” I say as I pull on my Anthem Force uniform. I need Noname to be there and I need her to do well. Keith and Andy have to see that she’s a good addition to our team.
“No. I’m sleeping,” she says before hanging up. I’m left mouth half agape. No? She can’t say no. I’m the leader... right?
I wish I knew where she lives and I’d march down and make her come. But all I have is this phone number.
I instantly redial the number. “I don’t think you heard me right. Anthem Force emergency, you need to get up and go.”
“I didn’t sign up for this,” she snaps, “You guys can deal, right? I don’t even have superpowers so there you go.”
Ever since Dante there has been a huge boom in non-powered superheroes. She has no excuse. “Go there now or... or, I’ll kick you off the team.”
She’s silent. “Fine.”
She hangs up again. So much for everything going well.
...
When we get to the east side there’s a large glow radiating from a small shopping center. In the middle, is a boy holding blue fireballs in each hand. He’s wearing jeans, a leather jacket, and has hair shaved to one side.
“Who’s this guy?” Andy says as I run up to the scene. Keith is already here and surprisingly so is Noname, who’s standing to the side arms crossed.
I rack my brain but this guy’s not ringing any bells. “Another new villain. That’s weird we’d have two in one week.” Almost unheard of actually.
“We’ll whoever he is we’re going to kick his ass,” Keith grins as a flurry of sparks escapes his palms.
“Alright, Anthem Force, let’s go!” I shout. Darn it, that’s not right, “Anthem go!”
“Keep trying buddy,” Keith says before running foreword to tackle the blue-fire guy. Andy is right on his tail while Noname stays behind.
“What?” she gripes.
“Aren’t you going to, uh, fight him?” I say.
She leans her head back, groaning, “Fine. If you say so chief.”
She’s off, moving like a shadow against the pavement. I monster up too, ready to charge for full force.
Andy already has a car lifted above her head, sending it flying at fire dude. He sends a flame, vaporizing it mid-air. Keith is sending jolts of lightning but he’s meeting these too with fireballs.
Keith is about to send another bolt when Noname suddenly jumps in his path. He lets out a cry as he’s forced to redirect the lightning to a nearby light pole last minute and sending him flying back.
Unaware of this or perhaps not caring, Noname pulls out a long blade from the sheath along her back. Letting out a battle cry, she swipes at fire dude.
The two engage in a dance, Noname swiveling her sword back and forth while the fire dude punches her with flame filled palms. Andy is about to punch the villain from behind but when Noname moves last minute she’s sent flying back from a fireball.
This isn’t working. Noname isn’t working. “Stand down,” I yell to her.
“I thought you wanted me to fight,” she yells back, ducking to the side to avoid a charred face.
“You’re not working with your team.”
Noname huffs a “fine” before disappearing into the shadows. Alrighty, so she’s gone. Keith has reorientated himself and Andy has picked herself up from the ground, one pigtail on fire. She quickly reaches up to extinguish it, her face dark.
Time to take care of business.
“Maneuver 4!” I yell through a gargled monster voice. Andy swoops overhead, grabbing me by the arms and lifting me in the air. Keith gets into position while Noname is nowhere to be seen.
Andy flies up high into the air and when she drops me I pummel down through the air and punch fire dude straight in the face. The boom resonates through the area, sending the earth shaking and the windows to shatter.
I quickly roll away just in time for Keith to send a final blow of lightning down.
There’s a burst of light and a great deal of smoke, but when everything finally clears we can see fire dude laying unconscious on the ground.
Yah! Score one for Anthem Force! The police rush in to take care of fire guy while my teammates walk this way.
“Where’s blades of fury?” Keith says, looking peeved. Behind him Andy is sulking with her arms crossed. The two don’t look happy, probably because our newest teammate had caused them each to take a big hit.
“Yah because of her one pony is now shorty then the other,” Andy snaps, pointing to her charred pigtail. Beside her, Keith let’s out a low snort before snapping back to attention.
“She disappeared,” I say looking around the shopping center. Us three, the original three, were the ones to take down the villain. Noname only got in the way. What could she possibly add to this team?
“I’m right here,” she says, stepping out from behind a car. All three of us jump in surprise. I don’t know how she does that disappearing thing but it sure is creepy, “And I have something you might want to see.”
She holds out her palm to reveal a big pile of black goo.
“Ah! What is that?” I shrink back.
“Please don’t tell me it’s Radley slobber,” Keith says, making a gagging motion. I ignore him.
“It came off of the fire guy, he was practically sweating the stuff. You know what that’s a sign of, right?”
She looks to all of us, her dark eyes darting between her mask. When none of us answer she looks almost smug. “No? Just me?”
“Will you just tell us already?” Andy snaps. Someone’s a little bitter about the ponytail thing.
Noname pulls out a small ziploc back from her toolbelt, slipping the goo inside and then wiping her hand on the costume. She hands the baggy over to me.
“There’s this thing called Formula X, really big in underground supervillain rings. When taken it gives you some ‘special’ side effects. Like shooting fireballs.”
“Wait are you saying that Formula X gives you superpowers,” I say.
““That among other things. It’s really big in the underground,” Noname shrugs, It looks like Anthem City has a little drug problem on it’s hands.”