RANKED 3rd BY VOTERS IN CHARACTER CREATION CONTEST #9!

“Do you prefer quirks or quarks?”

“Quarks. They're science. Science is knowable. Quirks make people unpredictable.”

“Tundra or Tundro?”

“Oh, no question, Tundro. He's a triceratops with ten legs and a horn that shoots fireballs. What's not to like? Might be best to strand him in the tundra though.”

“Favorite word?”

“Perspicacity.”

“Perspiwhatnow? I can't even say that word.”

“Exactly. That's why I like it. You can't say it.”

“I'm tired of this game.”

“I'm tired of being orange, but I'm not complaining.”

“Bivolvo won't budge, huh?”

“When the Rainbow Raider says he's going to turn you orange, you should believe him.” Flash furrowed his brows, looking at his reflection in the passenger side mirror, still disturbed that he couldn’t see his own reflection, even if it was orange. The change had made him blind to the color orange, so he couldn’t risk moving at super speed, for fear of what he wouldn’t see. He might accidentally plow through a road worker on stop sign duty, or get tripped by traffic cones, or any number of stupid things the Rogues might come up with to try to use his orange handicap against him. “I think he was just happy his plan worked for once.”

“Wouldn’t you be?” asked Robin. “The guy’s a few party bulbs short of being Doctor Spectro. He does have a sizeable Internet fanbase though – The Rainbow Ravers.” Tim Drake was wheeling the Redbird towards S.T.A.R. Labs where Cyborg and Emil Hamilton were waiting, hopefully with some ideas on what to do for Flash. Batman was sidetracked with Clayface’s war on “Eel” O’brien, and Nightwing was out of town tracking down Magpie of all people. The JLA teleporters were out of commission since Nero attacked the moon. So, pretty simply, Wally West needed a ride, and Tim Drake was one of the only heroes he knew who had bothered to get a license.

“You’re kidding, right?”

“I am, but you weren’t sure of it.” Tim grinned. “We’re here. Orange you going to go inside?”

Wally shook his head, as he stepped out of the car. “That the best you’ve got? Grayson’s wit did not come with the costume, I see.”

“Hey, you could’ve had Beast Boy for this trip!” Robin said through the car window. “You two would’ve gone together like peas and carrots!”

Wally groaned. “Terrible. Just terrible.” As he started towards the building, he muttered, “I hope Cyborg and Hamilton have something for me.”

The Redbird honked as it pulled away from the curb. “Later, Carrot Top!” hollered Robin.

West waved over his shoulder. “Never heard that one before,” he sighed as he ran his orange fingers through his hair.

The desk clerk only gave him a brief funny look, then recovered himself, and became once again the jaded guard that had seen all manner of super beings pass through the lobby of S.T.A.R. Labs. He was escorted up to Doctor Hamilton’s lab, where Cyborg called out, “Wally!” and waved him over, chuckling only once as he got close.

“What? You got something for me too, buckethead? I figured the way you call Gar ‘Salad Head’ all the time, you’d have something better than Tim’s tries by now.”

Victor Stone winced, and said, “Yeah, that boy can not deliver a punchline. Anyway, my favorite nickname for Gar is ‘Green Genes,’ but it’s true, man: nothing rhymes with ‘orange.’ Sorry to disappoint.”

Story, original characters and content are owned by Chris Bishop. Copyright Chris Bishop 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022.