• LNH: Classic LNH Adventures #289: The Flame Wars Part One

    From Arthur Spitzer@21:1/5 to All on Sun Jun 11 20:53:51 2023
    And we're back in the past and can check the eyrie archive
    once again.


    And here's where you can find The Flame Wars as well as other
    LNH Crossovers:


    https://archives.eyrie.org/racc/lnh/Crossovers/




    And it's The Flame Wars (The first of a number of Flame Wars
    Crossovers that are also called Flame Wars)!

    We have The Flame Wars #1 by Jeff "Drizzt" Barnes! Is it time
    for Rebel Yell to call a number he thought he'd never call?!
    Is it time for some Mysterious Menace to overpay the Brotherhood
    to blow up the LNHHQ (I mean a trillion dollars and 59 cents seems
    a bit much)?! Is it time for The Ultimate Ninja to futilely shout
    'Order!' into the unfettered chaos that is the LNH?! And is it time
    for Grammar Lad to do what he does best (which I assume is to
    nitpick other people's grammar errors)?!!




    Find out in...



    _
    | | Classic
    | | =
    | | ____ ____ _ ____ ___
    | |__ | [] | | [] | | | | [] | | _ \

    |____| \__] \__ | |_| \__/ |_|\_\
    ||
    |_| OF NET.HEROES

    ADVENTURES #289


    =====================
    The Flame Wars Part One
    =====================



    From: Drizzt (barnejd@wkuvx1.bitnet)
    Date: Nov 30, 1992, 8:02:06 AM




    TTTTT H H EEEE FFFF L AAAA M M EEEE W W AAAA RRRR SSSS
    T H H E F L A A MM MM E W W A A R R S
    T HHHHH EEE FFF L AAAA MMMMM EEE W W W AAAA RRRR SSSS
    T H H E F L A A M M M E WWWWW A A R R S
    T H H EEEE F LLLL A A M M EEEE WW WW A A R R SSSS



    CHAPTER ONE

    by Drizzt (barnejd@wkuvx1.bitnet)

    "Strange Things Afoot"

    It was coming closer. A hideous monster, with piercing green
    eyes. It reached toward him, laughing horribly, and grasped him
    with one huge, leather-gloved hand. Rebel Yell felt himself
    lifted effortlessly from the ground, felt the pressure as the
    hand contracted around him.
    "No! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
    He awoke suddenly in a cold sweat. Gasping for breath, the
    Southern Sentinel sat up. It was just the dream again, he said,
    just the dream. It was just because Luri was gone, he thought.
    Rebel Yell paused. What if it was more than that? What if his
    dreams were a portent of something to come?
    He reached for the phone and began to dial a number he never
    thought he'd call.

    -----------------------------------------------------------------

    In a far away secret base, the Brotherhood of Net.Villains held
    their weekly meeting, their new leader (tm 1992 M*rv*l), Mr.
    Homage, presiding.
    "Current figures show profits are up for this quarter, due to
    the ouster of Table as leader and our redevotion to profit rather
    than revenge." Homage's lips twisted beneath the iron Doom-like
    mask.

    "That's not what I heard," Rumor Monger whispered to Dyslexia.
    "In other developments, let's all welcome our newest member,
    the new and improved Hooded Ho`'od Win." The mysterious hooded
    figure nodded at the polite applause. "As you may know, the
    former Ho`'od Win retired from being a superhero some time ago."
    Repetitive Lad leaned over to Professor Perhap. "I heard this
    was a different Ho`'od Win than the one in the LNH. Seems she
    retired..."
    Mr. Homage cleared his throat, glaring at Repetitive Lad until
    the latter sank into sheepish silence. "However, our efforts to
    track down Dr. Boring to recover the Stethoscope of Doom have
    been less than successful. I have... removed Professor Perhap
    and his wild dogs from the assignment." He glared at Perhap, who
    squirmed in his seat. "Does anyone have any ideas as to how to
    continue?"
    The Robgoblin cleared his throat tentatively.
    "Yes?" Homage demanded.
    "Maybe we should hire outside help? I hear that guy Y-Plex
    Burp is starting to reestablish his organization..." He trailed
    off.
    Homage stood silently for a few moments. At length, he spoke.
    "Yes, I think that may be for the best." Robgoblin sighed his
    relief audibly.
    "In other business, we have received a message from Fanboy King
    and the Image Idiots, proposing an alliance. Everyone consider
    this, and we'll take it up at the next meeting."
    "Is there any further business?" No one answered. "Very well,
    then. This meeting of the Brotherhood of Net.Villains stands
    adjourned.
    Homage whirled, his cape flapping in the breeze. He walked
    down the corridor to his quarters and flung open the door. He
    stepped in, only to sense that he was not alone.
    "Who's there?" he growled. "So help me, Revamp Lass, if that's
    you... I warned you last time I just was not interested."
    A shadowy figure emerged. "No, it is not Revamp Lass, the
    Mistress of Retcon. It is I."
    "Who are you?"
    The figure did not speak, but only stepped forward into the
    light enough for Homage to see his face. The Lord of Rip-Offs
    drew a sharp breath. "You!"
    "Yes, it is I. And I know exactly who you are, as well, Homage
    - or should I call you -"
    "No. He is dead. Only Homage remains."
    "Very well, then. The reason I have come concerns our mutual
    foe - the Legion of Net.Heroes."
    Mr. Homage sneered. "Your foe, perhaps, but not mine. I have
    transcended the sort of revenge-minded bitterness that infests
    most of our kind. My business is business."
    The mysterious visitor laughed. "Come now, can you tell me you
    do not feel any emotion at all toward the LNH? After all the
    times they defeated your intricate plans, all the times they
    humiliated you in combat, all the times those buffoons 'proved'
    how good will always overcome evil, all the-"
    "Stop! I get the idea," Homage said. "But I don't see what
    point revenge would make."
    "Then think of it this way." His visitor leaned forward,
    clasping his hands together. Homage noted the presence of a
    bejewelled leather glove on one hand. "The LNH is a potential
    threat to your illegal activities. Just how long do you think
    you can remain unnoticed?"
    "What would you have me do? There's not much I *can* do."
    The newcomer smiled. "Now, there is. He gestured, and a small
    device appeared.
    "What's that?" Homage queried.
    "A bomb, one capable of destroying an entire city block. Or
    the LNH's headquarters..."
    "Insidious."
    "Thank you, but I prefer 'nefarious'. In addition, this
    briefcase," he said, handing Homage a heavy package, "contains
    one trillion dollars and 59 cents, US currency. Consider it
    payment for taking care of the Legion."
    Homage looked down at the briefcase, his mouth watering. He
    turned back to his ally. "How can I ever-" He stopped short.
    His visitor was gone.

    -----------------------------------------------------------------

    "Order!" Ultimate Ninja shouted over the din. Someone pegged
    him with a spitball. "That does it," he muttered. The Ninja
    hopped up onto the table. "I said, I call this meeting to
    order!!!"
    In response, a paper airplane sailed toward him. In the blink
    of an eye, the Ninja drew his Ginsu Cut-em-All sword, sliced it
    to confetti, and poised the katana's point against the neck of
    the culprit - Bad Timing Boy. The room quickly grew silent.
    "I said," he repeated for the third time, his voice a dangerous
    purr, "Order."
    Everyone meekly and quickly took their seats.
    "That's better." He withdrew his weapon, much to Bad-Timing
    Boy's relief, and resumed his seat. "We have a few matters to
    take care of before we disperse." He noted Rebel Yell slink in
    late, something most unlike the Southerner.
    Ultimate Ninja continued. "Contraption Man has posited a few
    modifications on the Peril Room. Cannon Fodder, you and Captain
    Clean-Up will be required to assist in the testing."
    "Why is it always me?" Cannon Fodder whined. "It's always
    'Cannon Fodder, can you help me with this?' 'Cannon Fodder,
    look, I've learned a new trick.' 'Cannon Fodder'..." He broke
    off as the ninja began to reach for his sword. "No prob, boss."
    "I thought not." UN picked up a piece of paper. "The latest
    informal poll of Legionnaires shows we've lost quite a few.
    Panta took a leave of absence, Cliche Dude has gone on reserve,
    ad nauseam. Fortunately, we have regained the services of
    Continuity Champ and Obscure Trivia Lad, as well as picking up a
    few new LNHers, like Pocket Man and Generic Man. So our current
    membership is somewhere around 1000 or so." He turned to glare
    at RosterwReam. "We'd know exact figures except some *moron*
    hasn't done the roster yet..."
    "Anyway, that's it for this week. Dismissed." The war room
    broke out into chaos as the Ninja walked out the door, shaking
    his head.
    He caught sight of a figure up ahead. It was Rebel Yell.
    "Hey, Yell!"
    The Southerner turned. "Yeah?"
    "I've been meaning to ask you what you think of my plans about
    the traitor. I've got Doctor Stomper looking around to find out
    who it is. Personally, I think it's Spelling Boy. Just in case,
    though, I've let Irony Man keep an eye on Contraption Man; it
    would be ironic indeed if he was the LNHer who destroyed the
    LNH."
    "Uh-huh," Yell grunted. "Whatever you guys decide is okay with
    me." He turned and was gone.
    The Ninja stood and stared in shock. He knew Rebel Yell had
    been
    decidedly un-Rebel Yellish since Lurking Girl had left, but -
    "you guys"?!? The Rebel Yell he knew would *never* have said
    anything like that.
    Then the alarm went off.

    -----------------------------------------------------------------

    Grammer Lad huddled behind the wreckage of the meeting room
    table, trying to formulate some type of defense against their
    assailants. The Brotherhood of Net.Villains had hit them hard
    and fast, with no warning. It was only Nit-Pick Lad's fast
    reflexes that had allowed him to pull the alarm before Dyslexia
    had downed him. Now she was facing off against her arch-enemy
    Spelling Boy. Professor Perhap and his wild dogs, despite their
    vested interest in stopping the Dictionarial Defender, had
    decided instead to corner some of the less powerful Legionnaires
    in one corner. Myk-El used a chair to fend them off, as Obscure
    Trivia Lad bashed another, his android nature making him nigh
    invulnerable to their snapping jaws. Late Night Lad was battling
    the Sleeper Agent, as Rumor Monger tormented Marvel_Zombie Lad
    with tales of "Fantastic Four Unlimited" and "Secret Defenders".
    The situation was, to say the least, out of hand.

    -----------------------------------------------------------------

    Ultimate Ninja pounded on the door futilely. It had been
    sealed, and he was powerless to get in, as not even his Ginsu
    blades could cut pure Strongstuffium.
    Then he noticed the ventilation shaft.

    -----------------------------------------------------------------

    Grammer Lad dodged Color-Error Man's blast, which hit the wall
    behind him and turned it a hot pink. As he started across the
    room toward his new foe, he heard Romantic-Innuendo singing "I
    Feel Pretty" as he attempted to bend LNHers to his will. The
    villain quickly exerted his powers on California Kid, who
    promptly laid a heavy kiss on Catalyst Lass. "I'd be glad to
    share your interests," he murmured.
    Grammer Lad then noticed someone cloaked in the dust and
    darkness behind the villains. He tried to focus on the figure,
    but it was gone.

    -----------------------------------------------------------------

    "At last," Ultimate Ninja muttered to himself. It had taken
    long, agonizing minutes to twist through the air shafts in LNHQ
    to get to the war room. Whoever decided to make them 4 feet
    square in movies ought to be fed a cow lung, he mused pleasantly.
    Kicking the shaft cover off, the Ninja leaped down, preparing
    to cut down his foes with Ninja bush.
    However, he was in the medi-lab. Knew I should have taken a
    right back there instead of a left, he berated himself. Then he
    heard a voice from behind him.
    "You are too late, Ninja." He whirled, swords at the ready to
    see a 7 foot tall man in battle armor.
    "Do I know you?"
    "No, we have never met, but I have encountered your
    organization before. I am... Mr. Homage!"
    "Never heard of you, but I'll be glad to take care of you."
    The mastermind laughed. "I doubt that. You see, you have
    about fifteen seconds before that bomb," he pointed toward a
    small, beeping device, "explodes. Have fun." Homage hit a
    button on his belt and vanished. At the same time, the rest of
    the Brotherhood teleported away as well.
    The Ninja bent over the bomb, examining the wires.
    Fourteen seconds.
    There were five wires there.
    Thirteen seconds.
    He dismissed one of them as nothing but a decoy.
    Twelve seconds.
    Two more, blue and green, were of no use in defusing the bomb.
    Eleven seconds.
    Which left two wires - one red, one white.
    Ten seconds.
    Which one?
    Nine seconds.
    One would deactivate it, the other would explode it.
    Eight seconds.
    He racked his brain for an answer.
    Seven seconds.
    A rhyme lingered in the back of his mind...
    Six seconds.
    ... but he could not remember it.
    Five seconds,
    So the Ninja drew his sword...
    Four seconds.
    ...and cut the red one.
    Three seconds.
    Then he remembered the rhyme...
    Two seconds.
    "White, you're right..."
    One second.
    "...red, you're dead."
    Zero.

    KKKKKKKKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
    MMMM!!!!


    TO BE CONTINUED?


    ==========

    Next Week: Some more FLAME WARS!!!!

    ==========

    Arthur "Same Classic Channel. But Same Time? Probably not." Spitzer

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