Fighting through the impending concussion that threatened to pull her into a void she wasn’t ready to face, Betsy Granger stumbles up the ramp as BOB celebrates with Bobby Bourbon in the ring. Through the buzzing and the fog, the lights suddenly became much too bright and a persistent pounding was growing steadily worse behind her eyes. She could feel her right eye and bottom lip both swelling to the size of grapefruits; those would look angry as fuck in the morning. She can hear them, the legions of fans who approved wholeheartedly with the results as they were. Finally reaching the stage, she barely makes it through the curtain into gorilla position before she falls to her knees, vomiting everything she’d eaten that week. Staff and techs all jumped away from her, disgusted and looking away so that they wouldn’t get sick themselves. She barely has time to call out for help when the void wins; as her eyes roll up into her head, the last thing she feels is a pair of strong arms lifting her from the ground…

______

“Hello… Umm, my name is Starbright.”



Sitting in front of a camera in a white and gold costume is Betsy Granger, who is visibly tense. She squeezes her hands together in her lap, the leg she had swung over top the other bouncing wildly. Her voice leaves her for a moment as nerves begin to overtake her. In the background, her mother gives her a thumbs up for encouragement. Taking in a deep breath, Betsy forces herself to continue.

“I’m five foot nine, one-hundred and thirty-five pounds, twenty-five years old from Bellevue, Iowa. I first discovered I had powers when I was in kindergarten when I was being bullied for being smaller than the other kids. I started to glow and accidentally shot a plasma blast in their direction. Luckily, nobody got hurt, but that’s what put me on BoB Corps radar.”

“Have you always wanted to be a member of the Elite?”

“Of course, what supe doesn’t?” Betsy switches legs. “I grew up believing if I worked hard to harness my power and perfect my image, I’d eventually be chosen. Just being here, considered in this interview, is such an honor.”

The director nods and takes a note on his legal pad. “If you were chosen as a member of the Elite, what do you hope to accomplish? This can include personal goals as well as what you hope to do for the benefit of mankind.”

Running her fingers nervously through her thick, golden locks, she nibbles on her lip as she considers her answer. “The easy answer is to protect those who can’t protect themselves while setting an example worth following. That goes hand in hand with my personal goal of bettering myself a little more every day. Too many people back down when the fight gets too tough; I want to show those people that they have a champion they can put their faith in.”

“This is great stuff; thank you for giving us some of your time today, Starbright. You’ll be hearing from us either way.”

Hopping out of the chair, Betsy rushes over to the director and shakes his hand vigorously. “Thank you for having me here today! I look forward to your call.”

Lip curling slightly, the director frees his hand from her grip and backs away, disappearing through a set of thick doors. Letting out a long breath, Betsy rushes over to her mother, who looks pleased as punch. “You nailed it, Bets! You’re a shoo-in for the Elite, they’d be stupid to pass you up once they see this!”

“Don’t get my hopes up, Ma, I’m positive I sounded like a fool. Beastlander and Stormfury have the final say and I’m sure someone else has already caught their eye…”

(Meanwhile, behind a two-way mirror.)



“... Look at her, she’s perfect!” Stormfury gushes, letting her eyes wander over the attractive blonde once more. “We need that wholesome, all-American sweetheart vibe in the Elite right now, after that ridiculous bullshit with The Green Barney.”

“I can’t help but agree with you, my love,” Beastlander says, following Stormfury’s gaze. “She fits the bill perfectly.”

“Shall we go tell her the good news now?” Stormfury seems excited by the new prospect. This eagerness is rewarded with an indulgent smile from Beastlander.

“If you insist,” he tells her, his tone teasing.

Together, they walk through the doors and enter, surprising both Starbright and her mother in mid-conversation. Both women go silent, Elena grabbing at her daughter's hand and squeezing it encouragingly. Starbright beams at the leaders of the Elite, quivering in her excitement.

“Oh wow, I wasn’t expecting to meet the two of you today! What an honor!” she manages to get out breathlessly.

Stormfury gives her a warm smile and holds up a hand for silence. “The pleasure is all ours, Starbright. In fact…” she looks over at Beastlander, who gives her a smiling nod. “We came out here to let you know, personally, that you’re in.”

It takes a moment of stunned silence for the news to sink in for Starbright and her mother. When it does, the screams coming out of both women elicit chuckles from the leaders of Elite. Starbright turns to each of them and throws her arms around them in an ecstatic hug. Beastlander taps her back awkwardly while Stormfury embraces her tightly with a wide smile.

“I can’t believe this! Thank you… This is a dream come true, thank you so much!” Starbright gushes, still unable to believe what she’d just heard.

“No need to thank us, just be ready to do your part for the Elite,” Beastlander tells her in a fatherly tone.

Starbright nods enthusiastically, glowing without realizing it as she beams at the two superheroes in front of her. “Of course, I won’t let you down!”

“I don’t believe you will,” Stormfury says warmly. “We’d love to stay and get to know you more, but unfortunately, Beastlander and I have other obligations to attend. Before you go, make sure you meet with our publicist to get your schedule set up. We hope to see you at The Tower bright and early Monday morning.”

“I’ll be there!” she gushes as the two Supes retreat from where they entered.

Once the door shuts firmly behind them, Betsy and Elena turn to each other and clasping their arms, begin to scream again. Betsy bounces up and down as Elena’s smile splits her face in half. “You’ve done it, baby girl! You’re a member of the Elite, I can’t believe it! All our work is finally paying off!”

“I still can’t believe they came out to tell me themselves… I didn’t even know they’d be here today!” Betsy says breathlessly.

“How lucky is it for you that they were? Oh, I’m going to need to update our hotel reservation, hang on!” Pulling out her phone, Elena steps away and begins making phone calls to arrange a longer stay. “We’re all set, dear! I don’t know about you, but I’m suddenly starving; shall we try that cute little Italian Bistro we passed on the way here?”

Beaming with pride, Betsy nods her agreement and skips out behind her mother, feeling as though she were floating on Cloud Nine...

___________

Monday Morning, Bright and Early

______________



As she steps out of the town car provided to her by Jenna, the PR girl for the Elite, Starbright is immediately swarmed by the paparazzi. Right away, they are enamored of her and her good looks, asking questions that range from shallow surface information to deeply personal. Smiling, waving, and posing for the flashing bulbs, she talks to as many of the journalists as she can until she spots Jenna running down the red carpet from the building, waving her arms in the air. Excusing herself politely from the journalist who was currently looking at her like a snack, she walks briskly over to the twenty-something woman. Jenna offers her a warm smile and gestures for her to enter the doors to the BoB Corps Tower.

“First and foremost, welcome to the BoB family. Your room and all accommodations have been set up specifically to you and your tastes. Once we’ve got you settled in a bit, you have a full itinerary including your first public appearance as a member of the Elite. Mister Pryce himself is here to present you to the public.”

Betsy feels her mouth go dry at the name of the acting Senior Vice President of BoB Corps. The man behind all the Supes and most business conglomerates around the world. As she follows Jenna through the building, Betsy can’t help but look around in wonder at all the splendor. The lobby was enormous, extravagantly designed in jade and gold leaf. Marble statues of each member of the Elite stood posed gloriously as the centerpiece; it also acted as a fountain with a stone bench encircling it. Even now, sculptors were there, adding her to the recently vacated spot; she stopped without realizing it, her heart pounding. Jenna, realizing that Betsy had stopped, turns back and hurries her along in a snappish tone. Taking a deep breath, Betsy catches up and Jenna continues to zip through her schedule for the day. They stop in front of gilded elevator doors that open and close smoothly, sending a plethora of people to various departments.

“So after Mister Pryce gives his speech encouraging the pushing the bill for Supe assistance in the Armed Forces, he’ll introduce The Vast, who will then introduce you. After that, he’ll be giving you a proper tour of the tower where you guys and gals in the Elite will gather for your team meetings. Then you have dinner with Mister Lane and Mister Pryce; they are very eager to meet you and begin planning the trajectory of your future with BoB Corps.”

If the prospect of meeting Theo Pryce had made her nervous, the idea of meeting CEO Vinnie Lane made her feel physically ill. Running her fingers through her hair nervously, she barely hears Jenna as they enter the elevators and head up to the 98th floor. This was where all the Supes were housed when they weren’t on a film or interview set; just above them was the legendary 99th floor, where all the secrets of Supe activity were said to take place. Her jaw drops as Jenna opens the door to her quarters and she steps inside. The walls and ceiling were painted purple and silver against a black carpeted floor. The gilded bed was decked out in matching sheets and blankets and looked large enough to fit ten people. Mahogany wardrobes were ready for her clothes and a silver vanity with an ornate mirror and cushioned bench already had an array of beauty products and jewelry.

Betsy spins around the room, trying to take it all in, before turning wide eyes to Jenna. The PR girl smiles broadly and closes the door, allowing Betsy a moment to let it all sink in. Kicking off her shoes, she curls her toes in the soft carpet before racing towards the bed and leaping into it. Falling onto her back and spreading out her arms, she revels in the way her body melts into the soft mattress, marveling at the softness of the sheets and blankets. She lies there for a moment, staring up at the ceiling and unable to believe her luck. Sitting up on her shoulders, she looks around and realizes that she doesn’t see her suitcases or boxes; sliding down from the bed, she opens up the nearest wardrobe. A smile crosses her face, seeing all her clothes folded and hung neatly; turning on her heel, she realizes that her pictures were hung up on the walls and her knickknacks had been put on wooden display shelves. Closing the doors to the wardrobe, she walks over to the vanity and runs a finger over the cold silver, admiring the etched designs. Sitting down on the bench, she looks at herself in the mirror and realizes there is a flush in her cheeks. Knowing she didn’t have much time left to prepare, she began to run a silver brush through her hair and freshen herself up for the public…

___________________

Three Hours Later

____________________


“... And so I leave you all today, with a heart full of hope that you’ll do the right thing come voting day. Our Armed Forces sacrifice their lives every day for us; who is the Senate to say they shouldn’t have the assistance of our fine society of Supes? So I urge you all to go out and vote, vote, VOTE YES FOR THE SUPE ASSISTANCE BILL!”

There’s a roar from the crowd as Theo Pryce works the unsuspecting fools like puppets on strings. A twinge of smug satisfaction causes his lip to twitch upward for a moment before he resets the serious expression on his face. The crowd continues to cheer for the bill that would allow BoB Corps access to the deepest military members and their secrets; it wouldn’t be long after that when Congress would see reason and allow the next step of his plans… But for now…

“But that’s enough out of me, I know I’m not one of the ones any of you came here to see today.” An enamored female in the audience loudly disagrees, eliciting a chuckle from Mister Pryce. “Well, maybe one of you, but I digress. Without further ado, let me turn it over to the man you came to see… He’s the Supreme of the Seas, the Heir to the Ocean… He is… THE VAST!”



The crowd goes apeshit as The Vast jogs his way on stage, waving and smiling at the crowd. Fangirls begin to scream as he walks by, his beer gut swaying irresistibly in his tight costume. He runs his fingers through his mullet before letting them trail down his face to stroke his thick mustache. He approaches Mister Pryce, hands out ready for the handshake; they give three solid pumps before Mister Pryce bows himself off the stage, clapping towards The Vast as he backs away, out of view. The Vast, mic in hand, holds it up to his mouth, but the crowd isn’t finished raining down its praises of the hero. Holding out his arms, he gives the crowd his most charming smile, causing several girls in the front to faint over one another. He laughs openly at them as they are carried away one by one, allowing a new swarm of adoring fans to approach. After several more minutes of raucous cheers, it finally quiets down enough for The Vast to begin speaking.

“As we all know, we recently lost an excellent member of the Elite… But for me, the loss of my friend weighs heavier on my heart. It still pains me to look at the old posters or see snippets of the movies…” he pauses for a moment as his voice catches in his throat. Several of the girls in the front begin to sob. “... But that’s how his spirit will live on. His light, his laughter, his love, that is how we will remember The Green Barney. No one will ever truly take his place in the Elite, or our hearts.” another pause, the weeping gets louder. “However, anyone who knew him would know that he would want us to move on; and so we have! In losing one hero, we’ve gained another; a young, rising talent among Supes that has that something special to make it all the way here to the Elite. If you haven’t heard of her by now, it’s time to get familiar. So, ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce to you the newest member of the Elite family… She is STARBRIGHT!”

The screams and cheers from the crowd make her ears pound as Starbright hits the stage, smiling and waving as she heads to her cue next to The Vast. He holds a hand out to her and with a blush on her cheek, she takes it. The Vast lifts her arm high in the air along with his own and they pose like that for several moments as cameras flash all around them. Unhooking his hand from hers, he drops it down low, letting his hand rest in the small of her back. A shiver goes through her as he pulls her in and continues to smile and pose for the cameras. She forces the smile to stay on her face, even as her nerves threaten to overcome her. After what felt like hours, The Vast escorts her off stage and they head up to the 99th floor to begin her tour.



“Hey, great job out there girlie. You’re a natural.”

His voice cuts through their silence, causing her to jump slightly. She had been desperately trying not to stare at him, acutely aware that her old crush was suddenly resurfacing. After an achingly long crawl to the top, the elevator door pings and they walk out, right into the majestic meeting room of the Elite. A wide, round table made of marble is the clear centerpiece, with seven chairs circled it. Another round of marble statues of the Elite circle the room, her own being constructed presently. The room was all windows, save for the wall carrying the elevator, and the sun was coming in brightly, making the entire room sparkle. Betsy feels as if she were standing in the middle of a diamond, and turns to The Vast to say so when she realizes that she’d never responded to his initial comment. A blush crosses her cheeks again as their eyes meet.

“Um, thank you. I’ve never been in front of a crowd that big, I just didn’t want to make a complete fool of myself.”

“Something tells me you’d be hard put to do that, no matter what you might have done.” The Vast says, never taking his eyes off of her. “Anyway, welcome to the 99th floor, where all the magic of the Elite happens. The others apologize for not being here, but we’re in the middle of filming a new movie. I was the only one who didn’t have a scene today… Lucky for me.” His voice grows noticeably husky as his gaze becomes more intense.

Starbright ignores this and turns from him, feeling a bit warm underneath her costume. “So it must be something else, having the attention and admiration of all those girls.” she turns back with a teasing grin.

The Vast chuckles as he brushes his fingers through his mullet again. “That today was misleading as fuck. If Beastlander had been there, not a single one of those Supe Sluts would have noticed I was in the room.”

The wistful tone in his voice caused Starbright to turn back. Taking a few steps towards him, her fingers trailing along with the table, she forces herself to meet his eyes again. “Well, if it makes you feel better… I kind of, sort of always had a bit of a schoolgirl crush on you. Had your poster and everything.” The bold confession causes her to blush a deep scarlet now. She casts her eyes to the floor, embarrassed.

“Really?” charmed by the genuine surprise in his voice, Starbright works up her courage and looks up with a warm smile…

… Only to catch a full view of The Vast, pants down, stroking his sea log. Letting out a startled scream, Betsy immediately turns away from him, trying to block the image from her sight. The Vast looks mildly surprised by her reaction, taking a few steps towards her. “What, now you don’t want me?”

Betsy turns to him, furious now. “I said I had a little crush on you, not that I wanted to fuck you right here, right now. What is wrong with you?”

“Hey, I was only offering what you hinted at wanting. And if you want your place in the Elite… I suggest you…”

The lights begin to flicker as Starbright’s eyes begin to glow dangerously. “I’m going to suggest you don’t finish that sentence if you know what’s good for you.”

It’s clear that The Vast wants to reply, but instead chooses to pull his pants back up. He closes the gap between him and Starbright and shoves her into the nearest wall. She squirms underneath his grip, but he’s got her trapped. “I wouldn’t get too comfortable around here if I were you… I’m Beastlander’s, right-hand man. If I tell him you're a cock-teasing slut who shouldn’t be here, you’ll be back out on the street before you can say BoB Corps.”

He shakes her violently before letting her go and sulking his way out of the room to take care of his full mast. Trembling all over, Betsy finally lets out a breath, not realizing she’d been holding it in that entire time. Sliding down the wall, she brings her knees to her face and wraps her arms around them, trying to hold back the sobs. She doesn’t hear it when she’s joined by someone else.

“Fucks sake, it’s only day one. I’m sure one of those assholes did something shitty to you already, but you have got to try and hold it together.”



The sharp female voice startles her from her sobs and she looks up into the unimpressed face of Queen Doly. Normally, Starbright would have been thrilled to meet her hero, but she couldn’t help feeling distraught at the moment. Getting to her feet, all she can do is nod her head while wiping away the tears that wouldn’t stop coming. With a disgusted sigh, Queen Dolly pulls a tissue from one of her wrist guards and holds it out to the weeping Starbright. Nodding her thanks, Betsy turns away and blows her nose loudly after wiping at her eyes again. Turning back, she seems much more composed and nods again.

“Thanks.”

Queen Dolly looks her over carefully, her face hiding none of her disapproval. With a sad shake of her head, she exits the room as quietly as she entered. Taking a deep breath, Starbright mentally puts herself back together and holding her head as high as she could, left the room. Scared to death that tomorrow could be her last day in the BoB Corps tower, she heads to her room and allows what had transpired to haunt her restless sleep…


_____________

Several Weeks Later

_____________

It had been nearly two months since her first night in the BoB Tower, and Starbright still found herself within the Elite. As it turned out, The Vast had exaggerated just a little about his influence; the truth was, Beastlander barely acknowledged his existence unless he needed an aquatic-themed favor. Even still, The Vast took every opportunity he could to take shots about her being a tease, among other things. The only one who seemed to give him any mind in this was his best friend and fellow Elite member, B-Train. It seemed as though anything The Vast said anything, B-Train would give a jolly laugh, his jelly belly swinging all around. Despite his misleading size, B-Train was the quickest Speedster on the planet. He’d recently successfully defended that title against another Speedster and hadn’t stopped boasting about it ever since. She still hadn’t made a better impression with Queen Dolly since the first night, and she had completely given up trying to engage Red Noir. Beastlander was barely around the tower, the busiest of them all with assignments and interviews. It was only Stormfury who had shown any interest in her day-to-day, engaging her every chance she had.

Presently, she sat alone on a park bench, decompressing after finding a crudely drawn image on her nightstand when she woke up. It depicted her, on her hands and knees, being double-teamed by what was The Vast and B-Train. The note they had scrawled on it promised that it would be her future if she didn’t put out voluntarily soon. Through her anger, she felt sick to her stomach, knowing that if they kept true to their word, she was powerless to stop them both. After vomiting everything she’d eaten that week into the toilet, she ripped up the drawing and turned it to ash in her palm. Slipping into a pair of old jeans and her favorite, well-worn hoodie, she slipped out of BoB Tower to get some air. Her favorite bench by the park already had a guy sitting on it, who looked every bit as lost as she felt. She could help but notice that he was rather good-looking, in a goofy sort of way she supposed.



Quietly, she’d taken the seat next to him and silence had hung between them.

Until her phone went off in her pocket. With trembling fingers, she fishes it out of her pocket and is relieved to see that it was her mother calling. Letting out a heavy breath, she answers the phone, trying to sound as happy as possible.

“Hey Mom, it’s good to hear from you!” she cringed, hearing how fake she sounded. Even the guy next to her turned his head slightly, catching the slight quiver in her tone.

“Betsy! How is everything working out for you with the Elite?”

Betsy hesitates, trying to even out her breathing. She covers the mouthpiece for a moment, visibly trying to hold back tears. The guy next to her turns to her fully now and gives her a concerned look. Betsy waves him off as politely as she can and puts the phone back to her ear. “It’s… Great, Mom. Everything I could have ever hoped for.”

“Oh honey, I’m so glad to hear it! You know, rumor had it that you and The Vast might have a little romance going; is there something you aren’t telling your ol’ Ma?”

Now tears begin to stream down her cheeks as she swallows back the painful lump in her throat. “I wouldn’t invest too much in those rumors, Ma… I’m still good and single out here in the big city.”

“Ah well, a mother can dream… Don’t count him out just yet. I’m sure he’s completely charming; I remember you had a bit of a crush on him. Why hold him off if he’s interested?”

“It’s just… timing and… Oh, Ma, I’m sorry, but I’ve gotta go, Jenna is calling me over to start an interview.”

“Oh, okay honey, I won’t keep you! Keep up the good work, you look amazing on TV! Everyone back home is so proud of you!”

“Thanks, Ma… I love you.” She’s barely pressed the end call button that the sobs begin. Her body wracks with the force of them, all the distress, anxiety, and anger of the last two months out in a very public mess. The guy next to her stays quiet for a while, though after a few minutes, he puts a hand awkwardly on her shoulder. She jumps and looks up at him sharply, causing him to remove his hand.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help but overhear…” The comment seemed ludicrous, given the situation. Yet Betsy felt comforted all the same; this stranger watching her have a meltdown wasn’t judging her for it. Maybe she had been right in her initial assessment.

“Just… having a rough time at work. The job isn’t what I was expecting and my coworkers are either sexually abusive pricks and emotionally jaded bitches. I gave up everything to come out here and start new and now I just feel… Like it was all pointless.”

“I know that feeling… I’ve been going through that myself. I recently lost someone very important to me and I’ve been trying to find a new reason to live... “ His voice trails off as his soulful brown eyes meet her bright green ones. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have started comparing stories like that.”

“No, it’s okay, I’m… sorry for your loss.” Some instinct guided her hand into his; she found she enjoyed the warmth and the surprising strength in it. [cf52ff=#800000]“It’s funny when I saw your face when I got here, I kind of figured you were going through your trauma. Maybe that’s what drew me to this bench; sometimes misery loves company.”[/color]

“That’s for sure… But my father says it’s not about how you feel in the moment, it’s how you recover that matters. I’m still figuring that out myself… Any idea how you plan to cope with yours?”

Betsy considers his question for several moments before answering. “I’m going to make those bastards regret ever messing with me in the first place. The next time someone tries to shove his dick in my face, I’ll tear it the fuck off his body.”

The guy's eyes widen at her sudden ferocity, but his body language suggests that perhaps he likes it. “That’s certainly one way to approach the issue. I’ve always had a problem with standing up for myself; I suppose it’s high time I grew a spine and took care of my problems like a man.”

Betsy nods, squeezing his hand gently. “Let's make a pact, here and now, that both of us grow some nerve and handle our issues like the badasses we were meant to be.”

The guy rearranges their hands so that they are clasped for a vow-making. He smiles warmly at her, and it lights up his face, melting her heart completely. She didn’t even know his name, but she knew in her heart that she could fall for him. All too aware that their hands were still clasped, her heart begins to pound as they continue to gaze into each other’s eyes.

“By the way… My name is Howie.”

He didn’t look like a Howie, but the name was etched into her heart. Smiling back up at him, she repositions their hands so that she might shake his. “I’m Betsy… It’s great to meet you, Howie.”