June Bug

June Bug and Web Girl #1

### Occupation

Former thief, former supervillain acting as a soldier of Terraq, current vagabond an freelance hero

## **Pre-Entropy History**

Junebug, formerly Thugbug was an enforcer for Chevron II, originally hired to be indestructible muscle, he quickly learned that he was barely more than a henchman. Leaning into his role, he named himself Thugbug. He fought with Paramericans a number of times before they invaded and battled Terraq itself. Thugbug ran away rather than dealing with the invasion. He took with him Web-girl, a young new recruit to Terraq. His hope was that since none knew his name, he could "retire" with his stolen wealth and a foster daughter/ward. This might have been the end of his story if not for the Entropy Event.

## **Post -Entropy History**

Gerald "Jerry" Hewitt was a promising student at San Niebla State University studying linguisitcs and anthropology. While not a straight A student, he was competent enough to keep standing even if few could remember him on campus. Few friends, and living most of his life either in the library or on the basketball court, Jerry sort of drifted into the background. But his studies, his parents, and his childhood friends kept him satisfied. He did his work, learned more about communication and expected to have a mediocre life doing translations. Soon, however, he learned to hustle on the court by getting hustled. This lead to him getting in deep with several less than savory characters. Soon Jerry learned to use his almost anonymity to an advantage, not being seen enough to learn how to pick locks, observe people's access codes, and otherwise use social engineering to get into places and steal things he could sell. He found a market stealing test answers and selling them to the highest bidder and most desperate Master's student. Soon, however, the school got word of his activities and expelled him.

It could not have come on a worse day. Before he could figure out what he could tell his parents, the Unicorn Blight hit San Niebla. While all he felt was a mild headache and some muscle soreness before his powers manifested, the Blight killed both his parents. His childhood friends were also killed due to blight related disasters. One was literally on the phone with him when a helicopter, whose pilot suffered from the Blight, collided with his apartment, killing both.

Jerry found he had no one to rely on. The only people who knew him anymore were the thugs and loansharks he had been stealing for. With nothing left to rely on, he joined them and went, half heartedly, into the crime business. Not long after, he found he had incredible agility, could climb sheer structures easily, and even project some simple webbing. However, as he was trying to make an escape after robbing a tech startup of proprietary technology, he was attacked by both corrupt cops and a rival gang who were also stealing from the same company. They gunned him down, the force of the attack pushed him through a window. He then learned that he could fly (though with almost no control of direction) and that he was not only bulletproof but also near invulnerable to damage as he slammed into brick walls, concrete street, and steel cranes without a mark on him. He still felt the impact of each and every strike but nothing could hurt him.

He took on the identity of Thugbug, mostly to try to not be identified for his crimes, but partially because of the long tradition of supervillains with powers taking on new monikers. He also padded his costume with plates at strategic places. While he could not be injured, he could still experience pain. In no sense of the word could he be considered an A-List supervillain. He barely got by as a thief and occasional muscle. He did fairly well as a human shield and bodyguard for some small time ganglords. But in San Niebla, he ended up in a rundown 5 story walkup apartment with little to show for his efforts. He had no future. No successes, no reasons beyond waking up every morning and doing the same thing he did yesteday for some other idiot crime boss.

Not long after this revelation, he came home to find the body of the last crimeboss he worked for laying on his carpet. In his one relaxing chair sat Lord Chevron. Before Thugbug could run in terror, wondering what he had done to anger the metahuman ruler of Terraq, Chevron offered him a position in Terraq as part of his elite guards and watchers: The Seraphim. Thugbug was skeptical at the offer at first but accepted and traveled to Terraq. Terraq, he found, while offering solace and sanctuary for every metahuman or gamma, or practically anyone in a mask with a vendetta against one "hero" or another, quickly became a place of "scum and villiany" where strength, domination, and determination was prized more than anything else. It quickly became a nation of neo-evolutionist and egos, as far as he could see. He did his job and did it well but he was not a devotee of the Chevron order. He was closer to a paid thug again, or at worse, a security guard. He resigned himself to the life offered to him and was one of the first people that new immigrants to Terraq would see. What shocked him is how many were kids or teens.

That is how he found Yuki Aiko. Of all the new arrivals, she looked like the only one who didn't want to be there. He struck up a conversation with her and found that she had been disowned by her family and communities after her powers manifested. Thugbug saw something there he could relate too. It became evident that the two of them really did not want to be in Terraq but had nowhere else to go. He started taking her under his wing, seeing her as a little sister or at least a comrade in suffering. Eventually, Terraq was attacked by the Sentinel Society lead by the Paramericans when Chevron threatened the world with the Heart of Power (later identified as the Heart of Xenex). In the battle of metas that almost rivaled that of the Ragnarök that happened decades prior, Thugbug and Yuki faked their deaths and got out as fast as they could with whatever funds they could muster. They actually webbed themselves to the underside of a Hercules Transport for the journey back to American territory. They both knew that as soon as Terraq knew they were still alive, their lives would be in danger. Jerry destroyed all of his Thugbug paraphernalia, but found he couldn't just lay low. He saw some honest heroics during that battle, where heroes faced danger to save civilians and even the young kids when the Terraq people would sacrifice anyone to buy them time. Jerry knew he couldn't just be a noone again.

Yuki dubbed him Junebug, bringer of Hope. He in turn dubbed her Web Girl, his sidekick. Buying a van and outfitting it to live in, they try to stay in places trying to make a name for themselves but each time, after not too long, they find themselves heading somewhere else before any vengeful villain or overzealous hero finds them.

## P**owers and Abilities**

### **Powers**

June Bug is very difficult to kill or even damage. His skin, while soft to the touch like flesh is exceedingly resiliant to most forms of damage. While he has suffered broken bones and cuts, most of which have been at the hands of powerful metahumans. He has been shocked, attempted to be burned, and corroded with little physical damage, depending on the strength of the attack. However, he still feels pain so he is still hesitant to go into flames or other intense situations. June Bug produces webbing from his fingers which he can project and swing from. He can also use minute amounts of webbing to allow him to climb walls and ceilings, though only for limited times as the webbing looses adhesion after a few minutes. He also has flight capabilities, (max speed so far is 80 mph) The flight comes at a price. he has little to no control over the flight itself. Like a June Bug, his path and pattern are erratic, almost comical, and completely nonsensical, which is why he relies on swinging as a primary motivation. He has been known to go crashing through walls while flying with no damage to himself but brick walls completely destroyed.

### **Strength level**

June Bug is able to bench press 1000 lbs.

## **Paraphernalia**

### **Equipment:**

Junebug wears armor. This is designed to hide his body type and face but also protect him from the impact pain. Getting shot really hurts.

### **Transportation:**

BugOut: the old Exterminator van that he and Webgirl live out of.

## **Common Enemies**

* The Kingdom of Terraq
	+ Chevron
	+ Snowflake
	+ Time Killer
	+ Investigator White
	+ Roiling Hiss
	+ Devil Bats
* The Secret Society of Mu
	+ Sovereign Sorcerer
	+ Madame Satan
	+ The Yithian
	+ Leviathan
	+ The Broker

## **Common Allies**

* Quantum Knights
	+ Stinger
	+ Orca
	+ Subatai Goldberg

* El Magnifico

## **Trivia**

* Can read and speak seven languages, (English, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Japanese, and Latin.)
* Has had to become something of a good mechanic to keep BugOut working. Commonly pretends to be Mechanic for extra money.
* Is devoted to Web Girl. Sees her as a surrogate sister. Others think she is his daughter because of the age difference.
* Thinks deep dish is better than new york style pizza and will duel with pistols at dawn about such matters.
* Pinball enthusiast.