An Interview With Paragon Vanguard

[Paragon Vanguard]

(Entered my brain, gotta get it out. Paragon is one of my favorite toons. Not to play, necessarily, but who he is. In concept he was a Captain Marvel (SHAZAM if you must) type character, of course with a totally different background. As any toon rp'ers create, they grow and become their own person outside the thought of the creator. This is an interview with Paragon Vanguard. The answers are his, not mine.)

 

Miss Mercedes Washington was pretty. Her smile was bright and friendly, the whiteness of her excellent teeth in contrast to her dark African American skin. She spoke with a kind tone, even as if she was shy to ask questions at times. Still, Michael Summers knew it could very well be her on air persona. They did not meet prior to the interview, as the reporter wished her questions, and his answers, would be genuine. He was fine with that. His answers would always be genuine.

 

Mercedes: We are sitting here today with one of Paragon Cities most beloved, Paragon Vanguard, also known as Michael Summers. Welcome to the show.

Paragon Vanguard: Thank you.

Mercedes: So we will get right into it, as I want to ask as many questions as time permits. You do not hide your identity?

Paragon Vanguard: I do not. It would have been almost impossible, as the accident that gave me my abilities was televised. The fact that I healed up in less than a day from life threatening wounds also would have been hard to hide, considering all of the hospital staff that witnessed it.

Mercedes: And considering you are a respected professor at PSU.
Mercedes offers one of her iconic smiles at this point.

Paragon Vanguard: Yes, that would make it hard to hide, considering so many of the students knew what happened.

Mercedes: So, tell us, what happened?

Paragon Vanguard: I was bringing students on a field trip. A petrology outing if you will. We were looking for rocks that one of the Rikti invasions may have uncovered. One of my students found something, and we were bringing it back for testing and study.

Mercedes: Roger Johnson, also known as Gallant Man.

Paragon Vanguard simply nods.

Mercedes: I dont suppose you would introduce me to him someday?

Paragon Vanguard offers a smile but not an answer.

Paragon Vanguard: Our bus was run off of the road, and flipped several times. Some of the students were severely injured, some did not make it. Roger was sitting near me, and we were discussing his find that he had secured. It was sitting between us. The rock was destroyed, and turned to dust. We think that was what gave us our abilities.

Mercedes: You say abilities and not powers?

Paragon Vanguard simply nods, but does not reply.

Mercedes: Thank you for speaking on this. I know this is a painful topic for you, so we will move on. You are a professor. Do you ever fear that your enemies may use that against you, and attack the university?

Paragon Vanguard, shaking his head softly: No. There are more that attend the university with abilities than me. The truth is, I would protect it, as would any others, making it quite safe. It being a university in these trying times makes it a target to extremists anyway.

Mercedes: Good answer. Many of us never considered that. So, we move on to your personal life, if you ready for this.

Mercedes offers a warm smile and Paragon Vanguard just nods.

Mercedes: You are married, correct?

Paragon Vanguard nods, and you can see the warmth in his face as he smiles at that question.

Mercedes: She was a professor and is now retired according to my notes.

Paragon Vanguard: Yes, that is how we met. She is a Social Professor, her study is in societal structure and class systems.

Mercedes: Yet she is retired, and you still work?

Paragon Vanguard: We are both in our 50's. She wished to retire to spend more time at home, and with our daughter. I wished to keep working. While she loved her job, it was a job to her. My studies are more of a passion. Her words, not mine.

Mercedes: The only note I have on you is that your daughter is a topic to stay away from?

Paragon Vanguard: Yes. For her benefit.

Mercedes: Safety?

Paragon Vanguard: Well, maybe that too. Mainly so she can be her, and not Paragon Vanguard's daughter.

Mercedes: Fair enough. How about her age?

Paragon Vanguard smiles friendly but shakes his head no.

Mercedes: I tried. Last topic. Are you a hero?

Paragon Vanguard ponders that a moment.

Paragon Vanguard: No. Heroes are people who put their neck on the lines everyday. They don't have these super powers, abilities, that we have. Yet they face the same problems we face. If I did not wake up in a hospital with these abilities, and therefor responsibilities, I would just be a professor. While that can be heroic in itself, I don't think that is what you were asking. PPD, PFD, social workers, child protection, doctors, nurses, and the like. They are heroes. The person who clocks in to a job they don't love but works to feed their family anyway, they are heroes. The single mom working two or three jobs to give a life to the child they want something better for. Those are heroes. I do what I love at the university. I help the city out of love for it, and responsibility to it. Yet, I have a net to catch me, I have training wheels so to speak. I was given these abilities that protect me far beyond anything they have.

Mercedes: And with these abilities, you do not age?

Paragon Vanguard frowns slightly.

Paragon Vanguard: No.

Mercedes: And your wife?

Paragon Vanguard looks saddened.

Paragon Vanguard: She does. I know where you are going with this, and it is not a topic I wish discuss. I am sorry. That is your answer. I will add only this. I love my wife, my family, with everything I am. I do what I do, because she had helped make me who I am. She is the hero behind this over bulked over sized clay, if there is a hero. It isn't me. I would be a professor, teaching and studying. She taught me responsibility with what I have, and she patiently awaits my return when I go out to help this city. She fears not knowing. Yet she shares me with each of you. Thank you.

Mercedes nods.

Mercedes: Well, I guess that wraps this up. Thank you, Paragon Vanguard, or at this point I should say, Professor Summers. Despite what you think, you are a hero. Maybe not as much of one as Mrs. Summers, but a hero none the less. This is Mercedes Washington signing off.

 

As the camera pulls away you see Mercedes getting up and shaking the big man's oversized hand. The lead off music playing as the set darkens. Paragon Vanguard is nodding, a smile on his own face as the camera fades out.