Velveteen vs. the Junior Super Patriots (25 page)

Early integration into The Junior Super Patriots, West Coast Division was highly successful. Velveteen bonded well with her teammates, forming close bonds with Sparkle Bright and Action Dude. She began a relationship with Action Dude following the death of Diva (see
Diva: Autopsy
for details). Focus groups did not respond well to the idea of a frontline hero becoming involved with Velveteen, who most viewed as innocent and childlike. They did respond well to the idea of his becoming involved with Sparkle Bright. The relationship was slated for termination. Unfortunately, the process resulted in Velveteen’s departure from The Junior Super Patriots, WCD.

In the years since her return to civilian life, Velveteen has shown little inclination to use her powers, even when provoked. This may have slowed their maturation. Still, approach with caution.

Default costume: Brown/burgundy leotard, brown tights, burgundy boots and gloves. Brown bunny ears on a headband. Assorted toys and dolls for animation.

Power integrity: Before full termination of her relationship with Action Dude, an attempt was made to exchange the powers of Velveteen and Sparkle Bright, which would have resulted in a much more stable team. The bodies of both girls rejected this exchange. It is the opinion of the Research Division that Velveteen’s powers are somehow connected to her well-being, and removal or nullification would be fatal. Keep in mind as a weapon of last resort.

JACKIE FROST

Assessed power level 3

Age: Unknown
Age at time of power discovery: Unknown
Height/weight: Unknown

Power set: Elemental control and creation of ice. Immunity to cold. Travel through “magic mirrors,” a designation which does not yet have a firm definition.

Profile: Jackie Frost is the daughter of Jack Frost and the Snow Queen, current guardians of the winter. Efforts to convince her parents that she would benefit from membership in The Junior Super Patriots have resulted in all of Marketing receiving large amounts of coal on Christmas for the past several years (see
Profile: Santa Claus
for more information). She has thus been allowed to grow up without the tempering influence of other superhumans to balance out her naturally abrasive personality.

Jackie is impulsive, unpredictable, and a close friend of Velveteen’s, which has flagged her for additional observation. While we do not have detailed files on her weaknesses as yet, it is believed that heat may be the key to her defeat. If Jackie is engaged in combat, Firecracker should be summoned from whatever assignment she is on and instructed to take the ice-manipulator out.

Default costume: Varies from appearance to appearance, but is always essentially a blue and white ice skating uniform. Jackie does not wear a mask.

Additional note: It seems likely that Jackie is being groomed to eventually take over her mother’s position as protector of the winter. Should this happen, her power levels will increase. We must hope we can defeat her before this happens.

CARRABELLE “THE PRINCESS” MILLER

Assessed power level 4

Age: Twenty-three
Age at time of power discovery: Eleven
Height/weight: Variable

Power set: The Princess possesses a variable power pool of all abilities assigned by the little girls of the world to their ideal fairy tale princess. She has reliably demonstrated the ability to talk to woodland creatures, command birds, animate vegetables, talk to furniture, shrug off supposedly mortal wounds, sing enemies to sleep, break glass with high notes, find her way out of supposedly infinite mazes, and never smear her makeup.

Profile: The loss of the heroine codenamed “The Princess” to the marketing division of a large media company best known for their animated films was a genuine blow to The Super Patriots, and one which we still regret. Her powers activated during a visit to a popular theme park, triggering a musical number which swelled to involve 90% of the park guests and employees before reaching a crescendo. Birds flocked to her side, and the park’s management offered her an immediate contract, which she has since used as a corporate shield against recruitment efforts. She currently resides in the Crystal Glitter Unicorn Cloud Castle, an impenetrable fortress constructed outside the boundaries of reality as we know it.

The Princess is polite to a fault, something which most people attribute to her Southern upbringing, combined with her position as conduit of the world’s children. Her attachment to Velveteen and Jackie Frost is really the only questionable thing about her. She is unimpeachable. We hate her so.

Default costume: The Princess frequently goes into combat wearing impractical ball gowns which do not seem to impede her movement in the slightest. She is one of the only known heroines who actually
prefers
to fight in heels.

TAD “TAG” SINCLAIR

Assessed power level 3/informed power level 2

Age: Twenty-five
Age at time of power discovery: Eight
Height/weight: Unknown

Power set: Semi-autonomous animation of graphic representations of persons and animals, including minor transformation to grant access to species-appropriate weaponry. No known secondary powers.

Profile: Originally “Graffiti Boy,” Tag was acquired as a corporate asset following discovery by his second grade art teacher that he could bring chalk drawings to “life.” Early examination showed his power levels to be limited only by the resources available to him, although he has difficulty maintaining multiple manifestations for long periods of time. Because of this, and because of material considerations, Tag is the only known animus to be officially classed as a level three hero. He is listed in all publicity material as a level two support hero, maintaining the corporate policy regarding animus.

Tag integrated well with The Junior Super Patriots, Midwest Division, but was dismissed from the team due to abuse of his powers (see
Tag: Dismissal Report
for details). He worked temporarily under the name “Street Art” before settling on his final superhero name.

Default costume: Black body suit, utility belt, domino mask.

APPENDIX B:

TEAM ROSTERS

The Super Patriots, Original Lineup:

For details on the collapse of the original team, see action report
REDACTED.

Majesty:
Flight, super-strength, invulnerability.

Jolly Roger:
Magical hero, “pirate themed” powers.

Supermodel:
Incredible beauty allowing her to control the minds and responses of those around her.

The Super Patriots, West Coast Division, Current Lineup:

The current team is largely stable, although monitoring of the co-leaders, Action Dude and Sparkle Bright, is ongoing.

Action Dude:
Flight, super-strength, invulnerability.

Sparkle Bright:
Flight, photon manipulation, photonic camouflage (ability largely untrained).

Uncertainty:
Probability control.

Imagineer:
Technopath.

Mechamation:
Technopath.

Jack O’Lope:
Spirit of the American West.

The Junior Super Patriots, West Coast Division, Original Lineup:

The original team was assembled at the bequest of Marketing, who wanted a controllable group of child heroes in every time zone. Several mistakes were made, including limiting the team size to four. This allowed for the formation of excessively strong bonds between the children. Junior teams are now mandated to contain a minimum of six members at all times.

Action Dude:
Flight, super-strength, invulnerability.

Sparkle Bright:
Flight, photon manipulation, photonic camouflage (ability largely untrained).

The Claw:
Really nasty pinch. Communication with crustaceans. Looks like a giant lobster.

Velveteen:
Semi-autonomous animation of totemic representations of persons and animals.

The Junior Super Patriots, West Coast Division, Current Lineup:

The current team consists of nine individuals, and has proven much more effective than earlier incarnations. Future teams will be built using this model.

Handheld:
Technopath, machine control, team leader.

Swallowtail:
Flight, energy protection.

The Bedbug:
Energy projection, insect communication.

Super-Cool:
Limited invulnerability, super-strength, and flight.

The Nanny:
Weather control, limited flight.

Apex:
Flight, super-speed.

Candy Cane, Candy Corn, Candy Apple:
Candy-themed matter manipulation.

VELVETEEN VS.
THE JUNIOR SUPER PATRIOTS

November 2012

Velveteen vs. The Junior Super Patriots,
by Seanan McGuire, was published by ISFiC Press, 707 Sapling Lane, Deerfield, Illinois 60015. One thousand copies have been printed by Thomson-Shore, Inc. The typeset is Adobe Garamond, Berthold Baskerville, Comicraft Atomic Wedgie, Courier New, ITC Kabel, and ITC Anna, printed on 60# Nature’s Natural. The binding cloth is Arrestox B. Book design by Robert T. Garcia, Garcia Publishing Services, Woodstock, Illinois.