“Build
a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your
door.”
Harry
Houdini*
Today family
came over and there were shenanigans. I did not plot any dastardly
schemes in the meantime. Anyway onto the flash fiction!
A
Superhero's Enlistment
The big news
happened during a small war between two nations that were mere blips
on the radar. Not the third world countries but not the first world
superpowers. Pretty much what you would call the second world
countries. One wanted to conquer the other. Simple as that. Some of
the larger world powers wanted to meddle but didn't want to get
themselves into trouble either. For awhile it was “Oh those poor
people!” news like the usual a million lives is merely a statistic
element.
But it became
big news when a superhero enlisted in the military. A superheroes
don't enlist in the military. Even if they belong to that country it
just wasn't done. Superheroes may rescue off a war zone after a
battle is finished and they are expected to keep supervillains from
interfering in the war. It was like the atomic bomb. The god-like
power of a superhero was too devastating to be allowed in war because
if all superheroes went from rescuing people from muggers to being
weaponized regularly it could be apocalyptic. There was no agreement
on paper but no nation used superheroes in war.
Until
one day a superhero just walked into a recruitment office ready to
become a soldier. He relinquished his secret identity to enlist and
people didn't need to be told he was the superhero they knew as their
country's famous hero. He was a twice as large as any normal man and
made of living steel. His bizarre steel body was malleable and flowed
like liquid so he may have taken the shape of a man most of the time
but he could form himself into a wall or other shapes. But the most
terrifying moment for his enemies was when he fought and took the
form of a living steel tiger.
When
he enlisted he became a private. He wrote down his real name.
Something he hadn't done in a long time since becoming a superhero,
showed the world that he used to be just a normal man who's family
had already passed away. The rest of his origin story remained a
mystery. Lab accident or magical hero the superhero had become the
first recruit and the first one to break the rule. A superweapon had
been brought into play.
The
country was desperate so they put him into battle. They assumed a
superhero would be hesitant to fight. But just like any other soldier
he fought. He told them he was fighting for his country like any
other soldier. But he was much more efficient than any other soldier.
This living steel man ripped through tanks easily and turned the tide
of the war. They tried to bomb the invincible superhero. He reformed
his superhero body. This was the superhero known for protecting that
nation from the biggest supervillains from attacking it. But in war
things became from him being an invincible cat against the mouse-like
supervillains that tried to damage his nation to him slaughtering his
enemies.
The
nation that intended to conquer the one that the man of living steel
came from had its own superheroes defend it but they were not strong
enough. Other nations had stronger superheroes. Superheroes that
could defeat that one then contain him. Living steel could be
contained in a magic bubble. But they didn't want to interfere. It
was war. Superheroes didn't interfere with war. And in their heads
they thought to themselves that the living steel man was defeating
nation that tried to conquer them. It was a defense ploy. But he
killed so easily. And didn't superheroes have a “you shouldn't
kill” clause? The nation being attacked by steel begged for the
help of others. Even pleading for supervillains to help. None at
first answered their plea.
Then
there was Lord Zauyiz. Arguably one of the strongest supervillains
out there. A monster alien lord from another dimension. He appeared
before the leaders of the small nation telling them that for half
their country's land he would help them. They gave in considering
half their country was better than none. They were quite surprised
that Lord Zauyiz answered their request. He was the last they
expected.
Lord
Zauyiz later appeared before the superhero just after the superhero
finished another bloody battle with his enemies. The alien Lord asked
the superhero why he would be willing to break the superhero's code.
The superhero responded that he would be willing to do anything for
his country and save as many lives of his people as he could. The
hero looked at the ground at remains of civilian caught in the
crossfire. Lord Zauyiz asked if the superhero would work for him if
he ended the war instantly and prevented any more of his people from
dying. The superhero agreed. He did not wish to fight the alien Lord
either as that would probably cost more lives of his people. When the
alien Lord heard the hero give his word he detonated all the bombs he
planted at the enemy nation's leaders hideaway. He had planted the
bombs when he met them after they asked for his help in fighting the
man of living steel.
Lord
Zauyiz was quite pleased when the nation that originally intended to
conquer surrendered and he had gained a new, incredibly powerful
minion at his disposal. That is why he used his political contacts to
set the war into motion in the first place after all.
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