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Post by Moe on Dec 1, 2023 13:17:20 GMT -6
Mark tried to remain calm during Lux's outburst, and set a hand on Nox's shoulder to prevent him from dashing forward again. He took a deep breath and took his helmet off, set it forcefully onto a table with a resounding thud. "Get over yourself." he said, this time not being as nice and understanding as last time they'd spoke. "You think you're the only one with problems? I'm cursed to watch everyone I care about, grow old and die for all eternity. That includes you. It sucks what you went through. I'm not saying it doesn't. But don't stand here and act like you're the only one that bad things ever happen to. Don't you dare take your anger out, on Nox. Doing that, that makes you no better than Reese. In fact, that makes you exactly like Reese. You're becoming the person you're running away from."
"And just like Reese does, you're acting like the world revolves around you. We aren't here for you, Lux. Ikuki and I came here to take down Apollo, and the whole freaking city is coming down, with him. That would have included you, if we hadn't found you. You want to act like you're some kind of hero, but you're not. You never will be, if you keep on this path. You're not protecting us, you're putting others in danger by your actions. Those guys outside? Don't pretend like you're protecting us from them. I can send them so far into the future, they'll turn to dust. You aren't protecting anyone but yourself and your own feelings."
"The only one here who's in danger, is you. From the path you're on, from your own feelings, and from the entire freaking city about to be blown off the map. You want to know real fear? Apollo's not the bad guy. He never was. You remember those monsters a couple years ago, that attacked you? That fear you felt as they dug into your flesh? Do you remember choking on your own blood as they were relentless? Imagine those things, taking control of the entire freaking planet. The desert outside of this safe little box you're in? Imagine that happening to the entire world. You don't know real danger. The guys you're involved with, mean nothing to me."
"You want to act like you're the hero? Try and stop this." he said, projecting a vision of a possible future that filled the room like a hologram. The vision showed the world becoming nothing but desolate wasteland, with the creatures enslaving what few earthlings remained after the great purge. There was nothing left, no cities, no magic, no nature, only sand and blood. Further into the future, the earth wasn't capable of surviving under those conditions and begins to crumble. The vision was harsh, and Mark felt horrible for showing him and talking to him the way he was, but he had to put things into perspective that there was a much bigger threat.
He stopped the vision, returning the room to normal. "I'm sorry that I have to show you this. I just need you to understand that whatever you think you're protecting us from, is meaningless in the grand scheme of things. That future is just one of many that I've had visions of, and none of them have good outcomes. I'm trying everything I can to make sure we find the one good future, but I can't do that if I have to keep saving you from your own stupid decisions. Now, you can either come with us and live to see another day and make things right with your family, or you stay with these jerks and continue to piss your life away. What might be left of it, anyway."
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Post by Banshee on Dec 1, 2023 19:30:49 GMT -6
Mark was done dealing with Lux on so many levels. It was even to the point where he removed his helmet, letting it fall onto the table with a hard thud. This caused Nox to flinch at the sudden movement and the stern tone of his friend’s voice. Lux had crossed the line with his emotional drawbacks and Mark was going to give it to him. Which, Nox honestly couldn’t blame him on. Lux narrowed his eyes as he stared up at Mark speaking to him with his stern tone. A part of him wanted to snap at him. He even opened his mouth to interject about the fact that he was being centralistic about his own problems. But he quickly clamped his mouth shut when Mark went as far as to comparing him to Reese. A nerve was struck. His cheek twitched at the unbearable thought that he was becoming much like his older brother. A cold, egotistical, selfish, and just plain heartless person. His eyes slowly drifted over to Nox who looked rather sheepish and hurt over Lux’s harsh words. It quickly dawned onto him, that was how HE looked when Reese did the same to him. And his heart sank, bringing along with it, his anger and resentment towards him. He hated Reese so much, he was becoming him. Lux glanced away from Nox and continued to listen to the stern one sided conversation that Mark was having with him. He could feel himself growing angry again when Mark told him that the path he was on, wasn’t going to make him a hero. And in the end, he was doing more damage than he meant to. With that bitter realization, it made him sick. When he heard Mark say that Jet and Roach mean nothing to him, Lux gave him a sharp glare. His jaw tightened together, almost to the point where his teeth began to hurt. He could feel his emotions bubble and swirl with bitter rage. But unlike before, he was able to control his power and nothing came from it. However, as he went to speak once more, Mark turned the world into a different reality. One of which showed their future. A grim and barren world. The aliens that attacked before were back in force. He looked at his home. An endless rocky abyss that had no hopes. No dreams. He could see the civilians slaving away. Collapsing onto the ground. Children cried as their parents fell. Orphans. Then as he turned, he could see the endless heaps of bodies. A graveyard. Lux immediately had the urge to heave but caught himself. Nox however, wasn’t so lucky and heaved into a corner. Lux was deeply shaken from this. His heart hurt. His everything hurt. The pain and agony he witnessed was something he didn’t want. The future was gone. And he would’ve been no help at all. This gave him a pain that he never had felt before. It felt even far worse than being sucker punched by a robot. Then when he was given the choice. Lux had pondered over it. “I’m...” His mind then flashed an image of Roach and Jet. He was no hero. But there was something he needed to get done. And if it was going to sever any connection between him and Mark, then so be it. He looked Mark in the eyes and said; “I’m sorry. But I can’t. Not right now.” “What the heck do you mean by that?” Shot Nox as he was frustrated with his brother. “Did you not see what was surrounding us? Do you NOT care about that? You’re going to lose your best friend. You’re going to lose folks you care about... You...You’re going to lose me...” Nox’s eyes teared up. “Do I not matter to you?” That stung. Lux had to do everything within his power to stop from tearing up. “Don’t be crazy, Nox. Of course I care about you. But...” There was another pause. It was clear that there was something Lux wanted to tell them but struggled with it. “You won’t understand...I...just can’t go. And it’s not because I won’t. It’s not because I don’t want to. It’s because I-“ “Shut up. You’re such a stupid selfish idiot. I don’t know why I think there’s any damn hope for you.” Nox spat at him angrily as he shoved Lux back before taking off out of the room. Lux held his hand out to his brother but he was already gone and out of the room. He let his arm fall to his side as well as his gaze. Looking down at the ground, he couldn’t even bear to look at Mark. He knew that Mark was done. Emotionally drained. Emotionally done with Lux. He tried saving him. “Mark...the real reason why I can’t go is because-“ He stopped when he noticed Roach suddenly appearing behind Mark. Her hand was lifted up at the base of his neck, preparing for hitting him right in the knock-out spot. Just as he reached out to shove Mark out of the way, Roach had already slapped him. Knocking down Mark for the count. “ROACH...” Lux froze when he looked down at Mark. “What the hell? Why did you do that? For crying out loud, did...did you just kill him?” Roach flinched as she wasn’t expecting Lux to be angry with her. She backed up a little and did some quick hand gestures to him. Lux read her gestures and frowned. Roach clearly needed more practice with her sign language. But even with her silence and ability to speak in sign, she was still being restricted by Cornelia Corp’s control and so a part of her struggle may actually be that. “Roach? Where the hell did you hear that from? He’s not the enemy. He’s NEVER been the enemy.” After grabbing Mark’s helmet, he knelt down to put it back on his head. He knew how important it was for him to keep his identity a secret. And as much as he knew Mark was going to be thoroughly angry with him when he awoke, it was the least he could do. “Shoot...he’s going to try and kill me when he wakes up...” “AH! GREAT!” Jet’s annoying voice broke through the air, startling both Roach and Lux into looking up at him. However, accompanying Jet was his sister Minka. Who couldn’t speak a lick of English to them and was only stuck speaking in Russian. So Jet was actually translating what she was saying. Minka walked over and roughly grabbed Mark off the ground. His weight was nothing for her. And as she spoke, Jet translated; “What a good little useless Elf you are.” Minka noticed Roach flinch at the insult but couldn’t move any further. This caused Minka to laugh at her struggling. “Roach, give me a break. You couldn’t stand a chance against me, even if you tried.” “What are you going to do with him?” “None of your business. You keep focusing on your end of the bargain and we’ll handle ours. You only have two more fights left before you get crowned victor. So don’t lose your next match. Or else we’ll find something fun to do to your dearest brother and little girlfriend.” With Jet’s translation, Minka smiled at him and dragged Mark out of the room. Jet accompanied Minka, leaving Roach alone with Lux. Once they were out of earshot, Lux tore off one of his gloves and bitterly slammed it onto the ground. “WHY does this ALWAYS happen to me? Every damn time I try to tell or do something? It always backfires! UGH!” He threw his hands in the air out of frustration as he turned away from the door. “They’re really going to hate me so much now.” Roach tried to use sign language to talk to him but sparks flew from her elbows, which stopped her from saying what she wanted. She then gave up and plucked one of his gloves off the ground. Dusting it off, she handed it to him. Lux looked at the glove with frustration and sadness. His shoulders sank the more he thought about what Mark said to him. “He’s right... I’m turning into just like Reese...and knowing that...I can’t help but hate myself even more. I’m such a monster...” He then looked down at his hands, his nerves made him shake. “I’m turning into the one thing I wish I could get away from...And for that, I deserve no bright future.” Roach slapped him on his arm with his glove. When he looked up at her, she motioned; ”You’re not Reese. I refuse to believe that.”“But he’s right though. I’m...doing exactly what Reese did to me. I’m...every bit of Nox that he lacks... I’m a complete failure...A heartless and cruel brother, just like Reese is...” She smacked him harder with the glove and motioned; ”Not all heroes walk on the lightest side. Some have to travel into the deepest parts of darkness and lose everything they’ve once had, before they start to really stand out. And to those who’ve faced said pain, often shine the brightest in the end.” She then motioned a smiling face. ”You’ll get there. Just believe in yourself. And if that’s not enough, believe in the Mark and Nox who believes in you. Because their faith in you, is brighter than the sun. And if the sun still shines? There's hope for you yet.”Lux had nothing to say about her inspirational speech. The things Mark said and showed, still hurt. Seeing his brother actually snap at him, stung. And the constant pain of him never seeming to get anywhere, dragged him down. But for some reason, Roach had been persistent with ensuring his comfort back at their base. She was subtle about her moves but she often reminded him of how Mark was towards him. Caring. Odd. Humorous at times.
But there was something in the back of his mind. He was on one path and Mark was on another. If staying behind and saving Lux was going to be a hindrance, then he may need to shove Mark and Nox away. However he needed to figure out a way to do it so that it would've completely burn up the bridge. Then again, everything Lux ever planned out had often resulted in the like.
"I...hate to do it Roach but I-" He was promptly interrupted by a familiar and annoying voice.
“COME ON.” Jet’s words boomed into the air. “You’re next, kid. Get out there and fight your new opponent.” “Who is it?” Asked Lux. “And where’s Mark?” “He’s fine. And beats me. They wouldn’t tell me.” He shrugged. “Get out there and find out.” Shortly after, Lux regained his strength by drinking potions provided to him. After he tore off the bandages, he made his way back out into the arena. The crowd cheered him on. Screaming his name. But what he was expecting to see, wasn’t the person he wanted to be facing.
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Post by Moe on Dec 1, 2023 21:53:21 GMT -6
Being knocked out certainly wasn't on his agenda. "Must've lost control, again." Mark thought to himself, unable to find the energy to speak words just yet. His vision was cloudy as he regained consciousness, though he could hear the muffled roar of the crowd through his ringing ears. "Crap." he thought, again, realizing what was going on. He wasn't sure at what point his helmet was put back on, but it hadn't been reactivated after he took it off during the argument with Lux. He reached underneath the helmet to switch it on, activating it and restoring his sight, only to confirm what he was hearing.
The arena was covered in dirt, debris, traps and blood. There were gated areas with the same alien creatures they had fought a couple years ago, pacing back and forth like animals in a cage, clearly the plan was to release them during fights to add hazards. The walls were aligned with spikes that jutted out, either for opponents to use as weapons or for them to be impaled by. Large boulders, tires, scrap metal, and what looked like a few bones were scattered about the arena. He tapped on his helmet, activating the communications to Ikuki. "Hey, didn't Beth say there's a strict no-killing rule in the fighting arena?"
"Yeah, why?" Ikuki answered.
"Because it looks like there's been a lot of killing, here. Or at the very least, a lot of dismemberment." he responded.
Ikuki was really confused, until she looked down to see Mark in the arena, waving up at her. Of course, the crowd didn't know he was waving at anyone specific and boo'd him, clearly in favor of whoever his opponent would be. "Thank you, you're all a lovely bunch." he shouted to the crowd, making them even more riled. Noticing this, he took the opportunity to make it even worse by taking a bow.
"MARK. STOP ANTAGONIZING THE CROWD AND GET BACK HERE." Ikuki demanded.
"Okay, okay." Mark smirked, not really capable of laughing at the moment, but it was a light-hearted moment. Before he could start to walk off, the opposite door opened to reveal who his opponent would be. He paused, frozen in shock to see that it was Lux, who looked just as surprised and confused as him. "Whoah now, I'm not fighting my own brother. Automatic loss, forfeit, nope, done, I'm out. Ikuki, I'm getting Lux out of here whether he likes it, or not. What's the plan to take this place down?"
Ikuki repeated the question as she turned to Beth, and even through the communicator, Mark could hear Beth cackle as she shouted a very resounding "EXPLOSIVES!!" while giggling like a maniac.
"We'll figure something out. Try and stall as long as you can, put on an act, do whatever you can and we'll try and find whoever is in charge of this whole setup and take it down from the source." Ikuki answered. "Please, both of you be careful out there.
"Aw, Hyper X taught you well." Mark said with pride, as she resorted to a non-violent solution. "Okay. You guys want a show?" he yelled to the crowd; "Then we'll put on one heck of a show!" he continued, this time looking directly at Lux and hoped he got the hint.
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Post by Banshee on Dec 1, 2023 22:55:41 GMT -6
“Are you ready for the next match?” Asked Roach as she gestured once again.
Lux let out an exhaustive sigh. “This...I suppose I have no other choice...” Right before he took a step out into the brightly lit arena, he stopped to turn to Jet and Roach. “...What...exactly happens to the losers? Do they go home? Or...does something else happen to them?”
Jet tried to respond but a sharp electrical shock sparked around his neck. He quickly held his hand over it. The robot couldn’t even make a frown to Lux, to indicate that things weren’t as hunky-dori as it all seemed. Roach had flinched beside him and examined his neck while it sparked.
“I am unable to tell you. If that’s any indication.” Jet winced. “Go on...before THEY get mad.” He tried to shake off the pain in his sensors.
Not feeling as optimistic as he was before, Lux turned back to face the wall of light. He could hear the crowd booing on the other side. Apparently his opponent wasn’t anyone that the crowd really cared for. He inhaled and tried to push away all the thoughts that circled within his mind. But...Mark’s words still bothered him.
Was he really that much like Reese?
Lux took a step out into the arena. The lights blinded him as he emerged onto the battlegrounds. The crowd roared into a cheer when they noticed him. Lux didn’t even notice who his opponent was, until he heard Mark’s frantic reaction to seeing him. And when Lux looked over to Mark, his face immediately fell into shock and a deep regret.
“No...”
“HYPER X IS GOING AGAINST THE ROOKIE!” Called out Tabitha the announcer.
“HAH! YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST DROP THE MATCH?” Mocked Murdock. “THIS IS A WIN OR LOSE. YOU HAVE TO FIGHT. OR BOTH GET ELIMINATED.”
Lux looked to Mark. There was an intense fear within him. He didn’t want to fight Mark. He hated the idea. But he also had a really nasty feeling that if Mark lost, something terrible was going to happen. And while Mark was riling up the crowd and speaking to him; Lux had to look away. He had to make a decision right on the spot.
Is this all a damn sick joke? There’s no way in Hell that I can beat him. He’s a God, as so I’ve heard a hundred times already. I’m just...a clone of someone who could potentially become quite strong... He turned back to Mark, not answering him at all when he mentioned putting on one amazing show. Lux didn’t even smile at him because his mind was circling around in endless loops of puzzled thoughts.
It’s rather strange that Jet was shorting out when he tried answering me. I know I’m immune to whatever plans they have for the losers, if there are any. Because for some reason Cornelia Corp has their eyes on me... I’ve lost one match so far but yet, they keep pushing me into these stupid ring matches... And to have me go against Mark, the organizer must’ve known that he would have a hard time fighting against me. He may even go easy on me and purposely throw the match... But if that’s the case...
His eyes widened in fright. Lux didn’t hear Mark calling to him at all. He threw his hands on his head and ruffled his own hair. Now he was frustrated. There’s no way I can let him lose. I know he will do everything within his power to not hurt me. But I can’t...
After his frantic session was over, Lux let out a laugh. A maniacal laugh. “OH-HO-HO...” He looked back to Mark with a grin. “You know all of that crap you said to me back there? Well...I’ve made my decision...”
Lux held out his hand as his scarf uncoiled itself from his neck and coiled around his wrist. It glowed a bright purple light and within a flash, he held a sword similar to the Excalibur sword. He smirked, hiding the fact that he absolutely hated having to do this. “I don’t want to leave Roach and Jet behind. And I’m going to give you every damn thing I’ve got. God or no God. I’m not bowing to you.”
He twirled his sword and readied himself. His heart was pounding in his chest. He could feel his anxiety tense his body up. Lux had a ton of rage over everything that was said. He had the terrible thoughts of being similar to Reese. He loathed everything about himself because of that. But...if he had to protect someone from whatever danger lies behind losing the match?
He was going to save Mark.
As soon as the match gun shot alarm went, Lux had forced his telekinetic powers into his feet which made him lighter. He dashed towards Mark at a fairly fast pace. Of course there was still more room for improvement, but Lux was giving it his all. And with great attempt of displaying his powers, Lux twirled and slammed down his blade at Mark’s armor.
“I’m worse than Reese!” He shouted at Mark. “I’m going to be your biggest damn worst nightmare!” When he had an opening, Lux released a semi-powerful but controlled burst of energy at Mark. His real attempt was to get Mark riled up enough to fight back.
Because throwing the match was going to get them both in trouble. So he had to take some hits and make some, to appeal to the audience.
When Nox had run off from the fight he had with his brother, he contacted Tex to get her to teleport him over to her side. Not knowing the real reason why he requested this, she simply listened to him and brought him to her side. Little did she know that she was going to be stuck, sitting on the sidelines, comforting a pre-teen that was suffering from an emotional breaking point between him and his brother.
She attempted to comfort him, anyway.
There was a reluctant patting on his back as Tex was unsure if this was the proper procedure with comforting an upset organic. But the two of them were watching the fight in shock. She wasn’t so sure on what to think about it all. While Nox was furious with his brother and hoped Mark would drop some sense into his mind. But those thoughts, didn’t bring Nox any ease.
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Post by Moe on Dec 1, 2023 23:32:29 GMT -6
Mark stood in place right up until the very moment Lux made a move to strike, being light on his feet as he dug his heel into the ground to twirl himself around, allowing Lux to miss him and using his own force to keep moving forward. "I don't need to be a primordial cosmic force, to beat you. You're letting your anger take control and it makes you sloppy. You're not stopping to think, you're just going to keep launching yourself forward, without any thought."
When Lux blasted a wave of psychic energy at Mark, he breathed out and let the blast hit him. He had enough time to calculate how and where he'd land, using the force of the energy as a positive, not a negative. As he could feel the energy dissipate, he was able to stay balanced and land upside-down in a handstand, backflipping his way back upright. "Should've taken lessons from my sister, she could've taught you a lot. Stop trying to use brute force, Lux. If you wanna beat me, you've got to be more logical. Find a weak point, and aim for that. You know what I am and am not capable of, just stop trying to use anger and try to use logic!"
Mark continued to stay still, only dodging Lux's attacks and not once tapping into any kind of cosmic power. All the skills he was using, was martial arts Alex had taught him. Though he continued to circle and dodge Lux, and had plenty of openings to strike back, he refused. The words Lux kept saying hurt like hell, but he asked for a show and that's what they were going to do, just long enough for Ikuki and Beth to find the showrunner and stop the fight.
"You already are my biggest nightmare, Lux. Just not for the reasons you think." he said; "I watched you being created. I watched as your mother pulled you out of that vat. She also wasn't the same person at that opera. Your mother's alive, Lux. The fact that I never told you that because I didn't think you could handle it, haunts me every time I close my eyes. If I'd just had faith in you, then maybe you wouldn't have ended up here."
"Ikuki," he said over the comm, "What's the status?"
"Working our way through a lot of guards. It's an effort to keep Beth from electrocuting everyone so we can get some answers, but I finally convinced her to leave someone conscious. Keep holding out, we're getting there!" she said before cutting out.
"Okay, so we keep stalling. Come on, Lux. That can't be all you've got. I know how much potential you have and you better believe I'm still proud of you, but you're holding back. Just focus a little more and stop letting your anger get the better of you. Now give me all you've got!" Mark shouted with his arms out, making himself an open target.
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Post by Banshee on Dec 2, 2023 0:17:29 GMT -6
Lux was growing more and more infuriated with each missed shot. And after his final strike became a missed opportunity, he backed off for a moment to regain his breath. It was clear to him that getting Mark to fight back was going to be harder than expected. Which, he knew was going to be difficult anyway but this was far worse than he’d thought.
However as he was missing his shots, he did notice something about Mark’s antics that suddenly got his mind whirling. He was giving him lectures during the fight. Trying to get him to realize what he was doing wrong and what he could do to better himself. Lux then lowered his guard for a moment as he slowed down his breathing enough so that he could focus.
Just as he thought he had his breathing under control, Mark said something that hit him hard.
The truth.
Just like that, a flick of the switch and his body felt like it froze under his own shock. Even though he wanted to instantly deny and reject his claim, he could tell that Mark was telling him the truth. He wouldn’t joke about something as serious as that. He knew how much Lux longed to find out the truth behind his Mother’s murder. But to hear him say that she wasn’t dead? This was something he wasn’t expecting to ever hear someone say.
His hand let go of his sword as it clattered onto the ground. Lux couldn’t shake himself free from his own shock.
”Hey, Lux? Uh...You doing okay out there, bud?” Jet called him up on a small radio that sat behind his ear. ”You’re kinda scarin’ us. You gonna be okay or do we need to do something else? Because the crowd’s getting mad and so are the idiots that run the joint. So you may wanna start doing something.”
Although Lux desired to believe in Mark, he had to keep up his facade. He clenched his fists tightly and shook with a rage that he was building up upon himself. “DAMN IT...” He shouted but he never let Mark know why he shouted such a word.
But Lux didn’t move from that. He let his rage build up and then simmer. Mark was testing him. He needed to listen to what he was saying. Calm himself. Don’t be so brash. Don’t be predictable. Everything that was being said to him now, was something he’s heard before. Not just from Mark but from a few others as well.
He let out a long breath and eased himself as he plucked his blade off the ground. Closing his eyes, he drowned out the noise from the booing crowd. Lux never cared about being in the spotlight. He hated being the star rookie of the night. “Alright...” He said as he rolled his shoulders.
“You want me to play smarter. Then let it be that way.” He narrowed his eyes at Mark. There was no emotion on his face as he was trying his best to push it all towards the side.
Once again, Lux initiated the first move by applying his ability to his feet which increased his speed. But this time, instead of going for a killing strike, he decided to fake Mark out. First, he would thrust his blade at Mark’s chest. He assumed that Mark’s initial reaction could be to block the attack or step out of the way. Lux then guessed that he would step out of the way and so, he punched outwards towards his ribs.
He was beginning to understand that Mark was trying to help him improve. With each lesson Mark gave him, Lux did whatever he could to learn them, master them, then use them against him. Lux was no expert on hand-to-hand combat but the style Mark was introducing him to, was something he was beginning to grow very interested with. And it may become something he may want to learn at some other point.
"COME ON!!!!" Lux shouted at Mark. This was mainly to get the crowd cheering again. "YOU ALL WANT A SHOW? THEN LET'S HAVE IT!" Lux then moved at Mark once again. This time, he was applying everything he learned. He was becoming more and more tricky with his own move set. At times, he even applied some of his own energy into his strikes. Trying to land some hits on Mark.
“What’s going on?” Nox asked in confusion as he watched the fight. “I don’t understand. Why won’t Mark just pummel him?”
“You’re asking me?” Questioned Tex.
“Well...you are a smart robot...”
“If I had to guess; regardless of the harsh words given to you by Lux, he is still your brother and a good friend of his. Mark, isn’t hostile. He’s not going to destroy your brother. Even though you wish it to be the case. Sometimes the motto, an eye for an eye, isn’t always the correct way to handle situations.”
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Post by Moe on Dec 2, 2023 1:01:55 GMT -6
Lux launched himself again, and Mark prepared himself to dodge again. However, this time Lux caught on and used the same movement to land a punch for the first time. It caught Mark off guard just enough to take a few more hits, before he steadied himself and began to block again. "There you go, you're learning! Circular, fluid movements to dodge and find an opening to attack! Next time, aim for more vital areas. Weak points. Legs are the easiest target. Go for the legs, and cripple your opponent. The bend of the knee, the knee caps, and the ankles are the most vulnerable points. If you want to take a less violent approach, all you need to do is cause your opponent to lose their stance. If they don't have their feet firmly planted and their stance steady, you can easily outmaneuver them and overpower them."
As he continued to give Lux lessons as they fought, the crowd began to boo more and more. It was clear they weren't enjoying the show, and there was a looming fear of a double loss, just like what happened with Nathan and Dawn. "Okay, it's time to stop playing around. I KNOW you've got power, Lux. I've seen it. You're holding back. You know I can take it, so show me that power!"
This time as Mark yelled, he froze Lux in place before he could land another hit, and sent him reversing back with rapid force at triple the speed he should've been moving. "Come on, Lux. I don't want to hurt you. You're going to keep holding back so long as I'm not a threat, so I'll do what I have to do for you to bring out your whole potential. Show me what you've learned. Give this crowd a good show!" he yelled, using the EM pulse gun on his arm to unleash a massive blast of force into the ground, shaking loose dozens of boulders and scrap heap that littered the ground, and freezing them in time as they hit peak gravitation.
"I have to lose, Lux. It's the only way we're going to find Nathan and Dawn. GIVE ME EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT!" he yelled again, jumping on top of one of the sheets of metal that he had frozen in mid-air, blasting it with a well-timed EM pulse as he unfroze it and sent it toward Lux, carefully aiming it to miss him but just close enough that the crowd, and Lux, would buy it.
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Post by Banshee on Dec 2, 2023 10:19:14 GMT -6
With each suggestion given, Lux was unaware of the confidence building he was gaining. Mark was teaching him moves. Letting him discover a unique fighting style that would best suit him. And without noticing it, Lux was becoming more and more comfortable with it. His hits were landing, even if they were being blocked. At least now, he was making hits.
Then they stopped for a moment. Lux could continue to try and keep fighting him while Mark spoke about the crowd, of which Lux honestly didn’t really care about. He could’ve let his internal rage and hatred about all of the things that triggered those feelings. Let them loose. But he couldn’t. He didn’t hate Mark and he really didn’t want him to lose.
Not that Lux had that kind of confidence to actually beat him anyway.
But then the following comment got him going. Mark...was displaying confidence in him? He knew Lux had a power hidden away. Mark also understood that Lux was holding back. But before he could do anything about it, he was frozen.
The next thing he realized was, he was being flung back. Tumbling onto the ground in a ferocious roll, he eventually was stopped by a protruding metal barrier. His back hit the side of it which knocked the wind out from his lungs but it wasn’t enough for him to keep him down. After a few coughs, Lux looked up.
Mark was getting serious now. He began to launch a giant metal plate at him. Lux threw himself onto his feet and tried to think of the best possible solution. If he used his abilities, could he be strong enough to stop it? However, he could dodge it. Do a tuck and roll then maybe fire out a few pieces of shrapnel of his own. But Mark could stop them at any given moment.
His mind was quickly made up. Lux decided to do the first portion of his plan. He wanted to see how strong he actually was. But to do that, he knew his ability revolved around the anger and pain he’s endured all of these years. So, he imagined Reese and his cruel words. His mocking smiles and bitter attitude. Lux thought about his jealousy over why the world always treated Nox better, though these feelings weren’t often aimed at his brother but he was just jealous of his luck.
Surging through his body, negative energy bubbled and coiled around the tips of his fingers. He knew that this was a stupid idea and he could’ve easily lose against Mark. After all, the metal was large enough to do some serious damage to a person.
But as far as Lux was concerned. He wasn’t ordinary. He was a creation. A clone of a person. Lux now wanted to see what he could actually do.
Right as the metal flew, Lux held out both of his hands before him as an attempt to block but his energy surged into the tips of his fingers and waited for the right moment. His heart throbbed in his chest and the secondary voice in his head told him to move. But his feet remained planted. His eyes narrowed as he wrinkled his nose and gritted his teeth. Right as the metal sheet went to hit him, Lux used his powers to stop it in mid-air.
It failed.
Right at the last second, he helplessly stepped towards the side and covered himself. The metal plate shot past him and landed against the metal heap behind him. Lux then looked down at his hands, angered that his plan didn’t work. But he did feel the tingling sensation of it trying. So he knew he was going to have to practice with that at some other point. However, as of right now. Mark was more of a threat.
“Alright...” He breathed to himself.
”...Display your power...”
It was a voice that Lux was unfamiliar with. “Who?”
”It is unimportant. Use. Your. Power.” The deep robotic voice demanded through Lux’s ear piece.
Lux had no idea who this disguised voice belonged to. But it certainly wasn’t Jet’s as it lacked the Russian accent, Roach was unable to speak, and Minka could only speak in Russian. But as he was distracted, more shrapnel was launched at him. Lux had hardly just enough time to bounce out of the way, dodging them.
But one piece, cut into his scarf, which was now wrapped around his neck once again. He could see the threads fray as they were severed. His eyes widened as it was a near miss. But then an impressive amount of rage exploded within him. This was his Mother’s final gift before her disappearance. Seeing it nearly get sliced, angered him.
Lux turned to Mark out of annoyance. Let out a bitter yell and began to run at him to get closer. He made sure that he paid attention to Mark’s attacks, dodging them as best as he could. His plan was to get to his level. But he knew using one of Mark’s platforms would be a danger because he could easily launch them out from under his feet. So Lux needed to make his own.
He felt like a copycat. But he wanted to try to see the extent of his power. He held out his hand and opened his fingers. A thin layer of energy formed around him. Lux planned to use his telekinesis and make his own platforms. He pulled up on smaller piece of metal and hopped onto it.
It was a bit awkward at first. Lux had to figure out how to keep his balance because it was like riding a skateboard that could fly. Once he managed to keep his balance enough, he launched himself towards Mark. Carrying with him, other bits of metal. One he used as a shield while the other he planned on firing at him.
Once he got close enough, he launched the first piece of metal at Mark. Then the second. These two were mere decoys because his real plan was to use them as distraction and jump off his platform to land a hit on Mark. He gathered up energy within the palm of his hands. He wanted to slam his fist into Mark's chest and blast him with a forceful blow. Knock the wind out of him was the idea. But he wasn't sure on how strong or weak his own powers were going to be when doing this.
This was far beyond the dumbest idea he had. But he didn’t care.
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Post by Moe on Dec 2, 2023 17:14:50 GMT -6
As the fight went on, both of them began to use their powers, though Mark was exhausted and he knew he couldn't keep it up before collapsing. He faltered as Lux began to slam into him with psychic force, causing him to lose his footing. "Good, you're listening. You're an amazing fighter, Lux. Keep it up, your powers are triggered by emotions. Emotions release certain compounds in your body. Figure out which one activates your powers, and maybe you won't have to keep relying on anger."
It was getting difficult to breathe, and not just from the hits from Lux. Mark could feel the world starting to spin and his nose begin to bleed, but he tried to stay steady for as long as he could. The debris frozen in time dropped down for just a fraction of a second, showing that Mark was starting to lose control. He jumped down to the ground in a thud, just in time for Lux to give him a blow to the chest, sending him flying backward.
And causing time to return back to normal, for the debris.
Mark found himself underneath one of the large boulders that came slamming down, but was surprised to awaken in what looked like the desert, outside. Except with that haunting, purple sky. "Ugh. Not again." he said, flopping on the ground in a cloud of dust.
"Not again, is right!" Anubis came stomping over to him. "You are a primordial cosmic force! Only one of two true immortals! Yet you've been here way too many times for me to count!" he leaned over and scolded him. "You are literally the worst at your job!"
"I've really died that many times? Cool. I'm going for a universal record, did I break it, yet?" Mark quipped, sarcastically.
"NO. NOW GET OUT!" Anubis grabbed Mark's spirit form by the shoulders, hauled him over to a whirling, hauntingly purple portal, and threw him into it. Forcefully.
As he reconnected with his body back in the physical world, he blasted the boulder out from under him using the EM pulse on his arm, again. He sat up, gasped deeply as he sat up, his body fixing its more life-threatening injuries on its own. His armor, however, was cracked and crushed in certain places, blood dripping through the cracks. "You almost got me." he said to Lux. "But almost isn't good enough. You've got to give it everything you've got." he readied his stance, ready to continue the fight. "Come on, Lux! I know you're stronger than this! Are you going to keep proving Reese right??" he shouted. It hurt him to say those words, but he had to say something harsh enough to get Lux to unleash more power. "You want to tell me how dangerous it is, here? Then prove it!"
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Post by Banshee on Dec 2, 2023 17:48:18 GMT -6
Just as the debris began to collapse, Lux had no time to see what became of Mark. All he knew was, he needed to get back onto the ground and avoid being crushed by them himself. His mind was beginning to grow exhausted from using his powers a bunch. It wasn’t something he was actually used to doing for lengthy periods of time.
As he hopped down, his footing slipped and he fell into the sand below. Laying there, he gasped for air and attempted to wipe the dust from his eyes. His heart was throbbing hard in his chest as he could hear the announcers talking about what was happening to the crowd. He could hear Jet asking him if he was okay but everything all sounded like muffled sounds.
He was exhausted. A warm stream began to drip from his nose and hairline. Lux then wiped his nose free from his blood and then checked to see what was coming from his forehead. At some point, he had either gotten cut or because of the extensive use of his abilities, caused him to bleed there. He didn’t know.
Slowly, he rolled upright. The sand pouring off of his shirt and pants as he got onto his hands and knees. Lux wanted to keep going. He wanted to keep fighting. He knew that he had to be the one to lose. But for once, he was actually having fun experiencing everything. Mark was allowing him to train his abilities against him. He was giving him pointers. Suggestions. Compliments.
Lux wanted to cry though. His head sank between his arms, hanging over the sand all the while Mark was having an experience with Anubis again. He didn’t know he had knocked him into the afterlife. For all Lux could assume was, Mark was alive and waiting for him to stand back up.
Finally, he pushed himself upright. Staggering a bit, he looked upwards at the crowd cheering and booing. He searched for his brother in the audience, but he couldn’t find him. “Nox...” He whispered to himself.
Suddenly he heard a voice. Mark had broken out of his stone cell and stood before him. His armor was damaged and the sight actually caused Lux to step back in shock. Fear filled his mind. Did he seriously do that much damage to Mark? Was he...that dangerous?
But his fear quickly changed to anger when Mark taunted him about Reese again. “STOP SAYING THAT.” Lux shouted. “You...You...” He stopped as his mind played a horrible trick on him.
He recalled the fight between him, Mark and Nox. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt them. Nox was his brother. And even if he was a clone, Nox thought no less or different of him. His brother was the most loyal person he knew. But with his recent actions, he had broken-no, severed that link. Nox was harmed, emotionally. Mark was angry in defense for the boy.
Then he remembered that he had left so abruptly. Josephine was worried sick over him. Called him several times. But Lux eventually stopped answering her. All he could wonder was, would he ever see her again? She was his closest friend. And he just up and ditched her. Just like he did to everyone else.
His shoulders sank as his mind continued to dwell. Because the next thoughts were, Reese laughing at him. A looming figure stood tall over him, reaching his hands down to Lux as an attempted to strangle him. Reese was the ultimate evil, in Lux’s eyes. His mockery. His condescension. The cruelty he had to bear through all of these years while being trapped under him. To him, Lux was weak. He was inferior. He was...incomplete.
His hands balled into tight fists as the sadness and rage flowed to him, hand in hand. There were more thoughts that flooded after. The endless running. The feeling of being left behind and alone. The people he betrayed and ditched. Seeing their sadness. Seeing his home burn to nothingness. Everything he wanted to fight for, was being taken away from him because he was letting Reese win.
Lux shot a really dark glare at Mark. This time, he was being very serious about this. His sad emotions flowed through him like a raging river. Giving him more energy than before. He started to walk towards Mark in a determined way. Anything he threw at him, Lux merely leaned away from or ignored because he knew it was a facade.
“I’m not going to let him win.” Lux said in a low tone. “I’m not going to be bowing to him. Not anymore.” He shook his arms but held his hands out towards his sides, palms facing upwards. There was an intense aura surrounding him. “If you want me to give it my all...Then so be it.”
He inhaled and screamed; “THERE ARE NO STRINGS ATTACHED TO ME ANYMORE!” And with that, he had unleashed every ounce of energy he had. Debris began to fly at Mark in an uncontrolled manner. Objects that once stood, fell to their side. Strands of energy clawed their way over to Mark. Wanting to end the match right then and now.
But of course, this sudden burst was coming with a cost. It wouldn’t kill him, but he’d no longer be able to use it for the remainder of the fight.
“WOW!” Tabitha exclaimed as she got away from her chair. The energy was much greater than anticipated. “THIS GOT SERIOUS.”
“NO KILLING, LUX.” Murdock screamed into the microphone.
Nox let out a gasp as he watched his brother release such a dangerous level of energy. He suddenly felt Tex pull at him, getting him to stand behind her as she shielded him from any stray energy strands. She even prepared a portal to get him into safety if needed. “His...energy level is...He’s not normal.”
“He’s not.” Nox said to her. “He’s a clone.”
“He’s more than just a mere clone.” She winced but she never went on to explain to him what she meant by it.
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Post by Moe on Dec 2, 2023 18:52:38 GMT -6
Mark was able to dodge some of the debris, but purposely let the rest hit him. One of the pieces of debris knocked his helmet off, causing him to lose his footing and stumble. As Lux unleashed a writhing mass of psychic tendrils, Mark closed his eyes and tried to connect with Lux, through his mind. He'd hoped they still had that same connection they had, in the astral plane. "I'm so sorry, Lux. I didn't mean any of it. You're going to go on to do amazing things, I know you are." he hoped they were still connected, for Lux to have heard him. When the psychic energy hit him, it blasted him into one of the hazards behind him. That hazard was one of the sharpened poles that lined the arena, and protruded out of his chest in a gory manner. The crowd was silenced, in part waiting for him to come back like he did when the boulder had crushed him.
Anubis just stared at Mark, as he sat there and shrugged, wearing an awkward grin. "So, did I break the record, now?" he quipped to Anubis.
Anubis sighed a long, drawn-out sigh. "Why do you care so much about that kid?" he sat next to Mark. "You can literally delete him from the fabric of time. Why do you keep allowing yourself to do this, for him?"
"Because he's on a dark path. His anger is going to lead him down a road of death, I just thought that maybe I could give him a few pointers, before that happened." Mark shrugged.
"No, no. I meant die. Why do you keep allowing yourself to die, for him? You shouldn't even have the ability to die." Anubis corrected him.
"Oh. Yeah, I dunno. I guess part of me still wants to. Speaking of, I guess go ahead and throw me back into the living world so he doesn't freak out. I wanted to lose the fight so I could track down my family, I wasn't planning on Lux actually killing me. The last thing I want is for him to freak out, even more."
"Yeah. About that. He's already freaking out." Anubis opened a window into the living world, showing Mark the scene currently unfolding.
"Well don't just show me, send me back!" Mark stood up, demanding.
"Your body has to repair itself to a non-life-threatening state." Anubis said, quite frankly, sick of the fact Mark keeps ending up here.
"Then I'll send myself back!" Mark didn't know how he was going to send himself back to the living world, but he was sure going to try. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was being prepped for transport, somewhere else. Whoever had taken him had also taken his helmet, most likely to study the technology within it. He'd clearly been in the in-between longer than it seemed. The soldiers around him began to freak out, as he was presumed dead. He simply froze them in time, telling them "Shut up.", as he grabbed his helmet and turned communications on.
"Ikuki, what's the status on shutting this place down?" he said through the communicator.
"OH MY GOD YOU'RE ALIVE." Ikuki shouted through it, causing Mark to wince from the volume.
"Yeah, had a little visit with Anubis. I'll be fine. Might need a minor healing spell if you've got one in you, though. So are the showrunners going to play nice, or are we going to have to go with Beth's plan?" he said, sounding a lot angrier about the situation. It wasn't so much what Lux had done, but what they were making him do. What they were making a lot of people do.
"Unfortunately, we'll have to go with Beth's-wait, you died, again??" Ikuki yelled at him, again.
"No big deal, I'm fine. I have no idea where I am right now, so you regroup with Tex and Nox and let them know I'm okay. I'm going to snoop around here for a little bit, and see if I can find anything on where they might've taken Nathan and Dawn. And if you see Lux out there...tell him I'm sorry."
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Post by Banshee on Dec 2, 2023 19:30:03 GMT -6
After the wave of energy exploded out of him, Lux fell to his knees and fell forward. It took everything out of him to let the surge of emotions gain control over his powers. And once his energy was depleted, there was no more fight left within him. He had collapsed onto the ground, struggling to breathe. The taste of copper within his mouth. His entire body ached so badly.
The crowd was silent. Even his communicators were silent.
Lux glanced up to see the mess he’d made. Mark...had something piercing through his chest. At first, it didn’t register. But when it did, his eyes widened in fright. Panic. Paranoia. Instant regret. He struggled to stand but fell due to exhaustion. Lux wanted to scramble as he began to panic cry. “No. No-no-no-no.” He repeated over and over.
A pair of hands helped him stand up. But Lux didn’t want anything to do with them. “No. No, please...”
Roach was the one that helped him stand up. She was also trying to keep him calm but Lux wanted no part of it. All he wanted to do was go over there and see what he had done. To see if Mark was alive.
“Damn, you’re one little powerhouse.” Jet said as he helped Roach contain the now flailing boy. “Come on, you won!”
Angry, Lux yelled at Jet. “I don’t care about that.” He struggled to break free from the robots. “Let me go!” He tore his bloodied arm out from Jet’s grip. Roach simply listened to him and let Lux go. He then scrambled over to Mark while the loser-recruiters were beginning to circle him.
He shoved his way through and stopped short before Mark. It was true. His heart felt like a weight, sinking him down into the sea. He was drowning and it was because of what he had done to someone he didn’t want to fight to begin with. The world around him, didn’t even matter to him because what he had done, was something he never wanted to do.
“Congrats kid. Though, we do have a no-kill policy. So you kinda got disqualified.”
“Who cares?” Lux said to the recruiter. He grabbed a hold of the recruiter’s arm to stop him and the others from taking Mark away. “Where are you taking him? Where do the losers go? What’s going to happen to him? He’s not really dead, is he?”
“To a place where they can train and become better.” The Recruiter said. “This guy, I dunno. He may not even make it there. He’s kinda got-“
“No!” Lux began to panic. This was too far. He had gone too far. Lux instantly went into a panic attack as he rapidly spoke out. “I didn’t mean it. I-I didn’t mean to...” His voice cracked under pressure. “Please don’t tell me that he’s gone. I didn’t mean to do it. He-He...He doesn’t deserve this. I was meant to lose! Not him! Please don’t-“ Then there was a prick on his arm.
The last thing he could recall was a sudden cold chill down his spine. Someone had injected something into his shoulder which forced Lux’s body to collapse. But instead of falling onto the ground, he fell into someone’s hands. And while the world was all fuzzy and everything began to become a muffled mumble, his head fell back to look up at Roach’s face as she was the one who caught him.
“He’s my friend...” Lux’s words were incredibly slurred as the serum that they injected into him was taking hold. Tears streamed down his dusty and bloodied cheek. There was absolute remorse and regret for his actions as he’s never felt this lousy before. Then the last thing he could remember hearing was Mark’s voice...
I'm so sorry, Lux. I didn't mean any of it. You're going to go on to do amazing things, I know you are.
Lux’s response was weak but he heard Mark; ”You’re the closest person to a Father to us...and I’m so sorry it ended this way. Please...don’t die on Nox...He needs you...still. And...than-” He really wanted to say more but the serum took hold of him. And Lux instantly was knocked out cold.
Nox struggled to break from Tex’s grip when he noticed the recruiters circling Mark. “NO! NO! HE DID NOT JUST...HE... Tex let me go right now! OR-OR...OR!!”
“You are not going to do anything to me.” Tex said while keeping a firm hold onto his arm. With her grip, she knew that she was going to leave behind bruises because he was pulling extremely hard against her but she was not moving a single inch. “Please refrain from going down there. You’ll suffer the same.”
“LUX YOU BASTARD.” He shouted at his brother but knew that he couldn’t be heard due to the crowd’s noise. Nox then fell to his knees, giving up trying to make it down there. “Why is he being this way? Why?”
Tex didn’t have an answer to him. But instead of letting him continue watching the scene, she felt the desire to locate Ikuki and Beth once again. So she lifted up Nox, similarly to a Mother picking up their toddler. And she walked away from the sight.
Tex radioed Ikuki; “Ikuki, I request your location. I am unable to discover a way to deal with Nox.”
- - -
When Mark woke, other soldiers that were unaware of his predicament were already packing up many of the losers. One in particular, was Entertainer’s brother, Dirk. He had lost a match and was being shipped out. But he wasn’t going down without a panicked fight. “PLEASE...PLEASE DON’T.”
“Shut up. You signed the contract and this is what you get.” Hissed the guard as he began to display force upon Dirk. “Get into the truck.”
“AAAAAH!!!!” Dirk shouted; “RUN! RUN!!! THEY’RE NOT SENDING YOU TO A TRAINING FACILITY. THEY’RE GOING TO TEST YOU ON ILLEGAL-ACK” He was muffled with a gag and then thrown into the back of the truck. The Guard then slammed the door shut.
“Get that nut job out of here.” He then turned to Jet and Roach as they arrived in the room. “You two.”
“I don’t know if you forgot to count but there’s three of us.” Jet said with a sarcastic smirk.
The Guard didn’t seem amused by it. “The boss is unhappy with the outcome. I hope you can explain what went wrong.”
“The boss can suck my bolts.” Jet snapped at him but then frowned. “Wait...no I don’t want her near me.” He then reverted back to the previous conversation; “We did our part. She should be proud of it. Lux did what he was supposed to do.”
“And he failed. He killed the guy he fought against.”
Lux was coming out from his knock-out. His first awakening felt similar to coming out from anesthesia. The world sounded muffled and everything was a blur. His mind struggled to grasp at anything being said. But all he could hear was his name. Slowly, he rolled his head to face the Guard that Jet was speaking to.
Roach shifted him in her arms as she felt him stirring awake. She glanced down at him, wishing she could speak to him because she knew her facial features were well hidden under the helmet she couldn’t remove. But alas, there was nothing she could do other than comfortably hold him close to her.
“Get that brat out of here.” The Guard hissed. “Where’s the last loser? He’s supposed to get in this truck too, dead or alive.”
“Not our problem.” Jet hissed at him. “Come on Roach. Let’s blow this joint.”
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Post by Moe on Dec 2, 2023 20:41:07 GMT -6
Mark could hear people talking, down the hall. The transport station looked a lot cleaner and well-made, like it had come from the outside. He followed the sound of the voices, annoyed by one in particular. He waited until they had finished talking, but there were a few key parts of the conversation that were interesting. Lux did whatever he was supposed to do, and the boss most likely wasn't in the underground, if the shiny transport station was any indication.
He stepped back as Jet ended the conversation, meeting him at the doorway. "Hey, jerkwad." he said, catching him off guard and doing something he had vowed never to do, unless necessary. He punched Jet with every ounce of energy he had left, right in the face. "You made me break my number one rule." Mark grabbed Jet by the shoulders, forcibly held him against the wall, and scried through his memories. "Don't struggle. If I freeze you in time, then all your memories freeze with you. If you struggle then I will send your body's molecules so far into the future that they'll turn to rust." he growled, threatening him.
As he peered into Jet's mind, he saw a lot of scattered memories. Childhood, experimentation, what he already saw with Lux. There was also another key memory he saw, causing him to suddenly view Roach much differently. He eventually found he was looking for, which was a location. Where they took the losers, and specifically if Jet had been involved with transporting Nathan and Dawn. "Cornelia Corp. Heard a lot about them. Looks like it's finally time for a personal visit."
He dropped Jet on the floor, and turned to Roach who was still cradling a semi-conscious Lux. "I saw who you really are. This whole city is going to crumble, and the underground along with it. You're the best person to protect him, right now." He then leaned over to place his hand on Lux's head, moving his hair out from his eyes. "I didn't mean what I said, back there. Someday you'll learn how to use your powers without anger, but that was the only way, in the moment. You're nothing like Reese. You're my brother, and you always will be."
He stepped back, knowing he had to leave to be there for Ikuki, Nox, and Tex. "Please keep him safe. And if you see Nathan and Dawn," he looked to Jet, threateningly, "Stall them. I swear to-..." he stopped himself, not really sure how to word that, in a serious manner; "I swear if anything happens to them before I can get to them, I will do the same thing to Cornelia Corp that I'm about to do to Apollo. My guess is that you're tied to them, just like Apollo's citizens are tied to him. When he comes crashing down, so do they. And what do you think will happen to you, when Cornelia Corp comes crashing down?"
Before he could turn around to leave, a loud boom of multiple explosions was heard, from a distance but just close enough to cause things in the transport station to rattle. Mark stood there, completely unmoving as it happened. "Sounds like we aren't too far from the arena. Keep Lux safe," he said, turning around to leave. "And don't let them touch Nathan and Dawn. Remember, what I told you wasn't a threat. It was a promise."
Mark made his way back to the obliterated arena, the cackles of Beth echoing through the chaos. Citizens were running away from the destruction, but thankfully it looked like Ikuki had escorted them all out and to a safe area. She looked over to see Mark limping over, clutching his chest that was still bleeding. She stopped what she was doing and ran over to him, embracing him in the tightest hug. "Don't you ever do that, again!"
"I won't." he hugged her back.
"No, seriously! You know I can bring you back as a zombie, if I want!" she hugged him even tighter.
"Yeah...I know." he breathed a forced laughed. "So, Beth did all of that?" he looked up at the destroyed arena, not really liking the idea of resorting to destruction rather than a peaceful option. "How in the heck did she and Nathan wind up, together?"
"She's very charismatic." Ikuki sniffled, finally loosening her grip on Mark. "You weren't kidding about needing healing. Beth has her own place...her sisters were the previous champions, they bargained for her a shelter of her own. She said we could bunk there, for now." she said, as she took his hand and lead him to where Tex and Nox were.
"Sounds good. Healing first, then we work on a plan to get Tex into Apollo's core. The sooner we take him out, the sooner we can get to Nathan and Dawn, and all the other so-called 'losers'." Mark agreed. "Also, I died twice. I could really use a nap."
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Post by Banshee on Dec 2, 2023 21:10:10 GMT -6
POW RIGHT IN THE KISSER
Jet was not expecting to be greeted in such a violent manner. He staggered back and before he could react to the punch, he was suddenly grabbed and pinned against the wall. Near him, he could hear Roach shift in her place. Jet didn’t even get to glance at her or say a word before Mark threw demands at him. Him freezing wasn’t because he was listening to Mark at all, it was due to the fact that he was still stunned from the surprise attack. Shocked.
“C-What? You? How the-“ He was then dropped to the floor as he rubbed the back of his head. For some reason, his mind felt like it was buzzing. Whirlwinds of chaos, bouncing around his circuits which made it hard for him to sort his thoughts out. All he did hope was that, Roach would kick the intruder’s butt.
Roach cowered back, holding Lux close to her chest. Protecting him from Mark. She wasn’t sure on what to expect him to do. She knew that at one point, she saw him as the enemy. She had also been the culprit for knocking him out to begin with. As far as she knew, he may view her as the enemy. So her eyes never left Mark and Jet.
When Mark was done, he proceeded to walk over to Roach. She flinched and readied herself for an attack. Roach was going to defend herself if needed. But Mark didn’t pay any mind to her threatening stance and simply told her that she was the best one to watch over Lux. Her bladed arm lowered, no longer viewing Mark as an enemy.
Lux was unaware as to what was really going on. His brain was still in a massive fog and was hard to understand all of the chaos around him. Mark placed his hand on his forehead, brushing away his bangs from his eyes. The yellow eyed boy looked up at him, but couldn’t really say anything to him.
Roach listened to him speak. He somehow knew who she was to Lux. It was...strange having him trust her. Despite what was going on. But she accepted it with a small nod.
“Ugh...Yeah...we’re...linked to them...” Jet mumbled as he sat upright. “Cornelia Corp has their damn fingers wrapped around us. A lot of the time, we don’t have a choice on what goes on. But damn it. Did you have to go and hit me like that? And are you serious?”
Roach shook her head. Mark was right though. If Cornelia Corp fell, she worried about what may happen to her. She couldn’t say anything and hand signaling was going to be difficult. One, because she was a novice. And two, because she held Lux. But she did motion to him; ”I will do my best. Jet will be forced to help, even if he doesn’t want to.”
Jet shook his head. The guy was serious. “Fine. Whatever. We can try. But we can only do so much because they’re always monitoring us. So don’t go dancing around, like you did in the arena. Grab them as fast as you can. Because I cannot promise you that neither one of us are going to be forced into trying to take you down. Again.”
He glared to the side and Roach was the one who signaled Mark once again. ”I will be sorry for any forced fights. But what he says is true. We cannot be completely broken free to do what we want. They will always force us. And if it’s not us, they will send Lux after you again.”
When he left, Jet groaned. “Damn his hit hurt.” Then he was promptly greeted by a sharp hit from Roach. “WHAT?” He watched as she motioned him to hurry.
“MARK!” Nox cried when he saw him alive. He bolted over but stopped short before him. “I-I can try to do some healing magic. I’m...I’m not amazing at it but I can try!”
“Dying twice. Are you some form of cat with extra lives?” Tex asked him.
“No, he’s a uh...He’s got God Powers.” Nox smirked.
“Interesting.” Tex said to him a bit flatly.
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Post by Moe on Dec 3, 2023 0:33:17 GMT -6
Mark set his hand on Nox's shoulder as he stopped just short of Mark. He wanted to give him a big hug, but to be fair, he was also still bleeding a lot. "Hey, between you and Ikuki, I'm sure you can patch me up. You two work good, together." He continued holding his chest, though this injury didn't seem to be nearly as bad as the one a couple years prior. There was a lingering thought in the back of his mind that he was losing his humanity, but he tried to ignore it, at least for now.
"Nah, totally a cat." he answered Tex, pointing at the ears on the suit helmet. "See? Kitty ears, and everything. Seriously, though. What Nox said. More or less." he shrugged. "Hey, Nox? Don't be too mad at Lux, okay?" he decided to address what everyone there was thinking. "I was pushing all his triggers, trying to get him to go all out. I had to lose and now I've got information. The losers are being taken to Cornelia Corp, to be experimented on. Nathan and Dawn are already on their way there, I...persuaded Jet to keep an eye on them." he said, smirking underneath his helmet. It was short-lived as he sighed, heavily; "So now we've got to destroy a city, save a civilization, and take down an evil corporation."
"Is that all?" Ikuki said; "That just sounds like a regular Tuesday." she tried to make light of the situation, but it was admittedly difficult to do so.
"HELL YEAH. Sounds like MY kind of Tuesday!" Beth bounded over, throwing her arms around both Ikuki and Mark. "One question, though. What's a Tuesday? Whoah, dude, you're like. Bleeding, a lot." she diverted her attention to Mark. "Did you get impaled? I bet if that suit wasn't in the way, I could totally see right through you."
"Please stop trying." Mark nudged away from her. "Ikuki said you have a bunker? The sooner we get there, the sooner I can get first aid and everybody can stop drawing attention to it."
"Oh, yeah. It's a bit of a walk, though. You're not gonna like, bleed out and die on us on the way, are you?" Beth asked him.
"Nah, already did that, I think I'm done for now." he shrugged.
Beth looked at him, trying to figure out if he was being serious or not, but she couldn't see his expression underneath the helmet. "Metal." she said, throwing up the 'rock on' sign.
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