Aquamarine and Great White

Calling Aquamarine; calling aquamarine...

The Teen Justice Team didn't hear any call for all of them. T.J., Teen Justice's supernatural leader, understood the transmission and turned directly to Maureen Tosh, the aforementioned Aquamarine. Golden Glider (Vance Harper), Solara (Sarah Myles), Steelor (Rex Nash), and T.J. himself could sit this one out. T.J. handed the headset to the teen with the aquatic abilities.

"It's your show, Maureen." he announced in a voice that flowed with a natural echo as if Teen Justice's leader were only present in hologram. "Answer it just as we've all been taught."

Maureen's brown bangs bounced as she bobbed her head in understanding and accepted the miniscule communication ear piece.

"This is Aquamarine of Teen Justice." she announced herself. "Please identify yourself and recite your dilemma; how may we help?"

Auqamarine! Thank goodness. We're a tiny fishing charter off of the San Diego coast...

"...La Jolla; we're receiving the ping now." Aquamarine reassured the caller. "What is the nature of your emergency?"

Sharks! A hammerhead just rammed our charter, disabling our engines and piercing our haul. We're sinking fast; and there's a Great White in the area!

"A sinking ship and a shark attack!" Aquamarine recited for her allies as though they hadn't heard every word or they had all been summoned.

"That needs stopped and you are equipped for the emergency!" T.J. declared. "My portal can get you out into the water; from there, your powers can prevail. You at least have the power to fend off a shark; then you need to guide the vessel to land. I'll send Steelor to repair the haul in drydock."

Steelor gave an abrupt nod and took a step that shook the room for a moment.

"Golden Glider, I want you to look in on our old finny fiend, Josiah Shark." T.J. added. "If these sharks are his attackers, I'd like to know why."

"I'll send him our compliments." Golden Glider vowed as launched a pair of bolts from his naturally golden skin. Those bolts then became a golden transportation device for him. "See you all soon. Good luck, Maureen!"

Of course, Aquamarine still felt confident about her mission; the fact that she was now blushing had more to do with the Golden Boy's wishes of luck on her behalf. Suddenly, a stronger female hand was on her shoulder.

"You will be careful?" Solara demanded in her older sisterly manner that normally irritated Aquamarine.

"Of course." Aquamarine answered. "But thanks for your concern."

"We're Teen Justice, Sarah; part of caring for others is that we take care of ourselves on missions as well." T.J. interjected. "Teen Justice Team is GO!"

With that, a portal of light surrounded Aquamarine and sent her off to the established coordinates. She knew that a second portal would surround Steelor as well. Furthermore, once she was in the water, this truly would be Maureen Tosh's time to shine...

***************************************************************

Before Aquamarine knew it, she was in the ocean. As she felt her strength, agility, and speed increase in the watery depths, her confidence grew as well. She could naturally breathe beneath the waters. She was an incredibly fast swimmer. She was resourceful in her use of water projectiles. She could clearly see the stranded and broken fishing yacht above her; she could even sense the nearby shark...

"Shark???"

Aquamarine jutted her head to the right and barely barrel rolled from a stationary position to out of the way just in time. A Great White shark, possibly THE Great White Shark, had spotted her! He may have been after the ship to damage it again; but it sure had looked like he had aimed at her.

Aquamarine righted herself once more and regained her composure. It seemed too late to thought-control the shark off of its rampage; she might have time to pry into its mind and find out why he was doing what he was doing.

A sinister chuckle from behind her was the answer. She pivoted to find a leather-faced man with a shark tooth in his mouth and adorned in all black.

"Well, well; look who came to play!" Josiah Shark declared in his natural gurgle.

Then and there, Aquamarine knew that Golden Glider had gone on a wild goose chase. She also had a much sharper hunch as to exactly why a shark was targeting vessels...

...The vessel! Aquamarine gave a quick glance upward and found the ship sinking a little bit further as it took on water. Meanwhile, the Great White was circling. She pictured the crew naturally panicking; the worst possible reaction.

"Shark!" she shouted. "You did this!"

"Of course I did!" Shark retorted, dropping a secret signal.

Instantly, the Great White Shark abandoned threatening the ship and swam down to join Shark in his corner. It was the first time that Aquamarine got a good look into the raging beast's cold, distant, mechanical eyes and truly understood how Shark controlled it. This would be easier than she had thought and she didn't need to fear harming an innocent creature...

"Why, Shark; why did you send your little tub toy here out after a ship?" Aquamarine demanded, quietly building up a compressed water burst in one hand behind her back.

"Why???" Shark repeated, incredulously. "That's a fishing ship up there emptying our oceans; why are you defending it?"

Shark gave a snap of his fingers and his Great White creation charged. Aquamarine dodged again and the shark struck the sea floor. With that, she launched the compressed seawater projectile for good measure. Sure enough, the "Great White" became a submarine beneath a bad paint job. Shark could see his personal submarine, could see an angered heroine, and saw a way out.

"I'm protecting our sea life, hero!" Shark gurgled venomously as he made a swim for his submarine and escape. "Say thank you!"

"Seriously?" Aquamarine answered with an impressive lunge that knocked the stunned Shark off course and up against a clam where his head came to rest. "Next time, call your congresswoman about your woes; or come straight to us!"

Shark was vanquished and the "Great White" was exposed. Shark shared Aquamarine's natural powers under the sea; he'd wake up in a little while with a killer headache and another failed plan on his resume. Aquamarine, naturally, disagreed with Shark's approach; was he wrong on principle...?

Aquamarine bobbed to the water's surface and met Captain James Carlyle and his crew face to face. The human crew was relieved to see a hero; and, naturally, still scared of the sinking ship.

"You're all safe now." Aquamarine declared. "I'm leading you all to drydock on the beach where Steelor can fix your ship. T.J. and I will check you all out from there."

"Thank you, young lady." Captain Carlyle answered.

"Of course." Aquamarine answered; then, thinking back on Shark's musings: "...and about your fishing vessel...?"

"It is to help feed our communities and families." Carlyle replied. "We will not, for instance, overfish or..."

Aquamarine smiled and bobbed her head. She required no further explanation. She grabbed an anchor at the back of the ship and, with her extra strength while swimming, towed them to the beach...