WilliamDArand
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Super Sales on Super Heroes 6 - Ch 3-
🕑 Added 2023-05-09 17:15:36 +0000 UTCChapter 3 - Polymorphic -
“Are… you okay?” asked Faith from only a foot away. Miu was on the other side of him and he felt it when she pressed a hand to his back. They were both clearly concerned with his sudden outburst.
Even as he heard them, he also heard countless people yelling, screaming, shouting, and talking. An endless echoing cacophony of voices.
He swore he even heard a number of people saying his name that he couldn’t even recognize. Along with gunfire.
Then it all snapped back to normal.
The cracks and lines that’d covered everything fading away as if they’d never been there. Once more the world becoming as it should.
An odd whooshing noise rose up to an incredible volume and stopped.
Followed by a single “tink” noise.
Then Andrea was there. Standing in front of him, the golden earing prominent in her triangular ear.
Her mismatched and lovely eyes were looking at him with concern. Her short blonde hair was pulled back and actually styled away from her face. Her mouth was screwed up in a strange yet pretty pout.
Andrea’s right hand was pressed to his forehead, her left hand rested at his neck. Her fingertips resting against his throat.
“Nnn, you don’t feel like you have a fever. Your heart’s racing though,” Andrea said, her eyes flicking down to his mouth. She waited several seconds before she took him by the jaw and carefully pried his mouth open. She peered into it and tilted his head back.
Gazing at the back of his throat.
“What is it? What is it?” asked Second, leaning over Prime’s shoulder and peering into his mouth as well. “Eugh… stinks like broccoli. I thought you said we got breakfast for him.”
“We did. He must have ate a snack or something. Looks fine,” Prime concluded and closed his mouth with a pat on his chin. Then she looked up and met his eyes with a wide smile. “Well! Looks like Doctor or Nurse Andrea isn’t needed. Is it finally time to bring out… da-da-daaaaaa… head-shrink Andrea?”
An Other stepped out of Andrea Prime, reached into a pocket, and pulled out a pair of fake glasses. She promptly stuck them on her nose, then put her thumb and fore-finger to her chin.
“Now… Felix… tell me about… your sex life,” the new Andrea prompted. “In detail. With examples. I’ll be the stand-in.”
“Idiot,” Second growled and punched the new Andrea in the side.
“You misanthrope! Brute!” replied the glasses wearing Andrea while landing a body blow on the other.
“Knock it off you two,” Prime ordered. “You’re ruining this reveal. We’re supposed to — mm!”
Felix snatched up Andrea by the face and then kissed her. Holding tight to her head. Clinging onto her, really. A drowning man with a life preserver.
Moaning, Prime moved in closer to him and hung onto him in return.
Without meaning to he ended up pushing Prime up against a mailbox in his drive to get closer to her. Kissing her all the while as his arms slipped around her and crushed her bodily into himself.
“Uh, I was supposed to be the stand-in. Not Prime,” complained Eighth. Felix had finally recognized her. “Nnn… lame.”
“Uhm, Felix… this… isn’t really the time?” Faith laughed, stepping up beside him. He could feel her presence there rather than see her. His entire world was trying to kiss Andrea to death at the moment.
Who was making quiet little moans as he did so. Her hands dug into his clothes.
“— just a minute we can go,” Runner was explaining to what Felix assumed was Steve. “I can’t take you back to your own world yet, but I can open a jump point so that you can stay in a place just outside of it. Talk to anyone who comes over.”
“Then… thank you. Yes. That’d… yes,” Steve replied. “That’d be great. I’ll remain there until called. I’ll just act like I normally do when I’m annoyed with… with the other one.
“I owe you all. Thank you. I’ll never-I won’t… I won’t forget this.”
Breaking the kiss, Felix put his forehead to Andrea’s and stared into her eyes as they opened.
“Andrea, you stupid fool, I love you. I don’t care if I’m crazy, if this is a dream, or the world is ending, I’m not going to let you go,” Felix hissed and meant it. He had no idea why Andrea was suddenly here or if he’d truly lost his mind, but he wasn’t going to let her go.
“Hehe… ahh… Felix… you probably shouldn’t be like this. There’s people here and mm!” Andrea’s voice was cut off as Felix started kissing her again.
“Oh my god,” Second murmured. “Is he going to mount us right here? I can’t wait to get the memories later.”
“I hope not. That’ll be something we’ll have to share shame in until we can Death Other it out,” complained Eighth. “Oh! Look! Third is coming back. Maybe we can have pancakes after all.”
“Alright, follow me,” Ryker mumbled followed by a soft thump noise.
Felix didn’t care. He just wanted to kiss and hold Andrea. He’d been excited to have Kit and Lily back, but the reunion had been soured by the loss of Andrea.
Except even as Andrea rammed her tongue into his mouth, then hop up onto the mail box and wrap her thighs around his hips, he had a strange and sudden flood of memories. Memories of Andrea dying to the attack just as she had.
Except she didn’t die.
She stumbled to one side, Edmund grabbed her shoulder to stabilize her, and then she stood upright. As if she’d just been struck violently.
None of the Andrea’s died that day, though they’d all swayed violent, almost fell over, and then regained their balance.
The Others had continued their riot across the battlefield. Scooping up arms and armaments and wildly running over everything. Somehow they’d even found some armored vehicles, got them running, and made a thrown-together armored unit.
In this new world that Felix had drawn out in his head, Andrea had been there when they’d reunited with Kit and Lily. The Wolf-girl going so far as to kiss both of them after drowning the two women in Others.
Felix had been forced to drag them off just so they didn’t crush them to death.
All of it leading up to this moment here and now.
A world where Andrea had never died at all. She’d simply moved on as if she’d been struck by a blow as she often had.
“Okay, whoa my dude,” Runner said with a laugh. “I have no idea what switch flipped in your head but can we not have public sex? This is your new world you know. People are going to get some real eye-catching photos and videos at this rate.
“Alright, uh… we need to go. Next place for you is a jump point and then onto the mission itself. The rest of your group needs to go help out with the Legion forces. They’re going to be moving into a ground-battle for a few hardpoints we need to make sure fall.”
Once again he broke the kiss from Andrea and just looked into her face.
The beautiful woman looked at him with pin-point pupils, gnawed at her lower lip, and was as flushed as she would be after sprinting for miles on end.
“I need… five minutes,” growled Andrea. “Get me five minutes, Runner. Just five.”
“I… yeah, sure. Why not. I’ll get you an hour, though. Because Kit and Lily are right behind you,” Runner said with a laugh. “I wouldn’t be very godly if I didn’t get you some time together after being separated.”
Then they were transported to a space very similar to the one they’d been in on the way here. A black void of nothing.
Him, Lily, Kit, and Andrea Prime.
“An hour. All I need is five minutes,” declared Andrea with a throaty undertone.
***
Felix didn’t know what was happening. He didn’t understand why Andrea was back, despite having the memories of when she’d died.
He could clearly remember both when her death, and when she hadn’t been killed.
They were two distinct different and clear time-lines in his head.
To him, they both felt real, distinct, and that they happened.
Except that was only true for him. No one else could remember it. When he asked as surreptitiously as he could, all he got back was that the final attack that struck Andrea felt really anti-climatic. That it’d amounted to nothing more than getting kicked in the crotch, as Andrea described it.
Painful, and left her with an uncomfortable and annoying tingle that took days to go away, but nothing lasting. Faith and the Legion medical team gave her a clean bill of health.
Which meant either he’d imagined her death, he was imagining her being alive, or this whole damn thing was all in his head.
Maybe… I’m still sleeping in my uncle’s house. Maybe… maybe this is all… a fever dream.
Never made that black-market trade and this is all me dreaming.
Or I died?
Ha.
That’s rather cliche.
Felix glanced up and to the side and watched as an entire building grew cracks. Black lines that spread out from one side of it and began to slowly take it over.
Creeping across it slowly.
Quickly, he looked away and put his attention back to Runner’s back. He was currently leading him somewhere while everyone else had already left for their own duty.
“I think I’m going crazy,” Felix blurted out.
“Oh? Hm. I’ll take a look at it when we’re done with this. Probably nothing big or long lasting,” Runner dismissively brushed off with a hand wave. “Probably some type of temporary PTSD or something. Man… the number of times I’ve had to help Ryker through one of those… yeesh. Maybe I should get a psychology degree at this point.
“Doctor Norwood. Has a fun ring to it. Maybe. Probably not. I think I’d get annoyed rather quickly. Start telling people to just not be whatever the problem is. Yeah.”
Felix frowned at that, looked down to the ground between them, then back up to the god. The longer he spent around Runner the less he felt as if he were truly that divine.
“You’re not crazy,” Runner said, glancing over his shoulder at him. There was a spark of the infinite in Runner’s eyes. Something similar to what Felix often saw in Ryker. “And I assure you, I’m your god and creator. Despite your thoughts to the contrary.
“The Architect might have planned you out, but I brought you into being. I was there when I made your soul. You only had a few vessels you’d fit into which meant you were rather unique.
“Despite the Architect’s statement to the contrary, I made a backup for you in case all else failed. In case you never would have had the chance to be born.”
By the time Runner had finished speaking, Felix had the distinct impression that Runner was indeed the Overgod. Though he was much more, or perhaps much less, at the same time.
“You were mortal once,” Felix blurted out before his mind could catch up to that.
Runner stared at him and walked onward. Only to grin and look ahead once more.
“One upon a time, yes. I was. It’s why I understand you and everyone else as well as I do,” Runner admitted. “I had my story written into a book. It’s called Otherlife Dreams. Stuck it in your world under a goofy penname. Feel free to give it a look sometime. It reads pretty badly if I’m being honest. A writer, I am not.”
“I… ah… I see,” Felix mumbled. He felt so far out of his depth that he was now drowning.
“Yeah, anyways. Just go in there and get dressed up. Combat gear is ideal. Anything you pick up, you own. You’ve also gained access to the points from your old world,” Runner advised while pointing to a building that wasn’t too far away. It looked like some sort of garrison type building. “Chances are you’ll have a great many to spend. Best you look into it and get ready. Where we’re going… it’s pretty out there. Really out there, actually. Can’t tell you how to plan other than that.”
Runner waved a hand and set off at a jog. He was heading off down the dirt path they’d been walking on, passing by a split in it that led off to the building he’d indicated.
Blowing out a breath, Felix reached up and scratched at his cheek. Then he shrugged and started trudging up the hill to the garrison.
Without thinking about it, he pulled out his phone and tapped at it.
Only to remember he didn’t have cell coverage or a wi-fi signal he could tap into here.
“Tribune here, Legate,” stated the VI had part of itself on every mobile device the Encampment application was on.
“Sorry, I… I forgot I don’t have service here. I was going to call Andrea,” mumbled Felix, putting his phone back in his pocket.
“I’ll subvert the local networks, one moment,” Tribune stated.
“Ah… wait, no. Don’t do that. This isn’t our—”
“Task complete,” reported Tribune. “You may now utilize your phone as intended. I’ve taken control over most of the networks and am spreading outward rapidly. As the portal we entered from is stabilized, I’m relaying all relevant information back to our own databases and servers.”
Sighing, Felix really wasn’t sure about Tribune anymore. He felt like he’d created a doomsday weapon and let it loose without meaning to. He’d done all he could to bottle it up and hold it back, but it was more like a giant dog that lived in his bedroom.
It would gladly destroy anyone who came at him, but it might also decide the bedside table looked like a great chew toy.
“Thanks,” he muttered instead. He pulled his phone back out and tapped at the screen. He quickly got Andrea’s number up and then tapped the call button. Pressing it to his ear he kept moving to the garrison building.
There wasn’t anyone he could see nor did it look like anyone had come this way. As far as he could tell, he was alone.
“Felix! You called me!?” squealed Andrea on the other end of the phone. “You never call me! Why’re you caaaaaalling?”
“I missed you,” Felix admitted. While he cared for everyone, and had been quite happy to be reuinted with Lily and Kit, they hadn’t died.
They had always been “beyond his reach” but with the caveat of “currently”.
“I… ah… you haven’t seen me for like… twenty minutes,” murmured Andrea.
“I missed you. I love you. Please share my love to all your Others. I love you all,” Felix stated with firmness. He’d found himself with nothing but a pile of broken emotions when he lost Andrea. He wasn’t going to hold back any further when he wanted to speak how he felt.
“I-you-yes. Yes! Nn! We love you, too!” Andrea said with absolute good cheer in her tone. Followed by a lot of giggly laughter. “You’re being awfully affectionate today.”
“Maybe I was just shocked when you all staggered at the same time from that attack. Maybe I suddenly was terrified of all of you dying at the same time. Maybe I don’t want you to risk yourself like that in the future,” Felix tried, wondering if he’d get something new out of her.
“Awww… well… okay. Okay. I’ll… I’ll be more careful. I’m sorry,” Andrea murmured, sounding somewhat nervous and apologetic. “Nn. I’m-I’m on my way to go talk with true Andrea Prime. The ways are all open so… we’re going to meet up and see what we can share with each other.
“I’m going with Fourth. She’s going to share everything back to true Andrea Prime and then one of their Others will come back to me. I’m thinking… I’m thinking of submerging ourselves back into the true Andrea. The more I thought about what you said previously, about what I can do to bring us up further… I want to bring it all back. That means becoming just another Other. But I think that’s okay. That’s good. I have a lot to give back to me. Even if I’m subsumed, I’m still me and… and Andrea will be more of me afterward.
“I don’t think I’ll be gone or anything. I think the real Prime will become more like me and that’ll become me in a way. That I’ll become a more prominent part of who Andrea, Adriana, and Myriad is. That and I think I’m far closer to who we were originally than any of us would like to admit.”
“That’s… I get it. That makes sense. When it happens, just make sure all Andrea’s know how much I love them,” Felix stated. “This goes for Adrianna and Myriad as well. To all of you Elex girls. My Elex girls. I love you.”
There was a shuddering breath from Andrea before she laughed again.
“Yes! Nn! I’ll share it to everyone. I’ll share it all with them,” Andrea agreed.
“Okay. I’m going to go. I just wanted to call and tell you,” Felix muttered, feeling somewhat stupid for the impulsiveness of the call. “I love you. I’ll talk to you later. If possible, I want to talk to you the Primes soon. Okay?”
“I’ll make it happen! I love you, too. Be safe!” Andrea demanded.
Felix grunted, felt even stranger, then hung up the phone.
“That was just stupid,” he grumbled to himself. Reaching the building he pushed the door open, and went inside. “Hello?”
There was no response to his call.
Shaking his head, Felix went to go get ready as Runner had advised him to.
Entering, he saw that there were a number of people in here. He couldn’t identify them as he passed by a number of lockers, weapon cases, and armor stands with things like plate carriers and body armor hanging on them.
Felix noted that they had nmaes next to each locker. Each of the cases and stands had several names next to each. As if they were suggested equipment for the individual in question.
When he found the locker and suggestions for himself, he found that it was very straightforward. A plate carrier, extra armored bits attached to it, a holster for a pistol, and a pack. The weapons were all things he’d trained on an used before as far as he could tell.
Picking up a rifle that looked suspiciously like an M4 Felix flipped it over. He flicked the selector switch to burst fire, turned off the safety, then dropped the magazine.
Catching it with his free hand he peered into it. It was full of green tipped armor piercing rounds. They were most certainly the same type of ammo he used to use on his original world.
Oh?
That’s interesting.
Kinda spooky to be storing a weapon with a full magazine.
Is the rifle chambered? That’d just be stupid.
He pulled back on the charging handle and made sure the bolt locked to the rear. Peering into the chamber he was able to insure it was actually clear. It made him feel a bit better that it was empty.
Felix tapped the bolt release and watched it clack home and into position.
Nodding his head he sighed, then set about putting everything on.
I need to thank everyone for all the training. I’m no gun enthusiast but… it’s nice to know what the hell I’m doing.
He paused when he looked to the medical kit that was at the edge of his armory case. It didn’t have his name on it, but it looked to be clearly left out for him.
Frowning, Felix shrugged. He could carry it around just in case. It wouldn’t hurt anything.
He briefly considered spending points as had been suggested, but if he had that much, he wanted to save them till he needed them.
Spending them before necessary was a great way to screw up his future needs as he’d learned.
Comments
Null_is_Void
Happy tears Yay Andrea is back wooooooooo
Ryn
YAY!!!!11!1!!ONE!! No more dead Andrea!!! ::Ryn turns two keys simultaneously and hovers a finger over a big red button while giving WDA the stink eye:: NU! Bad Author! Joking aside, really I'm just glad she is back. SSOSH was my first book from You and it turned me onto all the others of the SovereignVerse. Andrea and her Others are my favorite characters in all the books. I literally screamed out "NOOOOOO!" when she DIED died. It broke my heart. If this is a spoiler you can delete the post or have me edit it. I can't access any advance comments so I figure it's safe here >.>
Brian
Do people use chambered as an adjective of the firearm itself? I am not a good source of weapon jargon (ask Crab?) but I've always used it as an adjective of the ammunition, e.g. Is a round chambered in the rifle?
William D. Arand
Amazingly insightful Alex.
Alex Lindsay
I think it’s possibly because Edmond signed a Legion contract with Felix such that Felix can affect him with Felix’s powers that require “ownership”. This is a likely reason that Felix can see the changes.
Alex Lindsay
Pancakes!
Stephen Chernishoff
That book plug hahaha, brilliant!!
Kori Prins
Or...did Felix maybe become kind of a walking computer virus? Or maybe this is him starting to "wake up"? I wonder when the last time he used the bathroom was...
KiwiHermit
Interesting. So Felix can see some of the world that was, prior to Edmund's efforts to "fix" it. I like how he has some similar issues like Edmund does when his memories are combined. Yikes if Felix is having mental breakdowns now Edmund must be internally a ranting lunatic with all the timelines he's been though.
