Wrote this for a friend, they asked me to post it here and see what you guys think.
Good guys win, bad guys lose. It had been true for as long as she could remember, always there, always taunting. She could remember the first time she'd heard it, she'd been maybe seven at the time and had asked one of the local kids how come if Megatron was supposed to be so much stronger that Optimus Prime always won. The kid had smiled at her the way one would at one who couldn't know better, it wasn't her fault she was a girl and thus didn't know this obvious fact of fighting, Because stupid, the good guys win and the bad guys lose he'd said. Funny how such a simple thing, said in jest between two kids before they'd even been on the earth eight years was going to be such a prophetic statement for her life. Throughout the years it kept coming up, when she'd ran away from home she'd become a bad guy as the kid who witnessed her arrest had called her. In Appleton, for all the things she got away with there were plenty she didn't, and then when things got out of hand, oh the good guys had won again. Through the Zig and back again, she'd refound the only friend that had ever watched her back, even been able to act on a few fantasies, live a life she'd always wanted. Oh sure, the life was a lie, but lying in bed in Vicky's arms none of that had ever seemed to matter. No, there everything made sense. Good guys win, bad guys lose, the thought echoed in her head again as she looked up at the sky, at the flotilla of ships that were there raining death and destruction down on the city. The good guys were losing, maybe because the bad guys were helping them and so fate was confused.
I'm tired of it... the words had escaped her before she even knew she was going to speak. Vicky, huddled near her in the remains of a bombed out building still had tears in her eyes, arms wrapped around some guy who had finally managed to make her truly happy. Her hands were glowing, crackling with energy as she desperately tried to save him, the sight of it struck a chord deep inside Cassie down in the hollow void that she'd been trying to ignore, hide, and fill for so long. Deep down, deep in that void, she'd always known that what her and Vicky had wasn't real, not in the way she wanted it to be. Vicky cared for her sure, as a friend, a comrade, but not as a lover, not the way that Cassie loved her. They'd had a fun few months, but ultimately Vicky was a prize worth pursuing, even in a city where the Olympians would look ugly. Cassie hadn't been surprised when Vicky had found someone who made her happy in a way Cassie didn't. Someone who Vicky could love, someone who loved her back. It hurt to watch Vicky like that with someone else, and yet, if she hadn't been watching she wouldn't have seen Vicky's head turn to her as she muttered those words, the caring from friendship in Vicky's eyes as she looked up to Cassie, confused as to what had been said.
Cassie smiled to her, the smile didn't really touch her eyes but it was the effort that counted right? I'm tired of it... she said again, tired of losing because I'm the bad guy. I want to be the hero The words sounded ridiculous coming out of her mouth, she couldn't hold Vicky's gaze and looked back to the sky and the four ships hanging over this part of the city.
Cassie, what are you saying? Vicky's voice was choked, concern, dust, all of it in one. It had been a rather rough 48 hours on the poor girl after all.
Cassie looked back to Vicky again, taking the step over and leaning down to kiss her full on the lips. Vicky stiffened a moment, it had been weeks since they'd kissed, and the last time Cassie'd tried there'd been a fight over it. Vicky didn't fight though, and after a second relaxed into it. Cassie slowly pulled back, trying not to cry as she gave Vicky her best reassuring smile, I love you you know, I always have. Since the first day we met when you'd come back from that party. Thanks, and...make sure he takes care of you ok?
Cassie! Don't! Vicky's voice called after her, but it was too late Cassie was gone, having turned and launched herself into the air, towards the heavens and the ships that waited there. From the ground several pockets of resistance, Vanguard, Heroes, Villains, all having been trapped here and pounded down watched. The word had been that all the flyers were down, killed or injured to the point they may as well be dead. Seeing a lone flyer racing up, numerous groups opened fire with whatever they could providing cover for the suicidal flyer, hoping that there was a plan to this, or at least a chance for a momentum change.
Speed, more speed, I need to go faster! The thought was a mantra in Cassie's mind as she raced towards the sky, putting everything she had into going just a bit more faster, pushing herself on. The air around her exploded with light, Rikti turrets trying to track her, the people on the ground shooting at them and trying to draw attention away from her, some succeeding but most not. Several shots passed close enough to leave sear marks on her flesh and clothes, but luck was with her enough that she was going too fast for them to get a proper bead on her. Almost at the ship, she couldn't stop the smirk from forming as she saw one of the doors open and Rikti troops in power armor jumping out. Apparently they'd learned their lesson well, just one person in this city could turn the tide of the battle, and that was something they most definitely didn't want to happen. The smirk spread to a full smile as Cassie crossed her arms over her head, this was really really going to hurt.
At top speed, the energy blast from the first Rikti out the door didn't slow her down a bit, even as it numbed her arms and sent tingling spasms through her body. Then she was slamming into said Rikti, her numb arms taking the brunt of the blow as she hit with enough force to catch him neatly and use him as a cushion as they both went back into the Rikti ship, slamming into and through bulkheads. Neither the Rikti trapped doubled over Cassie's arms, nor his comrades in the ship had the good sense to not try and shoot Cassie. Plasma and other random energy bolts shot everywhere in her wake as she just kept pressing forward. The random shots hit things they shouldn't have, and as the last of Cassie's momentum punched her out the other side of the shipgranted with some help from all the firing to weaken the hullthe ship blew up in her wake. Even this high in the air she could hear the cheering coming from the ground, and the ground fire doubled itself. There wasn't time for celebration though, she had a rush of energy but she knew she couldn't keep this pace up for long, and the element of surprise was lost now. Moving quickly, Cassie headed for the closest ship, weaving and juking as fast as she can to avoid the onslaught of fire coming at her from the now deployed Rikti forces around the ship, not to mention the significantly heavier fire coming from the ships themselves.
Her eyes went black as lessons from Ghost Widow that had always been so hard for her to grasp came easily in her desperation. Black orbs formed around either hand as she charged the line of Rikti, one of the Vanguard briefings had mentioned the Rikti were some sort of mutated humans, and if they were humans than they had souls. Just shy of reaching the line she released the energy she'd formed, the bolts shot out towards the Rikti forces, exploding into small tendrils that went seeking each individually, wanting only to feast on their soul. The energy wouldn't do much, Cassie's mastery of it was far too weak, however it did work as a distraction and bought her the time needed to finish closing the distance. Without stopping she grabbed the boot of one of the rikti troops, spinning around and using him as a club on the next two closest before throwing him at the next group. She didn't have time for the small fry, she'd have to hope that between the tendrils and what she'd just did she'd have enough time to take this ship out quickly.
A hit from one of the defense cannons spun her around, costing her the last bit of her trench coat that had been holding it on and allowing the red leather coat, or at least it's remains, to flutter back down to the ground. Grunting against the pain, she pressed on anyhow and moved to the back of the ship. The heat coming off the engines was immense, even more so when without thinking she just reached in and grabbed the edges of the cone that shaped the thrust. Even through her body's natural resistances the pain was intense, making her scream out. The pain however only fueled her rage more, and with a great heave she ripped that part of the engine out of the ship, now off balance the ship began to teeter and spin as it crashed towards the ground.
Halfway done, the second to breathe she allowed herself cost her as something slammed into her back, burning through the back of her shirt as if it wasn't there. Smoke trailing from her back she began to fall from the sky, the world spinning and twirling around her. Below, the firing from the ground forces began to concentrate around her, noone hitting but a clear attempt to keep her free from further attack. Just twenty feet shy of hitting the ground she caught herself, shaking her head clear and looking back to the sky saw the Rikti with the very large cannon taking aim at her again. Not this time buddy she growled to herself and shot back up into the air. Reading her intentions one helpful person on the ground shot near enough the aiming rikti that he had to move and thus couldn't shoot. Hurt and tired Cassie couldn't help the grin on her face as she caught up to the rikti, grabbing the gun from his hands before kicking with both feet into his gut. As the rikti sailed away, she turned the gun on the third ship and pulled the trigger. Either the weapon had been set to it's maximum setting, God himself was on her side, she was lucky as hell, or all of the above as the beam that was loosed from the gun was more powerful than the one that had hit her just moments before by a significant margin. The beam hit the Rikti ship, super heating the metal to the point it seemed to boil before punching through and taking the ship out. The weapon celebrated it's victory by promptly exploding as Cassie went to drop it and move to the last ship.
The fourth ship, having watched it's three comrades drop one by one in short order wasn't taking any chances. Every gun on the ship had opened fire, shooting indiscriminately into the ground, the air, to the heavens, everywhere that a Rikti wasn't around it had energy and missiles shooting through it. And those places that did have Rikti in them, well, the Riki themselves were firing. Cassie worked her way through as quick as she could, her mind no longer caring as she got hit from any direction, the world had taken on a red haze. Dodge, juke, and weave turning into a simple repition of smash, smash, smash that never seemed to end. Her clothes was in tatters, she was cut, bleeding, and bruised from how many different places and her normally pale skin was so soot covered she looked like she'd been tanning in jamaica for months. Still, she managed to make it to the fourth ship, landing on the roof and beginning to pound on the metal. A gun barrel spun, hitting her in the head and sending her sprawling towards the side, she just barely managed to catch herself before falling as her hand caught a loose edge. Pulling herself back up, she let what she had left, all the rage and pain loose. I smash AM smash! NOT Smash! LOSING! SMASH! She yelled as she repeatedly slammed her fists into the hull of the ship, she made a big enough dent she didn't have to worry about holding on and used both hands. Her fist managed to punch through after what felt like hours of pounding, grabbing two edges she pulled, making the hole larger and fell in, right in front of five Rikti who were training guns on her. The concussive force from the shots slammed her back into part of the engines. The guns were charging for a second shot. Damn she was tired, the world was blurring as she looked around, her head swimming. There, that looked important, with a last ditch effort she hit whatever 'that' was. Her efforts were rewarded as the already strained engines behind her started sparking. boom she said, the guns repeated what she'd just said.
The last ship exploded spectacularly, raining Rikti and debris down on the city scape beneath it. No longer able to be held up by the ship, or her own conscious effort, gravity took a hold of Cassie and pulled her towards the ground. The air rushed past her, debris raining down around her as she hurtled towards the ground. Her mind fought to stay conscious, it was losing, and badly. Good guys win, bad guys lose. She smiled. Oblivion took her long before she hit the ground.
*
**
*
Vicky was torn, the man in her arms was taking her full attention to stay alive, and up in the sky the woman who had just confessed her love was fighting in a suicide charge trying to help. I want to be the hero she'd said before leaving, Vicky shut her eyes tight, the hero in these situations usually died. She came to a decision, as cruel as it was to Cassie, Cassie had made her choice. Vicky wouldn't look up, Cassie was giving time, she wasn't going to waste it by not saving the life she held in her arms. Turning her full attention back to the man, she redoubled her efforts to keeping him alive.
Even without looking however Vicky knew the exact moment that Cassie had fulfilled her wish, with the Rikti ships down, the field that had been stopping any form of teleportation dropped and the med-porters kicked in immediately. Pulling all the badly injured heroes out of the area, sorting them by need, and sending them to the hospitals that were left. That left only the 'villains' in the area, not linked to the cities med centers, but Vanguard medics were rushing to help them as quickly as they could, and with the injured heroes no longer clogging things up, more aid could be given to the people left. Cassie! It dawned on Vicky that despite the time Cassie had spent in Paragon lately, she never would have been part of that grid. Climbing to her feet, Vicky left the shell of a building she'd been in, and went looking for her friend.
Wrote this for a friend, they asked me to post it here and see what you guys think.
Good guys win, bad guys lose. It had been true for as long as she could remember, always there, always taunting. She could remember the first time she'd heard it, she'd been maybe seven at the time and had asked one of the local kids how come if Megatron was supposed to be so much stronger that Optimus Prime always won. The kid had smiled at her the way one would at one who couldn't know better, it wasn't her fault she was a girl and thus didn't know this obvious fact of fighting, Because stupid, the good guys win and the bad guys lose he'd said. Funny how such a simple thing, said in jest between two kids before they'd even been on the earth eight years was going to be such a prophetic statement for her life. Throughout the years it kept coming up, when she'd ran away from home she'd become a bad guy as the kid who witnessed her arrest had called her. In Appleton, for all the things she got away with there were plenty she didn't, and then when things got out of hand, oh the good guys had won again. Through the Zig and back again, she'd refound the only friend that had ever watched her back, even been able to act on a few fantasies, live a life she'd always wanted. Oh sure, the life was a lie, but lying in bed in Vicky's arms none of that had ever seemed to matter. No, there everything made sense. Good guys win, bad guys lose, the thought echoed in her head again as she looked up at the sky, at the flotilla of ships that were there raining death and destruction down on the city. The good guys were losing, maybe because the bad guys were helping them and so fate was confused.
I'm tired of it... the words had escaped her before she even knew she was going to speak. Vicky, huddled near her in the remains of a bombed out building still had tears in her eyes, arms wrapped around some guy who had finally managed to make her truly happy. Her hands were glowing, crackling with energy as she desperately tried to save him, the sight of it struck a chord deep inside Cassie down in the hollow void that she'd been trying to ignore, hide, and fill for so long. Deep down, deep in that void, she'd always known that what her and Vicky had wasn't real, not in the way she wanted it to be. Vicky cared for her sure, as a friend, a comrade, but not as a lover, not the way that Cassie loved her. They'd had a fun few months, but ultimately Vicky was a prize worth pursuing, even in a city where the Olympians would look ugly. Cassie hadn't been surprised when Vicky had found someone who made her happy in a way Cassie didn't. Someone who Vicky could love, someone who loved her back. It hurt to watch Vicky like that with someone else, and yet, if she hadn't been watching she wouldn't have seen Vicky's head turn to her as she muttered those words, the caring from friendship in Vicky's eyes as she looked up to Cassie, confused as to what had been said.
Cassie smiled to her, the smile didn't really touch her eyes but it was the effort that counted right? I'm tired of it... she said again, tired of losing because I'm the bad guy. I want to be the hero The words sounded ridiculous coming out of her mouth, she couldn't hold Vicky's gaze and looked back to the sky and the four ships hanging over this part of the city.
Cassie, what are you saying? Vicky's voice was choked, concern, dust, all of it in one. It had been a rather rough 48 hours on the poor girl after all.
Cassie looked back to Vicky again, taking the step over and leaning down to kiss her full on the lips. Vicky stiffened a moment, it had been weeks since they'd kissed, and the last time Cassie'd tried there'd been a fight over it. Vicky didn't fight though, and after a second relaxed into it. Cassie slowly pulled back, trying not to cry as she gave Vicky her best reassuring smile, I love you you know, I always have. Since the first day we met when you'd come back from that party. Thanks, and...make sure he takes care of you ok?
Cassie! Don't! Vicky's voice called after her, but it was too late Cassie was gone, having turned and launched herself into the air, towards the heavens and the ships that waited there. From the ground several pockets of resistance, Vanguard, Heroes, Villains, all having been trapped here and pounded down watched. The word had been that all the flyers were down, killed or injured to the point they may as well be dead. Seeing a lone flyer racing up, numerous groups opened fire with whatever they could providing cover for the suicidal flyer, hoping that there was a plan to this, or at least a chance for a momentum change.
Speed, more speed, I need to go faster! The thought was a mantra in Cassie's mind as she raced towards the sky, putting everything she had into going just a bit more faster, pushing herself on. The air around her exploded with light, Rikti turrets trying to track her, the people on the ground shooting at them and trying to draw attention away from her, some succeeding but most not. Several shots passed close enough to leave sear marks on her flesh and clothes, but luck was with her enough that she was going too fast for them to get a proper bead on her. Almost at the ship, she couldn't stop the smirk from forming as she saw one of the doors open and Rikti troops in power armor jumping out. Apparently they'd learned their lesson well, just one person in this city could turn the tide of the battle, and that was something they most definitely didn't want to happen. The smirk spread to a full smile as Cassie crossed her arms over her head, this was really really going to hurt.
At top speed, the energy blast from the first Rikti out the door didn't slow her down a bit, even as it numbed her arms and sent tingling spasms through her body. Then she was slamming into said Rikti, her numb arms taking the brunt of the blow as she hit with enough force to catch him neatly and use him as a cushion as they both went back into the Rikti ship, slamming into and through bulkheads. Neither the Rikti trapped doubled over Cassie's arms, nor his comrades in the ship had the good sense to not try and shoot Cassie. Plasma and other random energy bolts shot everywhere in her wake as she just kept pressing forward. The random shots hit things they shouldn't have, and as the last of Cassie's momentum punched her out the other side of the shipgranted with some help from all the firing to weaken the hullthe ship blew up in her wake. Even this high in the air she could hear the cheering coming from the ground, and the ground fire doubled itself. There wasn't time for celebration though, she had a rush of energy but she knew she couldn't keep this pace up for long, and the element of surprise was lost now. Moving quickly, Cassie headed for the closest ship, weaving and juking as fast as she can to avoid the onslaught of fire coming at her from the now deployed Rikti forces around the ship, not to mention the significantly heavier fire coming from the ships themselves.
Her eyes went black as lessons from Ghost Widow that had always been so hard for her to grasp came easily in her desperation. Black orbs formed around either hand as she charged the line of Rikti, one of the Vanguard briefings had mentioned the Rikti were some sort of mutated humans, and if they were humans than they had souls. Just shy of reaching the line she released the energy she'd formed, the bolts shot out towards the Rikti forces, exploding into small tendrils that went seeking each individually, wanting only to feast on their soul. The energy wouldn't do much, Cassie's mastery of it was far too weak, however it did work as a distraction and bought her the time needed to finish closing the distance. Without stopping she grabbed the boot of one of the rikti troops, spinning around and using him as a club on the next two closest before throwing him at the next group. She didn't have time for the small fry, she'd have to hope that between the tendrils and what she'd just did she'd have enough time to take this ship out quickly.
A hit from one of the defense cannons spun her around, costing her the last bit of her trench coat that had been holding it on and allowing the red leather coat, or at least it's remains, to flutter back down to the ground. Grunting against the pain, she pressed on anyhow and moved to the back of the ship. The heat coming off the engines was immense, even more so when without thinking she just reached in and grabbed the edges of the cone that shaped the thrust. Even through her body's natural resistances the pain was intense, making her scream out. The pain however only fueled her rage more, and with a great heave she ripped that part of the engine out of the ship, now off balance the ship began to teeter and spin as it crashed towards the ground.
Halfway done, the second to breathe she allowed herself cost her as something slammed into her back, burning through the back of her shirt as if it wasn't there. Smoke trailing from her back she began to fall from the sky, the world spinning and twirling around her. Below, the firing from the ground forces began to concentrate around her, noone hitting but a clear attempt to keep her free from further attack. Just twenty feet shy of hitting the ground she caught herself, shaking her head clear and looking back to the sky saw the Rikti with the very large cannon taking aim at her again. Not this time buddy she growled to herself and shot back up into the air. Reading her intentions one helpful person on the ground shot near enough the aiming rikti that he had to move and thus couldn't shoot. Hurt and tired Cassie couldn't help the grin on her face as she caught up to the rikti, grabbing the gun from his hands before kicking with both feet into his gut. As the rikti sailed away, she turned the gun on the third ship and pulled the trigger. Either the weapon had been set to it's maximum setting, God himself was on her side, she was lucky as hell, or all of the above as the beam that was loosed from the gun was more powerful than the one that had hit her just moments before by a significant margin. The beam hit the Rikti ship, super heating the metal to the point it seemed to boil before punching through and taking the ship out. The weapon celebrated it's victory by promptly exploding as Cassie went to drop it and move to the last ship.
The fourth ship, having watched it's three comrades drop one by one in short order wasn't taking any chances. Every gun on the ship had opened fire, shooting indiscriminately into the ground, the air, to the heavens, everywhere that a Rikti wasn't around it had energy and missiles shooting through it. And those places that did have Rikti in them, well, the Riki themselves were firing. Cassie worked her way through as quick as she could, her mind no longer caring as she got hit from any direction, the world had taken on a red haze. Dodge, juke, and weave turning into a simple repition of smash, smash, smash that never seemed to end. Her clothes was in tatters, she was cut, bleeding, and bruised from how many different places and her normally pale skin was so soot covered she looked like she'd been tanning in jamaica for months. Still, she managed to make it to the fourth ship, landing on the roof and beginning to pound on the metal. A gun barrel spun, hitting her in the head and sending her sprawling towards the side, she just barely managed to catch herself before falling as her hand caught a loose edge. Pulling herself back up, she let what she had left, all the rage and pain loose. I smash AM smash! NOT Smash! LOSING! SMASH! She yelled as she repeatedly slammed her fists into the hull of the ship, she made a big enough dent she didn't have to worry about holding on and used both hands. Her fist managed to punch through after what felt like hours of pounding, grabbing two edges she pulled, making the hole larger and fell in, right in front of five Rikti who were training guns on her. The concussive force from the shots slammed her back into part of the engines. The guns were charging for a second shot. Damn she was tired, the world was blurring as she looked around, her head swimming. There, that looked important, with a last ditch effort she hit whatever 'that' was. Her efforts were rewarded as the already strained engines behind her started sparking. boom she said, the guns repeated what she'd just said.
The last ship exploded spectacularly, raining Rikti and debris down on the city scape beneath it. No longer able to be held up by the ship, or her own conscious effort, gravity took a hold of Cassie and pulled her towards the ground. The air rushed past her, debris raining down around her as she hurtled towards the ground. Her mind fought to stay conscious, it was losing, and badly. Good guys win, bad guys lose. She smiled. Oblivion took her long before she hit the ground.
*
**
*
Vicky was torn, the man in her arms was taking her full attention to stay alive, and up in the sky the woman who had just confessed her love was fighting in a suicide charge trying to help. I want to be the hero she'd said before leaving, Vicky shut her eyes tight, the hero in these situations usually died. She came to a decision, as cruel as it was to Cassie, Cassie had made her choice. Vicky wouldn't look up, Cassie was giving time, she wasn't going to waste it by not saving the life she held in her arms. Turning her full attention back to the man, she redoubled her efforts to keeping him alive.
Even without looking however Vicky knew the exact moment that Cassie had fulfilled her wish, with the Rikti ships down, the field that had been stopping any form of teleportation dropped and the med-porters kicked in immediately. Pulling all the badly injured heroes out of the area, sorting them by need, and sending them to the hospitals that were left. That left only the 'villains' in the area, not linked to the cities med centers, but Vanguard medics were rushing to help them as quickly as they could, and with the injured heroes no longer clogging things up, more aid could be given to the people left. Cassie! It dawned on Vicky that despite the time Cassie had spent in Paragon lately, she never would have been part of that grid. Climbing to her feet, Vicky left the shell of a building she'd been in, and went looking for her friend.