Futuristic Of Villainous Ways and Heroic Strays (a roleplay between me, @FanOfSiriusBlack, and @Idea

[FanOfSiriusBlack]

I am Corporal Ilda Fowler, though most people in this city know me better as Guarded Heart. I am a member of the AAH, the Association for the Advancement of Heroes. I am a genetic mutation, an odd, which is what the government started calling us once we started becoming more common. Now, almost 47% of the planet's population is made up of Odds, people often have some mutation that is enough to make them an Odd, that being mental advancements, force advantages, or physical mutations like mine. I have my own pair of wings, they're huge, an almost thirteen-foot wingspan, and they're beautiful, starting with snowy white downy feathers, then turning black, sharply edged, almost dagger like at my wingtips. I'm also an orphan. I dropped out of 11th grade at my old high school in New York to take care of my brother, Aldwin. He meant the world to me.

But he's gone now, too. A villain by the name of Cronus took him. I'd been given assurances that he was safe, but I couldn't do anything to help him. Cronus told me that if I wanted to see him again, I had to do exactly as he said, so what was I supposed to do. He brought Aldi out and made me watch him beaten to a pulp. I couldn't do anything, except what I was doing now. He'd been sending me on small jobs, beating up petty criminals, small stuff that I would be doing anyway. Now he was sending me to wait for someone named Katherine Von Something-or-other, I really wasn't paying attention, and he had promised Aldi's release if I succeded. I really didn't get the beef behind them, but it must have been something. I don't care. All I care about is saving my brother.

 

[Idea]

​

"You want me to kill someone?!" I took a step back at the shady guy's request. He had a large, menacing figure, an hourglass-shaped necklace being the only distinct aspect of the otherwise simple titanic raincoat of a man with a comically small top hat. Honestly, was it not for his burgler's mask, his face would have been completely exposed, which I imagined couldn't be a sign of great competence for someone in a business like the one he was trying to hire me to do. In fact, how he'd even come to conclusion that I killed people was just beyond me. Yes, I had my way with knives, and I had robbed people big time to put food on the table (or gadgets in my hands and feet), but never once had I gone so far as to even comatose someone, much less kill them.

"Or just put them out of commission. De-limbing should be enough." The man sighed. "I guess the money isn't enough then? How much? Name your price, I should be able to get it. Still, I imagine someone like you, who'd so valiantly sacrifice herself for her sister, it wouldn't make much sense to be about how much money, I suppose. So, I have a different proposal, a price I think you will find rather fitting for my request...."

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I swallowed. Below me was the clueless figure of my victim. She looked suited up, as if also ready for combat, to the point where I couldn't help but wonder whether this wasn't all just one sick trap to get revenge on me for something I stole. They looked poor, unimpressive, but also seemed rather experienced and frankly fit, which was far more than I could say for my own body. Even if by some miracle this person didn't actually have any powers, the fact that they went out of their way to hire someone like me to fight someone like this was a sign that the book should not be judged by it's cover. And yet, I couldn't refuse anymore. Not when there was such a reason, even if that reason could be a lie, I needed to take this chance. Nomatter what it meant. I unsheated two of my knives, bit into each of them once, then leaped as silently as I could down on my opponent, aiming to slice their neck or stab their head at least.

If that failed, and they managed to throw some kind of response, I would use that momentum to push myself downwards and throw my knives upwards aiming for those vital organs. Of course, an experienced fighter with some kind of martial arts could try to grab me. However, if they did, that would be their last fatal mistake. It was why I bit the blades before leaping: If they grabbed me or my blades, and they were pointing in that person's general direction, all I had to do was expand the blades with my powers and they would get stabbed anyway.

Still, even now, the outcome was still uncertain. I had to work fast to make sure the tides didn't shift.

FanOfSiriusBlack

 

[FanOfSiriusBlack]

I quickly jumped back right before something dropped in front of me. They were wearing a long black coat, and had white hair. Maybe that has something to do with her powers. I'd already scanned the area. there were people everywhere, except the small service area we were fighting. there were kids who would see this.

I moved back further into the shadows towards the ladder that led.To the higher balconies, angling myself so that it would be easy to use my advanced strength to push her off into the tracks. I got my knives into my hands in a quick movement, so she would think I was going to stay her. I couldn't loose this fight, because I could pretty clearly imagine what would happen to the hundreds of civilians on the loading platforms. I shivered a but just thinking about it. This wasn't about me or Aldi anymore. This was about them.

 

[Idea]

​

Oof, this was ALREADY off to a bad start! Somehow my victim noticed my presence in time to react. Obviously, I wouldn't let them get away so easily, so it wwas a good thing I bit my knives earlier. The blades quickly expanded as soon as my enemy jumped backwards, quickly covering the distance between myself and my foe even as I was still falling. Naturally, a simple quick attack was only likely to pierce or cut her shoulders if I was lucky, especially with that armor on. But that should be enough to handicap their movements a little, allow me to regain some of the edge I needed to end this as quickly as possible. Thus my blades retrated to their original size, but I still couldn't help but smile. While to an outsider looker this might seem like a confident smirk, in reality it was be trying to contain the tickling sensation objects caused on me as they returned to normal after my ability was used on them.

I was nowhere near done yet, however. I saw the woman going for the ladder and readied her knife, probably aiming at stabbing me if I chased her from below. This time, I smirked for real, and ran in the opposite in direction, backflipping to land my two feet on the wall, then using the propolsion of the "Iron Leapers" to jump to same crates, destroying them as I leaped to a nearby wall and finally leaping towards the ceiling above my foe in the span of a moment, knives already ready to strike as I pushed myself downward. At that speed, if my enemy didn't stop me, I might break a bone or two, but regardless of their armor my daggers were be well-implanted in their chest.

FanOfSiriusBlack

 

[FanOfSiriusBlack]

My wings burst from my back quicker than I anticipated, and I threw myself away from my attacker, and I landed on the edge of the platform, tucking my wings back in before she could see them. She was faster than I thought, and those blades she had. We're they tech, or was that her power? Whatever they were, they'd given me a cut on my arm that hurt quite a bit, but wasn't very deep, and probably wouldn't hinder me too much. I had to be careful, keep my cards close to my chest, or whatever the saying was. She couldn't possibly know that much about me, could she?

Yeah. She could know everything about me. I certainly wasn't the most popular, or even known heroes, but I had been seen at major events, such as the invasion that happened last spring, or the Mayor's election in the fall, so she might have seen what I can do. But I never had my wings out then, except for maybe a half-second shot in New Orleans after the Molar. I had to be pretty safe, right?

 

[Idea]

​

DAMMIT! Now this was pretty bad. I couldn't believe I had missed such a prime opportunity that wasn't like me at all. Was I hesitating, was I stuttering with my hands over the fact I was out of my element in killing someone? Perhaps. But more than that, if my eyes did not deceive me, there were wings. They had been retracted too fast for me to see too clearly, but I knew nothing else with such an appearance. Factor in the fact that man had randomly approached me, the fact they wanted this person dead and our fight so far, there was one obvious conclusion.

Despite getting slowed down considerably, I still felt the impact on my body as I almost hit the floor, but bit my lip and the air in time to block some of the fall by rapidly compressing the air and expanding my skin.

"So, you have a power too, huh? No wonder they hired me." I stated to my opponent. I was still recovering from the impact's shock, and the words might both serve as a way to gather the information I needed and as a method to stall for time until the innitial shock was gone and I was fully ready to return to combat. I raised a knife, pointing it at that person. "So, judging by that ridiculous getup, I take it you're one of those masked people that goes around "using powers for good"? Can't imagine it pays a lot, with you wearing scrap like that. Gotta admit though, at least it's tough scrap."

Tough scrap was already more than these people deserved though. Where were they that day? Nowhere to be found. Busy elsewhere. Pretending to care, arriving fashionably at the last minute. I had every reason to kill this guy. This hypocrite. They all were. I had a reason to kill them all, to kill him, I had a reason, I had a reason, I had a reason...

I had a reason...

right, Corula?

FanOfSiriusBlack

 

[FanOfSiriusBlack]

She kinda just stood there for a second, and I got a good look at her face. I had seen her face before, but I couldn't put my finger on it, but I was her eyes garden with anger. Maybe I owe her money?

"Listen, I don't know who you are, or why you're fighting me, but I'm sorry. I'm sorry for whatever happened to make you hate me, or maybe it's just heroes in gereral, but I am not like those other ones. If you intend to kill me, I have no intention of really fighting back. I just have a request that I want you to carry out." I pulled out a picture of my little brother. "If I loose to you, and I die, try and save him. I kinda doubt you will, why would you? But I won't let him win." I sat cross-legged, my back to the edge, and placed the picture on the ground, kissing Aldwin goodbye, and turning to face her. I tried to center my thoughts, pulling up a mental picture of my baby brother. I wanted his face to be the last thing I saw. Then I just sat, awaiting my demise.

 

[Idea]

​

My enemy was right there sitting, being foolish enough to give up before the fight ended. Whatever, though, it was their death, not mine. I couldn't care less about these heroes. I had long since accepted other people had families too. I could do this. Suspecting a trap, I didn't even bother running, just walked to the girl, Cross-legged, as if in some kind of weird Buddhist prayer. I leaned the blade against her throat ready to slit it open, to watch the blood of this elder sister flow into the train and pay for the salivation of my little sister... if that could even work... If there really was a way, whatever way, whatever path it took me... Tears started rolllig down my eyes.

"Why... why can't I do it? Why can't I do what I came to do, what I have to do? It's my job, I need to do it or I won't...she won't..." The knife made a tingling sounded as it hit the floor dropped straight from my hand. I fell on my knees in front of the hero I had just tried to kill, I sure of my fate now that I had made myself fail at such a task. But even then, I had failed far worse. Just by accepting that job, that vague naive chance of rescuing her when no one else could, I had already failed her: If I won , I would be staining her recovery with blood. If I lost, I would fail to get her recovery anyway.

The latter has just occurred. And I was probably gonna get arrested.

FanOfSiriusBlack

 

[FanOfSiriusBlack]

"You lost someone too. I may be a soldier, and right now you may be the enemy, but what would Aldwin think if I took advantage of your hesitation and killed you. The kid means everything to me, and to be a monster in his eyes," I took a sad look at the photo on the ground. "It truly would be a fate worse than death."

I looked backup at my adversary. "Whoever it is, they aren't really gone. If they're still alive, there's the chance you can get them back. If they aren't, they live on in the memories of those who knew them in life." I gave her a small amile, and stood, offering her a hand up. I was fully aware of how vulnerable i was at the moment, how easy it a target i was making myself, but I wasn't going to fight this girl if she truly didn't want to kill me. She looked so young. I of all people knew how diciving looks could be, and I suspected there was a lot more to her story than what there appeared. Besides. I die here, and my family will be whole again in a few hours. What did I really have to loose?

 

[Idea]

​

I couldn't help but chuckle a little over the falling tears. Despite everything, that person was still trying to comfort me. Even though sparing their life was the reason why Corula's was lost forever again. But just as much as that because I was making myself so vulnerable, so open to this foe. She was right, all she needed was to be faking and I would be a dead girl now, and Corula with me, so I ended up taking a few more steps back. I was just about to move on when my widened at what my ears just grasp. My arms fell aside almost flacid, my tears and all other expressions fell into a somber silence as my gaze faced the concrete ground.

"No... I just gave it up." Suddenly tears were returning again, stinging somehow even more than before. I faced the woman's eyes directly. "Don't fool yourself. I will never be able to forgive you for this. All the doctors failed. The police never came on time.. nor any heroes. If someone could save her they sure took their time in those six months she was pratically in her deathbed! Until I had...until I had to... AAAAAAAAh!"

I turned to my side, throwing a quick kick into a nearby pipe that caused it to shake violently, even releasing a bit of gas from inside before returning to normal post-impact.

"That man came to me. He told me he found a way to cure her. He even showed me proof that he could tear us apart again and save her. He would even pay for her rehabiliation. And the only prize he asked for being such a miraculous savior was you. But you couldn't be my opponent, my enemy to the very end. So I couldn't kill you...and thus I killed her again."

FanOfSiriusBlack

 

[FanOfSiriusBlack]

"You didn't kill her. Kronus did. And we're going to get her back. He was an ex-hero. He doesn't have powers, but his tech is amazing take out the tech, we'll take out his whole operation. He'll talk to save himself." I smirked. "I'll make sure of it."

I jumped off the side of the platform and flipped in the air, unfurling my wings. Then I flew up towards the white-haired girl, doing a couple fancy-looking turns on the way. Okay, maybe I was showing off a bit, but I felt it was justified. She was really good, but I was still good too. I didn't want to hurt someone so young, but I could still kick her butt. "You coming?" I flew out of the building through the skylight that they always left open for us. Trains seemed to be very common fight scenes. I smiled as my face hit the sunshine. I was gonna get my brother back, ad there was nothing in this world that was gonna stop me.

 

[Idea]

​

"No powers?" I raised an eyebrow. With that weird outfit, his confidence and dealing with multiple super powered people, one would think there was no one more likely to have powers of their own. Perhaps I was mistaken though? "From the way you talk, you've clearly had some history with them. Who is this Cronus person? What are they to you, no, what are you to them? To go so far as to kidnap a child, and bribe a mercenary with an almost impossible cure, not to mention all that show-off money... In fact, do you even know how to find them? They could be anywhere right now."

I gazed down.

"But you're wrong. Whether this Kronus had the chance I needed or not, the truth is no one else does. And then more time passes the more certain this comes to being completely irreversible."

I couldn't speak anymore. The hero seemed to try to cheer me on with some kind of demonstration, but all I could give them in return was a somewhat disgusted face. I wasn't really all that for showing off, but I still took after them, running blade in hand behind their flight, wondering if they honestly expected me to keep up for long, and also where they were going .


FanOfSiriusBlack

 

[FanOfSiriusBlack]

"I'm just a toy to him," I called over my shoulder." He's completely insane, a psycopath. He thinks this is all a game. I was one of many heroes who voted for his firing after he attacked a children's home in New Jersey. The motion passed, and they disabled a bunch of his weapons, but he's been building up an empire, and taking down all the heroes that took him off the squad." I looked back at her, then turned myself around, so that I was going backwards. "This is all my fault. I didn't think he would rebuild his tech. I didn't expect him to have people he could fall back on to build an army, and I am sorry that you had to get dragged into this mess. This should have stayed between us and him." I turned back around and led us both to his hideout.