~ * ~ "Discord" by The Living Tombstone ~ * ~
when the underworld and paradise collide…
Cyclone spat blood mixed with saliva onto the cracked pavement, chest heaving for air in his cramping lungs, and nearly hacked them up as the thick black smoke choked him.
"Had enough, Hero?~" a taunting voice called, breaking the heavy atmosphere.
The sky was black above them, and ash rained down from the sky as fires from Cyclone's Quirk burned brighter and bigger. He had tried to put them out as soon as he could, but The Invernor only made them bigger with each attempt and Marine kept breaking his focus with each remark. Buildings around them had crumpled to the ground ages ago, enclosing them in a warped circle and only making the air harder to breathe.
Not for the first time during their fight, Cyclone wished he could actually create hurricanes to put out the fires he caused, but that would only cause a flood, and he didn't need to deal with that just yet.
Cyclon ignored the Villain and tried to gather his bearings as his world spun around him.
Ground lurching and stomach heaving with the force, the Weathered Hero was thrust high into the air as a powerful blast struck the ground and sent debris nearby flying with him. Caught in the air and hands scrambling frantically to find the ground to create an ice pillar to catch him, his vision swirled as the ash stung his eyes.
With a pained yelp as he crashed back into the ground and landing awkwardly on his arms, Cyclone struggled to lift his aching head and glared harshly at the man standing opposite of him as he stepped into clouded view. Deadly viridian eyes burned brightly through the smoke as it encircled the Villain's head.
"Come, now, that's not all you got, is it?~" he called again, stepping forward and hefting his weapon higher over his head. A sneer transformed his bleeding face into something harsh and ugly. "How pathetic."
Cyclone hissed out something that could've been a threat or a denial, but he couldn't tell through the pounding of his head. Heart thrashing harshly in his chest to pump blood through his sore limbs, Cyclone shook his head, sending loose debris flying, and tried to push away the dizziness that followed. If he didn't get his act together quickly he was a goner. Marine had used a Support Item only three minutes ago to demolish a tower behind Cyclone after he ducked out of the way, but he had quickly retaliated with a powerful magnetic blast that brought down another building to come crashing down towards him.
Standing on overexerted legs and getting into the proper stance his father had ingrained into him long ago, Cyclone summoned fire from his left hand and shot a concentrated searing blast at Marine, but he merely deflected it with another Support Item and sent it tunneling into the sky.
More ash rained down on them, but Cyclone ignored it as the Villain licked his bleeding lips cockily.
"You make me sick," Marine hissed venomously, eyes blazing with a rage that made the Hero sick as a mocking smirk twisted his lips. "You were everything I wanted to be and more."
"What are you talking about?" Cyclone snapped, sending a huge wave of ice and another stream of fire right after at the Villain, who vaporized it and fired a blueish light right back at the Hero, causing him to leap out of the way and barrel roll a few meters away. Landing in a pile of a smoking building, Cyclone grunted in pain as the concrete tore into his hip and buried into his back. Scrambling up quickly and flipping away from another blast with a pained gasp, Cyclone sent a tongue of fire towards debris just a few feet from Marine, allowing a small bit of satisfaction to warm his chest as it exploded and sent shattered glass at the Villain.
Marine hissed as a large chunk of metal cut through the skin on his cheek, exposing pink flesh and the bone of his jaw. Warm blood gushed from the wound, but Marine only glowered at the Hero with so much hatred Cyclone stumbled when he took a step.
"You idiot," Marine snapped with boiling hatred, "I WANTED TO BE A HERO!"
Cyclone faltered only a moment before ice spread along the ground from where he stomped his foot and sent a pillar of ice, enjoying the way Marine yelped in shock and stumbled back as it pierced his leg with a sickening squelch. The tip of the ice stuck out oddly and bloody from the back of the Villain's leg, holding him in place.
Rushing over as fast as his exhausted state could, Cyclone tried to dismantle the Support Gear wrapped heavily around the Villain's arms and waist as he fought back in vain, but was stopped by a charp click from behind him.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Autumn~" The Inventor sang mock-cheerily. "Wouldn't want my baby to blast you to the moon, would ya? That would be a doozy," she snickered, and Cyclone could tell she was rocking back and forth on the balls of her heels by the crunch of the debris she stood on. Her tone turned dark as she paused her movements. "Now I'd appreciate it if you'd back the fuck off."
As one, both Villains chirped ominously, "We've worked so hard and it'd be a shame if something were to...happen."
Cyclone stood slowly and with his hands raised over his head, turning robotically to face The Inventor. Her pink dreadlocks were done expertly, yet stray hairs stuck out and frizzed from the smog in the air. Crosshair yellow eyes were zeroed in on the Hero and scrutinizing him, making Cyclone feel like a dissected insect under her gaze. Sending him a sharp smile filled with teeth and a wink, The Inventor turned and sauntered off, a strange gun-like weapon swinging at her side as she went back into the fray of fire and demolished buildings.
Another click, and Cyclone whipped around.
Marine stood several feet away with a bloody trail seeping into his pants and a closed-lipped smile on his face.
And a gun in hand.
It had been years since Cyclone was last shown a gun that was used centuries ago, and he had doubted anyone still used them. But there it was, sleek and not a sign of rust coating the trigger. Cyclone briefly wondered where he had gotten it, but he quickly shook the thought off as his eyes focused on where the barrel was actually pointed.
"Please stay riiiight where you are~" Marine sang with a crooked smile, a gleam of something Cyclone couldn't recognize lighting his green eyes.
"Now, my hero," Marine purred, head cocking to the side and eyes half-lidded.
"You surely wouldn't want anybody to die on your watch-" Cyclone froze.
"-would you?"
The barrel of the gun was pushed to Marine's temple, the setting sun glinting ominously off the cold metal.
He pulled the trigger.
….
The wave breaks
And I'm carried into it.
This is hell, I know,
Yet my father laughs,
Chest-deep, proving I'm wrong.
We're safely rooted,
Rocked on his toes.
Nothing irked him more
Than asking, "What is there
Beyond death?"
His theory once was
That love greets you,
And the loveless
Don't know what to say.