Archive | November 30, 2017

The Hidden Mall: šŸ‘­ Pairings

Nov30

They ran through the smoky halls, looking behind them for the source of the rumbling, looking ahead of them for Rue 21. Ā They were dodging obstacles they could barely see in the haze, looking for flames they couldnā€™t see, and holding hands, Abigail so she didnā€™t lose yet another Liv – Liv, presumably, for the same reason.

Neither of them saw what grabbed them and pulled them through a door. Ā But as the floor shook and shook and something outside crashed, Abigail decided that whoever it was, was probably a friend.

She wiped her eyes, turned around, and saw two Livs and Vic Carter.

She turned to her side. Ā Liv, skinny-and-clean Liv. Ā The one on the left there, that was probably her Liv – she was wearing the same clothes, at least. Ā The one on the right was clinging close to Vic Carter and staring at her in horror.

She took three measured breaths. ā€œLiv?ā€ Continue reading →

Me, Myself, and Only I

Nov30

The headline readsĀ 100,000th ā€œMultipleā€ Power registered. ā€‹

I hadnā€™t realized Iā€™d let myself get so big.Ā  I might have to pull things in a bit.

***

I always wanted to be a shape-changer. I guess, in a way, I have, even if all I can change into was myself.

It was the Golden Age of Superheros, back then, when the comet hit and many of us turned into something a bit different.

Me? I turned into several of me.Ā  Four, at first.Ā  Thereā€™s still a few stories of that first me around, The Quartet.

We sang four-part harmony pretty well.

But then I figured out how to replicate – or not – changes done to my body when I multiplied.Ā  And I figured out how toĀ chooseĀ where the damage went.

The Quartet died.Ā  They died kind of old, and rather heroic.

I lived.Ā  Dyed hair and a change of costume.Ā  People donā€™t look too deeply.

There was Multiple Man – that one was a trick.Ā  Then there was Quantum Lass.

I can get old.Ā  But aging is damage, and there are ten of me in a nursing home, cheerfully playing cribbage with each other.

I wonder who was number 100,000.Ā  What was her name?Ā  Her schtick?

Iā€™ve lost track, you see.Ā  I donā€™t even think Iā€™m the original anymore.

And if I called them all back into me, I donā€™t even know what would happen.

But thatā€™s all right.Ā  Because three of me are billionaires, and I can live in comfortable semi-retirement as Plurality, playing chess with myself and

never

ever

alone.

 

Written toĀ WritingPrompts’s prompt:

In a universe of superheroes and sidekicks, Multiples are one of the most common powers, with roughly 100,000 individuals in possession. But the truth is, there has only ever been one Multiple. You.