Bad Decisions He Made

Pulling at his ear Izime eyed the situation nervously, that idle hand working its way up to pull at his hair in frustration. The scene below him the opposite of his first night in Voltham as the silence of the night was cut with the sounds of battle. Gun shots cracking and echoing against the sprawling bricks and concrete amid the sounds of yelling and threats. Both occasionally cut with a buzzing hum as a ricochet went wild or a short cut scream signaling the end of some goon.

Psyis holding point, the psychic hovering at street level battling Crusher and FearForm at the same time, was she just getting cocky just because he had stepped in a few times? Dark Squire was there sure, but it was as if she had relegated him to pure mob control. That or there was something else going on, as he was only occasionally bothering to get a hit in on one of the leading villains. Maybe they'd fought or Steven had cheated again and Psyis was trying to prove some odd point? Because other than not battling an actual super-villain Dark Squire was being forced to do double time trying to knock out or disarm individual goons as fast as one well trained man in a super-suit could.

Something Dark Squire would have been capable of if it was any other night Izime was sure, but it wasn't just any other night. Everything about tonight was off, from the heroes to the villains and even how both were using their abilities. There was Crusher's Synth-Squad, who were already double ripped on some modified toxin and synth-roids. Then FearForm had brought in some twisted new skeleton suits he'd called Nightmare's: citizens the villain had trapped in exo-suits created by The Quiz.

No matter how badly Izime wanted one just to see what it could do he couldn't stand the sight, those poor people trapped inside forced to fight, it was gut wrenching. The devices drilled and mounted through some cruel hardware so their victims couldn't escape, at least their faces had been hidden behind those ventilating masks. Though who knew what kind of horrors those poor people were experience inside them.

Now The Quiz's best taught Students were piling in as well, the added aggro was forcing Psyis to repeatedly pull Dark Squire's ass out of the line of fire. Try as he might Steven could keep all the goons at bay and the Students were obviously experts in close quarters combat never missing a chance to open up with their guns. Izime knew even if the bulletproofing was better than his own vest those shots still had to hurt, hopefully she'd managed to stop the majority with her powers.

"Where the fuck is Dark Night?" Izime stood eyes getting a bit wet as he watched another enslaved civilian take an unnecessary hit. They might have lived, but after Crusher had used their limp body to try and club Miss Psyis it was certainly going to be a different kind of life. A horrible simulation of what they might have had if only someone had been there to save them.

Izime unable to completely shed the burden of his past life's mistakes and responsibilities. If he jumped in though, Izime thought of the pistol he had with him, it certainly would not go over well with either of the two down there.

It was one thing to kill the goon the other night in the middle of that mess when the bodies had already been stacking; the goons down there weren't already shooting one another. There was no chaos to mix into, let alone how obvious it would be if he just started shooting people. Izime's usual go-to for non-lethal was useless as well. There were too many goons and not enough battery packs, besides those would only be useful on those exo-suits.

They might technically work on a living creature, but the pistol was more humane at that point.

Izime's mind trying to work through other potential solutions and drawing a blank. Finally pulled free from his planning as a explosion rocked the street below, looking down to see the remains of a car still blazing as they were held suspended in a purple haze.

The battle between the massive force that the Villains had brought to bear was turning this into a not so minor showdown. With Dark Night's failure to show, Psyis had been forced to take the main role in Voltham. Izime tried to focus better on the two heroes, who'd senselessly pulled up short.

Psyis and Dark Squire battling the villains who had combine their powers and gangs. The resolution was fuzzy, but Izime could clearly make out the potent looking mixture of orange that was flooding into Crusher's new up-armored roid-pack. Watching as FearForm retracted a hose, having just pumped the wrestlers powers up to new levels with that same modified toxin that was ramping up the goons. An entirely new mixture Izime had never seen and that was saying something, its effects apparently quite potent.

The thought actually giving Izime reason to pause; a new power and a new fear crossing Izime's mind: was this his fault?

He had downed Crusher during their last battle after all and there should be very few things in this world he would recognize if a major player was using it. Had the villains planned on his assistance assuming that another hero was around, even designing a new formula to combat him.

If so, it wasn't the hero's lacking it was that there was a no show on the hero's side and it was Izime. The entire thing could be explained if the villains had planned on a fourth hero. Well, Izime wasn't one he had just needed to keep the people safe around Psyis a couple times is all. It was just solving a problem, right? That's all he had done was keep things from getting out of hand, kept people from getting hurt senselessly, and disappeared into the night. That was just problem solving, nothing heroic to it!

Izime felt the excuse fall flat in his mind even as he uselessly thought it. Two hands working away at his hair now Izime reached out for Cradle trying to get some kind of reassurance, a time on Dark Nights arrival, anything at all. The bodies of innocents weighing heavily on Izime as more marks were added on his already scarred tally sheet.

Cradle where's Dark Night? Five, Ten minutes?

Shit is bad here; Villains are big winning.

The Quiz. Sorzaro.

Dark Night. Busy

Cradle we might have to make a move

Some really big problem solving.

No Fight. No Fight.

Dark Squire's got the roles reversed.

He's put Purple in a bad spot Cradle.

No Psychics! No Fights!

Rules Rules! All Problems!

No Rules? No Problems!

They've got this Izime tried to convince himself, watching as Dark Squire flipped over two goons, refusing to respond to Cradle's thoughts about ignoring their rules. Tracking those Dark-a-Rangs flying out, watching them slam into the joints of at least five suits which halted their attacks. It was a nearly perfect throw with only a few misses, Dark Squire had easily stopped five goons with one move. Though Dark Squire caught a kick from FearForm just as he'd landed that sent him flying into a wall hard enough to crack the bricks.

Izime could appreciate the skill, but it was obvious that Dark Squire was in way over his head, the man was no Dark Night and even then, Stan would have likely made for a tactical retreat at this point. That or called in some heavy hitting back up like Radiation Man or Miss Psyis; the woman who Izime was currently observing hopefully from a top the skyscraper.

She's got this, Izime bit his tongue, eyes leaving Dark Squire who was struggling to rise. Teal eyes zoomed in looking at Psyis who was trying to manage both major league Voltham Villains and the entire mob safely. The Thessian needing to limit her powers, so she didn't just turn the humans that were attacking her to paste. Izime's worry pouring into his mental connection alerting his eyes in the sky to the decisions he was considering. Cradle pressing once again of Izime to make up his mind on if he intended to help the stupid crow.

Rules? No Rules?

Dark Night. Busy.

Izime's mind played out the fights, mentally fast forwarding the one below while simulating the outcomes between Sorzaro and Dark Night; it was going to be a while considering Dark Night didn't even believe in magic. The fight below would certainly have more bodies than those already on the ground by the time it was over considering the dog-pile.

Nodding as the added villain only further confirmed Izime's suspicions, they'd stacked the deck for him after all. A magic user had joined in last night on the hero's side after all, bringing in an evil sorcerer was all too logical. Sorzaro wasn't absurdly powerful, the glorified street magic paled in comparison to Constantinople. Izime even figuring he could hold his own if he was pressed, sure his magic wasn't as showy as Sorzaro's bizarre fun-house enchantment's. Fireball was always a pretty neat party trick though, especially when you could calculate the rate of hydrogen fission and throw tiny stars instead.

Rules? No Rules?

Cradle I-I don't know.

Izime popping his knuckles as he looked down at the scene below which was only getting worse by the second. Dark Squire finally taking an equal role but far too late, unable to firmly peel only one of the villains away he'd been caught unaware. Psyis being forced to throw several goons, their bodies flying into walls, denting cars, and smashing through shop windows.

FearForm quite literally catching one and sending them into Dark Squire. If Psyis hadn't only selected the goons wearing those new exo-skeletons then Dark Squire might have been alright. She had though, the force alone was sure to have broken a few bones. Izime watching as Dark Squire tried to roll for even more distance after the fall, slamming some sort of syringe into his leg before standing.

Rules?

No Rules?

Izime finally asked the question back, still unsure of an answer. Leaving the growing need to do something about the situation down there dripping into the bond. It was bad, people were getting hurt... to the point that even some of this world miracle cures couldn't save them. Even if they could it would put their families in debt. Even if they weren't harmed the trauma of this night alone would last for the rest of their lives.

Cradle Fight Good?

No Rules. Cradle Fight Good!

Izime took a short jog back from the edge of the skyscraper, his mind locked on that spot just down the street from the fight. Stretching for a moment letting all the tension pop out of his often-underutilized joints before turning and making a choice. The feeling of the soles of his boots pounding against to roof disappearing and the wind picking up as Izime leapt from the roof. The adrenaline starting to fill his veins as he pursed his lips casting orders to his bond, letting his speed gather before snapping down into the fray.

Cradle turning pulling its gaze from the building where Dark Night was battling The Quiz and Sorzaro, a loud humming whistle tinged with binaric ringing out. The tone carrying through the concrete jungle miles away where Dark Night had fallen stupidly into Sorzaro's trap.

The note full of Izime's orders and advice; tips on spells and counters as well the directives to help Dark Night. They would collect their prizes after they had finished solving problems like they had the rest this trip. Cradle cocking its head, a bit doubtful in Izime's confidence that tonight would go as planned. This whole trip to Voltham had been one broken rule and one problem after another and Cradle knew that combination came with consequences, though those consequences usually came from Izime.

Hopefully Izime was right, and they were just solving a problem and not flying into one, Cradle trusted in its bond as it dove into the magical insane world of Sorzaro to assist Dark Night. The magical maze Sorzaro had summoned wasn't exactly something that bound itself to logic, easily trapping Dark Night. The near cartoon-ish powers rivaling even Cradle's own reality bending ones, the bird almost certain things wouldn't go so easily.

They were breaking a lot of rules, and they weren't even Cradles this time, the raven trusting that its nest program still new best though it briefly wondered who brought consequences to Izime.