Originally Posted by
JudicatorPrime
#34 - The Absorbing Man (War)
Crusher Creel speaks:
“I ain’t no comedian or nuthin’ like that, but when Eddie Murphy says, “I was just walkin’ down the street mindin’ my own bid’ness, right? Mindin’ my own bid’ness!” I get it. That’s when trouble usually finds me.
This time some scumbag, mutie bad guy named “a’Pickled Lips” appeared out of nowhere, swearin’ he can give me power beyond my wildest dreams. I chuckled. “My wildest dreams.” Yeah, right.
Ya see, before this poser showed up, I was on my way to the Children’s Hospital to meet Mary and see our daughter. What??? Yes, Mary as in Titania. Do you wanna hear this story, or not? Then stop interruptin’ me!
Oh, you didn’t know that we have a daughter? Sorry, didn’t mean to snap at ya. Yeah, we do. Name’s Shayanne. Sweetest, most beautiful thing that I’ve ever seen. (Shows her picture.) She’s two years old and she’s sick. Doctors say it’s a rare form of Leukemia. And there ain’t no cure.
The thing is…the doctors think that I might be the reason why she’s sick. Ever since she was diagnosed they told me to keep away. Imagine that. She’s just a baby. She don’t know no better. But she hurts and she cries all of the time. All she wants is for the pain to end...for Daddy to hold her and make it better. But I can’t. They won’t let me near her, ‘cause I might make it worse.
Wait, give me a sec’, ok? (Momentary pause. Creel turns away from the camera, to wipe his eyes.) Ok, I’m ready.
Ya see, my powers allow me to absorb stuff, but what I didn’t know is that every time I do, I give off radiation. Tiny amounts; but enough. Enough to hurt Shayanne while she was still in Mary’s belly. Loki never told me about this side effect. Swear to God, the next time I see him, his ass is new mown grass.
Anyway, the doctors think that they know someone that can help my baby girl. They gave me a note to go see a Doctor Brashear. Naw, she ain’t no medical doctor, or nuthin’ like that. Some big brain nerd scientist. I looked her up on the in’ernet and I’ll be damned! She can’t be older than 19. She’s just a baby herself!
But they say she’s smart. She invented a neutered…no, that ain’t right... naturo… nutromum…, no, wait, neutronium -- that’s it, a neutronium whatchamajiggit that will slow down the disease and give us more time with Shayanne.
It’s not a cure, but I have to do something. I can’t stand by and do nuthin’. Not when I see what it’s doin’ to Mary. Not when I see Shayanne just witherin’ away like that more and more each day.
(Clears his throat.)
So back to this “a’Pickled-Lips character.
I may not know much, but I know a bull---- artist when I see one. There’s no way that he can get me anywheres close to my wildest dreams. But if he can change my powers, so that I can at least hold my baby girl, I’ll do whatever he wants.”
***
Note to the wise: Never make a deal with the devil. Apocalypse kept his end of the bargain by amplifying -- and weaponizing -- the Black-body radiation that courses through Creed’s form. Creed can completely negate the radiation for an hour a day by maintaining a careful equilibrium with his nearby environs, i.e., by absorbing something; anything. However, because Creed’s form is constantly transitioning during this time, he cannot revert to his original human form. While he has held his daughter, he has never done so with his own human hands.
To satisfy his part of the deal, Creed has taken up the mantle of the Horseman called War.