A Bear With A Burning Heart.
Talon, an terrorist organization that been a constant thorn Overwatch's side for years. Talon is comprised of a variety of individuals, each with their own goals and ideals. Through the current leader Doomfist, the current ideal goal for Talon is that humanity is made stronger through conflict. As a reasult, Talon seeks to cause turmoil across the globe to strengthen the human race. Repeatedly, Talon has demonstrated disregard for the standard rules of engagement, attacking both military and civilian targets with impunity. Despite the current goal of strength through conflict, there are almost as many Talon ideals as there are Talon members... and some Talon cells takes their idea of improving humanity to a very inhumane territory.
This brings us to one of these Talon cells. A cell that specializes in enhancing humans, by granting them unnatural abilities. Right now, the lead Scientist Leanna Hastur was walking in to a room, where she saw a young child standing in front of a capsule, wearing nothing but a small hospital robe and she was looking a little worried as she was holding something that looked like a teddy bear.
"Alright Annie, it's time to start" Leanna said.
The little girl named Annie looked at her "But... mom, I don't want to go in there".
Leanna wasn't Annie's birth mother, she just adopted Annie after her parents died in a deadly house fire. Yet Annie had somehow survived the fire without a scratch, despite having been in the center of the raging inferno. This would lead to Talon discovering her. Surviving a fire like that without any harm to speak of shows that Annie was not normal. Leanna had quickly adopted Annie to make sure Talon did not lost the chance of getting a valuable asset. Ever since then Annie had gone through one experiment after the other, and it was really taking it's toll on the small girl.
"Annie, we talked about this" Leanna said.
"I know! But you keep saying the experiments will stop being painful. But they always hurt. I don't want it to hurt" Annie said, looking ready to cry.
Leanna kneels down in front of her "I know sweetie, but I promisse you that once this experiment is finished, nothing will ever hurt you again".
"But I don't want to!" Annie yelled.
Leanna sighed "I promise you Annie, this will be the last time. When the experiments are done, everything will be over".
"Promise?" Annie asked.
"Yes, one more experiment, and it will be all over" Leanna said.
"Ok... can I take Tibbers with me?" Annie asked, holding up her teddy bear.
"Of course. He will make you stronger" Leanna said with a smile.
Annie sighs as she drops her robe and enters the capsule with her teddy bear in her arms. The Capsule closed and the workers began preparing the experiment. Suddenly the capsule began filling up with some kind of blue smoke a dust. Annie looked around in concern.
"Mommy! What is this?!" She asked in fear.
"Breath it in Annie" Leanna said.
"But it stings! Turn it of! TURN IT OF!" Annie begged.
But Leanna did nothing to stop it, and soon Annie had no choice but to breath in the strange dust. The dust was actually made from nano-machines, that will bond with her DNA by entering her body through her skin and through her mouth and nose. Though the process would be really unpleasant. Annie was screaming in pain, and just wanted it to stop, but Leanna showed not signs of being worried about her adopted daughter. She already lost her own daughter, why would she care about a child that wasn't really hers? At least, that's how she justified her actions.
After a while it was finally over and the capsule opened up. Annie fell out of it coughing, gasping and crying. She looked at her hands and saw blue flames were forming in them. They soon went away as Annie held Tibbers close to her. He precious teddy bear was the only real comfort she's had through all those experiments. Leanna just smiled as she walked up to Annie.
"You did good Annie. It worked. Now we can finally move on" She said, sounding proud.
"But... you said the experiments were over now" Annie sobbed out.
"I did, and I wasn't lying. The experiments are over, now we can finally move on to your training" Leanna said.
"T-training?" Annie asked.
"You have unlocked your true potential, Annie. It's time to put your gifts to good use" Leanna said, sounding more excited for what's to come, and showed no worries for her daughter's safety.
Annie looked scared, not knowing what was waiting for her.
For the next several weeks, Annie was put through training. The experiments had granted her the ability to produce blue flames, which she was not being trained to control. She was given a special suit that would help keep her powers under control, so she don't accidentally burn down the whole building (Her Super Galaxy skin).
Leanna and some co-workers were standing behind protecting glass as an arcing slash of fire moves across in front of them, quickly followed by another. There is a brief pause before two more fiery arcs slash across the room. Inside a large room room, Annie was training. Four robots approach her, moving in a semicircle formation. Annie swings her left arm at them, as she was holding Tibbers in her other hand, sending another blast of fire. It cuts through the middle of all four robots and they melted away. Annie pants again, still upright yet taking a breather. She does not get long, as heavy footsteps approach from her left. She gasps and looks in their direction. A large robot rushes at her at great speed, ready to deliver a blow to her with its fist. Annie, however, pulls back her arm and pushes a ball of flame right at it, and the fire ball goes clean through it's chest.
As its body falls to the ground, Annie falls to her knees, breathing heavily, Leanna smiled at the scene "She managed to maintain combat for almost twice as long as last time. She is improving".
"Yes, but she has reached her limit. She needs to rest" One of the male co-workers said.
"No, not yet. Send it the big one" Leanna ordered.
The Co-Worker looked at her "But, that model was designed to withstand the heat of her flames".
"I know" Leanna said simply.
"Come on, this is to far! She is just a kid, there is so much more she can learn. She is no good to us dead!" The Co-Worker said, really not liking the idea.
"And if she fails here, she is no good to use alive either. Remember, Talon don't accept anyone but the strongest. Now send it in" Leanna ordered coldly.
The Co-Worker wanted to argue more but sighed in defeat and pushed some buttons. Soon Annie looked up as a large door opened up. A Large robot, built to look really buff, walked in to the room with heavy steps. Annie glared and sent fire at it, but her flames did nothing. The Robot charged at her and punches Annie into a wall. The Robot charges at Annie, she was hurt but still managed to use her flames to jumps over it and sends a powerful fire ball into its back. The large Robot however, is unfazed by this, grabs her by the head and throws her across the floor. If not for her suit protecting her, Annie would've been dead already.
Annie skips from side to side across the floor in order to shoot flames at the Robot. The Robot remains unaffected and is joined by the two smaller robots that Leanna coldly sent in to make this even more dangerous for Annie, one of which gets shot by Annie. The Robot proceeds to throw the remaining robot at Annie while it prepares to leap at her. Annie blasts the smaller robot before it could reach her whilst the larger robot leaps high into the air in order to smash her. Annie dodges the Robot's attack, but is still grabbed by it. Annie it put in to a crushing grip and despite how much fire she blasted in to the robot's face, nothing worked.
"IT HURTS! MOMMY! HELP ME!" Annie screamed in pain.
"Alright enough! I am shutting it down!" The Co-Worker from before said.
"Like hell you will. This is the perfect chance to see just how strong she really is. What will she do to survive? What hidden power will she awaken when her life is about to end" Leanna said, showing no concern at all.
"To hell with this! I will not be a part of this anymore!" The Man said.
Leanna glanced at him "Think carefully about what you say next".
"I have stood by and done nothing for to long. I want to improve humanity, but not like this! Torturing a child is something I can stomach anymore. I quit!" The Man declared.
Leanna said nothing before she snapped her fingers, then a Talon soldier walked in and shot the man in the head, killing him on the spot. Leanna had a cold look "There is no room for weakness within Talon".
Annie saw what happened through the glass. She had wide eyes as tears began to run down her face. That Man was the only person who showed real kindness to her... outside of Tibbers, he was the one who helped Annie survive. When Annie saw him die, she finally snapped. She began screaming loudly as her eyes began to burn. But what happened next, was something no one was expecting.
Annie's teddy bear, Tibbers, began to glow... and suddenly it's body began to change. It grew bigger and developed armored plating... and soon it looked like a mechanical bear. Leanna was stunned by what she saw. She remembered Annie had Tibbers with her when she was put through the nano-machine bonding process. Tibbers must've been changed by them too, enough to transform in to a mechanical beast, which responded to Annie's cries. Amazing!
Tibbers grabbed the large robot by the shoulder and swiped it with it's claws. The Robot staggered as it dropped Annie. The Robot focused on Tibbers and threw a punch... only to have it stopped by Tibber's metal paw. Tibbers growled and began to brutally beating the robot with several strong hits from his metal paws. He then used his claws to rip the robot apart, piece by piece, until it was nothing left but a pile of scrap. Annie stood up and looked at Tibbers, before looking at her evil adoptive mother. Tibbers reacted to Annie's anger and charged the glass, smashing through it and sending everyone behind it flying. The Talon soldier tried to shoot Tibbers, but was easily crushed under his paw.
Annie walked through the opening Tibbers had made, but Leanna showed no fear, she was just smiling "Amazing! I knew I found a treasure when I adopted you, Annie! You are amazing!".
Annie said nothing, her eyes was still burning with rage.
Leanna stood up and walked towards Annie, still with a smile on her face "There is no need to be angry, Annie. I knew you were meant to be more than human. And I was right! Look at you now! You possess power normal humans could only dream of! I made you Annie! You are my life's work! You are Perfect!".
Annie said nothing as she motioned with her hand and Tibbers picked Leanna up... before his paw began to burn. Annie could hear her adoptive mother's screams before only ashes remained. After that Annie began to walk, with her large metal bear following her. They destroyed the whole facility and all the re-search. Annie was finally free, and nothing would put her in a cage again.
She learned a vital lesson: Never trust anyone... least of all those who try to call themselves your family.
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