Part 56

Vengeance vs. Nightwing,

or

What Price Justice?

By BobCat and Ash the Wanderer

Disclaimer: What's mine is mine, and thanks to online piracy, what's yours is also mine. Hence, this fanfic.

Erik's surprise was fading as he went through the window, as he twisted and bounced off the wall, using a grappling hook and his agility to pull himself up onto the roof of the building next to the one. His attacker vaulted up to the same roof a second later.

Erik took him in. He wore an armored black body-suit which looked pretty similar to the one Erik wore, in style and design, except his attacker had a blue stripe running up his arms and shoulders, joining at his chest. He wore a strapless mask on his face, his pupils reduced to white slits behind it. Erik did a quick scan and found more to the outfit then met the eye, as multiple small compartments located all over the suit held a variety of weapons and tools. The last thing his attacker had was twin stick-like weapon in his hands, the weapon he had smacked Erik with and its twin. Escrima fighting sticks. Damn, is that polymer? That stuff's virtually unbreakable.

Erik scanned the aura last, because he already knew what it was. Pure. Very pure. This guy's done a lot of heroics. And I'd say that clinches who it is.

"Nice shot buddy." Erik said, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip.

"I'm not your buddy." Nightwing hissed. "I've seen your work, you psycho. This is MY town, and no one turns it into a slaughterhouse, especially not some delusional murderer who thinks he's saving the world by killing people."

"You're Nightwing, aren't you?" Erik said, recalling the name Blockbuster had first spoken when he had met him. 'I had a feeling that guy I destroyed was a fraud."

"You're the one who nearly beat Tad to death. He was rotten, but he didn't deserve that. None of them did."

"Speak for yourself." Erik said, as he primed himself for combat. He knew he wasn't going to get out of this by talking. "Considering all the innocent people he hurt because he thought they were bad, he deserved everything he got. In fact, he deserved more. If things had gone correctly, he would be all over the streets of Bludhaven. Well, no matter."

"Oh it matters asshole. I'll show you how much it matters, YOU PSYCHOTIC ANIMAL!" Nightwing yelled, and leapt at Erik. Erik had seen the move coming, but he still barely dodged all the blows. Ye gods, am I slowing down or is he just that quick?

Erik didn't dodge the kick, and it sent him flying backwards. He flipped and landed on his feet. He's THAT quick. This guy has been well-trained.

"I'm not psychotic Nightwing. Technically the term means your brain doesn't work properly. Literally. All those slasher films changed the meaning in the public mind to that of a doer of bloody deeds, much like gay used to be a synonym for happy. If I was truly psychotic, I would be far more likely to be sitting in a room drooling and shitting my pants then doing what I do."

"Fine then. SOCIOPATHIC!" Nightwing yelled, and attacked again. Erik dodged some blows, blocked others, and took some because he couldn't do either. This time though, he got off some of his own attacks, staggering Nightwing for a second with a heel roundhouse.

"No, that doesn't fit either. Sociopaths have no conscience, which usually makes them very greedy and self-centered. My whole life is spent doing things for others."

"KILLING PEOPLE ARE NOT GOOD DEEDS! ITS JUST INSANITY, NO MATTER HOW YOU PUT IT!" Nightwing yelled. He was normally much calmer and collected, but Vengeance's flippant attitude was driving him crazy, and he let the fellow vigilante know it by attacking again. The two bounded all over the roof, and Nightwing ultimately got the best of it, landing three blows to Erik's one due to his superior agility. Ultimately, the two ended right back where they started, Erik clutching his left arm and Nightwing bleeding from the corner of his mouth.

"Killing people…I wonder Nightwing, what angers you? Is it the killing? Or is it the doubt that maybe those morals you hold you high…are just plain obsolete?"

"Morals are never obsolete."

"Wake up Nightwing. You think this city, what we do, is some sort of game? THIS IS A WAR! And war has one rule: win. That's all the bad guys try to do. But we are supposed to weight ourselves down with all these restrictions to show our supposed difference. That's why we're losing. This city…"

"Is mine. My city, my choice of laws. And killing is wrong."

Nightwing shot out his arm, tossing some modified Batarangs (Nightarangs?) in an attempt to catch Erik off guard. It didn't work, as Erik's talons transformed the weapons into Chopped-up-arangs.

"Wrong? Wrong. Killing is what we do, Nightwing. We're animals, its natural. But what we've done with the act…it ain't natural. It scares me Nightwing. Killing for greed…or hate…they're horrible. Racism, sexism, ageism, any -ism you want, all a stain on our race…but now…GOD DAMN IT NIGHTWING! WE'RE KILLING EACH OTHER OUT OF BOREDOM! BOREDOM!"

"That doesn't make it right, no matter how you try."

"Nightwing, WAKE UP. Killing is relative. If I kill fifty people, I'm an insane murderer. But if there's a war and I kill fifty of the enemy, I'm a hero. Morals are antiquity, a nice notion that has no place or power in this world…in this city…"

"You're insane." Nightwing said.

"I've heard that many times. But if I'm insane, this world is more so. It started going mad when we nailed a man who may very well have been the son of a benevolent god who created us in his image to a cross and finished when a man murdered six million Jews because they wouldn't let him into an art school. And that is why…I will not stop. These people are damned if I do."

"I didn't come here to discuss philosophy. I came to put you in the jail cell you've earned!"

The fight started anew, as Nightwing leapt at Erik, somersaulting over him and kicking him in the head. Erik rolled with the blow and fired off his own kick, tripping Nightwing up. Nightwing flipped backwards and fired off more Bata/Nightarangs. Erik chopped most of them up again, although one caught him in the leg and another in the chest. He winced and pulled them out.

Nightwing attacked again, swinging his Escrima sticks. Erik blocked them with his claws and was somewhat surprised when they didn't show the slightest sign of damage. Tough stuff, that polymer. He shoved the sticks aside and spun on his heel, but Nightwing ducked his kick and fired off his own, ducking under Erik's leg and bringing up his own foot in a reverse roundhouse. Erik staggered back and Nightwing cracked him on the side of the head with one of the sticks. Erik rolled with the blow and did a few flips, then leapt to the roof on the nearest building.

Nightwing leapt after him, doing a series of flips before lunging at Erik again. Erik caught his leg and used his own momentum against him, tossing Nightwing into the air.

"The theory of flight proven!" Erik quipped, even as he tried to figure out a plan. This Nightwing definitely required strategy, and…

Nightwing grabbed the banister of a stairway and spun around it, throwing himself back at Erik, catching him off guard with a cracking jab.

"Theory of flight, I'll show you the theory of fist!" Nightwing yelled, and continued said theory with several other punches, even while the writing crew of MST3K ran to file suit.

Erik caught Nightwing's arm and flipped him over his shoulder, but Nightwing reversed the momentum again and tossed Erik into a wall. Erik bounced off it and caught Nightwing in the chest with his own jab. Nightwing fell, but as he did he brought his feet up and caught Erik under the chin. Erik's teeth clacked together painfully as he stumbled back again. Forget good. This guy's spectacular.

Nightwing leapt to his feet and unsheathed his Escrima sticks again, attacking Erik with them and martial arts. Erik found himself on the defensive again. Maybe I should break out the Redemption…nah, it wouldn't work. But I'm finding myself hard pressed to…

Nightwing swung his body low on an overextended swing and, putting his weight on the palm of his hand, swept his leg out, kicking Erik in the crook of his knee. It buckled, and in a marvelous show of acrobatics Nightwing shifted his weight and momentum even as he twisted his body and brought his heel up against the back of Erik's head. Erik flew forward, flipping to face Nightwing again. His whole body ached, from his previous efforts and the beating Nightwing was giving him. I drastically underestimated him. Stupid arrogant fool, Ravensky! If you don't smarten up he's liable to beat you.

"You want to give up, or you thirsty for more?" Nightwing said, a smile playing on his lips. Erik chuckled.

"Perhaps I was wrong Nightwing. I thought any hero who was supposed to protect this city and yet let it degenerate into this hellhole was incompetent or corrupt. You…your skills are amazing. And they're all natural. It takes a lot to impress me, you've done it."

"I had a hell of a teacher." Nightwing replied. "You think I'm kicking your ass, he could probably do it blindfolded with one arm tied behind his back."

"Really. Well maybe I'll seek him out after this is over…I could use a full test of my skills. You see, due to the fact that you're Pure, I held back. Now it seems I will have to hit you with everything…"

"AH SHOVE IT!" Nightwing yelled, and leap at Erik again. Erik dodged away from his swinging blow and more Nightarangs, as he leapt up to another roof building. He waited until Nightwing had swung up next to him, and then he let loose, firing off a blast.

Nightwing dodged it. Erik cursed, and leapt away, firing off another blast. Nightwing dodged that one too.

"Dammit Nightwing! Do you know how hard it is to just fire these things with just concussive and not incendiary force!?!" Erik cursed. He blocked Nightwing's kick and leapt backwards again, but the superbly trained acrobatic superhero kept pace with him the whole way.

"Don't force me to have to hurt you Nightwing!" Erik cursed, firing off another blast.

"Your warnings are much appreciated…" Nightwing said as he leapt, ducking under the energy bolt. "ALMOST AS MUCH AS YOUR ABYSMAL AIM!"

Nightwing's fist cracked across Erik's jaw, and he followed it up with a fist to the gut and a kick to the side, finishing it with a leaping reverse heel roundhouse. Erik flew backwards and fell through a skylight, crashing through the glass into the long abandoned room below. He hit the ground hard and rolled over onto his stomach.

Nightwing leapt down into the room after him. Erik heard him land. Well, my pride had certainly taken a beating today. I come out the winner of all those battles with that Phil and a mere human hands me my ass. Well, I hate to say it, but it's time for the big guns. After this, I'm going to train my ass off. My physical skills are going soft. Plus, he's just that damn good.

Erik tensed his muscles and pushed himself off the ground, turning to face Nightwing.

"I was wrong, Nightwing. You are more then worthy to be this city's champion. You are one of the toughest foes I have ever faced, and I've faced a lot."

"Good for you. You gonna give up now or shall we continue this little game?"

Erik smirked, a bitter smile, as he wiped blood from his mouth.

"You are a true hero Nightwing…but you and I will never see eye to eye. And I have committed myself to a mission here, this being your city or not. I would think you would stand aside and let me make your life easier, but it appears you hold your precious morals in too high a standing. So be it. I did not want to do this, but I cannot let anyone stand in my way. So remember, if you wake up aching, you forced me to use this much force!" Erik yelled, and set his legs. He brought his hands out and began drawing upon the deeper recesses of his power. He wasn't going to miss this time.

Black energy exploded around Erik, sweeping around him in a dome of fiery power. Nightwing blinked as the dome expanded, Erik barely visible in its swirling eye. Maybe discretion should be the better part of valor for the moment, and I can dodge things easier if I see them coming!

Nightwing leapt up, tossing out his own grappling hook and pulling himself up. He rebounded against a wall and flipped up and out of the hole, keeping his eyes on Erik, down in the building, the whole time…

And a hand shoved something in his face, a small metal device, which was all Nightwing could see before it flashed a bright light in his face. A voice spoke, although he wouldn't remember it. "You came across the psycho who had killed all of those people, only to find that he already blown his brains out. You called the police, and they're sending somebody to clean it up. You should go home and get some rest; you think that you probably look like hell after the all-nighter you've pulled."

A moment later, Nightwing was swinging on one of his lines, thinking about how he probably looked like hell.

Erik looked up. He knew something was wrong from the second he had heard voices. He relaxed and the power around him dissipated and vanished.

A second later a trickle of blood came from Erik's nose. He blinked at the warm sticky sensation, then reached up and touched it, the tips of his fingers coming away coated with it. Damn. I'm farther along than I thought. I keep this up, and I'm risking a massive cerebral hemorrhage…logic dictates I should flee…but if whatever is up there disabled Nightwing, I might need to help him. Plus, I hate running away.

Erik shot his own line up and yanked himself up, releasing the line as he leapt up out of the hole, doing a slow flip and landing with far more grace then he thought he could.

He wasn't surprised at who it was. Erik let out a forlorn sigh. "You know, Phil, this is getting rather monotonous. You come in, display some third rate attacks, I outwit you, you come back again. Then again, you're probably better then that stupid Casanova wannabe. What possessed you to send HIM? Well, no matter. He's not here, you are. Why do you insist on interfering with my crusade?"

Phil was facing Erik head on, arms folded across his chest, floating a few inches above the ground. Phil glowered at him. "Because you, my homicidal friend, are a… well, you're unique. I don't think that psychology even HAS a term for you. All that I know is that something in your brain isn't working correctly."

Erik snorted. Why did these "Physics Police" people always want to debate with him? He'd heard it all before. Well, it gave him time to think up a plan or an escape route that was less likely to force him to fry himself, so he decided to play along. "Why? Because I see the evil in society and am unwilling to sit by and watch the cancer eat through us all?"

Phil shook his head. " No. It's more because you're the most hypocritical bastard I ever saw. Even beyond the fact that you're screwing with a universe that isn't yours, causing chaos that nobody can predict, you're in the wrong. I've heard it asked, 'How long can you stare into the abyss before the abyss starts staring back?' Well, buddy, the abyss isn't just staring back; it's absorbed you, and you haven't even noticed it yet. You've become what you fight." Erik started to break in, but Phil interrupted. "Before you even disagree, just hear me out. I doubt that I can change your way of thinking, but I need to say this."

"Fine then. Enlighten me." Erik said sarcastically.

"You see Erik, your quest to eradicate evil lacks logic. 'Someone killed my family, so I'll kill them and anyone else who I think is similar…"

"I don't think…"

"Don't interrupt! Now, you've already gotten your revenge against Agony and Vagane. Let the killing stop. I've heard your arguments for your quest, so let me tell you why you're wrong."

"First of all, you think that you can just kill all of the evil people? I'm sorry, but that's rather naïve. More pop up to take the place of the person who just got killed; it's human nature. Unless you eliminate free will, (and believe me, I've seen it tried), there will always be those who opt to prey upon others. Violence begets more violence. Vengeance begets more vengeance. You may head off some horror, but you leave more in your wake. Did you ever wonder just how many orphans you leave behind, how many of them view you as you did Agony? I'm willing to bet that somewhere, there's somebody whose parent you killed that has devoted his or her life to finding you and killing you. Or maybe there's somebody like Nitewing, i.e., copycats who end up doing more harm than good."

Erik continued looking at Phil, listening even as the wheels turned in his head and formulated options. As Phil spoke, Erik sent another MTD crawling towards Phil. That's it; keep flapping your gums. Soon enough you'll be visiting the porcelain throne again.

"Also, you state that you do what you do for others. Yet, I know that you enjoy the sensation of killing the wicked. So we run into the age old question; do you do charity because you honestly want to help those who can't help themselves, or is it because it feels nice to have some modicum of gratitude, and the good feeling inside you get from knowing that you helped someone? Only you can answer that, but I think that you'd find that you are, on some level, killing these wicked people for your own pleasure, thus making you at least somewhat sociopathic."

"I honestly find little difference between you and Nitewing, except for a certain degree of competence and power. Now, my team and I are prepared to do the same thing that you did to him." Phil cracked his knuckles.

Erik cocked his head slightly, and then, he began to giggle, and then to laugh.

"The abyss. The absolute sanctity of all human life. Morals. Insanity. To become what you hate. Do you have ANY idea how many times people have said this to me? I swear, it's brilliant."

"What's brilliant?" Phil asked, feeling confused.

"Whoever figured out this system that has brainwashed you and people like you for all this time to willingly blind yourself from the truth and willingly chain yourself to seemingly prove who you are. Well Phil, let me say this. I didn't look into the abyss. I was tossed into it against my own will. And I will never be normal after that. Call it whatever you will. Crazy, sociopathic, lunatic, evil, whatever. None of them can really fit me. It is not my destiny. Do you think this life is what I wanted? No, but it is the life I have. Through the horrors I endured, I was granted, and cursed, the ability to see the truth. And this is the truth Phil. Think of it as a chess game. Chess is complicated enough, with all the moves and strategies and knowing when to sacrifice pieces and when not too. But can you imagine a chess game where you are bound by all these rules…and your opponent isn't?"

Phil blinked. "I…"

"Now YOU don't interrupt. The answer is, you can't play against an opponent who has no rules. If he decides to move his bishop like a queen, or move his rook three spaces diagonally and then like a knight, or heck, take a pawn and knock over all your pieces and declare himself the winner, well, he can. That is what evil does Phil. Like I said, brilliant. Whoever devised it must be laughing in hell. Centuries of religion, law, government, and authority, all telling you how to handicap yourself and you doing it with a dumb smile on your face. Well, I will not do that. I AM SICK OF IT. Sick of people crying for justice while those who hurt them and their loved ones walk through the system, using the fact they play by no rules to walk on and keep harming people. Sick of generation after generation being poisoned and repeating the sins of the fathers. Sick of hearing all this GARBAGE on how "Thou shall not kill!" Well Phil, you can take the 6th Commandment and shove it up your ass, because I will NOT stand by and let the abyss devour everyone Pure just like it devoured me!"

"But how can you be so sure your talent is the absolute truth, you fool?"

"DO YOU THINK I HAVEN'T TESTED IT?" Erik yelled. "Do you think I just accepted it and believed it would always be right? You disappoint me Phil. Surely considering the resources your organization has I thought you would know better. I am my own harshest critic. I have tested it and tested it again, and I have tested the tests. I always get the same answer: The Corrupt will harm, taint, and destroy the Pure, unless someone does something. I will be that someone. I will be their champion. Because if I leave it to people like you, evil will win. And then there will only be oblivion."

I give up. I could argue this until I'm blue in the face and he'll keep ranting on about his mission. He's a hopeless cause. "Maybe so. But that is not for you to say, because your quest ends now."

Erik glared at Phil. "And why do you think that you'll take me this time?"

"Y'know, you do realize that I've already won. You've used way too much energy for far too long. The fact that a human being, albeit an above average human being, could kick your ass as well as he did indicates a certain amount of fatigue. Not that you'd stand a chance against me in any kind of straight up fight, even at your best." To illustrate his point, Phil blurred out of existence, then blurred back.

Erik blinked, wondering what had happened. Then, he looked down, and saw that somebody had carved the word "failure" across his chest with a knife. Also, such care had been used that the skin hadn't even been broken. Phil was balancing the dagger's blade on one of his fingers, smirking. He returned it to his pocket with a single fluid motion. With a growl, Erik slashed at his clothing and obliterated the message.

"I can accept your problem with my methods: you're not the first. BUT DO NOT GO THERE." Erik said, and his tone was so hard and cold on the last five words and even Phil faltered a bit before regaining his composure

"You see, the only reason that you could even block me before was because I wasn't using my full potential. Now I've pulled out all the stops. I'm at my peak. It's been a war of attrition, and your losses are finally catching up with you." Phil's left arm blurred for a moment, then became visible again with one of Erik's MTDs caught between index and middle finger. He casually vaporized it with a small pulse of Chi. "And you won't be pulling THAT again. I know what to feel for this time. Face it, Erik, you've only been surviving by pulling some trick or another out of your ass. I've seen what you can do, and I know enough to keep you at arm's length. Now, how about your surrender?"

Erik bit back a curse. Damn! Wasn't expecting him to get a clue that quickly. He must be Saiyan or some kind of mystic, to have senses acute enough to pick up THAT! Erik stretched out with his feelings, looking for some weakness. He found none. He did, however, get an inkling of another energy signature. What the?

Pain blossomed across the left side of his back. Then, what felt like a sledgehammer hit the back of his head. Finally, the back of his right knee gave an audible crack as another insanely powerful blow smashed into it, and Erik collapsed, writhing in pain. Blood flowed freely from a large gash on the back of his head, and he managed to lever himself up on one arm. "Wha… how…" He MUST have been at the end of his rope; normally, he would have at least found a way to control his landing, and probably return with his own counterattack. He stared at the growing pool of blood beneath him, and looked up at Phil. And was confused when he saw that Phil looked at least as surprised as he did.

A new figure blurred into existence before Erik. She was a young girl who couldn't have possibly been older than fourteen. Under normal circumstances, Erik was sure that she was a perfectly cute little kid, the kind that would give anyone she met a smile.

However, at the moment this cuteness was overridden by the look of hatred and disgust on her face. Her long green hair had been tied into a ponytail, and she was dressed in an outfit that bore a striking resemblance to the battle Armor Erik had seen Vegeta wear during the final fight with Vagane. However, she had added a belt across her waist, from which dangled various small arms and bladed weapons, including what looked like a lightsaber and a katana-shaped sheath. And while he couldn't read power levels per say, he could sense enough that the girl was virtually as strong as Phil, and Phil was VERY strong. For some reason, she reminded him of Phil, except that she more pure than he was.

In a reproaching tone, Phil said, "Omi! You were supposed to wait for him to try something stupid! Remember?"

Omi brushed a single strand of hair out of her eye. "You mean stupider than messing with you, Pops? Besides, we still have the others in reserve if we need it."

Phil slapped his forehead. "And now he knows that there ARE others in place! Why did we even bother making a plan if we weren't going to follow it?" Erik was edging towards the side of the building, hoping to make a hasty retreat.

Omi caught this movement out of the corner of her eye, and used a healthy dose of Chi to pick him off of the ground. She smirked. "Dad, THIS is the guy that gave you so much trouble? I doubt he even rates a 2000." Her right hand was raised, her fingers curled as if she was holding something. She squeezed down, and Erik felt as if he was being crushed for a split second. Then she released him. This time, he landed on his feet, but his aching muscles were beginning to protest with each movement. "And stay put this time!"

Phil shook his head. "No, it isn't his power. He's a tricky one; it's like a fight between a rattlesnake and a bear; the snake doesn't need to match the bear's power to beat it. Watch yourself."

Erik coughed, then frowned, even a small line of blood tricked down the side of his mouth. "Phil, what is this? You need a young child to aid you in my supposed capture? Are you trying to become as pathetic as that Warren?"

Phil's aura flared slightly at the verbal jab. For a moment, it looked like he was going to try something stupid. Then, he closed his eyes and silently counted to ten. "Nice try. I'll have you know that I trained Omi myself, and she's one of the strongest fighters in her universe."

Omi looked up at Phil, grinning a cute little girl grin. "Thanks, Dad!"

"Not that she was supposed to come out UNTIL I GAVE THE SIGNAL!" She cringed slightly at that.

Erik looked from Phil to Omi, and back again. The resemblance was there, but he was way too young for that to be the case. "You're her father? Aren't you just a little young for that?"

Omi turned around, glaring at Erik again. "Ain't time travel a beautiful thing? Now then, psycho, you want some more?" She summoned a small ball of energy. Erik knew that the attack wasn't strong enough to cause any damage, but the threat was very obvious. Also, he was wondering what he was going to do if there were really more operatives covering his avenues of escape. In his current state, even someone like Warren could keep him occupied long enough to let the others catch up with him. Erik began, "Look, Omi is it? I think that I can explain this to a fellow civilized human being. You see, there are people in this world that…"

She interrupted him, giving a sarcastic little chuckle. "You? A civilized human being? Ha! That's a laugh! You're crazy! You're the bastard son of a hundred maniacs!"

Erik smirked.

"No, actually, that's Freddy Krueger. And if you want to quote horror films, I have a line that is far more suitable. And I direct this to your father as well. 'I can't take no pleasure in killin'. There's some things you gotta do. Don't mean you gotta like it." The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."

There was silence.

"YOU LUNATIC! YOU THINK THAT SOMEHOW ABSOLVES YOU!?! I'M GONNA BEAT YOU AS UGLY AS LEATHERFACE AND TWICE AS STUPID!" Yelled Omi, her combat aura flaring even more.

Phil looked down at Omi with one eyebrow raised. "And just who let you see THOSE movies?"

Omi laughed nervously. "I think we have more important things to worry about right now." D'oh! I'm gonna catch hell for that.

Phil nodded in agreement. "I agree, but we're going to have a little talk about your choice in movies. But first, to deal with the Punisher wannabe." Phil tapped his earpiece. "Ralph? Now."

Before Erik could respond, there was a blue flash of light, followed by a tingling sensation across his right arm and left leg. Then, they went dead. He fell to his left side, and wasn't quick enough to avoid bashing his chin against the rooftop. He spat out a curse, along with a fresh trickle of blood. He also noticed that he could no longer see out of his right eye. "WTF?"

Phil look of disapproval shifted to a wide grin. "Ever heard of an ion cannon? Another nasty little toy from Star Wars. It doesn't do any physical damage, but it'll mess up any electronics it hits. Ralph has a sniper version up on a nearby roof. In other words, no more cheap cyborg tricks. No more flame, no more MTDs, no more nothing. Now, your surrender."

Erik looked up as blood ran into his eye. But there was no hopelessness as Phil had hoped he'd see. Only burning defiance.

"I will NEVER surrender. You will have to beat me right into the ground."

"If you insist." Omi said.

"But you won't get to. Code Bravo."

Omi suddenly clutched the side of her head as a piercing buzz filled the air. "Damn! That hurts!"

Phil was at her side in a moment. "Omi?" Then he glared at Erik. "What did you do, you bastard!? If you lay a hair on her head…"

Erik made a noise that sounded like a cross between a snort and a chuckle. "I'd be more concerned about the brains IN her head, Phil. You should have used that Ion Cannon sooner, because when you were chewing her out, it gave me the opening I needed. It was child's play to release another MTD and slip it into her ear. This isn't a laxative, though; it contains a small, but potent, thermite charge. You two may have Saiyan genes and powers, but I doubt that her ear is any more invulnerable than an average person's, and the blast will be strong enough to guarantee that she'll be getting coloring books for Christmas the rest of your life, if you survive. It's activated by either a voice code, or any kind of major shift in my vital signs." The little girl seemed to deflate slightly, as bravado was replaced by mortal fear.

Erik heard the distinctive sound that Z Warriors make when blurring in combat, and two more little girls appeared on either side of him. One had pink hair and was dressed in an orange training gi that Erik was well acquainted with. The other was shorter, and had cyan hair. She was clothed in a black and red jumpsuit.

The pink haired one had already drawn a blue bladed lightsaber. "No! Omi!"

Erik blinked in surprise. That girl in the orange jumpsuit was very familiar. The tail and flying around were new, and she looked a little older, but still…Isn't she that little girl in those comics Victoria has? What was her name… "Aren't you Chibi Usa?"

She shook her head. "No way I'm that little whiner! Now let her go!"

Erik ignored her. The lightsaber was an empty threat; both of the new arrivals were too pure to place their friend's life in danger like that. His eyes were locked with Phil's. "Now then Phil, let me tell you what's going to happen. You will give me a senzu bean, undo the effects of that ion cannon, and let me go. Once I'm out of range, I deactivate the MTD."

Phil returned the glare, with interest. "You wouldn't hurt her. She's pure."

"And so are you; thus, you won't risk finding out what I might do if I'm pushed far enough. You love her, and that is a weakness that is easily enough exploited. I loathe that I must take this direction, but I must protect the Pure. And in this case, it appears I must save you from yourselves. And also, I'm crazy, if what you say is true. You might want to believe your own statement. Do you want to PUSH ME and find out just HOW CRAZY I MIGHT BE?!?"

Phil wavered slightly. "What makes you so sure I even HAVE a senzu bean? Those are pretty hard to come by. And an ion cannon does a pretty good job of scrambling circuits. I can't fix it that easily."

"You lie."

Phil was clenching and unclenching his fists. "How do you know that?"

In a parody of Omi's previous statement, he said, "Ain't my talent a beautiful thing? Part of it functions like telepathy."

Phil cursed himself for not raising his mental defenses before.

Erik grinned, before grimacing. "Now then, about my offer. And I suggest your hurry up. Along with my limbs and optic appendage, I also have various supercomputers and devices wired to my brain, various organs, and parts of my muscular and skeletal system. Their sudden shut down has started to disturb all those parts, and if it isn't fixed quickly, my vital signs will alter drastically through no fault of mine, and BOOM. In this case, no haste makes much waste."

Tears were running down Omi's cheeks. With a choked voice, she said, "D-daddy? Don't let him go… please… I can be brave. R-really."

The sound of the scared girl's voice cut directly to Phil's soul. Phil stood in silence for a moment, weighing his options. The tension was so thick at the moment, it was amazing that there was still room for oxygen in the air. After a minute that seemed to last for eternity, he slumped. He had known from the beginning what his only option was. "You win, you son of a bitch." He reached into his back pocket, pulling out the magic legume. He tossed it to the disabled vigilante. "I hope you choke. Ryoko, you take care of the rest."

The youngest of the future girls nodded. She placed her hands in the proper position, and a holographic laptop came into existence. She tapped a few keys, then dispelled the computer.

The feeling returned to Erik's limbs. Normally, Chibi Ryoko would have bragged about her scientific genius for inventing the nanobots that were currently coursing through Erik's body, fixing fried circuitry and repairing the damaged hardware. As Erik bit down on the senzu bean, his battered and beaten tissues began to rebuild themselves. It wasn't a pleasant experience, but he could feel his strength returning.

"Thank you. Pleasure doing business with you. I will be going now. I know you won't listen, but STAY OUT OF MY WAY. This is best." Erik said, and turned to go.

"I'll rip you apart for this, you crazy bastard! I swear it! I'll beat you so bad you'll BEG to recant this lunacy that is your life!" Phil roared. Erik paused, and then turned.

"You know, I will say this Phil. What would YOU do?"

Phil blinked. "I would…"

"Think Phil. Put yourself in my shoes. Endure what I have endured, see what I have seen…in fact…"

Erik took three quick steps and Phil found the vigilante in front of him.

"See the world through my eyes!"

Erik reared back and smacked his palm against Phil's head, and Phil felt like someone had poked him in the eyes. He yelled and recoiled, and the girls cried out and prepped to charge.

"Ah ah! Don't want to increase my pulse rate, for her sake. He'll be fine." Erik said, as Phil shook his head, trying to clear his vision. Erik waved and walked to the edge of the roof.

"I'll beat you into the ground, vigilante." He snarled.

Erik's mocking parting shot filled the air as he stepped off the roof.

"Unlikely."

The second he was gone, all three girls ran to Phil's side.

"What did he do?"

"I don't know...uh…" Phil said. His head was clear again, and he didn't feel hurt. What was all that about?

"Omi!" he said, remembering. "That damn MTD!"

"What if it doesn't come out?" GoChibi stupidly blurted out. Omi looked like she wanted to cry.

Then, with a slight PING! noise, the MTD popped out of Omi's ear and fell to the ground. Phil let out a sigh of relief.

"Hey Ralph, did you see which way he went? You lost him? SHIT…!" Phil cursed. He did NOT want to know what was awaiting him back at headquarters.

Chibi Ryoko was examining the extracted MTD. "Hmmm, not bad micro-technology. I think he could…wait."

"What." Phil said, partly listening.

"There's no thermite in this."

THAT got Phil's full attention, as he slowly turned. He blinked as his vision fogged for a moment when he looked at Chibi Ryoko, then cleared. "What do you mean, THERE'S NO THERMITE IN THAT?"

"Like I said. There isn't ANY kind of explosive. Just some remote vibrating device that seemed to get burned out after one use…"

Phil stared at the girl for a few seconds, and then he went SSJ and began smashing the roof.

"IT WAS A FUCKING BLUFF! A GODDAMN FUCKING BLUFF! AND I FELL FOR IT, AGAIN! WHY!?!?!??!?!? WHAT DID I DO!?!?!?!?!? WHY DOES LIFE HATE ME!?!?!?!??!?! WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Phil bellowed. The three girls eventually managed to restrain him.

"Calm down Dad! I won't let anyone yell at you. If they try I'll just give them my puppy face." Omi said, trying to make it better.

"Omi, considering the amount of people who are going to ream my ass for not bringing Erik back with us, I think even the puppy face will prove worthless." Phil said. "But thank you for…"

And then it happened, as Phil's vision of his future daughter blurred and then CHANGED. Phil gaped as he suddenly seemed to gain a strange kind of rapid-fire on and off partial x-ray vision. One moment he could see his future daughter, and the next he could see muscles, bones and organs like someone had stripped away her skin and used her as a chart. That he could deal with. What bothered him was that there seemed to be something flowing around in her that wasn't blood or other body fluids.

It actually kind of looked like mist, abet a tad more solid. It seemed to flow around Omi, taking no particular direction. The first disturbing feelings he had when he saw it faded. Now it seemed rather…nice. Almost right, kind of.

Then he saw the little black dots that seemed to be floating around the mist and he felt disturbed again. This was weird enough, but what the heck were those? Phil wondered…

And then, somehow, he saw Omi sneaking some junk food he had said she couldn't have with the mischievous contentment of children. The image was only there for a second, and then it was gone. He realized he had seen what the speck of darkness represented.

Another dot: not doing all her training exercises. Another one: sneaking out to see those horror films she had quoted. Tiny little bits of defiance, albeit with no malice. What children did.

"DAD!"

Phil's vision suddenly snapped clear again. The three girls were staring at him. "What's wrong?"

Phil blinked.

"….Nothing. We had better be going. May as well face the music." Phil said, as he wondered what the hell had just happened.

Several miles away, a sewer lid flipped up as Erik crawled out of the underground tunnels he had used to escape. He paused, checking his systems to see if anyone had followed him and also making sure they were working again.

He was satisfied to find neither a pursuit nor a problem. He flexed and cracked his knuckles.

"Those senzu beans are a godsend. I feel like I could take on a whole video chain of Blockbusters now!" Erik thought out loud. "My mission is almost done. All I need is to get him in a place where I will have the advantage. And I know just the perfect lure…"

And then Erik was gone, once again consumed by the shadows.

End Part 56