Re: Tell my story

[The Atomic Punk]

AMERICAN ANGEL: Graduation Day
Original Character Design by headlessgeneral; Story by The Atomic Punk

“Congratulations, baby girl!”

“Thanks, Dad! Love You, mom! See you at the party!”

“You’re not coming with us?”

“I’ll be there in a bit. Javelin challenged me to one last race. He could never beat me. It’s a boy thing.”

“Alright, but watch out for billboards and don’t fly into air traffic lanes.”

“Hey, American Girl! Doc Winters wants to see you!”

“It’s ‘American Angel’ now, Mustang.”

American Angel hugged her parents, waved to the news cameras, and exchanged high fives with her classmates. She met Dr. Winters under the ceremony pavilion. Dr. Winters stood proudly. American Angel looked up to her mentor and returned his smile . The five-foot seven-inch recent graduate had no choice but to look up to a man of six-foot six-inches. Dr. Winters asked his protegée to sit across from him. American Angel noticed the tablet on the picnic table.

Dr. Winters chuckled, “I see by the alterations to your uniform that you will not be joining the Angels?”

The two had discussed this throughout American Angel’s training at the Meta-Research Consortium. American Angel pointed to the scar over her right eye. The wound was a reminder that she was almost a victim. She wanted to defend the helpless not wait for an accident to happen. Dr. Winters’ said that he admired American Angel’s spirit. However, he noted that many who go it alone “often have rather short careers.” His smile faded as his heart sank.

American Angel quickly turned the conversation. “So, what’s on the tablet?”

“The wildfires encroaching on San Francisco were deliberate,” Dr. Winters said as he scrolled through a presentation of news articles and pictures. “The Federal Reserve Bank holds millions in gold and other precious metals. Not to mention some highly sensitive research. The fire is a diversion from a plan to raid the FRB.”

“I see…” said American Angel skeptically. This was some set up to get her to join the Angels.

She crossed her arms and glowered at Dr. Winters. Dr. Winters scrolled a few pages further and faced the tablet right at American Angel. She squinted to make out the picture. It seemed nothing more than an aerial shot of the wildfire. American Angel shrugged. Dr. Winters zoomed to a corner of the picture with a few finger flicks.

“Do you see now?” he asked.

American Angel spotted what looked to be like a man in an armored suit. A video began to play on the tablet. The armored man was spraying the trees with flamethrowers attached to both gauntlets.

“This is PyroBug,” Dr. Winters explained. “We don’t think he’s working alone. This could be trouble for the Angels. American Angel, you were one of my best students. We need you.”

American Angel’s smile returned, “Let’s go rip open this tin can.”