Till Death. . . a wedding story.

So a friend of mine found out Setback and Expatriette are a couple and we started discussing their comic book wedding.  This short story comes from that.  Also we made some promo powers based on the wedding, so they are included at the end. Hope you enjoy it.

Character list:  

Amanda Cohen:  Expatriette

Pete Riske:  Setback

Faye Diamond:  Nightmist

Harry “Slim” Walker:  Mr. Fixer

Paul Parsons:  Legacy

Tyler Vance:  Bunker

Maia Montgomery:  Wraith

Lucas Ender:  Citizen Anvil

Till Death. . .

Amanda Cohen was pacing.  She didn’t pace.  Amanda Cohen was fidgeting.  She didn’t fidget.  “Come on, get it started.” she said to no one in particular.  

“Don’t worry Amanda, Pete’s here, they are just getting everyone seated.”  Faye tried to reassure her, but all she got for her trouble was an icy glare.

Amanda wasn’t worried about Pete, she had seen him arrive.  She had heard the bachelor party was an adventure, but when Legacy flew in carrying her tied-up and smiling fiance she stopped worrying about that side.  It was her side she was worried about.

“I’m going to shoot that Judge if he doesn’t start this damn wedding.” Amanda growled.  She hated waiting, but mostly she hated this tent they stuck her in.  “#%$&*@ archaic traditions.”  Her pacing was quickening, and her expression getting less and less merry.

A strong, leathery hand grabbed her shoulder.  

“What comes must come Amanda, do not ruin now because of what the future might hold.”  Amanda exhaled, Slim was right.  “How are you even in here?”  Amanda asked, changing the subject.  

Harry Walker smiled, “No one is allowed to see the bride, and I pose no threat to that.”  But Amanda wasn’t listening to him.  “They are starting, let’s go.”  Faye watched as Amanda straightened her dress and prepared to walk out of the tent.  She looked more like she was preparing for battle than marriage.  Although, considering the bride, marriage might be the more intimidating of the two.

Harry took her arm and they stepped out of the tent.  Amanda immediately began scanning the area for sightlines, obstructions, attack points. . .  “Where are you coming from mother. . .” she thought to herself.

For 16 hours the news had had a field day about the wedding.  Citizen Dawn’s “normal” child to marry the super screw-up.  When they managed to interview Pete he only made things worse.  But that was anticipated, one did not expect to marry Pete Riske and have any secrets.  However, now something else was anticipated.  Dawn would not stand by and let her daughter further embarrass her.  She would do something.

Amanda hoped that they could keep the wedding, an outdoor wedding with an incredible list of super heroes attending, secret long enough that her mother couldn’t interfere.  They nearly made it, it would take Dawn 12 hours to get to their location, which meant they spotted her mother 4 hours.

Amanda and Slim were walking up the aisle, she took the time to look at the guests, the Freedom V were, of course, in attendance, spread out among a host of the wealthy and politically connected.  She had seen Legacy make apologies for the Wraith not being able to make it to the State police chief and Maia Montgomery.  That had made her smile.  She knew a lot of the guests were here to see the Freedom V and the Prime Wardens, whose attendance was a surprise.  “You have to get used to this, people love Pete,” she thought and looked up the aisle.

That was a mistake.  She looked down.  “Damn it girl, you can’t get all sappy, this whole place could go up at any moment.” she chastised herself, but she had to admit that trying to make it through her wedding without getting distracted by the groom wasn’t going to be easy.

She reached the front, and Pete took her hands.  Her nervous energy settled at his touch, and she looked up.

She didn’t hear much of the Judge’s words, was faintly aware of music, but mostly she was extremely aware that none of that mattered, that right here was where she wanted to be, the only place in the world she felt she belonged.  She was home.

Pete touched her face, she was crying.  “@#%$ girl, focus,” she thought, and right then she caught a face, and a white van, and then a familiar vibration near her.

“Hello Amanda.” the man suddenly beside her said.

She didn’t have to think, the level of training she had relieved her of that burden.  Elbow to the side, palm to the chin, spin away, scan for targets, draw weapons.  The tables were on fire.  The guests were scrambling.  Legacy was airborne, Fanatic was. . . wearing armor?  To my wedding?

Tyler Vance and Haka were clearing the non-combatants, the other superheroes were engaging targets, the citizens of the sun. . . were retreating.

Amanda stopped.  “What the hell was that?” she asked, turning to Pete.  Who was gone.

Her heart fell.  She nearly collapsed.  Lucas, he distracted her then took Pete . . . to her mother.  She started running.  “Legacy, I need air!” she yelled and jumped, strong arms grabbing her.  “Follow Spring, Mother never trusts her, she’ll take us to them.”

“Legacy, we have satellite uplink, I’m patched into Maia’s computer and we are tracking them.”  Lt. Vance’s voice said from some communication device hidden in Parson’s shirt.

“Can you fly faster?”  Amanda asked, and her answer came with an acceleration that made her head swim.

“Warehouse district, I have three down here.”  Tachyon chimed in, “Nevermind, Pete isn’t here.”

“Legacy, get back to the park,” came Vance’s voice, “get Amanda back here now.”

They landed in the park, and there he was.  Amanda ran, tears streaming down her face.  She hugged him and buried her face in his chest.  “I thought I’d lost you.” she cried.

. . .

“I’m sorry.”  Pete said, stiff and cold.

Amanda pulled back and looked up, he was crying, she had seen this face before.

“Don’t you dare,” she whispered to him.

“I’m sorry, she promised she’d leave you alone if I leave, she won’t let. . .”

“NO!” Amanda yelled, slamming her fists into his chest, “This isn’t your fault, she’s my mother, she’s my problem!”

“I can’t let her kill you.  I’m sorry.”  He moved past her and started walking away.  “If I go now she promised to leave you alone.”

Her pistols were out.  “I won’t let you leave.” she said, tears flowing, rage in her eyes.  But he just kept walking.  She couldn’t pull the trigger, she couldn’t chase him, she couldn’t do anything.

Amanda collapsed to her knees, looked at her guns.  “She did it, mother won.” she thought out loud.  Amanda wiped away her tears and buried the hurt, pushed it down, twisted it and turned it into anger.  Anger that kept her alive once, and would do it again.

“Amanda,” she heard, and she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.

She brushed it off.  “I need to go, I have work to do.”

“What work?” Faye’s confused voice replied.

“I’m going to kill my mother.”

Till Death promo cards:

Till Death Expatriette

Forsaking all others

Power:  Select a Hero character card.  Until the start of your next turn the first time that card is dealt damage each turn you may use a power on a gun card.

Art:  Expatriette walking down the aisle with Mr. Fixer in a tux escorting her.

Incap:

*Put the top card of a deck into play.

*One player may draw a card.

*Until the start of your next turn, Increase the first damage dealt by a hero each turn by 1.

Art:  Amanda hitting Anvil (behind her) while pulling a pistol from her garter.

Till Death Setback

To Have or to Hold

Power:  One Hero may regain 1 hp.  One player may draw a card.  Setback may deal a target 1 melee damage.  For each you don’t do add 1 token to your unlucky pool.

Setback standing at the altar, waiting.

Incap:

*Prevent the next damage dealt to a hero target by a non-hero target.

*One player may play a card.

*Each active player may discard a card to draw a card.

Art:  Pete walking away from the burnt and wrecked wedding, his head down, Amanda in the background.