Emerald - A "Comic" Written By Chronicler

[Chronicler]

#The Fate of Three

Cynthia Dwarn enters her husband’s lab. She looks above herself, seeing a metallic suit sticking to the ceiling. She is shocked when it talks to her.

Dwarn: Cynthia! I finally did it! I made it stick to surfaces! It’s amazing! It’s spectacular!

Cynthia: It scared me. Be careful when you get down.

Dwarn removes his legs, then flopping them down, and then detached his his hands, and made a sturdy drop to the ground.

Dwarn: I’m learning to control this. Look, Cynthia! It can spray sticky material as well!

He sprays a clear liquid, which becomes a sticky substance. It stops a spider on the wall from walking down. He squishes the spider with his arm. The armor removes the sticky substance just fine.

Dwarn: I made it so this armor could not get stuck with the material as well. That would be inconvenient.

Cynthia: Well, Seth, I need to drive our son to school. Do you wanna say anything to him before he goes?

Dwarn: Of course! David would be impressed.

Dwarn goes to his son’s room. David is all packed for school. His eyes widen as he sees his father in the armor he created.

David: You finally finished it?

Dwarn: Yes, I did, David. Expect to see this to be used all across the globe to rescue others and enforce peace.

David: My friends would freak out about this thing! So it actually can stick to walls?

Dwarn: Ask your mother about that. I need to remove this thing. It’s getting hot.

David: Maybe fix some vents into there for air conditioning?

Dwarn: That’s a wonderful idea!

David smiles. Cynthia, his wonderful mother, jingles the keys, and David gets going.

Dwarn: Of course, I already thought about that.

Dwarn removes the helmet and looks at it. It’s shiny and new. Made of a incredibly versatile but hard plastic substance, no metals can pierce it.

Dwarn: My pride and joy, this suit.

~~

James slaps a folder near Stephanie, and her eyes bat toward it. She raises an eyebrow.

Stephanie: What is this?

James: Stuff I borrowed from JTC about this Virus guy.

Stephanie: Did you steal this?

James: Heavens no! I know Dwarn, remember?

Stephanie: But does he know you’re? … Well you know.

James: The only two people in the world who knows of my secret identity is me and you. YOUR secret identity, on the other hand, is in a crisis. Trusting people you don’t even know.

Stephanie: I had no other choice.

James: Yes. I shouldn’t be so harsh on you. Anyways, just look at these files. You should be prepared for that awards ceremony on your courage for saving the governor and our mayor.

Stephanie: Oh yes! I picked out such a nice dress for it.

James: You outta bring your suit.

Stephanie: Why?

James: The Triad. They’re always there. Everyone knows about this awards ceremony. You need to be protected.

Stephanie: But then I cannot dress up.

James: Just bring it some way. I’ll be there too. I’ll be taking Carolina.

Stephanie: Carolina? Why didn’t she come here first?

James: Just something we arranged. Nothing too special about it.

Stephanie gives him a look, and goes to pushing buttons on the register.

Stephanie: Good day today. Must be for some awards ceremony going on.

James: I would suppose so.

James positions his bow tie while looking into a mirror. He smirks.

James: Gotta dress to impress.

~~

Virus breathes heavily as he injects a needle into his system. He moans in a relief. A sense of pleasure enters into his body.

Virus: That should hold me for a few hours. This is all I’m good for now. A horseman of pestilence.

He breathes in and out slowly. He slowly regains strength and energy. He takes a suit he had and dressed up. He puts on his gloves, armed with his syringe claws and carrying a spare breathing mask in case he needed it.

He gestures to his other Triad henchmen who are dressed up formally.

Virus: This is going to be a bad case of Deja Vu.

~~

Stephanie arrives at the ceremony, dressed up in a beautiful grey velvet dress. She wears her Emerald necklace. She sees James holding his arm around Carolina’s as they come through the doors of the capitol building. They meet under the rotunda.

Stephanie: So when did this happen?

James: What? I’m being a gentleman. Do you object to that, Steph?

Carolina: I don’t object to it. (She giggles.)

Stephanie: I need to go meet with the mayor and governor. James, you need to come too.

She tags James along with her. While looking in the crowd, she sees a familiar face, with stitches over it. It’s the Virus.

Stephanie (whispering): James, we’re going to need to get the mayor and governor out of here. Possibly the citizens, too.

James (whispering): Oh, those Triad men are persistent alright. I knew they’d show!

Stephanie: I need to go get my costume. You warn the men of the hour.

James: I can get my suit on faster.

Stephanie: Doesn’t matter. This guy needs to be dealt with properly.

Stephanie runs off, and James hurries to the governor and mayor.

Brown: Oh, greetings Mr. Barmms!

Mayor: Ah, the man of the hour! Where is your sister?

James: No time for this, folks. Those terrorists from the park are back.

Mayor: What!?

James: Get everyone out of here this instant.

Governor: But we planned everything!

James: Do it. I recognize those men as the same ones. You must clear the crowd.

Carolina looks at her watch, and heads up some of the stairs.

Security comes in and tells everyone to break it up. The crowd begins to chatter and clusters toward the door. Virus, within the crowd, smiles.

Virus: Perfect.

Virus pull out a capsule from his coat and breaks it on the floor within the crowd. Before the security captures him, a white cloud starts to fill the room. People begin to cough and fall to the floor, en masse. Many of the people’s skin starts to show a yellowish tint.

Virus stands over the crowd, kicking some of them. One of the people coughs severely from the kick. He just laughs.

Suddenly, he his met with a punch to the face. He collapses to the floor. He gets up and wipes off the blood on his lips. Emerald’s crystal is glowing bright, forcing Virus to squint in order to keep the light out of his eyes. She’s also wearing James’s ring to keep her immune.

Virus: You! Ohoho you… Always getting in the way.

He swipes at her with his syringe claw. She dodges. She tries to land a punch, but he dodges as well. He’s fast as usual.

~~

James makes it out to the back of the building. The mayor and governor are escorted by security while James looks back at the building.

James: Carolina. I hope she is alright.

Brown: Thank you for everything, sir! We’ll… We’ll just send the medals to you and your sister in the mail!

Mayor: Yes! Salem has an amazing postal service! We’ll even pay for the shipping! Thank you, Barmms!

James: You’re welcome!

~~

Emerald focuses on Virus. He’s wearing his mask now, in order to block out the bright light and breathe his illness.

Virus: You’re quite the fine looking young lady, Emerald!

Emerald: Thanks, you look like a truck hit you!

Virus slashes her arm, but it gets covered by crystal. The tips of his syringes break. He is stunned. Emerald smiles, and punches him hard in the face. Two Triad men come up behind her to tackle her. She pushes them off.

Virus pulls out his gun. Emerald turns her body into crystal to block the bullets being shot. They project off of her. However, what she didn’t know was the substance of the gas. The gas caught a spark flying off of her and begins to burn. Emerald’s eyes widen as the flame starts up in the cloud. The sick people are out cold, some of them dead.

Emerald: No no no how do I stop this?

Out of nowhere a blast of wind and water comes, extinguishing the gas that was going to engulf the people. Emerald turns around. It’s a man in an exo-suit.

Dwarn: Stand down, O’Reale. You’re going to come with me.

Virus looks at the mechanical suit. It makes Dwarn taller and, frankly, is intimidating. Virus points a gun at him and fires near the head. The bullet hits the eyeglass, breaking it.

Dwarn: No! No, I can’t see out of that now!

Virus takes off his left gloves. It’s blistered and wrinkled, showing a disgusting texture. He comes toward Dwarn. The mouth of the suit is exposed.

Virus: You fool.

As he comes in to inject Dwarn, Emerald flings a crystal out of his hand, cracking the metal surrounding the syringe claws and making Virus drop the needle. Virus stoops to pick it back up, but it only allows him to take a sharp upper-cut from Dwarn. His knees buckle and he drops to the floor.

Dwarn: Haha! Now look who’s saved the day!

Emerald: Dwarn! Oh, thank you. These people could have been killed-

Dwarn: They’re probably already dead, “Emerald.”

Emerald: What?

Dwarn: The cloud of illness. Most of these people are probably already dead.

Emerald goes to check on the victims.

Emerald: You… You’re right.

Dwarn: ‘Tis a shame, too.

Dwarn goes to comfort Stephanie, but his suit is hit by a projectile from a Triad Henchman.

Dwarn: What?

The projectile beeps. His suit gets engulfed by a flash of electricity, zapping Dwarn who is inside.

“AUughaUGHaughAughAugh!”

The exo-suit begins to malfunction. It starts to spray water everywhere. He jumps up into the air and sprays. It gets on all the paintings in the rotunda.

Dwarn: STOP! Stop!

Then the bullets start coming out. Dwarn is rather surprised, as he locked that function beforehand. A wave of bullets comes toward Emerald, which she deflects with her crystal skin. The cloud of illness again ignites, this time not hesitating to burn the innocent victims. Emerald is blasted 10 feet in the air to splat on the floor. Dwarn tries to get the water to that direction, but it’s too late. The survivors are burning.

Finally, Emerald creates a long crystal to swipe out the flames with air. Some of it spreads to the trees in the lobby.

Emerald: (Not gonna work. I have to stop who’s starting it all.)

She then looks towards Dwarn’s suit. Her eyes lower.

Dwarn: No! You… You can’t destroy my suit!

Emerald charges and begins to stab into the hard plastic. Dwarn tries to get her off.

Dwarn: NO! You’ll only make it worse!

She pulls off the gloves, then some of the torso armor. Finally, she removes the helmet, which turns the whole thing off. Dwarn splats on the ground, the heavy suit no longer being supported.

Dwarn: No! No! You destroyed it! My life’s work!

Emerald looks at the helmet.

Emerald: Then make it Emerald-proof next time.

She crushes the helmet and drags Dwarn from the scene. All the innocents there are dead. Except one.

~~

James looks inside the building and finds Carolina looking at some of the pictures of past governors. She’s primarily interested in Mark Hatfield. James looks at her in a tired, exhausted, yet curious way.

James: What are you looking at Hatfield or?

Carolina: Oh nothing. I was wondering where you went?

James: I went to meet with the mayor.

Carolina: Where is Stephanie?

James: Who knows?

Carolina: Oh, I hope she is alright.

James: Did you not hear anything that happened?

Carolina: What happened?

James: People are dead, Carolina. Many, many people.

~~

Dwarn is furious with Emerald. Emerald just drops him on the back of the capitol’s steps and plans to leave him. She looks at him with disgust.

Dwarn: Why do you look at me like that?

Emerald: I had everything under control in there! Then YOU showed up and ruined everything.

Dwarn: No… No no no I helped you.

Emerald: Not much. People died in FLAMES because of you. You managed to kill off the rest of the people who were alive, and now part of the capitol is on fire!

Fire trucks make their way toward the capitol. Emerald looks at them.

Emerald: No, I could have dealt with this. You destroyed everything.

Dwarn grows enraged. He tries to get up but can’t. He’s stuck in the suit.

Dwarn: You’re putting all the blame on me, you fool. You’d be NOWHERE without me. Still stuck in that hospital bed. Do you hear me?

Emerald: I hear you. Now let me do my job for once, you pathetic old man. You know, what you HIRED me to do. You helped demolish part of this building. You’re no better than a termite, Dwarn. How does that make you feel?

Dwarn: You’re no better than me, you… YOU TERRORIST!

Emerald’s eyes widen. She did almost start the flame, and no doubt spread some of it when trying to extinguish it.

Dwarn: Heh. That’s right. You’re not getting away with this. You’ll be prosecuted!

Emerald walks away from Dwarn, ashamed. Dwarn calls out to her.

Dwarn: Aren’t you going to help me up?

Emerald pauses and turns around.

Emerald: Get that load off of you, and then get up. You’re only holding yourself down if you keep that thing on your chest.

Emerald walks away on the sidewalk, slowly. Each step with weight. She removes her necklace and clenches it with her fist.

Next Issue: The Termite’s Revenge!

http://marvelcomicsfanon.wikia.com/wiki/Emerald_Vol_1_11

[Chronicler]

#The Troublesome Termite

Stephanie throws her necklace on her bed. The spirits that had haunted her before had come back. She grabs ahold of her hair and begins to cry.

Stephanie: People died. All because of me.

She lays her face into her pillow, and stretches across the bed. She is still wearing her Emerald outfit. She cries into the pillow, getting make-up all over it. She looks up from it. A face of a crying woman is imprinted into the pillow. With its eyes closed and a stream of tears coming down with red lips, it contrasts greatly from the white.

Stephanie: I need to control these powers. Before it’s too late.

Stephanie grabs her necklace and sticks it into her jewelry box. She shoves the lid closed and locks it tightly. She slides it under her bed.

Stephanie looks at her mirror.

Stephanie: See? Just the hero, Stephanie. Not the dangerous figure known as Emerald. Just the plain old hero, Stephanie, who saved the lives of the mayor and the governor. That’s how it should be, too.

Stephanie hears James calling her from downstairs. Quickly she takes off her costume and puts on her bathrobe, and heads down. It’s late. The cherry blossoms outside are finally turning scarlet. The ginger-haired woman sees Carolina and James sitting in the store. James’s eyes widen.

James: You made it out of there fine?

Stephanie: Yes. People died, didn’t they.

Carolina: Too many. Not just from the illness, but the fire, as well.

Stephanie collapses on the stairway. James goes to pick her up. Her arms are shaking.

Carolina: What’s wrong with Stephanie?!

James: She’s having an anxiety attack. This happens to her after situations like this.

Carolina: She didn’t have this the other day.

James: They’re infrequent.

Carolina: Ah!

Stephanie (shaken): James… Please… Don’t let go, at all.

James wraps his muscular arms around his sister. He closes his eyes as Stephanie cries again. Carolina sits there, watching. She notices a strange ring on Stephanie’s hand, however.

Carolina: James. Didn’t that ring she’s wearing belong to you?

James: Oh that? I, uh, let her borrow it for the day.

Carolina hums in amusement.

~~

Dwarn steps into his office at JTC. It’s closing hours, but he’s committed. He slaps his armor on the working table, the mask and all. He notices a crack. It’s right above the eye. Part of the mask also was cracked, making it look as if it had teeth.

Dwarn: A termite she says? Termite…

Dwarn gets inspiration. Throughout the night he builds. He redesigns structures of the costume. He replaces the extinguishing fluid with that of an acid. He adds an air-conditioning unit into it with vents. He snoops into a testing room and steals some of the heat ray guns that were being tested. Back in his office, he modifies them. He sticks them on the helmet, making a big-like antenna shape. He laughs.

Dwarn: “Emerald-Proof” it? Oh, it will be Emerald proof alright.

He tests the laser on a diamond. At enough heat, the diamond begins to shine bright and explodes. Dwarn’s eyes widen.

Dwarn: That explosion. It will be oh-so satisfying.

He closes up shop at JTC and drives home, very late at night. He enters the door, puts up his lab coat, and walks quietly through his house. Cynthia is awake, looking at him fiercely through her quadrilateral glasses.

Cynthia: You didn’t even wait for a test run.

Dwarn sighs and walks upstairs. He’s rubbing his head out of embarrassment.

Cynthia: Yeah, walk away. You know the authorities will be after you.

Dwarn stops.

Dwarn: This was a test run. It failed, Cynthia. I will try again.

Cynthia’s mouth opens out of shock of her husband’s comment.

Cynthia: Try AGAIN? The world isn’t some lab, Seth!

Dwarn: Goodnight, honey.

He slams the door to his room.

~~

The mayor released a statement the next day about the capture of Emerald for questioning after the terrorist attack on the capitol.

Mayor: The police department will capture this dangerous individual to be brought into questioning, as well as whoever was her accomplice. The department is dealing with the other terroristic individual, who will be locked up in a federal prison. If you see the woman described earlier, please contact the police at once.

Stephanie watches this in horror. She is in her blanket and grows even more terrified. James wraps his arm around his sister.

James: It’s going to be alright, Stephanie. We’ll deal with this.

Stephanie: James. Please. There is no dealing with this. I need to turn myself in.

James: Don’t turn yourself in. The police doesn’t know the hero Stephanie is the same as the individual known as Emerald. It needs to stay that way.

Stephanie: So what do you mean by that?

James: Simple: You work as a vigilante. No matter what, it’s your actions that save others. It’s all in your hands.

Stephanie: I’m not ready to go back.

James: You don’t have to be. Let it come to you.

Stephanie shivers more in her blanket. A customer comes into the shop, but James shushes him.

James: We’re closed for today. Sorry.

Customer: Oh, uh, okay. Apologies.

The gentleman leaves. James gets up to flip the sign to “sorry we’re closed.” Then he comes back to deal with Stephanie.

~~

Dwarn hurries to work. He’s stopped by Johnson as he’s going to his office.

Johnson: Just what in the world are you doing, Dwarn?

Dwarn: Working.

Johnson: Stealing your co-worker’s inventions to make some stupid concoction will NOT be tolerated.

He holds up the Termite helmet, which Dwarn snatches. Johnson lowers his brow.

Johnson: I think you need a day off. Maybe even be laid off. I have plenty of capable workers here. But you, Dwarn, are certainly NOT healthy right now.

Dwarn: I don’t care. I’ll go back to my work.

Johnson: That’s another thing. Does your “work” involve trying to stop a terrorist with some stupid outfit? I’ve had it up to here, Dwarn. Enough.

Dwarn stares at the helmet. He nods.

Dwarn: Understood.

Colt: Look at me, Dwarn.

Dwarn looks up at him.

Dwarn: Understood.

Dwarn scurries back to his lab. Johnson waits until Dwarn locks his lab door. Afterwords he decides to call Stephanie.

~~

That night, Stephanie is in her apartment. She plays a message Johnson gave to her earlier. Her eyes widen. Quickly, she puts on her Emerald suit and heads outside.

Running toward JTC, she bypasses the gates. Reconstruction efforts have begun on the building. Johnson is waiting for her outside. Emerald slows herself down, skidding toward Johnson and comes to an eventual stop on the gravel.

Emerald: What’s going on?

Johnson: It’s Dwarn. We need to destroy his efforts. Quickly.

Emerald: He’s building another one of those exo-suits?

Johnson: Yes, it was part of the secret PROJECT BREAK. But I fear after yesterday’s events, he’s a bit shattered. We need to do this for his own good.

???: My own good would be for you to give me that super-powered criminal, Johnson.

Johnson and Emerald turn around. It’s Dwarn, in a stylized version of his Exo-Suit. With antenna-lasers, added vents, and armor improvements, he is no longer wearing the old.

Dwarn: I’m going to turn her in. Now.

Johnson: Go away, Dwarn. You’re the problem here.

Dwarn: Then she will go down there with me.

He points a laser at Emerald, and decides to fire bullets. Emerald quickly crystallizes.

Dwarn: Oh no you don’t.

He charges up his antennae lasers and fires them at Emerald. Emerald tries to block them, but soon the skin underneath her crystals begins to burn.

AUGH!

The crystals explode on her arms. Her skin is a deep red color where the crystals were. Dwarn laughs out of excitement.

Dwarn: I did it! I Emerald-proofed it.

Emerald: Ugh. You took those words to heart, didn’t you? That explains the silly look.

Dwarn: I’m the termite you described me to be. Now I shall bring your mighty fortress of power down to it’s foundation.

Dwarn runs up to her and gives her a mighty uppercut. She is knocked into the air. Dwarn claps his armor together, sending a shockwave to send her flying into the building. Johnson is knocked off of his feet.

Emerald groans out of pain. She gets up from the brick wall she fell into. Termite climbs the wall at a speedy pace. He jumps up the wall and grabs Emerald by the head. Then he flings her to the ground. Emerald breaks the concrete in the sidewalk nearby as she falls into it. Her costume is starting to tear. She notices part of the eyeglass for her goggle is missing. Termite jumps down from the building and leaps upon his adversary. He takes Emerald’s head and, with phenomenal speed, rapidly slams into the ground.

Emerald groans. She can’t even get up. Termite laughs out of such satisfaction.

Termite: Now to turn you in.

Termite starts to get fired at. He turns around, seeing a fallen Johnson unloading his automatic at him. The bullets only fling off of his nearly-indestructible suit. He fires a laser at the ground near him, sending him flying a few meters back. The gun falls out of his hand.

Termite unmasks the fallen Emerald, revealing the bruised face of Stephanie Barmms. She is having a hard time breathing.

Termite: No more of you superpowered freaks. You will be in jail for what you did yesterday. And then I will be the one dealing with your kind.

He rips of Emerald’s necklace swiftly. The beads fall to the ground. He steps on the crystal part of the necklace, driving it hard into the ground. Stephanie feels a wave of pain as she has returned to her normal state. She cries.

Dwarn (with a mischievous smile): This is all I wanted. To see you, beaten. Now look who’s on the ground?

Dwarn muses for a bit.

Termite: How the mighty have fallen.

Dwarn picks up Emerald and jumps several meters into the air for greater speed. He makes his way to the police station, to turn Emerald in.

Next Issue: Get ready for Emerald Annual #1!

http://marvelcomicsfanon.wikia.com/wiki/Emerald_Vol_1_12

Comments and feedback are appreciated.

[Omega_Tahu]

Is her identity going to be revealed? Also, I’m having a hard time believing that crystals would explode… But stuff like that happens in comics all the time, so it’s no biggie

[Chronicler]

That does actually happen. There was a fire in California one time that burned so hot it made diamonds in jewelry shops explode.

[SmeatyFlavor]

Dang. I really like the new art! I recall earlier you said that you had found someone else to do it. Is that right or am I just remembering poorly?

[Chronicler]

I didn’t say that at all. All of this art is mine.

I just had to get a new PROGRAM to help me with it.

[SmeatyFlavor]

Oops… Sorry. Regardless, the art is awesome!

[Chronicler]

Thanks!

What do you think about the story so far?

[SmeatyFlavor]

I’m gonna read them tonight… I just saw that there were new issues, glanced over and saw the new art and though I should comment on it. I’ll give my thoughts on the story later tonight (I like reading them before I go to bed XD).
@Chronicler

OK I just finished reading #10.

Wow. I did not see that coming. At all. Having James be the Emerald man was pretty cool. It was also interesting to learn more about the Overseer who we all know is going to be revealed as Carolina. I’m interested in where this is heading. Virus is once again awesome, too. Also, I’m really looking forward to the explanation of how James got his weird ring thing, which appears to be able to cure disease.
Looking forward to reading #11 and #12 tomorrow!

Edit (because it would be too embarrassing to double post on the Cronk’s own topic): Just finished issues 11 and 12. I’ll be honest, when I saw “The troublesome Termite”, I was a little skeptical, but you managed to make Dwarn into another pretty cool villain. I especially like the thing with the heat rays blowing up the crystals (although, it was a little convenient that JTC was already working on heat ray guns). Oh, and a question: when Termite was throwing Emerald around, was she in her crystal form? Because you’d think that if she wasn’t, that would’ve killed her…
@Chronicler

[Chronicler]

(Shoot kinda forgot to reply to this.)

@SmeatyFlavor

. Oh, and a question: when Termite was throwing Emerald around, was she in her crystal form? Because you’d think that if she wasn’t, that would’ve killed her…

Yes she was. Sorry if that wasn’t clear enough.

And I will be releasing Annual and #13 on here soon.

[Chronicler]

#The Trials of the Termite

Sister… My dearest sister. I won’t let him get away with hurting you.

James puts on his Emerald Man mask. He leaps out of the bushes and onto the road, where Termite is dragging Emerald to the police station. Emerald Man produces a crystal shard out of his arm and throws it at Termite. Termite catches it.

Termite: What is this?

Termite looks at Stephanie. She’s out cold. He looks to his left and sees a cloaked man running toward him with a fist.

KNACK!

Emerald Man hit Termite square in the jaw. The imprint of his fist remains on the jaw as it smashed the metal. Termite’s legs buckle and he falls to the ground, dumbfounded. He looks up and sees the muscular figure, chest in the air.

Termite: A-a… Emerald Man?

Emerald Man: The one and only, you son of a gun.

He lifts Termite by the neck, using his left arm. With his right he punches Termite again. He lets go of Termite, dropping him to the ground. Termite is almost like a rag doll when he drops. He’s in a state of shock from the blows.

Emerald Man walks over to Stephanie, as wounded as she is. Termite acts quick and fires a laser to block Emerald Man’s path. Emerald Man notices the heat.

Emerald Man: That’ll burn my skin. I must be careful with this man. He’s determined. Too determined.

Termite fires another beam at Emerald Man. He dodges, but his cape ignites on fire. Quickly, Emerald Man unbuttons the broach and leaves the cape off. This reveals the rest of his costume. It’s nearly a carbon copy of his sister’s.

Termite: Where… Where did you get that?

Emerald Man ignores Termite’s question and hops over to Termite grab hold of him. He grabs Termite’s arm. Termite activates a hidden compartment in the gauntlets, and sprays acid. Emerald Man cries in terror and crystallizes before it touches skin. It ate through his clothes. Termite punches Emerald Man at the nose. James falls back, and stays on the ground.

James sees a car wreck flash through his head. He feels the impact of the river through that punch Termite gave him. James sees the brightness of his ring from years ago back again. At an impulse he tries to grab the air, but realizes nobody is there. James blinks and sees Termite standing over him. Termite kicks him in the jaw. Emerald Man falls back again.

It was years ago when James was riding in a lone car with his father, Harold Barmms. Harold had given James a special ring.

James: What’s that in the road?

A person in a cloak is holding a gun. It wears red-tinted, triangular glasses. It fires, and the bullet goes through the front window of the car and straight into Harold Barmms’s forehead. The car steers to the side. It falls off the bridge into water. James, out of fear, grabs his father. The car goes into a river. Once the water fills up in the car, James kicks the door open and tries to swim. He’s too heavy for some reason. The ring is glowing.

Termite grabs hold of Stephanie and begins to walk away again. However, as he walks near Emerald Man, a green glove grabs hold of Termite’s leg. Termite looks down out of fear. Emerald Man yanks it, and Termite falls over. Stephanie is right on him as he is on the ground.

Emerald Man removes Stephanie. Grabbing hold of her arms, he remembers a white-haired man on a shore, in which he did the same thing.

On that beach years ago, James managed to get to the shore. He doesn’t remember how. He lays his father on the beach. His eyes are closed. Blood still gushes from his head. James already knows. The man is dead. James winced his eyes and begins to cry. The memory of the person flashes back to him. Red, angular glasses.

James blinks again. Termite is already up. James leaps up and gets into a proper boxing stance.

Emerald Man: What do you want with her?

Termite fires his laser at Emerald Man, who jumps out of the way.

Termite: She’s a criminal, fool. She embarrassed me and let all those men and women two days ago get killed by that mad scientist. How could you even consider that being worthy of saving?

Emerald Man: You can’t hide everything behind a mask, Dwarn. I know you were there. You… Your suit malfunctioned. She was just trying to keep away further disaster!

Termite gets angered by this and leaps forward, tackling Emerald Man.

OOF!

Emerald Man wraps his arm around Termite’s neck. He starts the choke-hold Termite.

Termite (between breathes): You… You sound familiar. Your athletic stance, your voice, your stature. I know you.

Emerald Man: Don’t let that prideful statement go to your head.

Termite, with the strength of his suit, removes Emerald Man’s arms of his metallic suit and grabs them. He throws Emerald Man over himself and, like a fly-swatter, swats him to the ground. Emerald Man’s arm begin to shake. The adrenaline flows in him.

Before Emerald Man can get back up, Termite rests his leg on Emerald Man.

Termite: I’ve had enough of this. Stay down.

Emerald Man grabs Termite’s leg and flings Termite forward from him. The metallic creature falls into the bushes. A weak Stephanie gets up from the ground. She crawls toward James. Around James is the beads to her necklace and the crystal which is the center of it all. She takes some extra string she had in her suit’s pockets, and starts to reassemble the necklace. Termite sees what she is doing.

Termite: No!

He blasts at Stephanie, but someone blocks the blast.

AUGH!

Emerald Man falls to the ground. His chest is on fire. His body is shaking. James is starting to bleed as the crystal around his body is receding. Termite gets back up to finish Emerald Man and Stephanie. However, Stephanie finishes tying up the necklace. She puts it around her arm to get some of the power. Termite is about to blast at her. She creates a shard and throws it at Termite’s antennae. It cuts one of the in half, disabling it.

Stephanie puts the necklace around her neck. A bright light emerges from her eyes. Her mouth is wide open as she re-surges with power. Emerald is back.

Termite sees the angered Emerald. Parts of his suit is destroyed.

Termite: I can’t keep going with this. She’s mad now, and we’ve created quite the commotion. I need to flee!

Termite runs from the scene. James watches the Termite run. He breathes a sigh of relief, and groans in pain. He sees his sister coming over to him.

Stephanie: Ja- er… Yes. James. Are you alright?

Emerald Man: I’m bleeding from my chest. The ring… It doesn’t have power over healing like yours does. Only immunity. Please. Take your necklace. Put it on the ring.

Stephanie does just that. It starts to heal Emerald Man. Emerald Man sighs in relief. He gets up and looks around. No Termite.

Emerald Man: I’ll need to go after him.

Stephanie puts her hand on his chest.

Stephanie: No. I will do it. I must reap what I sown, James.

Emerald Man: He’s deranged, Stephanie. I don’t want you getting hurt!

Stephanie: I won’t. You’ve given him a good beating. Now your little sister wants to finish him off like a big girl.

James grins under his mask. Stephanie cracks her knuckles.

Stephanie: Oh, and one more thing. May I use that mask?

James takes it off and gives it to Stephanie. She thanks him and runs off. James, meanwhile, gets up and flees the scene.

~~

Termite hides in the woods for a moment, near the Willamette River. There he takes a few quick breaths, after removing his helmet. He shakes his head a bit, and starts to think more clearly. He looks around.

Dwarn: I have a feeling I’m not alone…

He breathes heavily. Suddenly, something crawls out of the trees. Dwarn turns around, pointing his wrist at the creature. He is full of fear when he sees a hooded creature, dressed in scarlet.

Dwarn: W-who are you? You’re not another one of those super-humans, are you? I’m tired of your kind. You’re unrestrained, uncontrolled. I have to keep you in check.

The creature muses.

???: The only one keeping them in check will be me, Termite.

Dwarn’s eyes widen.

Dwarn: What? Why did you refer to me like that?

???: I constantly watch you.

Dwarn: What?

???: You may think you’re in a small world, Seth, but you’re not. None of your secrets are yours. None of your friends are yours. None of what you own, not even that suit, is yours. It all belongs to me. I am the all-seeing eye.

Dwarn presses a button on his gauntlet. He positions it toward the hooded figure.

???: Your weapons won’t hurt me. At least, in the long run. Oh you fool, if you harmed me, I can and will ruin your life forever. Even after you die, your pathetic existence would be remembered the worst way I could ever fathom. I have every power to do so.

Dwarn: Just shut up! Tell me what’s going on?

???: Fine. Maybe I can get some sense into you.

Dwarn: Please do. I just escaped an attack from James Barmms. I was going to turn in Emerald, but I had to retreat because I was badly beaten.

Dwarn sits on a log and rubs his face.

Dwarn: Oh, what a mess I’ve gotten myself into. I haven’t been thinking the last few hours.

???: Don’t waste your time telling me what I know.

Dwarn: Then tell me what to do. I’m distressed.

???: Well, to put it harshly, you’re a disgusting coward only bent on self-accomplishment and pride, and now you want to turn in some woman who could easily speak out against you. So basically, you lose. From all positions. Check mate.

Dwarn: Then… What do I do? Turn myself in?

???: No you fool.

She hunches over and steps carefully to him. She approaches his face and whispers in a song-like fashion.

???: I can give you legal immunity… If you do me one favor.

A blue essence comes into Dwarn’s face. He seems emotionless.

Dwarn: I’m listening.

???: Finish the job, and bring her to me. Then all of this will go away, forever. Imagine that. You can get Emerald out of your life, and you can get this incident out of your life. You can go back to your family and job. All you have to do is capture Emerald.

Dwarn: That sounds simple.

The creature muses, almost in a seductive manner. Her yellow eyes stare at Dwarn, lighting up her whole face and revealing blue skin and a beautiful face, speckled with patterns.

???: Yes, it’s stupidly simple.

Dwarn places the helmet on his head. The creature smiles. Termite leaves the scene, devoted to capturing Emerald.

???: I’ll be waiting for you here, Termite.

~~

Emerald is side-tracked when she is attacked my Termite from behind. She falls onto her belly with Termite on top of her, grasping her head.

Termite: We’re not done yet.

He slams her head into the concrete. However, after he does this 5 times, Emerald manages to grab his other arm, and uses her strength to make him fall on his side. She rolls out of the way with incredible speed.

Emerald runs down 12th street. Termite jumps after her, but she narrowly dodges his landing. She runs into a building being constructed. Termite follows her, running through cars making their way through Salem.

Termite throws a barrel at the scene and hits Emerald in the back. She’s knocked onto the floor. Termite pulls out a sign from the ground to hit her with. As he leaps into the air with the concrete on a pole, she jumps out of the way. She produces crystal shards and throws them at the sign, breaking the metal. Termite blasts at her with his laser beams. She dodges.

Emerald: I can’t keep playing on the defensive! I must find a strategy to beat him again. Something that won’t harm the man.

Outside of the construction site, a man in a crashed car calls the police, reporting a sighting of Emerald and that something wrecked his car.

Emerald jumps behind a beam, but Termite grabs it and breaks it into two. He smiles at the sharp end. He tries to ram it into Emerald, but she leaps onto the beam and knocks it out of Termite’s hands.

Emerald: How did you even find me anyways?

Termite: Hah! Do you not remember? You still have a tracker on your suit from Johnson.

Emerald’s eyes widen at this information.

Emerald: Completely forgot about that!

She picks up the beam before Termite gives her another blast. The blast hits as lightning strikes. The sparks on the beam set a fire on nearby wood. Emerald looks around at the fire. But before she tries to put it out, Termite punches her square in the jaw. Emerald falls back and through the floor.

Emerald coughs from the dust. Termite jumps down to try and crush her. Emerald takes a bit of the dust and throws it at the Termite’s helmet. Termite gets blinded momentarily as Emerald crawls away. She sees a bag full of sand.

Emerald: Here goes nothing.

She throws the sand at Termite. It gets stuck in his costume. He tries to see but more dust and sand comes into his eyes.

Termite: I won’t go down THAT easily!

He randomly fires a laser. It hits the ceiling. Acting pure on adrenaline, Emerald lunges into Termite as the ceiling falls down. Termite’s mask pops off of his head. Dwarn and Emerald both fall on the ground. Dwarn coughs from the dust.

Dwarn: Ergh… Why won’t you just… Go out cold?

He sprays acid at Emerald. It touches Emerald’s costume and she quickly tries to wipe it off. It burns her and she winces in pain. Then she kicks Dwarn in the chin as a reaction.

Lightning strikes again. Emerald produces a crystal blade and uses it to swipe the fire away. Dwarn gets back up. He picks up an iron bar nearby. He holds it up against Emeralds’s blade that strikes against the iron bar. Lest to Emerald’s knowledge, she hit it at a certain angle, making the blade shatter into a million pieces. Dwarn smiles. He hits Emerald across the face, successfully knocking her to the ground.

Dwarn picks up his helmet. But before he can place it on his head, Emerald flings a crystal at the helmet. It goes strait through the helmet, breaking the machinery of it. Dwarn throws the helmet to the ground, and clenches his hands out of anger.

Emerald gets back up, shivering from the constant thrashing. Dwarn is tired too.

Dwarn: I can’t… Finish the job. I’m a failure.

Emerald punches Dwarn, and the world goes dark. Termite had been defeated.

Emerald looks outside of the construction site. Police cars are lined up in the street, waiting to arrest someone. Emerald looks back at Dwarn.

Emerald: Someone has to be arrested for this mess. The guy who caused all this harm is Dwarn.

Emerald runs from the scene. Meanwhile, police men go into the construction site carefully and arrest Dwarn, and confiscate his armor.

Emerald: It is over. For now, anyways.

#The Call for the Coalition

A broken Emerald returns to her home. She flops onto the bed with her face toward the bed. She moans in relief.

Emerald: (I don’t know how much longer I can do this, but I’ll have to do it anyways.)

She removes her mask and prepares to get undressed. Suddenly, hears the doorbell to the shop ring downstairs. Stephanie hurringly unzips her costume, stripped down to her underwear, and puts on a bathrobe.

Stephanie comes downstairs to see Carolina White at her doorstep. Her clothes are dirty, but she has a black eye. Stephanie quickly opens the door out of excitement.

Carolina: Thank you Stefay. Please, lock the door.

Stephanie obeys.

Carolina: I was… Assaulted.

Stephanie: What? Who assaulted you?

Carolina: I don’t know. A man punched me when I was making my way around these parts-

Stephanie: What are you doing walking downtown at night?

Carolina: Visiting potential clients who don’t have money to come drive to my offices. So I drive to them and walk around. Oh Stephanie, what am I supposed to do?

Stephanie: You need to tell me the whole story.

Carolina glances at Stephanie’s face.

Carolina: My oh my… Stephanie, don’t tell me you were assaulted too?

Stephanie: Oh this? No… No it was just another one of my panic attacks going off when coming down the stairs.

Carolina: Like yesterday.

Stephanie looks at the clock. It’s 1:26.

Stephanie: Oh right! That did happen, and you saw it.

Carolina: But you certainly didn’t hurt your face. I saw it, remember?

Stephanie is silent. Carolina gives her a look.

Carolina: Well? What happened?

Stephanie: I can’t say, Stephanie. I really, really can’t say.

Carolina: Hmph. Very well. If you’re going to hold secrets against me, that’s fine. All I know what happened to me was that a man asked me for money, and when I told him I didn’t have any, he punched me and stole my purse. I ran here for a phone, mostly.

Stephanie: A-a phone?

Carolina: Yes, please. I’d like to make a call here. The police.

Stephanie hands Carolina her home phone.

Carolina: Thank you, Stephanie.

Stephanie walks away from Carolina. She starts to head upstairs.

Carolina: Where are you going?

Stephanie: Upstairs. I need to go to sleep. Goodnight, Carolina.

Carolina: Goodnight, then. Yes, Hello?

And with that, Carolina continued her call. Stephanie laid awake in her bed, trying to sleep away the shock of the adrenaline and of her trying to lie to Carolina.

Stephanie: (Stephanie, you are a poor liar.)

~~

Dwarn wakes up in the detention center. He looks around the cell, and his eyes widen.

Dwarn: No… NO NO NO NO NO!

Dwarn’s hands clasp his face and then roll into fists that he yells into.

Dwarn: (My life is ruined. All at my own hands. Oh, how did I ever let this happen?)

He bangs his hand against the wall. One of the guards yells at him and tells him to knock it off. Dwarn repositions himself in a sitting position on his bed, and leans his head against the wall. Hours go by.

Image of his family and successful career race across his head.

Dwarn: (All of it, vanished before my very eyes. All my fault.)

One of the guards approaches Dwarn’s cell.

Guard: Of course it’s your fault.

Dwarn looks at the guard with fear.

Dwarn: You-

Guard: Yes. It’s me again. Your friend in the red. Feel free to call me “Overseer” from now on. Look, you’re getting out of this place.

Dwarn: I can’t just bust out of here. And why do you tell me to do that? Can’t you-

Overseer: Shut up. I told you. No need to worry. You’re getting out of here. The legal immunity thing is done for. You’re a criminal and you forever will be. That’s your life, now you’re going to live it. Come on.

The Overseer puts her speckled hands on the prison bars and tears them open with ease. She slides the door aside. He gestures her finger toward Dwarn.

Overseer: We don’t have all day.

Overseer walks past all the guards with Dwarn. They stand perfectly still as she comes through. She removes the guards outfit and puts on a red dress and scarf.

Dwarn: So… You practically have all these men under your command?

Overseer: Yes. They follow my every order. Soon you will, too.

Dwarn: Okay, “Overseer.”

The Overseer pauses.

Overseer: Hmph. I hate the way you say it.

Dwarn: What?

Overseer: Call me… Merrow. Yes. I’d prefer you to call me that.

Dwarn: Whatever you say, “Merrow.”

Merrow and Dwarn makes it through the building and into a limousine out in the street. They both step in. Outside of the Detention Center is Detective Hemsworth, smoking a cigarette. His brows lower.

Merrow (to Dwarn in the limousine): Y’see, Dwarn, for a while I’ve been hunting down people just like Emerald… And me, for that matter.

Dwarn: What’s the objective to this?

Merrow: I want to create an initiative… A coalition, of sorts, of people just like me.

Dwarn: But, people like you are dangerous. We can’t conquer a group of you.

Merrow: Exactly, Seth! We’d be the rulers of the earth! Just like in ancient times.

Dwarn: I don’t remember people ruling the earth with powers in ancient times. I hope you don’t mean any of that greek or latin gods mumbo jumbo.

Merrow: Fool! You and your devotion to your sciences! We ruled the world once. But we lost our way of unity, and fought amongst ourselves. These people went into obscurity once they realized they could be defeated by armies. The only remaining of these is the Triad.

Dwarn: Triad… So that’s what you’re working for. You’re a terrorist!

Merrow: Man was born to live in fear of us, Dwarn. Just like you. The Triad is made of what the world used to be. Of order. Now, inching further into your own state and soon your country, the Triad will rule the world. Why not join me. You’ll die anyways.

Dwarn at silent for a moment. He rested his chin on his hand.

Dwarn: I can’t hurt innocents, Marrow. Nor would I hurt my family.

Merrow: Fine. Bloodmoon, take this fool out of here.

A woman with triangular glasses parks the car in a parking garage. She then opens the door. However, Dwarn starts to stutter and keep his hands open in a defensive move.

Dwarn: Alright. ALRIGHT! I have no choice. My family probably abandoned me anyways. What else can I do?

Merrow: You’re so absent minded, Dwarn. What do you think I’ve been telling you this whole time? You act like you’re too good for us. But remember: your friends have already joined me.

She takes out pictures of Megan Mataline and Kevin O’Reale. Both are stamped with a triangular seal.

Merrow: Megan just joined me this morning. Think about your choices.

Dwarn: Alright. Alright. I’ll join you. Even though I’m not one to fit your criteria.

Merrow: Nonsense. We need more tech-savvy men like you. Now let’s leave the car. I have some business to attend to.

Marrow gets out of the car. She asks Bloodmoon to give her a red business coat.

Bloodmoon: With certainty.

Marrow puts the suit on, and focuses. Suddenly, her blue skin and monstrous features fade away, revealing a fair looking woman.

Merrow: Goodbye, Dwarn.

Dwarn is shocked. The face of the woman looks familiar to him, but he can’t put his finger on it.

Dwarn: Bye, miss.

The Overseer leaves and heads toward the capitol building on foot.

~~

Stephanie walks downstairs from her apartment to find a familiar face. The man is smoking and has a scar over his right eye.

Stephanie: Who are you? Also, don’t smoke inside my shop. It’s against store policy.

The man removes his cigarette.

???: Terribly sorry miss. But I need your help.

Stephanie: With… What?

The man sits down on the couch.

???: I guess we should introduce each other, since the last time we saw each-other we didn’t. Names Hemsworth. I’m a detective down at the station.

Stephanie: Stephanie Barmms… But you probably knew that.

Hemsworth: Right. I need your help, miss. I’m been cracking down recently on something I’m honestly afraid to see: corruption in the public offices.

Stephanie: What?

Hemsworth: So I need to fight fire with fire in a sense. You, miss. You can crack down on it.

Stephanie: But how would I-

Hemsworth: Miss, if you wanna actually make sure your dual life is hidden better, don’t be wearing that ridiculous necklace constantly. I’ve seen it in the pictures they have of ya.

Stephanie takes the necklace off and puts it in her pocket.

Hemsworth: Look, I know for a fact that some of the cops are dirty. Unfortunately, I have no legal way of dealing with them. But you, miss, can. You’re a hero in the day and an outlaw at night. How does that feel? You can use your methods to take ‘em out, and we can keep our homeland clean.

Stephanie: Sheesh… I’m not one that usually gets caught up into these kind of things. I’ve only done it to stop terrorist threats. That’s it. I can’t constantly-

Hemsworth: What will you do then, when the terrorists threats increase? Soon you’ll be out there every day breaking your back and arms trying to wrestle these guys. Don’t be such a coward, and help me. Be an ally.

Stephanie exhales, and gives a look at Hemsworth.

Stephanie: I guess I can’t keep anything secret anymore. I’ll do it. Only to protect those people out there. I don’t want people to be run by corruption. So yes. I’ll do it.

Hemsworth: Good. Now take this.

He hands her a gun.

Hemsworth: It’s your 2nd Amendment right and it’ll keep you safe when you’re not in that purple jumpsuit.

Stephanie holds the gun as Hemsworth leaves the building. She places it in a desk drawer and buttons up her coat.

Stephanie: (Looks like I’m going to be busy, busy busy.)

HOW WILL EMERALD BALANCE HER BATTLE ON CORRUPTION AND DAILY LIFE? AND HAVE WE FIGURED OUT THE TRUE IDENTITY OF THE OVERSEER? QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASK… AND WILL BE ANSWERED IN UPCOMING ISSUES OF EMERALD!

[Chronicler]

#The Fatal Truth

Carolina steps out of the Marion County Courthouse, heading down the short stairs. There Stephanie is waiting for her.

Stephanie: So, how did the case go?

Carolina: Fine. Turns out the couple wants to settle it outside of court. Could have won it for the couple, but the company didn’t want to tarnish their reputation.

Stephanie: Right

Stephanie and Carolina walk together as they approach Stephanie’s car. Stephanie starts the car and begins to drive down the street. Carolina looks out the window as they begin to talk.

Carolina: Stephanie, what’s been going on the last few weeks? First we get involved in a few terror attacks, and suddenly you start to become a recluse in your own house. I had to convince you to drive me. I’m starting to get concerned.

Stephanie: Well, you start to get scared nowadays when your city has several terror attacks in a month.

Carolina: Of course. So you’re just refusing to show your face in public now? Because of fear?

Stephanie: Basically. I can’t handle it, Carolina. It’s too much stress.

Carolina: People still view you as a hero you know.

Stephanie: I’m fairly aware of that, Carolina.

Carolina: Stefay, your anxiety is getting in the way of everything. Why don’t you have some fun?

Stephanie: That’s your and James’s job now. I have several things on my plate. Don’t worry about me, Carolina. Also, what even happened with that assault the other day?

Carolina: They never figured out who did it. I’m fine now, though. The only one who should be of concern is you, Stephanie.

Stephanie: Carolina, I am fine! If anything I’ve never been-

Suddenly, a car collides into Stephanie and Carolina’s vehicle. Stephanie crystallizes instantly as she tries to protect Carolina. The colliding car zooms past them, while Stephanie’s car skids and stops. Both Stephanie and Carolina are breathing heavily. Stephanie is in a state of shock.

Carolina: Stephanie… get off… We need to get out of the car…

Carolina notices small little crystals shrinking on Stephanie’s arm. Her eyes widen.

Carolina: My gosh… Stephanie…

Carolina pushes Stephanie a bit and tries to reach her phone. Stephanie’s arms begin to shake, and her eyes are off into nowhere.

~~

James visits Carolina and Stephanie in the hospital.

Carolina: James… There you are. You came.

James: I was concerned for you two.

He kisses Carolina on the cheek.

James: Thank goodness you both didn’t die. From the crash site it looks like it hit the driver’s seat side. I was afraid Stephanie could have gotten injured very quickly.

Carolina: About that. James, I saw something strange during that crash.

James pauses. Then, he blinks a few times.

Carolina: Don’t act ignorant. I knew you guys were hiding something. There were crystals on her hands, slowly shrinking while she was leaning over me in the crash. That isn’t natural. Nor is it natural for a person to survive a gunshot in the stomach. James, you know I’m an intelligent woman. Tell me the truth.

James: All I can say in public is that whatever you’re thinking is probably correct.

Carolina: Thank you, then. For being an honest man. Visiting me, too. Now please, go check up on Stephanie.

James walks over to his sister.

James (whispering): Stephanie, are you OK?

Stephanie: Ugh… Yes, now I am. Carolina knows now, doesn’t she?

James: I believe she does.

Stephanie: Oh no… I thought I got this business settled when I finally took down Dwarn.

James: Sis, listen to me. This isn’t adding up naturally. Remember how I said the Triad was still around? I think they’re targeting you now. They need to get rid of you any way they can. It’s all confusing to me how they’re doing it. They must think if they can’t get you beaten and captured for them by Dwarn, they need to take this legally.

Stephanie: But, Carolina doesn’t work for the Triad.

James: You don’t know that. We can’t trust anyone but ourselves, Steph. Even if she isn’t, they can manipulate her. Watch your back. Constantly.

Stephanie: Got it. Now, I have to slow down my healing. Can’t make it suspicious for the doctors.

James: Right. See ya sis.

~~

A dented vehicle rolls into a dark garage. It parks, and a man steps out of the vehicle. It’s Carl Backburns! He swipes his hair, and takes a look around.

Black Blast: This is the place.

He takes a peek through a door, and then steps into a house. It’s a modern house, with a plethora of pictures and nic-naks on countertops and shelves. Plenty of books, too.

Black Blast: Now all I need to do is find him. Don’t tell me I’m too late.

A speaker in his ear replies to that comment.

???: He shouldn’t be. This is his dwelling place. Unless we were given the wrong schedule.

Black Blast: I sure hope not. Otherwise we’re screwed, laddy.

He looks into the kitchen. Nobody. The living room. Nobody is there. He checks the bedroom. Nobody. Finally, he checks the office room. The door is locked. He hears someone gasp on the inside.

???: Is that you, Matthew? Sorry, I left the door locked.

The mayor unlocks the door and opens it. He’s stunned to see a man dressed in ridiculous garb in his house. Black Blast punches him. The elder groans due to this, and falls on his back, laid flat on the wooden floor.

Black Blast: Hello, Mr. Mayor. You wouldn’t mind calling in for a vacation, would you?

The mayor begins to shake his head. Black Blast ignites his gauntlets so they’re surrounded with dark energy.

Black Blast: Please.

~~

Hemsworth waits outside a pizza shop for Emerald to arrive and give him a signal. Sure enough, she does. They meet at the top of a parking lot.

Hemsworth: Would have wished you came sooner.

Emerald rubs the back of her neck.

Emerald: You try doing that after you were involved in a car crash. Now, I’m guessing we’re starting this dirty cops business, correct?

Hemsworth: Indeed we are. There’s been rumors that some of my fellow officers have been making deals with the Triad. Getting extra money out of their pockets. We need to get actual evidence for this. Once you do, I need you to give them a bit of a beating so they fall under suspicion.

Emerald: So basically, I get evidence and then I punch them?

Hemsworth: You got it.

Emerald: Seems easy enough. I’m just going to need some way to get evidence.

Hemsworth: Here. Take this phone. It’s my girlfriend’s old one she doesn’t use anymore.

Emerald: (This guy has a girlfriend? He even intimidates me.)

Hemsworth: Now you need to get out of my sight. Don’t need anyone taking pictures of me dealing with you.

Emerald runs away, while Hemsworth walks back to his car. Emerald is going to be on the hunt.

~~

The Mayor is shoved into a car by Black Blast. His hands are tied. The glass on the doors are tinted black so nobody can see them.

Naise: I know who you are. You’re that man who was convicted of terrorising the mall. I thought we gave you proper justice! Why are you not in jail?

Black Blast: I dunno, you should ask your government buddies, lad. They were the ones who releas’d me.

Naise struggles, but he can’t escape.

Black Blast: If you even try to escape I’m going to blast your head into the concrete, so don’t think about it.

The mayor gives up. He knows he’s in a sticky spot. He falls asleep in the car. When he awakens, he finds himself tied up.

Black Blast: Hello again, mayor.

???: Yes, hello,

Naise: What? Who said that?

???: I did. No need to be afraid. You’re in our hands.

Naise: Your voice. It sounds familiar.

???: Of course it does. Everyone says it does.

Black Blast: Meet my boss, the Overseer. She’s a nice lady. Couldn’t hurt a fly.

A woman dressed in red steps into the room.

Overseer: Hello, Robert.

Naise: No… This is some bad dream. This can’t be true.

Overseer: Hit his head before he can utter my name. Don’t want anyone knowing around these parts.

Naise is knocked out again by Black Blast.

Overseer: Good boy. Good, good boy.

Black Blast: I’m not a dog, lassie.

Overseer: Whatever. I’ll refer to you how I want. You got that?

Black Blast: R-right, Overseer.

Overseer: Now, let’s deal with this old fool.

The Overseer gestures her right index finger. A triad thug runs over to her with a case. Overseer opens it. Lo and behold, triangular glasses, red-orange in tint. She places the glasses over her eyes.

Overseer: You remember how I said that I can see all and know all?

Black Blast: Yes?

Overseer: Well, you’re about to see how.

The Overseer’s glasses create a orange beam of energy that comes onto Naise’s forehead. Black Blast twists his head to the side. Overseer’s wide grin widens further each second. Finally, after 30 seconds, she takes them off.

Overseer: What an interesting life. Maybe you shouldn’t have handled him so roughly, Black Blast.

Black Blast: But you ordered me to use force.

Overseer: I know, heheheh.

Black Blast: Now, what did you find out?

Overseer: Plans. Plenty of plans. Who’s in charge of different prisons. Connections to cops he trusts. He also is thinking some of his men are corrupted. What a smart man, keeping this all to himself. A wise man constantly keeps things silent, you know.

Black Blast: What are you saying about me-

Overseer: Now hush. Take him away. I have what I need. Hold him hostage and broadcast it. We need to show this city we’re not some carnival with several failed terror attempts. We are in charge.

[Omega_Tahu]

@Chronicler

triangular glasses, red-orange in tint.

Since I’ve been watching Gurren Lagann, I envision Kamina glasses

[Whaddon]

@Omega_Tahu

Since I’ve been watching Gurren Lagann, I envision Kamina glasses

we all do

[Chronicler]

#Those Blasted Dirty Cops!
A singular truck stops at a red light in the industrial district of Salem. It’s mostly a desolate place. Most of it has fields and small, rectangular buildings in shape, mostly with factories or supply centers. On top of the truck lays Emerald, flat on her back, waiting until she gets to a certain stop. Her hands are crystallized, dug into the metal of the truck to hold on tight.

The truck makes a turn opposite to the one Emerald needs to go. She lets the crystal fade away and hops off the truck as it slowly turns. It’s late at night. Emerald goes to the side of the road where the tall pine trees block the gem-like stars.

Emerald: (The Triad hideout should be nearby.)

She runs at a normal pace, making sure she doesn’t light up with her crystals. Her athletic activities from her youth had managed to pay off for her. Through her head flashes memories of volleyball, tennis, and kick-boxing. Her muscle tone was to account for this.

Emerald finally spots a few cop cars parked outside of a government office. Emerald raises her brow under her mask.

Emerald: (A government building, huh? I have a terrible feeling the corruption might be worse than I thought.)

Emerald takes out the piece of paper she got from Hemsworth. She reads it under the light of a traffic lamp. It’s an invitation to a party.

Emerald (to herself): This is indeed the place.

Emerald runs around the building into the darker areas. There, she scales the building, using the crystals on her hands to assist her climbing. She eventually comes toward a window.

“Quite the nice party we’re having here!”

“Indeed. Here, let’s get some some alcohol.”

Emerald: (Something isn’t right. Hemsworth said this is the place he heard about from a buddy. I need to look some more.)

She finds a window that allows her to get into the second floor of the building. It’s a perfect hiding spot. It looks over the entire party while staying hidden in the darkness, behind rails.

Emerald: (I guess all I need to do is wait.)

As she waits, a good amount of the policemen become intoxicated. Some start dropping to the floor, drunk. Others insist on getting another drink before they make a mess. Quite the few still gorge out on food. However, there is a select few who are incredibly sober.

Emerald: (I guess I should get a photo. Seems like these men are off-duty.)

Emerald snaps a few pictures from the shadows, and then places the phone back into her belt. Then she waits more.

~~

Back at the Police Headquarters, Hemsworth studies over a few files. Commissioner Hawthorne comes over to him and taps him on the shoulder.

Hawthorne: Don’t you think you’ve studied those enough.

Hemsworth lazily moves his eyes to the side. He’s tired.

Hemsworth: I suppose.

Hawthorne: Get some rest. Please.

Hemsworth: Alright. Looks like I’ll be done for the night, then. Good night, Hawthorne.

Hawthorne: Good night.

Hemsworth walks out of the Police HQ and drives his car to the industrial area.

Hemsworth: (Emerald should be there right now, getting evidence of those dirty cops.)

~~

A small group of cops looks over the drunken bodies of their fellow policemen. One of them smiles.

Cop #1: I suppose now that the guys supposed to patrol tonight are all gone, aren’t they?

Cop #2: Heh. Yeah.

Emerald hears the conversation and looks down. She gets the phone out and quickly snaps a picture. Then, Emerald watches as they approach the stairs to get to the second floor. Emerald looks behind her. Plenty of boxes of material. Then, a knock on the backdoor happens.

Cop #1: Bet those guys are getting impatient.

Emerald looks around for a hiding spot. She quietly runs over to a corner and hides behind some boxes. The cops come upstairs, pointing their guns and looking around. They open the backdoor, where two men dressed in suits step in. Then, a man dressed in a black jumpsuit with blue gloves and belts enters and shuts the door. It’s Black Blast.

Black Blast: I presume you took out the coppers?

Cop #2 shakes his head.

Black Blast: Good. Very good.

Black Blast looks around the cargo. His lower lip moves upward while his eyebrows raise.

Black Blast: It’s a good amount-ta guns. Ye did good, laddies.

Emerald looks at the crates. She notices one of them is filled with explosives, and another with bullets.

Emerald: (So they’re making deals with the Triad. Should have suspected this.)

Black Blast: Men, go get the boxes. Take them down for me, will ya?

The Triad grunts pick up the boxes and take them outside the door. Emerald stays in place, hidden behind rather large crates. Black Blast takes another look around. He spots a shadow behind some of the boxes. The policemen see it too. They get their guns ready to fire.

Emerald: Showtime then, huh boys?

Emerald tosses one of the boxes in front of her at an officer. Black Blast readies his gauntlets.

Black Blast: Emerald… Long time since we met. You gave me some nasty scars on me hands.

Emerald: Well, I hope you’re ready for some more.

Emerald punches him straight in the jaw, leading his face to hit the wall due to force of the punch. The cops fire at Emerald, but the bullets reflect off of her. She creates crystal shards out of her fingertips and throws them at the guns, knocking them out of their hands.

Emerald: Don’t think you’re gonna get away with this any time soon.

Black Blast gets back up and fires at Emerald’s back. She falls to the floor belly first.

Black Blast: Lucky for you, I didn’t come to kill ye. Hurry it up, men. We need to get this cargo out of here.

Emerald is picked up by the cops, who hold her by the fabric of her suit and lean her against the railing.

Cop #1: That’s a nice suit you got there, miss. Too bad you won’t look good in it after we’re done with you!

Cop #2 takes a club and hits Emerald with it. Just then, a crack sound fills the air. The cops look and see Hemsworth down on the first floor. He’s holding up his semi-automatic. As they’re distracted, Emerald pushes them off of her and then punches each in the stomach.

Hemsworth runs up the stairs, holding up his gun.

Hemsworth: Emerald, go after the blondie!

Emerald turns around and sees that Black Blast is gone. She opens up the metal door and sees nothing. She runs down the stairs where the second floor was connected to and sees a delivery truck starting up. Emerald slashes the tires with her crystal projections.

Black Blast curses at Emerald, and steps out of the truck.

Black Blast: Oho, you enjoy giving me a terrible time, don’t ye lassy?

Emerald jumps down the flight of stairs and runs to get Black Blast. He hits her with his blast, knocking her off of her feet. Blast runs, using the blasts to project him a bit in the air in order to get out of Emerald’s reach.

Emerald slams her hand on the ground, angered.

Emerald: No… He got away.

Emerald heads back upstairs. The corrupt officers are all out cold. Hemsworth cracks his knuckles and looks to Emerald.

Hemsworth: Get pictures of the supplies and the policemen here. They’re out cold. I’ll search them.

Emerald takes a picture of some of the crates, using light from her crystal to make it easier seen. There is a triangular logo with a dragon in the center, under an image of the sun.

Emerald: Triad crates, of course.

Hemsworth: Yep. Triad badges in their pockets, as well. Talk about pride to wear the badge.

Emerald walks over to a wall and leans on it. She takes another picture.

Emerald: Say, you’re off duty, aren’t you? I hope you don’t get into trouble.

Hemsworth smiles.

Hemsworth: I won’t. I didn’t clock out. Technically I am still on my ■■■■■.

Emerald: Clever.

Hemsworth: Not really. Do it all the time when I need to investigate stuff myself.

Emerald looks at Hemsworth’s face, and focuses on his scarred eye.

Emerald: How did your eye end up like that, anyways?

Hemsworth: My eye? Not much of a mystery. It was from a chemical burn. Blinded my eye and left this burn scar. I like to ignore it, but it doesn’t hurt to tell people. Now then, let’s round up this evidence.

Emerald: Are we gonna arrest these guys?

Hemsworth: They’ll get due process later. I gotta go clock in. We have those images, they should be good enough. We need to hurry out of here.

Emerald: Right, you can’t be seen with me.

So Emerald and Hemsworth parted ways.

558 Anno Domini. Ireland.

In foggy waters, millennia ago, a boat slowly treads the waters of the Larne. A saint is standing upon the boat as a crew of fishermen are trying to get a simple catch. The saint, known as Comgall, is overseeing the crew pulling in a load of fish.

Comgall: This is definitely more than yesterday! God has surely blessed us.

One of the monks on the boat, Beoan, notices something in the water.

Beoan: Look there, Comgall. In the water. There is something circling the boat.

Comgall: I hear something. Crew! Quiet it down.

The crew stood still as they hear a light hum rise gently from the water. One of the crew members looks around.

Crewmember: Is it an angel?

Beoan: No… It comes from below. Below the water.

Crewmember: Is it a demon?

Comgall: It must be.

Beoan looks closer in the water. It’s the shape of a fish.

Beoan: It’s a big fish.

Crewmember: A big one, eh? Let’s catch it then!

The men set their nets in the water along with Beoan. They wait, until they feel a tug. They pull the net up. One of the men is startled.

Crewmember: Aye! It is a demon!

???: No… Not a demon… I want to talk…

Beoan: The creature speaks! Bring it aboard.

The men get the water creature out of the water with their nets. It’s a beautiful creature. With a very light blue skin speckled with green splotches, she is very fair. Her tail separates into legs. She is dressed with a red cloak.

Comgall: She is beautiful. W-was that your singing? We heard it come from the water.

???: Yes. It was mine. Where… Where am I?

Comgall: This is the Larne river.

???: Oh my. I’ve travelled far from my home. I don’t know how many years it’s been. I’ve lost track. Seems like centuries have gone by.

Comgall: Woman, you are deformed. Crooked. Have you been affected by witches?

???: Woman? I… I have a name. It’s Li Ban. And no. My home was destroyed by a spring. M-my family died. My husband, my children. All dead. I was forced to wander waters, and eventually, I became this after praying to my goddess.

Beoan: Li Ban, you are afraid, are you not?

Li Ban: Very afraid. Please, take me to land. It’s been a long time since I’ve ever touched earth.

Comgall: To land you shall come. Beoan, we must baptize this woman, that she may be saved, and perhaps escape this pagan spell.

Li Ban: Sir, please. Do anything, but… I hope you know that I’ve lived a long time. I’m afraid if I get baptized… I might die.

Beoan and the fishermen became anxious of the beautiful creature’s situation.

Comgall: Li Ban, come with us. You will be saved, and you will gain everlasting life.

Li Ban: Everlasting life?

Comgall: Yes. Death is a temporary thing. I must tell you of the Christ. He is the forgiver of sins, the ultimate sacrifice. You’ll learn so much once we get to shore.

Li Ban listened to the saint as the fishermen rowed to shore. Her interest grew as the man spoke loud and powerfully. Li Ban asked the saint questions with her soft, angelic voice.

Li Ban: (This man knows much of this Christ. But he knows nothing of me. At least, not yet.)
http://marvelcomicsfanon.wikia.com/wiki/Emerald_Vol_1_14

[Chronicler]

#Hour at the Homestead!

James and Carolina decided to stay at James’s house to discuss Carolina’s recent discovery. She’s pacing the floor.

Carolina: Your sister is going out there and just beating these crooks, and you’ve just allowed her to do this? James. This is your little sister we’re talking about here. She’s breaking the law.

James stands up from the couch he was sitting on. He puts his hands in his pockets.

James: She’s perfectly capable. Look what she’s done. She’s put these horrible men behind bars. Gotta give her credit. She’s just following your example.

Carolina: No she’s not. James: Yes she is.

Carolina: No. (She pauses) She’s doing what I couldn’t do.

James: You mean, finishing your job?

Carolina: Yes. I didn’t get that stupid Black Blast fellow in prison on the day of that trial. She did. She gave him proper justice. But…

James leans closer to Carolina. He holds her right hand with his left.

James: But nothing. Look at what she did. She saved your life. She’s a true friend.

Carolina turns her head away from James to think. James still grasps her hand. She leans a bit, but James keeps her from leaning too much. She turns her head back, her dark hair moving like a wave across a black ocean. Her eyes sparkle as the moonlight crosses upon her soft face. James shows a silhouette. His larger stature proves to be a bulwark as he holds onto Carolina.

Carolina: You’re something else, James. You don’t even needs words to convince me.

She leans into his chest, wrapping her thin arms around his bulky structure. James rubs her back slowly.

James: Sometimes the best words are the ones that need not be said.

Carolina: I’m just… Concerned. Stephanie shouldn’t be working outside the law. She could get incarcerated. I can’t afford that to happen to my friend. My dearest friend since my college. Remember when we first met each other, James?

~~

James looks back in the past. It was a fall day. Hundreds of teenagers treaded across the grass field of a college. Some sat under trees. However, one in particular sat on a bench. A dark-haired girl with glasses was looking at a piece of paper. Her eyes were teary.

???: Miss, what’s wrong?

The girl turns around. A young man with ginger hair and fine-toned body is standing behind her.

Girl: I’m just reminiscing. I miss home. I miss my grandmother.

Boy (walking up to her): Your grandmother, huh? Where did you come from?

Girl: I’m from here. But, my grandmother just died. I got this letter from my parents this morning.

Boy: How old was she?

Girl: She was 74.

Boy: She must have lived a wonderful life. Full of years. Not many people make it up to 74.

The girl blushed. She notices the boy’s scar on his arm. She also looks at the ring he wore.

Boy: My father died months ago. I was involved in a car crash with him. This scar is from that.

Girl: What was the cause?

Boy: Drunk driver. Slammed into us. The only thing I remember from there was a glimpse of red in the distance.

The boy paused. The girl looked down at the paper and put it in her backpack.

Girl: My name’s Carolina. Like the southern states.

Boy: James. James Barmms.

Carolina: Barmms?

James: Yes. Now I am getting closer to being in charge of my father’s company. Along with my sister. Would you like to meet her?

Carolina: Most certainly.

James looked at the piece of paper in Carolina’s backpack. He saw the first letter of the dead woman’s name. It started with an L. Carolina zipped up the backpack, and gestured James to get up.

~~

In present day, James Barmms removes his grasp of Carolina. Stephanie had entered James’s house. Carolina looks to where the sound of a closing door had come from.

Carolina: That’s her, isn’t it?

James: Yes. I invited her to come over any time if she needed a rest. She has a key.

James walks into the kitchen, where the back entrance was. Stephanie removes the mask on her head and rubs her neck. Carolina comes into the kitchen slowly. The clacking of her heals is noticeable to Stephanie. Carolina’s eyes widen as she sees a bruised Stephanie sit down in a chair.

Carolina: Stephanie… (starting to cry) How could you allow this to happen to you?

Stephanie closes her eyes and muses.

Stephanie: James, I’m feeling the pain again. The adrenaline has died down. My skin feels like a thousand knives has entered it.

James: Do I need to get you medicine?

Stephanie: Yes, please.

James starts to look into the cabinets. Carolina walks to Stephanie. Carolina trembles, and puts her delicate fingers on Stephanie’s rough face.

Carolina: Who did this to you?

Stephanie (pausing beforehand): Carl Backburns. He was smuggling weapons. He was helped by several dirty cops.

Carolina: What? Dirty cops?

Stephanie: Yes. Dirty cops. Corruption. Black Blast is still out there, Carolina.

Carolina: Then…

Stephanie: The job was never finished.

Carolina walks backwards toward a chair. She sits down.

Stephanie: You have every right to be upset, Carolina.

Carolina leans over to rest her head on her hands and her arms on her knees. James comes back and gives Stephanie her medicine. Stephanie swallows two pills dry.

Carolina: I can’t just give you away to the police. I’d be a monster if I did that.

Stephanie sits still on the chair. She focuses. The crystal on her necklace glows. Stephanie begins to heal of her wounds rapidly. She moans out of relief.

Stephanie: Thank you… For being a good friend.

Suddenly, a bullet comes through one of the windows. Carolina ducks to the ground. Stephanie and James clench their fists and get into fighting position. A man kicks down the door. His gun is smoking, and his eyes are shrouded by a green visor.

Stephanie: The Virus…

The Virus extends the needles on his glove. Clear liquid pumps through hoses across his body. He breathes heavily.

Virus: I’m afraid this isn’t time to talk.

He lunges after her. She grabs ahold of his shoulders and throws him to the ground. However, another man jumps on her. Stephanie tries to take him off. She looks at the man’s arms. They have gauntlets. Stephanie manages to throw them off of her. James runs down the hallway. Carolina watches in fear.

Virus spots Carolina. He smiles and walks over to her. Stephanie notices this and quickly flings a crystal toward him. He is hit on the back of the head with the thick crystal, and drops to the ground in pain.

Black Blast: You’ve been prove’n trouble to the Triad, missy. You already ruined our operation!

Stephanie punches Black Blast in the gut. Black Blast hits Stephanie in the face with one of his blasts. She is knocked back into the kitchen, breaking one of the cabinets. James comes into the living room with a gun. Virus and Black Blast turn around.

James: Stop!

Black Blast holds his hand up.

James: Stop there, please.

Virus extends the needles on his glove.

James: I will shoot… And I will have witnesses for my defense…

Virus: You seem to think you would win against us. Haha…

The Virus begins laughing more, and faster than James can react, he grabs Carolina and stabs her in the gut. Carolina’s eyes widen. The deadly disease Virus carries injects inside of her.

James: NO!

James lifts up his gun, but hesitates to fire. Carolina looks at him with anxious eyes. He lowers his gun. Stephanie grabs Virus’s head as an ambush and pulls him away. Black Blast tries to grab her, but she uses her wrist to hit his face from behind her. Virus begins to cough. Black Blast tries to fire at Stephanie, but she throws Virus in the way of her. Virus is knocked out. James then points his gun at Black Blast’s head.

James: Call an ambulance, Stephanie. I’ll make sure this crook stays right where he is.

Black Blast looks around the home. He notices James’s ring on his hand. He smiles. Stephanie runs to the phone, and calls an ambulance. Black Blast snickers to himself.

Black Blast: As Three, We are a Mighty One. James: Three? What do you mean three? Who’s the third one?!

Black Blast becomes silent. James raises his head a little, growing concerned. Stephanie gets done with the call and changes to her normal clothes.

~~

The Overseer laughs as she sees the scene of the incident from Black Blast’s costume with a hidden camera.

Overseer: If I couldn’t have her killed earlier, she will surely die now.

The Overseer’s kamina glasses reflect the screen. The light shining on her face reveals a slightly wrinkled mouth with crimson red lips, smiling widely. Her fingertips touch each other as she rests her elbows on the armrests of her chair.

Overseer: Oh James Barmms. If only you knew my plans have plans interlocked within them. Every plan you stop, ten more replaces it. I control all, I know all.

KAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

~~

James sits outside of the hospital room on a bench with Stephanie. James begins to cry. Stephanie rubs her brother’s back.

James: She trusted me. She should have left when she had the chance. Now I put her into immediate danger.

Stephanie is about to speak, but James says something before she could do so. James: No, I can’t heal her. It’s bad enough she knows your secret. She doesn’t need to know any more. She has to do this herself. She has to be strong.

Stephanie leans her head against the wall.

Stephanie: Three is one… Who was the third person, James?

James stays silent.

James: You think this is a time to focus on vengeance? Now is a time to pray. That’s all we can do.

Inside the room, Carolina’s body fights for its life against a deadly, unknown virus inside of it. The doctors check her vitals. Carolina’s fingers twitch.

TO BE CONTINUED…

---

http://marvelcomicsfanon.wikia.com/wiki/Emerald_Vol_1_15

Here’s the original, unedited version.

Tell me what you guys think so far!

[Leoxander]

@Chronicler

Tell me what you guys think so far!

I love your noses.

[SmeatyFlavor]

I’m planning on catching up on these soon. I’ll give my detailed thoughts on each then!

[Chronicler]

Sounds good.

[SmeatyFlavor]

@Chronicler

Black Blast: As Six, we are United, but not One.

FTFY

Alright, I’m all caught up.

Lemme say, I’m really interested in how this whole Overseer plot will pan out. The whole thing with the Irish mythology or whatever is very creative, and could be really cool if implemented right! Also, Stephanie sure can bead a necklace really quick XD.