Alien Mister Fourth of July

by Serena Spacey

  A very bitter father to walk me down the aisle. In this case, street. He came to my side without a word. As the band started playing their summer beats, we both went up. I hope he didn’t cause a scene because this wasn’t going to change. I would get married, and I would leave. He could do nothing about it. I hoped, I really hoped, he played a good dad. As I neared Mister Fourth of July, my dad put my hand in his.

  I thought he’d walk off without a word, but instead he finally said something to Mister Fourth of July. “What the hell is your name?”

  “Vininickivendizianordi,” he said.

  My father just stared at him. “Venadichivendiwhat?”

  “And people give me hell about my name?” Adventurer Hero uttered.

  “Call him Vinnie!” Candace yelled from the crowd.

  “Everyone calls me Vinnie,” Mister Fourth of July said. “Everyone except Alicia.”

  “Yeah.” He still seemed sour. “If you hadn’t come, my family would be dead. My daughter would have been turned into some sick version of a firecracker. I’d probably be pinned in some sort of crime I never even knew about.” He looked back toward me. “You look beautiful, Alicia Alamillo.” He backed away slightly. “Don’t call a grandchild something I can’t pronounce.”

  I couldn’t help my smile at him. I would miss him, my family, everyone but it was time I went where my heart needed to be.

  To Mister Fourth of July.

  The ceremony was as quick as it legally could be. Earth emergencies would not last long, non-natives couldn’t be on the planet’s surface for very long. While everything was improvised except the dress, the wedding ring also wasn’t improvised. It was a silver version of the hero ring, upgraded and beautiful. It had lines of green and blue glowing through the design. I touched it tenderly as I took his hand back in mine.

  We were married, and we were off.

  Colony A111111: First!

  ~Mister Fourth of July~

  The celebrations couldn’t have been better. News travels fast and hearing of my victory and the Champion Adventurer’s new wife, First! had celebrated like crazy. I had always overseen making sure everything was safe and fun, but the heart of Fourth of July still hadn’t beat the same in the colony since my father passed away.

  Today, even my mother was out there by our curb, setting out her first fire display in years. I swear I heard her call for my dad and tell him she loved him before she set it off.

  Alicia leaned on me and held out an LED sparkler toward me. I took it and she grabbed a second one. Until I could teach Alicia the new sounds of the colony’s language, she couldn’t say her new name. If she had problems with Vininickivendizianordi, there was no way she could master the last name I shared with her now.

  So, fittingly, we all called her Mrs. Fourth of July. “Mrs. Fourth of July, I promise next year I will find a date and time to visit your family.”

  “Yours too now,” Alicia reminded me.

  “It probably won’t be the same day all the time,” I warned her. “It’s hard to guarantee that. If I have an emergency anywhere, I have to take it.”

  “I understand,” Alicia said as she played with the sparkler. “You’re a hero to entire worlds and colonies. I won’t always have you home beside me.” She put her sparkler down. “If you do your best to come back to me, that’s all that matters. As long as I get more than one day a year?”

  So much more. “You get every moment of every day that I have free to spend with you.” I kissed her over our sparklers.

  Every moment. Every day that I could.

  I would spend it with Mrs. Fourth of July.

  Quick Dictionary (across all series and single stories)

  Adventurer: The most commonly used addressal for heroes.

  Adventurer Council: Voted on, top leaders that rule over all Adventurer activities in their area. Their word is law.

  Adventurer Sidekick: Full name for sidekicks, best sign of respect. Those with little respect just call them sidey. (When called Champion in front, it’s like bestowing an honor on them. Most used if they save an Adventurer’s life.)

  Adventurer Exception: When bad things happen, Adventurers can get a certain pass on it. It’s sort of like insurance for them. It doesn’t work for everything though.

  Adventurer or Paladin Credits: Easy way to pay anywhere like a card, but there is no card. Just the name is needed for the charge. Perfect when having to conduct business while chasing enemies.

  Age of Independence: 24. The age where a person can do things without adult consent. This includes sex, marriage, experimentation, having children, a career, etc. Going against this is bad.

  Age of Social Independence: 16. Restricted freedoms with authorization. This can sometimes include jobs, driving in some places and use of non-emergency medications.

  Age of Record: A time before the Age of Independence or Age of Social Independence was used.

  Champion: Standard respectful name in front, like a greeting of Mr. or Mrs. Some planets or colonies care about it, while others rarely use it.

  Champion Adventurer: Your standard official hero name. Some planets or colonies use it more than others. Some will simply just call them Adventurers.

  Champion Book: The early guide of being a Champion.

  Champion Paladins: They have amazing power, but they aren’t quite the heroes that save the world with their fists. Calling someone just a Paladin though is disrespectful.

  Courtezan: Adventurer’s purchased girlfriend. Similar to a courtesan, but they must swear loyalty to an Adventurer. An Adventurer doesn’t swear the same loyalty. Courtezans can be free individuals or bought for a price.

  Guardians or guardians: Those watching over a given area whether it is a sector, colony or planet. Adventurers use the capital G, while parents and such use the little g.

  Rewot: Adventurer’s home. It’s an airship that can be camouflaged or hover. Not every hero uses them.

  Tower: Champion Paladins home. A high tower that makes it easy to see over the area they are taking care of.

  Type of Champion Adventurers

  Earth Elemental: Standard powers of flying and super-strength. Can control earthquakes and chemicals.

  Fire Elemental: Standard powers of flying and super-strength. Sometimes hidden powers. Has highest control of fire powers.

  God Elemental: Adventurer with almost all powers. Rare.

  Mixed Elemental: Most adventurers fall in this group. They have a mix of strong and weak powers.

  Skill Elemental: Nothing elemental, simply good skill at fighting.

  Winter Elemental: Standard powers of flying and super-strength. A winter elemental has the strongest power of water and ice. Can manipulate weather.