You had been training in various fighting styles for a few days now. You sparred with Crushvin who had the same nearly impenetrable skin and strength as you. Of course impenetrable didn't mean you couldn't get hurt and you did get hurt a lot sparring with him. You learned that his alter ego is named Kevin Dawson but nothing concerning his origin as a Superhero. In fact you haven't learned anything about the origins of anyone that you've met other than your mom who had fallen through a shadow while you were at school and discovered her power. You didn't know anyone's weaknesses and no one knew your's. Well except for Hank Masters who was the doctor of the group. During your training another person joined the group making five but you haven't met her yet.
Now you were home with your mom watching the news when they ran the tape of a model being kidnapped and the puppet's words. You looked at your mom and said, "We have to stop Collector."
"Yes we do but we're not ready to try it yet," your mom said.
"But we have to Mommy," you said with wide eyes. "We have a responsibility to protect people."
"Try to understand sweetheart," your mom said stroking your hair. "We don't know anything about Collector and trying to fight someone you know nothing about is very dangerous. We don't know how many of those puppets he has or what powers he has. Then there are the other people in his house. There are just too many unknowns to try and take him on now."
"I bet other heroes are rushing to stop him," you said crossing your arms.
"They probably are but they are fools for doing so without knowing what they're up against," your mom said. "They'll probably end up as part of his collection and may have their alter egos compromised as a result."
"That wouldn't happen to us though," you said still trying to convince your mom to go fight. "Your hair is black when you're Lady Shadow and your face looks different too."
"If we're knocked unconscious we may revert," your mom said shaking her head.
"But we have to try," you said and then thought you could sneak out and beat Collector on your own.
"We will try when we know some more about him," your mom said smiling. "Right now let’s go to headquarters and inform the others if they haven't seen it already."
You sighed and got off the couch following your mom to her room. She picked you up and stepped through the shadow created by a flashlight and a thick candle on a nightstand. The usual sensation of cold sweeping over and through you accompanied the transition into the shadow world. The shadow world was a dismal place being in black and white though what would be black in the real world was white in the shadow world. It was also cold in the shadow world though you mom didn't seem to be affected by it. You've known her to stay in the shadow world for quite awhile but she never lingered in it when she was taking you through it. Your mom was able to travel very fast in the shadow world and in a matter of a few seconds you two were emerging from the shadows at headquarters.
You walked down a hall and upon turning a corner a red demon dropped from the ceiling. It was clearly female since it had breasts but with no nipples and long gold hair. She had two small gold horns growing out of her forehead and thin fingers and toes that ended in claws. She had a long thin tail with a spade tip. Her eyes were silver orbs and her mouth contained fangs that looked capable of tearing flesh from bone in the most painful way. You instantly became Vampora and punched the demon who flew back into a wall making a good sized dent in the metal. You couldn't help but notice that you couldn't see any sign of female genitals or a butt crack even though the demon looked to be naked. At least you couldn't see a seam between flesh and clothing. "Sorry for startling you Mrs. Stone, Katrina," the demon said getting up and wiping some blood from her mouth.
The mention of your name and your mom's caused you to pause and ask, "How do you know us?"
"You both know me," the demon said smiling. You watched as she started to shrink. Her horns and tail withdrew into her body and her breasts shrank until she had a flat chest. Her fingers and toes became more normal looking without claws. The area between her legs split apart forming the female genitals. Her hair changed to a medium brown and her eyes to regular human hazel colored eyes. Her skin lightened until it was the pink of a Caucasian girl. Nipples grew on her chest then clothes appeared on her. Her transformation was just as rapid as your's though you were able to see it all like you could with your transformation.
"Alice Moore," you said shocked.
"Hi Katrina," Alice said with a smile, "or maybe I should call you by a different name. What is your name in that form?"
"Vampora," you said then changed back.
"Well you can call me Morphanna in my other form," Alice said with a giggle.
"How did you become a demon?" you asked.
"I sold my soul to a demon," Alice said looking down.
"You what!?!" you asked shocked. "How could you sell your soul to a demon?"
"Well after Nancy was killed by Quickfire I wanted a way to make her pay," Alice began. "That was when a demon calling itself Alana showed up and offered me the power to eventually bring her and others like her to justice in exchange for my soul when I die."
"But you can't be with your sister now," you said shaking your head.
"Alana told me that before I agreed to the deal," Alice said.
"Then why did you do it?" you asked.
"Well I wanted to see Quickfire and others brought to justice and to hopefully prevent other families from going through the same thing," Alice said.
You sighed and said, "It was a mistake to sell your soul to a demon."
"It was my choice to make," Alice said.
"Come on you two," your mom said, "we need to talk with the others."
You followed your mom and asked, "What can you do Alice?"
"Oh I can transform into just about anything," Alice said with a smile. "The only thing I can't transform into is a copy of a living person. I can also transform anyone I touch following the same rule. What about you?"
"Well I have super strength, nearly impenetrable skin, I can see really well in the dark, and I can fly," you said. "Are you naked as Morphanna?"
"Yep," Alice said. "So how did you get your powers?"
"Well Snakorn had eaten me and a guy named Rick," you said frowning. "Telnak said that we each had part of the necessary DNA and that while we were in Snakorn's stomach it combined. Our minds interwove with each other and we pretty much have one mind now though we're kind of separate. When I'm in control we're me but when Rick is in we're Vampora but it's really a moot point since Rick is me and I'm Rick."
"Ok," Alice said. "What are we doing next week Mrs. Stone?"
"Now I don't tell my students my lesson plans," your mom said. "I keep them hidden from Katrina so she doesn't peek."
"I know you keep them in the shadow world," you said with a smile.
"Well that's the only place where I know you can't find them," your mom said opening a door. "Well everyone's here already. Have you seen the news?"
"I'm afraid so," Kevin said shaking his head. Unlike his Crushvin form which was heavily muscled he was skinny with little muscle.
"I'd like to accept his challenge now but that wouldn't be a good idea at present," Hank said. When he was in his Telnak form he looked like a cyborg and that made him the tech expert as well as the group's doctor. "We need to know more about Collector before we attempt to fight him and when we do we need to do it as a team. Speaking of which we need to have a leader and a name. I'm going to nominate Maggie to be leader. Any objections?" No one said anything so he continued, "Well I guess that means you're our leader Maggie."
"Ok now to a name," your mom said. "Anyone have any suggestions?"
"How about Justice League?" Alice asked.
Kevin laughed and said, "I think DC would sue us if we used that name. How about the Super Protectors?"
"I don't think that will work," Hank said.
"I don't think so either," your mom said.
"How about League of United Superheroes or LUSH for short?" you asked.
"I like it," Kevin said.
"So do I," Hank said nodding.
"So that's three votes for that name," your mom said. "What about you Alice?"
"I think it's a pretty good name," Alice said shrugging.
"Then it's unanimous," your mom said. "We're now LUSH. Hank, are Katrina and Alice ready to fight supervillians?"
"Well they're ready for the weaker supervillians," Hank said rubbing his chin. "I've heard rumors that Snakorn has been seen with Four Eyes the last couple of days."
"What are they up to?" Kevin wondered out loud.
"They may be forming their own team," Hank said shrugging. "They may be getting ready to hit a bank or something. All the rumors state is that they've been seen together. The rumors may be false or purposely planted."
"Well that will be a good start for Katrina and Alice," your mom said. "Have you finished the teleporter Hank?"
"It's finished," Hank said smiling and producing a box. Opening it he withdrew two rings, a watch, and a necklace with a star pendant on the end. He handed the watch to Kevin, the necklace to your mom, and the rings to you and Alice. Looking at each of you in turn he said, "Just tap them three times to activate the teleporter and teleport to HQ. Kevin, your watch will change shape when you grow so it won't give your secret identity away."
"Well I think that takes care of everything for now," your mom said. "Katrina, Alice, see if there's any truth to the rumors of Snakorn and Four Eyes working together and what they might be up to if they are."
You and Alice left discussing what Snakorn and Four Eyes may be up to.