“Laaaaadddiiiieeess and Gentlemen! May I have the honor, the privilege, the incomparable of presenting to you now America, nay the world’s, mightiest hero! The man who defended Washington from the predations of Hellraiser, who stood alone against the Thirteen Tribulations, who has four times repulsed the advance of Seghulok, who slew the cripple Ascherus, who not a year ago helped shield our sister city from Becca! All this and more, the achievements of the founder of the Association, the general himself, Brigadier Beacon!” shouts a man in a pinstripe suit into the microphone.

Amidst the smiles and euphoric clapping of the masses arraigned outside city hall, one girl wears an uncharacteristic scowl. “Nobody even knows who most of those people are, seriously why brag about stuff that happened ages ago?” asks Ginny, her question falling on empty air. Of course, we should expect as much, considering her current position flying high above the civilians below. What comes as a surprise, then, is the response that emanates from her suit.

“Ms. Napp, the achievements of Beacon are unrivalled by any living or deceased hero on record. His power profile is undoubtedly among the strongest in existence. Cu-”

“Yeah, yeah I get it, he’s really cool and awesome and all that. But what I want to know, and what you still haven’t answered, is if I could beat him!” Ginny says excitedly.

The calm voice that emanates from the earpiece of the suit underscores the simplicity of the response as the machine says, “Current projections suggest that in the optimal scenario Beacon would win in approximately thirty four seconds.”

Annoyed, Ginny says, “Well yeah optimized for him, but I mean optimized for us, duh.”

“Apologies Ms. Napp, my statement was unclear,” responds the suit, “that scenario was optimized in our favor.”

Dipping in her lazy circles above the podium, uncertainty creeps into Ginny’s voice as she says, “R-really? He’s that good?” Staring down at the man on the stage, Ginny is acutely aware of her relative inexperience.

As if to preempt the machine’s answer to her question, down on the stage Beacon glances skyward. His wink is almost unnoticeable from this distance, were it not for the enhanced vision goggles on her suit Ginny would have missed the gesture. Swallowing nervously, she glances about the now too-small sky before winging away. Shuddering as she ducks into a nearby alley and collapses her suit back into an earring, Ginny whispers to reassure herself, “Well we don’t need to fight him. We just need to invite him over for dinner.” Steeling herself, Ginny walks out of the alley and joins the press of bodies here to listen to Beacon’s speech.

Across town, a far less jubilant group gathers. “Okie dokie, listen up, ya gonna need ta leave all ya metal objects in dis here pan along with all ya edged objects. Oh an ya need ta keep the I.D. badge on at all times. Understand mista…?” says the guard before checking the log and answering his own question with, “Ah, Dr. Dwight Oubt.”

With a smile, the doctor says, “Indeed, but you may call me Dwight. We are now friends after all, no?”

The guard smiles and says with a laugh, “Oh sure! But don’t git to attached ta me, I’m jus’ coverin for a friend, I work at the University most o’ da time.”

Looping the I.D. badge around his neck, Dr. Oubt says, “You never know, perhaps I will need to consult with the resident ‘magic’ expert on this patient.”

Whistling softly, the doctor makes a gesture to his escort and begins walking down the lines of the prison. Passing by the criminals behind bars, the doctor remains unfazed. Even as they descend to the maximum-security portion of the vault, his happy expression never wavers. Finally reaching his destination, a reinforced glass and concrete cube in the basement of Liberty City Correctional Facility, the doctor leans forward and speaks into a microphone, “Are you ready to continue, Chauvinist?”

The rustle of chains emanates from the mic before a voice emanates throughout the antechamber, “Hello Dr. Oubt, is it time again already?”

“Indeed. Now as we discussed last week, today you have choice of topics. Shall we explore how your mind has categorized your power as ‘magic’ or would you like to continue discussing your psych profile?” says the doctor calmly.

“It seems you remain unconvinced then, Dr. Oubt? I am more than willing to prove to you the reality of magic, should you choose to join me in this cage,” chuckles The Chauvinist.

Sighing, the doctor replies, “I had hoped we could move beyond this delusion of yours Chauvinist. You understand that the longer you hold to these notions the longer it will take for your mind to heal from the stress gaining powers has created?”

Angry, The Chauvinist shouts back causing the microphone to reverberate throughout the room and several of the guards to wince at the noise, “I am NOT insane doctor.”

Covering the mic with his hand, Dr. Oubt leans over to the warden and whispers in an intense tone, “Have you finished preparing the face to face interview room? I fear this indirect contact will continue to yield no results, I must be able to see his reactions in person before I can make progress!”

Slowly the sound of laughter fills the room, the dry rustle of metal follows, and finally The Chauvinist begins to speak, “Face to face? If that is what you wish, all you had to do was ask doctor. I will vow not to strike at you during our conversations if you so desire.”

Surprised by The Chauvinist’s ability to hear him, the doctor jerks away from the mic before settling down and saying, “You will forgive me if I require more than merely your word, Chauvinist.”

Grimly, the warden leans in and says to the doctor, “And you’ll have just that. The room is ready to go when you are Dr. Oubt.”

Nodding in assent, Dr. Dwight gestures for everyone to file into the other room where a slew of guards are standing ready to force The Chauvinist into submission. Placing an elaborate straightjacket on his body to secure the chains, the guards frog march The Chauvinist into the room and sit him down in a chair. Strapping his ankles to the legs and hands to the desk, they gesture for Dr. Oubt to enter the room.

As he does, The Chauvinist suddenly recoils and inhales sharply saying, “Stop!” Freezing in place, Dr. Oubt regards the patient coolly, deciding to indulge him after careful consideration.

Laughing, The Chauvinist starts speaking again with clear incredulity and mirth in his tone. “You don’t know! You have no idea what you are! Why Dr. Oubt, the odds of us meeting, here and now, they’re almost incalculable.” Leaning forward the man asks with a wolfish smile, “But we have met, we are meeting, and you’ve no idea how much this pleases me. For now, Dr. Oubt, I would prefer it if you remain on the other side of the room. But I promise you this, by the end of our time together you will sit across from me, is this acceptable?”

Motioning for a guard to bring him the empty chair opposite The Chauvinist, Dr. Oubt nods to the prisoner saying, “This is acceptable,” as he sits down. Continuing, he asks, “Now, tell me Chauvinist, shall we continue to discuss the nature of your powers?”

Shifting in his seat, The Chauvinist replies, “We shall. But first I must ask doctor, why are you so certain magic is not real?”

Dr. Oubt sighs and answers in a weary tone, “We have discussed this before. As you may recall, I simply do not believe in eldritch forces or mystical energies. What little evidence of such a thing that does exist is better explained as powers of unusual versatility. In addition, as I mentioned before, the scientific community has found precious little evidence in favor of the arcane and a great deal of evidence to the contrary.”

The Chauvinist retorts, “Ah the capacity of man to disbelieve. Tell me doctor, has it occurred to you that perhaps the magical community simply does not wish to participate in your science?”

Snorting, Dr. Oubt replies, “Irrelevant, magic if it were real would be an energy like any other, it does not discern or decide when to appear.”

“Perhaps not, and yet I find it interesting you feel confident in asserting how magic would function, were it real of course,” says The Chauvinist with a wry smile. Then he continues, “It seems that I cannot change your mind without a demonstration. Ah, but such things are beyond me in this cage!” Leaning forward with a gleam in his eyes, The Chauvinist continues, “But is it beyond you, I wonder? Come, Dr. Oubt, sit with me and let us speak of magic.”

Smiling at the victory, Dr. Oubt stands up and begins to walk towards The Chauvinist. After he comes within a few meters of The Chauvinist, the man begins to scream. Suddenly the chains recedes into his flesh, his body begins to crack and writhe as it falls back into the diminutive form of Melvin, the man The Chauvinist possessed!

Even as he falls back, the guards burst into motion. Racing forward they try to slam cuffs around the twisting figure. But as he shrunk, he hands and legs turned small enough to slip the restraints they used before and they remain small enough to slip the specialized restraints they now carry. Standing, Melvin shrugs off the straitjacket, now far too large for his figure. Sitting in the chair, Melvin is completely free! A separate group of guards moves to secure Dr. Oubt, pulling him away from the prisoner.

As they push him further from Melvin, the chains burst forth and the monstrous form of the The Chauvinist returns! Now unfettered he lashes out with his black tendrils, laying waste to the outmatched guards in seconds. As the group escorting Dr. Oubt reaches the door, a table comes flying in and smashes into the portal, cutting off any escape.

Whirling around, the guards take up a defensive posture. Keeping Dr. Oubt in the center, he can only listen as everyone around him falls to the flying objects and sometimes bodies of their companions. Finally, it all ends leaving him alone in the room with The Chauvinist. Then, the chain-clad man speaks, “Thank you, Dr. Oubt. I was unsure if it would work, but your presence… well I could not pass by such an opportunity.”

Stammering in fright, the doctor protests, “M-me? But I did nothing!”

Smiling, The Chauvinist answers, “Exactly, you did nothing. It is your power; you are a walking anti-magic field. If I were simply to walk to your side of the room, I would transform back into a weak human. My chains cannot reach you; they wither in your radius. No spell can continue to function when you are near.”

Terrified, Dr. Oubt shouts back, “Impossible! I don’t believe it… it simply can’t be true!”

Stroking his chin, The Chauvinist ponders his words before saying, “Indeed, it is possible this is not a power. Perhaps the strength of your disbelief is simply so great…” Trailing off, The Chauvinist nods, making a decision. Then his chains snake out to gather up the fallen restraints of the guards. Smashing them into smaller forms using the strength of his manacles and a spell, The Chauvinist constructs a size-appropriate set of cuffs for the doctor.

Then he tosses them to the gaping doctor, who is stunned at the casual use of magic. Impatient, The Chauvinist speaks, “Put them on, doctor, I’m taking you with me. Your education might be painful, but I will make you all the stronger. By the time I am done, you will take your place among the righteous as a leader of men and a living example of how the weak may grow strong!” Cowed by the powerful words and unable to see another way out of the situation, Dr. Oubt places himself in the restraints.

Smiling, The Chauvinist gestures for the doctor to step away from the door, once he does the prison break begins in earnest. A few minutes later, The Chauvinist stands at the entrance to the prison. Dangling a guard upside down with his chains, he says to the helpless and suddenly bald man, “Tell the Maiden that I am returned! I’ve a man to forge first, but I’ll return for her soon enough. Tell her to sleep light, for The Chauvinist walks free once more!”

Tossing the guard aside, he does not hear him say, “Man, I neva shoulda taken ta extra shift, I wonda if I can transfer back ta da docks!”

Ah the tribulations of life as a mere guard in Liberty City! Fortunately for our unnamed hero, our focus turns to a dinner party put on by the Napp family and the first meeting between Beacon and Ginny, at least, the first meeting that the younger of the two will remember in… “A Party… with Secrets!”