Rise To Stardom

[20th of December, 2022]

Situated just outside the very same AMC Lincoln Square 13 Theatre where the premiere for the superhero movie had happened the day before, a plethora of individuals dressed in thick, winter wears slowly shuffled into the theatre after buying their tickets.

However, a fair few meters from theatre, were a bunch of teenagers whom had banded together for a group date.

Yet, amidst them all was a guy who ’seemingly’ didn’t have a date like his peers, his gaze focused on his phone as he leaned on the wall while smiling amusedly.

-

Kyle’s Girlfriend: .゜゜(´Ｏ`) ゜゜.Kyle has a girlfriend now! Where does that leave me?!! What am I supposed to do?!!! .゜゜(´Ｏ`) ゜゜.

Princess Peach: @Kyle’s Girlfriend; Hate to be that gal but uh, you were just a self-proclaimed girlfriend. There were even model versions of you at some point. Speaking of them model versions, where are they?

Kyle’s Girlfriend 2.0: Still alive and kicking @Princess Peach! .゜゜(´Ｏ`) ゜゜.

Kyle’s Girlfriend 3.0: Me too! .゜゜(´Ｏ`) ゜゜.

WaifuWithARocketLauncher: Aaaaaand they’re out of the woodworks. Also, I know what you’re thinking, but no. I’m not nuking you three… not today. I’m in a really good mood since I’ll be watching [Tech Wiz: Year One] soon so the launcher’s safely stashed away.

Mamma Mia: There, there you three. Kyle’s off the market now so it’d be in your best interests to go find another boyfriend. Also, I hear Kestina’s now a thing? Damn the internet works fast.

WeDoABitOfTrolling: I’m clutching my ribs at the moment! Hope I don’t choke on my popcorn if I have to remember this string of chats mid-watching the movie. And yes @Mamma Mia. Kestina, is a thing.

Peter_Writes_Fantasy: Taking a break from writing today as I’m very much burnt out and I need a vacation. Thankfully, I purchased my tickets the other day so I’m heading over to the cinemas right now.

-

As his peers decided over what to watch, especially since they had bought the tickets to both movies a day before, Derek soon began to type on his phone in response to the group messages.

-

Wiz Lord: Will be seeing the movie in a couple minutes too @Peter_Writes_Fantasy. Hopefully it’s as great as the reviews (PS. I know it will ’cause KK never disappoints!).

-

"I’m still salty that Kyle’s got a girlfriend now so no. Ain’t watching [Tech Wiz: Year One]." Kim, a pretty teenage blonde with a brunette, pouted as she grasped onto her date’s arm who squinted disapprovingly in her direction as he disagreed.

"I say we watch the superhero movie." Leo, a bulky-looking teen with a military buzz cut whom was also the Linebacker of their high school’s football team stated, despite Kim glaring at him from the side.

"What do you say, Danny?" he then inquired of their Quarterback and Captain of their football team who currently had his arms folded as he stated angrily;

"[Fables & Legend]."

"Huh?! I thought you said you wanted to watch the superhero movie?!" Leo clarified but, upon seeing the annoyance on his buddy’s face, he begrudgingly sighed in resignation;

"Fine. We’ll watch the fantasy epic."

In response, Kim let out a gloat to which Leo pinched her cheeks in retaliation as the Quarterback gave his appreciation;

"Thanks man."

"Don’t mention it." Leo gave a curt nod as he kept pulling his girl’s cheek.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! I’m sorrrryyyy…" Kim kept pleading in response.

Despite how much Daniel had been looking forward to the movie though, especially with his twin brother hyping it up even further for the past month due to the DLC been released to rave critical and commercial success, he was still hell-bent on not wanting to watch it today. Not anymore.

Why?

Well because he hated the idea of being in the same environment as his ex-girlfriend Mary-Jane, the captain of their high school’s cheerleading squad whom was also on ground.

And just like the shameful minx that she was, she soon angled her attention towards the other twin whom had ’suddenly’ become more and more handsome in recent memory as she bit her lip;

"So, Derek? Are you really planning to go see the movie on your own?" Mary-Jane, asked with a flirtatious smile.

Raising his gaze from his phone mid-scroll, Derek replied curtly, his tone blunt;

"No."

"Then why don’t w—" MJ moved towards him with a seductive smile, hoping to rope him into her spell…

… only for a familiar presence to halt her as she stood before her boyfriend, her voice dripping with disgust;

"Hands, off, wench! He’s mine."

A bunch of people nearby instantly turned their heads in their direction.

"Who’re you calling wench?!" MJ retaliated in annoyance as Linda affirmed, her tone curious;

"Too mild? How’s about slu—"

"And that’s enough from you, babe." Derek swiftly grabbed his girl by the hand as he led her away from the group before they made a scene.

He’d definitely rubbed off on her since they’d started dating a year back with his sarcasm and dry wit… not that he wasn’t proud of it.

Yet, an embarrassed MJ could only watch in frustration as the dolled-up Linda, whipped her head back at the last minute and stuck her tongue out in petty fashion.

With a reddened face, Daniel watched as the cheerleading captain huffed her way past him and into the cinema.

The only problem?

By the time he himself got into the auditorium to watch [Fables & Legends], there she was again, seated right next to him.

’Dang it!’ the popular twin inwardly cussed.

…

…

…

Finally in the cinema’s auditorium, popcorns and soda in hand, Derek and Linda, settled in to watch the movie alongside many others.

As the next scene after the cryptic opening followed, complete with the clunky, sputtery contraption making breakfast, the audience, even those whom had never read the comics, inferred;

’A resourceful genius.’

Yet, as they watched George walk up the staircase to meet with his grandson, the contrast in what they were expecting from this supposed genius, caught them off guard.

-

"It’s a gacha. Don’t ask."

"Up to your money grubbing ways again?"

"Gramps. My only goal in life, as you know, is passive income."

-

A wave of silent, amused chuckles filled up the auditorium.

’Yep. That’s the Nathan North I know… hiding behind capitalism as a coping mechanism.’ Derek tossed a few popcorns into his mouth with an excited expression, one that had Linda chuckling as she stared at his side frame.

It very much reminded her of a particularly popular meme.

Soon enough though, the lady herself returned her attention to the screen, her gaze similarly excited.

Her boyfriend being a geek about the comics, especially with the fact that he had taught her how to play the game, definitely fueled her interest in the movie even though she hadn’t read the comics.

-

"Morning, Sir. Pouncealot! How’s the weather up there?"

-

Watching as Nathan greeted their cat, both her and the audience, let out another waved of amused giggles, only to feel the subtle switch in his bright mood as stared at the door of his mum’s room afar.

’He’s such a great actor…’ Linda couldn’t help but appreciate Kyle’s acting as Nathan’s eyes reflected a plethora of complex, flickering emotions.

And so, as they watched Nathan bolt out of the house after his conversation with his Gramps a few minutes later, many in the auditorium, soon had themselves laughing this time when a particularly funny scene came next;

-

"Stupid, useless, overpriced, java-coded, no-good, nickel gobbling, tin tyrant!"

-

Derek almost choked on his soda at the way Felicia’s frustrated angst was delivered despite already expecting it!

It was one of the most beloved character introductions in the comics so seeing Sharon nail it in real time, had him thinking as light chuckle escaped his lips;

’Some scenes just feel better on the big screen, don’t they?’

And with that, as Nathan came to her rescue with his mini-vacuum, Malakai was soon introduced to the audience too as the tardy duo arrived late to the class.

-

"Fashionably late, I see…"

"…especially you, Miss. Danvers."

"Not exactly the algorithmic precision one would expect from future tech innovators."

-

Linda tugged on her boyfriend’s arm as she whispered;

"That’s that Overclock guy, right?"

"In the live-action flesh, yes." Derek whispered right back, earning a proud giggle from the lady who returned her attention to the screen.

Then the next few parts played out, Felicia & Nathan’s interaction with their professor and alongside the young man’s seemingly money-grubbing personality, giving the audience something to chuckle over again.

’He looks so warm though… wonder what happened to him… and why is his arm fine?’ Linda’s question however, kept piling up as she stared at Malakai whom had resumed teaching.

Yet she knew she’d get her answers over the course of the movie’s plot.

Despite being a superhero movie, everyone seemed to be enjoying how it started off easy and slow…

… only for them to be thrust right back into the active plot as Malakai, revealed to Nathan how he and his mum were colleagues alongside other details the young man was curious about as he also warned him not to go digging around for clues.

Then the scenes phased by quickly as Nathan arrived back home, the emotive score grasping some people.

And as he turned around the corner to stare at his mum’s door once again, the brief flashback playing over, a clearly excited Derek, silently repeated word for word after Caitlyn North;

-

Genius isn’t just about what you can build, Nathan–– it’s about what you choose to do with the things you build. The right hands can build a better world, sweetie, but the wrong hands, can absolutely decimate it. Always be the hands that build…

-

The next few scenes after, despite the emotional weight it previously carried as Nathan made his way into his mum’s room for the first time in years, pretty much vanished when the ’phenomenon’ happened to him!

The look of sheer shock and a slight hints of horror on some people’s features were palpable as Kyle’s acting in the scene, had them spooked beyond measure till he finally passed out.

’That was… intense…’ Linda took a small sip of her soda as he watched the next scene play out with Malakai in the secret chamber.

And when the audience saw whom was in it, a bunch of them gasped, same as Linda whose eyes widened in disbelief as the professor spoke in a cold voice that contrasted greatly from his previous warmth;

-

"And trust me, I’ll make them pay. Every, last, one of them."

-

’This Clint guy’s a really good actor…’ Derek mused with a thin smile as the scene showed a flashback scene of him busting into an executive meeting where Eccleston had been a jerk alongside his other executives, grounding the audience’s understanding of Malakai’s unforgiving resentment and fury.

’Ah… I see… he loved her…’ Linda had one of her questions answered as she understood what had changed the once, seemingly good man.

Then the scene transitioned back to Nathan’s house the next morning, his Gramps waking him up as he ascended the stairs a few seconds later.

-

"Hands that build…"

"Eh, it was a janky game anyway. Terrible third-rate copy—"

-

Seeing as Nathan ended up not going with uploading the gacha, an accepting smile on his lips, someone’s ’I would’ve for real!’ mutter amongst the audience soon had Linda and Derek quietly chuckling alongside a few others in the room.

Then the couple had their eyes perk up when Nathan’s hands suddenly glowed in a shade of blue circuitry, the rest of the scene playing out as he began to figure out that something abnormal was going on with his physiology.

-

"Nate! Everything good up there?"

"Yeah! I’m okay Gramps! Just uh, tripped over a cable!"

-

’It’s just as chaotic as I remember…’ Derek smiled familiarly as he watched on.

From there, it was the science fair scene as everyone watched the young man, discretely go about tracing gadgets till he ran into his professor unexpectedly.

-

"Ah, Nathan. I see you’ve come to check the serum too?"

"Hmmm… it is quite curious…"

-

’Oh…’ Derek inwardly commented as he, much like many other fans, figured out that Malakai had noticed something off with Nathan’s physiology.

After all, it was his gloved hand that he had used to shake him before bidding each other farewell.

As for the general audience, that was a cool little hint they’d probably catch in their next seating as they simply watched Nathan, bump into Felicia a few seconds later.

-

"It’s a small, harmless tool, really. Perfect for everyday annoyances. You’d be surprised by how many things get stuck in various places on a regular."

"I’m listening?"

"Thumbtacks in a corkboard. Gum on your shoe. Splinter in your finger. Popcorn in your tonsils."

"Yeah that last one really sucks, trust me."

-

A cascading wave of chuckles filled up the hall at Nathan’s words, and so did Linda who gently nodded her head as she inwardly stated;

’So true…’

However, the moment Nathan had asked the lady why she was always so late and tired, was the moment everything went south at the science fair with the ominous words ’overclock’, booming through the event center.

’Man. Overclock actually feels terrifying!’ Derek thought to himself as most of the general audience in the room, took in the scale of the damage, injury and fatality the cyborg had caused.

To them, that increased the stakes as it made them feel like the story wasn’t just going to be watered down for the sake of being family-friendly like most superhero movies did.

It perfectly painted Overclock as a villain and not a vigilante of sorts, especially since he was willing to cause death, collaterally, just to get what he wanted.

The serum.

That realization, as the audience kept watching, led to the next scenes where Nathan, also realized what he needed to do as he began to create his exosuit with all the gadgets he had traced.

’Ey! It’s [Awake] by Kickback Radio!’ Derek began bopping his head to the soundtrack as the montage of scenes played on, Nathan experimenting with one advanced tech after the other.

Linda whom had noticed, and also knew the song thanks to Derek practically blasting it on repeat at his home for months on end, soon realized that a couple other fans in the room were doing the exact same thing, a few of them even singing along in light murmurs.

Then, when the time finally came for Nathan to test the suit, Derek adjusted in his seat as he leaned forward, his gaze full of excited anticipation, much like everyone else in the room.

The score however, was what had Linda, much like so many of the general audience, feeling like this scene was going to be epic.

-

"Hope I live to regret this…"

-

And as they watched a fully suited Nathan, bounce atop his boots hesitantly, only to bolt forwards afterwards, almost everyone in the cinema had the exact same thought, surface in their minds as his boots reached the ledge of the building;

’Jump!’