Chapter 3: Chapter 2: Copycat Crime, Part 1
Chapter Text
CHAPTER 2: COPYCAT CRIME, PART 1
If a trend is successful, the most logical move is to repeat it.
Suffering the loss of his daughter at the hands of the maniac known as the Freak, the millionaire named Buckley Lloyd decided to devote his life to costumed crimefighting, inspired by the Green Eye's own crusade for justice. A living example of taking a stake in a trend started by another, he is no exception to that rule.
He is, however, therichestman to make his mark in it, and his wealth helps him quite nicely.
Taking note of many films and comic books that showcase superheroes with secret hideouts, as well as doing the appropriate research behind how such concepts could be executed in reality, the millionaire has taken to having the entire underground of his manor dug out and built into a base for keeping track on all crime in Hillwood, allowing his mission to be carried out nicely enough.
While his mission was made to be a one-man crusade against all crime in Hillwood, his solitude did not last long into his new lifestyle. Not only had he teamed up with the Green Eye, but also found several new faces working under the two, becoming a team that called itself 'The Hillwood Heroes'.
At the moment, the other members of the Hillwood Heroes sit around in anticipation, waiting for the planned meeting to begin any moment now. With the Green Eye returning on foot, there was a long period of waiting in store for the heroes, leaving much time to be filled before his arrival.
In one corner, 3 longtime friends and tight members of the team sit in a circle, discussing the first things that came to their mind. These 3 are the young men known as Harold Berman, Stinky Peterson, and Sid, the latter having an unknown last name. In their costumes, they are known as the Star of David, Dirt Man, and Bad Boy, respectively.
Not having anything engaging to do at this moment in time, the 3 simply pass the time by sharing some friendly conversation. Like many young men not yet reaching their 20s, their thoughts and conversations pertain to minor things; topics of conversation not particularly mentally engaging.
"So, did you guys check out some of those newAce Savvyissues? You know, the ones based on the new kid superhero?" Bad Boy asked.
"Oh, yeah, what was his name? Lincoln Cloud?" Dirt Man asked.
"No, it was LincolnLoud. They announced his name when he fought that hitman who ate pubic hair." The Star of David said.
"Oh, that's right. Pretty weird, though, if you see some of the guys he fought off. I mean, disgruntled pro shop workers, naked gunmen, and sh*t monsters? How do you go fromthatto beating guys like Silver Sentinel, let alone finding out he was a bad guy?" Bad Boy asked.
"Beats me. Still pretty crazy that we're not the only ones going out and doing this kinda stuff. I mean, me especially; I was almost forced to go back to working for Big Gino again, if it wasn't for Arnold."
"Big Gino... Sheesh, part a' me's glad he's gone, the other's pretty bummed out about how he got killed by Curly." Dirt Man said.
"Yeah. I mean, I'm not at all surprised that Curly went crazy like that, but it doesn't make any of the stuff he did easier to deal with." Bad Boy said.
"I know. Hey, this crap's starting to bum me out. How about we get back to talking about comic books again?" The Star of David asked.
"Right. So, did you guys read these new issues? They're actually really creative. It has a real 'golden-age' feel to it, which was probably what they were throwing back to."
"That stuff ain't too bad, but I prefer thoseDanny Phantomcomics. Seeing that guy fighting ghosts with those cool laser blasts, I just can't get enough."
"I still like some o' themVampire Cannibalscomics, they give ya a real scare. Hey, Sid, you remember that time when ya thoughtIwas a vampire when we were kids?" Dirt Man asked.
"Ugh, youhadto bring that up." Bad Boy said.
"I can't help it, that's gotta be one o' the funniest things you ever did do. You actually were gonna try to stake me. You really were paranoid back then, ya know?"
"Well, I got scared easy back then. Besides, you ran the joke further yourself, wearing those fake vampire teeth that night. I swear, if it wasn't for weed, I'd probably have died of a heart attack years ago. That reminds me, you guys try those new rolling papers that Otto Rocket came out with? They're supposedly made with coconut leaves."
"I don't smoke, man." The Star of David said.
"Oh, right, the whole religious thing you got."
"Y'know, whydidyou get more religious, Harold? I remember you didn't think too much on yer whole beliefs 'n all before." Dirt Man said.
"Well, I guess the whole thing with Arnold and Big Gino sort of got me thinking about things more. I wanted to try to be a better person, and I went the only place I knew where for that. It really did give me a lot more peace, so, it works great for me."
"Hey, man. You got theTorah, I got the herb. We all got our vices." Bad Boy said.
-
In another corner of the room, 3 more timid members of the Hillwood Heroes make their own conversation; these 3 being Eugene, Sheena, and Nadine, known as the Mauve Avenger, Flower Child, and Insect Girl, respectively. The concept of one man being between two women in conversation might make for some awkward moments, but, in the case of Eugene, his sexual orientation makes this not the case.
"This might come off as kind of a weird question, but how do you feel being the first gay superhero? I mean, people dressing up in costumes like us is strange enough a concept to digest, but... Well, you know. No offense." Insect Girl asked.
"Oh, none taken. We're all friends here. But, it feels pretty good, actually. Being in the closet for a lot of years, it feels even better to be out with a lot of people looking up to me. I wasn't sure that you guys would accept who I was for the longest time; that's why I was in the closet for a lot of years." Mauve Avenger said.
"Uh, no offense, but we all pretty much knew you were gay from the start."
"Really? What gave it away?"
"You were literally the only boy in school actually interested in musicals, and you always dressed in those expensive polos. No straight boy I've ever met acts like that."
"Huh. I guess you're right. Still, being a gay Jew, I could've had it much worse in school."
"Well,wedon't care who you are, Eugene, you're our friend." Flower Child said.
"Thanks, good to be the designated gay friend. Just don't ask me for blowj*b tips, though; the last guy I was with, I had a seizure and bit down really hard."
The promise of having a sensitive part of one's anatomy is never an easy concept to process, not even when those listening along do not have the same organ in question. As such, Flower Child and Insect Girl both cringe at the image placed in their heads, instinctively covering their crotches and closing their legs.
"Ouch. He didn't lose it, did he?" Insect Girl asked.
"Fortunately, no. He survived with all his bits intact. He was lucky I bit near the base, though. Any lower, I wouldn't have been the only gay Jew in Hillwood. Then again, my parents chose aBrit shalominstead; they didn't want any knives around me." Mauve Avenger said.
"Oh, so they don't cut boys anymore?" Flower Child asked.
"Well, not my parents, they were more secular. I love it, though; can't imagine it the other way around. Makes me wish we'd just stop doing that to baby boys altogether."
"Speaking of Jews and penises, that reminds me of a story I heard about Harold. It was this funny story when he was up on the ferris wheel with Rh-" Insect Girl began to say.
Immediately biting her tongue at the unspeakable name, Insect Girl stopped herself from finishing her sentence, gaining looks from her colleagues as they knew the name before it could be said. Not wanting to bring up the name of the dead young woman near the open ears of the man who first brought her to the world, she instantly dropped the conversation topic before it could continue.
"Oh, uh, right. Sorry. It's just... I really miss her, you know? She was my best friend." Insect Girl said.
"We all loved Rhonda, Nadine. Don't be too hard on yourself." Flower Girl said.
"You guys all hated her. You said she was snobby and mean."
"Well... We love people in spite of their defects. Just remember that we're here for you." Mauve Avenger said.
Accepting the support of her friends, Insect Girl gave out a small but clear nod, letting the others know that their help was welcomed and accepted. Following the brief moment of support, there followed a silence of grief, where all members of this group shared some fond memories of Rhonda Lloyd before her death.
However, Insect Girl still found a way to lighten the mood.
"But, according to the story, she said it was the smallest she had ever seen." Insect Girl said.
After Insect Girl shared her comments on Harold's deficiency in the reproductive growth department, the 3 all shared a snickering laugh together. Where there once was a silence of grief and discomfort, the mood had found some levity with a crude and humiliating, but undeniably funny, joke.
-
In another corner of the base, there remains 2 last members of the Hillwood Heroes wasting away time as they sit around in wait for the Green Eye to arrive. All those waiting might be friends with the awaited guest both as Arnold and as the Green Eye, but none are closer to him than these two: Gerald and Phoebe, known here and now as G-Funk and Lady Tetsu.
They might be the closest to the Green Eye in terms of friendship, but they are much tighter towards each other in something stronger than mere friendship. The Green Eye might have had his relationship for a few years, accounting in the pause of his absence, but these two have been together since longer than anyone can remember.
"So, Chez Pierre tonight for dinner?" G-Funk asked.
"That depends. Youdomean ChezPierre, not ChezParis, correct?" Lady Tetsu said.
"Yeah, yeah, I remembered the right names this time. Not like we got a coupon to worry about this time."
"No, just to make sure you got our table reserved at the right restaurant."
The two shared a light chuckle, Lady Tetsu always enjoying her partner's sense of humor.
"So, you think we should invite Arnold and Helga along? Make it a double-date like usual?" G-Funk asked.
"Actually, this time, I was thinking that we could just go by ourselves this time around. It's been a while since we just had a date to, you know, ourselves." Lady Tetsu said.
"What's the matter? Startin' to get tired of hangin' round our friends?"
"No, not at all, I just wanted to spend some time with you, and only you. You know, where there's nobody to bother us."
"'Bother us'? So, is that how you really feel about Arnold and Helga?"
"No! Gerald, I- ...Look, I love Arnold and Helga; they're our best friends. But you and I are something more than friends. As people more than friends, we should spend time together on our own sometimes. It lets me know we're still a couple, you know?"
"C'mon, Pheebs, you know I wouldn't ever leave you for any other girl. You'remygirl, and I don't need any other. Of course, that won't stop me from eyeballin' a nice booty now and then, but-"
Lady Tetsu threw a light hit to G-Funk's stomach, drawing from him a gasp of breath and leading him to cough out to take air back in again.
"Hey, Pheebs, I was just playin'. You know me, I always like to mess around and make you laugh." G-Funk said.
"I don't find it funny when you joke about our relationship like that, Gerald." Lady Tetsu said.
"C'mon, what's the problem? You always get a laugh out of my jokes."
"It's not that. I want our relationship to be taken seriously, okay?"
"I am, Pheebs. Geez, what'd I do?"
"I... I just..."
"Just what?"
"Forget it."
Uncomfortable with continuing her conversation any further, Lady Tetsu ended it abruptly, despite every part of her being telling her to continue and drive her point. With the conversation ending as quickly as it began, G-Funk, not having been relayed the point of the discussion, was left to sit in confusion as his partner turned away in frustration.
There is an awkward silence left between the two lovers, but its duration is even shorter than the incomplete discussion they shared before. Witnessing the arrival of the Green Eye to the base, all conversations and other focuses came to an end; all members of the Hillwood Heroes coming to greet their leader in cheer.
"Hey Arnold!" The collective shouted.
Returning their greetings with a simple wave, the Green Eye conjoined the friendly gesture with a smile, taking off his mask to greet his comrades face-to-face. Many of his greeting teammates handed out various high-fives and handshakes, staying casual as all were friends, but there was always a reserved moment for the Green Eye and G-Funk to share their special handshake.
"Hey Arnold, almost thought you weren't gonna show up. Gonna leave us all to do your Lone Ranger thing?" G-Funk asked.
"Sorry, Gerald. I guess I just needed some time on my own for a little while. At least I did some good before you called; bought a kid some ice cream, helped some nervous guy ask out a girl, and got two brothers to catch up to their family reunion, and that was all before I got suited up." The Green Eye said.
"Mmm-mmm-mmm! You tryin' to make us all look bad, here?"
"Just doing my best. That's all we can really do."
"Well,ourbest is likeyourworst. Save some heads to crack for the rest of us, will ya?"
"It's not about fighting, Gerald, remember that. Our job is to help people, no matter the cost. Violence is our last resort only."
"I know, man, just messin' around, you know me."
"Ahem." A voice said.
The cordial conversation between longtime friends comes to a quick end at the sound of the voice, along with whatever other light conversation shared between the others and any extraneous thought in their heads. With the arrival of the Green Eye, there was still one more member of the team to make his presence, and the most important one short of the Green Eye himself.
This member was, of course, Buckley Lloyd, known to the others as Valiance. Attired in a robotically enhanced suit of armor once belonging to Sir Wellington Lloyd, a Welsh knight of the dark ages and his ancestor, the millionaire superhero stood tall and mighty when entering.
For a year now, they have seen him in his suit constantly, but, seeing the armor of a knight looking back at them like a man possessed, it is never an easy sight to get over.
"Hope you remembered that this was a team meeting without needing to be reminded. On top of taking your sweet time getting here, you sure seem to enjoy wasting time with pointless conversation." Valiance said.
"Hey, King Arthur, the man just got here a few seconds ago. He was just sayin' hi. Cool it." G-Funk said.
"I know when he showed up. I'm the man who designed this base."
"By 'designed', you mean 'paid someone to design it for you'."
"Same thing. Now shut up and gather at the computer."
Gathering his teammates to the mid-center of the base, Valiance led the group to the base's supercomputer; a database and processing center specifically designed to keep an eye on everything unfolding in Hillwood. It has served the team well through many turmoils and capers, but it now serves for the simple use of being a web browser, utilized for a presentation to the team.
Opening up the pre-selected tabs of various shady and dark websites as well as some well-known social media platforms, Valiance brought up posts made by anonymous web users, though the word 'anonymous' could hardly still apply to these people after the computer had done its work; displaying their full names, addresses, and other private information displayed for their uses.
Many of these posts included newspaper clippings of the exploits of the Freak, detailing his rape of Rhonda Lloyd, his killing of Big Gino and taking control of his criminal empire, and, of course, his infamous takeover of P.S. 118 and murder of the 9-year old Nancy Moore. Rather than condemn or call out these atrocities, these posts seemed to glorify the violence and mayhem, with many sharing some poetic or romantic words regarding the Freak himself.
"As some of you might know, tonight is the 1-year anniversary since Thaddeus Gammelthorpe, known better to us as 'The Freak', overtook P.S. 118 and we took it back... following... Nancy Moore's death, and... the death- the death of..." Valiance stammered.
Unable to finish his sentence without having his voice crack and tears begin to form, Valiance held back his sways of emotion and bit his tongue, not allowing himself to cry over the death of his daughter or the innocent schoolgirl victim. A tear or two made their way out from his eyes, but his mask served well enough to conceal them.
The Green Eye, however, knows what troubles the armored knight, and made an approach for help. Not wishing to accept any help, Valiance waved his hand in decline, falsely reassuring his stability. The strength he claims is but a lie, but he pushes himself on to make it not so, letting out a cough to clear his throat.
"Anyways, since then, a following of dedicated fans of the Freak have been surfacing all over the internet; the group calling themselves 'The Freakshow'. Many of these... 'people' spend their time talking about his crimes and creating works like literature or fan art of him, as shown by some of these posts." Valiance continued.
Valiance progressed the screen to show some of the aforementioned artwork, many displaying the Freak appearing more innocent-looking, some with the artists drawing themselves romantically or sexually involved with him, and various literary works ranging from poems to love letters to fan fiction depicting several murders and other crimes.
The display of the atrocious artwork is not any easier for Valiance to look at, let alone show it to others; his own losses from the Freak having left him barely able to stomach the concept. Likewise, those viewing are no more comfortable than Valiance, equally as disgusted by the artwork being displayed. Many stomachs heave at the concept itself, while others can bear it enough to look on in anger.
"Some, however, take their dedication much further than that. Across the country, there have been an upsurge in Freak copycats, all committing crimes in his name. Their crimes range from arson and robbery to rape and murder, just to name the ones that actuallyhavenames. In the anniversary of the attack on P.S. 118, we've managed to track down a group planning an arson attack on the school, looking to burn it down." Valiance said.
"Not thatI'mcomplaining, but, at night, when there's no kids? Do these guys not want to kill people or something?" The Star of David asked.
"There wasn't any definite answer on that front. With a crowd like this, we have to assume they have some plans to make a few kills, which we obviously can't allow. The meet-up address I've already managed to track down to an abandoned apartment complex, and the meeting itself starts in about 45 minutes. For this mission, I want full riot gear and preparedness; I wantnoneof those animals leaving that building. Do whatever you have to do to apprehend them."
Not agreeing with Valiance's hardline approach to the threat, the Green Eye voiced up his dissent. Never wanting to escalate in any way, he sought to seek a more level-headed approach to the problem.
"Are you sure these people have no plans to kill? That their only goal is arson?" The Green Eye asked.
"I don't know. Most of these Freak copycats are killers, so we have to assume that there must be some killer intent." Valiance said.
"Well, hold on a second. I don't like seeing those gross artworks anymore than you do, but these people aren't born killers or born evil. This is a personality cult we're dealing with; the people who look towards him are disenfranchised or must have some kind of hardship to turn to someone like that."
"So, you're justifying these people now?"
"No. We need to understand why these people are doing what they're doing, but punishment is not the answer. If anything, this could exacerbate the problem and we could end up with having to fight these people over and over again. These are people looking to fill some kind of hole in their lives, and they turned to this to fill that hole."
"Arnold, need I remind you that these people are worshiping and following the same person that killed my daughter?"
"Then let's give them something else to follow. I know what the Freak did, Buckley, but that doesn't give any of us the right to attack anyone who makes a mistake. We don't have to make everyone an enemy, Buckley. If there's someone in need, we don't punish them, we help them."
Where the heroes were once in favor of corporal punishment of the followers of the Freak, the group began to lean in favor of the Green Eye's suggestion; wishing to follow his plan rather than Valiance's.
"You're not seriously agreeing with him, are you?" Valiance asked.
"Hey, dude, he's the leader for the reason." Bad Boy said.
"Yeah. Not everythin' can be fixed by tryin' ta beat 'em into a pulp, y'know." Dirt Man said.
"Arnold's right. Our job's to help the people of Hillwood, not attack them." Insect Girl said.
"Fine, then. Enlighten me, Arnold. How would you deal with these killer-worshiping heroes? Most of these people are probably armed with guns, and have explosives and flammable substances. Are you planning to talk your way out of that?" Valiance asked.
"Talk my way out of it? No, Buckley. Actions speak louder than words." The Green Eye said.
-
In another part of town, there lies a meeting of the aforementioned imitators of the Freak, all huddled up in an abandoned apartment complex, just as Valiance explained. Each an every member of this meeting is dressed just like the Freak; sporting messy black hair, temporarily dyed black for most, and wearing long trench coats.
None were strong enough to go so far as to marking their bodies by carving 'NO TEARS' onto their chests, but a few found compromise by writing it on their chests with red body paint. Two such members of the meeting take notice of each others' work, and praise their ingenuity.
"Oh, hey, you used body paint for the scar?" One Freak imitator asked.
"Yeah, I had some leftover red Halloween paint and reused that. Same with you?" The other Freak imitator asked.
"No, I used some of my mom's lipstick. Just hope she doesn't find out what I did; she'll kill me."
"I feel you, but I think guys like us at a place like this would have that on the least of their concerns."
"Good point."
"Shh! You guys, it's starting." A different Freak imitator said.
Immediately falling silent under this news, the two conversing Freak imitators joined the crowd of others; all joined in the foyer where the assembler of the group began making his announcements. Stepping atop a compromised stage made of a wooden crate, the leader of the Freak imitators began his speech for the gathered followers of the infamous supervillain.
"Greetings, my brothers! Tonight surely is a good night, for tonight is the night we pay our tribute to the great man known as the Freak, by which we finish the job he started a year ago. The Freak was the first man to step up against society and its shortcomings; to make a stand for the working-class people like us. Now, this is the night we fulfill his dream!" The lead Freak imitator said.
Rallied on by his speech, the rest of the Freak imitators gave out excited cheers, soon quieting down to hear more.
"We've all been to P.S. 118. We all remember the years we've had to suffer all the bullying by people like that asshole with the G.I. Joe shirt Wolfgang and the juvie kid Ludwig, while Principal Wartz did nothing to stop it. Well, now, that old fart is long dead and gone, but that hellhole still stands. Now, we're gonna burn that place to the ground and begin our first changes for Hillwood! Now, grab your shoe polish, it's time to wear the face of our great leader!" The lead Freak imitator said.
Taking his orders, the Freak imitators each grabbed a container of shoe polish from a small table, beginning to apply it to their faces to complete their copied looks of the Freak. As the shoe polish had settled in, however, a strong burning sensation began to come to their skin; burning just slowly enough to be noticed, but growing by the second.
The leader was not immune to this burning sensation, as he was beginning to stave off the burning as well. Regardless, he still tried to push himself on his speech, hoping that the burning would pass. His attempts to show strength were admirable, but the various pauses and losses of concentration he gave showed that it had its limits.
"Okay, now... we have to... gather up our flammables and... and... Molotov co*cktails... spread some gas in the school... and, then, we throw a Molotov inside to-" The leader stammered.
Unable to stand the burning any longer, the leader cut himself short in his own speech, wiping the shoe polish from his eyes and face to try to stop and relieve the burning. Had he acted sooner, this solution might have fared better, but, for now, he has only spared himself any further burning.
"Goddammit, this sh*t's burning my face!" The leader said.
"Uh... Are we ready to go or what?" One imitator asked.
"Hold on a sec, I put too much on, I'm trying to get some of this off."
As the leader began trying to wipe away some of the shoe polish, the other imitators began following suit as well, trying to remove some of the polish to relieve the burning sensation. Some manage to remove just enough to alleviate the burning, but others are not as bright towards completing that task.
"Ugh, this stuff smells awful. It's like I'm sniffing a roadkill armadillo's last fart." One imitator said.
"Oh, god, oh, god, it just got in my eye. That really burns, goddammit! Anybody got any eye drops?" Another imitator said.
"Plech, ugh. I just got some in my mouth." A different imitator said.
"Hey, whose idea was it to use shoe polish, anyway?" A fourth imitator asked.
"That'd be me. What, you don't appreciate the fact that I got all you guys something for wear to get his face right?" A fifth imitator asked.
"Hey, look, man. Nobody's saying we don't appreciate what you did. All we're saying is that maybe it wasn't the best idea to use shoe polish." The leader said.
"Well,Icould think of at least 3 different ideas better than some goddamn shoe polish!" A sixth imitator said.
"Yeah, this isn't gonna work. I can't see too well without blinking a lot or having it hurt. I feel like we could trip over something when we can't see like this." The second imitator said.
"Well, okay, did anybody bring any mascara or face paint?" A seventh imitator asked.
"No, asshole! Nobody brought any mascara or face paint! The whole point was to have one guy handle that part!" The sixth imitator said.
"Hey, cool it, I'm just asking."
"Well, do we have to wear it when we burn down the school?" The third imitator asked.
"No sh*t, we do! What's the point if we're not dressed as the Freak to pay him tribute?" The leader asked.
"But I can't see with this sh*t burning my eyes! My face feels like it's on fire and the polish smells like sweaty asscrack!"
"Well, screw you guys! I skipped out on buying a DVD box set of the entireAce Savvyanimated series so I could afford enough shoe polish for all you guys! It was on sale for half off for one day only! And what do I get in return? All ofyoubitching about how it burns!" The fifth imitator said.
"It's not burning you?" The second imitator said.
"Oh, it's burning like hell, but you don't hear me whining about it all night, do you?!"
"Alright, alright, everybody settle down. Let's not forget why we're all gathered here tonight. Our purpose is to burn down P.S. 118 and pay our honor to the Freak. Let's all just focus on the task at hand." The leader said.
"But the damn shoe polish is burning our faces!" The sixth imitator said.
"Okay, guys, look. I think that we all agree that shoe polish was a good idea on paper, and it was nice that we had someone to buy enough for all of us, right?" The seventh imitator asked.
While no one truly liked the burning sensation of the shoe polish on their faces, the collective all let out a wave of agreeing nods and low 'yeah's, all in agreement with the seventh imitator's point.
"Right. Now, this is nobody's fault at all, but the shoe polish seemed like a good idea at first, but it just isn't going to work. So, how about this: No face paint this one time, but, next time, we head down to a beauty store, get somebody's professional opinion, and we get therightstuff to use and we go all-out with the paint. You with me?" The seventh imitator asked.
With the vote of democracy falling in favor of the seventh imitator's suggestion, the Freak imitators all began wiping the entirety of the shoe polish from their faces, aborting the idea of sporting the face paint of the Freak in their upcoming arson act. The leader of the imitators, having planned all this very carefully, did not take kindly to the suggestion voted through.
"Hey, hey, hey! I didn't say we could wipe off the shoe polish!" The leader said.
"But it's burning our faces." The seventh imitator said.
"So what?"
"So it'd be nice if itwasn'tburning our faces."
"Goddammit! What is with you people?! Your faces might be burning, but so is mine! So what?! What matters is that we burn the damn school down! That's the goal tonight! Do you or do younotwant to burn down the school?!"
Before the leader's question could be answered, the meeting had found a sudden interruption by way of having the front sliding metal door lifted up and retract, showing the group of individuals entering the building now to stop the arson act before it could happen. Standing at the entranceway of the abandoned apartment building was the Green Eye, accompanied by his several teammates standing behind him.
"I'm no landlord, but, I'm pretty sure you're not renters here." The Green Eye joked.
Startled by the sudden appearance of the Green Eye, the Freak imitators all stepped back, cowering behind their leader for guidance. The leading Freak imitator, where once proud and exalted to have the privilege of leading the group, began to regret his decision to appoint himself after coming face-to-face with the Green Eye.
Not sure of how to actually handle a situation involving any superheroes, the lead imitator bit his lip in nervousness, darting his eyes across the room to get some sort of feel for his surroundings. Being surrounded by superheroes on one end, all of which were staring him down rather unhappily from his choice of attire, and being looked on with weak-minded hope by the other imitators, the leader found himself having absolutely no idea what to do.
As such, he can do nothing but say the first thing that comes to his mind.
"Uh... Want some shoe polish?" The leader asked.
"The man you are all dressed as is a maniac and a killer. Why do you dress as him and plan to honor him by burning down a school?" The Green Eye asked.
"Because... Because we want to do what he did and make a stand against society! We were all wronged during our days there, and we want to get our revenge!"
Finding more confidence in words, the leader managed to get some support from his group, gaining some cheering 'yeah's in support of his statement. The Green Eye, however, was not as moved by his sentiments, continuing on his inquiries.
"I've fought the Freak, and I knew him personally before I was the Green Eye or he was the Freak. He's nothing like what you think he is. His only concerns are chaos and mayhem, and he wants to hurt as many people as possible. He would kill all ofyouif he had the chance." The Green Eye said.
"So what if he only wants to hurt people? People hurt us, so it's only our place to hurt them back!" The leader said.
"And what about people like the family of Nancy Moore? Aretheypeople who deserve to be hurt becauseyouwere hurt?"
Unable to retort against the Green Eye's point, the leader remained quiet, with his followers also growing silent.
"Think about people like her. Her family must feel awful, having lost their daughter when she was 9 years old, before she could get any sort of start in life. You think you were hurt by some bully in school? Does that give you the justification to cause harm likethatto people? Do other people deserve to have their families torn apart and their loved ones taken away because you were hurt? If you're wearing the outfit of that man, then you're saying that's what you believe in." The Green Eye concluded.
As the Green Eye concluded his speech, the imitators began to feel a cloud of shame over them, feeling embarrassed and disgusted at their decisions to honor someone as despicable as the Freak. Unable to bear the shame for much longer, the collective of young men threw their trench coats to the ground, but not before wiping away the last of the shoe polish with it.
Their heads subsequently faced the floor, none able to face one another or the heroes regarding their shameful activity and the atrocity they would have committed. They did their best to hold back their tears and show no signs of weakness, but their ashamed hearts were not hidden from the Green Eye.
"I'm... I'm sorry. I just... I wanted something to believe in. I never thought about it that much." The leader said.
"Me, either. I've got a little sister, man. I can't imagine her killed by some psycho." An imitator said.
"I live with my aunt and uncle and cousins. They took me in when my parents started doing heroin." Another imitator said.
"But what do we do now? I mean, we didn't burn down the school and all, but... Are you gonna arrest us?" A different imitator asked.
"Well, Icouldarrest you, but... As you technically haven't committed any real crimes, except maybe squatting here, there'd be nothing to arrest you for. I have a better idea. You guys all came together because you wanted something you can all believe in and share, right?" The Green Eye asked.
The collective of imitators agreed.
"Well, then, how about we all share..." The Green Eye started.
The Green Eye pulled out a football, spinning it into the air to propose a game.
"...a quick round of football?" The Green Eye finished.
-
Not many people might believe that one might be able to spoil a plot of killer worshipers from by offering to play some football with them, most probably laughing off such a suggestion when asked. After all, if someone is capable of sympathizing with and idolizing an infamous serial killer, could that person truly be reasoned with? Surely, they couldn't be; it would surely never be done with such unreasonable people.
But not for the Green Eye.
Always one to seek out the moral high road, seeking to solve a problem with sympathy and compassion rather than violence or aggression, the Green Eye has successfully stopped a group of young men from making the biggest mistakes of their lives. These people were once misguided in their own lives, but the Green Eye has shown them a new way.
More specifically, he has shown them to a nearby empty field to play some football in. The teams were a mix of both the young men and the heroes, with Valiance standing out of the game. The game went on for quite a long time, spanning at least an hour or two, but not a moment wasted.
Where these young men all had a misplaced sense of rage and energy needed to be released on something, they have now found the outlet that they needed for that negative emotion. Rather than spend it harming innocent lives and spreading their negativity among others, they release it here for sport and fun, all while building their own bonds with one another.
Eventually, the night hour grows far too late for the young men, leading them to turn in for the night and return home to rethink their lives. Not before leaving, however, the leader of the would-be imitators of the Freak stopped to speak with the Green Eye, wishing to bid a few final words to the superhero.
"I'm really sorry, Mr. Green Eye. I guess I just always felt so mad that I forgot what I was even mad about and tried to find something to put it on. You stopped me an everybody else from making a huge mistake. Thank you so much." The leader said.
"Don't mention it, all part of the job. You also drive a mean piledrive, you could probably get into a good college with that kind of power." The Green Eye said.
"I'll look into that. Thanks again for everything."
After bidding the Green Eye one last goodbye, the man without pain found some more praise from the rest of the Hillwood Heroes; all equally surprised and impressed with his peaceful solution to such a potentially disastrous event.
"Mmm-mmm-mmm! Gotta hand it to you, man. I didnotexpect you to pull something like this off, even with the stuff you do." G-Funk said.
"Well, that's the most important part of the job: Always seek out the most peaceful solution and try to do what's best for everybody." The Green Eye said.
"Right on. It's gettin' kind of late for me now, and I got a missus to take to dinner tonight. It's a 'her-and-me' thing this time, so no room for you and Helga tonight, sadly. Her idea, not mine."
"It's okay. Speaking of Helga, I need to get home myself. She's probably getting a little anxious by now waiting for me."
"Oh, don't remind me, man. I know how crazy Helga can get. You take care, now, you hear?"
The two best friends shared their special handshake, both bidding each other a good night. The end result of this operation is mixed: Some like the Green Eye, G-Funk and Lady Tetsu end their nocturnal crimefighting activities, but the others all wish to continue on.
One who continues to stay on fighting is Valiance, dedicated as always to the job. Before leaving for his own patrol, aiming to spend it in private, he pulls aside the Green Eye for one last comment, sharing his thoughts on tonight's event.
"That football stunt sounded like the dumbest thing you've ever thought of... but I admit I'm surprised it worked." Valiance said.
"Buckley, I know you're still not over Rhonda. Nobody could be. But very seldom is anything solved violently. Your way would have ruined all their lives, and the lives of the people they love. You've got to stop letting that loss guide you towards violence." The Green Eye said.
"You don't know what it's like to have that on your conscience, Arnold. To neglect your baby girl and try to wean her need for you with money, and lose her when you least expect it. You have no idea at all what that's like, and you never will. Don't try to sympathize with me."
"Then you haven't learned a thing about my powers over the year. Idoknow what it's like, because I can feel what you feel as ifI'mfeeling it. You push yourself on too far and you shoulder this responsibility like the city'll fall apart if you don't give it your all, and you feel like you'd be dishonoring Rhonda if you let up even for a second. You wouldn't be. Rhonda didn't die because of you. She gave her life to save someone I love, and that person is still with me today."
"Then you know how I feel about the fact thatyouhave all the people you love, butIdon't."
"That's not true. You still have a family in us. If you need help, we're here for you. I know nobody can replace Rhonda or help Brooke, but you have to let us try. Besides... you're not the only one that doesn't have all the people you love. Remember why I left 6 years ago."
Sharing his last words to Valiance, the Green Eye began making his way down the streets of Hillwood to return to his home where his own family was waiting. Valiance, having no family to return to, made no such plans, thinking over the conversation shared, but his thoughts do not linger on its substance for long. Like always, they instead linger towards Rhonda again.
Still stuck in his desire to bring Rhonda back from the dead, Valiance's mind was never put to rest in the thoughts of finding a way to resurrect her, no matter how impossible or outlandish the thoughts might sound. A father's bond with his daughter is inseparable, only broken by death, but death has not stopped him from his own feelings.
He vows now, and he vows until the end of his life, he will find his way to bring her back.
