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It's a monthly obligation - the meeting between villains and heroes.
White Hat has reached an agreement after many relentless battles against his arch-nemesis Black Hat, who - after nearly destroying the planet for the second time in a row - accepted a truce.
In these meetings, virtually any and all people (heroes, villains, and civilians) could participate. Because the main rule was that no matter what happened, no one there could get into an argument.
Faces could be slapped if it doesn’t end in permanent damage (and the other person accepts it as payback), and curses could be thrown freely without the other party getting offended (as long as it doesn't hurt anyone).
Obviously, amidst the arguments and intrigues (and countless pages of rules about good behavior), there is always some kind of problem occurring under everyone's noses.
The gossip was endless. Because it was precisely in these meetings that villains and heroes could - without being judged by their own "side" - interact amicably with their enemies.
Which triggers, sometimes, dramas worthy of Mexican soap operas.
On these days, Sr. King Kolonaki (a villain) always takes the opportunity to bring Lady Athena (a female hero) flowers with second intentions, even though she already told him (out loud) that it won't work a second time. Yet, rumor has it that he was successful at least four times and that's why he would never stop trying.
On these days, a sweet couple of heroic gargoyles always chooses different villain-couples to participate in an adventurous foursome to spice things up.
On these days, a Citizen magazine does an interview to select who is the month's most desired Villain or Hero. And everyone loves to use the results to raise their self-esteem and show off their sexiness. So whenever a Villain wins, he'd have the right to bully the previous month's winner around like he was old news. Regardless, when a Hero wins he'd do the same, but if the second one is another Hero they would most likely challenge each other on a fist-fighting - and whoever wins would dare the loser to do something that would most certainly embarrass him/her and a random villain passing by that has nothing to do with it (which happened twice up to date).
The fact they get along during that certain amount of hours each month but can't stand each other on any other day is unfathomable .
The representative of the heroes, in charge of these events, is Lord White Hat - The ultimate Hero. He is always dressed in white, with a top hat of the same color and decorative accessories in light blue. His personality is commonly kind and respectful. On these days, he would usually sit on a white comfy armchair, on the top of a high platform, right next to the representative of the villains, Lord Black Hat, who is literally the same person but evil and wears black. Between them, sometimes, there'll be either a chessboard or some poker cards. Literally, the only things they seem to agree on playing.
“We already agreed with nuclear power and satellite interference.” Slug, the personal assistant of the ultimate hero, would be by his side, taking the business while his lord is engaged in the game. “ No moon attack.” His voice was harsh, although it had a polite tone to it. He was looking at the ultimate villain while explaining, a clipboard in his hands. “The entirety of the solar system is off-limits for you.”
Black Hat grumbled something similar to a ‘whatever’, not paying much attention. He was much busier focusing on White’s next move on the chessboard.
“How about space stations ?” A fine voice picked up his attention.
It was Dr. Flug. The slightly shorter man was using a lab coat and a similar paper bag in his head.
Not much unlike him, the stated doctor was also a scientist, employed by the Ultimate Villain and responsible for most of the management of his business. He even cares for the other employees, builds awesome stuff, and is undeniably too sweet for the field he decided to partake in. Different from Slug - who used to be a villain turned into an anti-hero for option -, Flug was a former anti-hero turned villain by force.
The hero doctor gave him a fond smile at his sudden appearance, he almost thought he wouldn’t appear.
“Hi.” He said in a low voice, almost a whisper.
Flug approached him, not crossing the invisible line in the middle of the platform separating Black Hat’s aura from White Hat’s one.
“Sorry, I’m late.” The villain doctor replied, also in a whisper. Clearing his throat with a closed fist near where his mouth was, he continued. “Space stations are not exactly part of the solar system.” He explained, going back into the subject again, a yellow-gloved hand behind his back, holding his own clipboard, while the other waved around.
“Is everything okay?” He asked, in a whisper, bowing his body closer, crossing the line momentarily.
Flug nodded his head, smiling at him.
“How are you?” He asked instead, sheepish, both hands together on his back.
Slug nodded his head, smiling back at him.
Then, a second later he sent a look by the corner of his eyes to both the Ultimate Hero and Villain checking if they were still focused above the chessboard, and replied in a louder voice.
“If the space station isn't a Hero one, or is extremely important to spatial colonization - then fine.”
They needed to keep this going between their conversations for the bosses to not notice. Between their talk, Black Hat or White would either comment something about the game or grumble in frustration, but besides that, they were hardly ever heard.
“You didn’t come last month.” Slug told him.
“My material didn't arrive on time so I couldn't deliver the order within the deadline.” He explained, upset. “I was locked in the lab for fifty days.”
“Oh, that sucks.” Slug groaned, sympathetic. “You know that’s false imprisonment, right?”
Flug just sent him a look and a laugh, pointing to Black Hat.
“I'll make sure to deliver the information to all Villains.” He replied, in a loud voice, back to the subject. Checking something on his clipboard. “Also, we received a request to renegotiate the range decibel value of sound weapons--” He began again, leaning a bit to the right to whisper the following words. “ Thank you for the birthday gift, it was a wonderful surprise. ” He grinned, cheeks flushing. Correcting his pose, he continued. “--May we change it to 200db?”
Slug grinned back at him, adoring the flushing expression.
“I thought you would like it.” He replied. “I'll study the possibility and deliver a proposal next month.” He ended with a wink.
Flug tried to inch closer, one small step to the side. Slug raised his hand a bit, sideway, hidden from behind his black lab coat. The yellow-gloved hand made contact with the red one for a second, interlacing two fingers, but slipped from it just as quickly when they both heard Black Hat groan in rage, standing from the table.
“Urgh! Go to hell.” He cursed, throwing the chessboard over White Hat’s face.
The hero felt all of the pieces fall on his lap as he kept holding the queen in the air, smiling non-teasingly.
“So I won?”
Black Hat turned around, taking Flug’s arm on his and pulling him down the stairs of the high platform. Dr. Slug looked at Flug’s unhappy face waving in farewell and sighed just as upset.
That had been way too quick… They barely had time to enjoy each other’s company this time.
“Doctor, I won!” White explained, amazed, throwing both arms in the air, cheering.
The hero doctor lowered the clipboard at his side again, frowning sorrowfully at Black Hat and Dr. Flug leaving the event hall.
“ Congrats .” He replied with disdain.