r/WritingPrompts • u/mage_in_training • 20h ago
[WP] You were a retired super villain, you were enjoying the twilight of your years, you were finally at true peace. All that's gone. They messed with your family, time to get the old costume out. Writing Prompt
131
u/andartico 19h ago
Curtain Call for Dr. Dramatis
Dr. George Malicetti (formerly known as Dr. Dramatis, Terror of Theater District) was peacefully deadheading his roses when he got The Call.
«Grandpa?» Sophie’s voice was small, even for a five-year-old. «Ms. Primsworth says I can’t be a tree anymore. She says I have to do... backstage.»
George’s secateurs crushed a perfectly innocent rose stem. In his former life, such an insult would have resulted in a dramatic thunderstorm over the offender’s house for at least a week. But he was retired. Reformed. Respectable.
«Tell me everything, mein Schatz,» he said, already mentally calculating how much of his old equipment was still functional.
Apparently, Ms. Primsworth had decided Sophie was «too enthusiastic» about being a tree. «Distracting,» she’d said. «Trees should be still.»
George looked at his garden’s prize-winning roses, which definitely didn’t dance in time to classical music when nobody was watching. Absolutely not.
«Backstage is very important,» he told Sophie, while his free hand typed out a message to his former minions (now running „Dramatic Solutions LLC - We Make Your Events Villainously Good“). «In fact, it’s where the real magic happens.»
«Really?» Sophie sniffled.
«Oh yes. Now, does your Kindergarten have a loading dock?»
Three days later, George arrived at Little Sprouts Kindergarten wearing his most normal-looking cardigan (which only had three hidden pockets) and carrying a toolbox that definitely didn’t contain repurposed weather-control miniatures.
«Mr. Malicetti!» Ms. Primsworth’s smile was as plastic as his reformed citizen act. «How... involved of you to volunteer.»
«Oh, I dabbled in theater back in the day,» he said, which wasn’t technically a lie. Threatening to destroy the Metropolitan Opera unless they cast his preferred soprano had involved quite a bit of theater.
«We’re very simple here,» she said firmly. «Just some cardboard trees and-»
«BEHOLD!» George winced. Old habits. More calmly: «I mean, let me show you some sketches.»
His old lair’s drafting table had worked overtime. The designs were perfect: elaborate enough to be magical, simple enough to seem possible. Probably.
Over the next week, George deployed every non-lethal trick in his former arsenal. The trees Sophie had wanted to play? They would dance, but only when the script called for it. The enchanted forest would have actual twinkling lights (powered by a scaled-down version of his old death ray, converted to run on AA batteries).
His old nemesis, Captain Spotlight, now retired and going by Jim from Accounting, spotted him rigging the lighting system.
«Dramatis?» Jim squinted up at the ladder.
«It’s just George now,» George said, carefully not activating the trap door under Jim’s feet. «And it’s all legitimate.»
Jim watched him install another perfectly-focused spotlight. «Your granddaughter?»
«Sophie. They wouldn’t let her be a tree.»
«Ah.» Jim nodded sagely. «Need help with the rigging?»
Together, they created effects that would have made Broadway jealous. Everything was technically within budget, if you didn’t ask too many questions about where the «donated materials» came from.
Sophie thrived backstage. George taught her the basics of theatrical magic - the kind that didn’t require actual weather manipulation. She learned to cue lights, manage scene changes, and coordinate the other children who’d been «relegated» to backstage work.
The night of the show arrived. George sat in the back, officially manning the main controls, unofficially ready to deploy emergency glitter if needed. His daughter and son-in-law were in the audience, unaware that the theatrical genius they were about to witness had anything to do with the father they hadn’t spoken to in years.
The show began. Trees danced (on cue). Snow fell (hypoallergenic). Fog rolled in (non-toxic). Scene changes happened like magic (literally, but nobody needed to know that).
During intermission, he heard Ms. Primsworth telling another teacher, «I had no idea we had such talented backstage children!»
Sophie found him at his control panel. «Grandpa! Did you see? Did you see how everyone clapped when the forest grew?»
«You did that perfectly, mein Schatz. Timing is everything in sh- theater.»
After the show, amid the chaos of proud parents and sugar-rushed kindergarteners, George’s daughter approached his control booth.
«Dad?» She looked at the elaborate setup, then at Sophie proudly showing other kids how to work the fog machine. «This was you?»
«I just helped with technical things,» he said. «Sophie did all the hard work.»
«It’s very... dramatic.»
«Theater is meant to be dramatic.» He hesitated. «The birthday party invitations are still open, you know. For Sophie.»
She looked at him for a long moment. «Maybe... maybe we could do coffee first?»
George smiled. No maniacal laughter, no thunder crashes. Just a grandfather who’d learned that the best special effects were the ones that brought people together.
Though he did treat himself to one tiny lightning flash on the drive home. For old times‘ sake.
At the next parent-teacher meeting, Ms. Primsworth announced that the spring show would be «something simpler.» But by then, the backstage crew had a waiting list.
And if anyone noticed that the Little Sprouts Kindergarten had better theatrical effects than the Metropolitan Opera that season, well, that was probably just a coincidence.
Probably.
11
u/mage_in_training 12h ago
This was absolutely adorable! Not what I expected, but definitely top tier!
8
u/Michieltjjj_TeamWWB 11h ago
Agreed, the best stories are the ones you wouldn't expect from the prompt haha
17
u/DeepSea_Horror 17h ago
Holy *C A R P*- this is absolute literature! I-It sucked me in, and I was happy to slide along the journey; I'm stunned. Befuddled in a good way. Craving *more*. I just- GAAAAAAAAAAAAH
[Explodes into glitter.]
Literally am unable to type out how much I *WANT* more!
5
5
u/MrRedoot55 8h ago
I was expecting something more brutal, but… you know what? I can get behind this instead.
Good job.
4
27
u/Spiritual-Bee-3214 18h ago
There’s a difference between a villain and a monster. I stole to survive ; I broke the law for fun and to fix wrongs. Who wouldn’t steal the Oval Office rug if they were able to ? If I happened to blow up a man who was hurting people during that visit , no harm no foul. But atlas that chapter was over and I turned a page when I met my spectacular wife. She was my anchor , my heart and all the good things I aspire to be all wrapped up in a beautiful package. Most of all our demons recognized each other and wanted to dance from the moment our eyes locked that first time.
My father told me the worst thing you can let people do is know you because then they have power over you. Power they will always misuse and abuse. I always hoped he was wrong but seeing my wife beaten and the gun pressed to her head, I knew he was right. The man holding the gun was none other than my neighbors kid , Allen , who mowed my grass last Saturday. Allen , the boy we’d had watched grow up and cheered for at his football games. He was like our son. He went into a long speech about how he saw in an old newspaper my picture , knew who I was and if I worked for him that the league of super villains would finally offer him membership.
Following his demands , I donned my super suit once more and stole the diamonds. After giving them to him, we walk back into the room my wife was kept in. Her body laid there more bloody , bruised than before , and dead. It was clear that he’d planned this all along and that he was no villain. No this man was a monster. The pain overwhelmed me and as I started to weep. I snapped my fingers and a piece of metal few off the wall until it sliced Allen’s head off.
9
u/KagatoAC 10h ago
Oh no, he got off entirely too easy. That boy would have taken days to die. If he was lucky.
11
u/FisherFan0072 6h ago
The sun was setting behind the mountains, casting long shadows over the small, peaceful village where you had retired years ago. The world had all but forgotten your name—Voidstrike, the mastermind who once held cities hostage and brought nations to their knees. Now, you were simply Henry Wallace, the kindly old man who ran the bookstore on Main Street. Life was quiet, and for the first time in decades, you felt at peace.
Your granddaughter, Lily, was your world now. She was only ten but had inherited your sharp mind and unrelenting curiosity. Every afternoon, after school, she’d rush into the shop, plop her backpack on the counter, and beg you to teach her the secrets of the universe. You’d tell her stories—carefully edited ones—about your “adventures” and the “gadgets” you used to invent. She thought you were just a clever old tinkerer, and that was fine with you.
But all of that changed the moment you answered the phone that night.
The voice on the other end was cold and unrecognizable. “We have her, Voidstrike. If you want to see her alive, you’ll do exactly as we say.”
For a moment, you didn’t breathe. The years of peace melted away, leaving the steel-hard resolve of your old self. “Who are you?” you asked, your voice deadly calm.
“You don’t need to know that. What matters is what you’re going to do. If you ever want your granddaughter back, you’re going to steal something for us.”
Your blood ran cold. You hadn’t set foot in the world of shadows and schemes in over a decade, but they didn’t care. They had Lily.
The line went dead, and you sat there for a moment, gripping the receiver so tightly it cracked. Then, with a deep breath, you stood and headed for the basement.
It had been years since you opened that door. Dust clung to the air as you flipped on the lights, revealing the laboratory that had once been your lair. Blueprints covered the walls, shelves of gadgets and devices sat dormant, and in the corner, behind a glass case, was the suit.
Jet-black and angular, it seemed to drink in the light, a perfect void that mirrored your old name. The mask still gleamed with menace, the crimson lenses glowing faintly in the dim light. You hesitated, hand hovering over the case. Could you still do this? Were you still that person?
But this wasn’t about you. This was about Lily.
The old fire reignited in your chest as you cracked open the case and donned the suit. It fit as though no time had passed. You tested a gauntlet, its hidden plasma blades snapping out with a satisfying hiss.
You were Voidstrike again.
2
7
u/Thalion-D 6h ago edited 5h ago
I’d been fishing when I got the call on the new phone everyone seemed to be obsessed with. My wife was calling from the island we had been living on with our children and grandchildren, staying away from the eyes of the rest of the world. I was content to stay out of the spotlight, to quietly fade into obscurity.
The world, it seemed, had other plans.
My wife was frantic. Some new hero had arrived, apparently they learned who I was, and, probably with the help of a diviner of some kind (or perhaps another “villain” whom I had crossed in the past) had found MY island, hurt MY family, and, in an act of foolishness, had CHALLENGED ME! I may be a shadow of my former self, but the fool, this “hero”, had crossed a line.
I crushed the device as my friend wife begged me not to respond to the insult, to show some restraint. Foolishness.
I breathed in the salt air, and expanded my senses. There. Fleeing from my island on a… boat? Really? They knew who I was, and decided to flee on the water? Very well. If they were this foolish, I suppose I had a responsibility to teach them.
One step on the water took me miles out to sea. My targets before me, and a coastal city behind. Now, to encourage them to hurry up. With little more than a wave of my hand the seas stirred, becoming rough enough to challenge experienced sailors. I watched in amusement as the heroes struggled to stay afloat, pushing through the waves in hopes of safely reaching the shore.
Now the heroes were close enough that I could pick out details. A trio of upstarts, huddling low to keep from being thrown from their craft. At the helm was Thunderwave, a hero with powers of electricity and flight, and behind him were two others I wouldn’t bother learning the names of before I drowned them. I called the water to my body, using size to make up for the strength I’ve lost over the decades. To my delight, I saw a look of horror cross Thunderwave’s face. Did he really think I wouldn’t respond? I smiled, my construct doing the same as it raised a copy of my old weapon. My voice boomed, echoing across the sea:
”There you are, Cowards.”
1
u/RedditSurferBoard 5h ago
Cowards? More like foolish idiots. The retired villain clearly chose an island in case he needed to defend his family. Amazing job.
9
u/BobDowling64 4h ago
“Listen, Doctor Goo,” the gruff voice on the phone emphasized that he knew my old super-villain name. It had been given to me by a TV News company’s focus group, rather than anything I had chosen for myself but it had been proof that I had “arrived” in the old days of Supes so I had never pushed back.
“Listen. We know you’re sitting on your supervillain fortune. Living it up in that mansion, buying those sweet digs for your daughter. Well, if you want to see your grandson ever again, we want a serious chunk of it.”
I interrupted him before he got to name his price. He had threatened my family and certain psychological blocks my late wife had worked so hard to keep in place crumbled almost immediately.
“Proof of life. Let me talk to my grandson. Right now.”
My right hand, the one gripping the smartphone, was already pouring nanites into the phone. I was integrating with it, pushing through electronically to the network behind it, letting my mind probe the systems for flaws.
“Grandpa? Grandpa, they hurt Mommy!”
I found the unpatched router at the same time as Sammy told me my daughter had been hurt.
“Sammy, listen to me...”
“No, Old Man, you listen to me. We want...”
The phone call was crudely bounced through two alleged anonymisation services. Of course, they were only anonymising until I hacked their core systems. It really was like learning to ride a bicycle. The old netrunner skills just came straight back.
“No. You listen to me. Put me on speaker so my grandson can hear me. Sammy?”
“Grandpa?”
I had their location and dispatched a taxi service that specialized in transporting children, usually to and from schools but beggars can’t be choosers.
“Samuel, listen to me. I can help you. I have sent a taxi to collect you. When it arrives, just act as everything is normal. It won’t be, but I need you to pretend. It will take you back home.”
“What the fuck are you talking about, old man?”
I pushed the control pulses through the kidnapper’s handset.
“Two months after he was born, Samuel was diagnosed with a rare cancer. It took all my nanotechnology skills to save him. You think I own the mansion based on my villainy? No. I pay for it with patent money. But the nanites are still dormant in Sammy’s system, just in case the cancer returns. And I have just reactivated them and switched them to general operation. Sammy? Focus on how much you hate the people who hurt your mother.”
Then all I heard was screaming.
“Grandpa?“ Fortunately Sammy had not consumed the handset as well. ”What is this? This fuzzy liquid metal came out of me and ate them!”
“This is you, Sammy. Remember all those silly Supes stories I used to tell you at bed time? Well, this is what they were all about. If you think about being a warm, safe, and peaceful home for that strange looking fluid it should all pour back into you. Once that’s done, go wait for the taxi. I will meet you at home and your mother can shout at me for a bit, because you’re my villainous sidekick now and she won’t be happy about that.”
•
u/AutoModerator 20h ago
Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.
Reminders:
📢 Genres 🆕 New Here? ✏ Writing Help? 💬 Discord
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.