“The All New New Warriors That Are New”
New Warriors Headquarters
Asa Richards stared out of the window of the five story headquarters that the New Warriors called home. It was on a small planet that had been discovered a few decades earlier, and so far it hadn't been fully colonized. Only the New Warriors and a small group of travelers had chosen to call the planet home, but more would come over the next few years.
Asa looked remarkably like the long deceased Johnny Storm did in his youth, something his great great great, etc., grandfather Franklin had once told him. Asa and his identical twin brother Kodi both loved to listen to Franklin talking about the adventures of the original Fantastic Four and the other heroes of Franklin's youth.
"You can't just sit in your room forever," Asa's twin brother Kodi said as he stood in the doorway. "You need to stop blaming yourself for what happened. That was six months ago."
"I was responsible," Asa said as he stared out the window. "If it weren't for me, we all would have made it back from that mission."
"But not all of us did make it back, and it wasn't your fault," Kodi said as he got closer and put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "No one blames you, Asa. You're still my brother, and you're still the leader of this team."
A young man with jet black hair popped his head into the room. "Your grandpa's on the line, he says it's urgent."
"Thanks, Jace," Asa said as he looked at his twin brother. "Looks like Grandpa's got another mission for the team."
"You think you're ready to get back into it?" Kodi asked.
"The others are depending on me, I guess I have no choice," Asa said.
# # # # # # # # # #
The current team of New Warriors sat around the table, waiting for their leader to address them:
Firefly (Jace Porter): A young man who has the ability to create and control flames
Machine Teen 4.0 (Alexander Aaronson): The latest upgraded model based on the original Machine Teen, only with the now human brain of a teenage boy who had been uploaded into the cybernetic body after a fatal accident.
Golem (Tommy Barinholtz): A boy whose body is made entirely of stone thanks to an ancient family curse.
Shadow (Liberty Parker): A teenage girl who can control and manipulate shadows, as well as being able to hide in them.
As the group sat at the table, Asa and Kodi entered the room. The Richards brothers, the descendants of the original Fantastic Four, with Asa being able to control water, while Kodi held the power to manipulate matter. The only drawback was that the brothers had to have physical contact to use their powers.
"About time you decided to join us," Jace said in an Australian accent, which was the planet he hailed from. Fifty years ago, Australia had seceded from the planet Earth and started their own planet on the outer edge of the galaxy, with the former continent on Earth becoming the Australian Embassy. "We were about to take the job without you."
"Ah, I'd like to boomerang you in the back of the head," Kodi said as he stood near his brother.
Asa just sighed as he turned on the monitor, where a still youthful Franklin Richards appeared. He didn't look to be any older than his early thirties, although was far, far older than that by this point.
"I think your team has been given enough time to grieve," Franklin said, even though he knew that wasn't true. As old as Franklin was, even he still felt sadness whenever someone close to him died. "There's a mission that only your team can complete."
"Another off the books mission?" Tommy asked.
"So far off the books that this conversation never even took place," Franklin told them. "You're to go to the mining planet of Yursminenars on the furthest edge of the Ford Galaxy-"
"And that's what we get for letting corporations name the solar systems," Kodi said.
"And procure the only known sample of a rare mineral before other parties can get ahold of it," Franklin told him. "This mineral is stronger than adamantium and vibranium combined. If anyone gets ahold of it, or learns where to find more, it could be very bad for everyone."
"What's this mineral called?" Asa asked.
"Either ore," Franklin said. "Now hurry, my sources tell me that word is travelling fast about its discovery. You remember what happened when that terrorist group got ahold of that video that kills people after seven days?"
"The lives that were lost," Liberty said. In the 1980's, a crossover between Mr. Belvedere and the Golden Girls had been filmed, but the sheer magnitude of two awesome forces being in the same room together was too much for human eyes, and anyone who viewed the video had died within a week, their brains having completely melted. The tape was sealed in a box and shot into the middle of the sun after it had been recovered 100 years ago.
"Okay, team, let's go," Asa told them. "How hard could recovering a small sample of Either ore be?"
Several hours later, the team arrived on the small mining planet on the outer edge of the Ford Galaxy. Asa was the first off the ship as he looked at his team.
"Alright, these are the coordinates," Asa said. "Let's get in, get the sample. Tommy, you and Alex are with me. The rest of you, cover us."
# # # # # # # # # #
The three heroes made their way into the small building, with the others covering them.
"How does it feel being back in the saddle?" Golem asked as they made their way through the halls. The building was surprisingly empty for this time of day. "After what happened-"
"I'm fine," Asa said as he led the group. "It's just... hard, you know? Some nights I just wake up, crying."
"You know you can talk to us, right?" Machine Teen asked. "Well, most of us. I doubt Jace gives a damn, but the rest of us are there."
"It's true," Jace said from the back.
"Let's just get through this mission, then we'll talk about our feelings," Asa said as the lights started flickering. "Oh, that's not a good sign. Liberty?"
"On it, boss," Shadow said as she dove into the darkness, being able to travel faster than the others. She soon returned, stepping out of the shadows as she stood in front of the team. "They're dead."
"Who?"
"Everyone," Shadow said. "It's a massacre. There was an empty vault.'
"Someone got to the sample before us," Asa said. "We have to hurry. Are they still here?"
A loud explosion was heard as the team turned to see the entire wall crumble away. A single exoskeleton stepped through, holding a cylinder with a blue glowing rock in it. Asa looked angrily at the form of the villain whom the team had fought not too long ago.
"Sinister 1," Asa said bitterly.
"Hello, New Warriors, we meet again," the robotic creature said. Even though its teeth were exposed, you could tell it was trying to smile. "You look like you're missing a team member."
"You son of a bitch," Asa said.
"I am a cybernetic organism, I have no maternal creator," Sinister 1 said.
"Are we going to do this, or are you going to stand there and be humorless all day?" Jace asked.
Sinister 1 extended his arms as two tentacles suddenly shot forward. The group jumped out of the way as Firefly created a fireball in his hands, shooting it forward. Shadow jumped into the darkness while Asa and Golem tried to rush forward. All three of them got there at once to attack, just as the robot extended vulture wings and flew up, causing them to collide with each other.
"You cannot defeat me; I am the perfect organism," Sinister 1 said. "I am unstoppable."
Asa and Kodi looked up as a shower of electric energy started raining down at them. Golem and Machine Teen covered their friends.
"How do we fight someone who has the powers of some ancient superheroes rogues gallery?" Firefly asked as he created a firewall to burn out the electric sparks.
"If he gets away with the Either ore, he will be unstoppable," Asa said. "He's already taken away someone very important to us, I'm not about to let him become unstoppable enough to where he can kill everyone else we care about. This ends here."
"Any suggestions?" Firefly asked.
"Golem, Machine Teen, take out that supporting wall when I give the signal," Asa told them. "Shadow, get that cylinder while he's distracted!"
Shadow jumped into the darkness as Sinister 1 stopped using Electro's powers and turned to the Sandman's pouring massive amounts of sand toward the team. Shadow's hands reached out and grabbed the cylinder as Asa gave the signal. "Now!"
Golem and Machine Teen waded through the sand and punched the wall, causing the ceiling to crumble on top of Sinister 1, pinning him to the ground.
"Firefly, you think can do this?" Asa asked as he helped get his friends toward the exit.
"Never went this hot before, but there's a first time for everything. Just get as far away as you can," Firefly said as he created a fireball. "I'll be right behind."
"Don't die," Asa told him as the others started running. Firefly just smirked at Sinister 1, who was starting to emerge from the rubble. Jace created a stream of fire towards SInister 1, pouring everything he had into it as he turned up the heat.
"You cannot defeat me," Sinister 1 told him. "I am the-"
"You're toast," Firefly said as he was starting to sweat. "You're not killing anymore of my friends."
The rest of the team got back to the ship as they saw the building go up in a giant fireball.
"Jace!" Asa shouted. "I'm going back for him!"
"He's fine, he has to be," Shadow told him. "I love him, Asa. We've been dating ever since... the last mission."
"I, uh, have a confession, too," Kodi said as he looked at Asa. "Me and Alex were, uh, kind of together too."
Asa just looked at Machine Teen, who just gave him a blank stare. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Before Asa could say anything, Firefly landed in front of them, smoking with a charred costume.
"Jace!" Shadow shouted as she rushed to him. "Are you okay?"
"I melted the hell out of him," Jace said with a smile as he opened his eyes. "He won't be coming back, at least not in that body."
"He's right, there's going to be more where that one came from once they find this one went offline," Asa said.
"At least we got the Either ore," Golem said. "We can get this to Franklin and get home."
"I didn't know you and Alex were... you know," Asa said to Kodi.
"I think you did," Kodi told him as he blushed. "I think you knew the whole time, which is why we're able to talk like this."
"Well... maybe," Asa said. He could tell from the way that Kodi smiled that he had found someone to love, and he was happy for his brother. "I'm just sorry that-"
"Asa, who are you talking to?" Jace asked as Asa turned to look at him. He turned back to see that there was no one standing there.
# # # # # # # # # #
Asa stood over the grave of his twin brother, as Franklin stood behind him with his hand on the boy's shoulder. It had been six months since Kodi had given his life to save his brother from Sinister 1. Asa held his brother's body in his arms for a good two hours after he'd breathed his last breath, promising that he would avenge his fallen brother.
"I really miss him, Grandpa," Asa said. "But I got his murderer. So why don't I feel better?"
"Vengeance rarely ever makes you feel better," Franklin told him. "But your team did secure the Either ore. And now that it's in the right hands and we know where to find more of it, we can keep, and the galaxy, safe. I'm proud of you, and your brother, Asa. And I know Kodi would be proud of you, too."
"Thanks, Grandpa," Asa smiled as he hugged him. "So, ready to send us on another mission?"
"Maybe soon," Franklin said. "But first there's Sunday dinner with your Uncle Ben. You know how he gets when we run late."
# # # # # # # # # #
"There you are, kid!" Ben said as he hugged Asa as he stood at the door. He hadn't aged a day in 1,000 years with the exception of the reading glasses that Ben needed to wear now. "About time you started comin' around again. "I missed ya'."
"I missed you, too, Uncle Ben," Asa told him. "You still need me to help out with the charity work?"
"Yancy Street always needs all the help it can get," Ben told him. Even though there was no crime, there were always kids that needed counseling, meals that needed delivered, and generally helping out the community. "Come on in, there's plenty of food, so I hope you're hungry."
"Uncle Ben, can we talk... about Kodi?" Asa asked. Ben just smiled down on him. "About damn time you asked, kid. Let's get you a plate filled and we'll all talk about your brother until you're ready for bed."
Franklin just smiled as he looked at Ben. Asa always looked up to him more than anyone, and he was glad that Asa finally had the strength to start getting past his brother's death.
# # # # # # # # # #
New Warrior Headquarters
Now that their relationship was out of the bag, Jace and Liberty were free to show their affections out in the open, which now included making out on the couch. Tommy was building a house of cards with his rocky hands, and Alexander was hooked up to a computer, updating his systems when he ran across a file he hadn't been familiar with. A file that he must have accidentally uploaded while him and Kodi were getting intimate one night. Curious, Alex opened the file as it instantly uploaded, causing him to nearly overload. As he fell back into his chair, he thought he heard a faint, but familiar voice inside of his own head.
"Kodi?" Alex whispered.
END?
Asa Richards stared out of the window of the five story headquarters that the New Warriors called home. It was on a small planet that had been discovered a few decades earlier, and so far it hadn't been fully colonized. Only the New Warriors and a small group of travelers had chosen to call the planet home, but more would come over the next few years.
Asa looked remarkably like the long deceased Johnny Storm did in his youth, something his great great great, etc., grandfather Franklin had once told him. Asa and his identical twin brother Kodi both loved to listen to Franklin talking about the adventures of the original Fantastic Four and the other heroes of Franklin's youth.
"You can't just sit in your room forever," Asa's twin brother Kodi said as he stood in the doorway. "You need to stop blaming yourself for what happened. That was six months ago."
"I was responsible," Asa said as he stared out the window. "If it weren't for me, we all would have made it back from that mission."
"But not all of us did make it back, and it wasn't your fault," Kodi said as he got closer and put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "No one blames you, Asa. You're still my brother, and you're still the leader of this team."
A young man with jet black hair popped his head into the room. "Your grandpa's on the line, he says it's urgent."
"Thanks, Jace," Asa said as he looked at his twin brother. "Looks like Grandpa's got another mission for the team."
"You think you're ready to get back into it?" Kodi asked.
"The others are depending on me, I guess I have no choice," Asa said.
# # # # # # # # # #
The current team of New Warriors sat around the table, waiting for their leader to address them:
Firefly (Jace Porter): A young man who has the ability to create and control flames
Machine Teen 4.0 (Alexander Aaronson): The latest upgraded model based on the original Machine Teen, only with the now human brain of a teenage boy who had been uploaded into the cybernetic body after a fatal accident.
Golem (Tommy Barinholtz): A boy whose body is made entirely of stone thanks to an ancient family curse.
Shadow (Liberty Parker): A teenage girl who can control and manipulate shadows, as well as being able to hide in them.
As the group sat at the table, Asa and Kodi entered the room. The Richards brothers, the descendants of the original Fantastic Four, with Asa being able to control water, while Kodi held the power to manipulate matter. The only drawback was that the brothers had to have physical contact to use their powers.
"About time you decided to join us," Jace said in an Australian accent, which was the planet he hailed from. Fifty years ago, Australia had seceded from the planet Earth and started their own planet on the outer edge of the galaxy, with the former continent on Earth becoming the Australian Embassy. "We were about to take the job without you."
"Ah, I'd like to boomerang you in the back of the head," Kodi said as he stood near his brother.
Asa just sighed as he turned on the monitor, where a still youthful Franklin Richards appeared. He didn't look to be any older than his early thirties, although was far, far older than that by this point.
"I think your team has been given enough time to grieve," Franklin said, even though he knew that wasn't true. As old as Franklin was, even he still felt sadness whenever someone close to him died. "There's a mission that only your team can complete."
"Another off the books mission?" Tommy asked.
"So far off the books that this conversation never even took place," Franklin told them. "You're to go to the mining planet of Yursminenars on the furthest edge of the Ford Galaxy-"
"And that's what we get for letting corporations name the solar systems," Kodi said.
"And procure the only known sample of a rare mineral before other parties can get ahold of it," Franklin told him. "This mineral is stronger than adamantium and vibranium combined. If anyone gets ahold of it, or learns where to find more, it could be very bad for everyone."
"What's this mineral called?" Asa asked.
"Either ore," Franklin said. "Now hurry, my sources tell me that word is travelling fast about its discovery. You remember what happened when that terrorist group got ahold of that video that kills people after seven days?"
"The lives that were lost," Liberty said. In the 1980's, a crossover between Mr. Belvedere and the Golden Girls had been filmed, but the sheer magnitude of two awesome forces being in the same room together was too much for human eyes, and anyone who viewed the video had died within a week, their brains having completely melted. The tape was sealed in a box and shot into the middle of the sun after it had been recovered 100 years ago.
"Okay, team, let's go," Asa told them. "How hard could recovering a small sample of Either ore be?"
Several hours later, the team arrived on the small mining planet on the outer edge of the Ford Galaxy. Asa was the first off the ship as he looked at his team.
"Alright, these are the coordinates," Asa said. "Let's get in, get the sample. Tommy, you and Alex are with me. The rest of you, cover us."
# # # # # # # # # #
The three heroes made their way into the small building, with the others covering them.
"How does it feel being back in the saddle?" Golem asked as they made their way through the halls. The building was surprisingly empty for this time of day. "After what happened-"
"I'm fine," Asa said as he led the group. "It's just... hard, you know? Some nights I just wake up, crying."
"You know you can talk to us, right?" Machine Teen asked. "Well, most of us. I doubt Jace gives a damn, but the rest of us are there."
"It's true," Jace said from the back.
"Let's just get through this mission, then we'll talk about our feelings," Asa said as the lights started flickering. "Oh, that's not a good sign. Liberty?"
"On it, boss," Shadow said as she dove into the darkness, being able to travel faster than the others. She soon returned, stepping out of the shadows as she stood in front of the team. "They're dead."
"Who?"
"Everyone," Shadow said. "It's a massacre. There was an empty vault.'
"Someone got to the sample before us," Asa said. "We have to hurry. Are they still here?"
A loud explosion was heard as the team turned to see the entire wall crumble away. A single exoskeleton stepped through, holding a cylinder with a blue glowing rock in it. Asa looked angrily at the form of the villain whom the team had fought not too long ago.
"Sinister 1," Asa said bitterly.
"Hello, New Warriors, we meet again," the robotic creature said. Even though its teeth were exposed, you could tell it was trying to smile. "You look like you're missing a team member."
"You son of a bitch," Asa said.
"I am a cybernetic organism, I have no maternal creator," Sinister 1 said.
"Are we going to do this, or are you going to stand there and be humorless all day?" Jace asked.
Sinister 1 extended his arms as two tentacles suddenly shot forward. The group jumped out of the way as Firefly created a fireball in his hands, shooting it forward. Shadow jumped into the darkness while Asa and Golem tried to rush forward. All three of them got there at once to attack, just as the robot extended vulture wings and flew up, causing them to collide with each other.
"You cannot defeat me; I am the perfect organism," Sinister 1 said. "I am unstoppable."
Asa and Kodi looked up as a shower of electric energy started raining down at them. Golem and Machine Teen covered their friends.
"How do we fight someone who has the powers of some ancient superheroes rogues gallery?" Firefly asked as he created a firewall to burn out the electric sparks.
"If he gets away with the Either ore, he will be unstoppable," Asa said. "He's already taken away someone very important to us, I'm not about to let him become unstoppable enough to where he can kill everyone else we care about. This ends here."
"Any suggestions?" Firefly asked.
"Golem, Machine Teen, take out that supporting wall when I give the signal," Asa told them. "Shadow, get that cylinder while he's distracted!"
Shadow jumped into the darkness as Sinister 1 stopped using Electro's powers and turned to the Sandman's pouring massive amounts of sand toward the team. Shadow's hands reached out and grabbed the cylinder as Asa gave the signal. "Now!"
Golem and Machine Teen waded through the sand and punched the wall, causing the ceiling to crumble on top of Sinister 1, pinning him to the ground.
"Firefly, you think can do this?" Asa asked as he helped get his friends toward the exit.
"Never went this hot before, but there's a first time for everything. Just get as far away as you can," Firefly said as he created a fireball. "I'll be right behind."
"Don't die," Asa told him as the others started running. Firefly just smirked at Sinister 1, who was starting to emerge from the rubble. Jace created a stream of fire towards SInister 1, pouring everything he had into it as he turned up the heat.
"You cannot defeat me," Sinister 1 told him. "I am the-"
"You're toast," Firefly said as he was starting to sweat. "You're not killing anymore of my friends."
The rest of the team got back to the ship as they saw the building go up in a giant fireball.
"Jace!" Asa shouted. "I'm going back for him!"
"He's fine, he has to be," Shadow told him. "I love him, Asa. We've been dating ever since... the last mission."
"I, uh, have a confession, too," Kodi said as he looked at Asa. "Me and Alex were, uh, kind of together too."
Asa just looked at Machine Teen, who just gave him a blank stare. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Before Asa could say anything, Firefly landed in front of them, smoking with a charred costume.
"Jace!" Shadow shouted as she rushed to him. "Are you okay?"
"I melted the hell out of him," Jace said with a smile as he opened his eyes. "He won't be coming back, at least not in that body."
"He's right, there's going to be more where that one came from once they find this one went offline," Asa said.
"At least we got the Either ore," Golem said. "We can get this to Franklin and get home."
"I didn't know you and Alex were... you know," Asa said to Kodi.
"I think you did," Kodi told him as he blushed. "I think you knew the whole time, which is why we're able to talk like this."
"Well... maybe," Asa said. He could tell from the way that Kodi smiled that he had found someone to love, and he was happy for his brother. "I'm just sorry that-"
"Asa, who are you talking to?" Jace asked as Asa turned to look at him. He turned back to see that there was no one standing there.
# # # # # # # # # #
Asa stood over the grave of his twin brother, as Franklin stood behind him with his hand on the boy's shoulder. It had been six months since Kodi had given his life to save his brother from Sinister 1. Asa held his brother's body in his arms for a good two hours after he'd breathed his last breath, promising that he would avenge his fallen brother.
"I really miss him, Grandpa," Asa said. "But I got his murderer. So why don't I feel better?"
"Vengeance rarely ever makes you feel better," Franklin told him. "But your team did secure the Either ore. And now that it's in the right hands and we know where to find more of it, we can keep, and the galaxy, safe. I'm proud of you, and your brother, Asa. And I know Kodi would be proud of you, too."
"Thanks, Grandpa," Asa smiled as he hugged him. "So, ready to send us on another mission?"
"Maybe soon," Franklin said. "But first there's Sunday dinner with your Uncle Ben. You know how he gets when we run late."
# # # # # # # # # #
"There you are, kid!" Ben said as he hugged Asa as he stood at the door. He hadn't aged a day in 1,000 years with the exception of the reading glasses that Ben needed to wear now. "About time you started comin' around again. "I missed ya'."
"I missed you, too, Uncle Ben," Asa told him. "You still need me to help out with the charity work?"
"Yancy Street always needs all the help it can get," Ben told him. Even though there was no crime, there were always kids that needed counseling, meals that needed delivered, and generally helping out the community. "Come on in, there's plenty of food, so I hope you're hungry."
"Uncle Ben, can we talk... about Kodi?" Asa asked. Ben just smiled down on him. "About damn time you asked, kid. Let's get you a plate filled and we'll all talk about your brother until you're ready for bed."
Franklin just smiled as he looked at Ben. Asa always looked up to him more than anyone, and he was glad that Asa finally had the strength to start getting past his brother's death.
# # # # # # # # # #
New Warrior Headquarters
Now that their relationship was out of the bag, Jace and Liberty were free to show their affections out in the open, which now included making out on the couch. Tommy was building a house of cards with his rocky hands, and Alexander was hooked up to a computer, updating his systems when he ran across a file he hadn't been familiar with. A file that he must have accidentally uploaded while him and Kodi were getting intimate one night. Curious, Alex opened the file as it instantly uploaded, causing him to nearly overload. As he fell back into his chair, he thought he heard a faint, but familiar voice inside of his own head.
"Kodi?" Alex whispered.
END?