LNH: Don't Stay Dead!

[Scott Eiler]

Don't Stay Dead!

A Tale of the Legion of Net.Heroes

---

What Has Gone Before:

On their very first mission for the Legion of Net.Heroes, against a 
threat known as Beige Midnight, Horrible Name Lad and Poignant Death 
Lass died.  Ensign Bodybag welcomed them to the Afterlife.  They all saw 
Don't Stay Dead Man come for one of their teammates - and give him True 
Death.  (http://www.eilertech.com/stories/lnh/stay_dead.txt )

This story takes place before Legion of Net.Heroes Volume 2 #50.

---

Three dead heroes had their coffee break as usual one morning in the 
Afterlife.  Well, it was *like* coffee at least.

Ensign Bodybag asked, "You still want to go back if you can?"

Poignant Death Lass said, "Yeah.  It's just something about the way we 
died.  I don't think it was the way I was meant to go."

Horrible Name Lad joined in.  "Yeah.  As much as I love it here in Happy 
Fun Death Land, I can't think of this as the end."

"Well, you never know.  Today could be the day you get out...  Well, 
speak of the devil."  Ensign Bodybag pointed up.

The sky of the Afterlife had cracked open.  A man-like figure was coming 
down - on a bicycle, along a magic trapeze wire that suddenly appeared. 
  He wore red tights and a gray cloak.

Ensign Bodybag said to the cloaked figure, "Hey!  Don't Stay Dead Man! 
Who you here for this time?"

Don't Stay Dead Man pointed two fingers - at Poignant Death Lass and 
Horrible Name Lad.  Then he pointed at his two rear-wheel rider spokes.

Ensign Bodybag said, "Well then.  Not True Death for you two...  Saddle 
up!  See you when you get back."

"I suppose it's inevitable," said Poignant Death Lass.  "Especially if I 
fall off the damn high wire."

"Don't say Damn High Wire, say Highway to Dying Again!"  Horrible Name 
Lad stood by one spoke, and held out his hand.

"Horrible, I've said it before, but I got to say it again.  Don't you 
*ever* turn your power off?"  Poignant Death Lass took Horrible Name 
Lad's hand.  They mounted the rider spokes together.

"Nope, it's my Always-On Happy Power."

As Don't Stay Dead Man pedalled up the wire, Ensign Bodybag heard the 
two passengers quip...  "Who you think they're taking us to?  Maybe the 
Twentyverse?"

"Maybe the LNH Loser Squad!"

"Dammit, stop coming up with horrible names!"

"Can't do that..."

As the bicycle disappeared, Ensign Bodybag turned and looked behind. 
One small boy was watching with a smirk on his face.

The Ensign said, "Okay.  You saw me lose my two best staff members.  I 
think you're behind it, Gratuitous Coincidence Boy.  But no hard 
feelings.  You just got both their jobs!"

The boy said, "D'oh!"

---

Author's Notes:

Snort.  I begin to see the attraction of LNH as a venue for silly 
stories - and for exploring character potential where one might least 
expect it.  This story was instant.

I believe this to be enough for one episode.  But look for a sequel - 
with two mysterious new applicants to the Legion!  Could those be... 
Clueless Lad and Psychovant the Duck?  Probably not.  8{D>

... One year on, we're still waiting for the finish of the story this 
leads into.  But it was pointed out, I never did officially publish the 
lead-in.  So here it is!

---

Credits:

Horrible Name Lad (Comes-up-with-horrible-awful-names-for-LNH-subgroups 
Lad) and Poignant Death Lass 
(Her-Death-Would've-Been-More-Poignant-If-She-Had-Actually-Appeared-in-Something-Before-this-Issue 
Lass) were created by Arthur Spitzer, and are used by permission.  I 
believe them to be Free For Use, which is fine by me, as soon as I write 
one more story with them.  And I might as well admit, that story's ready 
too.

Ensign Bodybag, Don't Stay Dead Man, and now Gratuitous Coincidence Boy 
are original to me.  They are Free For Use in all LNH-related venues.

So there.

(signed) Scott Eiler, 12 May 2012

-- 
(signed) Scott Eiler  8{D> -------- http://www.eilertech.com/ ---------

When you *are* the leader... whatever goes wrong... whether you did it
or not... *you* are held responsible. - Barack Obama

I know. - Archie Andrews

- from Archie #617, March 2011, scripted by Alex Simmons.