2542/Burning Tree

Burning Tree
Date of Scene:	21 July 2020
Location:	Flushing Meadows Park
Synopsis:	While investigating a smoking tree, Freddy and Billy (aka Pantheon and Shazam) have a small heart-to-heart.
Cast of Characters:	Billy Batson, Freddy Freeman

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Billy Batson has posed:
Shazam ponders a soggy and half burnt tree. In his hand he holds a pool skimmer full of burnt leaves. A few leaves are still in the community pool behind him. "There could have been another'A' in Shazam, Aeolus, God of winds. Then I'd have super breath and I wouldn't have had to dunk that stupid tree in the pool and get yelled at by the ranger and have to clean it up. Okay... mentors or whatever let me hear from you... was this magical hoodoo or superpowered nonsense or a death ray or something? I need to know, I go to school here. Please, let it be Cassie Sandusky behind this? I hate that cow. If she had a car it'd be orbiting Mars right now." He ponders the tree some more.

Freddy Freeman has posed:
    Usually, it isn't really necessary for the Shazamily to do their patrolling in pairs. There are few foes that would make a match for their intense powers and fewer still that could ever hope to best them. Buuuut Freddy has been sticking around a little -too- closely for the past weeks, insisting that for safety's sake, the kids of Vasquez household should operate in twos. He is also insisting that it has nothing at all to do with his very public beatdown at the hands of Black Adam.

    So he's floating around behind Billy, as Pantheon, with his hands on his knees. "Hm. Well, I checked in with the people at the pool, and they said no one was hurt. Quick thinking, but boy, were they pissed," He flashes a smirk, then peers at the leaves. "Sure, you didn't accidentally hit it when you transformed?"

Billy Batson has posed:
Shazam calls over his shoulder. "Positive. The lightning only hits us and I transformed over by the dumpsters, when it caught fire. Anyway this wasn't lightning... I got good with it... this is like those weird spontaneous combustion things. And then there's the cars stalling and cell phones dying. I never saw our lightning affect such a wide area." Lightning was sort of his specialty in the family. Mary was the best flyer, Darla was the fastest speed wise... Freddy he wasn't sure of yet. Brains probably, but that was all him, not his power set.

Freddy Freeman has posed:
    To be fair, Freddy is a pretty good flier too. He instinctively hovers about a foot off the ground pretty much always, including now. It's probably a strange sort of phantom limb. "Okay, okay," The champion shifts into a floating seated position with a muscled calf over his thigh, and a finger propping up his chin. Thinking face activated. "Walk me through what happened. Give me all the deets. Unfortunately, however witchy Cassie can be, I'm pretty sure she's not ACTUALLY a witch."

    "The irony would be rich, though, considering all the times she called me a freak," adds Pantheon after a beat.

    "The doctor's appointment went well by the way. My physical therapist says my leg's doing okay but gave me something for the pain. I'm sorry you had to figure this shit out on your own."

Billy Batson has posed:
Shazam floats up beside Pantheon. "I'm sorry you ran into that psycho, Black Adam, alone. Listen, Freddy, I learned this the hard way, good is not stupid. If we go after this guy we all go... except Darla obviously. We take him down. I don't want any of us hurt. We mob him and I try my darnedest to draw his lightning out and depower the nut. Then he gets trussed up and gagged and brought to the SHIELD or the JLA. Let him try strong arming Superman or Wonder Woman. Anyway... you took his best shots. I'm proud of you for standing up to him. It took courage! We'll get him... Solomon says we are linked, he has a Shazam style costume. He's our problem for sure. We'll get him. We're all in this with you."

Freddy Freeman has posed:
    There's a handsome red on Pantheon's cheeks - as opposed to the wildfire that colors Freddy's blushes - when Shazam mentions Adam. He even averts his eyes, handing coming up to scratch the back of his head. "Yeah...I don't know. It was so weird. Bullets and stuff sorta sting, and sometimes we have the 'big guys' who punch way above their weight like us...but I've never really felt that much pain before. Honestly, it felt like the Breyer kids were shoving me in a locker all over again." A soft, humorless chuckle escapes him, and he looks at Shazam.

    "Mm, the Justice League for sure. They're way better than SHIELD, no question." Yeah, just because he's feeling down doesn't mean he won't find a way to inject superhero nerddom given the opportunity.

Billy Batson has posed:
Shazam nods. "I told Darla once that transforming was like being abut to sneeze then relaxing. That sensation faded fast. These forms mostly feel pain. You barely feel when someone touches you. Then you got all this adult crap dumped in your head and I still haven't made sense of it all. It's not easy. I'm pretty sure Superman is an ordinary guy or geek part time. But, the wizard chose me... I chose you. You'll make it. You have to... I brought Superman to meet you for lunch, and we're practically neighbors with Spider-Man. I can't give up and go back to charging $5 for a selfie or a cell phone charge."

Freddy Freeman has posed:
    "That'd be pretty cool," Pantheon says, nodding, "Think Superman buys his own merch?" That somehow feels vain to Freddy, and Superman's a hero that totally has zero imperfections including vanity. His face sorta softens when Shazam mentions picking him, and the red-clad hero is encased in a brief hug. Not too long since they're out as heroes, and the superhero rumor mill can be WILD."

    "Agreed," He says into Billy's ear, before backing up. "Now, we just investigate spontaneously combusting trees."

Billy Batson has posed:
Shazam nods. "Let's go home and fire up the internet to find other such events... and get a snack. I'm starving. Race you!" He grins and shoots off. There is simply no counting to three in he Shazamily. Challenge thrown down and speed of Mercury, I choose you! The red clad hero launches into the air before leveling out and flying home.