Be A Hero

Before anyone else could move or say a word several cop calls pulled up.

"Stay back-"

James went to yell but it was to late.

The suited man, who James called Jaded Blue, snapped his fingers as the men in trench coats pulled off their suits revealing slick black robots underneath. All the robots were in the shape of humans but lacked nose, eyes, ears, or anything really simply having a camera in their head and large red circles in their chests. They fired forward and began to rip through the cop cars in seconds killing all the police and making Shelly and James yell.

"No!" James yelled.

"Like them?" Jaded Blue asked cocking his head to the side. "Doctor Awesome built them. They're called the Bro-Bots."

"Seriously what is going on." Shelly sobbed.

James stood in front of her holding his hands up. "Oh?" Jaded asked cocking his head to the side. "Did you not know little girl? That old man isn't a random nobody. He's Mister-Magical. He used to be on a team called the Subs before they were all killed off save for him and that bitch of a Vampire. He's retired now. Started working in a simple store away from everyone all in a ploy to hide it... Now. Tell me. Where is the Ruby Ring."

Mister-Magical gritted his teeth before giving a smile. "Sorry. But I don't have it. The rune I put on my shop was destroyed when a bunch of dumbasses robbed it. Thats how you found me again right? Well sorry but those aforementioned dumbasses took the ring."

"Seriously." Jaded Blue snorted. "You can't actually be serious right? You hide away from the world with that item for nearly twenty years and boom... Random robber shows up and takes it? I haven't found something so funny since ten years ago when Little Red Wolf blew off the head of Blue Howler."

"Like it or not. That's the truth. Now go. Shelly has nothing to do with this."

"Oh." Jaded Blue held up his cane clicking a button causing it to open up a long barrel coming out. "I think we both know thats not happening-"

"Hey!"

Everyone suddenly stopped as Jack came running down the street. "Hey! I have something I want to return for cash! Do you guys have refunds!"

"That voice is..." Shelly began.

"Annoying." Jaded Blue grunted holding the cane out and clicking a button causing a beam of red energy to blast out and slam into Jack head on throwing Jack through a building and making Shelly and James scream out once more. "How about that? Latest gun made by Doctor Awesome. It fires out kinetic beams."

"Seriously! Who the hell is Doctor Awesome!" Shelly cried.

"That's enough." James shouted runes glowing from his shoulders down to his arms. "I will not stand for this!" He shouted slamming his hands together and firing out a wave of orange magic which took the form of many snakes and slammed into many of the robots. "I might be old but I used to be a hero! I spent years studying at a school of magic do not mock me!" He roared as he began to rip through the robots.

Jaded Blue smirked as he watched the battle with a grin. Mister-Magical, leapt forward throwing his hands out and tearing more of the beasts apart with ease as they all broke apart and shattered. The robots slashed out with bladed weapons all firing at the old man, who was actually fairly nimble dodging them with ease.

Until...

One of the robots jumped forward wrapping its arms around Mister-Magical as it began to glow. Jaded Blue gave a large nasty smile as he pressed a button and the robot straight up exploded into a hail of fire throwing Mister-Magical back. The old man rolled across the ground and crashed into his store spitting up blood as he grabbed at his side which was now punctured through with a large shard of metal blood spilling out as he groaned.

"Not as good as you used to be huh?" Jaded Blue yelled kicking out and smashing his foot into Mister-Magicals face. "Guess good old magic can't beat American tech can it!" Every word came with a kick to the face or side. He beat on the old man over and over.

"Leave him alone!"

Jaded Blue didn't have time to turn as Shelly jumped into him biting into his arm making him yell out in pain. He gritted his teeth and swung up slamming a fist into her face and smashing her into the ground. "You bit me?" He hissed kicking into her side. "What kind of person bites someone you b###h-"

"Hey."

Jaded Blue felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around his eyes going wide as Jack slammed his fist into the bastards face as hard as he could smashing Jades head into the stone floor. Jack stepped back reviling the hole that was in his shirt from where the beam had hit him and the bruised skin underneath.

Jaded Blue tried to sit up spitting up blood and teeth as he grabbed at his busted nose. "Y... You're alive? But a human would have exploded on impact from that force? What the hell are you-" Jack slammed his foot out smashing it into the bad guys stomach sending him rolling across the street as Shelly and Mister-Magical stared with wide eyes. "Gah!" Jaded Blue threw up blood as he tried to push himself up his eyes going wide with crazed rage. "Kill him!" He screamed. "Rip the flesh off of him and turn him into my new rug!"

That caused the Bro-Bots to act as they slammed a fist out but Jack gritted his teeth and slammed his head forward head butting the fist of the Bro-Bot and shattering it causing the robot to step back and look down at its fist almost as if the robot with shocked. Jack gave a smirk as he threw out a punch slamming his fist into the robots head and snapping it off.

"What the hell? Is he a Super?" Mister-Magical groaned sitting up.

"James..." Shelly ran to him trying to help him up but he shook his head.

"You need to get out of here." He hissed.

"I'm not leaving you idiot." Shelly said shaking her head.

Over with Jack he began to fight through the robots but wasn't doing as well as Mister-Magical. He seemed to be able to take hits and throw a punch but there were just so many that they all swarmed him and began to beat on him throwing out punches and kicks bruising his skin and busting his lip as he stumbled back one of the robots grabbing onto him holding him down while the rest began to punch and kick him.

Jack was smashed into the ground beaten down over and over again as he tried to block or defend himself. He hissed in pain wincing as he began to reach into his pocket and wrapped his fingers around a small ruby red ring slipping it on. "Get the hell off of me!" Jack screamed a surge of heat and power coursing through him as he forced himself to sit up throwing the robots off of him as fire exploded out of his arms melting most of the robots down to ash and leaving only three left.

"What?" Jaded Blue yelled with wide eyes. "He shouldn't be able to use the rings power? Hell a normal human can't even touch the ring."

"Oh..." Mister-Magical said giving a half smirk. "Now I get it."

"G... Get what?" Shelly asked.

"That ring he's wearing... It's a piece of powerful magical tech forged from an Alien race."

"Yeah okay." She said nodding as if it made sense.

"Normal people burn to ash when they try to use them. Not even I can wear it. But that man is."

"How?"

"The same way he was breaking those robots with his hands, and survived getting shot by a laser and escaped Vampirica... That man isn't a normal human."

Jack gave a small smirk balling his hand into a fist as he threw out a powerful right hook fire exploding out of the ring and covering the fist as he slammed his hand through a robot. He held his palm out unleashing a fire ball next which washed over the second robot melting it down to ash. The third one swung smacking him across the face and making him stumble back but as he did he pointed his hand away from him blasting out a hail of fire and sending himself flying at the robot so fast his kick slammed through the metal as he ripped it in half crashing out on the other side of it breathing heavily.

He stared down at the ring as small sparks of flames seeped out. "I like this."

"No!" Jaded Blue screamed in rage getting back to his feet. "I refuse to accept that some street bastard could use the ring when someone like me can't even touch it! It's not fair! Who the hell are you! You can't be human!"

"Never said I was." Jack announced slashing his hand out. Flames exploded out of his palm sending his hand right into his face as he punched himself and fell back. Everyone silently stared. "Whoops... That was meant to look cool."

Jaded Blue gritted his teeth. "This... This is the kind of person Homeless King wanted as his rival?"

"Jealous?" Jack asked smiling as he stood back up.

"A little." Jaded Blue admitted dropping his cane and coat. "I myself have no powers." He said reaching into his pocket and pulling out a syringe of black liquid. "I'm a good old American boy living in a world with you freaks. But I'll make up for it with Doctor Awesome's super serum!"

"That doesn't look very-"

Jaded Blue jammed it into his neck pressing down on it as his eyes went wide and he dropped to his knees. His hand made a grab at his throat as he began to twitch and fell back his eyes rolling to the back of his head.

"What the f##k did he just kill himself?" Jack stared with wide eyes at the body. "I am not going back to prison for something I didn't do!" Jaded Blue's corpse began to twitch before his hand suddenly slapped down at the ground. "Oh good he's still alive. Oh s##t he's still alive!"

Jaded Blue's flesh began to pull apart as many black tendrils began to seep out covering his arms and legs and wrapping around his body as he got bigger and bigger spikes jamming out of him.

Jack jumped back just in time as the ground he had been standing on was shattered apart. "Oh come on!" Jack yelled when he saw the monsterous form of Jaded Blue. "That feels a little unfair dude!" He cried out. He held his hand out as more fire blasted out of the ring slamming into Jaded Blue and not really causing the beast any harm as it gave a large and twisted smile stepping forward. "Uh oh-"

The beast slammed its hand forward grabbing Jack by the head and raising him up as it glared at him. It began to squeeze down on his throat making Jack cry out in pain as his rib cage began to be crushed blood gushing down his cheek as his eyes went wide. Before it fully crushed him the beast raised its arm up and smashed Jack down into the ground as hard as it could blowing the stone ground apart. Jack threw out a flaming punch but the beast caught his fist and black tendrils seeped out wrapping around the ring and pulling it off of Jack's finger as it kicked out sending Jack across the stone floor.

Jaded Blue held the ring up as his tendril began to slip it on and fire began to pour out making the monster smirk.

Like Jack, it was now strong enough to wear the ring, and things were looking bleak.

"Thats not good..." Mister-Magical hissed out.

Jaded Blue turned away from the downed man and instead turned his attention to the retired superhero and Shelly. "Like my new form?" The Monster asked cocking his head and speaking in a louder distorted voice shocking everyone.

"You can speak!"

"The drugs called Void. Doctor Awesome made it-"

"Seriously who is this man-"

"-it can turn someone like me into a powerful super solider able to bring even people like you down! My power has been augmented by a hundred times!" He smirked walking towards the two. He reached out but stopped when a rock smashed into his head making him turn to see Jack!

Jack stood back up wobbling and held his fists up. "Okay? So... You took my badass fire ring. Well guess what ass hole." Jack slammed his fist down and raised up a manhole cover and held it up. "I can still fight." He yelled running forward and holding the cover up as fire blasted out of Jaded Blue's stolen ring sending the fire towards Jack who blocked it with the cover. Jack jumped into the air using it to shield himself and twisted his body throwing it out like a spinning disk causing it to slam into the head of the beast as it stumbled back.

Jaded Blue growled throwing out a powerful punch which Jack narrowly dodged ducking under the strike more flames blasting out in all directions. Jack pulled his right arm back and he threw out a powerful punch right into Jaded Blue's stomach punching a hole through the monster and making it gasp out. Jaded Blue gritted his teeth and raised his arms up clasping them together fire covering the two limbs as he slammed them down and smashed them right into Jack's head slamming Jack into the stone floor.

Jack laid there unmoving as he gasped out spitting up blood as his vison became blurry.

"Die!" Jaded Blue formed a bladed whip and stabbed it out towards Jack.

Blood flowed out hitting the stone floor as Mister-Magical, Aka James, threw himself in front of Jack getting run through. He spat up a large glob of blood and used his feet to stop himself from being pushed back any further as Shelly cried out.

"James!"

Mister-Magical held two fingers out and sliced up severing Jaded Blue's tendril that had the ring. The ring flew high into the air as he looked back at Jack. "End it!"

Jack jumped up grabbing it and rolling over Mister-Magical as he slipped the ring on and punched out smashing his fist into Jaded Blue's stomach hole as he unleashed a hail of fire and blasted a hole right through Jaded Blue!

The Villains eyes went wide as he grabbed at his stomach before slowly they rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed onto the ground no longer conscious.

"James!" Shelly cried out running over to the downed man.

Jack turned around and crouched down next to the retired hero as well grabbing the mans hand. "W... Why did you save me?"

"H... Haha..." The hero groaned as he rubbed the top of Jack's head. "Gotta... Keep you youngsters alive... Next generation... After all."

"D... Did you know?" Jack asked.

"W... What?"

"Do you know who I really am... We've.... You're Mister-Magical right... A Superhero who used to lead the Subs... If thats the case then when you saw me... Did you know who I was?"

"I do..."

"And you still..." Jack asked his face paling. "You still got in front of me?"

"I guess I did..."

"James?" Shelly asked crying softly as she gripped the old mans hands. In the distance sirens could be heard.

"That ring..." James said eyeing it on Jack's hand. "It... Was meant for a hero..."

"Yeah..." Jack said standing up and slowly taking it off. He heard the sirens approach as he turned about to leave.

"Where are you going?" Shelly yelled out in anger when she saw him leaving. "Were you the man who robbed the store earlier? Is this all your fault?"

"I uh?"

"James is dying all because of you! He wasted his good life for yours and you're just leaving."

Jack stopped letting out a sigh as he crouched back down next to James. "This is gonna hurt old man."

"What-"

James was unable to finish as he yelled in pain as Jack placed the ring back on and used it to force James's wound close making him howl in pain.

"Told you." Jack snorted. "There. The cops are coming right... I did my job. He'll die slower now. If the cops do their job then he'll be alright." Jack said turning away.

"Y... You..." Shelly frowned as she watched him begin to run off.

Jack ducked down an alleyway and turned to corner-

"So."

He jumped when he heard the voice making him turn. Sitting on the roof of a building was a young woman who stared down at him. She had flaming orange hair in a pony tail and she wore a dress made out of pure flames around her body. In her hand she held a large fiery lantern. Flame Empress, number eight hero and a member of the Enforcers.

"Uh oh..." Jack sighed when he saw her.

"Whats with that! I came to say congratulations."

"Huh?" Jack asked as the woman stepped off of the building landing down next to him.

"For stopping that villain and saving that old man. I showed up right as you were trying to close that old guys wounds and then watched you leave. You must have been in a hurry since you weren't in costume right? Oh I'm Flame Empress by the way." She said holding her hand out. "Nice to see another fire based hero."

"Uh... Jack Bravo." He said gripping her hand. 'She thinks I'm a superhero?' He thought to himself shaking his head.

"Ha. I mean I like the name but I meant our made up ones?"

"Oh that?" He sheepishly ran his hand through his brown reddish messy hair. "I kind of don't have one."

"So you're not a hero? Just a person with powers huh?" She frowned.

"Yeah! I'm just your average worker low on income!"

"I don't know if that's something to brag about but still." She snorted as she began to float off the ground. "I'm gonna go take that Jaded Blue guy to Nightshade, and also get that old guy to a hospital. But you know... If you're ever in need of a job... Being a hero pays pretty well."

"Really? How much?"

"500k a year."

"Holy f##k!"

The woman let out a small giggle. "Well Jack. I look forward to meeting you again. Something tells me I will..."