Colossus By Design: Season 2 - Log 1

[September 9, 2151]
[Scientific & Technological Advanced Research Labs]
[Former American continent]

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Within S.T.A.R. Labs, several head researchers are conducting a study on non-standard DE energy and Mana; they're headed by none other than Dr. Anna Maximoff. They're using a set of sophisticated spherical prongs, with a lab-grown hedgehog serving as the main test subject.


(Dr. Maximoff): Alright, Zoom, activate the stimulators.


A blond-haired man, in his late thirties, peeks up from underneath the circuitry of the device; comically large safety goggles cover his eyes. He lifts them up and stands up; his lab coat, hair, and goggles are completely covered in stains and ashes.


(Prof. Thawne): I keep telling you, ma'am, my name is THAWNE. Eobard Thawne!

(Dr. Maximoff): Yeah, Thawne's a stupid last name for a university professor. Wouldn't you agree that 'Professor Zoom' is a much catchier name?

(Prof. Thawne): *Sighs* I'm activating the stimulators now.


Professor Thawne flips a holographic switch on the device, causing each spherical prong to emit a slight vibrational distortion; the lab hedgehog is caught in the middle. The hedgehog is levitated slightly, held in the air by the two vibrational distortions emanating from the device.

As the instrument continues to hold the hedgehog in place, several lab assistants begin to record the results. The hedgehog itself, however, doesn't appear to be visibly affected; it's not paying much mind to anything, even the fact that it's floating in mid-air. All of a sudden, a large spike forms in the line graph whilst the data is being recorded.

Coinciding with this spike, the lab hedgehog's body begins to vibrate at a high intensity, and the poor creature now becomes visibly agitated by the process.


(Dr. Maximoff): SHUT IT DOWN! NOW!

(Prof. Thawne): Hold on, ma'am!


Professor Thawne rushes over to the device in an attempt to turn it off. Before he can shut it down, however, the machine explodes in a flurry of sparks, briefly shutting down the power in the room as well as knocking Professor Thawne onto his back.

The other scientists are unsure of what to make of everything, with all of the equipment having been shut down from the energy wave released by their device; the power comes back on a little bit later. Dr. Maximoff sees her colleague on the floor and helps him up to his feet; the two of them look at the now broken device. The lab hedgehog is left unharmed, surprisingly enough.


(Dr. Maximoff): Alright, take the little guy back to his cage.

(Lab Assistant 1): Yes, ma'am.


As the lab assistant goes over to the device to pick up the lab hedgehog, it suddenly scampers out of the room at alarming speed, much faster than should be possible for such an animal.


(Dr. Maximoff): What just happened?

(Lab Assistant 2): Well, ma'am, I'd say we did it. We successfully stimulated a living being's non-standard DE energy artificially, producing beneficial effects, without requiring integration into an artificial complex.

(Dr. Maximoff): I thought we were going to increase its natural physique, not produce fucking Sonic The Hedgehog!!

(Prof. Thawne): Very intriguing......

(Dr. Maximoff): I can't say that wasn't exciting, but it certainly wasn't expected. Still, we got what we needed. We can move onto the next phase.

(Prof. Thawne): You mean the mass production light exoskeletons that Director Ifukube spoke of?

(Dr. Maximoff): Indeed. With this new development, we can begin studying how to replicate this effect, and control it, so that we can safely optimize those suits. Though I wish they had a catchier name than 'Battle-Wagon Light Exoskeleton'. Maybe there's an old anime with giant robotic suits I could draw inspiration from for names.


As the others clean up, one of the lab assistants slips out of the lab with her datapad lit up, signifying that it was recording everything. The others don't notice her as they clean up the mess.


(Prof. Thawne): That hedgehog, he was gone....... in a flash--

(Dr. Maximoff): Don't even start, Zoom.