Arch Frenemies

Part 79: All's Well

Just as the material across her suit had finished bonding itself back together, Galaxy Girl's polished golden boots touched down on the steps outside Toxic's old lair. 

She brought her fist back to punch through the wall when something shiny caught her eye instead.
The hero couldn't stop herself from smiling and shaking her head as she took a step towards his door; the usually brass door handle had been replaced by the silver shade of titanium. Tentatively she placed her hand on the sturdy metal, giving it a twist, and it opened with ease. With a grin and her guard up, she cautiously stepped inside, preparing for whatever new trap he might have inside. Instead, she was surprised to find him sitting at his kitchen table, sipping tea from a fine china cup. He stared up at her in surprise.
"Looks like I'm going to have to fix that alarm."
He set down the teacup, flipping down the picture frame in front of him, and getting up from the stool, he motioned her towards himself, initiating the fight. "How did you find me?" Toxic inquired, blocking the first punch with his forearm.

"That was one of your father's teleporters wasn't it?"
She questioned, gritting her teeth from the punch he delivers to her stomach. "Not answering my question... but yes" replied Toxic mid-fight, she was right, teleportation was his father's invention, not his, and not something he had used for his own plots, given the risks involved.
"Getting there." She held up a hand. "Your father created that stupidly dangerous device after experimenting on Ka'harina’s blood." She ducked, missing a swinging fist. She was talking about the green skinned woman from below the earth's surface, the strangely beautiful Teleporter who was second in command of the Peace League. 

"Now that may be a semi working replica of her abilities...” She mocked before kicking him to the ground.
"But the portable ones can only transport living objects up to two miles." Galaxy Girl continued.
"This distance from the dock to this lair is only about a mile and half."
She holds out her hand, he clasps it and she yanks him to him to his feet.
"Also I assumed you would assume I would assume you would never come back here."

"That's a lot of assuming, be gentle on that brain of yours."
He teased, putting her into a choke hold, this fight was faster, cleaner than any of them had ever been, and both knew the other’s body by now more intimately than any other villain and hero both on earth and off.
"But you assumed right."
He groaned after she elbowed him in the gut, freeing herself.

"Toxic, honestly please don't use that portable teleporter again, those things are really dangerous." She warns before being wrestled to the ground, smashing both a small table and the vase on it in the process.
"The entire flight here I spent hoping not to find you inside out."
With a harsh uppercut she knocks him off and forces him over till she is the one over him, one knee pinned against his chest, his arms secured tightly in her hands
"Were you actually worried about little old me, Hero?" He chuckles, struggling under her grasp, surprised to find his sharp mind enjoying the view so much. "Do you even have to ask?"
She replies in all seriousness, his expression gentles just for a second before he manages to press the bottom of his combat boots against her stomach and kick her over his head, her body flips over him and she lands on her back with a loud "oomph!"

"How did you escape Supermax?!"
She quickly changes the subject after they have both gotten back on their feet.
"Let's just say one of my guards was a little more into baguettes than biscuits if you know what I mean." He smirks. "The Shifter..." she grumbles.
"What did you really think of that conduit? You know, off the record." Toxic inquires genuinely.
"What were the extent of its effects?" The villain asks casually, despite the thrall of punches he was blocking to his head.
"It was like this." She pauses the fight for a second, taking a step back till she was just at the edge of his aura, where it wasn't pouring into her, just gently starting to pull towards her.
"Like standing right here. It took away most of my strength, I couldn't fly, but still I remained impervious."
Galaxy Girl's brows furrowed.
"I shouldn't have answered that. Normal heroes don't answer questions from their villain like that."