Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 

          Back at Lisa’s house outside of Fawcett City, Lisa was patiently waiting for Viviane’s return. It was then that she heard sounds coming from Viviane’s room. She went up there to investigate and found the princess rummaging through her drawers. Clothes were scattered all over the place as if something had exploded in her drawers and closet. Viviane was heard muttering the words “No…no…” as she threw her clothes across. Lisa crossed her arms and leaned against the doorway. Viviane, upon noticing Lisa, stopped and looked at Lisa.

          “Hi,” said Viviane in as innocent tone of voice.

          “So, uh, what’s going on?” asked Lisa.

          “I’m trying to find some nice clothes,”

          “For?”

          Viviane looked away and smiled a bit. Lisa said, “A date, perhaps?”

          “Yes…”

          “With that Billy Batson boy you keep talking about?” Viviane nodded and smiled an even bigger smile. Lisa smiled and searched around for something until she found an oddly outdated dress, something a Southern belle would wear.

          “How about this?” said Lisa “It’s cute,”

          “Lisa, please. You act like if he lives in the 1940’s!” said Viviane. They rummaged some more until they finally settled on the attire: An unusually tight blue polo shirt with a white collar, a leather skirt that stopped just above the knees, black leather boots that stopped just under the knees and, at the pleading of Lisa, a large, blue bow in her hair. The date was to happen in a couple of hours at a place of Billy’s choosing. It was her first date and she was very excited. Not only because she was too go out with Billy Batson, but it was also a symbol of her newfound freedom. On the Moon, she wouldn’t have dreamed of something like this to happen. Viviane was determined to keep it up.

          Soon enough, the time came and Billy told her to meet her at a certain restaurant in Downtown Fawcett. Viviane, with a discreet smile on her face, made her way to the restaurant where she met Billy in his usual color scheme but cleaner and with a blue jacket and slicked hair.

          “Hi…” Viviane said nervously.

          “Hi there…” he said in the same tone as her.

          “How, uh, how are you?”

“Just fine, Viviane. Thanks for asking. Um, shall we go in?” She nodded and went in with him, where they were seated. There was an awkward silence for awhile as the two were too shy to ask anything. Then Billy finally managed the nerve to start the conversation.

“So, um, where are you from? Originally, I mean,” he asked her.

“Um…” she froze slightly but then answered “Far away,”

“Wow, like California?”

“Uhh…no, not really. A lot farther than that. Where are you from?”

“Here, basically. I’m a born and raised son of Fawcett City,” he said proudly. The waiter soon came to take their orders. Billy had his usually cheeseburger with fries and Viviane had some salad as she always does.

“You’re just like my sister Mary. She likes salads too,” said Billy.

“Really now? It’s nice to see that you know your sister so well. It must come from all those years you’ve known her.”

Billy looked away slightly and said, “I’ve, uh, actually known her for a few months now,”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know…”

“No, it’s okay. Right after I found her, I was put in the same foster house as her, so it worked out pretty well.” said Billy with a slight smile.

The food came and they ate in silence, finishing rather quickly. Billy paid for both of them and then they both walked out into the rather cool night air of the city. It was 8 o’ clock but the city was still lively at this hour. The two walked down the sidewalks, visiting various shops and markets that he frequented. They walked some more, with Viviane eventually rested her head on his shoulder. Billy reacted by wrapping his arm around her shoulders. They walked like this until they got to Billy’s apartment building.

“I, uh, had a really nice time, Billy,” she said in her nervous tone.

“I did too,” he said solemnly. Viviane was blushing intensely, signified by her refusal to look into his face. Billy smiled a bit, his own blush going on. Viviane then started giggling a bit.

“What is it?” he asked with a smile.

“I…I…,” she muttered.

“I, what?” he asked. She shook her head and stopped giggling. Billy put a hand to her cheek and slowly raised her face up to look into her eyes. She looked back into his. Slowly, but ever so slowly, their faces got closer to one another. Closer still and closer still, their lips perked up to meet…

“Excuse me!” a voice called out to the two. They both sighed and turned around to meet a scruffy looking man standing not too far from them.  Viviane’s eyes got wide.

“Nathan!?” she exclaimed.

“Who? What?” asked Billy. Suddenly, Nathan smiled and smacked Billy across the street into a nearby car windshield. Viviane screamed out Billy’s name, attempting to go to him. Nathan grabbed Viviane by the neck and shoved her into a wall.

“So this is where you’ve been hiding this whole time, eh Viviane?” said Nathan, smirking an evil smirk to her.

“Let me go!” she struggled, pounding on his large, muscular arm.

“No, I don’t think so. I’m taking you back to the Moon,”

“Never again, Nathan! Never again!”

“Oh yeah?” he said. Nathan then started to squeeze down on Viviane’s neck. Viviane yelped out in pain as she passed out a few minutes later. Nathan let her fall limp onto the ground. He smiled and bent down to pick her up.

 

Then, the word “Shazam!” was heard from the boy he had thrown.

 

At that moment, thunder was heard and a bolt of lightning stuck the ground behind Nathan. He turned around and where the boy had been, Captain Marvel now stood, ready to fight.

“Who are you??” Nathan asked in an angry tone.

“Let her go,” ordered Captain Marvel. Nathan laughed and picked up Viviane. “Like hell I will,”

“I said now!” Marvel ordered again. Nathan dropped Viviane and took a step towards him.

“You don’t want to mess with me. I’ll tear you apart!” boasted Nathan.

“I’ll ask one more time. Let her go or else,” said Marvel. Nathan let out a laugh and then blasted Captain Marvel into the apartment building behind him. Nathan smiled and bent over to pick up Viviane again, but then stopped and turned around to see Captain Marvel brushing himself off.

“Superhuman, eh? Then I’ll have to step it up a notch,” said Nathan. He then swung his arm to meet Marvel’s face, but then he was blocked and instead met a powerful punch to his gut. Nathan was lifted into the air for about a second as he then fell onto the floor holding his stomach. Marvel just stood lucking down at the man.

“Aghhhh…you…stupid….human!!!” yelled out Nathan. Marvel said nothing, just stood with his arms crossed and his eyes squinted. Nathan kept gagging and holding his stomach, occasionally taking a glance at the downed Viviane. He looked up, put up his hand and fired a massive bolt of energy at Captain Marvel. The superhero went flying into the sky, stopping nearly at one mile above the city streets. Nathan took flight and went after him. Captain Marvel floated ready and hammered him back towards the city with a powerful blow. The alien smashed into a small car that was under him, sending passersby scrambling for cover. Marvel floated down with a slight smile on his face.

“Are you ready to give up yet?” said Marvel in his deep, commanding voice. Nathan got out of the smashed car and wiped himself off.

“No way, human. I’m just getting started!” said Nathan, as he launched a projectile blast at Captain Marvel: The superhero deflected the blasts with ease, but didn’t see Nathan’s quick advance on him. Nathan tackled Captain Marvel into a nearby van and then exploded it with an energy bomb. Bits and pieces of metal and glass went flying out. A couple of seconds later, forceful punches were heard and then Nathan went flying from the inferno, smashing into a nearby building. Sirens were heard and the police were soon on the scene, only there to get people out of the way. Marvel, being the good guy that he is, put out the car fire and got ready for Nathan’s next attack.

The alien appeared out of the hole that he cause and smiled.

“You’re better than I expected, human,” said Nathan “I shall enjoy destroying you,”

“Buddy, all the other ones already said that,” Marvel replied with assured confidence. Nathan smirked and disappeared.

“Wha…?” said Marvel. Suddenly, he was knocked down from the back. Nathan’s evil laughter was heard and confirmed it was he who had knocked him down. The alien stomped down on Marvel’s back while he was down. He did so several times, each time sending him deeper into the asphalt and violently shaking the street. On the tenth stomp, Marvel spun around and pushed Nathan off. He immediately got out of the hole and roundhouse kicked Nathan down the street. Without a moment’s hesitation, Captain Marvel gave chase.

 

Viviane, who had been down the first couple of minutes of the fight, slowly regained consciousness. She rubbed her neck where Nathan’s strong hand had squeezed the life out of her. Grunting, she managed to get herself up on her legs. Viviane took a step and wobbled a bit. She needed the walls of the apartments to help her guide her way. It was then she realized that the two men were gone.

“Billy?” she yelled out. There was no answer. Suddenly, a loud booming sound rocked the street she was on. People started coming out of their homes to see what was going on. Viviane recognized the sound as a punch and started to make her way down the streets towards the source of the sound. Then another was heard, this one much more menacing.

“Billy!” she cried out. This time she started to run, forcing her legs to run as fast as they could. Finally, she made it to a rather crowded section of Main Street where Nathan and Captain Marvel were dueling. To her satisfaction, Nathan was on the ground and her favorite superhero was quickly approaching.

Whew! , thought Viviane, Captain Marvel is taking care of Nathan. But where did Billy go off to? Maybe Captain Marvel found him and took him to safety. I’ll have to ask Captain Marvel.

Viviane made her way though the crowd and watched. Nathan had gotten back up and blasted Marvel into the ground. He flew high into the sky and pelted the area with several energy bombs, blasting away perfectly good street ground. People ran for cover, except for Viviane. She managed to get closer and get a better view. Captain Marvel boomed out of the hole and slammed into Nathan’s midsection, effectively grabbing his legs and throwing him into the ground. The alien (who surprisingly was very resilient) managed to teleport behind Marvel and kick his back down.

“Teleporter…” said Marvel.

“That’s right, human. Now watch this.” said Nathan. He raised his hand into the air and started collecting energy. The ball grew in size and started to hum with Nathan’s evil energy. The alien laughed as Marvel struggled to get up. His energy ball grew to about the size of a semi truck.

“Say goodnight, Captain Marvel!” he said coldly.

“Watch out!” yelled Viviane.

“Viviane!” said Nathan upon noticing the angel. Marvel seized the moment of distraction by speeding towards Nathan, grabbing him in a full nelson and holding him to the sky. The energy ball disappeared harmlessly.

“Shazam!” yelled Marvel. The lightning bolt came down and struck Nathan square in the chest with all its fury. Thunder echoed over Nathan’s yelp of pain. The attack left him stunned.

“Shazam!!” Marvel yelled a second time. The bolt came down as before, striking the alien in the same spot. This time, the electrical discharge burned a hole in his attire, leaving his chest burned and seared.

“SHAZAM!!” Marvel yelled out for the third and final time. The lightning bolt hit him, finally rendering him unconscious and incapable of fighting anymore. Marvel dropped his inept body and backed away. He sighed and looked down.

Viviane smiled and sighed. Nathan was defeated and she didn’t have to go back, for now at least. She considered going up to him right away but hordes of reporters were mobbing him at the moment, so she decided to ambush him when he was alone. Viviane backed away and slipped into a nearby alleyway.

Captain Marvel, distracted by reporters and mobs of people, failed to see Nathan’s body disappear. The throngs of onlookers became too much and he decided to make an exit. He flew away but not too far. Finding a nearby alleyway, he landed and yelled his magic word, returning to his normal, teenaged self. It was then he realized what he had done.

“Billy…?” he heard a soft, familiar voice say. He gulped and turned around. He stared a shocked Viviane dead in the face.

“I…I…” she struggled to find words to what she had just witnessed.

“Viviane…I think it’s time that we talked…”