Today's the day, you're officially on the team," I announced. "I don't really care if everyone else is cool with it or not, but having you around would be a game-changer."
Shockwave shot a blast my way in response.
"You got me once, why would I let you get me again?" she chuckled.
I dodged her blast, shooting some lightning back, but she danced out of the way.
"Crazy dodging skills," I pointed out. "Abyss and Venom were never this nimble."
No response from Shockwave. She propelled herself into the air, firing another blast at me. I swiftly dodged it as well.
"So spill, what got you into The Vipers?" I probed. "You look like you have a purer heart than all the other elite fighters."
"None of your business," she retorted. "I don't care if you spilled your life story; I'm not telling you mine."
"Fair enough," I shrugged. "Maybe you'll open up as we keep fighting.
She looked confused, like, why was I bothering her about joining me and Mark?
And honestly, why was I?
Well, The Swordsman vouched for her purity, and I witnessed it firsthand. She claimed she only "hurts" and doesn't do the whole killing thing, even though she's working with an organization that's all about the killing thing.
To me, she's way more misguided than she realizes, unlike Abyss and Venom who've got kill counts in the thousands.
She's got some goodness in her. I've fought with villains with a touch of goodness before. Unagami was one of the biggest examples of that. That guy was straight-up evil, but deep down, he just got ditched by the person he loved - that is, Milton Dyer.
Besides, adding her to the squad would be epic. The Swordsman and The SWAT are good, but adding her would approximately double our power.
She could take charge against other elites and give Abyss, Venom, and maybe even Ripper and that mysterious 7th-ranked fighter a run for their money.
"Goodness," Shockwave mumbled, landing a solid kick that sent me flying. "What's the point of going all out when you know it's pointless?"
"Because everything's got value, whether you see it or not," I fired back. "And you, my friend, are valuable. I see the good in you."
"But I've been with The Vipers for almost 7 years now," she stated. "Why the hell should I quit now after everything?"
"I think you've got the whole deal twisted," I countered. "Tell me, have you ever enjoyed watching The Vipers go on their crime spree?"
She stayed silent at that.
"Venom," I continued. "That bastard's racked up at least 10,000 kills, right? And you're still partners with him after everything he did?"
"That's on him, not me-" she started but cut herself off, realizing what she just admitted.
"See?" I pointed out. "Even you're tripping over your words. When I scoped through the sewers, I saw a pile of dead bodies, a bunch because Venom ate them all,"
Shockwave looked down, processing.
"Why let others do this?" I pressed. "You could be helping people, not causing them pain. You could help stop a twisted organization like this, not help fuel it,"
"No," Shockwave fired back. "I've already told you, it's my fate, nothing else."
"Your fate?" I probed. "Got something to do with your past?"
She retaliated with another sonic blast. I countered with lightning, but she redirected it through the ground again. This time, I predicted her move, creating a lightning shield to block her blast.
But, stupid me completely forgot to focus on her Muay Thai skills. She landed a solid punch to my core, followed by a two-legged kick and a sonic blast, sending me into a wall.
"Fate's the tie that binds us all," Shockwave said. "You can't just break free from it. It's bound to exist everywhere, no matter how hard you try,"
"Really?" I muttered, surprised. "I was thinking-"
"I don't care what you think!" she snapped. "I won't lose to someone like you! I've got a reason to win!"
"No, you don't," I retorted. "You're just making stuff up now."
Suddenly, my vision went haywire, a loud sound cutting through me and dropping me to my knees.
"Fate also says you lose," she declared. "If I lose to you, I won't be able to face Deathstroke ever again."
"Ugh, dang it," I groaned.
The sound was just too much.
"I'm gonna make it so you never hear again," Shockwave threatened. "Then you won't be a threat to The Vipers."
The good thing is I've read enough of Billy's book before The Purge. In fact, I've read so much that I picked up a useful technique - one that's a lifesaver in situations like these.
Chapter 5 - The Wired Path
So, do you like Physics?
I'll tell you this, I'm a Physics major and love Electrical Engineering. In fact, if The Vipers didn't exist, I would 100% be an Electrical Engineer. That's why my apartment's stacked with all those books.
Now, let's dive into our lesson today, where you'll learn a very useful technique - conduction.
This move is your secret weapon when dealing with a very fast fighter or a group of enemies at the same time.
Conduction is the transfer of energy between particles that are touching each other.
And here's the magic word: conductors.
Conductors let a charge(electrical energy for our case) flow freely.
Now, connect a metal (one of the best conductors) to the ground (an infinite source of electrons), and you'll find one of the most useful techniques there is.
I won't spill the beans about what it is, but when you witness it, you'll be easily able to find out what the technique is.
Here's a sneak peek: it had something to do with spread.
Master this move, and you won't just handle a crowd; you'll get closer in power to The Executives of The Vipers.
You'll be a powerhouse, climbing up The Vipers' ranking system.
Just keep an eye on the spread; we don't want any accidental collateral damage to innocent bystanders.
Stay charged, my friend.
"Hey, you see this?" I pointed around. "The whole floor's made of steel, an iron-copper alloy,"
Back in Ninjago, I was into engineering and a bit of chemistry. I cooked up a bunch of inventions before I became the lightning ninja. If Wu hadn't met me on that rooftop, I might've gone deep into Engineering, probably Electrical or Chemical.
"What does that have to do with this fight?" Shockwave asked. "I like science, but I don't get how steel can help. I mean, it conducts electricity well, but ot-"
Her eyes widened and she gasped, realizing what I was about to do.
"Like you said, steel's a good conductor of electricity," I replied, hitting the steel below with my lightning.
In a flash, the whole steel floor lit up with flowing lightning. We're talking the entire floor here, from start to finish. It looked mesmerizing as hell - it's like those neon lights that get lit up in the city at night.
Shockwave got zapped and stumbled back, letting go of her hold on me.
"It's not just about how strong you are," I said. "Intelligence matters too."
I then charged at her, used my Spinjitsu, and knocked her back, but she regained composure pretty quickly.
However, she did have a shocked look on her face.
"What in the world is that blue tornado?" Shockwave asked. "How do you even do that?"
"Maybe you could pull it off too," I suggested. "I can show you if you join my side. It's not too late to join me,"
"I thought I told you fate decides everyone," Shockwave replied, voice still calm. "I'm just an agent of faith with no real purpose."
"Everyone's got a purpose," I insisted, keeping it real. "Mine's all about protecting the innocent and shutting down your organization. Can't you see the atrocities they've committed?"
"What happens after you're done with The Vipers?" Shockwave asked. "What's your purpose gonna be then,"
"Become an engineer and live a normal life," I replied. "I also wanna move on from the betrayal and I don't want it to be by venting my anger out on people,"
"Normal life?" she asked. "You have a lot of money, don't you? How else would you afford that suit?"
"I do have a decent amount of money," I replied. "I have my ways,"
"Then you could have lived a normal life, right?" Shockwave asked. "Why are you trying this hard to beat me?"
"I used to be a defender 10 years ago," I replied. "I did get betrayed, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna let others die,"
"But, don't you want to live a normal life?" Shockwave asked.
"I do, but only if there's peace for everyone," I replied. "A lot of people died due to you guys, and all of you will pay. You still have a chance to change,"
She sent a blast at me, but I blocked it using my force field. She then lunged at me and sent a punch at me, and I successfully blocked it. She then tried to do a heel kick, but I dodged it again by moving my foot back.
Suddenly, a searing pain gripped my foot.
She landed another punch to my core and proceeded to kick me back using a sidekick.
"I can also use my powers in my Muay Thai," she said.
She then made a motion for a backkick, but a blast came out instead and sent me flying back to the wall.
"This is damn near impossible without Mark," I muttered.
I would have definitely had the upper hand right now if Mark was still here. In fact, I realized this a while ago: without Mark, I'm impulsive, and without me, Mark is powerless. We both need each other to survive, so without Mark, this fight became infinitely harder.
"See," she said. "Even if you beat Shockwave or Venom, you won't be able to beat me. And I'm not joining you,"
"I already had this talk with The Swordsman," I said. "I guess I'll have to do the same thing with you,"
_______________________________________________________________________________
"So Abyss and Venom bit the dust?" Deathstroke asked. "But it doesn't make sense, how is that possible? The Swordsman almost had him beat, yet Power Punch suddenly get stronger,"
"He probably held back against The Swordsman," ???(Ranked 3rd in The Vipers) said. "Also, how's the realm generator going?"
"It seems to be in good progress," Deathstroke replied. "We'll have to wrap this up before Power-Punch catches wind; otherwise, we'll be in deep trouble."
"Sir, we could wipe him out right now," ???(Ranked 3rd in The Vipers) suggested. "Why are we sending much weaker fighters for this?"
I mean, seriously, it was weird. Power Punch didn't look like much of a threat. Nightshade took care of him without even breaking a sweat, so why is Deathstroke holding back this much?
"It's simple," Deathstroke replied. "Trash like Power-Punch is a walk in the park, but the realm generator is our top priority."
"Why not send one of the executives to deal with Power Punch then?" ???(Ranked 3rd in The Vipers) asked. "We could squash him like an insect,"
"There's absolutely no point," Deathstroke insisted. "I don't care if he's a pushover; if we don't finish the realm generator, we'll miss out on all our opportunities."
"But still..." ???(Ranked 3rd) trailed off.
Author's note: "Ranked 3rd" just means "Ranked 3rd in The Vipers." The same goes for any other ranked fighter.
"Also, the other executives are handling business elsewhere, including you," Deathstroke remarked. "Nightshade just took care of the cartel members who stole some of our technology."
"I feel like she might betray us someday," ???(Ranked 3rd) commented. "She seems suspicious of you, I can tell."
"How so?" Deathstroke inquired.
"You were ready to finish off The Swordsman, but she let him leave The Vipers," ???(Ranked 3rd) explained. "And now, he's gone and joined forces with Power-Punch."
"I've got countermeasures prepared," Deathstroke assured. "Dealing with her won't be too tricky."
Deathstroke looked outside at the cityscape from his office. It seemed like he was in charge, running the show. He absolutely loved that feeling.
"This realm that you and ???(Ranked 4th) are talking about," Deathstroke began. "Does it really have that many resources?"
"I'm from a sister realm to that realm," ???(Ranked 3rd) replied. "I promise there are multiple people in that realm with powers."
"Okay," Deathstroke replied. "You may leave."
???(Ranked 3rd in The Vipers) nodded and left.
________________________________________________________________________________
Shockwave's POV:
I swear, I should have the upper hand, but he's reading my moves like a book. It's like he's predicting every damn thing I do.
"Pure Survival," he muttered, still going at it.
Suddenly, I got pushed back with a solid front punch followed by a spinning backkick.
Damn it...I'm gonna actually lose if this carries on.
"What's this?" I ask. "How are you predicting every move I make? It makes zero sense."
"You're all about fate, right?" he smirked. "Did fate tell you I'd do this?"
My teeth grit, and I hit him with a powerful sonic blast.
"Who do you think you are?!" I yelled. "Why do you want me to join you and The Swordsman all of a sudden?"
"You're not doing-!" he starts to say, but I cut him off with a punch to the face.
Then, I swept his leg and hit him with another sonic blast.
"It's fate!" I roared. "I was raised that way to be perfect! You think I'm gonna listen to someone like you?!"
I kept punching him, but he zapped me back with lightning.
"You're acting all delusional," he said. "You can't just follow fate like that. I promise you, fate isn't some god to worship - it's just a made-up story we tell ourselves."
I want to hear him out, but something's stopping me from really listening. I'm not sure why, but I've got to focus on the fight.
"I'm not listening to you," I said coldly. "I don't care what you say."
My past shaped me into who I am, and I won't let a guy like him mess with that.
So, about my past...
I was born into a perfectionist family in the city.
I was from a pretty rich neighborhood, enough for us to be safe from The Vipers. The gang didn't have much impact on my life until I joined them. Overall, our safety from The Vipers was guaranteed.
Three years after I was born, my younger sister was born as well.
My parents made me study no matter what happened. If I failed to meet their crazy standards, I'd either get punished heavily or be banished to my room. I always thought that they did these things because they loved me.
My little sister was already a prodigy at everything, so naturally, she snagged the "favorite child" title.
To my parents, I had to be number one in everything. So, no matter what, I worked very hard and studied. I thought it was just tough love at first; a; I had to do study hard, gain their approval - simple.
I remember once, on my tenth birthday, I asked my father if we could catch a new movie.
"You want to watch a movie?" he asked. "I don't care what it is; if you don't score perfectly, you're sleeping in the shed by yourself."
Long story short, I didn't get that perfect score. Not because of the movie, but because of a silly mistake.
Boom!
"You're a disappointment," Mom drops it on me.
And there I am, in the shed with no birthday dinner.
I was practically their live-in servant, like Cinderella, but with her actual parents and zero freedom. All the chores, all the cooking - literally everything was on me.
If I didn't meet their standards, they'd toss it on the ground right in front of me.
"This is garbage!" my sister screamed, destroying the bowl of rice. "Why are you so useless?!"
"A 93?!" Dad roars, tearing my test paper to shreds. "It's math for crying out loud! Can't you be like your sister and get a perfect score?!"
What's this drawing crap?!" my mom yelled, ripping my picture apart. "Who cares about art? What about your other classes?"
During the whole time I was mistreated, my sister was treated like the golden child. Her friends received VIP treatment, even better than me. Whatever she did, it was automatically superior to my efforts.
On her birthdays, a whole crowd would gather for a grand celebration, while I sat in my room hitting the books, just studying.
On my birthdays?
Forget it. Studying or chores was what I had to do.
Fast forward to 9th grade, somehow the world was on my side, and I aced a math exam, getting my first-ever 100%.
"Mom!" I shouted. "Look! A perfect score!"
"WILL YOU BE QUIET!" she roared. "Can't you see I'm busy?"
"B-but it's a 100%!" I stuttered.
"Yeah, yeah, 100 or whatever!" she mumbled. "Just go!"
I scurried back to my room, but my sister intercepted me in the stairway.
"Make my bed," she commanded. "I forgot to do it."
"I will, just let me—" I attempt, but she snatches my test paper.
"I said do it now!" she screamed, tearing my paper to shreds.
Barely keeping it together, I made her bed.
I learned a lesson: fate couldn't be defied. Even with a 100% that they wanted, they still didn't give a damn. My sister practically won and I was left in the dust.
But I still had hope that they loved me.
In high school, I was among the top students in my school, if not THE top student. I won national awards, had the highest grades in all my classes, and was the Valedictorian. I was quite popular in the school because of my looks and grades, but that didn't matter to me, because all those boys who constantly asked me out never knew me for who I truly was: a broken girl abused by my family. I wanted real love, not fake love.
All the competitions where I won national awards were in the name of perhaps my family recognizing me once and for all, but nothing ever happened. Sure, I liked the subjects, but I wasn't passionate about the activities or competitions, because I never had to ability to. I pretty much had zero hobbies, since I studied all day at home and did the chores.
The only activity I ever did with passion was Muay Thai. I first started in 9th grade after my parents' insistence that I should take up some physical activity since many other people my age were doing sports. I saw a fight online and I became attached to it. My parents were happy to make me join a dojo, since I would be "on the level" of the other people doing sports. Contrary to what one might think, I liked it because it gave me peace from my terrible life at home, at least sometimes. I was also proficient at it: I got the highest rank and placed nationally in multiple tournaments. I was named the best student at my dojo as well: these were probably the only achievements I cared about in my life. Throwing a punch or landing a hit felt much more exhilarating than winning a competition.
At the end of high school, the day came: I got into Princeton University, one of the most prestigious universities in the nation. Of course, the school was in cheers, but my family wasn't.
When I was going to tell them, they just said "ok."
No congratulations, nothing...
Right after, my sister came in saying she placed third in a competition, and they ran up to her, hugging her tightly. Thus, I finally wasn't in denial anymore: they preferred my sister over me. If my sister placing third in a competition is better than me getting into Princeton, that already says a lot about my value compared to hers.
After I graduated high school, I cut ties with the family. No chats, no calls. My sister's Instagram turned into a family and friends exhibition, where she showed off her life at another prestigious institution and time with her family: they all forgot about me.
The worst part was that I was attending Princeton, another prestigious university. In the end, all that scolding, punishment, abuse - they were for nothing. All my hard work was wasted. My goal wasn't to attend a prestigious university, but to gain their love. I held on to this nonexistent hope that such a goal was attainable, only to find out the truth about it.
Thus, devoid of hope, I didn't do anything in college. I still got good grades, but didn't engage myself in any research, clubs, or internships due to a lack of motivation. I didn't have any more ambitions after realizing that all my hope was for a nonexistent cause.
After I graduated, I got a mediocre office job with an equally mediocre salary. I had no more motivation to climb the career ladder or try harder - after all, there was no one cheering me on.
My sister landed a high-paying job and built a reputation for herself in the city. She transformed into a prominent lawyer, the complete opposite of the person she was in my eyes.
In the end, nobody saw me for who I truly was.
Flashforward a few years into my boring office life:
"Not bad," a male voice muttered. "Taking down all those thugs alone... you've got potential."
I was walking home after filing multiple reports, but ran into some gang members at the alleyway. Thankfully, taking them out wasn't too hard due to my Muay Thai training.
"What about it?" I asked.
"Come with me," he said. "I'm ranked 24th in The Vipers. I'm what they call an elite fighter."
Did he just say The Vipers?!
"Stay away!" I yelled.
"I don't want to hurt a woman," he warned. "If you don't join, I'm going to have to use force,"
"I won't join—" I started, but he took his right hand out of his pocket and tried to slap me in the face.
I grabbed his slap and then landed a punch to his face, and he staggered back. I then landed a side-kick to his ribs, causing him to fall down to the ground. Surprise filled his face when he saw that his nose was bleeding.
"I'll give it that you're much stronger than I thought," he admitted. "In that case, I'll have to go all out as well,"
In the end, I won the fight without too much difficulty - the 24th-ranked fighter lay unconscious on the ground. I wonder edwhat he would do if he woke back up: would he hunt me down after I gave him a humiliating defeat?
"You're just all talk..." I muttered.
"Insane," a voice came from behind.
This was the second time this happened. I was freaked out now.
"I don't have money!" I yelled. "There's nothing to get out of this!"
"Nothing when you took down our 24th-ranked fighter that easily?" the voice asked. "I'm Blur, ranked 16th in The Vipers. I'm not here to fight, but I have an offer."
"What is it?" I asked.
"You have a lot of fighting skills. I was curious if you wanted to join our organization," he offered.
"Why would I.." I trail off. "I...I don't have any value though,"
"Bad childhood?" Blur asked. "If you really just said you had no value, it was instilled into you But I promise you, you'll have value here, because you took down an elite fighter. You can at least be ranked 24th out of a 100 people, probably even higher given how easily you took him down,"
This was the first time someone said I could be of use, that I had value. That's the only reason I accepted his offer.
I joined The Vipers and instantly became the 17th-ranked fighter.
I met a bunch of people, including The Swordsman, who ranked 15th at the time. He and Blur didn't seem to like each other for some reason, but I don't know why.
Anyway, Deathstroke gave out an order where the elite fighters were to look for 4 serums and take one upon sight finding it, and each fighter could only take one serum at max. That's how I got powers and got the name "Shockwave." I guess that's the case with Abyss, Venom, and Ripper because they were the three other people who found the serum.
We four then fought out under Deathstroke's orders to determine our new ranks. I managed to defeat Abyss and Venom but lost to Ripper.
So, I was ranked 9th, while Abyss and Venom were ranked 11th and 10th, respectively, and Ripper was ranked 8th.
I was finally appreciated, once and for all - this is home...
Fate led me to this...
"You've been through betrayal," I said. "You didn't spill the details, but that must have been painful."
"That's...true," he replied.
"I haven't experienced that," I admitted. "My deal was getting mistreated by the ones I cared about. My sister, who made my life miserable, is now more successful than me."
"Mistreated?" he asked. "So, you faced abuse and started following fate?"
"That's right," I replied. "Which is why I won't let go of the one thing that brings me peace."
"Look around you," he replied. "Is everyone else finding peace, or is it just you?"
"Nobody in this damn world ever cared about me," I laughed. "So why the hell should I care about them?"
"Not everyone's like that," he replied. "Whoever mistreated you should go to hell, but there are happy families out there. Have you seen that for yourself?"
I charged at him.
"Let's find out," I replied. "Let's see who comes out on top.
Jay's POV:
I realized something important about Shockwave.
She was a victim, not a perpetrator. She never killed anyone but was oppressed by her sister, and maybe even her parents.
"Who were the ones oppressing you?" I inquired.
"My sister, my mother, my father," she replied. "I was invisible in their eyes, and once I left for college, nobody bothered to talk to me again."
So that's her story.
Full redemption wasn't something I could provide; that task fell on The Swordsman. I had to win this fight at this point.
We both charged at each other.
I decided to infuse my body parts with lightning to match her powers.
As she threw a front punch, I effectively blocked it. A backward elbow followed, but I moved back at the right time.
A sound blast flew out from her elbow, but I countered it with my lightning.
I had one final move to defeat her, but the timing had to be perfect. Revealing it now would risk a significant loss.
She was 100% stronger than Venom and Abyss. My attempt at redemption wouldn't be enough to beat her.
He needed to be here to accomplish it, but I'm pretty far from him.
A back-kick by her sent me flying, but I recovered and retaliated with a lightning blast countered by her sound blast.
I attempted ninjitsu, but she evaded and retaliated with sound, disrupting the tornado.
"So, you know how to counter spinjitsu?" I remarked.
"Doesn't look so hard," she retorted.
This world operated on a whole new level.
Opting for a different strategy, I used conduction to surround the floor with lightning. Shockwave countered with her sound, shutting it down.
"I don't fall for the same trick twi-" Shockwave began, but I seized the moment, charging at her with a lightning punch, then shooting lightning again, catching her off guard.
A swift sweep and a series of lightning hits followed.
However, Shockwave managed to block the last hit and moved back.
"Let's end this," she declared, conjuring her powers, and flying into the air.
A large sound came to me, but it didn't matter.
Unbeknownst to her, she had just lost.
"Perfect," I replied. "You fell for it."
For the first time in a while, I performed airjitsu.
Author's note: Airjitsu is an aerial version of spinjitsu in case you forgot or haven't watched Ninjago.
Shockwave got a front-row seat to her own defeat as I smoothly resisted all her attacks and struck her down using airjitsu.
"There's a prison chat incoming," I informed her.
"Jay!" Mark yelled over the comms. "What's Shockwave's status? I'm still reconnecting cameras, but-"
"She's defeated," I cut in. "She's going to prison."
"N-no, not yet," Shockwave stuttered, getting back up. "I-I won't go down."
"She's definitely injured from my airjitsu," I remarked. "This'll be an easy win."
"Power-Punch!" The Swordsman yelled.
"You again," Shockwave spat.
"I got this!" The Swordsman asserted. "You go find Ripper."
"Even if she's a bit drained, she's still a problem," I argued. "Let me-"
"She's redeemable," The Swordsman insisted. "I can work with her. Trust me on this."
If anyone could pull off a redemption arc, it was The Swordsman. I had to rely on him to rescue her. Hopefully, Shockwave would come around to our side.
"Alright," I conceded. "Handle it."
____________________________________________________________________________
Shockwave's POV:
I couldn't wrap my head around this twist.
One moment, Power-Punch was all about redeeming me, and now, The Swordsman barged in, taking control.
Power-Punch dashed off to deal with Ripper, leaving me squaring off with The Swordsman.
Was this year's Purge actually gonna fail?
I got into a fighting stance, facing The Swordsman.
Normally, I'd wipe the floor with The Swordsman without breaking a sweat. But thanks to the hit from Power-Punch's tornado-like "Airjitsu" move, I had a decent amount of injuries. "Airjitsu" or whatever he called it packed a punch.
"So, just us, huh?" The Swordsman mused. "Didn't expect our paths to cross again after six years."
I fired a blast his way, but he blocked it effortlessly with his sword.
"You're looking pretty injured," he observed. "Guess my sword can handle your blasts."
I lunged at him, throwing a punch that he deftly blocked with his sword. A kick followed, but he sidestepped with precision.
"I still got Muay Thai," I boasted, executing a handstand and nailing him with a two-legged kick, pushing him back.
He retaliated, his sword generating a blast. I dodged, countering with a sonic blast.
"You were never like this," I remarked, bewildered. "Where's The Swordsman I knew?"
"Gone," he stated. "That version of me was way off course."
"But...you were following Nightshade, right?" I inquired. "Sure, she gave you a beating for failing, but that's par for the course when you mess up."
"She lied to me about Electro-Punch," he replied. "She never cared from the start, much like the situation with you and your family."
I paused, that painful memory resurfacing.
"B-but it's a 100%!" I stuttered.
"Yeah, yeah, 100 or whatever!" my mother mumbled. "Just go!"
I scurried back to my room, but my sister intercepted me in the stairway.
"Make my bed," she commanded. "I forgot to do it."
"I will, just let me—" I attempt, but she snatches my test paper.
"I said do it now!" she screamed, tearing my paper to shreds.
"That interaction between you, your mom, and your sister you told me about - that could've been me and Nightshade," he pointed out. "Don't you see the similarity?"
I stayed silent, that memory still gnawing at me.
My family ditched me, and my sister rocked a top-tier job as a lawyer while I was stuck as a typical office worker with experience in Muay Thai.
"You sister, the lawyer, right?" The Swordsman nudged. "And you, the typical office worker with a Muay Thai background,"
I had no comeback. He hit the nail on the head. I wanted to yell at him to shut it, but he was too damn accurate. He was right in everything.
"Left in the dust by your own family," The Swordsman wrapped it up. "You're no actual bad guy, just a victim."
That did it for me. I blew up.
"What do you know about how that feels?!" I yelled. "You bailed on us just because of a casual chat with Power-Punch!"
With that, I let loose my powers, aiming a sonic blast at The Swordsman from below, but he saw it coming and blocked it with his sword.
"You think I don't know how you fight by now?" he smirked. "I've got you cornered,"
"Nobody's cornered," I replied.
"Do you remember the first time we met?" he asked. "You saved me from a bunch of SWAT,"
I remembered that memory...
I took down the last SWAT member from my side.
"You rock, Shockwave!" a Viper gang member cheered. "We would have been toast without you!"
"Didn't I tell you? She's the G.O.A.T!" another Viper gang member hollered.
I grinned - I hadn't gotten this much appreciation in forever. Being in The Vipers felt way better than working in some lame office or dealing with my messed-up family.
In just three months, I'd already climbed to the 22nd rank in the gang. My progress was lightning-fast.
"Thanks, everyone," I said. "Someone else is struggling on the other side, so clear things up here."
With that, I bolted to the other side.
And there he was, my first time laying eyes on him: The Swordsman. He was surrounded by a horde of SWAT Team members, like 10 of them.
I dove in, knocking one out from behind. Another tried to grab me, but I did a quick roundhouse kick to his face, knocking him out as well.
With the distraction, The Swordsman reclaimed control, taking on many SWAT Team members, while I took care of a few myself.
"I had that, you know..." he grumbled. "You a ranked fighter like me?"
"Yeah, ranked 22nd," I replied. "Elite fighter, as they call it."
"Cool, I'm 15th," The Swordsman shared. "I'm heading to report to Deathstroke now."
"I see," I responded, strolling off.
"Wait up," The Swordsman called. "Wanna team up from now on?"
"Team up?" I questioned.
"Honestly, I think I'd be in cuffs if you didn't save me," The Swordsman admitted. "You'd make a solid partner."
I sighed - there wasn't much to lose in this situation.
"Alright," I said. "I'm gonna leave now,"
"So damn chilly..." The Swordsman mumbled as I walked away.
"It's kinda funny how we crossed paths, huh?" The Swordsman mused.
"All those missions had their moments," I said. "But they're just snapshots now. The past doesn't hold much weight in this mess."
"Fair point," The Swordsman agreed, charging at me again with his sword.
I blocked it and aimed a punch, but he countered with a hook from his sword and kicked me back.
"Kendo?!" I blurted, surprised.
"I didn't pick up a sword for show," he retorted. "I earned my strength, just like you."
"Yet, here we are, enemies," I said, attempting another sound blast.
"You need a reality check," The Swordsman retorted. "This anger you're letting out won't solve anything."
"It's like I'm stuck in a dream," I confessed. "All I ever wanted was to escape my family, but they never cared and still don't."
"You thought joining The Vipers was the answer?" The Swordsman questioned. "I still see your sister plastered on ads and posters, like Saul Goodman."
"She's like Saul and Chuck," I replied. "Saul was the innocent guy, Chuck the lawyer."
"Saul cared for Chuck, you know?" The Swordsman said. "After Chuck's death, Saul blamed others at first, but later admitted it was his fault."
Author's Note: Saul Goodman(real name Jimmy McGill) is one of the three main protagonists of the Breaking Bad universe, alongside Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. He was one of the main characters in Breaking Bad and the main protagonist of Better Call Saul. Chuck was Jimmy's older brother.
"I can't believe you," I muttered.
"What?" The Swordsman asked.
"So, after everything I've been through because of her, you somehow think she felt guilty, even when she never reached out to me after I went to college?" I said in disbelief.
"What the-?" The Swordsman began, but I cut him off.
"I trusted you with my past, and this is what you think?" I said through gritted teeth, blasting him back with sonic power.
"Look-" The Swordsman tried.
"Even now, she's successful and happy, the opposite of me," I revealed. "Her Inbstagram is filled with photos of her with her family and husband."
The Swordsman looked stunned, pretty lost for words.
"So, when they're this happy, you think they feel remorse for me at the same time?" I questioned. "And somehow, I'm the one in the wrong?"
"You're-" The Swordsman tried.
"Not thinking straight," I finished sarcastically. "So, I'm just trying to live my life, yet I'm 'wrong' again."
The rain started to fall, the sound of water hitting the ground while I and The Swordsman stared at each other.
"You're no different from them!" I shouted. "I hoped you were, but you're not! Like them, you're blaming me for something I'm innocent of!"
"I told you about myself too," The Swordsman replied. "Raised in the slums, not metaphorically like you. I've been through similar shit like you, so why would I act like a perfectionist?"
This triggered another memory of us lying on a skyscraper roof after a mission, staring at the night sky in the rain. Rain in the night sky gave us the best vibes.
"After a day's grind, this is just fun," The Swordsman noted. "You're a real MVP on the team, you know that?"
"We're basically the whole team," I replied. "I've lost count of the times I've gotten you out of trouble."
"How hilarious," he replied sarcastically, a bit annoyed.
"Have you ever thought about what you'd do if we led normal lives?" I asked. "I'm into computers, so maybe something in Computer Science."
"Honestly, I'm on the same path," The Swordsman replied. "I've been a computer nerd forever."
"Nice," I muttered.
"Wait, weren't you just an office worker?" The Swordsman asked. "It's pretty average compared to other jobs, but did the job pay the bills at least?"
"Honestly, it was really just a formal 9-5 job; the salary wasn't that much different," I replied. "I was practically Walter White when he was still teaching high school chemistry."
"That can't be it, right?" he asked. "I mean, that can't be enough to make the switch."
"All my life, I was overshadowed by my family— my mom, dad, and sister," I admitted. "Boring life, no appreciation. When I took down those fighters, Blur appreciated me for the first time,"
"Blur?" he asked, a hint of disgust. "You can't trust that dude; he manipulates everyone."
"So...it wasn't true?" I asked, surprised. "Nobody...appreciates me?"
"The normal gang members definitely do; I mean, you've saved them more than 100 times," The Swordsman encouraged. "And you know what? I do too. You saved me countless times."
I smiled, realizing that at least he valued me.
This was when a feeling took over me. Back then, I didn't know what to call it. I guess it's what people call "love."
He was always there for me, just as I was for him. We had each other's backs, and no matter what, my heart pounded around him, but in a good way. I wish we could stay like this forever.
"About your family, spill the beans," The Swordsman probed. "What happened?"
That was when I decided to lay it all out and spill the family tea.
I told him about how they always favored my sister, the oppression for not hitting that perfect 100, the moment of my first 100, and how my sister pulled the strings. I spilled the truth about how she ended up more successful, and they were happily living without me.
"I really am useless," I muttered. "I mean, what's the point of working this out.."
"Then you wouldn't have taken down the ranked 24th fighter that easily," he replied. "Do you even know how strong an elite fighter is?"
"I wish I was ranked 1st," I replied. "I wanna be at the top."
"First, that's impossible," The Swordsman replied. "Second, there's a limit to how high you aim. Aiming too high makes an impossible goal."
"But my parents-" I started.
"Your parents were the biggest jerks I've seen," he laughed. "Maybe karma will knock on their door one day."
"It's only quests from here on out," I said. "Let's see how far our adventures take us."
We both stared at the night sky and rain for a bit more before The Swordsman spoke.
"Ever heard of a yin-yang promise?" The Swordsman asked.
"Two people make promises to each other," I affirmed. "Usually, it's a bonding request,"
"Pretty much," he replied. "I'll be yin and you be yang,"
"Alright, but can I go first?" I begged.
He sighed and gave a small nod.
"Do you promise to find me no matter how many times we get separated?" I asked.
"I do," he replied calmly.
"Your turn," I replied.
"That'll be saved for the moment when we get separated," he replied calmly.
"Damn it," I groaned in annoyance.
"I'm still the same person as I was," The Swordsman said. "I saved myself from diving into a bad fate, that's it."
"Why the hustle to get me on your team?" I asked. "Power-Punch wouldn't have been trying to redeem me unless you spilled the beans about everything, right?"
"Yep, spilled them all," The Swordsman replied.
"So, you're just recruiting me for my strength, huh?" I asked. "That's another way of using me, plain and simple."
"Nah, not my style," The Swordsman insisted.
"No matter what goes down, I won't just give up and join your crew!" I shouted. "Especially not for trash like you!"
"Remember that yin-yang promise we made on that skyscraper rooftop?" The Swordsman asked. "To find you no matter how many times we got separated."
"And you did find me," I replied. "Six years later, but you did."
True story - he tracked me down after six years. Maybe he was lying, but if he remembered that promise, he might be actually telling the truth.
Suddenly, he pulled out his side of the medallion, the one where he kept my promise.
"Holy shit..." I muttered. "You actually kept the promise..."
"You got it," he replied. "I'm not backing off until you, me, and Power-Punch are a trio."
"That promise isn't worth anything at this point," I said. "It's way too late,"
"Really?" he asked. "Do you remember your past like it was yesterday?"
"I sure as hell do," I laughed. "Every time I wake up, it's the first thing on my mind."
"I feel like I actually get you," The Swordsman said, shocked. "You're like Walter White, but 'breaking bad' in a different way."
"Is that so?" I asked sarcastically.
"You've got nothing to lose anymore," The Swordsman explained. "You've already taken a lot of damage from your family and society, right?"
What the - he's spot on?!
"It looks like the bruise is permanent, but it's not," The Swordsman insisted. "Get up and make a change; that's what you need to do."
"I've already made a change," I replied. "I've joined The Vipers and-"
"That's just coping, not a change," The Swordsman cut in. "If Blur hadn't run into you that day, you wouldn't be part of The Vipers. In short, Blur set things in motion, not you."
I wanted to unleash my powers on him for saying that, but deep down, I had to admit he was right. He was completely right about everything he said.
I've got something to admit as well...
I hadn't truly moved on from the abuse I endured from my parents and sister. If I could turn back time, I'd probably still be stuck in my dull office job, buried in paperwork or writing reports. I was too afraid to take a real leap and make a proper change.
"Ceteris paribus..." The Swordsman muttered. "It applies here."
"All other things being the same?" I questioned. "But isn't that an economics term?"
Author's Note: Ceteris Paribus is a Latin phrase that means "other things equal." It's used in economics to examine how one variable affects another while keeping ALL OTHER FACTORS CONSTANT.
"Apply it to the variables of your life," The Swordsman explained. "If everyone else's actions remain the same, the more effort you put in, the more control you gain over your life."
"So, if people keep doing their human-like stuff, you're saying success is possible?" I asked. "Have you forgotten what The Vipers are all about?"
"Yeah, and plenty of folks still manage to live normal lives worldwide, even in the city of all places," The Swordsman replied. "Get up and make a change for once. Save lives instead of causing harm."
"What's your take on yourself?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"I just keep pushing forward, no matter what life throws at me," he replied. "Regardless of the goal, I make progress because setbacks are just that — setbacks."
"If that's true, I would've made my family proud from the get-go," I countered. "Nothing bad would have happened, right?"
"Ceteris Paribus doesn't apply there," he responded. "Your family dished out a unique, but still harsh kind of punishment for every mistake you made, and your surroundings kept changing."
"Society," I muttered, a tear rolling down my cheek. "People love to hate but hate to love. Isn't that ironic?"
"That's the outside world," The Swordsman said. "But no matter what, you've got to keep pushing through and moving forward. Every attempt brings you one step closer to the endgame."
Now, I was at a crossroads.
Should I stick around with The Vipers or call it quits?
The Swordsman had given me plenty of reasons to leave, but he needed to back up his words with action.
I took something out as well.
"So, you're climbing up to the 9th rank?" The Swordsman asked, genuinely surprised. "Does this mean... we're parting ways?"
"Here," I handed him a yin-yang medallion. "Got this for both of us."
"I'll stick to our deal," The Swordsman promised. "No matter what comes our way, I'll stick to it."
"Alright, Mr. Laser-Focused, take your half of the medallion," I said, a bit irritated. "We're bending the rules meeting like this, so let's keep it short."
"You've been itching to hear about my yin-yang promise, huh?" he remarked.
It had been a minute since he brought it up. I was curious to know what he'd promise compared to mine. Wonder if it's as weird as mine.
"Spill it," I urged.
"If we cross paths again, we only reunite if I can piece the medallion back together," he explained. "Your wish only comes true if mine does."
"What the-?!" I exclaimed, taken aback. "How does that even make sense?"
"I'll go all out for my promise, but this medallion is forever," he asserted. "It's gotta be whole to prove we're a pair."
"Fine," I sighed. "I swear I'll keep mine in top shape so that when we meet again, the yin and yang sides can lock together."
With that, we shared a final hug and went our separate ways.
Until today, we hadn't spoken once. All I knew was he snagged the 12th rank in The Vipers. That's the extent of it.
I pulled out my half of the yin-yang medallion.
"You've held up your end of the bargain, right?" I inquired. "Now let me keep mine."
"That means..." he started to realize.
"Not quite yet," I interrupted. "I'll fulfill my promise, but only if you win."
"What?!" he exclaimed, shocked. "Come on, I can't beat you even if I give it my all."
"No, Mr. Laser-Focused," I responded, playfully. "I'm planning on leaving The Vipers and going back to being your friend. But if you want me on your side, you'll have to fix the Yin-Yang medallion, as you promised,"
"Playing hard to get, huh?" he sighed. "Alright, I'm in."
He assumed a stance, preparing to face off with me.
I couldn't help but wonder what he was up to.
"Linear!" he shouted and propelled himself towards me in a burst of speed.
No way...
What the hell kind of move was that?
I'd never seen him pull off anything like this before. Back in the day, it was always me rescuing him, but this time, he saved me.
I watched in astonishment as he pressed his half of the medallion against mine, and the Yin-Yang symbol was restored once again.
He then landed behind me, dropping to one knee in exhaustion.
"That move... is so draining," he grunted. "Is this... good enough?"
"More than enough," I replied, tucking the medallion into my pocket.
"Damn, that was tough," The Swordsman sighed. "I seriously thought I was gonna die or something."
"Quit the bullshit," I chuckled. "And hey, I owe you a little apology for the mess now, don't I?"
"Nah, no apologies needed," he sighed. "Maybe we should've ditched The Vipers ages ago. I always had this feeling that what we were up to wasn't right, but-"
"We stuck with it because we thought it was a way to leave our past behind," I finished. "Thanks to you and Power-Punch, I see through that now."
"Time for a real change," The Swordsman suggested. "I've got a weapons shop, but maybe I could switch to IT if we come out on top in this war."
"I'm up for helping with the shop," I offered. "And if we win, I might make the jump to IT too."
"Sounds like a plan," he muttered.
Suddenly, a concerning thought popped into my head.
"My sister..." I muttered in shock. "What if she ends up being my lawyer when the SWAT comes to nab me?"
"I mean, she doesn't really hold any more power over you now, does she?" The Swordsman reassured. "Whatever she says, brush it off. She can't mess with you anymore."
"Right..." I said, flashing a smile.
"Nightshade's gonna be fuming," The Swordsman chuckled. "Her ex-student turned traitor, and Shockwave on top of that."
"True," I admitted. "The expression on her face is gonna be priceless, at the very least."
"Can't wait," The Swordsman grinned.
"So... about my trial," I brought up, diving into the topic. "Will they spill the beans on who I really am?"
"The Department of Defense is on our side," The Swordsman assured. "If we convince them you've redeemed yourself, they'll cook up some story for you."
"A staged thing?" I questioned. "But what about my sister? Won't she figure it out? She's a lawyer, after all."
"She might be your defense attorney, but she won't have much influence because, well, she's just a lawyer," The Swordsman explained. "She's clueless about The Vipers and has no idea about your Shockwave alter ego."
"So, nothing major to worry about?" I sought confirmation.
"That's the gist of it," The Swordsman confirmed. "Aside from a potentially awkward family reunion, it should be smooth,"
"Good," I sighed in relief. "It would've sucked big time if she found out."
"Remember, keep forging ahead," The Swordsman urged. "Don't give a damn about what they do,"
"Got it," I affirmed with a smile.
At least I had a chance to move on. I only feel like an idiot for joining The Vipers. From now I'll try to save everyone and stop this organization from plaguing more lives.
"Power-Punch is taking on Ripper, huh?" The Swordsman inquired. "He's got the upper hand, right?"
"He should, but Ripper is no joke," I admitted. "He's got the darkness of Abyss and the craziness of Venom. I'm no match for that guy."
"I see," he sighed. "Well, if he you know...dies, we take the reins, right?"
"Pretty much," I nodded.
The Swordsman sighed, a clear sign of nerves. Even though we were a strong due, the Vipers' executives were on a whole different level. We were still ants compared to them.
"Fate turned out to be a real loser all along," I muttered. "I really thought it was pulling the strings, but turns out it's pretty easy to snatch back control."
Goodbye, fate - this is where we part ways...
Suddenly, a SWAT team came charging towards me.
"Get her!" the SWAT Team leader barked. "Don't let her slip away!"
I sighed, lifting my hands with a smile. At least now, I'd be free from all the torment.
"Guys!" The Swordsman shouted. "Tell the Secretary of Defense that Shockwave is on our side now!"
"No way!" a SWAT Team member exclaimed. "Did she really switch sides?"
"You bet she did," The Swordsman confirmed. "The resistance just got a whole lot stronger."
"I'm sorry for everything I've done," I confessed. "From now on, I'll do everything in my power to protect the city from The Vipers."
SWAT bundled me into a van, transporting me to prison.
For the first time, I felt like I had a true purpose. I believed I could actually bring about change. And I wasn't alone—I had The Swordsman and Power-Punch right there with me.
________________________________________________________________________________
Jay's POV:
"Stay put until 1 P.M. tomorrow," I instructed, guiding the survivors toward a shelter. "SWAT will swoop in and rescue you all around that time."
"Jay!" Mark called out. "Shockwave's on our side now!"
"I knew The Swordsman had it in him," I smirked. "The Swordsman isn't just a fighting machine; he's got a ton of experience understanding people's pain."
"We've seriously upped our game," Mark said, still in shock. "Maybe this year's Purge won't claim any lives."
"So far, so good," I said. "Just Ripper left, and once I take care of him, The Purge should be done,"
"You've got about 3 hours and 30 minutes until it's over," Mark confirmed. "Rest up after you deal with Ripper."
"Ripper, huh?" I mused. "Sounds pretty ominous just from his name."
"He's as devious as he sounds," Mark replied. "But our goal is to ensure everyone makes it through The Purge this time."
"You think I don't know that?" I laughed.
"Billy preached the same message, you know?" Mark added. "No matter how tough the opposition, he always emphasized making sure no one died."
"Well, looks like we're here," I said.
"So... you've finally revealed yourself," a deep, ominous voice echoed.
"You must be..." I realized.
"I'm Ripper," the man declared, unveiling himself. "How are you feeling?"
Cloaked in darkness and emanating sinister energy, Ripper looked like some kind of enforcer or guardian.
"I'm doing well," I replied. "Is this going to be the grand finale of The Purge?"
"Exactly," Ripper, ranked 8th in The Vipers, confirmed. "And it's going to be your last fight."
________________________________________________________________________________
I was able to do this quick cuz of Thanksgiving break, but yeah, let's see how this goes.
Some of the parts were inspired by a song called "Soldier" by Neffex.
Total Word Count: 8052 Words