"Yesss. Yes, I did. Ah, how quickly do you need to change back?"
"I got school tomorrow? W-? Why?"
Well, that's a heck of a time limit to sort this out. roughly 22 hours, assuming Billy wants to shower in his civvy form before school once this is sorted out.
"The fastest way to turn you back would probably be to get Adom or Osiris-. What's happening with Lieutenant Marvel and Mary Marvel?"
"Mary's stuck in normal mode." He shrugs. "Freddy's still in bed. I mean, it is a Sunday. But you think Amon could transform us?"
Well, at least it's only Billy facing issues with his secret identity.
"Maybe? I've never tried studying the spell that transforms you. I didn't even know you'd.. be affected like this."
"Oh, ah, yeah, the Wizards says you're not allowed to study the spell. Ah, or anyone else. I think he… I think he thinks you're a bad influence."
Again:
"That's fair.
" I don't doubt the Wizard has very
sharp opinions about OL and his deeds.
…
"Yeah, that's… That's fair. Of course, since I haven't studied the spell, and since Adom and Amon use different gods, it might just not work."
At least he's self-aware about it. And accepting of that opinion. How many DC heroes would say the same if someone said that about
them?
His eyes narrow suspiciously. "Did you..? Do something to Zeus?"
"He's not.. dead or anything. Just… Feeling a little under the weather."
Booo, OL. Save the Dad jokes for when you're actually a father...
"Isn't he the God of Weather?"
"No, the-. It's a metaphor. The point is, they might not be able to turn you back, so we might need to work out something else. Has the Wizard said anything."
I bet he's panicking a little at the sudden shift in his powerbase...
William looks away awkwardly. "See, Zeus's Power is how I visit him, so I can't really get there right now?"
"Darn it. Um, okay. How does the… Sponsoring you think work?"
Like Billy's ever thought about it? He's
ten, Wisdom of Solomon aside. Logistics is not his strong point.
"Oh, the Wizard handles all of that. I've never even met any of them."
"Okay. So… Zeus lost his link to the titans in Tartarus, but he kept his own-."
Hold on.
How was this accomplished, again? Did anyone think to double-check that?
Or did he? What exactly did Hephaestaean take away when he cast him out? And he… Didn't give it to someone else. He just locked it away from Zeus. So… A lightning bolt. The Cyclopes, perhaps? Or just ask Hephaestaean to arrange for a substitute until Zeus sorts himself out.
"If Zeus is unavailable, do you have any preference as to who substitutes for him?"
Hephaestaean probably has enough authority as King now to force Zeus to maintain his obligations. But that would have its own consequences, i bet.
"I guess… As long as it works. I just got kinda used to saying 'Shazam'. And shouldn't we try using Amon's lightning first?"
"That will turn you back into William Batson so you can go to school tomorrow. But-."
On the other hand, if the removal of Zeus' support has removed your resistance to electrical damage... The Stamina of Atlas will only go
so far.
"But I can't just get them to transform me whenever I need to transform." He nods. "Billy doesn't need to do anything today, so I can just come-." He realises something. "Do you need to do something else today?"
"Explain to Batman while I thought overthrowing Zeus was a good idea, but I'm happy to put that off for a few hours." Hm. "Have you ever used anything else to transform?"
How considerate of Billy. Though I fear for Bruce's blood pressure when he hears about this.
"One time, Freddy transformed me by saying 'Shazam' and dodging out the way so the lightning bolt hit me instead. Oh, hey." He smiles. "Shazam. Shazam! Shazaaaaaaam."
I look at him in confusion for a moment.
...Really? The Wizard didn't think to add an 'intent clause' to the transformation phrase? Lazy ass.
He shrugs. "I can say it without transforming. I haven't been able to do that for a while."
"Does the word 'Shazam' come up a lot in conversation?"
Only in superheroic circles, I suspect.
"It didn't, and then I couldn't say it?"
I nod. "I understand. Okay, let's try…" I raise my left hand to my mouth. "Orange Lantern to Osiris. Orange Lantern to Osiris. Come-."
Best to get things started now. Time is of the essence.
"Osiris here! Am I late already?"
"No, no. Captain Marvel has a problem we're hoping that you can help with. Could you-?"
And boy, does
that sound wrong, if you look at it the right way.
"Recognized, Osiris, B One Nine."
Amon flies out of the zeta tube the moment the lights dim, smiling enthusiastically. "How may I help?"
Swiftness of Heru for the win.
"Hey, Osiris! I'm having trouble transforming right now, and I'm hoping that your lightning can do it."
"You want me to hit you with my lightning?" William nods. "Okay, I-." His head jerks slightly. "Ah. Lord Zehuti says that he doesn't think it works like that."
Ha! Joy of a God of Magic providing your Wisdom.
Clear Word of
literal God about spell mechanics and loopholes.
William nods. "We figured it might not, but it worked with Lieutenant Marvel so I'm hoping it will work with you."
"Before we… Do anything. Amon, have you noticed your powers working differently in the last few hours?"
Different pantheon, OL. But work checking, I suppose. Just for completeness' sake. Like the old 'turn it off and back on' trouble-shooting advice.
He blurs up to the ceiling and then slowly flies down. He looks around, then closes his eyes and concentrates for a moment, listening and… smelling.
"No." He opens his eyes, shaking his head. "Everything feels the same."
Thankfully, their powers are relatively easy to test and gauge. Good old
FISS package, mental stuff aside.
"Good show. Captain, if… This turns out to hit you like normal lightning, will it..? Hurt you?"
"Yeah, but not too bad." He nods. "I'll be okay."
Well, if you're confident about it. It's
your ass that'll be smoking if you're wrong.
"Right then." Construct armour, bubble shield and retreat back a small way. "Go ahead."
Amon floats up to William and puts his right hand on his left shoulder. "Are you prepared?"
Thanks goodness they don't need open air for this. Would be rough on the old secret identity.
William nods. "Uh-huh."
"Teth Adom!"
...Because Amon has the same deal as Lieutenant Marvel: He calls the name of his partner rather than the Wizard... Probably makes it hard to talk about him.
I'm picturing Freddy using nicknames like 'Marvel' or 'The Captain'...
Lightning flashes from nowhere and Adom drops to the ground, having taken the precaution of wearing a copy of his costume on his normal body. William-.
"Ow." Smoke rises off his still-adult body, and he takes a moment to look at his arms. "Oh."
The joy of not
physically changing for your transformation. No giveaway to tell the bad guys you're now powerless.
"Okay, that's slightly more of a problem. Do you think the Wizard would be alright with Amon visiting the Rock of Eternity?"
"Ah." He brushes some fragments of ash off his costume. "That should be okay. Un-less… You haven't..? Done anything to Solomon, right?"
...Well, this could get
awkward. Let's hope the Wizard doesn't tar Amon with the crimes of his mentor.
"No, and I have no plans to."
"So it should be okay." He turns to Amon. "I can show you where to go."
As long as you don't turn left at the second star and head straight. That's completely the
wrong alternate dimension.
Amon nods. "I would like to meet the Wizard who murdered my brother."
"And while you're doing that I'll see if I can find out what happened to Zeus's lightning. Ring, find Zeus."
Bets on the ring not being able to do so?
