The Perfect Run

“You’re not a human,” the film scriptwriter said. “You are a who drank a human-shifting Elixir.”

Ryan remained silent a moment, before exchanging confused glances with the and Atom Cat. All three of them sat in chairs next to a cardboard cutout showing Wyvern transforming into a dragon, and faced two Dynamis screenwriters with very strange ideas. “I’m sorry?” the asked, sinking in his chair while in human form. “That’s not my tragic backstory!”

“Yes, yes, we understand, but…” The first scriptwriter reminded Ryan of an accountant, his greedy eyes hidden behind glasses; he had traded his artistic soul for a suit, and it wasn’t even made of cashmere. “It won’t sell.”

“What my colleague wants to say is that it’s not inspirational enough.” The other, meanwhile, was a walking Hollywood cliche. Some thirty-something year old guy who thought wearing a sweater and sneakers made him look trendy. “Your public persona is marketed towards young children, and your story… I’m sorry to say it, but it's depressing.”

Ryan kinda agreed with them on that front. When the told everyone about how he became a superhero, the courier had expected a funny adventure. Instead, he listened to an epic personal journey straight out of a Rocky movie.

“I thought it was pretty inspirational,” Atom Cat argued. “There were so many twists and turns...”

“Yes, but people don’t buy tickets to see a hero struggle,” Four-Eyes said. “They go to a movie to have a good time. Everybody says they hate power fantasies, but they sell well.”

“Which is why I think you’re a goldmine, Quicksave,” hip writer said. Ryan looked at the pass around the man’s neck, finally learning his name was Kevin of all things. “We can make so many cool scenes with your power, I think you might become the next action movie franchise.”

“I’m more of an R-rated black comedy material, to be honest,” Ryan said with a shrug.

Felix glanced at the growing more and more annoyed. “What do you think?”

“The is glad to get a movie at all, to be honest,” the manbear replied.

“Do you want to be portrayed as…” Felix struggled to find the correct wording. “An uplifted mascot?”

“Also, that’s not how Elixirs work,” Ryan pointed out. “We had an exposition scene like two hours ago.”

“Moviegoers don’t care about how it works or doesn’t work,” Mr. Four-Eyes said. “But a bear becoming a human will appeal to young children better than the other way around.”

“I understand your skepticism, but that’s because you haven’t read the full ‘Pandamania’ script,” Kevin argued with a smile. “The movie starts with an eight-year old boy—”

“I’m out of here,” Felix said abruptly, rising from his seat and looking at Ryan. “Coffee break?”

“Coffee break,” the courier replied, before patting the on the back. “Want something, my young pandawan?”

“Nothing, thanks Sifu,” the Green Genome replied, a bit embarrassed. “Coffee gives me ulcers.”

Ryan and Felix left the alone with the corporate madmen, walking through Star Studios’ warehouse six. After Tyrano’s extensive testing, the team went there to both film a stinger scene at the end of the latest Il Migliore movie, and discuss possible plans for individual franchises. Countless engineers, actors, and technicians worked inside these walls, and though Il Migliore was Dynamis’ cash-cow, the company’s cinema branch produced everything from romantic comedies to action flicks.

Ryan had expected Vulcan to wreck the place, but the Genius was strangely quiet during this loop. A shame. He would have enjoyed a little chaos, since Dynamis focused entirely on bland money-makers rather than more innovative movies.

Wardrobe was busy acting as Wyvern’s stuntwoman, wearing the superheroine’s costume while she floated in front of a green screen; computer engineers then replaced Yuki’s face with a CGI of her template. The more he learned about Wardrobe’s power, the more Ryan thought the ‘copyright’ limit was only her way to systematize it. From what he understood, her power instead decided if a persona was ‘available’ for copying, or if it belonged to someone else. Since Dynamis allowed her to cosplay as Wyvern, she could do so, even if the persona was copyrighted.

It would also explain why she could dress as Augustus. Lightning Butt piggybacked Zeus’ myth so much, people had started to conflate the two personas together.

“You know, kitten, something has been bugging me about Dr. Tyrano,” Ryan admitted, as they made their way to the nearest break room.

“His dinosaur obsession?”

“No, the name,” Ryan explained. “Shouldn’t it be Dr. Tyranno with a second ‘n’? Like Tyrannosaure?”

“I thought only the french wrote it like that,” Felix replied with a snort. “Besides, it’s his true name: Alain Tyrano.”

“The dinosaur scientist’s family name is Tyrano?” Ryan asked with an eyebrow raised. “That’s like calling your son Van Doom, and he grows up to be a supervillain.”

Equipped with a window view of the park outside the studios, the hall included leather

replied. “Usually, I just wing things until they work out. The only

did you join Dynamis exactly? I can tell you aren’t the celebrity type, and that you’re playing

kitten.” They finally reached the machine, Ryan putting fifty Euro cents in the coin slot. The machine

he replied while asking for a

“Not milk? I’m disappointed.”

superhero name, will you

“No, I won’t.”

he grabbed his cup, motioning at a sofa near the window. Both heroes

figured as much. “Because they force your sister

how much do you know about

“I know you’re the son of Mars

misunderstanding the situation. “Make sure I’m not a reverse-mole supplying info back to my family? Because he’s already doing a fine job

Atom Kitten more valuable as a potential hostage or intel source than as a hero. “Nothing of the sort,” Ryan replied, sipping

Felix chuckled at seeing Ryan’s reaction, delighting at one-upping him for once. “I did my

to Len. “Even dead and buried... he still holds his daughter

the question burning on his lips. “Did you kill

I arranged for his demise.” Atom Cat flinched at Ryan’s blunt confession. “Do you hate your parents,

but I wouldn't mind seeing them taken down a peg. They have a lot of blood on their hands, and they’re dragging my sisters into the ‘family business.’ They forced one to make drugs, and convinced

did shake his family, but they chose to blame Dynamis or hope he would return to the fold.

other side of the window, and Ryan quickly identified what. A very

a frown. “She’s

a rat swarm would suddenly appear to destroy the

you don’t know

sure you’re

we ended up sharing a flat for a few months, when I decided I should have

“What changed?”

division, the one where Zanbato works. The casinos’ staff distributes it to clients, either for recreational purposes or to blackmail them. I helped Zan with the case,

“Chitter,” Ryan guessed.

the animals to their mistress and…” Felix stopped for a moment, looking into the distance. “It was… it

his teammate’s shoulder. “Don’t

can even affect Genomes? When we found her, the stuff had given her an overdose. She had blood pouring out of her nose and eyes, Ryan. Mold growing on her skin. If we hadn’t found her and rushed to a hospital, she would have died. And when

frowned, having already

Ryan. It enslaved her body and soul.” Atom Cat made a disgusted face. “That was a fucking wake-up

“But not for Zanbato?”

existence to the Augusti, and he can’t fathom a life outside it. Yeah, he went the extra mile to keep Ki-jung clean, but he was just trying to assuage his guilt. He doesn’t want to support the Bliss business, but at the end of the

cup and tossed it into

good of the family, honey,’ or ‘addicts kill themselves because they can’t help themselves.’ And Jamie, he let Ki-jung fall into the mafia lifestyle rather than keeping her away from

echoing a lot with his

people too. I thought Dynamis could help me change that, but now… now, I don’t know what to do anymore. From what I’ve

trying to cheer him up. “No matter

response. “You

words untrue,” the courier replied with seriousness. “It can always improve. But you have to keep trying even if you fail,

for Felix or Ryan himself, but he had to say them anyway. Both fell into an uncomfortable silence, neither knowing what to say next, and none wanting

And then, calamity struck.

“Felix!”

of the underworld. Felix had the exact same reaction, his eyes widened in horror as he turned his head to look behind. “Tell me

sofa, wearing a fashionable golden shirt and skirt that exposed her legs for everyone to see. She smirked

Ryan ignored her entirely to focus on the keycard

a pass