Matt still could not believe he had won even as he saw the limo pull up in front of his building. Amy was already inside, and she was positively giddy as she handed him a bottle of sparkling water. Amy was a petite Asian girl. She used to see Matt as her main competition for academic honors, but over time they had become friends, even collaborating on several projects.
"I'm still pinching myself," she said. "This is really happening! I was sure that when you gave Vox those E-cups, they were going to laugh us out of the competition, but somehow we made it."
Matt settled into the seat and tried to look like he rode in a limo every day. In truth, it was his first ride in one. "Well, maybe we were the only entry. And besides, it's not like Amazon is exactly flat chested."
Amy sniffed. "Amazon's physique is part of her backstory. I was worried that they would see us as sexist hacks, because I know they're really pushing the female empowerment angle on this title."
"It didn't hurt having three talented female artists writers in our group," Matt agreed. "Sorry if I put our chances at risk. It's just that Brian thought..."
Amy waved him off. "Brian's a pig, but it doesn't matter now. What's important is that we're here and...oh, there's Maggie and Beth!"
Maggie and Beth got in, trying to look as non-plussed as Matt had tried to be earlier. It didn't last long. Maggie was a butch lesbian with a crew cut and denim jacked, but any toughness she tried to project was diminished by the wide grin she burst into moments after entering the car. Her heroine, ironically, was a small and dainty magic using princess with fairy blood named Pagan.
Maggie's partner Beth was a tall, African-American woman, a little overweight and bookish. She was painfully shy and usually buried her face in a hoodie. Matt found it amusing that her character was a flamboyant fire-using demon, who wielded a whip of flame and a constant stream of invective.
The ride to Amalgam took about thirty minutes, and they chatted eagerly, sharing what little they knew about the details of the prize they had won. Their driver professed ignorance, so they were left to speculate about exposure, salary, and rights coming from their creations.
At last the limo pulled up, and a middle aged Black woman with bright blue dreadlocks met them at the curb. "I'm Andrea," she said, shaking each of their hands in turn. "Vice president in charge of development. We're really glad you accepted our offer."
She invited them in and led them around the studio, introducing them to Amalgam's full time creative team. All four of the winners were avid comic fans, and they positively fangirled with each artist and writer they met. At last, Andrea led them to a small conference room where coffee and donuts were waiting for them. Andrea made sure they were comfortable, then called the company president into the room.
Lee Stanley needed no introduction. He was a legend among nerds, with a reputation that extended far beyond the world of comics culture. Matt instinctively rose when he entered the room. The old man laughed, shook everyone's hand, then settled into one of the comfortable swivel chairs.
"Thank you for coming," he said in his famous gravelly voice. "I'm really impressed with your work. As you know, Amalgam has been inspiring people with stories of heroes for over fifty years now, and at the risk of being immodest, we've done quite well for ourselves. But the world is changing, and it is becoming an increasingly scary place. The world needs new heroes, and I believe you are the ones to produce them. Are you with me?"
Amy, Maggie, Beth, and Matt all shared quick glances. Stanley was corny, to be sure, but they were loving every minute of it. "We're ready to do whatever you need, Mr. Stanley," Amy piped up, speaking for the group.
Stanley grinned beneath his bushy mustache. "I was hoping you would say that. Andrea, if you don't mind...?" His vice president stepped out of the room and bought back an object covered in a blue velvet cloth. Matt thought it looked to be the size of a human head, but he was always morbid in his metaphors. Andrea set it on the table, equidistant from each of them, and pulled off the cloth.
It looked like a crystal ball, about ten inches in diameter. It rested on a bronze base made to resemble two dragons locked in combat. At first, it appeared to be made of milky frosted glass, but the closer one looked at it, the more one could see tittle flecks of color, not unlike the motes of color inside an opal.
"I want you all to put your hands on the orb, and repeat after me..." Stanley began. Matt looked at the others. They were all wearing the same goofy grin as he was. He was sure they lawyers and accountants would trap them later in a mound of paperwork, but for the moment, this little ritual was everything Matt had hoped working for a comics studio would be like.
He repeated the oath along with the others. "I vow to use all of my talents to protect and inspire, to shine a light in the darkness, and to help those who cannot help themselves. I will wield my power responsibly in order to make a positive difference in the world." As they spoke, the orb started to glow and became slightly cool to the touch. Matt could feel a tingle start in his fingertips and travel up his arm. For a second, he wondered if the orb was transmitting an electric shock. By the time the tingle reached his heart, he knew for a fact that something unusual was happening. He could see that everyone else was having the same reaction. This was no parlor trick. Power was flowing into them. Changing them...
Sat Jun 01 14:40:17 2019
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