𝘑𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘉𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘛𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴.

───

It's been almost a week since Ray officially announced 'Kid Danger' as his sidekick to the public and Henry somehow almost ruined that after exposing his identity to Charlotte while almost letting the Phone Shark get away.

The situation was very entertaining to Y/n but luckily, everything turned out well in the end and Henry stayed as Captain Man's sidekick.

His bestfriend, Charlotte didn't get her memories erased which was kind of exciting for Y/n since he loved making new friends.

The mancave was beginning to feel less lonelier and a bit more lively than ever.. and the taller male knew that.

The three heroes stand in front of the Mayor as they prepared to receive another award for saving the town.

Charlotte was sat in the front row next to Jasper and Piper, who was also know as Henry's little sister.

"--And so, my fellow Swellviewians, as vice mayor of this fine city, I present these medals of recognition for bravery and community service to our own H/n, Captain Man and Kid Danger." The man announced as a women in a tight dress put the medals around their necks.

"Oh, and please accept this coupon for one free medium frozen yogurt" Mr. Vice Mayor Willard said as he proudly handed the teen hero the coupon.

"Wow for each?" Y/n whispered and the man's smile fell while leaning closer to H/n as he clapped with the crowd.

"No, you'll have to split the yogurt"

"Oh, How generous of.. you." Y/n replied unsurely as he raised his eyebrows under the mask as Ray walked up to the Podium.

"Thank you, vice mayor. And thank you, citizens of Swellview." He announcef as he waved and started to speak about stuff Y/n could barely make out from how drowsy and tired he felt.

Henry taps his shoulder to wake him up from his daze and before Y/n realized, the crowd cheered loudly as the taller male called Henry up to say something.

"Kid Danger, you're up." He called as Henry nodded and stepped forward. A girlish shriek almost scares him to death as he stiffened.

"We love you, Kid Danger!" Piper cried as Henry hissed and rubbed the outside of his ears.

The blonde scratched his cheek as he looked back at Y/n who nudged him to go ahead while sending him a thumbs up that boosted his confidence.

"Kid Danger is so hot.." Piper told Charlotte as the darker skinned female gave her a weird look in return.

"Yeah, you don't want to be saying that." Charlotte murmured as Piper ignored her and paid close attention to the three heroes.

"Even though I've only been a sidekick for a short time, I really think that--" Henry paused as music started to play through the speakers signaling the people that it was time to go.

"Wha... seriously? They're playing me off?!" Henry whined as the H/c haired teen stifled a laugh next to Ray.

"I think there was a time limit." Ray mentioned as Henry slumped his shoulders with a small pout.

A camera goes off as Y/n stiffened at the noise and slowly turned his back on the reporters. "Look over here!" A man shouted and proceeded to take a picture of Ray and Henry posing together.

Y/n sighed as a crowd of children with action figures and posters approached him. He kindly greeted them and knelt down to their height as the kids began making a line.

A seven year old kid with soft brown hair and brown sparkly eyes silently handed the teen his teddy bear. Y/n blinked as he took the stuffed plush and examined it.

He lifts up the tag on the back that had large scribbled words on it as the teen read it in soft murmurs.

"Boo-Boo-Pew-Pew.."

After Y/n finally signed it, the little boy hugged him and ran to his mother who was happily chatting with the Mayor.

The teen stands up as he put the permanent marker away in pocket. While he wasn't looking, Ray unintentionally pushed Henry out of the way causing him to collide with Y/n.

The teen turns around to face the two as the blonde crashes into his arms. Y/n stumbled a bit but holds his ground as Henry opened one eye and looked up.

He chokes on air when he realized he was practically 'hugging' the teen as he blushed and pushed himself away.

"O-oh! Uhm.. sorry H/n. Captain Man pushed me out of the way." He replied as he cleared his throat awkwardly and Y/n chuckled before winking.

"It's alright."

════════════════

"Hey, our car's ready." Y/n announced as the other two sighed in relief.

"Then let's ride." Ray answered as they began walking down the stage but was suddenly stopped by a yell across the room.

"Wait, Captain Man! Captain Man!" Jasper yelled as the man paused at the shout of his name. Y/n nudged him to keep going as Ray ignored the gesture.

"Yes, you in the loose pants."

"Will you sign my Captain Man action figure?" Jasper questioned while holding up the boxed figurine to show them.

"Sure. Just bring it up here and I'd be glad to--" Ray explained as Jasper threw the item at the taller male. It hits Ray across the face as he let out a painful scream.

The crowd gasped as they watched the hero cover his face with his hands while groaning.

"It hit him in the mouth!"

"Sorry, Captain Man!" Jasper shouted as Ray shook off the impact with a deep chuckle and grinned.

"No worries. I'm okay!" He announced as the worried crowd sighed in relief and clapped at his recovery.

Henry quickly frowns when Ray finally turned around to face them as Y/n's eyes widened in shock.

"Captain Man." Henry called lowly while holding a serious expression as the taller male raised his eyebrows in curiosity.

"What?" He asked them while tilting his head and Y/n places his thumb on their lip. The teen pulled his finger away as he showed his boss the fresh blood.

"Why do you have a bloody thumb?"

"He doesn't.. You have a bloody lip from that toy hitting you in the face." Henry whispered as quietly as possible and Ray's expression faltered.

"But-- But that's impossible. I can't be injured. I'm Captain Man-" He stammered as he began to hyperventilate and freak out.

"Well, Captain Man's lip is bleeding." Y/n ushered as he took out his handkerchief and gave it to Ray who placed it on the bruise.

"Guys.."

"Yeah?" They spoke and waited for the man to continue speaking. "I'm not okay!" Ray shrieked in disbelief as they shushed him to be quiet.

───

𝙃𝙀𝙉𝙍𝙔 𝘿𝘼𝙉𝙂𝙀𝙍

───

"Come on, Gooch. how many of these tests are we going to do?" Ray asked the other man who was currently running tests behind a machine.

"Shush. Now, remove your right glove, then hold up your hand." He ordered as he went to grab a flamethrower off the cart.

"This is getting on my nerves now." he huffed as he takes a deep breath and held his hand out. Gooch begins to torch his hand on fire.

The hero painfully screaming and crying out loud for a few seconds as Gooch turned it off and waited patiently.

"Do you still feel the pain?"

"Yeah. I don't get it. It's been two seconds, the pain should be gone by now" Ray explained and grimaced in pain as he waved his smoky hand in the air.

"We need more tests.."

"No! we've checked enough of my body parts" He scoffed at the suggestion while shaking his head.

"What about his butt? Check his butt" Henry mentioned while enjoying some yogurt on the mini staircase.

"We should check your butt."

"Check my butt how?" Ray questioned with a frown as Gooch handed Y/n the bow and arrow.

"Face the other way and touch your toes." The other man commanded and the taller male's eyes widened as he backed up.

"Oh no, no! You've already stabbed my neck, poured acid on my foot, and toasted my hand! I think we can all assume I'm also vulnerable to butt wounds. Not only that but (Y/n) has that look on his face that I don't like!" He shouted and pointed an accusing finger toward the teenager who whistled innocently.

Y/n jokingly pulls on the bow string as the hero flinched at the action. "Hey, you guys.." Henry called as they all turned in curiosity and he stared at the empty cup in his hands.

"This is great frozen yogurt" He announced as Y/n strolled over and took a seat beside him.

"Half that yogurt was ours!" Ray exclaimed unfairly as he looked down at the freshly made bruises on his arms that somewhat terrified him.

"Gooch, what's going on with me? No one's been able to injure me since I was eight years old" Ray explained to the older man as Y/n teased the blonde in the bcakground.

"Hey, everybody, come look at this." Charlotte spoke as the four of them approached the girl near the monitors.

"Watch this news footage from the award thing yesterday. Here, I'll play it in slow motion.." She said as she reversed the video and slowed it down.

"You see that? You see the woman with the perfume who walked by." Y/n squinted as he watched the women closely who directly sprayed Ray on the neck.

"She intentionally sprayed me!"

"But perfume wouldn't make you lose your powers" Y/n explained and placed a hand on his chin to think.

"True. Perfume wouldn't.." Ray murmured as he glanced at Gooch and Y/n.

"Unless it was.. The Tears of the Jolly Beetle!" They exclaimed simultaneously as they pointed a finger at each other.

"JINX!"

════════════════

Gooch looks through the beetle category trying to find the right image. "There! The jolly beetle." Gooch spotted and zoomed into the image.

"One of the rarest and happiest bugs on earth."

"So, you guys are saying that a jolly beetle can take away Captain Man's power?" Charlotte questioned as she stood in between everyone.

"Not the beetle but its tears makes it so dangerous." Y/n said as he went over to the round couch and approached Henry who was playing a game on his device.

"You see, when they cry their tears contain an enzyme, like an acid that breaks down molecular density" Ray clarified as the boys look up.

"Molecular density is what makes Captain Man undamageable and we think that the perfume contained those beetle tears."

"Ah, that's impossible.. To fill a whole perfume bottle you'd need tears from dozens of jolly beetles." Ray said as he gritted his teeth in disapproval.

"And they would all have to be crying."

"But if those beetles are so jolly, what would make them cry?" Charlotte questioned as the room falls completely silent.

───

𝙃𝙀𝙉𝙍𝙔 𝘿𝘼𝙉𝙂𝙀𝙍

───

A male in a lab coat inspects the beetles closely while the insects cried loudly as the tubes collect their little tears into a bucket.

"Nurse Cohort, turn up the movie's volume!"

"Go on, Elmer. Go on now. Get!" The kid cried as he looked down at the wolf as it hesitantly left the boy's side while looking back.

"Go on!" The boy gestured as he let out a loud cry once the animal was out of sight.

"Look at this. All my beetles are crying! Making more tears!" The criminal shouted as his Assistant cried at the sad movie playing in the background.

Dr. Minyak cackles evilly as he covered his face with the beetle tears while dipping his hands inside the bucket.

════════════════

The alarm blared inside the man-cave as Henry darted out of the room that was behind the tubes to look for Ray and Y/n.

"Captain Man? Hey, Captain Man! Y/n?!" he shouted but the two didn't answer at the mention of their names.

Henry sighed and walks up to the intercom as it beeps, he calls them again with it as Gooch appears on one of the monitors startling the poor boy. "Hey, why haven't you left yet? The tiger roams free." Gooch said sternly and he grunted.

"I'm waiting for them-"

"we're coming" Y/n's voice echoed while coming downstairs dragging Ray by the arm. The teen grunts tiredly from the unnecessary armor on Ray's body.

"What are you wearing?" Henry asked his boss that was being cautious of his surroundings.

"Just, you know, some extra protection" He shrugged as Y/n facepalmed at his excuse and exhaled through his nose.

"you call this protection?"

"You don't need extra protection, you're Captain Man!" Henry encouraged and Y/n nodded.

"You don't get it, I can be injured now." Ray groaned as the blonee glanced at Y/n for some help. "I already tried, he just won't listen." He whispered and Henry shakes his head.

"You're still a great fighter!"

"Tigers can be vicious." Ray said bitterly and almost had the boy flinch back. "Well, Maybe this one's nice. I mean, come on. Let's not stereotype all tigers." Henry chuckled nervously.

"Do you know last night I went across the street, a bee stung me? And now I got a red bump." Ray explained and scratched his knuckle through the glove where the sting was.

"Did you provoke the bee?" Henry asked and this makes Ray squint. "Yeah, Henry. I was flirting with the bee's girlfriend. I was all 'zzz zzz' and she was all 'zzz zzz" He scowled and Y/n rolled his eyes at the sarcasm.

"Ray, it's our job to protect Swellview!"

"Yeah, you can still fight some crime. indestructible or not." Y/n responded and the man holds his head between his hands breaking down.

"Oh, face it kids, I've lost it. I can't protect Swellview.. I couldn't protect a duck from a Chinese restaurant" he replied this time with pain in his voice.

"Ray--" Y/n began but Ray holds his hand out to stop him. "go on without me! Go on now, get going!" he waved them off forcefully as he waddled away to go change.

───

𝙃𝙀𝙉𝙍𝙔 𝘿𝘼𝙉𝙂𝙀𝙍

───

"Ugh, I can't eat anymore. Oh, yeah I can" Ray said to himself and went in for another bite as he hears the tube alarm go off signaling their arrivals.

"Hey, where you been.. and where's Y/n?"

"I was pulling a big foreign lady out of a swamp by myself, alone! Like, I've been doing everything for the past two days. Y/n was too busy catching some guy that was getting violent at the dog shelter." Henry explained and made a double take at the way Ray looked miserable.

"You want some meat?" The 'retired' hero offered and the blonde clicked his tongue.

"No, I don't want your canned meat! We want you to get off your butt and get back in the game. We want Captain Man back!" Henry argued and stared at the man who only shrugged.

"Sorry. Say hi to Captain Couch." Henry scoffed at his answer as Y/n comes down the tube soon after their little conversation ended.

"Hey." He greeted as he covers his bleeding and bruised elbow. Henry jogs over to them in worry and grabbed his arm to examine the injury.

"What happened?"

"Y'know that Dog Shelter dude? I chased him around the corner for a while until I slipped on the last turn and.. well here I am. bleeding. luckily, he surrendered to the police that waited on the other side to catch him." He explained and Henry frowned.

"That's great and all but this can get infected y'know?" He complained as Y/n hummed and looks at the hand still gripping him.

"I'm fine--"

"He's right go get that cleaned up." Ray ordered and Y/n squinted at him.

"Maybe, you should take that advice. You reek of stench." Y/n said as they all paused hearing a loud scream and Charlotte comes out of the elevator with messy hair.

"You guys, I found something" she walked towards them while fixing her clothes. "What did you find?" Henry asked and she looked down at the screen in her hands.

"Okay, Ray lost his power because he got sprayed with tears from a jolly beetle"

"Yeah, yeah. I think we're all aware of what's happened up to this point" Ray snarled and Charlotte raised her eyebrows.

"Just tell us what you found--" Henry began as he sighed at his phone ringing in his pocket.

"Who is it?" Y/n questioned and Henry answered the phone anyway. "Just my dumb sister." He told them as Piper kept screaming in his ear.

"Piper, I--" he gets interrupted by her multiple times and continues to listen to her before coming up with an Idea. "Wow, tell me more" he said in fake interest as he put his phone down.

"Okay, tell us what you found out" Henry motioned and ignored his sister's blabbering.

"The jolly beetles only eat one thing." Charlotte informed and Y/n tilted his head in confusion.

"What?"

"Japanese fish flakes" Charlotte answered and watches their faces sour in confusion.

"Fish flakes?"

"Yeah. And two weeks ago, 100 pounds of them were shipped to a warehouse right here in Swellview" Charlotte signaled while Ray slowly started to put everything together.

"A load of fish flakes that big would feed dozens of jolly beetles." Ray muttered as the girl walked up to him slowly.

"And who would need to have that many jolly beetles?" she said and crossed her arms.

"Henry, are you listening?" Piper spoke from the other line as Henry squeezed his eyes shut in annoyance.

"One sec.. She did? No way. Then what happened!?" He cried into his phone after picking it up again while using a monotone voice and returned to the group's conversation without a care.

"Where's the warehouse?" he asked his bestfriend who scanned the address.

"Downtown, Abbey Road"

"Y/n patch that up! Ray, let's go." Henry beckoned and Ray sits there dumbfounded. "No. I can't fight bad guys in my condition." He said and the blonde glared at man.

"Is he serious?" Charlotte whispered to Y/n who only shrugged and watched the argument unfold before him. "He's afraid now because he can be injured" Henry fussed at his dumb excuses.

"Well, who wouldn't be afraid?" The man explained and Y/n looks at the boy about to explode.

"How about Y/n.. how about me?! We've been helping you do all kinds of dangerous stuff and we never had any powers?! Both of us can be hurt." Henry explained and glared at his boss.

Ray looks down in shame as the blonde sighed when he didn't see him get up at all. He clenched his jaw and turned to the tubes.

"I'll be back."

"Where you going?" Charlotte questioned and Y/n rolls up his sleeve to bandage himself up. Henry glanced at them and at Ray. "To do my job, up the tube!" He said and left the man-cave.

"Well? Go with him!" Charlotte encouraged the tall hero and Ray hesitates to do so.

"I can't.."

"He's right, Ray. You're the hero everyone looks up to.. but if they ever saw you like this. What kind of hope was this City expecting?" Y/n shakes his head and leaves the small area with Charlotte following behind him.

════════════════

"Watch the sad movie. Enjoy the sad movie" Dr. Minyak said and touched the containers getting filled with beetle tears.

Henry slowly pokes his head out from behind the door to see what they were doing. "And then what?" The blonde heard an assistant ask the man while he sneaked into the room and closing the door behind him quietly.

"Well, then I can do whatever I want here in Swellview, once I get rid of H/n too!" The criminal explained as Henry gasped quietly at the mention of the other boy in danger.

"Well, what will you want to do after its done?"

"I don't know." He answered and his assistant tilted her head at the plan he didn't think further on. Henry pops out of his hiding spot wearing his hero suit and pushed the boxes onto the floor.

"Okay, nobody move!"

"Who's that boy?" The nurse wondered as she glancing at her boss who stepped forward unthreatened. "Easy, don't get nervous. It's just Kid Dumpster" Dr. Minyak spat and Henry scoffed at his word play.

"That's Danger" He corrected and the criminal gritted his teeth. "I know, I was being disrespectful. Allow me to introduce myself."

"Yeah, I know who you are. Doctor Maniac" Henry pronounced to annoy him and successfully did.

"It's Minyak" he sneers and maintained his composure over the error. "I know. I was being disrespectful." Henry mimicked his words from before.

"It's over. I'm taking you and your hot nurse to jail!" Henry pointed to them.

"Goons!" They shouted and Henry gets grabbed by two men behind him. "And now I think I shall have to teach you some manners." Dr. Minyak chuckled evilly as Ray jumps down from the ceiling to the rescue.

"Why don't you teach me?" Ray said after landing uninjured with a glare on his face. "Captain Man!" Henry exclaimed with pure joy at the sight of the hero.

"You are.. handsome" The nurse gaped in interest at the hero standing in front of them. "And you are.. correct." Ray smirked at compliment and placed a hand on his hip.

"He may be handsome, but he can be hurt now just like any man. You! hold the boy- You, hurt handsome." Dr. Minyak pointed to the man in a yellow shirt.

The guy grinned at the tall hero and took out a small staff. "Ooh, I'm so scared of your little club. What do you do with that thing, spank hamsters?" Ray joked as the weapon expands in their hands.

"Oh, now it's bigger.."

───

𝙃𝙀𝙉𝙍𝙔 𝘿𝘼𝙉𝙂𝙀𝙍

───

"Now, Kid Danger and I are going to take these beetles to my headquarters and figure out a way to get my power back." Ray explained after the fight was over and Dr. Minyak snickered.

"You'll have to catch them first!" He told them as the criminal tips over the glass tubes containing all the jolly beetles.

"No, No!" Ray gasped in horror as the beetles started running around on the floor.

"Ta-ta! Cheerio! See ya! I shall recur!" Dr. Minyak laughed and dragged his assistant with him to the exit.

"Come on, we got to go after them" Henry suggested as Ray pulls him back. "No! That's yokonium gas, It'll destroy the beetles." Ray told the blonde and the boy shrugged.

"So?"

"We need the beetles to get my power back. We can't let them die." Ray pointed and Henry sighed as he careful tried not to step on them until they both heard a loud crunch below them.

"Oh no. The gas already killed this one." Ray cleared his throat and showed it to Henry who had a knowing look on his face.

════════════════

"--And now I extract the fluid.." Gooch said catching everyone's attention while sucking the blue fluid out of the jar.

"And this happy bug juice is really going to fix Captain Man?" Henry asked the man out of pure curiosity as Gooch stayed silent in order to concentrate.

"--It better." Charlotte replied and stood next to Y/n who agreed with her. "Come on, let's do this!" Ray encouraged himself as he took a deep breath.

"Ready? Spray in the hole." Gooch announced and sprayed him in the face with it. They all step back as they watch Ray have some weird side effects from the liquid.

Y/n walks away to go grab a blaster from the cart rolled into a corner.

The hero calms down afterwards and shakes his body to check. "That felt interesting." Ray responded as he sighed in relief.

"Did it work?"

"Only one way to find out." Y/n called and aimed the laser gun at his boss. The alarm suddenly beeps around the man-cave to their surprise.

"Emergency" Charlotte told them as Ray runs to the monitors.

"Somebody help me, please! I can't get these jeans off.." Jasper shouted tiredly in the video.

"You hear that? There's a boy wandering through Swellview Park trapped in his own pants." Ray said in concern and out of pity entirely.

"Okay, Y/n.. Let's see if I got my Captain Man back." He clapped his hands together and Gooch raised his eyebrows.

"You realize if the beetles' euphoric acid didn't work..." He trailed off as Ray had no more second thoughts to it.

"You sure, Ray?"

"Blast me." Ray ordered and looked at the boy in the eyes as he only sighed. He slowly turns on the weapon and shoots his boss on the chest multiple times.

The teen haults to a stop when the man lays on the ground slightly unconscious.

He quickly drops the blaster and runs toward him worriedly to check for a pulse as the man blinks wide awake.

"I'm.. okay!" Ray called as he wheezed out a cough and the kids sighed in relief before tackling him into a large hug.

───