Chapter One: Alison
The breeze was cold, the moonlight brisk. The air infested with Eric's breathless panting as he hopped quickly across the building tops. The trickle of blood down his left leg was warm and felt dark, as he glade every few metres, pushing himself forward with the use of his pulses. I think this is far enough now, he thought to himself. I need to get to the damn ground. This knee is gonna' kill me.
Eric stopped at the buildings edge and lightly flew down into the alley. His landing was harsher than he would have liked, his knee giving way from the pain. "I finally got away" He lightly chuckled as he lay on the ground, reaching for air. I'm glad that's all over. He lay down flat on his back for a few seconds, before slowly pulling himself up, leaning on the alley wall and checking to see how bad his knee really was.
"Are you a mutant?"
"Wha?" Eric looked up from his knee to see a small girl gazing intently at him from across the alleyway.
"I said are you a mutant? I saw you fly down here from the building before..."
"Oh." Eric needed to gather his thoughts. " I-I-, No I'm not a mutant." He responded. "Just an ordinary person I'm afraid" He sat up and lent on the wall of the alley, groaning from the pain shooting up his leg. The little girl pulled a face denying what Eric said.
"Nah uh. I saw you fly down from the building. The air was wobbly beneath your hands. Daddy told me that mutants are born with special powers that make them better than other people. And you have special powers. I saw them. So you must be a mutant."
"Uh, Well." Eric was unsure how to respond to this. He wasn't a mutant, but obviously this girl knew that he wasn't just some ordinary man.
"What are you doing in a dark alleyway at this time of night anyway? How old are you?"
"Seven." The girl answered proudly.
"Seven? I-, what are you doing? It's dangerous out here! Where are your parents?" Eric asked astonished at himself for not realising how strange it was to see a little girl in an alleyway after midnight earlier.
"Um, my daddy went into this building a while ago to talk to some scary men." The little girl pointed at the door she was standing next to. "He said that he was going help me get to.. a special place. But... He's been gone a long time."
Special place? Eric thought to himself. What kind of father would leave his daughter alone in an alleyway like this? "What do you mean a special place?" Eric asked.
"I'm not sure.." The little girl was obviously lying.
"Not sure?" Eric asked. The little girl sneered.
"Well Daddy said I need to go somewhere where I can learn how to.. take better care of myself."
Is she talking about the mutant school? That's on the other side of the world. If she's even a mutant herself.
"Here" The little girl handed Eric her scarf. It was small and bright green, but not long enough for Eric.
"What's this for?"
"Well you look cold. I want you to be warm, your knee looks really sore." She said looking at Eric's leg with disgust on her face. Eric had almost forgotten about his knee. The flesh was looking very rare and was beginning to bleed heavily. He pulled his backpack off and rummaged through, looking for his med kit. He began applying some disinfectant and bandages.
"I probably won't be able to walk on it for a while" Eric said to himself out loud.
"Aw" The little girl looked somewhat sad for Eric. "Maybe it will be better than you think" She smiled.
"I highly doubt that" Eric laughed, pulling himself up against the wall again. "You can have your scarf back as well, you need to keep warm more than I do."
"Hmm, are you sure?"
"I'm sure; it's not too cold out. Plus I can see that you're cold. Here, take it" Eric smiled. The little girl grabbed the scarf and wrapped it around her neck. Eric snickered at the face she made after feeling its warmth. The little girl laughed back. But she then looked at Eric's knee again and a thoughtful expression crept upon her face.
"You need a walking stick!" The little girl exclaimed. "I'll find you one!" She yelled, jumping up and down in excitement. Eric could feel each landing pulse through his body, and especially through his knee.
"Hey, stop that. I don't need a walking stick. I'll be fine."
"Aw, I'm so bored though." She stopped. "I hope my daddy comes out soon" She began to pout.
"I'm sure he won't be long" Eric said reassuringly. "I'll wait with you to make sure you're safe, okay?" The girl smiled and ran up to Eric and gave him a hug.
"I'm Alison" she said with a huge grin across her face. She held out her right hand. Eric grabbed it and shook.
"Okay Alison, I'm Eric" He said smiling. Maybe I can find out more about this whole thing.
"So , tell me, where is your dad wanting to send you?"
"Well..." Alison looked unsure on whether she should tell Eric. "I'm not supposed to tell anyone... But." Alison looked down at her feet, unsure on what to do.
"Go on" Eric smiled. Alison smiled back.
"Well I'm like you. I'm a mutant." Eric was a little surprised, although he knew he shouldn't be.
"So is your dad trying to send you to the mutant school?" Eric asked.
"I think so. Daddy thinks I ne-"
"Wait, do you feel that?" Eric blurted out. Doosh, doosh, doosh. He could feel every bangs vibration, all throughout his body. Something was thundering its way towards them. It's getting closer. Doosh, doosh, dooshdooshdooshdoosh. Eric knew that the banging was too close. DOOSH. DOOSH. DOOSH. BANG. Eric quickly grabbed Alison and pulled her away as the wall in front of them exploded with a flurry of bricks.
Dust was falling as he pulled himself up and tried to stand on his leg. He could hear the sound of bones crunching only metres in front of him. He quickly looked around and grabbed Alison, making sure she was okay. She was crying but physically unhurt.
What the fuck is going on? He looked over at the remains of the wall of to see a massive man pounding the face of a much smaller man on the ground while excreting a loud and gruff laugh
"Daddy!" Alison screamed. The large man stopped his pounding and looked over. He smiled when he saw Alison.
"Hello there," He grinned. "I found the girl" he yelled into building, still smiling at Alison. He then socked his fist into the groaning man beneath him.
"She's got some kid with her though; a kid with a mangled up knee." He said curiously. "Should I pound him as well?" The grin resurfaced.
Eric pushed Alison behind him, and started limping backwards with her behind him. "It's alright Ali, everything's going to be fine okay? I'll stop this guy, and then we can go find your daddy alright?"
"That's my daddy on the ground" Alison pointed, tears drowning her cheeks.
"Oooh, are you gonn' be a hero now little boy? You gonn' protect the little princess?" The man said sarcastically. Eric had no idea how to deal with someone like this. He was nearly 3 times larger than Eric. And just in height. His shoulder width could have taken up two Eric's, maybe with an Alison in there as well. And the red helmet around his head looked like it could take some serious punishment.
"I guess I'm going to try" Eric responded without confidence. He resented the idea of doing this. He knew he would regret it later.
"Alison, run. Get to the street, try and find a phone booth so you can call the police, but be careful." Eric wasn't sure if the police could really help here though.
"Okay." Alison vaguely responded under all her tears. The big man grinned at the little girl leaving. "She won't get very far ya'know. It won't take me too long to pound you!"
"You can't take her, you can't hurt her. I-I'll stop you." God I sound so ridiculous.
"Heh, Let's go then pretty boy." The man responded as he started running, slowly at first, but gaining speed with each step. Doosh, doosh, dooshdoosh.
Eric flexed his fingers and generated some small waves from his fingertips. The large man was gaining velocity and each step was becoming more powerful as he laughed his way down the alley. But Eric had a plan. He felt the pulse generating from his palms become stronger as he charged his power, waiting for the right moment. He knew that he had approximately 2.8 seconds to pull his arms up, aim his palms at the monster and send two massive pulsating waves out from his hands, right into his face. The wave traveled down the alley cracking the walls and pavement forcing its way right into the man's body. Eric smirked a proud smile - Until he realised the pulses didn't do what he intended. The man was still running, definitely slower than before, but still enough to knock Eric flying into the air and across the street, smashing into a building.
"HAHAHAAA! No one stops the Juggernaut!" The man yelled nefariously gleefully.
Eric attempted to pull himself up and out of the rubble. His body was sore, and he was tired. He wasn't even sure how long he had been there. He was hoping it hadn't been long enough for Alison to get hurt. He didn't understand why but something in him made him want go against his beliefs and save that little girl.
He retched himself up out of the rubble only to see a thin suited man holding Alison's hand. The thin man was standing next to the one named 'Juggernaut' with Alison's father lying beneath his massive leg.
Eric was confused at the sight in front of him. All he could feel was anger and frustration, along with deep desperation. He wanted Alison to be safe.
"What are you doing? Why did you hurt her father?" Eric yelled. Alison, still crying, looked up at the thin man with stone cold fear on her face.
"We are only doing her a favour young man. I hardly believe you have anything to do with it anyway. We know you're not a mutant. We know of every mutant in this country. So you can leave, the small beating can be your lesson. Teaching you not to associate with this disgusting kind" Juggernaut grinned at the beating remark. "But please leave now, we still have business to finish." The thin man held a revolver in his hand and cocked it and the end of his sentence.
"What if I don't want to leave? What if I stay and stop you two from hurting the girl's father anymore? I won't let you take her away to god knows where!"
"Hm. Fine."
Eric didn't realise the gun was placed on the side of Alison's head when the trigger was pulled. Her body fell slowly, and Eric's brain stopped. Everything stopped. He was in complete shock as he saw the pink and red goo oozing from the child's head as she fell to the ground.
"I'm always surprised how similar they look to us on the inside." The man said to himself proudly. "We tried to spare you of the viewing of that young man. But then again, who would want to miss the killing of a guilty, rotten mutant?" The man smiled.
"You twisted, sick, asshole! She was seven years old! She was defenseless!"
"She was now. But in 10, maybe 20 years she would have been much more powerful. And thereby much more dangerous. I did the world a favour. And now I must retreat I'm afraid. I have some presents to unwrap."
Eric angrily blasted himself up, charged his palms and shot forth a series of pulses at the man. One after the other the sonic waves crashed in front of himself causing loud smashing noises as the ground cracked and crumbled. "Aaaaaggggghhhhhh!" He yelled, watching the dust settling from the rubble his sonic waves created. There was almost nothing. He was gone. Alison was gone. Her father was gone. Only the Juggernaut remained.
"Aww, I'm afraid he left boy." Juggernaut was standing alone, grinning.
Where did the bodies go? What just happened?
Eric was forced to stop thinking as he felt the Juggernaut stepping towards him. He quickly shot a pulse from his palm to stop the punch of the monster in front of him. Juggernaut realised what had happened and sent another fist flying, only to be stopped by another one of Eric's pulses.
"Arrgh, you stupid little twerp. No one stops the JUGGERNAUT!" He yelled as threw both his fists at Eric's face. Eric charged both his palms and shot both pulses into the ground, sending his body up and slamming his feet into Juggernaut's jaw knocking the monster backwards. Eric flipped backwards and landed in front of the Juggernaut only to fall from the pain of his knee. The Juggernaut groaned angrily and stomped his way forward again. There's no taking down this guy!
"Aaaaarrrgh!" Juggernaut yelled as he threw his fists at Eric, each punch more aggressive than the last. Eric kept up his pulsed blocking and dodged what he could. He had never been trained in fighting, and had no idea what he was doing. His body was growing more and more tired as he blocked each punch, and the Juggernaut wasn't letting up. He was just getting angrier. And Eric could feel that anger in each and every punch. Then Juggernaut hit Eric in the chest.
Eric tumbled to the ground, wheezing as he tried to breathe. He could feel his chest softening as his ribs moved out of place.
"God I thought fucking nut shots were painful!"
"HEHEHE" The Juggernaut grinned back.
"Ya see, this is what happens when puny little vibration twerps try to take down the Juggernaut."
Juggernaut pounded his fist into Eric's face.
"Ya' just had to be a hero didn't ya? You hero types are pathetic! Yer' all weak as shit. Can't handle someone like me; THE JUGGERNAUT!" He yelled as he socked Eric again.
Eric smiled and spat blood into the Juggernauts face. "I'm not a hero, you over sized melon head. I just wanted to help a little Seven year old girl; that you helped murder. You piece of shit." Eric spat again. The Juggernaut just groaned angrily. How can I solve this? I can't hurt him. I need to knock him out...
"I bet you wear that helmet to protect your little brain? Right? I also bet that peanut wouldn't do well with being shaken around that thick ass skull of yours either. Should we try a little physics?" Eric smugly asked. "Or would it be biology?" Eric asked himself as he swung his palms up onto the Juggernauts helmet and sent out massive pulses through the helmet, vibrating the Juggernauts head at tremendous speeds, causing a flurry of clangs. Eric kept his hands there for nearly ten seconds before the Juggernauts body fell to the ground, his mouth foaming. The body almost crushed Eric as it fell and it took some serious strength to push the limp body off of himself
"Ah, shit" Eric said to himself as he wiped the blood from his mouth and attempted to stand. He slouched over the Juggernauts body, looking down at the mess their fight had created. This is exactly why I never wanted to be a hero. This is disgusting. He may have done something horrible, but he was still a person.
Eric just stood over the body for a while; 5 maybe 10 minutes. He didn't care; he could barely keep his mind under control from the blaring pain shooting through his face. Once he finally decided to turn away he had forgotten that his knee was still hurt, and fell from the pain that coursed through his body. He pulled himself back up and limbered forwards. With each step he unconsciously groaned. With each step he unconsciously moved slower. With each step His mind faded as his body itself started to fall into unconsciousness. I need to find shelter. I need to find rest.
Eric found a phone booth, around 30 metres away from the body of The Juggernaut. He stopped to lean on it, he needed any rest he could get. May-maybe I should call a taxi. He thought to himself while stumbling into the booth. He patted his pockets looking for any coins. Shit. He managed to get his backpack off and pull his wallet out. Wait. I can't use my cards. Those assholes will track me. Ah, god. Eric was at a breaking point, his body broken and weak. He leant on the booth wall when something green caught his eye. Alison's scarf was lying on the ground of the booth. A tear slid down Eric's face as he picked it up and clenched it in his fist. He wasn't sure if he could continue; he could barely move and was in a strange form of agony. He was losing his thoughts, his mind was leaving him. So much so that in a second he could see the pavement right as his face fell right into it.
Fuck, fuck fuuck. This is it, this is fucking karma or whatever the shit they call it these days. God fucking Damnit, he thought as the world faded from his view. He was done.
"OI, HEY. GET UP! ARE YOU OKAY?!"
Eric's sight was blinded by an intense yellow light; he could barely stand to keep his eyes open. A blurry silhouette moved into his view and saved his eyesight.
"Oh my god, you're covered in blood. What happened!?" The silhouette asked.
"Little girl. De- died. Alis. I. Dead. Couldn. Red mon-" Eric barely responded before the world disappeared.