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darkly_ironicTitle: No Happy Endings (5/? - "Heroes Are Over With")
Rating: PG-13
Paring: slight Billy/Penny
Word Count: 1644
Summary: The Hero is dead, and the Villain has taken over the city. Caught between worlds, all Penny wants is to get back to a normal life, only to find that she's already a pawn in epic struggles she didn't even know existed. AU from 'Slipping'.
A/N: Some of you might recognize Justice Joe from the Dr. Horrible origin comic. If you haven't read that, Justice Joe was the equivalent of Captain Hammer when Billy was a kid. His arch-nemisis was Mister Maniacal, a goggle-wearing mad scientist. Justice Joe's taunting Mister Maniacal by calling him "Einstein"--an insult leveled at Young Billy earlier in the story--was part of what inspired Billy to become a villain. When I wrote this chapter, all I'd read of the comic was the first few pages that the publishers had released as a trailer. If you've seen the whole thing, you'll know that it was revealed that after Justice Joe's brief appearance he was killed by his nemesis. Of course, this isn't a problem because Captain Hammer's resurrection clearly isn't a one off. They've been doing this for decades, if not centuries. Supposedly. : ) Anyway, enjoy! (That came out long, didn't it? Sorry!) : )
“This…is it?” The building wasn’t what Penny had expected. When Captain Hammer had told her he was taking her to the Heroes’ Guild headquarters, she’d expected something a little more—heroic. The headquarters were in a decaying office block with grungy brickwork and peeling linoleum in the lobby.
There was a bored-looking woman behind the front desk. When she saw Penny and Hammer, her look of apathy was replaced by something more like surprise with a sprinkling of distaste.
“Captain Hammer,” she said. Of course, Penny realized. She would know him.
“Jessica.” Hammer attempted his best smarmy leer, but Penny could see his heart wasn’t in it. “Me and the little lady are here to see the boss.”
“Do you have an appointment?” Jessica asked.
“What do you think?” Hammer asked, grinning.
“He’s busy today,” Jessica informed them. “You picked a bad time, Hammer, though that isn’t surprising. What is surprising is that you’re out on the streets not even a day after Dr. Horrible bombed the City Hall.” Hammer’s smile slipped. Penny took his hand, because it seemed like the right thing to do. The smile returned.
“All the more reason to talk to the boss.” He leaned in conspiratorially. “We have new evidence in the case.”
“Fine. You know where to go.”
“Come on, Penny,” Hammer muttered, and he led her over to the elevator. Penny looked back at the receptionist just in time to see her mouthing ‘Penny?’, a pensive stare replacing feigned disinterest.
“New evidence?” Penny asked Hammer once the elevator door closed.
“See, I told you. Espionage training.”
“I think that was probably the CSI. Is she not going to tell him we’re coming?”
“She probably already did. Jessica’s psy-powered.”
“Oh.”
They took the elevator up to the top floor. The elevator was old and slow and rocked disconcertingly when it passed each floor.
“If the ELE headquarters is some mansion outside the city,” Penny asked as the elevator made its creaky ascent, “why are the Heroes in a place like this?”
“No money,” Hammer said shortly. “Heroism doesn’t pay well.” He paused for a moment, considering. “Well, unless you were me.”
“But don’t they have an office in the city center too?” The elevator stopped, the doors sliding open to reveal a large office, a desk, and the man sitting behind it.
“We did have,” the man behind the desk said. He was a strongly built man in his early fifties, easily as tall as Hammer, and with steel-grey hair cut military short. In fact, Penny thought there was something very Hollywood-general about him. “We put all the funds into it as our public face, and then the ELE went and blew it up this morning. It was next door to the City Hall.” He stood. “You must be Penny. I’m Joe.”
“Hi.” They shook hands.
“Hello Captain.”
“JJ,” Hammer said, nodding. ‘JJ’ didn’t look happy with the nickname. He ignored Hammer, and turned back to Penny.
“So, Johnny told me about the little—altercation—that happened last night. He mentioned the ELE’s newest member was showing a little more interest in your affairs then was strictly common.” Joe gave Penny a practiced look of paternal worry.
“You saw him?” Hammer was shocked.
Penny didn’t know what to say.
“Where you even going to tell me?” Hammer sounded surprisingly emotional. Penny bit her lip and didn’t look at him.
“Well, I think Penny made the right choice in not telling you, Captain. The last thing the Guild needs right now is a powerless ex-superhero on a vendetta, especially one who’s supposed to be dead.” Joe sounded confident and self-assured, and just a little bit pompous. Hammer glowered at him, but didn’t respond.
“Actually, I think it might be better if you let Penny and I talk alone for awhile,” Joe continued. Hammer opened his mouth to say something that would be regretted later if Hammer was the sort to reflect on past conversations, but Joe cut him off. “You can help Jessica take phone calls.” Captain Hammer shut his mouth, and walked back to the elevator. He paused for a second next to Penny.
“You don’t have to agree to anything,” he whispered in her ear. “Be careful.” The elevator doors closed behind him, and he was gone.
“He talked about you a lot when he was recovering,” Joe told Penny. “I should tell you that we’ve been keeping an eye on you for a while though. There are signs we look for, difficulty holding down a job or relationship, frequent relocations, acts of philanthropy, even difficult childhoods. I understand your parents died when you were young?”
“That’s not really important, is it?” Penny shifted the purse strap on her shoulder. “And it’s not what you want to talk about anyway.”
Joe chuckled. “No, is isn’t. I want to talk about Dr. Horrible.” Penny had been expecting that.
“I don’t really know anything about him.”
“But you saw him last night, and Johnny said he’d been following you. He defended you. Strange behavior for a supervillain, don’t you think?”
“I guess.”
“It is, and that our villain would risk discovery and arrest to help you is interesting. Even knowing you had a hero protecting you, he still acted first.” Joe’s voice softened. “Captain Hammer told me you two were friends.”
“We were. I didn’t know though—about the evil thing—he was just a sweet, shy guy at the Laundromat…”
“Villains can be stealthy. Don’t blame yourself. You couldn’t have known. We can use this to our advantage though.”
“What?”
“Dr. Horrible clearly has some sort of infatuation with you, which is dangerous for him, but useful for us.” He smiled, and it reminded Penny of a wolf or big cat, all teeth and predatory malice. Penny was beginning to guess where he was going.
“You want me to spy on him.”
“Yes.” He hesitated. “It’s not something we’re asking you to do lightly. He is dangerous, and he now has the backing of the most diabolical group of people on this continent. Even if he might hesitate to hurt you, they wouldn’t.”
“You’re asking me anyway though.” Penny hadn’t been expecting this, but she didn’t know why it hadn’t occurred to her. It seemed obvious now, really.
“You saw what happened this morning, and all the reports we’ve been getting say that was only the beginning. We’re at war, Penny. I can call you Penny, can’t I?”
Penny nodded.
“Thank you. It might not seem that way now, but I assure you, in a few months, we’ll be looking back at our current circumstances like they were some kind pleasant dream. We need any advantage we can get, every weakness we can exploit, and you—”
“I think I see what you’re getting at,” Penny said slowly. It made perfect sense, but she wished it didn’t.
“And of course, we’d make sure you where looked after, both during and after the…operation.”
“After?”
Justice Joe treated Penny to a worried frown. “You do realize that the whole point of this is to insure Dr. Horrible is neutralized?”
Penny’s gut lurched. “You mean…you want me to help you kill him.” He might be a villain, a murderer, but Penny didn’t think killing was ever a solution. She wanted to save lives, not end them.
Joe backtracked fast. “No, of course not. Killing a villain’s useless, they just come back.”
Penny snorted. “Like Captain Hammer?”
He chuckled. “It doesn’t usually work that well for them. There’s a reason Dead Bowie’s dead. But Penny—” He leaned in for emphasis, eyes meeting hers. “It would be self-defeating to get rid of Horrible permanently. He might be evil, but it’s clear he has a brilliant mind. If we could convince him to change sides, if you could convince him…”
Defeat Dr. Horrible and free sweet, awkward Billy-buddy? It would be more then she’d ever dared to hope for in the months following Captain Hammer’s ‘death’. Good in everybody’s heart… Was there still good in Dr. Horrible’s?
Penny realized the hero was waiting for an answer, his eyes still locked with hers. She felt a little light-headed, her mouth was dry, and there was static in her ears. She knew what she should say, what answer she needed to give, but the cynical bit of her mind that had resisted all attempts at exorcism wasn’t convinced. So many things could go wrong; it certainly didn’t seem like a watertight plan.
She shook her head slightly, trying to clear it, and blinked hard. It worked well enough for her to go to the water cooler by the wall. The ceramic of the cistern was cool against her palm, and for a moment the only sound in the office was the glug of resettling water. Penny drained the cup, then faced the hero again.
“I need time to think, to get…things…in order.” Penny was thinking of Captain Hammer. She couldn’t leave him to fend for himself while she did this. If she did it.
Justice Joe leaned back in his chair. He didn’t look overly pleased at her hesitancy. “We don’t have long, Penny.” I can’t believe you’re procrastinating while people are dying out there, his face said. “I’d need an answer by—tomorrow evening. At the latest. Other things need to be set in motion that rely on you being in place.”
Penny didn’t ask what they were. She guessed she wouldn’t like them.
He stood, and offered a hand. Penny took it uncertainly. He led her over to the elevator. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Penny. I’m sure you’ll make the right decision.”
Was it Penny’s imagination, or was there a subtle threat in his voice? She shivered as the doors closed, and the elevator started its shuddering decent. Whatever she chose, Dr. Horrible was right: it was far too late for her to turn back.
Rating: PG-13
Paring: slight Billy/Penny
Word Count: 1644
Summary: The Hero is dead, and the Villain has taken over the city. Caught between worlds, all Penny wants is to get back to a normal life, only to find that she's already a pawn in epic struggles she didn't even know existed. AU from 'Slipping'.
A/N: Some of you might recognize Justice Joe from the Dr. Horrible origin comic. If you haven't read that, Justice Joe was the equivalent of Captain Hammer when Billy was a kid. His arch-nemisis was Mister Maniacal, a goggle-wearing mad scientist. Justice Joe's taunting Mister Maniacal by calling him "Einstein"--an insult leveled at Young Billy earlier in the story--was part of what inspired Billy to become a villain. When I wrote this chapter, all I'd read of the comic was the first few pages that the publishers had released as a trailer. If you've seen the whole thing, you'll know that it was revealed that after Justice Joe's brief appearance he was killed by his nemesis. Of course, this isn't a problem because Captain Hammer's resurrection clearly isn't a one off. They've been doing this for decades, if not centuries. Supposedly. : ) Anyway, enjoy! (That came out long, didn't it? Sorry!) : )
“This…is it?” The building wasn’t what Penny had expected. When Captain Hammer had told her he was taking her to the Heroes’ Guild headquarters, she’d expected something a little more—heroic. The headquarters were in a decaying office block with grungy brickwork and peeling linoleum in the lobby.
There was a bored-looking woman behind the front desk. When she saw Penny and Hammer, her look of apathy was replaced by something more like surprise with a sprinkling of distaste.
“Captain Hammer,” she said. Of course, Penny realized. She would know him.
“Jessica.” Hammer attempted his best smarmy leer, but Penny could see his heart wasn’t in it. “Me and the little lady are here to see the boss.”
“Do you have an appointment?” Jessica asked.
“What do you think?” Hammer asked, grinning.
“He’s busy today,” Jessica informed them. “You picked a bad time, Hammer, though that isn’t surprising. What is surprising is that you’re out on the streets not even a day after Dr. Horrible bombed the City Hall.” Hammer’s smile slipped. Penny took his hand, because it seemed like the right thing to do. The smile returned.
“All the more reason to talk to the boss.” He leaned in conspiratorially. “We have new evidence in the case.”
“Fine. You know where to go.”
“Come on, Penny,” Hammer muttered, and he led her over to the elevator. Penny looked back at the receptionist just in time to see her mouthing ‘Penny?’, a pensive stare replacing feigned disinterest.
“New evidence?” Penny asked Hammer once the elevator door closed.
“See, I told you. Espionage training.”
“I think that was probably the CSI. Is she not going to tell him we’re coming?”
“She probably already did. Jessica’s psy-powered.”
“Oh.”
They took the elevator up to the top floor. The elevator was old and slow and rocked disconcertingly when it passed each floor.
“If the ELE headquarters is some mansion outside the city,” Penny asked as the elevator made its creaky ascent, “why are the Heroes in a place like this?”
“No money,” Hammer said shortly. “Heroism doesn’t pay well.” He paused for a moment, considering. “Well, unless you were me.”
“But don’t they have an office in the city center too?” The elevator stopped, the doors sliding open to reveal a large office, a desk, and the man sitting behind it.
“We did have,” the man behind the desk said. He was a strongly built man in his early fifties, easily as tall as Hammer, and with steel-grey hair cut military short. In fact, Penny thought there was something very Hollywood-general about him. “We put all the funds into it as our public face, and then the ELE went and blew it up this morning. It was next door to the City Hall.” He stood. “You must be Penny. I’m Joe.”
“Hi.” They shook hands.
“Hello Captain.”
“JJ,” Hammer said, nodding. ‘JJ’ didn’t look happy with the nickname. He ignored Hammer, and turned back to Penny.
“So, Johnny told me about the little—altercation—that happened last night. He mentioned the ELE’s newest member was showing a little more interest in your affairs then was strictly common.” Joe gave Penny a practiced look of paternal worry.
“You saw him?” Hammer was shocked.
Penny didn’t know what to say.
“Where you even going to tell me?” Hammer sounded surprisingly emotional. Penny bit her lip and didn’t look at him.
“Well, I think Penny made the right choice in not telling you, Captain. The last thing the Guild needs right now is a powerless ex-superhero on a vendetta, especially one who’s supposed to be dead.” Joe sounded confident and self-assured, and just a little bit pompous. Hammer glowered at him, but didn’t respond.
“Actually, I think it might be better if you let Penny and I talk alone for awhile,” Joe continued. Hammer opened his mouth to say something that would be regretted later if Hammer was the sort to reflect on past conversations, but Joe cut him off. “You can help Jessica take phone calls.” Captain Hammer shut his mouth, and walked back to the elevator. He paused for a second next to Penny.
“You don’t have to agree to anything,” he whispered in her ear. “Be careful.” The elevator doors closed behind him, and he was gone.
“He talked about you a lot when he was recovering,” Joe told Penny. “I should tell you that we’ve been keeping an eye on you for a while though. There are signs we look for, difficulty holding down a job or relationship, frequent relocations, acts of philanthropy, even difficult childhoods. I understand your parents died when you were young?”
“That’s not really important, is it?” Penny shifted the purse strap on her shoulder. “And it’s not what you want to talk about anyway.”
Joe chuckled. “No, is isn’t. I want to talk about Dr. Horrible.” Penny had been expecting that.
“I don’t really know anything about him.”
“But you saw him last night, and Johnny said he’d been following you. He defended you. Strange behavior for a supervillain, don’t you think?”
“I guess.”
“It is, and that our villain would risk discovery and arrest to help you is interesting. Even knowing you had a hero protecting you, he still acted first.” Joe’s voice softened. “Captain Hammer told me you two were friends.”
“We were. I didn’t know though—about the evil thing—he was just a sweet, shy guy at the Laundromat…”
“Villains can be stealthy. Don’t blame yourself. You couldn’t have known. We can use this to our advantage though.”
“What?”
“Dr. Horrible clearly has some sort of infatuation with you, which is dangerous for him, but useful for us.” He smiled, and it reminded Penny of a wolf or big cat, all teeth and predatory malice. Penny was beginning to guess where he was going.
“You want me to spy on him.”
“Yes.” He hesitated. “It’s not something we’re asking you to do lightly. He is dangerous, and he now has the backing of the most diabolical group of people on this continent. Even if he might hesitate to hurt you, they wouldn’t.”
“You’re asking me anyway though.” Penny hadn’t been expecting this, but she didn’t know why it hadn’t occurred to her. It seemed obvious now, really.
“You saw what happened this morning, and all the reports we’ve been getting say that was only the beginning. We’re at war, Penny. I can call you Penny, can’t I?”
Penny nodded.
“Thank you. It might not seem that way now, but I assure you, in a few months, we’ll be looking back at our current circumstances like they were some kind pleasant dream. We need any advantage we can get, every weakness we can exploit, and you—”
“I think I see what you’re getting at,” Penny said slowly. It made perfect sense, but she wished it didn’t.
“And of course, we’d make sure you where looked after, both during and after the…operation.”
“After?”
Justice Joe treated Penny to a worried frown. “You do realize that the whole point of this is to insure Dr. Horrible is neutralized?”
Penny’s gut lurched. “You mean…you want me to help you kill him.” He might be a villain, a murderer, but Penny didn’t think killing was ever a solution. She wanted to save lives, not end them.
Joe backtracked fast. “No, of course not. Killing a villain’s useless, they just come back.”
Penny snorted. “Like Captain Hammer?”
He chuckled. “It doesn’t usually work that well for them. There’s a reason Dead Bowie’s dead. But Penny—” He leaned in for emphasis, eyes meeting hers. “It would be self-defeating to get rid of Horrible permanently. He might be evil, but it’s clear he has a brilliant mind. If we could convince him to change sides, if you could convince him…”
Defeat Dr. Horrible and free sweet, awkward Billy-buddy? It would be more then she’d ever dared to hope for in the months following Captain Hammer’s ‘death’. Good in everybody’s heart… Was there still good in Dr. Horrible’s?
Penny realized the hero was waiting for an answer, his eyes still locked with hers. She felt a little light-headed, her mouth was dry, and there was static in her ears. She knew what she should say, what answer she needed to give, but the cynical bit of her mind that had resisted all attempts at exorcism wasn’t convinced. So many things could go wrong; it certainly didn’t seem like a watertight plan.
She shook her head slightly, trying to clear it, and blinked hard. It worked well enough for her to go to the water cooler by the wall. The ceramic of the cistern was cool against her palm, and for a moment the only sound in the office was the glug of resettling water. Penny drained the cup, then faced the hero again.
“I need time to think, to get…things…in order.” Penny was thinking of Captain Hammer. She couldn’t leave him to fend for himself while she did this. If she did it.
Justice Joe leaned back in his chair. He didn’t look overly pleased at her hesitancy. “We don’t have long, Penny.” I can’t believe you’re procrastinating while people are dying out there, his face said. “I’d need an answer by—tomorrow evening. At the latest. Other things need to be set in motion that rely on you being in place.”
Penny didn’t ask what they were. She guessed she wouldn’t like them.
He stood, and offered a hand. Penny took it uncertainly. He led her over to the elevator. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Penny. I’m sure you’ll make the right decision.”
Was it Penny’s imagination, or was there a subtle threat in his voice? She shivered as the doors closed, and the elevator started its shuddering decent. Whatever she chose, Dr. Horrible was right: it was far too late for her to turn back.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-04-13 03:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-04-13 06:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-04-13 06:05 pm (UTC)(Also, mind if I friend you?)
no subject
Date: 2010-04-13 06:21 pm (UTC)I don't mind at all! : )
no subject
Date: 2010-04-14 12:57 pm (UTC)I also loved "there's a reason Dead Bowie's dead" (ooo, I love me some zombification) and the idea of the Heroes guild being run down.
How is this story not getting more comments? I just can't understand it! It's extraordinarily well written.
no subject
Date: 2010-04-15 05:27 am (UTC)Zombies are fun! And there aren't nearly enough sparkly 80's zombies out there. : )
Well, I really appreciate the wonderful comments I'm getting. Thank you again!
no subject
Date: 2010-06-01 04:21 am (UTC)where=were
ooooo, I love the converting Dr. Horrible idea, and Penny's hope at the thought really comes through so well!
no subject
Date: 2010-06-01 08:34 pm (UTC)Poor Penny didn't know what she was getting into... : )
no subject
Date: 2010-06-20 07:39 am (UTC)And ooooo!! I love it! Although JJ needs to back off a little, I think. But awesome idea, getting Billy to change sides. Cause really, he just wants change, right? Right?! :)
no subject
Date: 2010-06-23 01:58 am (UTC)I was never quiet sure how evil JJ was, and I think it shows a little. I had this whole big plan with Penny having this 'saving people' compulsion, that never really got into the story as much as I wanted it to.
Thanks for commenting!