PB4G: WRATH AS A LIGHTNING, PART 4

WRATH AS A LIGHTNING, PART 4
June 8, 2032
Earth-727. Karakura General Hospital. Late afternoon.
"...and then Rumi starts to fret over the flowers. I'm like, honey, you're marrying into a family that's *built* on flowers." Ibuki said, sitting by her Max's bedside.
"You'd think Ms. Hana would've volunteered by now." he replied.
"Rumi says she already has. But she doesn't want freebies, but she *also* says she'd feel weird paying her future mother-in-law. I'm just like, first world problems much?"
"Just take it as a gift. Easy as that. It'd beat a coffee maker."
"Right? Man, listen to me. Two days ago, I was driving through a nuclear hellhole. Now I'm back home, talking about salon gossip. Totally normal things."
"When have our lives here *ever* been normal?" Max sighed. "I still wish I was going along with you."
"I know. But you still need your TLC. Besides, having another Max along for the ride would make it confusing. He's another big softie, trying to be all heroic."
"Long as this 'other Maxie' doesn't get any ideas about you."
"Yuck, please. Dude's like 15 years older than me and constantly huffing atomic fumes. No thanks. I like my sparky dummies closer to my age and wearing dorky shirts."
"Bet he's got some of those lying around somewhere."
"Probably. I know how bad you wanna get out of here. Just focus on that. Our trip to Kitty Kat's home base is coming up soon. That's something to look forward to."
"Kinda tough to think about the fun stuff when the creep that put me in here's still out there."
"Leave that part to me and the gang. It's only a matter of time before he slips." 
Ibuki glanced out of the room. Rose was at the door.
"Like right now, hopefully. Be back soon." Ibuki got up, and kissed Max on the forehead. "Love you."
"Love you, too. Come home safe."
"Always do. Toodles~."
She walked out. "Duty calls already, Doc?"
"Yes. I was surprised, too. Come along." Rose replied.
---
Inside the Velvet Room. "Evening, kids. How's everyone's day going?" Ibuki asked.
"Evening, Ibuki. I was in the middle of a very-needed spa day. Massage, haircut, the works." Cindy replied.
"I was thinking you were looking extra pretty today! Any particular occasion?"
"It'd been a while since I let myself relax and be pampered. I'm uh, glad you noticed..." Cindy blushed.
"I hunted wild hogs." Iris stated.
"You never turn off the intensity, do you?" Ibuki asked.
"I need to be constantly prepared. Better to keep my skills sharp."
"It's a yes or no question." the wasteland's Max pointed out, then drank from a flask.
"Do you really need to do that in here?"
"What? It's green tea."
"If it's green tea in there, I'll sell you my liver at a discounted price."
"Situation at hand, please." Rose interjected. "And Mr. O'Donnell, you've already been informed of our alcohol policy. You're one more violation away from the Stare of Disappointment."
"Righto." Max stuffed the flask in his coat pocket.
"I'm suddenly glad that my Maxie hates beer." Ibuki mumbled. "Anywho, where to now, Doc?"
"And why's old-school Scooby-Dooby on that there screen?" Max questioned.
"This is Earth-029. As you've already noticed, it's a universe that closely resembles an animated picture from the 1950s and 60s." Rose explained.
"So we're jumping into an old cartoon? If we weren't looking for a bad guy, it'd sound like so much fun!" Cindy said.
"I'm assuming the physics of this world also follow the cartoons of yore, yes?" Iris asked.
"Meaning we could get flattened and spring back up like an accordion. Who's to say Mr. Shield could even kill this world's Max?" Max-14124 questioned.
"Judging from the signal, he certainly believes that he can. I would rather not leave anything to chance." Rose replied.
"One thing that concerns me...there was substantially less time between the last attack and his current attempt." Iris pondered.
"Bugger's probably pissed that he failed. He's gonna speed things up now that he knows we're onto him. If fortune's goin' our way, it'll mean he'll get sloppy, too." Max asserted.
"So, same thing as last time, right? Get to Max first and warn him?" Ibuki asked.
"Yes, but just one slight correction." Rose brought up an image resembling the title card of an old cartoon, with the character's face emerging from a long set of spirals. The face was that of a teenage girl with glasses, and brown hair tied back with a blue bow. "This is the Max you're looking for."
"'Maxine'? This world's Max is a girl?"
"And she looks like just the type to get into all sorts of hijinks." Cindy added.
"Funny. I was just thinkin' she looked a lot like you, girlie." Max said.
"What?! Nooooo. I...I don't see it."
"No, no, I think he actually has a point, for once. The resemblance is a bit uncanny." Iris agreed.
Cindy puffed her cheeks. "Meanies."
"Don't deny it. You'd definitely get into all kinds of screwy stuff." Ibuki teased. "Alright, Doc, send us to Tom & Jerry Land."
"Good luck. And be mindful that your powers will also adhere to the world's physics. It may create...unforeseen side-effects." Rose advised.
"Avoid anything with 'Acme' written on it, righto." Max replied.
---
ELECTRI-TOONS PRESENTS:
A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Production.
Now presented in spectacular technicolor!
Starring Maxine 'Maxi' O'Donnell as 'The Electri-Girl'!
Guest-starring:
Ibuki 'The Fireball' Hinotama (Earth-727)
Cindy 'Cindy-O' O'Donnell (Earth-013)
Iris 'The Huntress' Odysseus (Earth-257)
And
'Mad' Max O'Donnell (Earth-14124)
Electri-Girl, in:
'THE SHIELD FROM BEYOND!'
---
Earth-029.
The cheery, bouncy city of ToonTown. The sun was shining on another beautiful summer's day. Here, there were no bad times. Everything had a smile. Everything was filled with color.
In one quiet neighborhood, Maxi O'Donnell woke up, and let out a big yawn. "Good morning, world~!" Hopping out of bed, she dove into her closet. She promptly leapt out in her favored outfit: a blue turtleneck, blue leggings and Mary Jane shoes, going with her glasses and blue bow. "Snazzy as always~." She snapped her fingers, and little sparks came out.
Her door opened on its own, and she bounded out. "Good morning, girls~!"
Perched on the couch were her three cats: the black one, with pink eyes, was (creatively, according to her brother) named Kat. Next to her was a poofy, yellow one with emerald green eyes, named Nat. The last one, with frizzy brown fur and eyes, was Tabs.
"Good morning, food bank." Kat spoke. Not that Maxi could understand her.
"Don't be so rude, Kat! Good morning, Maxi~!" Nat cheerily greeted, with an apparent Dutch accent.
"Morning, morning!" Tabs concurred, with a British accent.
"Meow meow, to you too~!" Maxi chimed back.
"All this happiness makes me wanna toss my breakfast." Kat uttered.
"Okies! Let's see what's on the telly~." Maxi looked at the TV, only to realize the antenna was bent. "Oh, shoot! Girls, did one of you chew on the antenna again?"
"Wasn't me. Probably this empty head." Kat gestured at Tabs.
"Me?! You're the only one mean enough to do that!" Tabs retorted.
"It was me. I thought it was a treat." Nat admitted.
"I live with two geniuses, seriously." Kat mumbled.
"Aw well. I've got the easy fix!" Maxi rubbed her fingers together, generating sparks. She put her hands on the sides of the TV, and it fizzled on. Coincidentally, it was this same bent antenna that had gifted her these strange abilities in the first place: Just over a year ago, she had been trying to fix it, when her house was struck during a freak lightning storm. Since then, she'd had what she called the 'Sparky Touch', and it was a gift that only she and her brother Bart knew about. "Yay~!"
"She's gonna get in so much hot water one of these days." Kat said.
"You're too negative, Kat. Maxi's a responsible girl. Most of the time." Tabs retorted.
"It's the rest of the time that'll get her in trouble."
After getting the weather report, Maxi turned the TV off. "Alright, my cuties~! I'm gonna go meet Bart at the diner! Have fun being cute all day~!"
"It's so exhausting." Kat responded.
Maxi bounded out of the house. "La la la la laaaaaaa~."
"Will you pipe it down?!" 
Popping his head out of the window was that grouchy Old Man Pittacus, Maxi's neighbor and the resident complainer. "All you ever do all day is sing and bounce around! Back in my day--" He waved his cane at her, which had a hand at the end of it.
"Aw, put a sock in it, ya fossil! Life's for the living!" Maxi fired back.
"Why, you yippy little brat! Wait til I call the neighborhood watch, you'll be sorry you ever--" The old man ducked back inside the house, continuing his rant.
Maxi had dealt with this miserable old coot before, and she knew just the fix for him. She walked up to his ancient station wagon, and gave it a sparky pat on the back. The old cruiser sprang to life, as did its radio. "'And now back to O.T.D., Older Than Dirt Radio! 24 hours of tunes you swear are better than the crud the kids play today!'"
She walked away, whistling a happy tune. Old Man Pittacus, meanwhile, came barreling out of his house. "Not again! I'll fix you one of these days, you cheeky little brat! One of these daaaaays!"
As the geriatric crone fiddled with his wagon, something loomed over the neighborhood: a red spaceship. On top of it, a man in orange armor spied on Maxi through his binoculars.
"Naughty, naughty, Ms. O'Donnell. What are we gonna do with you?" The Shield pondered rhetorically.
---
On the other side of town, the off-world four emerged from an alley, all of them appearing in the same cartoonish manner as everyone else. "Wowie, I look so bouncy! It's like I just stepped into a Hanna-Barbera cartoon!" Cindy said.
"I'm waiting to see a cat walking down the street on two legs." Ibuki added.
"You look thoroughly unamused, my good Amazon." Max pointed out.
"Perhaps I'm not in a very cartoonish headspace." Iris replied.
"Stick pointed up your !#$, got it." Max covered his mouth, his expletive blocked by the sound of a car horn. "Did...did you all hear that?"
"Is that...is that part of the rules here? We can't swear or else it gets bleeped out?" Ibuki questioned.
"Now that is just #&#[×* up. I'm ÷>÷>$[ 'stralian, and you're tellin' me I can't even say +&$÷ out loud? What a load of @&=[($!×."
"ANYway, we should get a move on. We've got a whole town to search through." Cindy interjected.
"Teenage girl, middle of the summer, this kind of era...I'd say either the beach, the movies, or some other big hangout spot. Time to take in some scenery." Ibuki surmised.
The group walked down the colorful streets, with many a building bearing logos featuring animal mascots. "It really feels like a place where only fun things happen. Why'd that Shield jerk have to come here to ruin it all?" Cindy questioned.
"Guy clearly doesn't care who he's hurting. We'll just have to find something big to smack him with." Ibuki replied.
Max got up next to Iris' ear, as she looked largely unenthused. "Hi-ho, hi-ho, what's stuck up in your hole~?"
He could only let out a brief whistle, before Iris pushed him into the road. "Ow! Bugger me, ya have to be so rough?"
"I'm just testing out the physics." Iris replied.
A car horn blared. Max turned to see a van heading straight for him. "AAAAAH--"
The women all winced as he was struck. When he landed on the ground, it was not as a man, but as a full set of upright bowling pins. Just as quickly, they all recombined into human shape again.
"Did you know that was gonna happen?" Ibuki asked.
"Of course." Iris, smirking, replied.
Max brushed off his coat. "Drongo didn't even slow down when he saw me. Any of you get his plate?"
"We'll file a complaint later. Now move." Iris pushed him along.
"Ugh, again with the rough treatment, you treat all your mates like this--"
As he was left to gripe, Ibuki and Cindy giggled, and followed after.
On the opposite end of town, Maxi continued her walk. She came up to a pedestrian crossing, that had just switched to 'STOP' as she approached. Checking that no one was looking, she gave the light pole a little sparky tap. It immediately changed to 'GO', much to the confusion and annoyance of the drivers.
She shrugged and kept walking. "Sorry, folks~. Technology, right~?" 
Watching from a nearby building were the three cats. "What was that about 'responsible girl', Tabs?" Kat asked.
"It's harmless, Kat. She's responsible...85% of the time." Tabs replied.
"And the other 15%, she's a public menace. Telling ya, it's gonna get her in deep trouble one of these days."
"It almost sounds like you're wishing for it." Nat pointed out.
"Why else do you think we're following her around? The moment it all goes down the drain, it'll be *so* funny."
"Who here is the real menace?"
Tabs looked up at the sky. She spotted the ship, cruising overhead, before it vanished from sight. She shook her head around.
"Fleas again, Tabs?" Kat asked.
"N-no. Probably just stale treats." Tabs denied.
"Tasted fine to me." Nat responded.
"*Everything* tastes fine to you." Kat quipped. Nat responded by biting her tail. "Ow!"
"Really? You taste really sour."
Kat tackled Nat, forming a dust cloud as they attacked one another.
"Yeah...I think it's just bad treats." Tabs concluded.
None the wiser to her cats' antics, Maxi made her way down to ToonTown's most popular diner, the Apple and Bee. Fittingly, the roof of the building resembled an apple, with a cartoon bee perched on top, waving its hand at passersby.
"Morning, morning~!" Maxi greeted as she walked in.
"Good morning, Ms. Maxi." The first owner, Ms. Apple, wore a red and pink-striped apron over a red collared blouse. Her glasses were also red, to go along with her red hair. A single strand poked out, evoking the image of an apple stem.
"Morning, Ms. Maxi! Buzzing as usual, I see." The second owner, Ms. Bee, wore a black and yellow striped apron over a tan collared blouse, along with tan glasses. She had brown, braided hair, tied with an accessory resembling a bee.
"You'd know a lot about buzzing~. Is my bro here?" Maxi asked.
"In your usual spot. Will it be the usual meal?" Ms. Apple asked.
"Honey pancakes with a glass of apple cider, yes ma'am~."
"Easy customers are the bee's knees. It'll be out in a jiffy." Ms. Bee replied.
"Thank you much~." Maxi bounded away.
"What exactly do you consider an 'uneasy' customer, Bee?" Ms. Apple asked.
"Oh, you know the type. One-Eye JoJo, for starters." Ms. Bee covered up her left eye. "'I'll take a double-triple malty deluxe on a raft, 4x4 animal-style, extra shingles with a--'"
Inside the kitchen, the cooks all dutifully worked. To the side, one young server was checking in for the day. As he hummed to himself, he opened up his locker. The moment he did so, however, he was immediately grabbed and pulled inside by an orange, metal arm. Violent noises ensued, accompanied by stars.
In the dining area, Maxi came upon her table. "Hiya, Bart~!"
Sitting there was her brother, Bart. Possessing blonde hair and glasses, he wore a light blue athletic blazer, which bore the number '17' on it. "Howdy, Maxi. You look like you woke up on the right side of the bed this morning. Any reason why?"
"Eating breakfast with my big bro isn't a good enough reason~?"
"You've got me there. I might just have something else for you--"
"Excuse me." an altered voice interjected.
The teenagers turned to see a man in the diner's typical uniform, a green apron and button-down shirt, along with a flat cap. What was particularly odd about him, however, was the fact that he was completely covered in orange armor underneath the uniform. "Have you been served yet?"
"Um...no?" Bart responded.
"Ms. Apple and Ms. Bee know my order already, I'm good~." Maxi said.
"Say, um...I don't recall seeing you here before."
"I'm new." the 'waiter' replied.
"What's with the orange spacesuit, man? Your mom let you leave the house like that?"
"Bart, don't be rude. Obviously he's got some kind of problem where he needs it. You ever see that movie with the bubble boy?" Maxi responded.
"Sure, let's go with that. I have a...respiratory problem." the 'waiter' lied.
"See, what'd I tell you? It's so good for Ms. Bee and Ms. Apple to give opportunities to everybody~."
"Yeah, great. So can I get your order or not?"
"Pancakes and bacon for me." Bart replied.
"Well if you really need it, I got the honey pancakes with apple cider~." Maxi added.
"Alright. I'll be back with it shortly." The 'waiter' began to walk away.
"Excuse me, young man, could I get some sugar packets?" an older man in the next booth asked.
"Sorry, the factory blew up, we're all out." The 'waiter' left.
"Not much in the way of glee from that one, huh?" Bart asked.
"C'mon, bro, I'd be grouchy too if I needed a spacesuit to breathe." Maxi responded.
Off to the side, the Shield took out a bottle from his pocket. It was green in color, with a skull and crossbones symbol on it. "(As demeaning as this is, a couple of drops in her drink should do the trick. No blood, no spectacle, and they'll end up suing the diner while I'm a universe away. The perfect crime.)" he thought.
"(...ha.)" another voice spoke in his mind. As this one, raspy as it was, went on, the sound of coughing accompanied it.
"(Go away.)"
"(That's a very commanding uniform you've got on. About as respectful as your last one. I hope you...*cough*...realize how stupid you look right now. Thinking so casually about...*cough*...poisoning a kid. That's something I'd come up with. All those years of...*cough*...refusing to play with me, and now here you are. And all it took was--)"
The Shield hit his head. "Shut up, SHUT UP!"
"Ahem. You alright there, Mr. Tin Can?" Ms. Bee suddenly appeared.
"Huh? Oh, sorry. Early day nerves, and all." The Shield quickly tucked the vile away.
"Uh-huh." She looked at this nametag, which read 'Bradley'. "Oh, I was wondering where you were! What's with the space getup?"
"I, uh...have really bad allergies. I need this to breathe."
"Kind of weird, but hey, that's why I'm not a doctor. Glad I caught you though, the guy at Table 3 asked for a *highly-specific* order, and I needed someone good at taking notes to handle it."
"I'm a little busy at the--"
Ms. Bee pushed him forward. "Busy twiddling your thumbs, maybe! Now get to buzzing!"
"(This is going to be *extremely* annoying.)" he thought.
Back at the table, Maxi looked nervous. "I dunno, Bart, I'm not good at big parties..."
"C'mon, Maxi, everyone's gonna be there. It won't be anything crazy, just a night at the drive-in." Bart replied.
"Nobody plans for crazy. Is Ms. Kira gonna be there~?"
Bart pictured in his mind a girl in a similar, white jacket to his, with brown hair, a strand of which stuck up in defiance of gravity. He swiped the thought cloud away. "That's besides the point! But if that sort of thing really sweetens the deal...I already talked to Isaac. Dude's gonna be there, too."
Maxi imagined him. Red-and-black jacket, dark hair and red eyes. And muscles. She immediately became flustered. "I-I can't, I'm gonna lose it--"
"Picture it in your head. It's dark, he jumps up on the car next to you, and then, the movie gets to a really mushy scene, then he leans in for a--"
"Stop stop stooooop!" Sparks flew out from her fingertips, accompanied by pink love hearts. "D'ooooh, fine, I'm in. But if it does get crazy, I'm telling Kira all about that dream you had."
"Don't even--which one?"
"The one with the tuba."
"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!"
Outside, the off-world four walked by. "Aww, this is a cute looking place." Cindy commented.
"An apple...anyone wanna bet there's a redhead in there?" Ibuki questioned.
"Some things really are constants, if that's the case." Iris said.
"Is there someone like that where you're from?"
"Yes, actually. I mentioned before that your Dr. Rose resembles a Lady Olivia that I know. Her consort is the vibrant Lady Mela, the avatar of Helios. She possesses a head of brilliant red hair. She's a beacon of kindness and wisdom, though sometimes I get the sense she's trying a bit too hard to seem cool."
"Ha, if that doesn't sound like someone I know."
"Oi, cut the jibber jabber. We've got a problem." Max peered inside.
"Aside from your attitude?" Iris looked. "...! That's..."
"Is that the Shield?" Cindy spotted.
"And he's...wearing an apron? And cleaning tables?" Ibuki pondered.
"What the sod is happenin' in there?" Max questioned.
Iris spotted something else. "There, that booth. Blue clothes, blue bow."
"There's our Max--or, Maxi. How do we get her out of there without him noticing?" Cindy asked.
Ibuki looked around, and spotted a shop across the street, 'Siham's Assorted Disguises for Deceiving Your Future In-Laws'. "That might be promising."
Minutes later, the door to the diner opened. "Hello, and welcome to--um." Ms. Apple paused.
The group were all garbed in black and white stripes, with clown makeup on their faces; Cindy and Ibuki also wore black berets. The former gave a playful wave. Iris looked incredulous.
"Oooh, a mime troupe! How enchanting!" Ms. Bee chimed.
"Enamored by fellow lovers of stripes?" Ms. Apple asked.
"Guilty as charged!"
"This is, bar none, the most demeaning thing I've ever done." Iris signed.
"Honey, this doesn't even crack my Top 10." Ibuki signed back.
Cindy pantomimed that she was eating.
"You four want a table? Certainly." Ms. Apple said.
Max signaled that he needed to use the bathroom.
"Oh, I know that look. Bradley, you want to show this gentleman to the restroom?" 
The Shield looked up from the table he was washing. "...!"
Ibuki tauntingly waved at him. Iris made a slashing motion across her throat.
Max grabbed his arm, motioning to take him to the bathroom. "Tch...yes, ma'am." the 'waiter' agreed.
Once they were out of view, Max took the opportunity to shove the Shield against the wall. "Surprised, 'Bradley'?" the former asked.
"Isn't this breaking some kind of mime code?"
"How about I make it up to you by shoving you into a little box?"
"Why'd you follow me?"
"You just tried to kill me, old chap, you think I wouldn't take it personal?" Max put a finger under the Shield's helmet. "What's hiding under this thing, anyhow?"
"Nothing you'd recognize."
"How about I rip it off, and see for myself? Let me tell you one thing, sport. The one thing that's keepin' me from shoving my rifle up your butt and pulling the trigger, is that there's kiddies around, enjoying a nice breakfast. And unlike you, I've got a problem with getting violent around kiddies."
"Who are you to judge me?"
"That girl over there is a child, barely even started livin'. Say what you wanna about what I've done to survive, I guarantee that girl ain't done nothin' to earn what you're plannin' to do. You really think takin' that girl out is gonna make this world safer?"
"If you'd seen what I've seen...gone what I've gone through...you wouldn't be talking like this."
"Enlighten me then, oh master. What justifies you hurtin' kids?"
Out in the dining area, the women had been seated by Maxi and Bart. Cindy got up to greet them, giving them a wave.
"Hello~!" Maxi chimed.
"Am I getting charged extra for the entertainment?" Bart asked.
"Oh, don't be such a grouch, I've always wanted to see a mime."
Cindy gestured for her to stand.
"Oh, you want me to join in? Oooh, exciting~!" Maxi got up.
Cindy gestured for Ibuki and Iris to get up. She played out that she was tying Maxi up with rope, which the latter went along with. "Ooh, bit tight."
With Maxi 'tied up', the two archers picked her up, one by the shoulders, the other by the legs. They started to walk out. "Wha, hey! Am I being kidnapped?!" Maxi questioned.
"Hey, what's the big idea?!" Bart demanded.
Cindy motioned for him to calm down, that they would bring her back in a minute. 
As they headed for the exit, the Shield spotted them. "Hey--!"
Max shoved him back. "Give it a moment, chum, we ain't done chatting."
Once they had gotten far enough away, the women put Maxi down. "Ugh, what was all that?! Are you kidnapping me?! Is this how mimes are made?"
"Look, I know that was really weird, but trust me, it's for your own good." Cindy spoke.
"You're talking now? Isn't that against the rules?"
"Forget all that for a second!" Ibuki responded.
"This might sound absurd, but you are in serious danger." Iris added.
"Danger...? From what?" Maxi asked.
The Shield barged out of the diner. "Hey, Bradley! Those allergies making you aggressive?" Ms. Bee called out. The armored man ignored her, staring straight at Maxi.
"Him." Ibuki answered.
The Shield began moving towards them, but was hit and stunned by a shot of electricity. Max came running out, rifle in hand, and got to the group. "That oughta keep him occupied for a minute. Let's find a place to ditch the black and whites, ladies."
"I am like...so confused!" Maxi exclaimed.
"We'll explain later, let's just make some distance!" Ibuki pulled her along.
Bart came out of the diner. "Maxi! What the heck's happening?"
The Shield broke free from being stunned. He marched in the group's direction.
In an alley a few blocks away, the group had shed their mime disguises. "Much as I think I can pull off stripes, I'm glad to be out of that getup." Ibuki said.
"Uh..." Maxi looked at her. "That hair...those eyes...but, you're a girl..."
"I can say exactly the same thing about you, sweets."
"Alright, so, long and the short of it is...I'm Max O'Donnell." Max said. "So's her boyfriend." He pointed to Ibuki. "And her dad." Then to Cindy. "And in a way, her husband." Then to Iris.
"...huuuuuuh?" Maxi looked dumbfounded.
"We're not from around here, to put it simply." Iris added.
"We all come from worlds where someone named Max--a lot like you--exists. And that guy in the armor's been hunting them." Cindy explained.
"He's already killed my husband and several others. And he intends to do the same to you, which is why we need to keep you away."
"K-K-K-Kill me?! But I haven't done anything! Is this cuz I messed around with old man Pitty's Oldsmobile?" Maxi questioned.
"*None* of us did anything wrong, kid. Whatever set this tosser off is the million dollar question." Max replied.
Ibuki grabbed Maxi's hands. "We're here to keep you safe. I know this is scary, but we won't let him lay a finger on you."
Maxi was in awe. "So...coooooool." 
The moment ended quickly, as the Shield, having abandoned his own disguise, crashed down close to them. "Give me the girl."
Iris drew an arrow, aiming at him. "Over my dead body."
"As you wish." He drew a gun.
He fired, and Iris shot an arrow in response. The latter hit the bullet dead-on, both of them hitting floor harmlessly.
The Shield growled. Iris smirked.
"Hey, can you guys give me cover?" Maxi whispered to Ibuki.
"Huh? Cover for what?" she asked.
"This joker needs a walloping, but I don't need anybody seeing me doing it. Cover me up, and I'll do my thing, okay?"
Her cats observed from up above. "Oooh, I think she's gonna do it!" Tabs excitedly said.
"This'll either be embarrassing for her or for him. I'm hoping for both." Kat said.
"You are *so* mean!" Nat chastised.
Ibuki and Cindy blocked Maxi from sight. Suddenly, the girl was enveloped in a flash of blue light.
"The bloody...?" Max uttered.
The ball of blue light leapt into the air. "DA-DA-DA-DA-DA-DAAAAA~! SUPER SPARKY POWER-UP, ACTIVATE!"
The light dispersed, and Maxi emerged, wearing a sleeveless blue costume with a stylized 'E' logo on the front, blue skirt, gloves and boots, as well as a blue cape, and a blue mask over her eyes. The ends of her blue ribbon were now changed to resemble lightning bolts. 
"...what is this?" the Shield uttered.
Maxi landed, and struck a dramatic pose. "Shiver in fear, spaceman! Electri-Girl is here to strike the evil from your heart!"
"Are you trying to make me laugh?" The Shield cocked his head.
"Justice is no laughing matter, fiend! Prepare yourself!"
"Is this really the same girl...?" Max questioned.
Maxi rubbed her hands together, as electricity gathered. "Now get zappy!"
She pointed her index fingers down, and two streams of electricity jolted out from them, striking the Shield and causing a cloud of dust to form around him.
"Yay~! And once again, Electri-Girl saves the--" 
The dust cleared. The armored man was totally unscathed. He mockingly brushed off his shoulder.
"BAH! Why didn't that work?! That's always supposed to work!"
"Your enemies must really stink." Max uttered. Iris jabbed his side. "Ow!"
"O-Okay, new plan! A last-ditch secret technique that's sure to work!"
Maxi turned around, and sprinted.
"RUN AWAAAAAY!"
"Hey, wait! Get back here!" Ibuki called out.
Up above, Kat lightly shook her head. "Our hero, everyone."
"She's trying her best, OK?!" Tabs objected.
The Shield pressed a button on the side of his helmet. His ship appeared in the sky above, and he was lifted back into it. It started moving, in the direction where Maxi was headed.
"$#1+! He'll catch up to her in no time!" Ibuki exclaimed.
Max looked around. He spotted a van, bearing an ox-horn logo, reading 'Kaido's Kooky Katering'. "Up for another chase, ladies?"
As they ran out of the alley, someone gave watch from atop the building, observing closely.
The group all got into the van, Max in the passenger seat, Iris in the driver's, and the others two in the back. "The what? Where's the wheel?" Max questioned. "Ah, cripe. It's a yank-mobile. Bloody ace, that is."
"Let me drive." Cindy switched places with him.
"Alright, now where do we find her?" Ibuki asked.
"Um...hi."
The group turned to see that Maxi, still in full costume, was crouched in the very back of the van. She gave a half-hearted giggle.
"Mad little...why would you run?" Iris questioned.
"I'm sorry! I'm still super new at this! Every weirdo in a funny suit I've fought went down after one or two hits from my sparks! And my brother's not here to back me up..."
"Where I come from, a coward's retreat is met with the strictest discipline."
"C'mon, you're scaring her. More than she already is." Ibuki assuaged her.
"There's a murderer out to take her life. If there was ever a time for fear, it's now."
"Not what I'd expect to hear from an Amazon's cake hole." Max commented.
"Anyone who steps onto a battlefield knows fear. The true warrior is the one who best ignores it."
"Can we not do this now? We need to get--" Cindy began.
A shadow appeared over the van, circular in shape.
"...Cind." Ibuki spoke.
"Yeah...?" Cindy replied.
"Start driving."
She hit the gas, and sped off. The ship gave chase.
The van sped past any other vehicle it came across, as the ship stayed within reach. "Really wasn't feeling like another crazy drive!" Cindy exclaimed.
"Your driving skills are at least superior to this one's lover." Iris gestured at Max.
"I could write a whole report on everythin' wrong with that." he replied.
Maxi remained crouched in the back.
"Listen to me, Maxi. I know this is scary. But you're a superhero, aren't you? I've seen enough about hero types to know that they're brave, even when it's really tough. C'mon, that's too cool of a costume to look so jittery in." Ibuki reassured her.
"Gosh, you even talk so cool...what was your name, again?" Maxi asked.
"I'm Ibuki. I heard you mention a guy with my eyes and hair color. Would his name happen to start with an 'I', too?"
"Hehe...yeah. Okay, that's enough being gloomy! How do we get this jerk?"
Max pointed his rifle out the window. He noticed the ship moving side to side, around the buildings. "Bah, I can't get a good sight of him. Bugger's onto us. If we could just get a clear shot, we could zap that hunk of scrap."
Maxi opened the rear door, peering up at the ship. 
Ahead of them, atop a building, a figure loomed. Their eyes, shielded by a mask identical to Maxi's, narrowed at the sight of the cruiser. They pulled out a grappling hook, pointed and shot, attaching to the side door. The individual was pulled towards the hook, swinging in the air, even running along the side of the building, before using the momemtum to flip onto the ship.
Hearing the thud, the Shield looked up. "Computer, activate autopilot and open the roof! I think we've got a passenger."
The roof door slid open, and the armored man hopped onto it. "Tch. Another masked freak. What's your name, kid?"
The masked man stood up. He was clothed in a light blue, full-body costume, with the letters 'B.B.' printed on the front. Along with boots and gloves, he possessed a blue hooded cape, evoking the wings of a bird. A messy head of blonde hair was visible beneath the hood. "The freak in a mask calls *me* a freak in a mask? What a load." He pulled out a small metal staff, which lengthened on both ends, twirling it around and dramatically posing. "Call me Bluebird. And I don't appreciate you pointing a gun at my partner."
"Oh, so that chicken is your partner? Lucky you. Fine. You die first."
Maxi watched all of this unfolding from the van. "Hey, that's my bro--um, my partner! I gotta help! Anyone got a spring or cannon lying around?"
"Not on me, no." Max replied.
Iris had an idea. She hopped to the back. "Let's see if this world's physics can help."
She tied a string to one of her arrows, tying the other end to Maxi's hands. "Don't worry. My aim is true. This will still be nerve-wracking. Are you prepared?"
Maxi hesitated, but nodded. "Yeah! Heroes have to be fearless!"
"Good. Prove my initial assessment was wrong."
Iris aimed up at the ship, then let go. As the arrow flew, so did Maxi. "YOWEEEEEEE!"
On the cruiser, the Shield had Bart pinned down, the latter holding him back with his staff. The armored man raised his arm, unsheathing his blade. "Your idiot sister is going to need a new partner."
"--EEEEEEEE--"
"Huh...?"
Maxi came flying in, and her backside struck the Shield, who was pushed off the side of the ship, in the same exact pose he was previously in. He hovered for a moment, before looking down. His knuckle spike morphed into a sign, with the word 'Yikes!' scrawled on it, before finally falling.
"Maxi?" Bart questioned.
Maxi rubbed her back. "Ugh...I think I left my heart somewhere back there...oh, hey, bro! I came to help!"
"You definitely did. Let me get this...is that an arrow?" Bart removed the rope.
"I've got some new friends to help me out! They came to warn me about this orange creep!"
"And just who is this guy?"
On the street, the Shield was running, full-throttle, towards the ship. He propelled himself up, landing back on top of the cruiser. "Stupid punks. I've had it with this nonsense world of yours."
"Alright, Electri-Girl. Why don't we give him the Sparky Bird Special?" Bart asked.
"You got it~!" Maxi rubbed her hands, and grabbed the staff, which lit up with blue electricity.
Bart spun it around, then swung it, striking the Shield in the shoulder, electrifying his armor. "Gkkkk--!"
Maxi shuffled her feet rapidly, generating more sparks. "Oooooh--! Sparkyyyyy...Strike!" She leapt up, spun around, then kicked with both legs, booting the Shield from his perch again.
He flew so far, bounced off the ground so hard, that he came to a rest outside of town, sparking and smoldering. Both his ship and the van arrived. The group got out, pointing their weapons at him, while the masked duo hopped off the ship.
The Shield rose up, pulling his gun and pointing.
"One finger on that trigger, and you're dead." Iris threatened.
"Give it a rest, you salty bloke! Ain't you tired of gettin' your @$$ kicked?" Max asked.
"You...youuuuu..." The Shield's eyes flickered.
"I...I just don't get it! Why do you hate me this much?! I haven't done anything!" Maxi demanded.
"I'd like to know meself. What's got your bridges so twisted that you'd want us all dead?" Max affirmed.
"Max...Max...everywhere I've gone...everything I've seen...it's all been the same! Screw ups, every single one! Making life worse for everyone around them because they fail so miserably! Everyone tolerated it on their worlds, but I couldn't! Max O'Donnell and his variants are a curse, a disease, a blight on the universes! So I'm doing what no one else ever could!" the Shield ranted.
"People can change, idiot! Mistakes can be fixed! What gave you the right to do this? Seventy-three people can never learn from their mistakes and be better, because you played judge, jury and executioner, and decided whatever they did wrong deserved death as a punishment. Just what is wrong with you?" Ibuki questioned.
The sound came back inside the Shield's head. 
*cough, cough*
"What's wrong with me? I've seen what happens when a Max O'Donnell wasn't strong enough, or *competent* enough to help people. You know what you do with diseases, right? Expunge them. Cut them out. Make the hard decisions to ensure that there's a future. Death is the only cure, for the disease that is us."
The group were alerted. "'Us'...?" Ibuki questioned.
"You...are you saying...you're Max O'Donnell, too?" Cindy asked.
"You asked how I could judge every Max as a faulty screw-up...I know better than anyone. And I've come too far to stop now." the Shield replied.
"Don't you feel any guilt?! The people you've murdered...they would have understood you better than anyone! How could you be so heartless?!" Iris demanded.
"Call me what you want. I call myself a shield. The one thing standing between the worlds and their worst mistakes." The Shield stood up. His ship moved over him. "Take your small victories. This is far from over." The beam came down. "See you soon."
The ship disappeared.
"....." Cindy stared up.
"What in the world was any of that?" Bart questioned.
"Sorry, guess that was a lot. Would this be your brother, Maxi?" Ibuki asked.
"Yep! This is my Big Bro Bart!" Maxi confirmed.
"You look a little...familiar." Bart said.
"There's a lot to talk about. But not here. If you guys wanna come along...?" Ibuki asked.
"If it means kicking that jerk to the curb, totally!" Maxi agreed.
"Even if I don't totally understand it all, that guy tried hurting my sister. He sounds like bad news. And bad news is what heroes deal with. Count us both in." Bart affirmed.
"What a lovely lil' crew we've strung together, eh?" Max asked.
"If that's your word for it." Iris replied.
Cindy opened a portal, and everyone stepped inside.
Nearby, the cats were perched in a tree. "Well that was something." Kat said.
"Told you she had it in her!" Nat replied.
"That was, like, 90% Bart."
"You never want to give her any credit!" Tabs chastised.
"Guilty as charged."
---
The Velvet Room.
"Ah...back to normal." Ibuki said, upon noticing that the cartoon look was gone.
"Wha-wha-wha-what?!" Maxi noticed that she and Bart had changed accordingly.
"This is...different." Bart uttered.
"Welcome back, all." Rose appeared.
"Howdy, Doc. These two are Maxi and Bart. They wanna help us out." Ibuki introduced.
"Very good. Welcome to the Velvet Room. I am Rose."
"And we're confused." Bart replied.
"Not to worry. I'll explain shortly. Now, I believe this means that our invader got away again?"
"Unfortunately. We had him cornered, but he escaped with his ship. Sorry." Cindy replied.
"There's...one thing we learned, though." Ibuki began. "The Shield...he's Max O'Donnell."
"He is? Our Max hunter is a variant himself? That...certainly complicates matters." Rose replied.
"Answers one question and raises a crapton of others." Max said.
"....." Iris grumbled.
"Unfortunately, we won't be able to find out more until he appears again. I'll get our new friends up to speed. The rest of you can take a breather for now. I'm certain that someone is waiting to see you, Ms. Hinotama." Rose advised.
"Don't I know it. Thanks again, Doc." Ibuki replied, before the group scattered.
"Now then, you two. What questions do you have for me?" 
"Are you a genie?" Maxi asked.
"I was going to say fortune teller." Bart added. "Ah, no offense, ma'am."
"I've been called far worse." Rose replied.
---
The Space Between.
The Shield clutched his side. "Damn it. Damn it damn it DAMN IT! Those annoying little...how do they keep finding me?"
"*cough*"
"...have to get this armor fixed. Can't stop now. But I need to make a point. Computer? Is your genetic analysis of those two girls complete? I need to know where they came from."
A display popped up. "Let's see...Earth-727. That was the kid from a few days ago. And the other one...hunh. I don't recognize this one. Earth-013. Computer? Is there a variant on Earth-013?"
The screen changed. "I'll be damned. 'Planetary Defense Force Commander'. Bigger platform means bigger mistakes. Looks like I need to break out the Bolt again. Computer, set course for Earth-013. And accelerate the repair job."
"Time for some brats to learn about consequences.