The Cold Truth

Inside the highly guarded T-City prison in cell 29 sits the BSK gang along with their boss. All looking infuriated at the fact they were beaten so easily. But the boss was not angry. He was sweating, profusely. His generals had no idea why he was so petrified. But then two security guards walk up to their cell and they open it. "You're in luck, someone bailed you fugitives out." One of the officers stated, leaving the teens dumbstruck. However, the boss without uttering a word stood up and left the cell, causing the teens to follow him out. As they made it outside there was a limousine waiting for them. The door swung open and there sat a curvaceous woman with short cyan hair that has a longer left bang reaching the bottom of her chin, cold blue eyes, and fair skin. She was sporting a very formal getup with a shoulder-length white fur coat, a long-sleeved royal blue form-fitting dress, glass-like slippers, and various necklaces and bracelets. 

"Get in." Her voice had this strange tone about it. She sounded quite soothing but they got this feeling of malice in the air. "You heard the lady." The boss said before they Reluctantly they stepped inside the limousine and all sat across from the lady who paid them no mind as they sat there in silence till they made it to this massive estate on the far side of U-City. No words were exchanged as she escorted the men out of the limo and into the foyer, where she proceeded to sit cross-legged. The men all stood there in front of her before the boss began to speak up. "First of all, I'd like to thank you for bailing me and the boys out, Ms-," She then cut him off. "Winters, you may address me as Tanya Winters. Furthermore, I only liberated you so I could, how do you say it? Oh right, tie up some loose ends." When she said this, they were eyeing her, a wry smile twisting her lips. 

Then the big general with a lasting scar on his face spoke up. "I can't take this anymore, boss! Why are we taking orders from this little woman? I was already made to look like a fool by one of these super-powered freaks-" He was swiftly cut off by Tanya simply uncrossing her legs and standing up, her fur coat dropping from her shoulders to the armrests of the chair. Her face was unchanging, keeping her twisted wry smile and the dark eyes glinted with something less than humor. The boss was petrified as a cold chill crept up his spine, raising the hair on the back of his neck. It was abrupt and freezing all around the room as the nice foyer was no longer as pristine but was a frozen hellscape. 

All the boss saw was his generals impaled by a swarm of countless crystals. Strung against the walls as she stood in the center of the blood-stained icicles. He tried to back away but ended up slipping on the ice below him, resulting in her noticing his survival. She began walking towards him with a cold glare. Tanya then proceeded to freeze him up to his neck, leaving only his head to poke out of the top. As she got closer to the man he let out a shrill question in fear and anger. "H-how could ya do this to me?" His question only got a little smile from the maiden as she looked down at the small man. "If there's one commodity I know, it's that lions do not concern themselves with the opinions of sheep. You just take that little voice in your head that tells you to be tactful, and understanding...and bury it. But don't fret, you won't be sharing the same as that little voice. At least not yet. I have an alternate agenda for you."

Next Day

Christan POV

As I walk out of the bathroom after washing my hair, I hear on the TV that the BSK gang were bailed out last night. "I haven't even got two nights of sleep and those guys are already out and about. Well, what can you do?" I say while shaking the water out of my hair before kicking the fallen-over chair making it flip right side up. Before I sat down on it kicking my feet up on the table, then my stomach began growling. "I have to get some food." After I said that a familiar-looking man opened my front door and walked in. I looked up at him and remembered his face immediately. It was the mob boss. "Well if it isn't the BSK boss. If you're here for revenge you should probably use the bathroom first this time. Help yourself, the toilet is in the back." I said while drinking my half-empty soda. "Is your name Christan? The Vigilante Hero?" The boss sounded like he was freezing with every word that came out of his mouth. 

I finally looked at him and noticed his bluish skin and red eyes. His hair was also white like mine but with a blue fringe. 'What happened to him?' I thought before I told him that I didn't come up with the vigilante title. "If you're not here for a fight then what are you here for?" I asked him as he walked up to me placing his hands on the table. "An old friend of yours wants to invite you to meet up. Please accept it." After saying that the boss flipped the table over on me but I landed on top of the table as it stopped and aimed my hand forward, ready to blast him but he vanished. "Old friend, huh?" I say as I jump off my table and catch my soda that fell from above. 

I went to drink it and as it touched my lips a bunch of lizard-like monsters with icy armor jumped through my ceiling and attacked me. Trying to impale with ice scythes. But as quick as one got right in my face I put my hand out forward casually decapitating it. Its body smashing against the wall, shattering into snow-like dust, as its head came back down landing in my hand before I began spinning it on my finger like a basketball. I then proceed to walk over to my phone, kicking off another monster that tried to grab onto me. Sending its scythe blade past my head and impaling the wall next to my phone. I ripped it out of the wall throwing it up into my ceiling fan, cutting the line making it fall onto the monsters. Knocking them around for a second as I finally pick up my phone. "Let's get this party started!" I said as I played 'The Time Has Come' on my playlist. 

I started nodding my head as the music began to speed up. And just as the lyrics kicked in they attempted to attack me but I easily responded to their attacks. Using only punches and kicks, some moves I picked watching Silver Fang clips online. I'm just mimicking what I saw so I'm most likely looking like an amateur. But I didn't want to burn down the place so I made due. After taking out one of them with a fire-infused kick, another attempted to stab me from behind but I parried it before landing on its back pushing it face down on the ground. "You better hang on tight," I said before I pushed it across the ground, riding the ice monster around as if I was surfing. "Woohoo!" The excitement in the air, my adrenaline pumping, it's just what I needed to wake me up. While riding this thing it began spinning, like if a car was about to crash. Undeterred by this I held out my arms, smashing into any of the other monsters I passed knocking them around. One even ran into my pool table, breaking one of its legs. 

Noticing this I maneuvered the slippery monster in the direction of the table, surfing it up the pool table like a ramp and jumping off at the last second causing it to explode into snow. I then landed on the other end of the pool table, flicking it to an upright position sending all sixteen pool balls flying past me. At that moment the world felt like it was going in slow motion for me as I saw the cue ball pass in front of my face. "Bang." I said as I pointed my finger at it like a gun before shooting a small fireball at it, sending it crashing into the other balls that then collided with the rest of the monsters. Stunning them for a moment, as I then used a fire-infused chop to cut the pool table in half before kicking it into them finally taking out the last of the monsters leaving nothing but a light snowfall in the room. "Looks like winter came a little early. Gonna need a new coat," I said as my stomach began to rumble. "And something to eat." I then put on my black shirt before I headed for the door, opening it and running into none other than Zenko wearing a backpack and the coat I gave her. "Zenko what are you doing here? Did you walk over here from school in S-City by yourself?" I asked her. "No brother Bad picked me up and we walked here together." After hearing that Metal Bat dropped her off I looked outside for him but he was nowhere to be found. "Where is he?" I asked her as she walked inside. "He left after we got in the city, he said something about work. Why?" she asked before noticing my destroyed place. "What happened? Why is it snowing in here? Why is the pool table cut in half? What happened to your roof?" her questions just kept coming before I eventually explained everything that happened up until she got here. Then she got an idea.

"Well until brother Bad picks me up you and me got some cleaning to do," she said with this determined look on her face before taking off her backpack, putting it aside. "When was the last time you cleaned anyways?" I told her that I hadn't cleaned in six or eight months which just caused her to make a face of disgust. She shook her head in disappointment before she threw me the broom and dustpan. 'This gonna take up my whole day isn't it?' We started straightening up the place. We got the two halves of the pool table and took them out in the back dumpster, fixed my ceiling fan, and even patched my ceiling up. The place hasn't looked this good in a while. I'm coming back inside after taking out the last of the trash bags and I see Zenko going through her backpack. "Whatcha looking for?" I asked as she then pulled out a brown fast food bag. "I forgot to give you this," she said before she handed me the bag. "I thought it would be a good way of saying thanks, I didn't know what you liked so I got you a burger and fries. And I guess it's kind of a reward for cleaning up too. I told Brother Bad to thank you himself too, after he was so mean the other day." I was so taken aback by it that I wasn't sure what to say, as I began to finally eat, occasionally sharing fries with Zenko as we watched TV. 

"Thanks, by the way." I said to her as I threw away the bag. "Don't mention it. It's just fast food." She told me but that wasn't what I meant. "Not for the food. For helping me out and calling me by my name." She looked confused after I explained myself. Asking why she wouldn't call me by my name. "I'm pretty sure you've heard of the vigilante hero. People have called me that ever since I started doing this, but every time I hear that name it's always said with a double meaning under. Like I'm still an outcast. So being called Christan is-," I couldn't find the words so I simply ended it with another thanks. She then stood up on the couch and began rubbing my head like I was some sad puppy. "What're you doing?" She continued to rub my head as she told me that it's just a way to make me feel better. "You're now one of my friends so try not to sound like such a wimp. Wait a second, your attitude feels a little different than before." I then swiftly moved away from her before she got off the couch. "It's a little weird that my only friend is a little girl." I said before laughing, she just let out a huff. "But what do you mean, still an outcas-?" she suddenly stopped talking, staring out my window. "Uhh Christan, you said that you fought some ice monsters right," I nodded at her as I looked at the window, seeing it somewhat covered in frost. "I think they're back" 

I could see a few monsters walking around my building. I grab my jacket and throw it over my shoulder and walk up to my door. "Stay inside, this'll only take a second," I told Zenko as I got closer to the door. 'I can already tell. Looks like this is going to be one hell of a party!' I thought as I kicked the door open, I found three ice monsters in front of my building.  I also look around and see my place, along with other buildings around town have been severely damaged. Some with giant pillars of ice in them and people running away from the chaos. "Damn it! You guys wrecked my place! We just got the place cleaned! You are going to pay for that." I told them as I threw on my coat while striking a pose before I sneezed as a building or two collapsed a little more. "I hope you all have enough to cover all this!" I said before I began to easily dismantle the monster with more fire attacks than when I was inside. My attacks even ended up melting the surrounding ice on the buildings. 

It was a complete wash, I got rid of the last one as I saw Zenko run up to me. "I told you to stay inside. If anything happens to you, your brother will never let me hear the end of it." I told her before I was told she never agreed to stay inside and that I had already taken care of them. I let out a sigh before at the last second I saw something flying at me. I put my arm up catching it and crushing it in my hand. "Like I said, inside. Now!" She didn't listen though as I then called out for the mob boss to come out. The blue-skinned boss emerged from behind some debris, his cowboy hat was poking out from behind it the entire time. You're truly a strong boy, no wonder my employer is so interested in you. But even you'll have trouble with this many at once." He said before he dropped his hands down and seven snow golems appeared all around us on top of the building. They kinda looked like that golem I took out a couple of days ago. "This employer of yours sure knows how to throw a party. Yet they still don't seem to be a quick learner." 

Zenko POV

Without warning a flaming aura erupted from Christan, frightening the boss guy. "I'm ticked off as is so I'm a little glad I have seven volunteers to help me out." He then pulled his arms to his sides, revealing two fireballs resting in my hands. He started to grin smiling before he fired it directly towards the boss. It was a bright fiery light that bursted from his hands with a loud boom! I shielded my eyes a little seeing about to collide with the guy. But before it could make contact with him it then changed directions, going high into the air. "Drive Knight Storm!" Christian yelled before it split into smaller, faster fireballs that then destroyed all of the snow monsters. He let a breathe before he turned to see that I'm still there. "What are you so worried about. The bad guys are already gone, you worry too much." I told him as a cold fog hit us unexpectedly, from the direction of the boss. 

"You missed one." A girl's voice came from beyond the fog. When we saw her standing there in the road, so pretty, her hair flowing around in the mist, I could see her holding the boss in one hand like he was just a plastic bag. 'Who's she?' I thought as I looked over to Christan, who for the first time looked afraid, making fear trickle through me too. "My how time flies by. Seeing you all grown up and out on your own, almost brings a tear to my eye. But before we continue our little reunion, let me tie up a loose end." She then grabbed the boss by the neck, his body began to turn into ice. Starting from his neck to his body. I watched in horror as he froze to death. I looked over to Christan, who was just standing there gritting his teeth and clenching his fist. "Christan help him!" I yelled which just got a quick response from her instead of him. "Oh, go ahead. Pool's open; water's fine," She said starting daggers at Christan he looked even more terrified. "Hmm, no? Just going to stand there like a bunch of piss-ants? Thought so." By now he was completely frozen solid, as she then dropped him. His body smashing into a bunch of bloody ice chunks rolling around the ground. 

"Ahh, of all the people I've frozen to death that one will hold a special place in my heart. But enough about him, let's get to you. I hear you're now the so-called vigilante hero, quite the metamorphosis for you." I'm so confused, they know each other but why is Christan not moving or even saying anything. He hasn't said a word since she showed up. "Who are you? And why do you keep talking to Christan like that lady?!" I shouted out as before she began to laugh to herself. "Oh look, she's all concerned. I'm impressed, you managed to make a friend. Nevertheless, where are my manners, my name is-." Christan cut her off finishing her sentence. "Tayna Winters." I was relieved, he wasn't all gone. "There he is. I guess my sudden arrival really caught you off guard. Or maybe your happy to see me or even better you just gonna run away like the failure you are." Her words seemed to cut Christan deep, but it just confused me even more. "Christan is not a failure you old hag. He saved me twice with a smile on his face, you don't know him?" I yelled out which just got a saddened look from her. "Naive child, why don't you ask your hero if I'm lying." I turned to him and his face said it all, his face draped in shadow. Arms slumped down and eyes looking at the ground. "Hey, what's wrong with you? Why aren't you talking, where's the jokes? Say something, you idiot!" I yelled out which he never responded to, the only thing I could hear was her light giggling.

"Ah, yes he was so quick with the snark. Of course, that's all he really has going on, isn't it? A witty retort to distract everyone from what you are. A sad, lonely little boy with no one who loves him. Someone so lonely, his only friend in life was a child." I could see Christan fists loosen as I saw blood dripping from his hands. She wasn't done though. "And to top it all off, you play the "tough guy". This invincible hero you could never hope to be before. Getting those powers was the best thing to ever happen to you. You can look visually different but you can't change who you are. Regardless there's one thing those powers will never let you hide. The one thing that's haunted you your whole life, that you'll always be nothing more than a failure. No amount of powers can change that." With us, both stunned at what she told us, she began to walk towards us with every step she took sending shivers down our spines. "Checkmate."