Triumph - The Protectors of Central Illinois University, the city of Stevenson, and beyond! Or so it was. Join us now, as we peek into the altered lives of the heroes of Triumph, and witness the spark of a new era!
Somehow, Aaron Majesky always loved October. The feel of the cool night air against his face as he flew casually across the city, with a wind coming in off the lake, made him breathe a sigh of relief from the all too hot summer.
Dragonfly was getting used to this town. Since his first reappearance here after the short vacation he took when he left Stevenson, he’d really grown accustomed to being on his own. He particularly liked fighting street crime, as opposed to aliens, mystical presences, and hordes of ninjas. Here, Dragonfly meant something.
Things in Stevenson seemed to have calmed down, too. He’d kept his eye on his college home, Making sure Dragonfly didn’t need to make an appearance. Cazmonster did the same, he knew, and probably The Adept and The Gray Robe, as well.
Suddenly, Aaron was jolted out of his revery by sirens. To the left, toward the lake! Dragonfly doubled back and looped past Heroes Deli, Captain Submarine, and the other sites he knew very well. Not only was this his city, this was his neighborhood. A grim look crossed the face of the winged warrior as he laid on the speed.
Dragonfly zipped under the El heading straight up Montrose toward Lake Michigan. Hanging a quick right, he headed into trouble. This area was far from the worst neighborhood in Chicago, but it wasn’t the best, either.
As Dragonfly swooped in on the scene, he noticed a squad car already stopped in front of a two story residence.
“Can I be of assistance, officer?” Dragonfly asked, hovering just above head level as a startled duty cop shifted his sidearm to cover Dragonfly’s position.
“Holy...Dragonfly! Don’t sneak up on a guy, you’ll get shot.” The officer returned his gun to the forward position and looked toward the house.
“Shots fired inside. Situation unknow. I’ll get in trouble if I get you involved in this. Plus, it’s probably just a routine matter. Go spend your time with something bigger.”
“Well, I’m here now, may as well help out. Besides, no job is too small…” Dragonfly said. As he prepared to move toward the house, he heard a voice from an unexpected direction: above him.
“Promises,” said the voice, that of a young woman. It was Dragonfly’s turn to spin in surprise, having drawn his sword and prepared for battle. However, when he got a glimpse of the young woman behind him, he didn’t quite know what to make of her.
There, hovering in the air on wings much like his own, wearing a costume very similar to his own, was a young brown-skinned woman. In her hand, she held a curved kris knife.
Aaron couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Jyoti? With wings??? He had no idea how this happened, but now wasn’t the time.
“On second thought, you’re right officer, we’ll just be heading…”
“Around the property for a look-see!” Jyoti said, fluttering gracefully forward into the yard, toward the upper windows of the house.
Aaron sighed. Nirmala would never forgive him if he got her niece killed. Aaron shot after Jyoti. As he did, he watched in horror as a man leaned out a top floor window with a nine mm pistol and fired off several rounds. As soon as the first shot was fired, Jyoti dipped and fluttered back around.
That was a nice move, Aaron had to admit. Taking aim at the gunman, Dragonfly threw his humming bomb, set on a low setting. The disc smashed into the man’s gun hand, forcing him to drop the weapon and stagger back into the window. Swooping past the window, Dragonfly took note that the gunman seemed to be the only one in the room, but there was a body on the floor from which blood was leaching quickly.
Aaron turned to find Jyoti hovering behind him. “No, absolutely not!”
“That’s not very nice! After I baited the trap for you and all,” the young woman said teasingly.
In the front yard, the officer stood, his weapon still at the ready, looking at the two heroes expectantly.
“Looks like he’s alone, officer,” Dragonfly shouted down, “but I’d do a walk-through, just in case. I’ll watch this guy.”
Later, atop the John Hancock building…
“Jyoti, there’s no way I can let you keep doing this,” Aaron said calmly. He saw a lot of disappointment, in the girl’s eyes. He felt like a hypocrit. He’d jumped into danger at a young age; not as young as Jyoti, certainly, but young and so not ready for all that followed. Now he was lecturing this girl on how dangerous her choice was.
“I’m ready. I can do this!” she insisted.
“Ready? I’ll admit you’re a natural with the wings, but how much practice do you have? How many years have you trained, physically, mentally? I was almost a full ninja when I STARTED being Dragonfly. Have you studied martial arts? Do you know how to use that blade you’re carrying?” Aaron said, trying to drive home her complete lack of experience.
“You can teach me! You’re the best! I’ll be up to speed in no time,” Jyoti insisted.
Aaron shook his head, looking out over the city. “I think this is a bad idea, Jyoti. You’re young. Enjoy it. The way you picked up the wings, you can easily be miles ahead of where I was in a few years.”
Jyoti looked up at Aaron with eyes filled with emotion. It was obvious to him that she’d commit to this here and now, and give it her all. But if he said no, if he told her he absolutely wouldn’t train her, then what? She was obviously headstrong enough to get the only person he knew in the whole world who could duplicate his equipment to do so. Speaking of which, Aaron made a mental note to have a little talk to Steven Chen, formerly known as Palisade.
“Aaron,” Jyoti said, moving a step closer, “I HAVE to do this. I can’t tell you why, but this is important. It’s not just a childhood adventure for me. I understand it’s dangerous. I’m willing to work within any limitations you give me, do whatever it takes. But I WILL do this, one way or the other.”
And there it was. Aaron could take her under his wing, so to speak, or she’d go it alone. And without his tutoring...Aaron gave a heavy sigh.
“Here’s the deal. You NEVER go out without me there, or at least my knowledge. You tell NO ONE your identity. I’ll tell Nirmala, somehow, since she’d figure it out the first time she saw us together anyway. And if I tell you to back off, you back off.”
“Done,” Jyoti said simply.
“We need to find a time for you to train, and a time for us to go on patrols without making anyone suspicious.”
“I’ll give it some thought. I can drop the information by the deli while you’re working.”
“Okay,” Aaron nodded. “That’s decided. Now, how about a code name?”
“What are those little dragonfly like things called?” Jyoti asked after a moment.
“Damselflies?” Aaron suggested.
“Yes! That is them. But, it needs to be shorter. How about just Damsel…”
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles…
A secluded conference room, in a closed classroom building. Four young people were standing around the room. One was Jan Graylin, a blond, slender woman who spent some of her time as the lava-tossing hero Magma. Another, standing across the table, was her friend and lover, Martin Estevez, the time controlling Transcender. A third, a short, somewhat pudgy boy with red hair wearing a black hoodie, was known as Dreamweaver. And last was a powerfully built young woman with a dour expression who went by the name of Ace.
“So, we’re agreed?” Estevez asked, pointing to some notes he’d written on the table. “We officially start on Monday?”
“Agreed,” Magma said strongly.
“Yeah!” Dreamweaver’s voice cracked a little as he enthusiastically agreed. Jan laughed a little, then looked apologetically at him.
Ace just nodded. She was still uncertain about this whole thing. Going public with her abilities could draw the wrong sort of attention. Nevertheless, she was committed.
Martin spoke once again. “Monday night, 10 PM, the new Triumph is born!”
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