1.6 Alliance Part 12

As they land on the floor, Protector comes out on top as Dark Tendril ends up on his back. Protector doesn’t hold back as he swings both of his fists into Dark Tendril’s fist repeatedly.

As Guardian uses her armour and KEPs to break free of the energy tendrils, now only half restraining her.

Dark Tendril didn’t get the chance to fully restrain me otherwise I wouldn’t be able to break free so easily. Hmm, it appears that Protector’s punches are actually hurting Dark Tendril. Why is that happening when I couldn’t do anything?

A mixture of power, multitude and timeframe.

Please explain in greater detail.

The exoskeleton suit in the armour enhances his strength. Protector is inherently stronger than you so his enhanced strikes are much more powerful than yours. He is doing it rapidly to the same area within a short amount of the time. The large amount of power being repeatedly delivered rapidly is actually overcoming Dark Tendril’s defence.

So how is Protector not getting hurt?

His armour protects his fists from damage while Dark Tendril is caught off guard and has yet to recover.

Should we intervene?

Wait until you have the ability to harm Dark Tendril, but be prepared to support Protector if he needs the help. In the meantime, attempt to get the capability to harm Dark Tendril.

So any ideas on how to do that?

Perhaps you could upgrade your energy projector batons to more power? Other than that, I have no suggestions to offer at this moment in time.

Thanks for the help anyway.        

Sparing Protector only a single glance before she gets to work, Guardian begins to attach more ElecMag cells to one of her batons.

Boosting the power to the energy projector should strengthen the energy projector. Of course overcharging it like this will burn through more power quicker and I will have to do make major repairs to it later. Not to mention it is much more likely to malfunction or break when being used.

We need the extra firepower.

I know, but this is only a short term solution, we’ll need to work on a long term one when we can.

We have to make it out of this in one piece to do that.

I know that as well.

As she finishes adding two ElecMag cells to the baton, Guardian whips her head around as she hears Protector grunt in pain.

Dark Tendril has fought him off and aims his hand at his head as a handgun made of solid black energy forms in it. The villain is clearly preparing to finish off Protector for good.

If that gun was able to dent my armour, it should have no trouble piercing one of my old suits. Then again, Protector’s modified suit includes a lot of Gardium, but I don’t want to take any chances.

With no time to waste, Guardian activates her KEPs as she zooms at Dark Tendril. She tackles him as they fly at the wall. Dark Tendril still gets a shot off, but Guardian is certain it went off target.

At the very least, it won’t kill Protector if it does hit him.

As they impact the wall, Guardian keeps on going, using Dark Tendril as a battering ram to break through. They fly not only through that wall, but the next one as well to reach the open city.

With Dark Tendril in her gasp, Guardian tosses him into the ground. He slams into it hard, leaving a small crater around his point of impact in the road.

Dark Tendril begins to get to his feet as Guardian hovers in the air, finishing modifying one of her energy projector batons into something with enough power to hurt Dark Tendril.

But how will I subdue him?

Subdue him? I don’t think you’ll be able to subdue him.

So what did you expect me to do?

Kill him.

Why?

Because he is an enemy trying to do the same to you. I am also certain that he has already harmed innocents and will do so again if not stopped.

But I don’t want to kill people.

Humph! Then you are going to have to flee instead.

Why do you have no problem with killing? We’re a superhero.

I’m a soldier.

With her energy projector baton now fully modified, Guardian activates it and a bright, electric blue energy beam appears, about thirty centimetres long.

In mid-flight amidst the night sky with an energy blade weapon in her hand, Guardian is sure that she is an impressive sight to behold.

“You know what Guardian?” says Dark Tendril from below, “Let’s call it quits for now. My bosses didn’t tell me you could do all this.”

And with that, Dark Tendril steps into the shadows before disappearing into them.

“Guardian?” asks Protector over their private comm-link, “What should we do now?”

“Get back to the basement with what you got,” replies Guardian, “I need to figure out how to explain all of this to Alexandria and the authorities. They ought to be informed of this, especially about Dark Tendril.”

1.6 Alliance Part 11

The man slams into to the wall, dropping to one knee.

“What the-” starts Protector as he spins around before stopping as tendrils of solid blackness sprout from the ground, wrapping around his legs and up towards his body.

Several of the same tendrils appear around Guardian and attempt to do the same, but she is already in action as she flies at the man. The man is already recovering and has covered himself in thin layer of semi-transparent black energy.

Guardian swings both of her stun batons into the man, but they do little more than stagger and stun him.

This guy seems a little too powerful for me to deal with. My most powerful attacks haven’t actually done much to hurt him and if I can’t hurt him, I don’t see how I can win this.

Call for aid. Convert the electricity projectors of the stun batons into directed supercharged laser projectors to create an energy blade.

Good ideas.

Guardian sends an alert to Sentry and Gears before focusing on all four electric stun batons, both hers and Protector’s.

She can feel the tendrils wrapping around her, but Guardian focuses on modifying the stun batons. They need a more powerful weapon to take this guy down.

After a few seconds, the modifications are done and Guardian has a bad headache.

Focus.

I know!

The sound of the man speaking brings Guardian’s attention back to her immediate surroundings. The man has a couple dozen tendrils holding Guardian in place.

“I thought you would be tougher,” sneers the man.

Guardian tries to break free of solid energy tendrils, but they are extremely strong and solid. While they do strain a bit, they don’t even begin to show any signs of tearing or breaking. The best she does is getting her right arm free.

“Well, Guardian,” says the man snidely as he bends down in front of her, “When the angels bring you to the heavens, tell them that Durante Capello send you.”

He pulls out one of the not-technology guns that the other mobsters have been using. Meanwhile Guardian feels some sprouting her head, something dark and out of place.

He has spawned one of those energy tendrils inside of your mind.

So do something! You’re the smart on here!

I can deal with it, but it will only worsen your headache.

I can deal with more pain, but I don’t want anyone messing with my mind!

As you wish.

Guardian grunts in pain as her head flares in pain.

It feels like somebody is scrambling my head!

That is one way of describing what I am going if simplified and inexact.

Guardian is jolted back to reality as a pair of red lasers bounce off of her armour. She growls at the man, Durante Capello.

He is a supervillain and these black energy tendrils seem to be his main power so I’m just going to call him Dark Tendril.

Dark Tendril seems surprised at that fact his weapon didn’t kill Guardian or even damage her armour. Guardian doesn’t give him the chance to try again as she lashes out with her power. Dark Tendril yelps as his gun explodes in his hand, but leaves him unarmed.

Using her free hand, Guardian stabs her energy projector baton at Dark Tendril, but the supervillain grabs her waist and smiles at her.

“Nice trick, but I’m not so easily beaten,” says Dark Tendril with some respect in his voice.

Using his other hand, he grabs her by the neck and starts to squeeze.

I got a bit of time before the Gardium armour begins to give.

One minute thirty four seconds before it begins to crack and go inward, three minutes fifty four seconds until he kills you by crushing your throat.

Any suggestions?

Flashbang Dark Tendril with your power then hit him hard to knock him off balance. Try to keep him that way and retain the initiative until back up arrives. Try to hurt him with your energy projector batons if you can.

Thanks.

Using her power, Guardian activates one of the flashbangs on her utility belt. While not overly affected, Dark Tendril is stunned and staggers backwards, letting go of Guardian as he shields his face with one arm.

Guardian kicks her feet towards Dark Tendril’s upper legs and fires the KEPs in her boots as they make contact with him.

The still recovering supervillain is knocked off his feet and slams face first into the ground. He grunts as Guardian breaks free of the energy tendrils restraining her. She flies into the air as Dark Tendril begins to get to his feet.

Guardian throws a trio of explosives at Dark Tendril. He stumbles backwards, still off balance and Guardian flies down at him, feet first. Her feet smash into Dark Tendril’s chest and he goes flying backwards, crashing into a wall on the far side of the room.

Guardian lands on the ground whilst breaking into a run at Dark Tendril, an energy projector baton in each hand.

But Dark Tendril whips out a pair of handguns made of solid black energy and opens fire on Guardian. The bullets of dark energy slam into her chest, staggering Guardian as they dent her armour just barely.

“You really are a resourceful bitch aren’t you,” snarls Dark Tendril as more of his energy tendrils fly out of the ceiling and floor to restrain Guardian, “Then again, someone who has caused so much trouble would have to-”

Protector tackles Dark Tendril, knocking him off his feet.  

1.6 Alliance Part 10

After changing back into her original clothing, Guardian got back into her armour. After collecting the four boxes of Alexandria’s old clothing and bidding Pathfinder farewell, Guardian flew back to the basement, where Scott and Cain should be.

She lands outside the door, moves up against the lock so she can use her power to open it up. As Guardian walks in and takes her helmet off, both Scott and Cain look up at her.

“What is in the boxes?” asks Scott as he eyes them.

“Alexandria’s old clothes,” replies Legacy as she puts the boxes in question down on the floor, “Her team decided I was about her old size so I tried on most of her old clothes. Then I got your message and decided to let Alexandria and her team go after Armsmith.”

“Any particular reason why?” inquires Scott.

“Building goodwill up,” says Legacy.

“So what about the clothes?” asks Scott, “You showed them what you look like didn’t you?”

“Yes,” replies Legacy, “I also have their biometric scans so it seemed reasonable. It isn’t exactly like they can use it against me and it helps build up more goodwill.”

“It’s your secret identity,” says Scott with a shrug, “Did Leo tell you about Cain’s codename and the girl that he recruited over in Grand Rapids?”

“Yes,” replies Legacy.

“Good,” says Scott as he puts his hands together, “You know, we’re going to have to come up with a name for our group soon.”

“I am well aware,” replies Legacy, “I have already mentioned it to Leo.”

“Hmm,” says Scott, “So I got an idea for training Cain here. Since he has school, he’ll come round tomorrow evening for training and spend Saturday also training in the morning and afternoon. Then, in the event, the two of you can hit the mob target that Leo has so kindly provided for us.”

“Good plan,” says Legacy.

“It is what I do for this little group,” replies Scott with a grin.

***

Two Days Later

“Good,” replies Protector as he drops the mob thug he was beating unconscious, “So what now?”

“The Caporegime is in the next room,” says Guardian as she walks over to the door, an electric stun baton in each hand, “We take him down, steal their money and data. Then we’ll decide what do to hand over to the police, what to upload to the internet and what to keep for ourselves once we’re back at our base.”

“Sounds like a plan,” says Protector as he bends down and picks his electric stun baton up.

Protector is wearing the modified suit of power armour that Guardian came up with. Most of the old armour is pretty much gone with large amounts of Gardium holding it together. It is effectively plate armour with the exo-skeleton to provide enhanced strength and speed while helmet includes a HUD to help identify targets and items of interest to Protector.

Around his waist is a utility belt containing a variety of gadgets provided by both Gears and Guardian, including a pair of electric stun batons like the ones that Guardian uses. It also has a voice distorter to help keep his identity secret.

Guardian kicks the door down just a single strike and enters the room. Inside is a well-dressed man with a pair of armed bodyguards.

Each of them has a sleek, smooth, curved, black not-technology pistol and Guardian snarls beneath her helmet as she leaps into action. Using KEPs to boost her jump, Guardian swings her two electric stun batons into the heads of the two bodyguards before slamming into the leader.

They both go tumbling while the man cries out in pain. Ignoring him, Guardian swiftly uses her power to make the not-technology pistols explode. The leader screams in pain as his weapon explodes in his hand and Guardian shuts him up with a jab to the jaw, breaking it.

Guardian turns around to finish off the bodyguards only to find that Protector has already taken them out.

“Good work,” Guardian tells him.

“Will he be okay?” asks Protector, indicating the mob leader.

“Yes,” replies Guardian, “He should make a full recovery naturally. But it will take at least six weeks, possibly two months.”

“So now what?” asks Protector.

“I’ll download the data from the computers while you loot the guys,” replies Guardian as she gets to work, “Get their phones, money and weapons. Phones are useful as I modify them into useful gadgets while I feel it is important to disrupt their powerbases by ridding them of drugs, funds and weaponry whenever we can.”

“Does it work?” inquires Protector as he begins retrieving items of value from one of the men he has knocked out.

“While I can’t say for sure, I believe I am having some effect on their operations,” answers Guardian, 

“They are finding it harder to deal drugs and I’m sure that I’ve taken out at least some of their funds and destroyed a good portion of their product with my raids of their bases. At the very least they get stressed and angry with me and are doing their utmost to stop me.”

“Are their efforts working?” asks Protector as he moves onto the next man.

“No, they have nothing to match me yet,” replies Guardian, “That said, nobody has sent parahuman after me yet. Except for the government.”

“The government?” repeats Protector

“They’ve sent Alexandria to arrest me a couple of times,” offers Guardian in way of further explanation.

“Oh, okay,” mutters Protector.

Left Fist. Strike Forward and Up at Highest Strength. One, two, NOW!

Guardian does as her companion instructs and her fist connects with the lower jaw of a handsome, well-built man in a suit as he steps out of the shadows.