Next up is a young woman in a very 80s-themed purple and black dress with neon lightning bolts all over it. You recognize her as the very energetic woman who was helping the giant TV head attack the power plant.
It is a bit unusual that she's not wearing a mask. A blue bolt painted across her face didn't count, so maybe she didn't care about the 'secret identity' thing?
"Hi, I'm Juniper!" The woman also known as High Voltage exclaims with exuberance to spare.
That answers that. You're not like Syndrome, though. You'd never rat on your employees as long as they don't try anything foolish or reckless. Pretending to take a few notes on your clipboard, you sit back and adopt a contemplative pose.
"So! What would you say is your greatest strength?"
"Oh, well, that's easy!" Without any prompting, she begins to dance. You can't tell if it's a practiced routine or freestyle. Or where that music is coming from. "Ever since my last gig went belly up, I needed a new place to strut my stuff! I heard you were doing auditions, so naturally I needed to sign up. You're the biggest record label around!"
"I am?" you ask, surprised.
"Yeah! I've been following the charts since I got out of jail, and Technor said you could get anyone a song!"
"Well. I do like my musical numbers. Could you tell me more about your… glowing hovering thing that shoots lightning?" Unable to find a real segue to talking about it, you point at the floating object in question. "You can stop dancing now."
She keeps going, tossing some electrical arcs that fly off her arms and legs. "Pretty cool, right? That's my dancing dynamo! It gives my routine the special juice to kick it to the next level!"
"Uh huh." You'll have to put a lightning rod in here if Juniper goes full time. "How long were you doing the whole villain duo thing?"
Juniper's pace slows down. "I tried going solo but… It didn't work out."
"Got arrested?" you ask.
She nods. "Got arrested. I always do team-ups now."
"I see. Alright Juniper, you've given me a lot to consider."
"Did I get the part?"
"As a supervillain or in a musical number?"
"Yes! Both! Either!"
"We'll call you."
---
Juniper: Martial villain who was one half of the former mother-daughter group High Voltage.
Pragmatism: Low
Quirkiness: Medium
Instability: Low
Tolerance for Nonsense: High
Dance Skills: Very High
---
Once the smell of ozone finally dies down you are greeted by the next applicant. You blink a few times just to make sure you're seeing things right. The young woman's costume looks like it came straight out of the Golden Age, sacrificing practicality or stealth for eye-catching colors and a fashion statement that announces to the world that she has come to do business. From the two-toned cape that is somehow flapping by itself to the eye-searing goggles or the mane of red hair (that has to be impractical in combat, you muse) the next supervillain looks like she's trying to make a statement.
"Uh, hello…"
"Mezmerella! The Mistress of Hypnotism!" she declares dramatically, spreading her arms with a flourish. Apparently your Dramatic Lightning-Inator thought it was an appropriate moment, as thunder rumbles outside. "And I am here to apply for a job!"
"Hypnotism, huh? I dunno, that sounds a little sketchy."
"Of course! That is why I am a supervillain feared the world over!"
Suuuuure she is. You looked over the arrest record you found online, and she was definitely wanted in a state or two, but hardly the world over. "No, I meant sketchy for me. Why would I want to hire someone who could just hypnotize me or my employees?"
"Ah… because… my contract would forbid it, of course!"
"Riiiiight. And I'm supposed to hold a self-admitted villain to their words?"
"Come on! I'm not in the habit of betraying my employers, it's not good for business! Seriously all I have to do is hypnotize one guy in the wrong place and then my reputation's shot for life!"
You suppose she does have a point. Villains who can take control of others are fairly notorious, and Mezmerella doesn't seem to have crossed any lines in the work she's done so far. Mostly it's been hypnosis for petty parts of the scheme rather than anything truly twisted.
"Hmm… okay, you know what? I wanna see a demonstration."
"Of course! Simply direct me to the poor fool that you need subverted!"
You push a button to summon Dennis to your office. The diminutive monochrome Toon marches through the door in a few minutes, carrying a stack of sandwiches with him.
"Is this the victim? Bow to my whims, you utter fool!" Mezmerella declares dramatically as she makes a gesture with her hands.
Dennis's eyes start swirling around as he stares off into space for a moment.
"There! He is now under my control!"
"Okay, okay, I'm going to have to test this. Tell him to not give you a sandwich."
"Wh...what?!"
"No, trust me on this. It's a more effective test than you know!"
"Very well then! Do not give me a sandwich, my minion!"
A few minutes pass as you look on in glee. It actually is working, no matter how confused the supervillain is looking! You've never seen Dennis go more than thirty seconds without shoving a sandwich in someone's face!
"Okay, I'm satisfied!" you declare. At the very least she's proven that she's not entirely a fraud. "Go ahead, let him out of it."
"I am releasing you from my control!"
With that declaration, Dennis goes back to normal and looks around the room, confused.
"See?" Mezmerella asks. "Was that not an adequate demonstration of my abil-" her sentence is cut off as a sandwich impacts her face at high velocity, splattering Russian dressing and sauerkraut everywhere.
"Have a sandwich!"
---
Mezmerella: old-school Intrigue villain who specializes in hypnosis.
Pragmatism: Medium
Quirkiness: High
Instability: Medium
Tolerance for Nonsense: Very High
Campiness: Very High
---
Your last interview of the day is with a fellow with impressive legacy. Prince Pyrus, second generation supervillain, son of the reasonably successful Baron Battle, if your reports are correct.
"So, Prince Pyrus, how-"
"Warren." The youth in front of you replied. He looked to be in his early 20s, long hair, ripped jeans, and a rather stereotypical 'tough guy' jacket. Your fatherly protection instinct is tingling.
"Eh?"
"I go by Warren. Warren Peace. Not big on the legacy." He said bluntly.
"So, Mr… Peace." You ask awkwardly. "What brings you to Doofania?"
"Work."
"..."
"..."
"Okaaay. Could you uh, tell me what you do?"
"I fight whoever needs fighting. Pyrokinesis. I've been in plenty of scraps before."
"Yessss, I see that…" you reply, looking over the arrest record.
"So." You continue. "How do you feel about evil schemes, complicated deathtraps, extended monologues, and/or wacky antics?"
"..."
"..."
"We… we'll be in touch."
---
Prince Pyrus prefers Warren Peace: Laconic pyro skilled in Martial combat.
Pragmatism: High
Quirkiness: Very Low
Instability: Medium
Tolerance for Nonsense: Non-Existent
---
Choose one villain to recruit! You will keep the contact information for the others in your rolodex and may be able to recruit them by taking the 'Recruit rogue and villainous capes' action again, but the job market is a fickle thing...
[ ] Momakase
[ ] Frugal Lucre
[ ] Mystery Box
[ ] Juniper
[ ] Mezmerella
[ ] Warren Peace
There will be a half hour moratorium on voting.
