A/N: Lolz, randomness. Happy Thanksgiving, all you turkeys. XP From the POV of my FC...

Wait Your Turn

He stood valiantly atop the skyscraper, fists clenched and placed on his hips, emerald eyes glinting marvelously in the sunlight. With the sun beaming down, I could have sworn I saw a halo illuminate his cobalt form, outlining him in gold. Blinking to shake off the image, I redirected my vision to the city streets below.

Fear pervaded the atmosphere, though it didn't seem to touch him… either of us. He merely smirked in the face of imminent danger, death in the form of some unnatural force staring us down from a gargantuan height. Apathetic, as if he really didn't care that he could be crushed beneath it, could leave the world defenseless. However, the longing for victory was clearly visible in his eyes. He didn't want to lose. God forbid, he'd fail them all. They are powerless against impossible adversaries, yet he provided the leverage. He brought the opponent down to sizeable odds; knocked their feet out from under them with a few fell Spin Dashes. He made this look easy.

And yet, I've seen the toll it took on him over the years. Time wears on the mortal soul, and not even he can outrun it.

In spite of the wear and tear, he stood there like he was eighteen again. Like nothing had ever gone wrong. Like the only things that stood in the way of glory were a fat man and his fairly pathetic legions of candy-colored mechanical warriors. Like we were still kids, though even then I could have considered myself grown-up long before he was even born. Like it was just him, me, and the rest of the group, when, in all reality, the group was gone. In all reality, we really didn't know what we had left, whether we were even in danger of losing it.

It was time.

I took up my stance, alighting carefully atop the nearest building to him, clenching the railing as I folded into a crouch, angling my ebon wings up and out aggressively, creating a fearsome display in intimidation. All the while, a flash of turquoise light appeared against the dull gray of the skyline, and from it, the neon yellow of his adopted son. Then, in the blink of an eye, gray and cerulean mirrored his position on a lower building. Turning his gaze fondly upon his image, his daughter, he seemed to acquire a new reason to defend this. For their future, for a better life. After a cocky smile at her, he looked my way, almost as if for reassurance that I was still there, that I wasn't leaving.

Perhaps it had been too long since he'd done this. Or perhaps I'd forgotten how he cast the very same gaze upon me before every battle, affirming that I was there, that I existed, that I would be there for him, his lifeline should he begin to turn his back. It had been too long for the both of us.

Time to get back in the swing of things.

The streets below began to become crowded, smears of color muddling the tar-black asphalt and ash-gray concrete as cries of "save us!" rose from the civilian mob. Ears flicking, concern dashed across his face, shining through the façade for a mere instant before he shut it away. Doubt crossing his vision before he took the dive.

It's just the way the game is played. I smiled reassuringly, eyes on him as the blue-black sunspots faded from my sight. Steady, now. Patience was never his virtue… He bent forward, eager to engage the enemy, but not yet. Wait for it…

The whole world stood in expectation, eyes on us. Time froze, stood still for a moment as the beast let out a guttural, mechanical roar that could easily still the blood. Despite this, he kept his mocking grin, laughing. He knew. He knew without my encouragement. Though it may take a thousand tries, we will win. Fumble, a flag on the play, it doesn't matter. Pain, anguish, suffering, it's all part of the experience. Face it, and antsy anticipation draws to a close.

Babe, the wait is over.