(contains themes, explicit and implied, of queer trauma and queerphobia)
"...Aaaaaaaand stay out!" Inquisitive Jorge, Mob Boss Mutant, punched Mx. Jack skyward. Mx. Jack screamed as they flew through the air, past the city limits, and twinkled into the distance.
Mr. King, panting, looked to Ms. Queen. Ms. Queen grumbled beneath her breath. "We need to retreat before more villains show up."
"Scared, Mr King?" Jorge adjusted his yellow coat and drank some tea offered by a mutant barista "Or did you come to congratulate me on my anniversary as mayor? I'd say I'm running Valley Metropolis better than your lot ever did."
Mr. King yelled, materializing the King's Iron Knuckles, squaring up against the relatively hulking mutant. Inquisitive Jorge simply laughed. The hero and villain did their dance across the street, dodging, feinting, and looking for openings in the other.
But the tired Mr. King missed a key detail. A certain dark magic themed villain had floated onto the scene. Madame Hex's polymorphing beam whizzed silently through the air, just at the vantage point Mr. King was leaping to.
"Watch out!" Ms. Queen just barely leaped in front of the bolt. Hexing magic burned over her body as her eyes seared in anger. Her normally tall, stocky build slowly shrunk down into a demure, distinctly feminine bunny-creature proportions. Mr. King continued his battledance with Inquisitive Jorge.
Madame Hex grabbed Ms. Queen's rabbit form by the collar. She smirked, victoriously. "There. There Queenie~ I know you'd make a perfect minion for me. You look so cute like this! So nice of you to let yourself be adopted by me." She embraced Bunny Queen and cackled as she lifted into the air.
Bunny Queen hadn't given up. She summoned her Queen's Mallet- now slightly smaller and carrot themed- to fall on Madame Hex's head. The woman dropped the bunny-woman-thing.
"I'm out of here." Bunny Queen dashed out of the city. Mr. King and Inquisitive Jorge were exchanging blows, with the smaller man taking more time to recover from each hit. The monkey mutant slammed Mr. King down the street. When the dust settled, Mr. King was nowhere to be seen.
"And stay out!" Inquisitive Jorge hooted and hollered to his mutant followers. Drinks would be on the house today for the two villainous protectors.
...
A few weeks later-
"How dare you! How fucking dare you! Sell outs!" Ms. Queen, untransformed and bound, yelled at the medium sized Mx. Jack and smaller Mr. King. Ms. Queen, somehow both susceptible and resistant to magic, had mostly recovered from her previous bunnification. The three were in their base, currently being filled with identical, robotic guests.
"Look, I know the original plan was the wait for Captain Ace to return with back-up. But I'm tired of Valley Metropolis being overrun by scum." Mr. King calmly explained. "It's humiliating. It's our city. And it's been over a year since we lost big."
Mx. Jack chimed in "King and I talked it out. We need more firepower." Jack's face twisted in a hint of revulsion. Jack was the 2nd in stature to Ms. Queen, but the runt in power. "We can't take them down like this, and we can't wait for Ace to return anymore. We've turned to the Leyline of Steel."
"And you led them to our secret base? And let them tie me up? Ughhhh! I can't trust you two for anything!" Ms. Queen complained.
"Ummm by the way..." Mr. King signaled to a smartly dressed woman. "You didn't need to tie her up."
The Leyline of Steel representative smiled warmly. "Sorry about that. There's so many unlicensed magic users nowadays. It's falls to the Leyline of Steel to enforce better standards, but sometimes our peace officers are too overzealous."
Some peace officers, keeping a respectful distance before, approached Ms. Queen to unbind her. Each peace officer looked like a standardized, miniaturized mech. Ms. Queen eyes darted around, looking more like a corned animal than she did as a bunny. Soon Ms. Queen was on her feet again.
"I'm out." Her tone was dry, and she made a beeline to the one exit not being flooded by peace officers.
"Ahaha, You didn't need to bring the whole army." Mr. King scratched his head.
The Leyline of Steel rep responded cordially. "Our apologies Mr. King and Mx. Jack. As you're well aware, crime and illegalism has reached an all-time peak in the area. We're just taking precautions."
Mx. Jack spoke up in "We understand. We need your help in taking back the city, and we need all the manpower we can get."
The rep grinned "Mx. Jack is quick on the uptake. While the Leyline of Steel will not work with unlicensed guardians, we do have a contractor program perfect for situations like this. If you'd be willing to work with us for a bit, we can get to liberating your city."
...
A few days later, in another secret base, a certain heroic queen and villainous joker had a rendezvous.
"For what you've done, there is no forgiveness." Old man Wildcard rasped.
"Hmph." Ms. Queen expected nothing less from the old rival. "Master Wildcard. I expect no forgiveness. I can give you a half-hearted apology. But I'm a poor spokesperson for the sins of others. I am stained with enough sins myself."
Wildcard seemed unsurprised yet irritated. "Then why even show up here? Go be a homeless magical guardian or chase after your cherished Captain Ace."
Ms. Queen grunted. She had to swallow her pride. What did she owe others? The women who hurt Wildcard- didn't they reject her too? Don't think of this as some generational trauma or longstanding beef. Wildcard and her were both people. Deeply hurt people.
Ms. Queen kneeled. She struggled to find her words. "I look up to you, Master Wildcard." She never wanted to admit it but it was true. "Mx. Jack and Mr. King has sold off the Royal Flush Troupe to the Leyline of Steel. The Leyline of Steel- they're more private military company than magical guardian. If they take back Valley Metropolis, there's likely no going back."
Ms. Queen almost cried "I- I don't have anyone else to turn to. And I can't trust the Troupe anymore. Its you or I leave Valley Metropolis behind."
Old man Wildcard sighed. "For what you've done, there is no forgiveness." There was no forgiveness for him either. "And yet, I'll take you under my wing."
...
In a brightly lit and clean town, Mr. King and Mx. Jack were visiting a training campus of the Leyline of Steel.
The recruitment instructor looked out to the orderly line of perspective magical guardians. "That concludes our orientation. We will meet with you individually to discuss your contract- After one last group activity." The instructor looked to a flag "All rise!"
The Instructor led the group in an anthem "Under Our Creator's Light, We pledge ourselves to one, indivisible Nation. May Light guide Us in our Daily Work, as we seek Happiness, Life, and Liberty."
The Instructor stopped "That is all. Please complete your orientation sign-on in the next 72 hours if you'd like to be part of the Valley Metropolis Liberation Initiative."
The group of trainees broke out into casual conversation. Some queued up for contract rooms, some got snacks from a microkitchen, and others drank on the patio.
Mr. King looked to Mx. Jack, who was making a beeline to the contract rooms. "Hey, Mx. Jack... I gotta tell you something."
Mx. Jack stopped, "What is it?"
"This whole Leyline of Steel thing... well, I guess they're intent on liberating Valley Metropolis one way or another. But I'm not feeling it anymore."
Mr. King spoke softly "This whole thing?" He motioned vaguely at the kegerator and healthy assortment of high-end snacks "Isn't really my vibe."
Mx. Jack blinked blankly at Mr. King. "You'll miss out on the liberation of Valley Metropolis. On kicking Inquisitive Jorge's ass. On shutting up Madame McHexy Bitch. On our duty, and our honor, and our reputation."
Mr. King shrugged. "I guess I will. And frankly, between you and me, The Royal Flush Troupe is more of a flush anyways. Our reputation couldn't be more in the toilet than it already is." he looked conflicted. "Look, just keep in touch, buddy. Why don't you do this gig, and we'll drink and laugh about it later? This can be the big break you've always wanted."
Mx. Jack smiled at their comrade. "Yeah. I guess it will be." They shrugged. "Don't worry. Whatever happens, I'll tell you all about it."
The two exchanged farewells, and Mx. Jack made it to the line for contracts. They were pulled aside to a special room. Another smiling HR agent greeted them.
"Ah, Mx. Jack from the Royal Flush Troupe." The HR agent handed them a contract and a wiggly, silver worm-like pill. "Seems here you're a premium partner of ours. Your armor is paid for and ready for shipment. I have your magic augmenting larva right here. Just take the larva with some water, sign the contract, and check-in with our on-site doctor. Then we'll call you when the time comes."
Mx. Jack signed the contract, and looked at the weird pill. These corporate types sure were weird, but whatever. They took the 'augmenting larva', drank some water, and fantasized about how well they'd look in their mech suit.
...
Some time later, Ms. Queen and her new mentor met at a secret location.
Master Wildcard, transformed into an inky, villainous entertainer, monologed to Ms. Queen within his lair.
"The horrible thing about history- it never changes. But the world, as it changes, has quite the selective memory. Awkward details get shaved off. Conflicts get buried under money and propaganda. New versions of history get written up. Your concrete history, your well justified anger- becomes inconsequential details, irrelevant scruples, and insensitive nitpicking."
Ms. Queen listened. She knew a bit of the checkered past of the Royal Flush Troupe. Now at least. When she signed up to be a magical guardian, years ago, she was painfully naïve. If she was able to change things- she'd heavily consider signing up for a different guardian group now.
"Come with me. I must show you something." Master Wildcard continued.
In the way that villains do, a safe combination and hidden key opened up a stairwell descending into the earth. Master Wildcard led Ms. Queen down the stairs.
"Back in the day, well, The Royal Flush Troupe were something like exiles. Real big feminists, but, well, feminism in Valley Metropolis took a certain exclusionary turn. I think you'd call the original Royal Flush Troupe, in your modern lingo, trans men. But while we were say- masculine- we didn't really believe in gender. Made us fine feminists one day, poor feminists the next. We formed the Royal Flush Troupe as a villain group to protect people like us. It was back in the day where queer folk couldn't be magical guardians."
Ms. Queen nodded as she followed along, "I've heard about- well some of that." She'd at least heard of someone else's version of the events.
Wildcard continued "The Royal Flush Troupe- we were powerful. We were hated. We were infamous. Feds bring in some magical guardians? We kick 'em out. Feds jail one of our members? We bust 'en out. There was at least two decades of that. Those were the days. It was so funny, watching miss progressive mayor of the time- begging Daddy State for troops to bring law and order." He looked nonstalgic. "Heh. Me and the Boys, well, we ain't saints. But we did good to the everyday person. At least, what you can do as a villain."
The two reached the bottom of the stairs. "Maybe too good. A generation later, and those feminists and moderates that rejected us before started playing a different tune. Told us the whole metro loved us. We're like mascots. What happened a few decades ago? Water under the bridge. They wanted us the be magical guardians. They wanted us to modernize."
A creature rested in a bed before them. "Now, I can admit, in my old age, I might have been wrong about staying a villain. But I never will be, and never was, some state defender. The Royal Flush Troupe split into a hero group and a villain group. It was awful. And the heroes took most of the power with them. Except for well, our mascot himself."
A small devil-like creature was stirring on the bed.
"You've heard the story from the horse's mouth. You're ready. Dealer? Could help my protegee out?"
Dealer Devil materialized a hat, and tipped it. "Finally making friends in your old age, Ash?" It let out an awful snicker "May I have your name? And are you ready?"
"I'm Lily." Ms. Queen replied. "I'm ready."
"Iiiisssssss this your card?" The imp materialized Ms. Queen's magical Queen card. "Hehehe! Heroes love the certainty of a one card deck. Life's real easy without chance huh? When things are uncomplicated and certain."
Dealer Devil continued, "But I think you've caught onto the trick. A one card deck is linear and predictable. Its weak. You're plaining by the rules! The House's rules! Its no wonder the House will always win."
Queen's card began to burn. And with it, she started to turn inky. "Lily, I can tell you don't like playing by the rules. The rules of history, the rules of identity, the rules of the so-called truth. You're a perfect member for the Royal Flush Troupe! With your old self as tribute, I'll give you a whole new deck- for a whole new you. As I've taken from you, take from your enemies! Build yourself a deck with those things you envy and desire! Bend, twist, and break the world for your benefit!"
Lily, the old Ms. Queen, melted to inky black. Her old self, her old history, her old memories were still there. But she'd never be the same again.
...
Sometime later, in Valley Metropolis, a certain Mx. Jack was playing their role as a civilian. In fact, they were a civilian here- spent their entire life in Valley Metropolis. So the mutant goons and their sympathizers didn't pay heed to them.
Inquisitive Jorge, in his signature yellow outfit, was giving a speech to his followers on a bar's terrace.
"Word on the street- the government is done with its blind eye approach to what we've done. I guess they thought we'd collapse under the weight of our own rule! Ha! Even if I was half the man I am today, we'd still be united by those unspeakable acts they've done to us."
Mx. Jack didn't need to even speak. Their mind was connected to the Leyline of Steel's network. They told them Inquisitive Jorge was confirmed to be here.
The speech continued, "Now if things look bad- which I think they will- Well. I'm just telling you all this 'cause you're family to me. Look after your own skin. If your family ain't evacuated already, you should be doing that now. If things look bad, leave it to Inquisitive Jorge. After what they did to me, I don't many days left anyway. Don't stick around to get thrown in the slammer-"
Mx. Jack got the signal. Now.
Mx. Jack transformed. Power armor materialized around them. A visor pushed onto their face. Their skin, muscle, and bone were squished into the perfect proportions for a Leyline of Steel peace officer. And at the end of their transformation, they were indistinguishable from the rest.
"Speak of the devil and They will appear." Inquisitive Jorge leaped into an elbow drop. Mx. Jack barely dodged. Their mech suit's thrusters were already maxing out. They looked around. There were suddenly Leyline of Steel peace officers everywhere. Villains and their mooks were close behind. This place was going to be a battlefield.
Inquisitive Jorge grabbed the legs of two peace officers and slapped them together. Mx Jack and a few others launched some anti-personal rockets, but Inquisitive Jorge was fast to dodge when he meant business.
The villain bragged, "What's the matter, mechacops, don't like what you see? I scored quite highly in terms of strength, agility, and durability! After all-" Inquisitive Jorge tanked a missile to punch a few peace officers into the air "It was you who made me like this- a terrifying freak of nature!"
Sensing an opportunity, Mx. Jack came in for a swift kick on the monkey man's side. They were more than another soldier, they were a veteran magical guardian, Mx. Jack told themselves.
All this did was enrage the monkey. "This little newbie thinks they're a bigshot! Didn't they tell you all the smart mechacops wait on the sidelines to steal the glory at the end?" Inquisitive Jorge swiped a stray grenade at Mx. Jack. Mx. Jack was shoved to the side by force and shrapnel. "You know what? Maybe I was grown in a vial- But I have more human spirit than you womb-born boot lickers."
Mx. Jack could dodge the villain's right hook. And the follow-up left hook. But it just set them up for a fist in their visor. They were flung a block over.
Mx. Jack grunted. They were going to get that monkey freak. They straightened their mech suit out, hovered, and- Something else was nearby.
Something ripped into them. Into their very being. A laughing, inky figure appeared before them. It looked just like Wildcard, and considering the cards it held in its hand, probably had Wildcard's powers.
"The Chariot- I'll take that. A jack? Why not?" The inky humanoid spoke in a distorted, inhuman voice that sounded, to Mx. Jack, like a parody of a woman. As the New Wildcard held the Chariot, the card melted and New Wildcard took the shape of a Leyline of Steel peace officer. As New Wildcard held the jack, the card melted and New Wildcard materialized a knife. New Wildcard looked at the last card in its hand "The leech? What the hell they feeding you grunts? No way!" It tossed the card.
Mx. Jack launched a slew of anti-personnel missiles. New Wildcard artfully dodged through the air in its fake mech suit, artfully skewering one missile with a thrown knife.
"Who the hell are you?" Mx. Jack exchanged kicks mid-air with this New Wildcard. Steel on steel clashed. They flew around each other. Mx. Jack couldn't get away, nor could they find an opening.
"Call me a concerned citizen." It hissed back, while in hot pursuit. It was materializing a deck. This was a bad sign. Mx. Jack knew from the old Wildcard that each new card, when summoned, could grant overlapping boons or form earthshattering magic.
Mx. Jack went straight for New Wildcard. They got in a kick to its visor, but New Wildcard shoved them away into an airborne spin.
By the time Mx. Jack righted themself mid-air, New Wildcard was already materializing a card. Time seemed to stop as it began a new incantation. Who was this new villain? It was just like Wildcard, but more aggressive with its abilities. Mx. Jack had heard stories of the old Wildcard, before he lost heart, and thought those stories were greatly overblown. No way that old man was a Blight level terror threat! Now, seeing the apparent New Wildcard, they weren't so sure.
New Wildcard bellowed horribly "Mallet of hell's judge- in my eternal damnation I beseech your power!" In near frozen time, the earth opened to reveal an unearthly hammer. Mx. Jack almost thought they had seen that weapon before. But they didn't have much time to think about it. The hole closed, the inky imposter held the hammer, and time resumed.
New Wildcard was upon them. "I'm done playing with you." It announced. With a professional grace that highlighted the distance between Mx. Jack and this New Wildcard, the fiend twisted near them in a quick arc. New Wildcard slammed its hammer into Mx. Jack. They were launched into the air, past the city limits, and twinkled into the distance.
...
Sometime later, in Mx. Jack's apartment in Valley Metropolis, the magical guardian held their head. They were feeling horrible. They yelled into their phone "What do you mean, I'm being let go? I never worked for you in the first place!"
The voice on the phone droned on "I'm sorry Mister- oh wait haha- I'm sorry Mx. Jack. Your performance at the Leyline of Steel was found to be lacking. You've also been registered as an unlicensed magic user. I suggest you put your magical guardian days behind you."
Mx. Jack massaged their forehead, "What about that larva- that pill- I feel awful! And our agreement. I fought for you all!"
"Look Man- Uh, Guy- Whatever. I'm just a call center person. I don't even work for the Leyline of Steel. I can see in our records that you've been paid out fairly despite your negligible impact. Sorry bud. I hear they're harsher judges when they win. My guess- The Leyline of Steel doesn't need you anymore. At least they didn't make you pay for your broken powersuit."
"But but- what did they do to me?!?" Mx. Jack practically yelled. They looked outside. Leyline of Steel peace officers were everything in Valley Metropolis nowadays.
The call dropped. Mx. Jack responded by throwing their phone across the room. They ugly sobbed into the blanket they were wearing. How could they "get a regular job" when they barely felt functional as a human being?
The doorbell rang. "Come in" Mx. Jack yelled out. They couldn't bother to lock the door.
Captain Ace, calm and professional as always, looked on with sympathetic eyes. He was a sight for sore eyes. "Hello Mx. Jack. Mr. King told me everything. I don't approve of what you and Mr. King have done but..." he sighed "I can't blame you either."
Mx. Jack gave Captain Ace puppy-dog eyes. "Its been so hard without you! I just wanted to do what was right and- I didn't know- and now that larva-thing the Leyline of Steel gave me is acting up- and and-"
"Don't worry, I have some connections to a surgeon specializing in the bio-arcane. It'll be expensive, but we won't be able to get you across a border with that bio-arcane hazard in you."
"We're uh, leaving the country? The Royal Flush Troupe?" Mx. Jack could barely keep up.
"I guess its ultimately up to you, but we can't operate here anymore. I've worked my contacts elsewhere. I've got a magical mascot quite eager to meet you. The Royal Flush Troupe has been on the decline for quite some time, and I think Ms. Queen is missing in action for good- so maybe its for the best."
Captain Ace shook their head. "I'm rambling again. Anyway, you and Mr. King deserve another shot. I'll let you decide on what you want to do after your surgery."
Mx. Jack cried out a teary thank you. Captain Ace and Mr. King were like family to them. Mx. Jack would decide later, but wherever they go- Mx. Jack would follow. For if Mx. Jack were to stay here in the Valley Metropolis, they would wallow in their betrayal, trauma, and brokenness forever.
