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The man bounced off of Hugo's indestructible body like a rubber ball off a concrete wall, and Powers' follow-up slap sent the speedster directly to the ground. There, Powers stood there, towering over the fallen individual, who Powers was already beginning to suspect was [i]not[/i] a villain. He just didn't seem...villainous. Either this mysterious person was an incredible actor that used sympathy to catch his victims off-guard, he was the worst assassin in the history of assassins, or he was somebody else. As he began to speak, the last option began to seem more and more true. 

[color=8B4513]"I'm Chad Connors, Pizza Delivery Man at Porter's Pizza. I want to be a super cool badass Hero, a-and I thought you came to H.E.R.O to be a Hero cause it sounds cooler than I.C.O.S.A. P-p-please don't put me into Coldwater, The C-chainsaw Charlatan will kill me for throwing him in prison!"[/color]

Powers sighed, shaking his head. He might've actually preferred if this Chad fellow was actually an assassin and not a wannabe hero. At the very least it would've made for a more interesting scene. However, Powers was rarely one to say 'no' to new hero recruits. While his powers were clearly not under full control, and his entrance was the textbook definition of "lame," he did seem to have the build of a pro athlete and a power that, while untapped, was still useful in the business. And the organization did need all hands on deck in this time of crisis.

[color=lightslategray]"Alright, alright. You could've called up ahead of time, might've simplified this whole process, but I guess you're here now. We can start the registration process soon..."[/color] Powers trailed off as he picked up the last part of Chad's sentence. [color=lightslategray]"Wait, scratch that, hold on a second. Who the fuck is the Chainsaw Charlatan?"[/color]

Chad obviously did not hear or was not in the right state of mind to respond and continued talking. [color=8B4513]"My Boss is Percy P-porter, and my hours are 10 to 7. My favorite food is P-pizza, even though I eat a ton of it since I work at a Pizza p-place. My blog is [i]The Bullet Chamber[/i] and it's super c-cool, and I don't want to go to prison!!! I-I think my Social Security is 318-"[/color] 

Powers shook his head. [color=lightslategray]"We don't have to go into this, you know, you told me enough. You're not going to go to jail...for Christ's sake, I don't need your social security number, why the hell would I need your social security number..."[/color]

[color=8B4513]"I think it's on my phone... C-can I please get up? My suit is really hard to clean..."[/color]

[color=lightslategray]"Yes, for the love of God, please get up."[/color] Powers gave Chad a serious look. [color=lightslategray]"Listen, Chad, this is a serious organization that grapples with serious villains and serious situations. Our organization is currently under attack by a terrorist that wants to destabilize the entire city and cause as much chaos and death as humanly possible. Before you join us, you have to acknowledge that as a superhero for HERO, your life may be put in serious jeopardy and even taken in the pursuit of justice. You will be fighting against criminals, villains, and creatures that can cause danger on a catastrophic level, and you're bound to take it on headfirst and fight against it with every fiber in your being, and to do right any time you can."[/color] Powers' gaze was somber and serious. [color=lightslategray]"If you're still willing to join the organization..."[/color] Powers extended his hand. [color=lightslategray]"Then we can get to work. There's more paperwork that you'll need to fill out to be an official member, of course, but in this time of need, I'll be willing to temporarily skip over the official forms and get straight into business."[/color]

[color=lightslategray]"So, what do you say? Are you in?"[/color]

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Christina seemed surprisingly unperturbed by Pandora's entrance, and her words seemed to have little impact on the young assistant director's state of mind. She stood entirely unaffected, a grin still on her face, as Pandora spoke. [color=fdc68a]"Christina Lavender, hmm?"[/color] the woman had said, her voice oozing with gravity. This was a woman that had seen a lot, a woman that was bold, a woman that knew her shit. That was what the dossier had told Christina, and that was what she was prepared to find. 

Christina gave a wide smile and a peppy nod. [color=salmon]"The one and only. Unfortunately I don't have any posters or anything, but I can you a nice autograph if you want. Of course, you can always Google me...always ticks me off that some of the top search results are weird Tumblr fanclubs, but I guess that's the price of fame."[/color] Christina was not gloating just because she could, but rather, she had a plan, a plan she was about to set into motion. 

[color=fdc68a]"You know what doesn't surprise me?" [/color]the woman asked, and Christina could sense a strong dose of blistering enmity in her voice. [color=fdc68a]"That the thing that finally brought HERO crawling to my doorstep was incompetence. You've come here, to my little flower shop, to plead for my help. It's degrading."[/color] Pandora said jeeringly, looking down at the flower in her hands. 

Christina smiled softly, waiting for the woman to finish before speaking. [color=salmon]"I think you have a few misconceptions about why I'm here,"[/color] Christina said casually as she looked at Pandora, smirking. [color=salmon]"So let's clear that up right away. First off, I'm not here to beg for your help. Simply put, we don't [i]need[/i] your help. Your help would be very nice, sure, and I'm sure we'd have a whale of a time together, but the fact of the matter is, we don't need you in the organization. Just like you don't need us."[/color] Christina's tone hardened as she spoke, by the end her tone growing to a serious level, a depth and solemnity that would've made Powers impressed. [color=salmon]"The reason I'm here is that I'm offering a business proposition. You have a great set of skills and powers that would be very helpful for us to have. On the other hand, we have the power to allow you to use those skills and powers for something other than running a flower shop. That was the reason HERO was founded, along with the other hero agencies across the globe. To give people with extraordinary abilities the power to do something more. You've been around for some time, and you've done a great deal of things, for sure. But the idea that you've come to Castleburg only to run a flower shop and wallow through the rest of your life is, quite simply, laughable."[/color] Christina's speaking became more and more derisive as she spoke, her tone snowballing as she continued her mini-speech.

[color=salmon]"Of course, on the off-chance that I'm wrong, and that your only life goal is to run a flower business, then I'll just get this nice pot of daffodils and maybe arrange for some lovely wedding flowers, and I'll be on my merry way. You won't ever have to see me again. But I have a feeling- a good soldier's sense, you know- that you want more than this."[/color] She gestured around the flower shop, before quickly adding, [color=salmon]"Your flowers are lovely, don't get me wrong, but a person with your powers could be doing so much more. And HERO can help you with that."[/color]

[color=salmon]"Oh! And also..."[/color] Christina leaned across the counter, her eyes turning steely and serious, as she spoke again. [color=salmon]"You may call yourself Pandora, if you want, but your name is Mary Silverstone, nee Madison, not whatever identity you've contrived for yourself."[/color] Christina looked down at her nails, which were a deep shade of burgundy, a golden ring with a shimmering diamond implanted in its center currently resting on Christina's ring finger. [color=salmon]"Technically, you've broken a few laws trying to escape your old life. Quite a few. I could list them off, of course, but that's more of ICOSA's job than mine. I'm not going to come after you for that, obviously, it's your right and all that...but if ICOSA was to catch wind of your flower shop, maybe send some agents to Castleburg for a quick visit, well, I guess my hands would be tied. I wonder what it would be like to spend eternity in jail...? Just a hypothetical question, of course."[/color] Christina slid her glove back on. [color=salmon]"Well, anyway, do we have an agreement? You working with HERO would be huge for both of us. Also, I'd like to mention that we keep ICOSA away from our employees...on the off-chance that they have broken international law and are technically on the lam from the international superhero police. It's not like I know anybody who falls under that category,"[/color] Christina said, her daring, vivacious eyes looking up at Pandora's own.

[color=salmon]"So, what do you say? Are you in?"[/color]

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