Iron Crisis
I ducked and threw up my hands as a car came hurtling towards me. The motion was a simple reflex, and the raw power pulsing within me was too.
The invisible tendrils of my ability latched onto the car's metal frame and used its own momentum to fling it around my body and back at the super who'd thrown it. It arced through the air, spinning wildly until it plowed through the fifth story of an apartment complex. Unfortunately, Mega Man was still flying around unscathed.
"Look out!" H's voice shouted in my direction. Without hesitation, I dropped gracefully to my stomach. A pair of knives whizzed over my head seconds later.
I rolled to the side and pulled myself back to my feet. Looking back, I found a heroine dressed in forest green pointing a bow at me.
My eyes widened as I tried to duck, but the arrow skinned the edge of my ear.
After grumbling a few profanities, I turned back to my attacker. I wracked my brain for a name, but came up empty.
I really should study up again. It came in handy, knowing the names and powers of supers, but based on my intuition, I guessed that this girl had the power of accuracy.
Reaching out my hand, I focused on her bow. It was metal, and probably quite expensive too. With a single clench of my fist, the bow crumbled in on itself, the string falling slack in her hands.
She stared at it before tossing it aside and scowling at me. I grinned back as she drew a pair of blades from her belt.
I spread my feet apart and bent my knees, bringing my hands a bit higher as I prepared to fight.
Suddenly, the girl lunged at me, one knife aiming for my skull while the other was coming for my stomach.
I deflected the latter with one arm, the knife clattering to the ground as she lost her grip, and grabbed her wrist with my other. The blade was inches from my temple. I only smirked as it split in two and bent away from my skin, peeling like a banana the closer it got.
I squeezed her wrist hard and she dropped that one as well. Then I snaked a foot behind one of hers and pulled it towards me while pushing her away. She fell to the ground with a heavy thump. I pressed my boot into her throat and took pleasure in watching her struggle for air.
Something, or rather someone, tackled me from the side while I was distracted. The armor of my suit protected my back from the broken glass as I slid across the pavement.
A fist slammed roughly into my jaw, filling my mouth with a metallic tasting liquid.
I looked up to see a hero dressed in blood red straddling me. He had blondish hair and the initials SH imprinted on his chest.
I stared up at him in curiosity, even though I had the lower hand at the moment, "I don't believe we've met. I'm Iron Crisis," I said with a tone of false politeness.
He frowned, determining whether to answer me.
"Scarlet Hound," he replied after a moment. He seemed young, and unnaturally strong.
"Super strength?" I asked him.
"Super senses," he growled before punching me again. I spat out a bit of blood before twisting out from under him and kicking him in the chest. He fell away from me and I took the opportunity to alter our positions. I had a knee pressed against his chest, keeping him down while I held out a hand, searching for nearby metal.
"Work on your balance, and don't let the enemy distract you," I instructed as a metal pipe flew to my opened palm like Thor's hammer, "You seem like a nice kid. Don't get in my way," I said before whacking him in the head. He was going to have one killer headache when he woke up. And unfortunately for him, pain killers don't work on supers.
The boy's body fell limp beneath me, and I stood, brushing myself off and scanning the area. There were only a few heroes left. It hadn't been a very organized attack on their part, but then again, it was probably pretty impromptu.
Ripper was nowhere to be seen, but H and her minions were battling it out with the few remaining heroes.
I studied them for a moment. They were so fluid, working together like a machine.
It was a good strategy I suppose, possessing civilians to fight for you. The heroes showed mercy, not wanting to harm or kill the civilians, but at the same time they were being attacked by them.
As I watched the Hauntress, my hand subconsciously moved down to my pocket. Her letter was folded up there, an edge poking uncomfortably into my side. It had taken several tries, but I had finally found the right Panda Express. Turns out the 'special' she told me to try was just a code for the cashier to give me an envelope.
I still hadn't read it, being as I'd heard all this commotion from down the block.
I was curious to say the least, but it also gave me the perfect opportunity to stop this nonsense right here.
Blowing a strand of damp black hair off my forehead, I rolled my shoulders and stepped forward.
Titana, Mega Man, and the green girl that tried to shoot me earlier were all that was left. I quickly liberated knife girl from her weapons and turned them against her. She barely had time to react before she was skewered against a wall by her own equipment.
I didn't have time to relish her death. I had business to attend to with a certain allusive blonde girl.
I used my powers to tug at Titana's armor, sending her flying over my head. She crashed into some nearby police cars, but more damage was done to the cars than her.
Stupid invincibility.
She stood angrily and charged at me. I side stepped last minute, but misinterpreted her intentions. My reward was a solid kick to the stomach.
I stumbled backwards, clutching my abdomen as I regained my focus.
Think Crisis. Think. What are the weaknesses of someone who's invincible?
A smirk spread across my face. I had an idea.
I lunged, knocking her onto the ground with a great thump. I straddled her, my hands stealing the metal from her armor.
It snaked up my hand, coating it like a glove of liquid mercury. Forming my hand into a fist, I hardened the metal and punched her square in the jaw. It had no effect on her, but it was really just for my own satisfaction.
Furious, Titana struggled beneath me, finally managing to flip us over and land a few punches of her own. My left ear was ringing, and a bit of my cheek felt numb.
I growled and reached up. My metal hand grabbed her face and I forced the stream inside her mouth.
I may not be able to physically hurt her, but we all need to breathe.
I grinned as her eyes filled with panic. She coughed violently, trying to get the metal out, but I only forced it deeper into the recesses of her lungs. I watched her eyes darken as death crept closer. Once I let the metal harden once again, it was all over.
I let go, allowing her body to fall limp on the pavement. I looked up to see H driving Mega Man into a corner. But she was hesitating.
I frowned and stood, calling down a metal rain from a nearby office building. I thrust my hands forward, shooting the pieces towards the hero at an alarming rate.
With a bit of concentration, I made the sea of metal bits part around the Hauntress, before they reformed to pelt Mega Man.
There was a cry of agony as the bits carved into his skin, biting off bits of flesh until they found bone.
It was gruesome, but it got the job done. His body stood for a moment by itself before collapsing onto the ground below.
Before H could be released from her stupor, I grabbed a piece of metal and whacked her in the head. I caught her body as it fell, and effortlessly slung it over my shoulder.
She should've known that this is what comes from taunting me. Perhaps she should be the Tauntress instead of the Hauntress.
I chuckled to myself as I thought about the girl on my shoulder. The girl that'd undoubtedly stolen a piece of my black heart.
I'd finally found her again.
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A/N
Hey everyone! Megan here with our 13th update! Iron Crisis finally found the Hauntress again! What do you think is going to happen?
If you liked this chap then show us by turning that little star orange! Vote, comment, and stay tuned for Stevie's next update!