Short of Breath

I fucked up Bell. You were right though this dude is unnecessarily strong.

Izime crawled to his feet, the nausea from his shattered limb subsiding under the influence of adrenaline. Stumbling back a few steps from the overpowered Zexxian ignoring the glass knives that stabbed his arm with each step. Izime had no idea Dark Night was this upset, but it was pretty damned obvious who'd asked the Zexxian to show.

Izime had been right, Stan didn't have a real solution for the problem of him. So of course, the answer was to send the cure-all for all of earth's bigger problems, Izime recalling a conversation he'd once had about the usefulness of the Zexxian in this world.

The reality outside of fiction was actually a bit scary, Izime trying to hide a nervous chuckle that crept through the pain as he panicked a little. He wasn't scared so much as simply in awe, as a being from outside of this reality actually experiencing Radiation Man descending from on high was something else. This reality had completely different powers, rules and sometimes it felt like emotions.

Izime briefly wondering if he'd ever held that same instantaneous demand of respect and acknowledgment, the simple nod of 'yes you are indeed a higher being' from others.

"This is the one?" Radiation Man looked down at the yellow coated figure that was favoring a shattered arm, the two heroes around him unaware of the quick repairs happening underneath that perfectly replicated skin, "What happened to.. it?"

Psyis breathed a bit heavier as Dark Squire walked up to Radiation Man proudly, a bit upset that the still a sidekick would still use Izime to try and further his position in the League. Surely Steven had already gotten enough satisfaction out of ruining Izime's limb, the psychic aghast as Dark Squire joked about his actions.

"There's a teleportation spell imbued in its hand that can't be removed," Dark Squire crossed his arms before gesturing towards Izime casually, turning his abuse into a pun. "So, I snapped my way to a solution."

Dark Squire stood proudly in his tech-armor, the plates and panels on it still nearly pristine despite all the goons and damage done to the area around them. Steven glad he could show of how well Psyis and him worked together to someone outside of Dark Night in the League. They'd both managed to keep each other well out of harm's way as he'd fought the goons, and she'd stopped the Villains. Making the most of right now as Steven was well aware he'd likely not even be able to stand so well tomorrow once the anesthetics and adrenaline wore off.

"Miss Psyis?" Radiation Man turned towards the thessian wanting to confirm that the thing used magically imbued limbs, Dark Squire's humor always putting off him a bit.

Radiation Man watched carefully as Miss Psyis refused to speak for Dark Squire. A bit surprised as she spit a few words at the creature they'd gathered to handle, as if she'd taken it personally. Something Radiation Man could understand seeing as it had apparently been tracking each and every one of them.

"Its how he kept escaping my tracking aside from my powers not working on him." Psyis nodded speaking towards Radiation Man, before looking down at Izime and adding her own blame, "Maybe how it avoided me in Centropolis for so long."

Izime actually let his laugh out this time, mouth hanging open at he looked at Psyis. Mind not working at all as he stood hunched over listening to her while she openly blamed him for simply existing. That not nearly as painful as the way her eyes had turned to him just as she'd stripped him of his humanity, Psyis calling him an it now as well; Miss Psyis, Izime mentally corrected himself. Izime forced to toss his thoughts on the thessian aside as his laugh had gotten the attention of the Zexxian who was had zipped over to loom over him.

"I hear you have Zexianite but not on you it seems; got anything to add before I see what your made of?" Radiation Man floated over so fast he was a blur, no smile on his face as the thing stumbled back. These things were all the same, nothing but talk and extremely breakable. Radiation Man looking the thing over while he asked what it was, "What do I even call you?"

"Ask my friend here," Izime gave a nod towards Psyis ignoring Radiation man, reminding himself why Constantinople had remained his favorite.

He knew sometimes it was just best to not ask and get along, that and the exorcist didn't bother trying to intimidate him. Radiation Man was strong but if you wanted to scare him, Izime knew you'd need something a bit worse than death; he'd done that a couple times now after all.

"Iz-" Psyis stopped as Radiation Man raised his hand, landing and slowly stepping forward. The feeling of power and control over the situation pouring off the man, even refusing to touch the same dirt as them. The Zexxian floating still, looming over Izime who was still stumbling back clutching his shattered arm.

"I don't sell my own information but apparently you do!" Izime tried to keep throwing words at Psyis even as the Zexxian walked him down. Radiation Man not even letting Izime vent his frustration at the one who'd tricked him into this situation, so Izime addressed him instead, "So why don't you ask her James."

"Don't blame her. You've been operating on earth for how long, right under our noses?" Radiation Man narrowed his eyes as he looked at the 'human' in front of him. If it wanted to play with someone fine, Radiation Man had already given it the one chance he would. The Zexxian reminding himself why this thing needed to be taken down, "Obviously know our identities, the name of my wife and children."

Izime stopped stepping back at that, a bit of his strength leaving him.

The previous A.I. quickly surmising just how Radiation Man might take it if Dark Night had come calling with news about some unknown terror. The cowled crusader running to the only person who'd quickly take his words as truth because when had Dark Night been wrong before?

Not that Stan would ever tell James the whole truth about anything unless it served his purposes. Constantinople might have bought the whole forbidden knowledge line but Stan; never. After a few years of affording him an easy living, Bell's hobby was now going to get him killed.

"Maybe we can learn a little about you too, you're incredibly well designed. I wonder how much damage that body can take?" Radiation Man decided to see just how far this newest technological marvel could be pushed as he raised his hand curling a finger back, It was incredibly well designed, there was no doubt that those muscles, bones, everything down to the cells would come back as human. Aside from the minor technological bits in its brain and the fact it was completely infested with nanites that was.

"Chill James lets ju-" Izime raise his own hand, wanting to calm the obviously riled Zexxian. Unsure if the mistake was making the error of thinking the Zexxian would care to hear him out or the fact he'd raised his dominant magically enabled hand. Maybe Radiation Man had already decided just like Dark Night had to remove the unknown element.

"The least you could have done was answer my question." James didn't waste time, the thing had raised its magically imbued limb, so he'd struck. The Zexxian givinge the thing a quick smack, one that was quick even by Zexxian standards as he'd not wanted to bother find out what trick of magic the bot would pull once it'd healed itself.

Radiation Man had battled enough technological creations to know that a ruined limb wasn't ever to be trusted. Between the Supra-tron that was essentially liquid metal and some of the Villains he'd encountered with insane healing abilities it was best to just get rid of it entirely.

They all thought they were special and would be the one to take him down, which was odd considering they all did that same thing. Raising their limbs and acting like their repaired damage was supposed to intimidate him someone. It didn't, Radiation Man only found it irritating that the healing only went so far; none of them seeming to last through a real fight.

Radiation Man watched combing his own super-human vision and senses to observe as the answers to his other questions were revealed in slow motion. The design was good but where was the power; it was nothing compared to the insanely wacky strength of the spaceman who drove that low-rider: Lozo. Maybe if it had been Supa-tron he would have felt some kind of way about that hand, at least it would have changed forms to some kind of weapon. Though the reaction speed was extraordinary, probably better than FazzPazz judging by that flinch; too bad those instincts hadn't helped it save its arm.

Radiation Man didn't feel too much remorse for it, the thing was disturbing with how human it seemed. That look it gave was pure fear, it wasn't satisfying though. It only succeeded in making James feeling a bit more irritated, madder at its further imitation of humans.

The whole thing was becoming irritating, those muscles were hardly a threat which was actually disappointing. Too bad it wasn't more of a physical threat; Radiation Man gave a look at the paper world around him in disappointment while it still tumbled. The Zexxian had wanted a good warm up and few even managed to qualify themselves as a work out. Dark Night had sent him expecting a fight but only a handful had ever become a fight, he'd expected something more.

Still, everything that arrived on earth was worth studying, a chance to educate themselves on the threats of the future. The thing was certainly intelligent, infuriating Dark Night the way it had. Resourceful as well, that yellow fabric was very similar to FazzPazz's suit and looked like his rival's. James watching as his attack went unabated by the asphalt the speed only confirming his suspicions.

The speed wasn't dropping, the fabric obviously friction-less and would only make the coming impact worse.

The Zexxian used every aspect of his vision from the molecular level zoom to the x-ray observing the fake human as it tumbled, super-human mind slowing as it worked. Calculating and comparing the device with his top-level super-human perceptions against other robots, androids, and cyborgs. All the other cheap imitations of life Radiation Man was aware of until now, watching this perfect recreation.

Black brows raising as it went skidding down the street before slamming into a car with a wet crunch. James ignored the cry of shock from the heroine behind him, still observing. He'd been expecting a much larger dent, but that flick had told him the density was off. Near perfect for a human but just a bit light, probably having been enhanced to a minor degree.

The healing factor seemed like it could be scaled as well, supported by the massive amounts of nanites that were maintaining its cells and repairing that hand.

"You should talk, willingly here. Lady Shield is already on Savior Orbital waiting to double check what you say." Anger boiling even now Radiation Man demanded answers as he floated slowly, giving the device plenty of time to organize itself.

Waiting for it to form its plans and prepare to act, to attack like it was supposed to.

The minutes stretching on as the blood began to pool. James stopped hovering, walking now and waiting for that expected moment with each step. His muscles tensing as it finally moved, piercing blue eyes showing a bit of confusion as the thing gave him a weak cough.

The fake human looking around a bit slowly, giving a slight nod and a goofy grin as it found its missing limb, dragging the ruined arm into its lap.

Radiation Man tried again "Get up. I know your body can take more than that."

James taking another step as the beat his ears were tracking slowed a bit further. The instant heal would come soon; it had to; those nanites would begin to do more than just idle about tending. Surely, they would turn to intently focus on repairing their host body, not just aid in transferring sugars and removing dead cells. At the moment the only ones fixing the damage were working at a rate that was maybe two or three times a regular human.

The rest just kept assisting in maintaining the normal functions of their dying body, sloughing dead skin, transferring oxygen, even assisting the kidney and liver. James took another step this one less heavy with anger as those helping in the little clotting that had begun were slipping away. 

Their tiny forms no longer struggling against the flow of blood as they just stopped moving. Mechanical legs seizing and manipulators freezing in their fight to maintain the life that was fading under them. Some still holding bits of platelets or falling and dragging chains of fibrin intended to stop the bleeding; all falling away in chunks like tiny dead fish in a sea of red. James pulled his vision back, glancing at the thing he had put at deaths door.

The smile it was giving still so human, not holding the anger or fear the Zexxian had expected, it just looked tired.