Shot Through The Heart

This Fanfiction is rated 13+ for romance, violence, gore and horror

edit: set to read-only, I am very annoyed with off-topic posts.

Susan Silverbullet listened to the rain fall hard in the Twisted Forest, a wildly overgrown nature reseve full of giant mushrooms, colorful, twisted trees and a clean river running through the land in curves. Her knees were drawn up to her chest, and one of Mandark’s old black capes with the tapered ends and red velvet lining was drawn over her head to serve as protection from the rain. She brushed her short, black hair out of her eyes and pulled the cape tight around her. The sudden, unexpected summer rain made the temperature quickly drop. Right now she was wishing she wore more than just a black pleated mini skirt and the leather Racer D jacket she won in a sweepstakes that came with matching ankle-high boots.



Her Dexter, Mandark and Dee Dee nanos were snuggled warmly in the jacket together sleeping quietly, with Mandark’s little arms holding Dee Dee’s little body. Susan could feel herself drifting off, but she knew if she fell asleep she’d be at risk of being hurt or killed by a monster. She thought about Lord Fuse for a while, and she thought about what she saw when the planet attacked, and the motivational speech Dexter gave the day after.



The green balls of fire rained down on homes and people, destroying lifetimes of work and effort in one moment. Millons of people were killed world wide in the attack alone, and many people comitted suicide when hearing of an alien invasion of this magnitude. Many people listening to the emergency news on the radio were hoping it was a new version of the old radio play that aired in 1938 called “War of the Worlds” which caused many people to kill themselves thinking the invasion was real.



The damage, chaos and fear created by the invasion overshadowed the alleged terrorist attacks in New York City on September 11th, the erruption at Pompeii, hurricane Katrina, the crusades, and any other tragedy that ever occurred on Earth. It was hell. A green, bouncy, glow-in-the-dark hell. How could we have not been prepared? Dexter, Mandark, the Plumbers even Mojo Jojo monitor outter space all the time, so how could it have been missed? How did no one notice Pluto, Uranus and even the gassy goliath Jupiter being engulfed by an enormous space booger? Enough rhetorical questions.



Susan’s mind wandered and began to think about her family that died in the spawn attacks; her mother Mary was a nurse, her big sister Ashley was a web designer and her father Henry was a botanist. Susan wanted to be a motorcycle racer and a gunner; something really cool and Mary-Sueish.



The rain gradually got lighter and eventually stopped and the rain clouds dissipated away revealing a brilliant blue sky ruined by planet Fuse looming above. She got up slowly so she didn’t wake her nanos, and clipped the cape back on her shoulders.



Meanwhile, Dexter was pacing back and forth in his lab, and Computress nervously followed. “Dexter please calm down. You need a break,” Computress said.



“There is no time for rest I must think of some way to get Fuse off of our planet and to undo the damage he has caused. The world is resting on my shoulders.” Dexter said in a tone laced with frustration. Computress sighed, “Dexter you know you cannot think straight when you are stressed. You need to calm down. My sensors indicate that your blood pressure is too high as well as your heart rate.”



“Well obviously I can’t help being stressed!” he snapped, “and I know Mandark isn’t doing anything to help us. The Plumbers haven’t given me any word on what’s going on either, and a lot of people have e-mailed me telling me their nanos are sick. I have a lot to think about and try to solve over here.” Dexter sighed heavilly and sat down into a cushioned swivel chair and kicked off of the side of his desk and slowly turned the chair for a while until he got a little dizzy.



“I apologize for your stress and I wish I could relieve it in some way Dexter.” Computress crooned.
“It’s alright Computress,” Dexter said calmly, “I feel a little better. I think I’m going to take a nap or something.” Dexter got up and started to walk away. When he got to the doorway he turned around and looked at Computress. “I’m sorry for yelling at you Computress.”
“It is alright, apology accepted, Dexter.” Computress nodded. Dexter gave her a weak smile and walked off to his room for a nap.

Dexter walked into his overly-sterile bedroom and took off his boots and laid back on his bed. He rolled over onto his side and snuggled his cold pillow; his mind racing a thousand miles a minute. His mind slowly began to stop churning, and Dexter’s eyes got heavy and he was falling into that twilight-like zone of being half-asleep and half-awake in awkward and jumpy comfort when his cellphone rang. Dexter sat up and pulled a tiny cube out of his pocket and it expanded into a three-dimensional cube with Ben Tennyson’s photo on the sides.



“Yes, Ben?” Dexter asked sleepily.
“Dexter, we have a little problem at the spaceport with Vilgax, Mandark and Mojo Jojo. They’re planning on having a big fight tomorrow and they’re going to hurt themselves. Do you have any idea on what to do to stop them?” Ben asked nervously.



“I don’t know how to stop them but I can tell you Mandark won’t walk out of that mess alive. Um…my educated suggestion is to stop the fight before it starts.” Dexter said.



“Well I tried calling Mojo and Mandark and neither will answer, I won’t bother with Vilgax because he would never take anything I say seriously.” Ben was on his cell phone pacing back and forth in front of the fountain by the hospital at the space port. He turned around and looked at Vilgax who was standing on a nearby building’s balcony probably plotting some cruel but fun way to tear Ben apart after Fuse was defeated. Vilgax noticed Ben turned around, “What?!” Vilgax yelled angrily, Ben turned around.



Dexter rubbed the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb. “Well, there’s only three people I know that Mandark will listen to besides Dee Dee, it’s Alse Kai, Artemis Light and Susan Silverbullet. I think the three of them would be able to talk him out of doing something stupid, but I really feel that Mandark needs to have some sense beaten into him. Literally.” Dexter smirked a bit thinking about it. “I don’t think they know eachother though.”
“How do you know if they will make a difference?” Ben asked curiously.
“Well,” Dexter replied, “once Alse talked him into giving her way more missions than she probably deserved; Artemis nearly beat the living daylights out of Mandark for insulting her Him nano so he fears her a little and Susan is good friends with his cousin Sugar.”
“You keep tabs on everyone don’t you?” Ben asked.



“Yes; I keep records on everyone with a nanocom. It’s a matter of global security.” Dexter nodded to himself.



“I’ll try and contact the girls, can you send me their numbers?” Ben asked.
“Uh sure, Alse’s nanocom number is 667, Susan’s is 383 and Artemis’ number is 446. Don’t ask why I remember them.” Dexter yawned a bit. He had experimented on himself a bit a few years back in hopes of extending his memory’s capacity. It worked, but now he absorbs and retains all sorts of useless information about random people who have talked to him; for example Dexter knows Silverbullet’s blood type and Alse’s shoe size. Dexter almost regrets the memory extension.
“Thanks Dex,” Ben said, “have a good day. Bye bye.” Ben hung up before Dexter could wish him a good day too. Dexter’s cell phone cube retracted into it’s tiny form again and he put it back into his pocket and fell asleep for a cat nap in the middle of the afternoon.


Ben called Susan’s phone first. Susan heard her ring tone go off and she picked it up, a little round nanocom phone in solid white. “Hello?”
“Hi! This is Ben, I have a mission for you.”
Susan hated doing missions for Ben, “what do I have to do this time?” She asked.



Ben explained the situation, “Mandark and Mojo Jojo were insulting Vilgax’s appearance and angered him, now they’re all going to have a big fight tomorrow in the space port’s weapons vault. I need to have you and two other people go in and try and stop the fight before they kill eachother.”
“Let Mandark get roughed up you know he deserves it.” Susan said. She looked down at her nanos and saw they were still sleeping so she lowered her voice a bit. “Besides, it’s not like any of them are all that particularly good looking.”
“That’s not the point.”
“Then what is the point?”
“We need to work together so we can defeat Fuse, and they can’t work together if they’re going to fight.”
“Aha,” Susan said, “what’s in it for me?”
“Um, you’ll get some Fusion Matter for it, can you come down here soon? I need you to meet the other two people I’m hoping who will help you.”
“Who are they?”
“Alse Kai and Artemis Light.”
“Ah, I don’t know ‘em. Alright I’ll be there in a while, I’m in the Twisted Forest.”
“Take a nearby SCAMPER then, see you soon.”



“See ya,” Susan said, hanging up. “Tch, I’m taking my sweet time.” She stood up slowly as to not wake her nanos and walked toward Mt. Blackhead to get on a SCAMPER to City Station downtown.

Ben dialed Artemis next. Artemis was sitting with Him in a pleasant outdoor resturaunt sipping tea and nibbling on delicate cookies and biscuits. Her Him nano was sitting in her lap holding a cookie in his tiny claws.
“This weather is so pleasant today.” Him spoke.


“Yes,” Artemis nodded, “it is.” Artemis was wearing blue jean shorts, a green hoodie jacket with a winking skull on the back, green and blue sneakers and short, choppy blonde framing her solid black irises which stood out against her pale skin. Although she had slight bags under her eyes she was never a tired person and rather peppy when around Him and other friends; Artemis referred to them as ‘part of her characteristics’. It was certainly
“I wish I dressed up a bit more for today, you’re always so well dressed Him.”



“Thank you Artemis.” Him said, lifting a teacup gently in his claw and drinking. “You are absolutely fine, believe me.”
Artemis blushed slightly, “thanks.”
Her nanocom rang. “Excuse me,” she said answering it. “Hello? I’m kinda busy right now make it quick.” She said.
Ben explained the same thing to Artemis that he did to Susan.
“Mandark really made me angry, why should I help him?”
“Please Artemis? I’ll give you Fusion Matter for your trouble.”
“Why can’t you do it?” She was getting agitated.
“Well because it involves Vilgax and I am trying to avoid having to fight him right now, I’m trying to hold everyone together right now.”



Artemis thought for a second, she was a bit embarassed that her luncheon was interrupted. “Alright fine, I’ll help but I am in the middle of a very nice lunch with someone so I’ll get to you when I get to you. See you soon.” She said, hanging up. Ben sighed, “why are girls so difficult?” he said to himself.
“I am so sorry about that Him,” Artemis apologized over and over, “Ben has a semi-emergency mission for me.” She helped out her Him nano having trouble reaching for a cookie.
“That’s alright Artemis,” Him said. “You need the Fusion Matter.”



Ben was saving the worst, or rather the scariest, for last. He knew Alse. He was scared of her after she nearly killed him over one of the rushed, timed missions in the space port that involved defusing some gooby traps. He shuddered, remembering how cruel she was when screaming at him, but she certainly wasn’t the only one to complain about his missions.



Oh the pain Alse inflicted on Ben, his left arm still tingles when he thinks about it. Ben gulped a bit, he decided he’d suck it up and find the courage to call her. “I hope she isn’t going to be disturbed and get upset…” he said to himself, dialing.
Alse Kai was sitting at the very top of Dexlabs with her legs dangling over the edge, she had her Dexter, Mandark and Utonium nanos sitting in her lap sharing a sandwich slice between them. Her short, choppy silver hair made her blue eyes look brighter than they normally were. She wore a corseted red and black shirt with long, puffy sleeves, a black miniskirt and black knee-high boots. Although it was very warm out at Tech Square, she didn’t feel hot at all. She jumped a bit when she heard her phone ring, she answered it. “…yes?”
Ben sighed, ‘please let this go well,’ he thought to himself. “Hi Alse, it’s-.”
Before he could finish the sentence Alse hung up. “Who was it?” Dexter looked up at her.



“Ben,” she said. Her phone rang again, “Y’ello?”
“Alse don’t hang up!” Ben yelled. Alse hung up again; she’d sooner deal with a feral dog than Ben Tennyson after that hellish mission. Ben was getting angry at playing phone tag with Alse.
Ben decided to try one last time. Alse picked up the phone but didn’t speak into it for a moment.



“Alse! Alse? Alse Kai, are you there?”
“Of course I am here you numbskull! Stop calling me you no-brained dork! I thought I made it clear that I never wanted to see you again or hear from you or I would hunt you down and skin you alive and make myself some really nice moccasins out of your freckled hide!” Alse screamed into the phone. Her sudden screams startled her nanos which huddled together for a moment. “Oh, sorry sweeties,” she said, gently petting their heads.
“It’s about Mandark!” Ben yelled over her.



“Oh,” Alse paused, “that changes everything.” Her tone changed drastically.
Ben sighed and explained why he needed Alse’s help.
“I’ll be right there Ben.” She said, hanging up. “Finish eating guys, we’ve got a dork to save.”

Alse quickly helped her nanos finish eating and left the top of Dexlabs to make her way to the space port. She walked quickly, with her three nanos floating behind her trying to keep up with her fast pace.


“Please slow down for us,” the professor nano begged, “you are going too fast.” Alse slowed down a bit. “Sorry,” she said, “I just want to get this over with.” She gently grabbed Dexter’s cheeks and nuzzled him. “Stop pouting, Dexter.” Dexter smiled, “I feel better now.” Dexter grabbed hold of Alse’s hair and sat on her shoulder, the professor sat on her other shoulder and Alse held Mandark in her arms and continued going. “This is much better!” Mandark said, “I like being carried.”


Alse smiled, she loved spoiling her nanos. In fact, who didn’t? How could you not spoil something so cute and innocent-looking?
Meanwhile, Susan was on the SCAMPER alone with her nanos in her lap, waiting for the pilot to take off. The pilot was a young boy with dark skin and light green eyes, in the KND issued uniform that was green and yellow. “Ready to go?” he asked in a cheery voice. Susan nodded, “Alright let’s take off then!” he said with gusto. Susan’s heart jumped into her throat when the SCAMPER pilot took off at top speed, forcing her back into the seat.



Artemis on the other hand had just finished her tea with Him and made her way to Ben too, sad to have cut their very nice day so short. Artemis looked up to the sky and saw the clouds start to roll in, the same clouds that had just rained on Susan a while earlier in the Twisted Forest.



She took some comfort in knowing that the day would have been ruined anyway by sudden rains. Artemis walked under street awnings to stay dry, holding her Him nano in her arms. “I wonder what these other girls are like.” She said to herself.



Susan arrived first. “Hi spaceboy.” She said waving to him. “Uh, hi Susan, just call me Ben, ok?”
“You got it spaceboy.” She said. Ben sighed, “great, another Alse.” He sat on the edge of the fountain. “Hi Vilgax!” Susan yelled, waving. Vilgax turned around and saw her. “What?! Oh. Hi.” He sort of waved back to Susan.



“I missed ya!” her Dexter nano chirped jumping into Ben’s lap followed by Dee Dee who always traveled with Dexter and then Mandark following Dee Dee. Ben lightly pet the nanos. “Hey there.”
“Do anything cool lately?” Dexter asked.
“Yeah yeah!” Dee Dee chimed. Mandark held Dee Dee’s hand; she didn’t seem to notice.



“No, not really;” Ben said.
“Um, hello.” A soft airy voice suddenly made itself present not too long after Susan arrived. Susan turned around and saw that it was Artemis. “Oh you must be that other girl Ben said was coming. I didn’t see you.”
“I’m Artemis.” She said, lightly blushing and shying away from Susan.



“I’m Susan, but most people call me Sue or ‘Sooz’. I prefer Sue.” Artemis nodded. “Hello!” Artemis’ Him nano waved a little claw at her. Susan eyed Artemis curiously. Something seemed very different about her, almost off or unnatural. Perhaps even ethereal.



“Hey!” Alse yelled moments later, making Artemis jump a bit. Susan’s nanos jumped back into her arms. Ben stood up, “hi, Alse…”
“Don’t talk to me like you know me, got it?” Alse said putting her hand up to Ben’s face. Ben sighed, ‘why am I doing this for Mandark?’ he thought to himself.
“Hi girls you have to be Susan and Artemis. Ben mentioned he wanted me to work with you to save Mandark’s sorry self.”
“Shh!” Ben tried to hush Alse, “if Vilgax hears you...”
“LET HIM HEAR ME!” she hollered, “what are you so scared of huh Benji!?”
“You tell him!” Susan’s Mandark nano cheered. Susan covered his mouth. Artemis felt the back of her neck get hot. ‘What have I gotten myself into?’ she thought.



Vilgax heard the commotion and listened to them carefully, trying not to make it seem like he was listening by facing the other way.
“Stop calling me Benji, Alse!” Ben got flustered and angry.
“Please stop fighting,” Artemis cooed. “It’s unhealthy.” She pet her Him nano gently.



Susan nodded, “listen I hate Ben’s sugary goody-two-shoes guts too but I don’t verbalize it.” Ben was upset a bit more. Two of the three girls hated him; great.
“Ah stay out of it, it’s a personal vendetta.” Alse said, though they were right. “Well how do you want us to save Mandark?”
Ben sighed, “that’s up to you three since you’ll be working together. I hope so, anyway.”
“I have an idea,” said Susan, “but it involves some rope.”

Artemis observed Alse and Susan carefully.
“Are you alright Artemis? I sense some tension.” Him talked to Artemis telepathically. ‘I am alright,’ Artemis thought to Him, ‘I am just trying to figure these two girls out.’
“Alright then,” Him said cheerfully, ‘you know how to reach me.” And with that Him disappeared from Artemis’ thoughts.


“A rope?” Alse questioned. “What exactly do you think we will be doing to Mandark?” Susan shrugged, “He wiggles. We’d have to tie him up real well to keep him from trying to attack Vilgax or Mojo right?” Alse nodded, “I thought we’d just stun him or something and drag him out of there by the ankles.”
“Well as long as we don’t actually hurt any of them it should be fine right?” Artemis said.
“I think you should injure Mandark.” Her Him nano said. “No no, you’re just mad that he made fun of you. We got him back for it, remember?” Her Him nano nodded. “Ah yes, he’ll never mess with us again.”

“I should just go ahead and call Mandark and see what happens.” Susan said taking out her phone. “Let’s see Mandark’s code is 002.” She said to herself, dialing.
Mandark was in his lab working on a sick Dee Dee nano when his phone rang. He answered it, “Yes?”
“Hi Mandark it’s Sooz.”
“Sooz; let me guess: you’d like another mission.” Mandark sighed.
“No no, not today. “ Susan said, switching her phone to speaker, “I wanted to ask you to not go through with this fight you’re planning on with Mojo and Vilgax.”
Mandark stood up straight, “you think I can’t win?”
“Mandark, we know you can’t win.” Alse said.


“Alse? Susan, Am I on speaker?!” Mandark yelled.
“Yes you are,” Susan said, “just listen to us Mandark. We don’t want you to get killed so just apologize to Vilgax.”
“I’m not going alone, Mojo will fight with me.” Mandark said, “besides now I have even more of a reason to fight! I will prove to you ladies that I can take on Vilgax! With Mojo Jojo’s help.”
“Listen to them Mandark,” Susan’s Mandark nano said grabbing the phone, “If you get hurt who will I look up to?”

“Fork it over Mandark!" Susan said reaching for it. Artemis smiled, “that nano is so cute.”


Alse smirked. Susan’s Dee Dee nano floated up to nano Mandark and took the phone.
“Mandark if you die who will make other nanos? I’ll have no one to play with!” She chirped.


Mandark’s heart flustered, “Dee Dee my love.” He said longingly.

Artemis saw out of the corner of her eye Ben face palmed so hard he left a red mark on his forehead.


“This is a disaster,” Ben said, “I should have just broken up the fight myself.”
“Dee Dee I will prove to you how strong I am by defeating Vilgax! In your honor!” Mandark triumphantly yelled into his phone, even striking a heroic pose even though no one could see.
Susan hung up the phone. “Yes, this calls for rope. Lots of it.”

“So we need rope. What else?” Artemis questioned.
“My idea is to stun him, tie him up like a piglet and drag him out of there before Vilgax unhinges his face and eats him alive.” Susan said.


“And then what?” Susan’s Dexter nano questioned. “Leave him on top of Dexlabs!” Alse’s Dexter said.
Alse hugged her nano a bit tighter, “I like how you think!”
Vilgax was listening closely. ‘Hmm,’ he thought to himself, ‘this means I may have to fight three more earthling girls, this will be a slaughter.’
“Just leave him in front of his house.” Artemis suggested.



“That’s what I was thinking. I should go to the hardware store and buy some rope or something.” Susan said. “Duct tape is cheaper and faster to work with.” Alse’s Mandark chirped. “Besides the only way he could get out of duct tape is if he licked it.”
Susan looked at Alse’s nano puzzled. “How does licking duct tape do anything?”


“The enzymes in your saliva easily dissolve the glue on duct tape and you can break free from the tape with little effort. It’s genius!” Mandark raised his little arms.
“Interesting…” Artemis said. Susan nodded.
“They are planning on fighting tomorrow at noon. You have some time.” Ben said.
“Oh I have an idea,” Artemis said, “Why don’t we just go to Mojo’s place and Mandark’s place and stop them before they leave?”


“They can warp, they have unlimited warp satellite abilities.” Ben said.
“Huh,” Susan said, “I thought everyone could only warp once a day.”
“Dexter and Mandark own the warp satellites; they can use them as much as they like Sue.” Ben said in an agitated tone, “and so the guides. Guides have top priority when warping too.”


“Darn,” Artemis said, “so there’s no real nipping this in the bud.” Susan shook her head.
“Well let’s go get the duct tape! We’re wasting time!” Alse said. “We should get at least two rolls! Maybe three! Like Susan said, Mandark is a wiggler.”
Artemis nodded, “let’s go then.” Alse led the way to the hardware store nearby.



Mandark went back to work in the surgery lab. After taking off his cape he moved the Dee Dee nano onto a soft, rubber-lined pan on a large marble laboratory bench. Mandark put on black rubber gloves and a red laboratory apron and large goggles over his glasses. He was preparing for nano surgery. “This won’t hurt you at all.” He said soothingly to the nano.



“I’m scared Mandark; I want to go back to my owner.” Dee Dee whined, on the verge of crying. Nanos hated being away from their owners; and their owners hated being away from their nanos. There was this sick, empty feeling inside the pit of your soul if you were separated. The longer you were separated the harder it was to continue living. Mandark put a white mask over his nose and mouth. “I promise you will be fine.” A Mandroid wheeled up to Mandark holding a silver pan with operation tools and needles sitting neatly together. Mandark placed the silver pan next to the nano. He carefully removed her tiny clothes and set them aside folded neatly. Nanos were completely genderless, almost like rag dolls. He picked up a syringe full of a red, sparkly liquid.
“What’s that?” Dee Dee asked. “It’s going to put you to sleep so you don’t feel any pain.” He prepped the syringe by holding it up and removing the little bit of air that stubbornly occupied the needle.



“I’m scared! I don’t want to do this!” Dee Dee cried, it was breaking Mandark’s heart. He gently stroked her hair, turning her head to the side exposing her tiny neck. “I’m sorry my love.” He pushed the needle into her neck and slowly injected the liquid while holding Dee Dee down who was wiggling trying to get free and attack. In less than a moment, Dee Dee was unconscious. Mandark picked up a scalpel and gently made an incision down Dee Dee’s small stomach and held it open with his fingers. The refined Fusion Matter nanos were made of felt extremely hot to the touch, and it started to get uncomfortable for Mandark to touch even though he was wearing thick, tough gloves. Nanos had no internal organs aside from eyes, lung-like organs and tongues, and were full of semi-solid Fusion Matter. Although they were a craft of science; nanos were also partially magical. They didn’t need to eat either, they just required love to survive.



Mandark was distressed, he couldn’t figure out what was wrong with the nanos and neither could Dexter. Lately, some nanos have started to become weak, unresponsive or just die suddenly when not in battle. X-rays proved nothing and neither did all other uninvasive tests done on the nanos. Mandark took a small sample of the refined Fusion Matter and set it into a test tube and closed it with a rubber stopper. Mandark gave the test tube to the waiting Mandroid. “Have this scanned by the central computer.” He commanded. “Yes, sir.” The Mandroid said automatically and wheeled off with the tube.



Mandark looked over the nano’s insides and saw nothing foreign or unusual. He picked up the suture supplies and gently sewed Dee Dee up, she healed nearly instantly. He took off his gloves, redressed and carried the sleeping nano to a small pink bed he prepared earlier. He set her in the bed and covered her in a blanket. He carried the bed over to his desk in a far away, quiet room and gently set it down. He took off his surgical supplies and handed it to another Mandroid which quickly wheeled it off to be incinerated. Mandark sat in his desk’s chair. He took out his phone and called the owner of the nano. The owner of the nano didn’t pick up but Mandark left a message.



“Green Uno this is Mandark; your nano has successfully survived the surgery and the data from the Fusion Matter is being processed. I will call you back with the results.” Mandark hung up his phone and put it back into his pocket. Mandark grew annoyed when he realized he left his cape in the surgery room, he didn’t want to leave the nano alone although he felt naked without the cape. He looked over at the sleeping nano, breathing quietly snuggled under the little pink blanket.



Mandark didn’t know if he wanted to smile or cry when looking at the tiny version of the girl he was hopelessly in love with. He decided he would pamper and care for the little nano until the owner came to pick her up. He would’ve given anything to have his own Dee Dee nano, but he didn’t have the spark to bond with one, and it would just die within twenty-four hours of it's creation.

The three girls made their way to a small, cramped hardware store. The room was full of electric and metal things. Small boxes of nails were haphazardly leaning against each other like lazy protestors on shelves that were crookedly installed along the walls. The store’s lights were off but the door was unlocked, it was sunny enough outside to let enough light creep into the tiny windows. Hammers were left in a pile next to the counter. The aisles were short and narrow, and over-stuffed with supplies.
“This place is obsolete,” Susan’s Dexter said. “I see no hydraulics or anything remotely modern.” He complained. “We just want duct tape; we’re not planning on rebuilding Mandark as some kind of elite cyborg thing.” Alse’s Dexter said. Alse coughed, “the dust is aggravating my nose; and I don’t think anyone’s been in this place in a while actually.”
Artemis found some dusty rolls of duct tape and picked them up. “What color?”
“Ooh! Go for the red one!” her Him nano chirped cheerfully, “I like the red ones best.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Susan said, “just get the thickest rolls.” Susan made her way behind the counter. “Hello is anyone here?” She called. She opened the cash register, money was in it untouched and the register wasn’t locked.
“I smell death,” Alse’s professor nano said, the first thing he said in a long time. “Where?” Alse questioned. Susan and Artemis got nervous. “It’s…” the professor said getting up and floating toward a door that looked like a closet. It had a worn-out looking poster of a kitten dangling from a clothes line with the words ‘hang in there’ written in bold letters. “It’s back there.” He pointed.
“I don’t smell anything except dust,” Alse said.
“Me neither,” said Artemis. Susan held onto her nanos tighter. “Who will open the door?” Artemis asked.
“I’ll do it,” Susan said, “I can do it.” She tried to open the door but it was locked. Susan looked at the door knob. “It’s locked from the inside.” She knocked on the door a bit, there was no answer. Susan took out her black handgun. “What are you doing?” Alse said. “I’m shooting the handle off.” Susan said, “Now back up please.” Susan held the gun in front of her pointed down and backed up from the closet door herself a bit. Artemis backed up with Alse about eight feet from Susan, their nanos followed. “I’m going to fire.” Susan’s nanos floated behind her back and waited. “Three…two…one…” She fired one bullet at the door knob, the knob easily fell off and the door creaked open toward them. Susan put the safety back on and returned the weapon to her jacket’s inside pocket. Susan’s Dexter nano floated up and laid up against the back of her head holding her hair. Her Mandark and Dee Dee nanos retreated into her jacket, hugging each other in fear.
Artemis and Alse walked up to Susan. “Ten Taro says there’s nothing in there.” Alse said, now holding her nanos closely. Artemis was holding her Him nano snuggly staying back.
Susan pushed the door open with her foot.
Artemis gasped and turned away from the closet.

Behind the door was an old man in an empty but small closet, hanging from some rope by the neck and a turned over chair behind him. His body was mostly rotted away, with some bits left on the floor.
Susan coughed, “why couldn’t we smell this earlier?” she gagged, “this is awful.”
“Look!” Susan’s Dexter pointed out, “there is some thick cloth in front of the door. It looks like he placed it there to block the smell.”
“Must’ve been because of the invasion,” Alse said, moving toward Artemis. Susan shut the door. “Take the tape, I’ll call the police.”

STTH 7

Artemis felt Him’s presence in her mind again. Though very far away Him could sense her disgust and fear. Telepathically Him asked Artemis if she was alright in a soothing tone. ‘I’m ok,’ Artemis thought to Him. She did not want him to worry about her. Him left Artemis’ mind again to give her privacy back.
“Do we pay for the duct tape we take? I don’t think he has family if he wasn’t found until now either.” Alse asked, picking up at least six rolls of tape, “I might take a hammer too.” Susan was more curious about the doorknob. “What kind of closet locks from the inside?” She questioned. Artemis had the answer, “well this is a hardware store and he could have changed the knob at any time easily. Maybe he didn’t want any of his family or customers to find him.”


“Or the aliens,” Alse said. “That’s probably what it was since he blocked the door so the smell wouldn’t seep out.” Susan nodded. “That is so creepy,” Susan’s little Dee Dee nano said poking her head out of the top of the jacket. Mandark nuzzled her, “I will protect you so don’t worry.” Dee Dee smiled and nuzzled him back.
“Your nanos are so cute. I can’t get my Dee Dee to sit still even when she’s with Dexter. She also doesn’t let Mandark near her.” Alse said. “I’m not sure why mine are different,” Susan said, “I think it’s just a fluke they stick together like that.”
“Should we call the police now?” Artemis asked. “Oh, right,” Susan said, taking out her phone. She dialed 911 and soon two male officers came. The larger police officer was very tall and very fat. He was bald with dark brown skin and wore dark sunglasses that he didn’t take off even when inside the building. The other officer was short and fat with pale skin spotted with freckles and he had greasy brown hair and green eyes. The two officers looked to be around their late thirties in age.
The officers took down the girls’ information. Considering the man was dead for a while the police let Alse take the tape for free. The questioning went on for a little while. Both of the Dexter and Mandark nanos were more than happy to pretend to be crime scene investigators using large words to try and describe what they believe happened. It was rather cute.


“Alright ladies we’ll take care of this. Go ahead and take the tape you need. Woo that is one nasty stank.” The darker officer said, fanning the air from his nose. In all honesty the smell wasn’t so bad, the officer just wanted to lift the mood. Alse nodded, she didn’t say a word to the officers. “Thank you,” Artemis said, leaving with Susan and Alse and their respective nanos. Artemis sighed; “that was depressing,” she said. Susan nodded in agreement. “This invasion has destroyed so many lives, I don’t know of anyone who may have benefited from it in any way.” Alse said.
Artemis thought for a moment, she really didn’t lose anything. She lived with Him for most of her life as his adopted assistant. He wasn’t her step-father and yet she was much more important to him than a pet or an employee. It was a situation that was very difficult to explain. She didn’t know how to feel. The pit of her stomach churned. It could have been the tea and cookies she had earlier or maybe the dead body she saw or maybe it was just the anxiety Alse and Susan were creating in the atmosphere around her. It was probably a combination of all of the above.
It was quiet for a while as the girls were walking back to the space port fountain where Ben was waiting. Vilgax was pacing back and forth trying to think of the best way to utterly destroy Mojo’s and Mandark’s unworthy existences. When the girls got back to Ben they explained what they saw. Ben shook his head and moved his bangs out of his face with his hand, “that’s sad,” he said. Artemis’ Him nano was sitting on her shoulder lightly gripping her hair in his claw to stay put and not fall off. Even though he could float on his own, he preferred to hold onto a part of her.


Ben leaned in closer to the girls being careful not to get too close to Alse. “When Vilgax leaves his perch I’ll call you three and let you know to come down here,” he whispered. Vilgax knew exactly what they were doing. In fact, Ben not leaving the fountain was rather idiotic of him; but at the same time Ben could not leave the space port under any circumstances. He was stuck between a rocket and a hard place.
The girls agreed to that and left going their separate ways on some long but quiet trips home. Alse had a small apartment near Dexlabs in Technology Square, Susan lived in a log cabin that overlooked the bluffs and Artemis lived in Him’s mansion in Pokey Oaks north. Alse’s apartment was extremely clean and neat, everything was in perfect place and not one speck of dust dare fall down on any of her property lest it desires to meet a terrible fate involving Windex. Him’s mansion was very huge building with a mostly demonic motif, yet it was cozy and inviting. Susan’s cabin was very bare and the only furniture was a small bed and a dresser. Not ten minutes after the girls got settled Ben called them. They each stepped outside their homes and warped to Ben. The sun was setting and the air was getting colder.
A beam of light flashed from the sky and digitized the girls and shot them back down from space next to Ben. Susan fell over into Alse, dizzy from the experience. “I hate warping,” Susan said. Alse caught Susan and pushed her back onto her feet. Alse had a black backpack on. Artemis landed gracefully. “Hurry if you can, I just saw Mandark warp here and enter.” Ben said nervously. “And I was just getting settled in,” Artemis said a little sadly. The girls went into the infected zone. The zone was full of rockets covered in nasty goo, and monsters that were just as vicious as they were relentless. “Let’s group,” Alse said, holding out her nanocom phone. Artemis and Susan did the same. They tapped their phones together and that grouped them. Ben was able to call them all at the same time on their phones using the speaker function. “Go to the very back of the zone and you’ll see the door to the weapons vault. When you get there I’ll give you the code to open the door,” Ben said. The girls bounced and jumped and climbed their way through the insane zone. Susan nearly fell to her death at least twice. “I hate Ben, I hate Ben,” she kept repeating over and over.


After about twenty agonizing minutes they arrived at the door. “Ok Benji, what’s the code?” Alse asked demandingly. Ben sighed, “It’s 449-332-534-0.” He wasn’t about to challenge Alse at the moment.
Meanwhile, Green Uno was nearby and just got the message from Mandark. He tried to call Mandark back but he wasn’t answering. Green used the built-in tracker to find Mandark and followed him to the Infected Zone. Green thought it was very strange that Mandark would want to meet Green there with his Dee Dee nano but he understood that Mandark was a little off-center so accepted it.
The girls went inside the weapons vault which was surprisingly huge. All sorts of delicious-looking weapons lined the walls on their racks. Mandark was going for the large gun because he believed bigger was better. Mojo Jojo was with Mandark preparing his own choice of weapons, but Vilgax was nowhere to be seen.
“Hey!” Alse yelled, making Mandark jump. “What are you girls doing here? I thought this fight was just between Mandark, Vilgax and I!” Mojo yelled. Without skipping a beat, Susan ordered her Mandark nano to stun them both. The little nano jumped up in front of her and yelled his battle cry, “Mandarkness!” a black cloud with red electrical bolts formed around Mandark and Mojo, paralyzing them. Artemis and Alse took the duct tape and quickly taped them both up tightly. Mandark snapped out of the paralysis and found it hard to breathe under the tape. “Hey!” he began to yell, but Alse stifled him by taping over his mouth. Mandark wiggled trying to get free. Mojo struggled under the tape, “what is this nonsense!?” he hollered. Ben chimed in over the girls’ nanocoms, “get them out of there now if you’re ready! You don’t want Vilgax to ambush you.”


Susan took her gun out and loaded it, holding it in front of her but downwards. She was extremely nervous, Vilgax was not one to be messed with but she wasn’t about to let her guide or Mandark get killed so stupidly. “You know,” Alse said to Mandark, “I like you much better taped up. It’s nice and quiet.” Artemis giggled, a little nervously.
Suddenly the door to the vault opened and Susan saw something green out of the corner of her eye and turned and fired. “Woah!” yelled a young, masculine voice. The bullet missed by an inch. It was a young man with pale skin, bright green hair and eyes and he was dressed in black and green clothing. He had four long, green tentacles that came out of his back writhing in the air. The left side of his face was half covered with metal over the cheek and eye, it was a cybernetic implant. “I’m unarmed!” he said, it was a total lie. “What’s going on here?” he said holding his arms up a bit. “I am sorry,” Susan said, “I thought you were Vilgax. I’m never this jumpy.” She lowered her gun. “It’s ok,” Green said, walking in. “I guess this isn’t where I’m supposed to be to pick up my nano. What’s going on?”


Alse looked the boy over curiously. “I’m Artemis, this is Susan and Alse. We’re here to save Mandark and Mojo from Vilgax. They upset him, called him ugly.” Artemis’ Him nano nuzzled her arm affectionately, making Artemis smile and relieve a bit of her stress. “Oh, “ Green said.
Him was sitting on his pink and black couch watching the events on his television with delight. “Oh how delightful!” he said in a cheery voice, “I do so love seeing that brat taped down in agony.” Him hated Mandark with a passion for insulting the nano crafted in Him’s perfect image. He was carefully watching Artemis to make sure she was alright. He couldn’t go with her on every mission she had, but he did pop in during emergencies to save her. “Now where is that awful Vilgax?” Him said to himself, using his demonic powers to look around the room of the weapons vault and the Infected Zone searching for Vilgax. “I know I saw him enter the zone so where could he be?” Him’s voice took a demonic twist. “Ah, there is that scum,” he said to himself. Him gently entered into Artemis’ mind. “Vilgax is hiding in the ventilation above you, be prepared.” Artemis nodded and backed up a bit. “He’s above us,” she whispered. Vilgax heard her and came crashing down from the ceiling and lunged at Susan, flinging her into a wall before she could fire. She hit the wall and hard and was knocked out. Her Dee Dee nano was still in her coat with Dexter and poked their heads out trying to wake her up. Her Mandark nano floated to her and sat on her head checking for serious injuries. Green jumped when Vilgax crashed down and attempted to catch Susan but he didn’t make it in time.
“You pathetic human children are no match for me!” Vilgax yelled. “You made my job easier by taping these two down.” Mandark panicked and tried to wiggle away from Vilgax toward the door. Vilgax turned to go after Artemis next and that’s when Him stepped in. “I don’t think so Vilgax…” Him said in a sweet, taunting voice. Him appeared in the air filling the room with demonic pink clouds and immediately attacked Vilgax with his large claws. “You!” Vilgax yelled, turning to hit Him, who gracefully dodged. “Why are you defending these awful children?” Vilgax grabbed a gun off the wall and attempted to hit Him. Him used his demonic powers to invade Vilgax’s mind and set him into a temporary coma. Artemis blushed and went over to Him. “Thank you,” she said sweetly. Him put a claw around her shoulder, “don’t mention it,” he said, “I wouldn’t let you get hurt by that disgusting brute!”
Green gently picked up Susan, “I think she’s got a concussion,” he said, “I’ll take her to the hospital.”

Stth 8

Green thought that Susan was a bit heavy for a girl her size but it was not as if he couldn’t carry her and the hospital was close by. Him disappeared with Artemis leaving Alse to drag out Mojo and Mandark by herself. Alse’s little nanos attempted to help her drag Mandark but it was useless, they were too little so instead they floated behind her. Green, being chivalrous, picked up Mojo in his tentacles and held him on his back because Mandark was lighter. “Sorry I can’t carry all of them,” he said to Alse.
Alse stayed silent but nodded dragging Mandark by his collar in a way that would hurt him as much as possible. Mandark was moaning in pain and wiggling under the tape desparately trying to get free. Mojo was just calmly biding his time and fury for when he did get free. “Why are they taped down?” Green asked, leading Alse to a safe shortcut in the zone that didn’t require them to jump over or on anything.


Alse was quiet for a moment, “there was no other way we could get them out safely. Plus it’s fun and they deserve it and the tape was free.” Green smirked a bit; he liked her type of humor. Alse’s nanos giggled a bit. Susan’s nanos were sitting in her jacket crying a little, worried that their human would die. Susan’s little Dexter nano kept his ear pressed to her chest to keep track of her heartbeat.
Ben was waiting anxiously by the fountain pacing back and forth. He got a bit excited in a bad way when he saw Alse coming from the distance inside the zone but was unsure who the green male was and why he was holding Susan and Mojo Jojo. He was also wondering why Artemis wasn’t with them and assumed the worst. Alse ran up to Ben and tossed Mandark at him. “There, mission complete. I’ll take my Fusion Matter and taro now, and don’t skimp on it!”Alse demanded. Ben took out his phone and wired Alse the taro and Fusion Matter from his taro and Matter bank accounts. Alse’s phone beeped with the transaction amounts. “Thanks,” she said walking off. “Wait, where’s Artemis and what happened to Susan?” Ben questioned, calling out to Alse who walked off with her nanos in her arms ignoring Ben the whole time.


Green explained what happened in the weapons vault to Ben. “I have to take her to the hospital.” He was thankful the hospital was directly next to the space port. Ben nodded, “thanks,” he said. Green gently set Mojo down next to Mandark and calmly walked into the hospital with Susan in his arms. He noticed the large hospital was rather empty which was surprising because of the invasion. He brought Susan up to the counter where a bored-looking blonde nurse with dark brown skin was filing her nails. She sat up when she saw Green and rushed from behind her counter with a gurney.


“What happened?” The tall, curvy nurse asked. “She was thrown against the wall, I have to go now.” Green placed Susan on the gurney and left. The unnamed nurse quickly wheeled Susan into the emergency room to be examined. The doctors cut Susan out of her clothes to inspect her body for any injuries and redressed her into blue and white scrubs. They moved her nanos and personal items like her phone out of the way and set them in a plastic basket in the corner of the examination room. The doctors shined a bright little flashlight into Susan’s eyes to check for brain damage. Because both of her pupils shrunk there was no evidence of brain damage and ruled the injury as a mild concussion and brought her and her nanos to a recovery room.
Meanwhile Green made his way back to Ben and the other boys who were still taped up. Green cut them free from the tape with his tentacles. “Finally!” Mojo hollered and warped away. Green released Mandark from his bindings. “I want my nano now, please.” Green asked sternly but politely. Mandark stretched a bit, he was achy from being bound so tight for so long and his arms were asleep. “Alright fine,” he said, “I’ll warp back to my lab first then you can warp to me.”


“Sure,” Green said. Mandark warped away to outside his lab door and called Green to let him know it was fine to warp. Green did so and landed safely and entered the lab with Mandark.
Mandark was angry that the girls broke up his fight with Vilgax. It was a real chance for him to prove something. He was also a little upset that he wouldn’t be taking care of the little Dee Dee nano anymore. “You put her in her own bed?” Green asked curiously. “Any form of Dee Dee deserves the best care and treatment and luxuries available Mr. Uno.” The little Dee Dee nano was curled up sleeping in the bed but woke up when she heard Green’s voice and excitedly floated to him. Green smiled, “I missed you.”
“I missed you more!” Dee Dee shouted. Mandark cleared his throat, “the testing of the matter inside her hasn’t given me any solid results yet. I will continue to study it until then. Now go.” Mandark shooed Green and the nano out.


Susan’s nanos were clicking her phone looking for someone to call to tell them she was hurt. “I say we call her uncle Lou.” Dexter said, hitting the buttons with his tiny hands. Lou’s number was down at the bottom of Susan’s list. “Ok, so call him.” Mandark said. Dexter hit the call button. Lou was standing in his Toiletnator costume at the Camp Kidney gate next to May Kanker and one of Mojo’s minions. Toiletnator picked up his phone and answered in his strained, cracky voice, “Toiletnator here!”
“Hi Lou,” Dexter said calmly, “Susie’s in the hospital.” Lou’s heart nearly jumped out of his chest into his throat. “What happened? Why? Which hospital! I’m on my way!” he accidentally hung up due to the shock. “He hung up!” Dexter said, calling him back.
“Hello?” Lou said.
“Why’d you hang up?” Dexter asked.
“Sorry! I just got so nervous…wait is this her nano or the actual Dexter?”
“Her nano. We’re at the hospital at the space port. Vilgax threw her into a wall and knocked her out but the doctors said she’ll be ok.” Dexter said.
Susan opened her eyes and sat up. “Oh my god I have the worst headache…where am I?”
“Susie!” her Dee Dee nano exclaimed and floated to her and hugged her neck tight. “Dee Dee!” Mandark yelled floating after her. “Susan’s awake!” Dexter said into the phone. “Tell her I’m on my way!” Lou said. “I’m going to go save my niece! I’ll be right back!” Lou yelled at May Kanker.
“Uh, okay.” May said. “Hey Toiletnator if you see Ed tell him I said hi!”
“Will do, May!” Lou yelled, running off on the road going to Foster’s home.

Stth 9

Lou forgot to hang up his cell phone as he was running down the hard, beaten dirt road to Foster’s and instead just shoved it back into his belt’s little compartments. Susan was in a panic. She woke up in a hospital in scrubs with needles in her veins, a heart monitor on her finger and now heard her uncle Lou was on his way. She quickly disconnected the heart monitor and took out the needles, nearly passing out. Susan was deathly afraid of needles and hated them with a passion that could outshine the sun. Her whole body was achy from being thrown so hard against the wall, let alone her screaming headache. She grabbed her nanos in her arms and looked for a way out. She looked and saw there was a window and tried to open it, but it was sealed completely shut and she was five stories off the ground. She could make the jump easily with Dexter as her rocket nano, but she couldn’t get outside without breaking the window.


When she took off the heart monitor it sent a silent alarm to the nurses in the office nearby and they calmly walked to Susan’s room. Susan saw them out of the corner of her eye and turned to them.
A young, tall, pale-skinned female nurse with green stripes in her long black hair came in with her hands on her hips. She spoke in a deep voice, “what are you doing?”
“I need to get out of here,” Susan said in a rush, “I have to.”
“No,” the nurse said going over to Susan, “you need to get back in that bed and wait for the doctor to discharge you.” Susan was panicking; she shoved the nurse over and ran for the door. The floor was cold and Susan was running barefoot down the long, empty hall way. She found her way to a dark staircase because taking the elevator would be too slow. She was in a lot of pain but swallowed it and ran as fast as she could down the stairs trying to get out of the hospital before Lou got there.


“Dexter why did you call Lou?!” Susan asked angrily. “I’m sorry! He’s your only family I didn’t know who else to call!” Dexter said sadly; he hated to be yelled at. The nurse went over and called security which promptly went to catch Susan. Two beefy, tall men one with dark features and light skin and one with dark skin and light features both dressed in black suits observed the security camera feeds from the main desk in the lobby on small TVs and figured out where Susan was. They both got up and ran to that stairwell and ran up the stairs hoping to cut her off. Susan heard them coming and looked over the banister of the stairwell and saw the two men running up after her. She immediately got her Mandark nano ready to stun them. “Run back up!” her Dee Dee nano cried.
The darker security officer took out a small syringe full of a mild tranquilizer from the inside of his blazer and uncapped it and ran after Susan. He lunged after her and pulled her down, injecting the needle right into her lower back. She froze when she felt the needle enter her skin. Her heart was beating so fast it felt like it was going to explode in her chest and kill her instantly. She couldn’t breathe; her nanos were crying telling her to run, feeling her paralyzing fear. The tranquilizer kicked in quickly, subduing her in less than a moment’s time and she passed out.


Meanwhile Artemis was watching this happen on Him’s television with him. “I am so worried about her,” Artemis said, “and her uncle is the Toiletnator?” Him nodded, he knew more about every villain and villain-wannabe than they did themselves. “It’s really a pity. He is her last living family as well.” Him said in a sad but sickly sweet tone. Him summoned up a red box of dark chocolate bon bons nestled in their own frilly little pink wrappings and offered some to Artemis, “would you like a bon bon?”
“Sure, thank you.” Artemis said smiling, taking a bon bon with her slim fingers and pressing it to her lips enjoying it melting in her mouth slowly, savoring every tid bit. To her, Him’s bon bons were magical. “This is like a really bad soap opera. I am almost expecting this Susan girl to have an evil twin sister or something tacky.” Him said, enjoying a bon bon himself. “Did Ben ever wire you your Fusion Matter and taro?” Him asked Artemis. Artemis looked at her phone and checked her accounts, “looks like he just did.” She said, changing the TV channel to something more light-hearted; but was relieved to see that Susan was alive.
Alse on the other hand had just gotten out of the shower with her nanos dressed in pajamas and was getting ready to relax for the rest of the day and watch some science fiction television; particularly a show about a time traveling doctor with a confusing last name. She grabbed a bag of potato chips and dropped it into a large bowl so that she and her nanos could share it easily.


Lou ran past Foster’s home and waved when he saw Frankie, she reluctantly waved back, unsure about what he was doing. Lou was way out of shape, panting hard and had to stop and lean against the Foster’s fence. “I need to find a faster way there,” he said to himself. Lou took out his phone, “maybe I can warp to her…ack! I never shut off my phone! The bill is going to be crazy this month!” He panicked to himself. He saw that her phone was on and available, so he could warp to her. “Why didn’t I think of this sooner?” he said to himself, preparing to warp. That bright light came down from the sky and warped Lou to outside the hospital since the warp satellites couldn’t put people through solid objects yet. Lou walked inside the hospital and up to the front desk where the blonde nurse was and looked at Lou oddly. “Can I help you?”
“I’m looking for a Susan Jerry Silverbullet,” Lou said casually. The nurse raised an eyebrow and looked up Susan’s information in the logbook. “Are you related to her?”
“Yes I am her uncle.” The nurse thought to herself, ‘boy I feel sorry for her.’
She cleared her throat “She is in room 15 on floor three at the moment. You can go see her.”
“Thank you!” Lou yelled, running off to find the room. The nurse shook her head, “Villains these days. When I was a kid being a villain meant something.” Lou quietly went to the room, unsure if Susan was awake or not and poked his head in smiling. His smile turned into a frown when he saw she was restrained to the bed by thick, heavy-looking binds. Her nanos were sitting at the foot of the bed. Susan was drowsy but awake and looked up when she saw him move into the room. “Uncle Lou?” She asked the figure which was a blue and yellow blur. He moved closer to her and sat in a chair next to the bed.


“Yeah it’s me. Who did this to you?” Lou asked sternly but quietly, “I’m gonna kill ‘em.”
“The doctors,” Susan said weakly, “I heard you were coming and tried to get out and I got a tranquilizer to the tush. They think the concussion made me act funny.”
“What? Why?” He sounded a bit hurt.
“You drive me nuts,” she said, “and don’t really fix anything.” She wasn’t going to lie to him. He was used to that kind of treatment even from family.
“Who put you in the hospital? I’m gonna clog their toilets so bad they’ll never know what happened!”
“Vilgax.”
“Oh! Uh…” Lou stammered, “karma will get him then and it will get him good!” Lou was not going to mess with Vilgax, though it made him angry to see his only niece like this. “Why did he do this?”
Susan explained the story, “you risked your life for Mandark? I thought you were smarter than that,” Lou said, “Didn’t the KND teach you anything?”
Susan was waking up a bit more, “I don’t remember, I was decommissioned five years ago according to you.” Her little nanos were listening to the conversation but kept quiet because it wasn’t their business. “Tell me about when I was an operative again?”
“You were the cutest,” Lou said smiling a bit, “you were Numbah 107.86,”
“The atomic weight for silver…”
“Yep! You ran around with your little lime pop gun shooting the bad guys with it and you used to carry this old blue bunny with ears that were too long with you everywhere you went; even on tough missions.”
“And then what?”
“You grew up and they decommissioned you and then you found out about me remember? You were my sidekick Flush Girl!”
Susan sighed, “those were the days.”

huzzah it's flush girl!

Stth 10

“Too bad I didn’t have any real powers.” Susan said, “I don’t really want to be a villain though.”
“Aw, but it’s fun being a villain!” Lou said smiling.
“I don’t want to be a hero either.”
“Then what do you want to be?”
“Nothing; but Father keeps pressuring me into becoming some kind of villainess after the war is over. I’m just not interested.” She sighed, lightly tugging against the restraints. “I want out of here so bad.”
“I can get you out.” Lou said hopefully.
“I’ll just get in trouble again. I think they want to keep me overnight cause of my ‘erratic behavior’.” She signed a bit, “I wish Ashley was here to talk to the doctors.”
“Why can’t I do it?”
“You’re wearing a toilet seat as a necklace; they won’t take you seriously.”
“How can anyone not take a villain seriously?”
“You’re not a serious villain.”
“I am so a serious villain!” Lou said triumphantly.


“You make Mandark look competent.” Susan frowned and so did Lou. “Is that really how you feel?” Lou asked. Susan nodded. “There’s a reason mom didn’t want Ashley and I around you. She thought you were a freak. Remember how mad she got when she found out that I was Flush Girl? She nearly killed you.”
“It’s a good thing Mary was a horrible shot…” Lou said sadly. He knew how much the Silverbullet side of the family hated him. It was hard being in a family that made it perfectly clear that you weren’t wanted. Lou didn’t tell any of the family he was the Toiletnator, they found out after Susan got hurt in a fight against the Kids Next Door and had to go to the hospital for a broken arm, a painful compound fracture. It was Numbah 2 who dealt that blow, and Susan still hasn’t forgiven him for it.
“I think I still fit into that costume too,” Susan said, still thinking about it. “It was fun up until Numbah 2 broke my arm so badly the bone stuck out of the skin.” Her arm tingled just mentioning it. That was some serious pain.
“I never wanted you to get hurt Suzie,” Lou said while taking off his mask to reveal shaggy, dirty blonde hair and brown eyes.
“I know, but one little accident exploded into a lifetime of pain. I’m still not allowed anywhere near the KND tree house and if I do go near it I am usually kicked off the edge or attacked in some way. High school was a nightmare…should I go on?”
Lou shook his head, “no, I-I understand Suzie,” it felt like he swallowed a rock, he was trying to choke back tears. He rubbed the corner of one of his eyes with a fist. Villains have feelings too, even if they’re supposed to hide them.


“You should leave now,” Susan said. Her heart felt heavy, like it was made of lead and was going to crush her lungs. “I’m falling asleep, I’ll call you when I am out of the hospital.” she lied through her teeth. Lou nodded, “ok, if that’s what you want Suzie.” He said, lightly petting the top of her head; that made her feel like she was a child again. “Thanks for coming by Uncle Lou.” She said softly. Lou put his Toiletnator mask back on and waved goodbye to Susan and her nanos and sadly left the hospital.


“He’s the last of your family, you should appreciate him more.” Susan’s little Dexter nano said. “It’s hard to appreciate someone that embarrasses you constantly, Dex.”
“I guess you’ll understand me when you’re older or you lose him.” Dexter shrugged. “What do you mean ‘lose him’?” Susan asked.
“I mean when he dies.”
“It won’t be any time soon, I assure you.”
“Still, don’t take him for granted.” Dexter nagged.


The blonde nurse with dark skin came in with a little clip board with her. “Ah, you’re awake and calm. It looks like you’re doing much better and you can leave the hospital tomorrow morning. You just have to have someone in your family come pick you up.” She said sweetly.
“My only family is the Toiletnator, can’t someone else come get me?” Susan asked.
“No, I’m sorry. You’ll have to have him bring you clothes too. You can’t leave in our scrubs.” The nurse said.
Susan sighed, “alright I’ll call him, thank you.”
“I’ll be bringing you your food soon so sit tight,” the nurse said walking off.
“She tells me to sit tight and I’m restrained to the bed…Dexter can you float over to the counter and get my phone please?”


Dexter did so and came back with it. “Please call Lou and put the phone to my ear.” Dexter did so but had to hold the phone with both hands. Lou heard his phone ring and picked it up, he was barely outside the hospital. “Hello?”
“Hi Uncle Lou, it’s me.” Susan sighed.
“What’s wrong?” Lou said nervously. “Nothing at all, I just need you to do me a favor. They won’t let me leave the hospital on my own tomorrow so you’ll have to escort me. They also cut up my really rare leather Racer D jacket and I’m mad about that; anyway could you please stop by my new house and grab a set of clothes for me? I have my shoes but nothing else.”
“Sure!” Lou said cheerfully, “where’s your house?”
“It’s cabin two near the bluffs, just outside the Hani-Baba ruins.”
“What time should I pick you up tomorrow?” It made him feel good to be needed again.
“Uh…” Susan said, “Around maybe, noon-ish time?” she shrugged. She looked over at the foot of the bed and saw Dee Dee and Mandark snuggling and she couldn’t help but smile at it. “Thanks again. Oh, the door’s never locked so you don’t have to worry about that.”
“You don’t lock your door?” Lou asked curiously. “No, no one goes out there.” Susan said.
Ben looked over and saw Lou talking on his phone excitedly, and wasn’t sure what to make of it but since it was Toiletnator he ignored him. “Ok ok,” Lou said hurriedly, “I’ll go and get your stuff now.”
“Thank you so much,” Susan thought for a moment, “love you, Uncle Lou.” She said and nodded to Dexter who hung up the phone before Lou could respond. He was filled with joy hearing Susan say that. Susan looked over at her Dexter nano who was smiling, “You’re learning.” He said.

Stth 11

Mandark was in his robotics lab recovering from the fight that never happened. He was a bit achy from the tape so he took an aspirin with some water. He was very annoyed with the whole situation. He was also agitated that he no longer had a Dee Dee nano near him. “Mandroid 50-D, bring me a grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of cold milk, now!” he ordered the Mandroid next to him. “Right away sir,” it said and sped off to the kitchen. Mandark went up to a ‘dead’ Mandroid lying in bits on a table and tried to figure out what was wrong with it.
Meanwhile, Dexter’s little nap turned into a full-time sleep-fest. He overexerted himself again, so Computress let him sleep as long as possible. He was curled up much like a kitten, smiling in his sleep. He was dreaming about how he won another science fair by inventing a medicine for burn victims that quickly healed their skin without the need for grafting.
It was close to midnight but Lou was making his way to the ruins to get Susan’s stuff but it was difficult for him to get around because he could not take SCAMPERS without much of a problem from the KND pilots. It was a long journey for him and it took several hours, even after he convinced the SCAMPER pilot to fly him there and got the aid of a Skyway agent. Lou ran as fast as he could keeping to the paths in the Ruins but it was very dark and hard to see, and the noises the monsters were making scared him. Normally he would have run back to Camp Kidney where it was a bit safer but he had to do this for Susan. For the first time in a long time she showed genuine affection and he couldn’t let her down no matter how scared he was.



Soon he found the two log cabins in the clearing that overlooked the bluffs; one of them suffered fire damage, probably from a lightning storm. Lou went to the front of the unburnt one and a large metal ‘2’ hung above the door. He opened the door slowly and went inside and turned on the light.
“So this is where Suzie stays…” Lou said, walking around. He went up to her dresser and picked out a simple outfit for her and set it aside. He wondered how she lived here in the middle of nowhere; he checked her refrigerator and only found three green apples in it. He decided that after he picked her up from the hospital she’d live with him in his house in Genius Grove. He lived alone so he had plenty of room for another person. He grabbed an apple and munched on it, thinking of the preparations he’d have to make for when Susan moved in, not even considering the possibility of her saying ‘no’ to that offer. Lou took off his boots and mask and sat on Susan’s bed, he was exhausted from his journey there and fell asleep quickly and didn’t dream about anything.
Lou woke up the next morning when his phone alarm went off. He quickly used the bathroom and was proud to see how neat and clean it was. ‘That’s my niece,’ he said to himself. He heard a motorcycle pull up outside the cabin and then a soft knock on the door. Lou opened it and saw a young man with sugar-pink hair covering his left eye and his other eye was gray. The boy was pale-skinned and lanky, and wearing a black and red leather outfit. The jacket he was wearing had a red ‘M’ written over his heart. He was holding his motorcycle helmet in his arms.


“Uh, you’re not Susan.” The boy said. “You’re her uncle. Where is she?”
Lou was confused, “she’s in the hospital. Who are you?”
“Oh I’m her friend Sugar, I am Mandark’s cousin. We were supposed to go on a bike ride today. What happened?” Sugar asked in a soft tone. “She got hurt by Vilgax and I’m supposed to go pick her up soon.” Lou said still eying the boy oddly. His hair was naturally pink because it was the color of his eyebrows and eyelashes, ‘how bizarre’, Lou thought.
“I can take you on my bike. We’d get to the hospital in no time.” Sugar said smiling, “That is if you don’t already have a way of getting there?”
Lou looked over at the motorcycle, what a sexy beast that bike was. Leather seats and a shiny black paint job with some red sparkles in it, the words ‘The Retribution’ were painted on the side in red and silver. “Do you have another helmet?” Lou asked. “Yes I do, I’d never take another person on my bike without a helmet. I even brought tiny helmets for her nanos.” Lou already liked him. “Are you her boyfriend?” he asked. Sugar blushed a bit, “no I’m not her boyfriend. Grab your stuff and let’s go get her.”


Lou went inside and grabbed the clothing he had to give Susan and handed it to Sugar, who put it into a leather bag on the side of his bike after taking out the spare helmet and giving it to Lou. Lou took off his Toiletnator mask and put the helmet on; Sugar put the mask with Susan’s clothes and got on the bike. Lou closed the cabin door and got on the bike with Sugar, holding onto his waist. “You don’t have to hold on so tight; I didn’t even take off yet.” Lou loosened his grip a bit, “Sorry,” he said. Sugar kicked up the kickstand and turned on the bike and let it purr a bit before he took off, “what hospital?” he asked Lou. “The one at the space port.” Lou said.
Sugar smirked, “it’ll be at least an hour before we get there at top speed but I know some good shortcuts.” and took off in a flash. He popped a wheelie and nearly scared the life out of Lou who was now gripping Sugar with an ungodly amount of force. Sugar laughed and sped off down the road.

Here's chapter 11 in it's entirety.




Mandark was in his robotics lab recovering from the fight that never happened. He was a bit achy from the tape so he took an aspirin with some water. He was very annoyed with the whole situation. He was also agitated that he no longer had a Dee Dee nano near him. “Mandroid 50-D, bring me a grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of cold milk, now!” he ordered the Mandroid next to him. “Right away sir,” it said and sped off to the kitchen. Mandark went up to a ‘dead’ Mandroid lying in bits on a table and tried to figure out what was wrong with it.
Meanwhile, Dexter’s little nap turned into a full-time sleep-fest. He overexerted himself again, so Computress let him sleep as long as possible. Dexter was curled up much like a kitten, smiling in his sleep with his glasses still on his face. He was dreaming about how he won another science fair by inventing a medicine for burn victims that quickly healed their skin without the need for grafting.
It was close to midnight but Lou was making his way to the ruins to get Susan’s stuff but it was difficult for him to get around because he could not take SCAMPERS without much of a problem from the KND pilots. It was a long journey for him and it took several hours, even after he convinced the SCAMPER pilot to fly him there and got the aid of a Skyway agent. Lou ran as fast as he could keeping to the paths in the Ruins but it was very dark and hard to see, and the noises the monsters were making scared him. Normally he would have run back to Camp Kidney where it was a bit safer but he had to do this for Susan. For the first time in a long time she showed genuine affection and he couldn’t let her down no matter how scared he was.




Soon he found the two log cabins in the clearing that overlooked the bluffs; one of them suffered fire damage, probably from a lightning storm. Lou went to the front of the unburnt one and a large metal ‘2’ hung above the door. He opened the door slowly and went inside and turned on the light.
“So this is where Suzie stays…” Lou said, walking around. He went up to her dresser and picked out a simple outfit for her and set it aside. He wondered how she lived here in the middle of nowhere; he checked her refrigerator and only found three green apples in it. He decided that after he picked her up from the hospital she’d live with him in his house in Genius Grove. He lived alone so he had plenty of room for another person. He grabbed an apple and munched on it, thinking of the preparations he’d have to make for when Susan moved in, not even considering the possibility of her saying ‘no’ to that offer. Lou took off his boots and mask and sat on Susan’s bed, he was exhausted from his journey there and fell asleep quickly and didn’t dream about anything.
Lou woke up the next morning when his phone alarm went off. He quickly used the bathroom and was proud to see how neat and clean it was. ‘That’s my niece,’ he said to himself. He heard a motorcycle pull up outside the cabin and then a soft knock on the door. Lou opened it and saw a young man with sugar-pink hair covering his left eye and his other eye was gray. The boy was pale-skinned and lanky, and wearing a black and red leather outfit. The jacket he was wearing had a red ‘M’ written over his heart. He was holding his motorcycle helmet in his arms.
“Uh, you’re not Susan.” The boy said. “You’re her uncle. Where is she?”
Lou was confused, “she’s in the hospital. Who are you?”
“Oh I’m her friend Sugar, I am Mandark’s cousin. We were supposed to go on a bike ride today. What happened?” Sugar asked in a soft tone. “She got hurt by Vilgax and I’m supposed to go pick her up soon.” Lou said still eying the boy oddly. His hair was naturally pink because it was the color of his eyebrows and eyelashes, ‘how bizarre’, Lou thought.




“I can take you on my bike. We’d get to the hospital in no time.” Sugar said smiling, “That is if you don’t already have a way of getting there?”
Lou looked over at the motorcycle, what a sexy beast that bike was. Leather seats and a shiny black paint job with some red sparkles in it, the words ‘The Retribution’ were painted on the side in red and silver. “Do you have another helmet?” Lou asked. “Yes I do, I’d never take another person on my bike without a helmet. I even brought tiny helmets for her nanos.” Lou already liked him. “Are you her boyfriend?” he asked. Sugar blushed a bit, “no I’m not her boyfriend. Grab your stuff and let’s go get her.”
Lou went inside and grabbed the clothing he had to give Susan and handed it to Sugar, who put it into a leather bag on the side of his bike after taking out the spare helmet and giving it to Lou. Lou took off his Toiletnator mask and put the helmet on; Sugar put the mask with Susan’s clothes and got on the bike, holding onto Sugar’s waist. “You don’t have to hold on so tight; I didn’t even take off yet.” Lou loosened his grip a bit, “Sorry,” he said. Sugar kicked up the kickstand and turned on the bike and let it purr a bit before he took off, “what hospital?” he asked Lou. “The one at the space port.” Lou said.



Sugar smirked, “it’ll be at least an hour before we get there at top speed but I know some good shortcuts.” and took off in a flash. He popped a wheelie and nearly scared the life out of Lou who was now gripping Sugar with an ungodly amount of force. Sugar laughed and sped off down the road. Lou felt like he died almost instantly; he wasn’t one for speed or heights or anything like that. Sugar slowed down a bit but still drove pretty fast, scaring any of the monsters or creatures nearby and was very careful not to run over any rogue turtles. “So Suzie told you about me?” Lou asked Sugar, talking over the engine. “Yeah she did!” Sugar said, “she didn’t sound too excited about it though.” Soon they found themselves driving through the Twisted Forest which was a tricky area for a motorcycle.
Sugar had to slow down going around curves and down hills; otherwise he would have ran off the road and killed himself and Lou. “I think I’m gonna kill Vilgax for hurting Sooz,” Sugar said, “He’s lucky he didn’t kill her or I’d obliterate him and his race.” Lou felt the same.




Susan had been awake for a while and was no longer restrained to the bed but still had the IV with saline in her arm which made her extremely uncomfortable. She was cuddled with her nanos under her warm hospital blanket resting and had just eaten breakfast. Her Dexter nano was nuzzling her cheek with his. “You are too cute,” she said petting Dexter’s head and smiling. “Thank you for taking my advice about your uncle. You will thank me later I promise.” He said. Her Dee Dee nano was having her hair stroked by Mandark who was more than happy to do it. “When did you get to be so smart Dex?” Susan asked. “I can feel it in your soul Sooz,” he said, “I just derived my advice from what I can feel.”
“What do you feel Dex?” she asked lightly poking his tiny nose with her fingertip. “I feel Lots of things. Your loneliness, your fears, your anger, sometimes I can feel when you’re hungry and what you want to eat.” He said giggling. “Yeah, we all can feel it.” Mandark chirped; Dee Dee nodded. “I really love you little things.” Susan said. “We love you too,” Dee Dee said. Susan looked over at a clock on the wall, “It’s almost noon,” she said, “Lou will be here soon I hope and I can get out of here. I’ll treat you guys to some icecream.”
Lou and Sugar had taken a pit stop in Pokey Oaks at a gas station so they could get a quick bite to eat and some gas for the bike, Sugar took the opportunity to call Susan while filling up the tank. Lou was beside him sipping coffee.



Susan picked up her phone, “hey.”
“Hi it’s Sugar.”
Susan smiled, “Oh hi, what’s going on?”
“Do you remember that we were supposed to go for a joy-ride on Mandark’s new motorcycle today without him knowing?”
“Oh, right! I am in the hospital though, I’m sorry.”
“Oh I know you’re in the hospital because I am with Lou at the moment at a gas station in Pokey Oaks. We’re on our way to come get you but we’re a bit delayed.”
“How’d you meet up with Uncle Lou?”
“He was at your cabin this morning getting your stuff. I took him along for the ride; he doesn’t seem to like bikes very much. I think he ruptured my spleen he was holding onto me so tight.”
“Please don’t kill him.” Susan said, “He’s all I got left on the family tree. Family twig, rather.”
Sugar chuckled, “Yikes! Gas prices sky-rocketed since Fuse got here. Good thing I’m using Mandark’s credit card or I’d be broke.”
“Mandark is gonna kill you when he finds out you took his bike and his credit card.”
“It’s not my fault this thing is a gas-guzzler besides, it’s fun and we have to test it anyway. We really need to fix this engine so it runs on water or something.”
“I won’t tell him if you won’t tell him.” Susan chuckled.
“Come on let’s go!” Lou said excitedly, throwing away his coffee cup. Sugar looked over at the gas counter and hung the hose back on the hook and swiped Mandark’s credit card through the machine and paid for the gas. “Gotta go, Sooz; your uncle is getting impatient.”
“See you guys soon!” Susan said cheerfully and hung up. “I hope Uncle Lou isn’t in the Toiletnator costume still.”
“He probably is,” said the little Mandark nano, “have you ever seen him without it?”
“Yeah, but usually he’s in his plumber outfit if he’s not in his costume.”
“Is he a space plumber?” Dexter asked. Susan downright near died laughing at the thought of Lou being a Plumber. “Absolutely not Dexter he’s a regular plumber.” She said between giggles, “he would have blown up our galaxy by now if he was a space Plumber.”
Sugar and Lou took off again for the hospital following the Dexlabs monorail shuttle bus that ran from Peach Creek to Marquee Row. Susan was still pretty mad about her jacket getting cut up when the doctors could have simply unzipped it, but they have their procedures. She convinced herself that she would ask Mandark for another one for saving his life for the umpteenth time. She was getting anxious now to see Sugar, Lou and to get that needle out of her vein. Sugar drove through Morbucks towers and finally to Offworld Plaza. Ben was standing by the fountain still and Vilgax was on the hospital awning quietly seething. Ben heard the purr of the motorcycle from the distance and figured it was Sugar but wasn’t expecting the Toiletnator to be with him. Sugar pulled up in front of Ben and let Lou get off of the bike then set up the kickstand and took out Susan’s things and Lou’s mask which he promptly put back on.


“Hi Ben,” Sugar said, putting his and Lou’s helmet in the leather bag on the side of the bike, “can you watch my baby for me while we go pick up Sooz?”
Ben looked over the bike and almost had to stop himself from drooling, “Sure but don’t let Kevin ever see this; he might be tempted to steal it.”
“That’s Mandark Industries property right there; he’d face a gigantic lawsuit.” Sugar chuckled to himself. Mandark was one to threaten to sue someone at the drop of a hat. Lou followed behind Sugar into the hospital carrying Susan’s things in his arms. Sugar walked up to the same blonde nurse and smiled at her. “We’re here to pick up a Susan Silverbullet.”