All he ever wanted to do was rock. He lived it. Breathed it. The Chemical Brothers were his family. Nine Inch Nails his religion. Metallica and Marilyn Manson were the gods that he praised. Someday, he was going to shatter the heavens and storm the gates of hell with the perfect sound. That was the dream.
Zack shook his head. His fingers cradled his battered electric guitar, caressing the strings. He worked the effects pedals, once, twice. But nothing came out. Or if it did, he couldn't hear it. He was deaf, the doctors said. Everyone in Paragon City knew about Maestro, the Council's composer of chaos, the villainous virtuoso.
Zack never expected to be caught on the sidelines in a super-powered battle. The heroes saved his life, but not before he'd taken a full blast from the villain's powers. The doctors told him he was lucky to be alive. The only permanent damage was to his hearing. But without the music...Zack didn't feel lucky. He didn't feel lucky at all.
He put down his instruments. He shut them all down, and put them carefully away, lingering on the mixer and synthesizer board. Zack closed his eyes.
Then he put a gun to his head and shot himself.
The sound echoed through the garage. He couldn't hear it. But he sensed it...somehow. Just as he sensed the bullet...floating in the air, away from his skin.
Slowly, Zack opened his eyes.
The bullet was embedded in...it looked like stone of some kind. He was surrounded by pieces of stone, gently orbiting his body, floating in a field of lightning.
Zack put the pistol down. He lifted his hands, and watched as the stone clustered around his fists, drawing tighter with brilliant sparks of blue. He had powers, Zack realised. He had powers. With this, he could be more than a musician. With this, he could be a hero.
For the first time in weeks, Zack smiled.
"I am," he said, into the silence, "the Electronic Rock."
* * *
For our next contestant:
A Force Field/Assault Rifle Defender
-- Acyl
Zack shook his head. His fingers cradled his battered electric guitar, caressing the strings. He worked the effects pedals, once, twice. But nothing came out. Or if it did, he couldn't hear it. He was deaf, the doctors said. Everyone in Paragon City knew about Maestro, the Council's composer of chaos, the villainous virtuoso.
Zack never expected to be caught on the sidelines in a super-powered battle. The heroes saved his life, but not before he'd taken a full blast from the villain's powers. The doctors told him he was lucky to be alive. The only permanent damage was to his hearing. But without the music...Zack didn't feel lucky. He didn't feel lucky at all.
He put down his instruments. He shut them all down, and put them carefully away, lingering on the mixer and synthesizer board. Zack closed his eyes.
Then he put a gun to his head and shot himself.
The sound echoed through the garage. He couldn't hear it. But he sensed it...somehow. Just as he sensed the bullet...floating in the air, away from his skin.
Slowly, Zack opened his eyes.
The bullet was embedded in...it looked like stone of some kind. He was surrounded by pieces of stone, gently orbiting his body, floating in a field of lightning.
Zack put the pistol down. He lifted his hands, and watched as the stone clustered around his fists, drawing tighter with brilliant sparks of blue. He had powers, Zack realised. He had powers. With this, he could be more than a musician. With this, he could be a hero.
For the first time in weeks, Zack smiled.
"I am," he said, into the silence, "the Electronic Rock."
* * *
For our next contestant:
A Force Field/Assault Rifle Defender
-- Acyl