ONE OF D-GIRLS

Section 1: Age of Gairon, Prolog

   AFRICAN PROVERB: THE CHILD WHO IS NOT EMBRACED BY THE VILLAGE WILL BURN IT DOWN TO FEEL ITS WARMTH

   "It is better to suffer wrong than to do it."  Samuel Johson

   "Damaged people are dangerous.  They know they can survive."  Josephine Hart

   "It really seems to me that in midst of great tragedy, there is always the horrible possibility that something terribly funny will happen."  Philip K. Dick

   Cotton Top: "May I-all Stick My 5 Tongues Up Your Snout ...and then... Lick Your 3 Brains Like A Snow-Cone?!"  Chirp!  "PLEASE?!"

   Drago Worm: "No."  Purr.  "...i-unit befriend you, too ... hug...?"

Opening illustration:

AI generated facial reference art for a Series-9.5 knocker

(a 'bloody-mary') Such as:

Cotton Top, Drago Worm, Waver, Gordian, Freaky, Maria Sangria, Magpie Sangria, Bright Eyes

   John Stuart Mill, 1867: "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men look on and do nothing."

   Benjamin Franklin: "Security without liberty is called prison."

   Winston Churchill: "Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm."

***

   Drago Worm: "In my perfect world, the early worm gets the bird.  But and however: seagulls taste icky."  Pause.  "This-here unit prefers drinking chickens."

* WARNING *

   This science-fantasy, superhero novel is — not — a Lovecraftian rom-com . . . although not for the lack of trying.  ["Eek?"]

   Come on.  You can do better than that.  ["EEEK!!"]

   Perfect. :)

Disclaimer:

   I like music, so I'm imagining a play list / soundtrack — both to this novel and some of my characters.  I imply neither endorsement nor compensation.  In a way, it's a musical bibliography for my creative process.  [I hope that I got the titles' capitalization correct.  Different sources sometimes use different capitalizations.]

* *

   Suggested soundtrack to set the mood (plus it emotionally sets up the eventual redemption of the main supervillain: Lord Gairon):

   Heartbreak:

   (Him) "Holding Back the Years" {Simply Red}.  "Hurt" {Johnny Cash}

   (Her) "Total Eclipse of the Heart" {Bonnie Tyler}.  "Stand Back" {Stevie Nicks}