Deja Vu

The doors slammed shut, clattering amongst the hissing murmurs of children and elderly unsure of their surroundings, bearing the tearful wailings and screaming amongst armed soldiers who directed them further into the shelter. Listening hopelessly at the damned unable to find their parents amid the tight cluttered mess that is their hiding spot. Overcrowded and understaffed. The streets over Sector C had been cleared. Many hiding beneath the castle from the poundings and ruckus, ignoring the repairs and plumbing still being made to the site. Leaking and wheezing from it's dormancy since the end of the Third World War.

He wanders back onto the giant lift, grey and brutalist in style. Hardly hiding the mechanical cogs and bright wiring messily strewn across the walls, accumulating dust like a vacuum cleaner. The fan slowly swivelling upon his every step, avoiding the tire tracks, oil and dribble pooling on the metal floor. Covering the yellow markings that once made many alerted to it's presence, unless they were too scared to care. On the side of lift, a giant rectangular shaped machine laid dormant. It's lid ajar, glimmering from the afternoon sun amongst the buttons that controlled the ancient rat. Still trembling slightly from the fired rockets and the collapsing buildings.

"This should be it..."

The button echoed in silence, grinding it's gears as ignored the furry man crossed his legs, slouching by the box, silently biding his time. Hopeful his colleagues are still outside, far from the hidden base he was in to prevent the aliens from finding them. Much of the process of scrambling everyone to safety had been disastrous at best. Little repaired and checked for safety standards due to the government administration's of paying off the war reparations to the winners of the war. Worst was the overreliance of Supers or other armed organisations to defend them at all costs. Even though the law enforcements are always on patrol, their presence had done nothing more than diminish their image.

Every day, he could feel the presence of more weapons being stockpiled to counter their attempts. Terrified knowing that people with extraordinary superpowers existed this whole time, resorting to steal ever increasing amounts of firepower just to bring to every meet-up. Just like the missing machines Hacksaw had told him about when he returned that day during coffee break. Still determined and unfazed despite the events that unfolded. As egotistical as ever.

He gritted his teeth, frustrated at his absence right when the most important event occurs. To be the only one provided with the ability to be freed as a child. To been seen so highly that he isn't subjected to the painful cruel treatment his could still somewhat remember with his blurry memories. Treatment unable to be reported due to the higher ups tracking their every move, brainwashing them into submission like mindless robots. What childish injustice. He looks around, remembering how he is on good terms with the man, finally somewhat breaking free from their control during his time relaxing in his dusty warehouse was such a blessing. A blessing that hardly changed his stance on his action that early morning.

"To think that he would defect... Did he caught onto something?"

The metal doors open, barely blinding him with a cold embrace of the afternoon sun, rattled with debris crumbling upon each impact on the weak walls that held. Crumbling slowly into the compound like sand, revealing dangling wires and crushed vines once surrounding the walls. He looks out, spotting their alien invaders noticing the gapping hole left out in the open, attempting to exploit their defence despite the large number of soldiers firing back alongside what seemed like a modified machine he had heard from the previous conflict in Sector B. A machine seemingly renamed as the Holster of Tomorrow.

It's wings emitted a bright glow of orange on it's back, glowing like a rising phoenix from the hidden cave. On each hand, two sub-machine guns sprayed away, piercing each metal isopod and tripoding insects like insignificant ants. Shocking their pilots with a bright flash of orange blipping across the sky around the castle. Evidently modified from the ones usually used by the soldiers in the army. It's shaped seemingly different from before, beefed with much thicker armour and a different design. Less of a humanoid and more of a mixed breed of a monsters with devilish claws and an actual sword. A completely different animal if not for the usual transformation into a sword.

"The Japanese must had gotten to them..."

He turns to look further down the road, watching Big Hands and Solid Stone holding their own against the tide of advancing Tripods. Their friends not far behind, attempting to provide support but their numbers were swelling by the thousands, threatening to destroy the strong line that allowed communications to flow. Ignorant to call further support amongst the busy forces who were outstretched and outmanned.

"What foolish prideful heroes."

He jumps from the castle, using the falling debris to leap into the air as he grabs a metal isopod, frightening it's pilot who immediately smashed opened the cockpit. Grabbing his leg and driving its' claws deep into his fur, staining his grey fur in red. Furrowing at the unusual disruption and gargling in a language he couldn't bother to understand.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? SPEAK ENGLISH!"

He hollered at the furious pilot, pinning it into it's seat with it's claws as he spun the entire ship around like a mechanical saw, twirling through the sky with uneven momentum. Tossing the entire ship into the army of Tripods, leaking a bright spark of flame. Imploding into a giant inferno as he shook the ground, tearing apart the uneven ground which bellowed in frustration. Dancing around the dust and orange sparks. Kicking the mangled wrecked back down the road with force, pushing back the deviant tripods which tremble and fall to the ignited flames, shaking the ground even further upon a giant explosion that tore apart the sky. A mild fiery display hardly amazing to look at.

"You guys doing fine?"

He smirks awkwardly, amazed at his work as he turns to face them, each jaws dropped with disappointment at his lame spectacle. Staring back as if they are eager to critique his work.

"Yeah. Your presence is not necessary though... We can handle the mob ourselves without these restrictions, we were about to go all out-"

The road trembled once more, cutting off Heavy Water's complaint with a shattering rain of flying bricks and cars amid a bright white flash of lightning. Barely giving them enough time to respond with bullets and water. Solid Stone stamps onto the ground, altering the asphalt into a rock solid shield, taking the full brunt of the assault amid the emerging cracks forming around the rock bubble.

He lets go of his tense firm hands, feeling the stone and asphalt crumble upon what was once a pipeline now overshadowed by the giant ships now closer than ever before. Revealing their giant guns pummelling the earth continuously. Blanketing the area with black smoke that covered the bright proud sun. To it's side, more machines fall out of the superstructure, all far different from the critters it had faced before. In the skies, small black arrows that seemed like missiles dart across the sky at triple of the metal isopod's speed. Hardly able to be tracked if not for the purple particles emitting from the back of the tiny machine.

Below, giant two legged beasts of unknown origins crushed onto the fiery mangled mess, it's beige metal body far tougher with it's giant mechanical spikes all around it's body that constantly tilted upon the direction of it's head. On top, the riders at the helm nudged them into submission with their exposed blue arms, hiding behind a small bubble which seemed forcefully implanted into the creature. Painfully aware at it's job. In front, it's gapping 'jaw' had a spiked tongue that curled around, hidden within it's vampiric teeth and rough lips. A blood sucking bad bunch.

"What are these machines..."

Steve froze, stunned at the incoming horde. Staring at one of the blue pilots, hiding within a black reflective suit. Barely hiding it's strange humanoid face he couldn't distinctly tell was from him or the creatures behind the helmet. Ignorant of the giant spikes that angled directly at his feet.

"Watch out!"

Big Hands and Wolf Man yelled, attempting to deflect much of the impact but they were too fast. Piercing Steve and his hastily erected stone like butter, pummelling him part by part with a fountain of blood staining his white shirt. Crumpling him into nothing but torn flesh. Just another insect standing in their way.

"STEVE!"

Dan quickly grabs the torn corpse, horrified at the fifty spikes piercing through the hastily built thick wall and his fragile body. Hardly recognisable from their talk in the café. Dribbling with red. Stunned at the speed the spikes were going. Faster than a gun shot. He had trained alongside him many times back when Sector A was a thing, remembering how even though he wasn't the best, his reaction times were three times faster than a bullet. The most evasive he himself had been was five but this show of force blew him out of the water. He can't even tell if Wolf Man's thick furry body can withstand the heavy hits or if Polka can reflect the damage back in time if at all, it would be a miracle if any of them can do that. Especially with the barrage of alien creatures coming from land and air.

They were doomed to meet his fate.

He looks away tearfully, unable to look at his mangled face. Raising his palms which darkened the skies with rain, curling around into a giant ball of water, attempting to fire back with enough force to flatten half of the city. If he could pull of such a feat.

"O-O-Oh n-no..."

He fires back, listening to the barrage of led whistling by a large blast of air. All charging ahead of the giant ball of water barrelling in their direction. Faithless in their hopes in their inevitable end. Ushering themselves back at the oncoming barrage that could paint the sky black. He carried his fallen friend by his arms, peering out of Jason's back to watch the spectacle, barrelling through the air and bullets like they were nothing.

They were Supers. Yet this is all we can do?

Bright orange lights sprinkled along their direction, immediately tearing apart the giant ship as it implodes with a bright flash of light and blocking the charging spikes, now screeching to a dead halt on the broken debris. Far too fast to observe where and stunning to ignoring. They look ahead, watching the multitude of machines pummelled down one by one at the sight of the large sword, turned to nothing but burning flying parts. Reverting to a monster no mere human can master on their own even after a decade of training. The Holster of Tomorrow. Staring down silently with disappointment. Tearfully mourning the death of Solid Stone in the dark rain.

"Sorry I've arrived too late..."

He sighs, looking away at the sight. pressing the buttons and switching from the loud speakers to the radios, radioing into the castle to see Sebastian's face on the monitor. Still busy pressing buttons furiously for each missile remaining and watching the cameras for intruders. His face filled with sweat despite the cold air emanating into the basement of the castle assisted with men and women he could recognise were from his secretly established company, Homme Fusil. All with a military background and left at the top of their fields as commanders. Quietly waiting for him to move towards the camera before he asked him directly.

"I'll be heading to space to investigate if there is a way to stop this, is that ok with you Sebastian?"

He looks at Sebastian, turning to face him in the camera as he rubs his sweat off, attempting to rub into his shirt which somewhat irritated him. A bad habit he had not let go despite his teachings in the castle. Slightly raising his eye brows, questioning his decision to ask such a question after all he had said earlier. Sighing at his gloom in the dim cockpit.

"Save the formalities, I'm fine with this. But can I make one request?"

He looks at the monitor, listening attentively at the camera of the man's son. The man he painfully raised up. The man who gave him another chance after all of the sorrows he faced back when he was a mech pilot.

"What is it sir?"

He looks at the man look back at him with a awkward expression, unable to hide his emotions. Rather grateful for all he had did so far. Scratching his head with a timid look back at the butler, slightly embarrassed from what he had to say.

"Come back to me in one piece."

The butler nods, firing back at the flying arrows with his sword, slashing a bright orange light that disintegrated the machines to pieces. Left to fight on foot frightened and stunned by the mech's four bright ruby red pea eyes. Darting through the sky and into the dark void of metal silhouettes alongside the many machines rushing to his support.

"Yes. For sure, Seb."