Mature Content Warning: A bit of foul language

Author's Note: So, this entire first segment introduces an important plot point for the series even if neither Scott nor his alter-ego are seen in it. Feel free to hate the story after this... but... I like it. lol.

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Chapter 11.1: A Friend of Justice

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She removed her fashionable glasses. Her delicate and clever fingers quickly undid the buttons of her modest plain white shirt. Soon, her simple skirt fell to the floor and even her sensible shoes were removed in a neat and precise manner.

Shara Ardent made her way to her bathroom then looked into her bathroom mirror. She tilted her head left and then right. She leaned back and bounced her chest up and down once, and then placed a finger to her lips. “No, not this one...”

Her bra and panties were as simple as the rest of her garments, the perfect outfit for a mild mannered shop keeper. However, that was only her cover. She made a gesture and a light blue window of light appeared before her. She looked through her inventory list then smiled.

He body shimmered briefly then her no-nonsense bra and panties were replaced by a set of bright red lacy undergarments that perfectly accentuated her positives. She dismissed her inventory screen then turned one way and then the other. Finally, in a tone of voice that sounded suspiciously like a female version of a children’s super hero television show narrator she said, “As the dragon worked tirelessly to control his fate, little did he know that his true destiny was yet to be revealed...”

Shara leaned back and bounced once more. Pleased by what she saw, she grinned. “Oh yes. I think so.”

She sauntered over to the shower and turned it on. She bid her clothes depart then slipped under the hot and delightful manmade waterfall. While the water cascaded off her beautiful form she thought of what was yet to come. She wanted to do right by the people of this world. They had gotten a raw deal and they deserved better.

Shara could not do it alone, however. No, who was she? Shara Ardente was but a simple mild-mannered shopkeeper. What the world needed was someone more, someone to rally behind. The ones who had done this to this pristine wilderness of humanity in its natural state had been chastised, but the damage was done.

What could be done, however? She had thought of all the ways that she could help even while hampered by the rules. She had done what she could to help a certain someone, but what could she do to help the world at large?

The more she thought of it, the more outlandish her thoughts became. “The world needs heroes; there will be far too many villains...”

It was a thought that she’d had many times before. However, now that her certain someone had begun his own path it was time to focus on hers. She had prepared. It was time to begin her night job.

Shara turned off the water then reached for a towel. She toweled herself off then wrapped the towel around her waist to protect her feminine modesty. She was an innocent and mild-mannered lady after all.

She walked silently into her bed chambers then moved to the corner of the room. She pressed several spots on the wall in rapid succession, then the wall split open and slid to the side to reveal a staircase. Shara walked down the stairs and the wall closed behind her.

Down the stairs was her secret lair, replete with all of the items she had custom made after her lifetime on Earth. She had worked hard and done many things in order to save up the money. Yet, it had paid off.

Shara walked past a turntable that held a bright red motorcycle, a slightly larger than normal and custom fit Kawasaki Ninja with stylized designs that befit its purpose. The custom fittings included some elements that were impossible on Earth at the moment, but would be possible in the near future. The speedy vehicle had a windshield designed in such a way that it lightly flared out on the sides.

She walked to her main computer bank, where she would monitor the criminal element of the world and do detective stuff, as that was what someone like her should do to help the world. She turned her head then smiled at a brightly lit display case. “It’s time.”

***

“Bitch, I said, give me my money!” snapped a shady looking character wearing a backwards hat.

“Look Theo I don’t have-” the aging woman started to tell the man.

He casually slapped her across the face with the back of his hand. “The next words out of your mouth better be here’s your money, or shit is going to go very bad for you tonight Wanda.”

“How much does she owe?” asked a voice from nearby.

Theo snorted then turned toward the sound of the voice. He did not see anyone. He looked around quickly, but no one was there. He had definitely heard a woman call out to him, however. “Look, I don’t know where you went bitch, but this doesn’t concern you.”

“My, my, such language.” said the voice once more. This time it sounded like it came from his right.

He turned to the right then growled. “Take your ass out of here before you get hurt!”

The next thing Theo heard was the sound of his own screams as a sharp object impacted his left shoulder. The small thin knife easily penetrated his thick leather jacket and made it impossible to move his arm.

“The fuck! You assholes get out here, dammit.” shrieked Theo. Three big guys came running from around the corner and quickly reached their boss.

“Oh goodness, four big strong men to come calling on little ole’ me?” asked the omnipresent voice.

“Where you at, you invisible bitch!” snapped Thug A.

A loud noise caught their attention and their turned toward it. “Think that’s her?” asked Thug B.

While the thugs and their boss looked toward the source of the noise for a brief moment Wanda’s eyes nearly bulged out of her skull. Thug C, the one farthest away, started to flail his arms and went flying into the air in a straight line. His eyes were wide and terrified. A powerful invisible presence had claimed him.

“The fuck, man! Where’d Ed go?” asked Thug B.

“This shit’s getting weird man...” said Thug A.

Theo shouted, “Fuck it! Let’s go.”

“A two-bit thug with a brain? How revolutionary.” said the voice in a sarcastic and amused tone.

“Who you calling two-bit? Get your ass out here and stop hiding you damned slut.” snapped Theo.

“Language mister.” replied the voice. Her reprimand was emphasized by the sudden re-emergence of Thug C. The fat gang member fell out of the sky and landed heavily atop Thug A.

What ensued after could only be seen as a whirl of breaking bones and screams of the badly injured. Thug B was left in a battered and unconscious heap, while Theo trembled violently and leaned heavily against a brick wall.

“Who are you? What the fuck are you?” he called out in terror. He had never seen her coming. The moment she had punched Tony she had faded into sight, but what a sight!

The invisible bitch, as he thought of her, wore bright red high-heeled boots yet moved with incredible grace and balance. She had on a one piece swimsuit looking thing that looked like a bodysuit but her legs, arms, and shoulders were bare. She looked like something out of a damned comic book with that mask of hers that only covered her eyes.

Before Theo could even try to fight back, the red-clad bitch had become a blur of motion. She slammed into him with a powerful punch to the gut then followed it up with a brutal knee strike to his chin that sent him flying back to land flat on his ass.

Theo had managed to crawl away and press his body against a brick wall, and that was where he would remain until the police arrived. Even now sirens blared in the distance. He watched as the crimson clad woman took Wanda into her arms then jumped six stories straight up into the air like it was nothing.

On the rooftop Wanda asked her savior, “Who are you...?”

The red-clad woman smiled gently then placed a hand atop Wanda’s shoulder. “I am a friend of justice.”

“Friend of justice?” The aging hooker had never heard such a bizarre thing.

The red woman stood up. “Call me,” She lowered her voice one octave then struck a powerful heroic pose, “Crimson Sharde.”

Wanda was glad to be helped, but at that moment she was more inclined to call the odd woman a therapist. She obviously needed a little professional help. Still, she would not say that out loud.

When the authorities asked her about the woman in red she told them what the woman had told to her. “That crazy bitch said she’s a friend of justice.”

“Right... a friend of justice.” said the officer who had opted to take her statement while the others took the quarter of thugs into custody.

***