Author's Note:
It's been a while, but I managed to write a new chapter for this story.
If anyone is wondering, I still care about the Kaleidoscope Adventure series, even though I had to delete the story: [Kaleidoscope Adventure (TT): The Green Driver and Blade of Jump City]
It worked at first, but as I got older, I realized I could do something better.
If anyone is concerned, please don't delete any other stories in the Kaleidoscope Adventure series.
But I might do a review on [Kaleidoscope Adventure (JLU): The Sorcerer Sarkaz of Gotham City.]
Returning to the beginning, I hope you enjoy reading this story. I honestly had fun crafting the framework for this chapter.
XXX
Story Arc: A Journey to America
Episode 2: Five Bad Women
Chapter 4: Problems at STAR Labs
Plot: Flash, Superman, Wonder Woman, Rider, and Shielder race/fly to one of Washington, DC's most advanced research laboratories. When they arrive, they discover the situation won't be easy to resolve. They'll face a chilling and electrifying experience.
XXX
POV Narrator
[Date: June 5, 2010. Location: United States of America, Washington DC]
A trail of red color crosses the city streets at a speed faster than any vehicle invented by modern humanity.
Far behind the red trail, a group of four individuals are hurrying in the same direction.
But the speed difference is staggering; the small group will not be able to catch the red slipstream, which is the fastest being in the world.
The group of four individuals consists of Wonder Woman, Superman, Rider and Shielder.
The first two flew above the buildings on the main street, but not at a high altitude, having to show the way to the two foreign heroes.
Master and Servant ran at superhuman speeds across rooftops, unable to run at such speeds through civilians and cars without risking collateral damage.
"Flash must have an EX Rank stat in Agility." Shielder comments, confident that not even Cú Chulainn or Achilles or Atlanta can keep up with him.
Galahad hasn't (yet) managed to meet these Heroic Spirits famous for their speed, but he has been training with Medusa for several months, and she has a Rank-B Agility.
Therefore, the Shield Knight can understand that Flash is in a superior category when it comes to speed.
"I learned two things today. One, I can make Superman bleed, which is good news for me. Two, I can't compete with a speedster, which is bad news. Apparently, I'm not a character with high stats in every category," Galahad thinks, accepting that he's surpassed by the Flash and surely many other gifted individuals in this big, crazy world.
"He's the fastest man alive for a reason. At first, when I met him, I thought he was the last son of Hermes or a descendant of his," Wonder Women said, knowing how impressive it can be to see the Flash in action for the first time.
"No son of Hermes can hope to be as swift as your red-clad friend. Perhaps he could outrun the Messenger of Olympus himself," said the purple-haired woman, unintentionally revealing her Greek origins.
The Amazon Princess being quite intelligent, not only beautiful and strong, took note of Rider's words, nowadays few people care about the Olympians.
'Maybe it's just simple personal interest or a consequence of having visited Athena,' Diana thinks, focusing on the mission, leaving such unimportant thoughts for later.
"Can you keep up?" Superman asks, unaware of Shielder and Rider's limitations.
"We could go even faster if we knew where our destination was," the purple-haired woman replies stoically.
Certainly, not having a geographical knowledge of Washington DC is a disadvantage for the two foreign heroes.
But they are used to this, often moving between cities and even countries in Europe, they have to dedicate several days to learning the new environment.
"We can't fly or be as fast as Flash, but we can run as fast as you two can fly." Shielder replies, having no problem chasing the alien and the Amazon.
"You know, I've got an idea. Why don't the Justice League buy a wagon and have Flash pull it? It'd definitely save time," Shielder said, having a rather unique mind.
Wonder Woman holds back a small laugh at the idea of using Flash as a horse to pull the carriage.
"I don't think there's a wheel that can withstand Flash's speed." replies the Amazon Princess.
"I'm adding a pair of indestructible wheels to the list of inventions I want to create," Shielder comments, having so many projects in his mind that he wants to make reality.
"We need to get to STAR Labs, what should we expect?" Rider asks, she's never had to respond to an emergency call from a research facility.
Galahad, on the other hand, has an idea of what he will have to face.
"They're laboratories that invent experimental technologies, often years or decades more advanced than what's available in the rest of the world. It's likely that an individual or group of individuals has targeted a technological prototype. Perhaps to make themselves stronger, simply out of petty resentment, or to hand it over to a master mind to carry out a complicated plan," Galahad said, demonstrating how useful it is to be a nerd in a world full of superheroes and supervillains.
"That's a rather vague answer." Rider said, she doesn't know if her Master is right about that.
Medusa has learned that Galahad is quite knowledgeable about how the modern world works, but she has learned that he is also a person with a vivid imagination and sometimes treats life as if it were a character in one of his books.
"Vaguely, surprisingly true, I've lost count of how many times one of S.T.A.R. Labs' branches has been unwillingly drawn into the plans of some megalomaniacal mastermind," Superman said, admitting that Galahad has a more or less clear idea of what to expect.
"S.T.A.R. Labs in Washington, D.C., has received a hotline to the Hall of Justice because of how many times it's been targeted," Wonder Woman said, explaining why they received the emergency call.
"This fact doesn't surprise me. Science is an ever-growing power, which can be used for both good and evil. Xeno and Senku are perfect examples of both sides of the scientific coin," Shielder said, continuing to speak while running at superhuman speed across the rooftops.
'I have a feeling hearing meaningless references will be a constant for me.' Wonder Women thinks, continues to fly, confident that without wanting to, she will learn a lot about pop culture.
Maybe Galahad can outdo Flash when it comes to small talk.
XXX
Within minutes, Superman and Wonder Woman landed, while Shielder and Rider stopped running.
The four heroes are in a half-full parking lot, in front of a large, five-story, rectangular building, painted white, with a sign that reads: Welcome to STAR Labs, the future of tomorrow, today.
"This place doesn't appear to be under attack or in danger. Everything seems quiet," Shielder comments, looking around, seeing nothing and no one.
"No police, firefighters, or paramedics." Wonder Woman said, also studying the surroundings.
"That means either the alarm is faulty, or someone smart knows the meaning of discretion," Superman said, knowing from personal experience that not all dangers are big and loud.
"That's not a good sign. If someone wants something from S.T.A.R. Labs and decided to do it in the most subtle way, you must have thought about it a lot and been prepared," Galahad said, summoning his cross-shaped shield in his hands, ready to use it.
The Knight in black armor steps forward, being a Tank, his place is at the front line.
"Superman, can your multi-spectral eyes pinpoint the problem, so we can avoid the cliche of having fun looking for clues?" asks Shielder, wanting to use the alien's powers to do some sort of reconnaissance.
"Good idea," Wonder Woman said, appreciating the fact that the Knight isn't the impulsive type who rushes into battle before thinking.
"Galahad may speak strangely and have strange ideas, but he is intelligent," Rider said, as she approached her Master; as a Servant, her priority is to protect him.
The Knight with the shield can't help but smile as he appreciates the compliments, especially when they come from two beautiful women in dreamy outfits...for a straight man.
During this brief chat, the Kryptonian's eyes lit up subtly, a sign that he was using his X-ray vision.
"Found anything?" Shielder asks, wanting to know who is inside S.T.A.R. Labs and what they are planning.
"Unfortunately I didn't see anything, STAR Labs like many other high-profile buildings have adapted to my X-ray vision." Superman said with a slightly annoyed expression.
"Maybe you shouldn't have told your life story and all your abilities to the Daily Planet," Wonder Woman comments, appreciating many of Superman's qualities, but sometimes he overdoes the honesty.
"I agree with the Amazon; a magician should not reveal his secrets to the public." said Galahad, having several aces up his sleeves, or should I say up his shield.
"I preferred transparency and honesty. Although, years ago, I didn't believe that talking about my X-ray vision would spark a global lead hunt," Superman said, still believing he'd done a good thing then.
CRACK!
A third-floor window at STAR Labs shatters, a trail of red and white shooting through the window.
"Kinto'un!" Galahad exclaims aloud, using one of his abilities that is not a legacy received from Mash Kyrielight.
A small cloud magically appeared above Galahad's head.
The little cloud ran in the direction of the colored trail that was falling towards the ground.
The cloud grew in size and fluffiness, resembling a giant mass of cotton candy the size of a small car.
POOF
The red and white trail fell and landed comfortably on the cloud, as if it were a mattress.
The red and white trail turned out to be Flash holding an unconscious young woman in a lab coat.
"Am I lying on a soft cloud?" Flash asks, slightly surprised, but feeling extremely comfortable.
"Yes, you are, and if you're wondering, I'm not the son of Pepa Madrigal." Galahad said, referring to a certain woman with a cloud following her.
"They're happy to see you, it would have been convenient if she had arrived a couple of minutes ago." Flash said, standing up, still holding the young woman, presumably a female scientist, in his arms.
"Flash, what happened?" Wonder Woman asks, sure that something serious must have happened.
The fastest man in the world is not in the habit of jumping out of windows with women in his arms.
"Instead of hearing an explanation, Flash should put Doctor Seiko Kimura down, I have a duty to consult her." Galahad states in a serious voice, keeping his gaze on the young woman doctor.
In Flash's arms is a short woman with purple eyes and a sickly complexion. She has light gray hair and a mask covering her mouth.
He wears a black suit suitable for laboratory work, with a lab coat over it.
"Do you know her?" Flash asks, as he lowers the woman onto the soft cloud.
"By reputation alone, she is Seiko Kimura. A prodigy pharmacist from Japan, she has won numerous awards in the field of pharmacy." Galahad said, standing next to Seiko, grasping her wrist to begin the medical assessment.
"Seiko attracted a lot of attention in the pharmaceutical industry because she discovered new uses for existing drugs. I heard she moved to America to work on a major pharmaceutical project," Galahad says, placing a hand on Seiko's chest.
"Let's hope she just fainted. A brilliant woman like her will advance medicine by decades. Her loss will be a heavy blow to science." Galahad said, as a small green magic circle appears above his hand.
"Are you a doctor?" Superman asks, wanting to know if Seiko is receiving treatment from a qualified person.
"Legally I don't have a medical degree, but I have a super-brain full of medical knowledge and
One of my subclasses is the Healer. If I had the right tools and the time to prepare, I could regrow an entire arm or organ." Galahad said, moving the magic circle up and down, as if scanning Seiko's body.
"Legally, I don't have a medical degree, but I have a super-brain full of medical knowledge, and
One of my subclasses is the Healer. If I had the right tools and the time to prepare, I could regrow an entire arm or a vital organ like a heart." Galahad said, moving the magic circle up and down, as if scanning Seiko's body.
Superman uses his X-ray vision on the unconscious girl to be safe.
"It's not life-threatening and she doesn't need emergency medical attention. She's just a woman who's been overworked and not getting enough rest. The only injuries are some nasty bruises on her arms; someone with small hands but tremendous strength grabbed her." Galahad concludes his medical examination.
"I agree with your opinion, Shielder." Superman said, his voice calmer.
"Can you tell us what's going on?" asks the white-haired woman, joining in the conversation.
Seconds later, two extraordinary women leapt through the window Flash had broken, landing safely on their feet.
"Some very bad women decided to team up and they needed a special prescription for drugs," Flash said, choosing to be a comedian.
"Some very bad women have decided to team up." The Fastest Man Alive responded with a few words.
Galahad with a wave of his hand, his cloud enveloped the Seiko Kimura as if it were a kind of protective cocoon.
"Stop running, you coward!" shouts the loudest woman to Galahad's right.
"Livewire." Superman exclaims in a calm voice, recognizing who this woman is.
Livewire is a petite, small-breasted, yet sexy woman with pale skin and ghost-like blue hair.
She wears thigh-high blue boots, a blue leotard with a lightning bolt neckline, and blue gloves.
"Super idiot, I'm glad to see you so we can get this over with." Livewire exclaims, her voice full of hatred, causing electric sparks to appear in her hands.
"We're not here to settle your unfinished business with the Man of Steel. We need to catch that Japanese pharmacist," said a cold-voiced woman standing next to Livewire.
"Killer Frost." Wonder Woman declares, knowing this cold-eyed woman.
Killer Frost is a slim woman with dark blue hair, blue eyes, and blue skin.
In her typical villainess costume she wears a short and tattered white cape tied around her shoulders, with a slim-fitting blue top and black pants.
"Shielder, who are these strange women?" Rider asks, as she summons her chain with nail-like blades at the ends into her hands.
"Don't you know who I am?" Livewire asks aloud, still believing herself to be a famous radio woman.
"America is full of so many freak shows that it's hard for me to keep track of them all," the purple-haired woman replies, her voice deadpan.
Rider, she didn't even seriously try to memorize as much information as possible about America's Super-Villains, limiting herself to only the most infamous ones like the Joker.
"Who would you be the new ruler of the Justice League? Are the fanboys tired of the Amazon Princess?" asks Killer Frost, trying to anger Medusa and Diana.
'The crazy woman with ice powers isn't entirely wrong. Medusa and Wonder Woman look quite... attractive to masochistic men.' Galahad thinks, keeping his gaze on the two female supervillains, his hand firmly on the hilt of his shield.
"I am Rider, an associate member of the Justice League, partner of Shielder." The purple-haired woman declares, getting into a fighting stance that allows her to attack and defend herself.
"You know, I don't like dirty or vulgar language. But isn't it a bit hypocritical to speak ill of Rider and Wonder Woman because of the way they dress? You two aren't dressed appropriately for the season either." Galahad said, pointing the lower part of his shield at the two evil women, especially the plunging necklines of their skintight dresses.
Being a superhero offers unexpected but welcome perks, like a beautiful view.
"When right, right," Flash mutters, slightly amused by the Shield Knight's response.
"What do you know?" Livewire asks, shifting her attention from Superman to Galahad.
"I know a lot. Your name is Leslie Willis, aka Livewire. You were a female DJ at a Metropolis Rock Radio station, famous for your frequent critiques of the city's hero, Superman. The event that changed your life happened on the night of a rock concert you performed in honor of your career," Galahad said, beginning to tell Livewire's story.
"Although a violent storm was raging at the same time, Leslie refused the advice of the police and Superman himself, who had intervened to save the situation, to interrupt the concert for the safety of those present. But soon lightning bolts began to strike the stage, and one of them, through contact with the metal structure of the stage itself, struck Superman and Leslie, thus generating a violent electrical discharge that, combined with the contact with Superman, mutated her body." Said Galahad, summarizing how Livewire was born.
The Knight with the shield decided to offer a little summary to the ice woman as well.
"Crystal Frost, aka Killer Frost, was a cryokinetic scientist who participated in the Mohole scientific project in the Arctic. During their research, Crystal accidentally became locked in a freezing chamber and, as a result, transformed into a psychotic assassin with the ability to project waves of freezing cold." Galahad summarized the Ice Woman's origin story.
"Finally, a smart man, the Justice League has decided they can't just use mindless brutes and hormonal teenagers to do their dirty work." Killer Frost mutters, appreciating that her name is known.
"Killer Frost is also a Misandry, that is, a woman with an irrational hatred of men." Galahad said, adding a curiosity about the ice woman.
"I can understand the feeling." Medusa mutters, she doesn't have a very pleasant history with men.
"Should I be worried?" Flash whispered, hoping his mannerisms wouldn't earn him any points with the purple-haired woman.
"As long as you don't lay hands on her, you don't have to worry about anything." Shielder replies softly, hearing the whisper of the fastest man alive.
"Livewire, Killer Frost, I don't understand why you came here or what you want with this young woman. But I won't let you continue to harm people who want to make the world a better place." Superman declares, always ready to protect an innocent soul.
"I agree with the cloaked alien. You two have a choice: You surrender without resistance, or you resist and we should knock you out," Galahad said, though he's pretty sure violence will be the final answer to this situation.
Wonder Woman and Flash are ready for action, knowing that supervillains rarely give up.
"I prefer option three: I'll pulverize all of you, right here and now." Livewire declares, her body engulfed in an aura of lightning.
"Die!" Livewire screams, shooting a large lightning bolt from her hands.
"They never take the easy way out," Wonder Woman comments, ready to make her move, protecting herself using her bracelets.
But the Knight with the shield moved faster than her.
"Livewire is mine." Galahad exclaims with a smirk, lunging toward the lightning.
Everyone expects him to use his large shield to defend himself, but instead he holds out his hand, as if he wants to be struck by lightning.
ZAP!
As it happened, Livewire's lightning struck the hero with the shield, sending a huge amount of electricity through his body.
"Shielder!" Wonder Woman shouts worriedly, wanting to go help him, but Rider stops her.
"Don't worry, Amazon, lightning can never hurt them." The purple-haired woman said with a stoic expression, knowing her Master's abilities full well.
In a moment the Warrior Princess's mind reproduced a word that Galahad has said many times: "My main class is the Tank, but I have two subclasses, the Healer and the Lightning Elementalist."
Galahad, instead of looking like a man struck by lightning and partially charred, begins to smile and shake like a child who has eaten too much sugar.
"I feel like a beast!" Galahad shouts, as his body begins to produce heavy green electrical sparks.
"You are my prey, Livewire!" Galahad exclaims with an elated expression, slamming the bottom of his cross-shaped shield, tearing the ground.
The Knight, full of energy in more ways than one, dashed forward as if he were the Flash.
Before Livewire could blink, she found herself with the Knight just inches away from her.
By pure reflex, Livewire releases an omnidirectional electrical discharge, while Shielder activates Mana Burst (Lightning).
ZAP!
ZAP!
Blue and green lightning bolts dance in front of STAR Labs.
Continues ...
XXX
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I originally wanted to include fight scenes, but I think we can dedicate the next chapter to the fights.