000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
"Well, crap." Vladimir said sedately as the Incredibles appeared on the field. "This sucks."
"We're toast." Phelan groaned.
"Who are you, the narrator?" Amira asked rhetorically.
All humor aside, the arrival of the X-Men, coupled with the Commander, Jetstream, and the Incredibles could have only possible outcome for the Hellions.
Facing the entire Justice League would've been worse, but not by a lot.
When asked later what it was like fighting the Incredibles, X-Men, and Misfits combined, Vladimir had this to say:
"What's it like fighting the X-Men? Imagine lightning on legs, or an earthquake with arms or catastrophe with genius, or just pure hell on wheels."
Their lines already in disarray, the Hellions and their allies had no way to stand up to their enemies' reinforcements.
Vladimir nearly had his head taken off by Cyclop's optic blast and Jacque's telekinesis was no match for the raw strength of Mr. Incredible. Rodriguez nearly got knocked off the floating school when the Commander punched the ground, sending as big a shockwave as any Lance could've produced.
Beef tried to challenge Mr. Incredible directly, which had but one possible outcome.
"OWWWW!" Beef yelled as he was tossed a good thirty yards from where he started out when he got punched.
Facing a devastating comeback, Vladimir and Evan agreed that there was only one thing to do.
"Hellions, retreat!" Vladimir ordered, or as Bevatron put it even more succinctly.
"Run away! Run away!""Oh no you don't." Althea growled. "Not this time!" She swore as she charged after Vladimir.
"Vlad, look out!" Amira called from above as she was busy leaping about to avoid getting shot. Vladimir turned around just in time to be hit with a flying tackle.
"Get away from me you crazy mer-b#$h!" He swore as he grappled with her.
"Not a chance!" Althea shot back. "Can't beat a ninja in hand to hand fighting!" She said as she gut punched him.
"OOOOF! Okay," Vladimir ground out. "So I won't." He said as he raised a glowing hand and blasted her at close range.
"So much…for chivalry, huh?" Althea panted, wincing as she protectively covered her ribs, where his last shot had grazed her.
"Chivalry…" Vladimir intoned as he readied another blast. "…is reactionary." He fired again, this time striking Althea dead on.
"Vlad, leave her alone!" Amira shouted to him. "Let's just get out of—YIIEEE!" She yelled as a fire blast grazed her shin. She fell to the ground, grasping her injured leg and trying not to cry.
"Amira!" Vladimir shouted as he made his way to her, only to be cut off by three interlopers. "You've picked a bad time to get in my way." He growled at Trinity. "Stand aside."
The girls refused to budge.
"You wrecked our home." Daria said.
"You destroyed our lab." Quinn added.
"You hurt our sister." Brittany finished. "And our friends."
"You're a bad Russkie!" They said in unison, their eyes glowing as they readied their psychic lightning. "Bad Russkie! Bad Russkie! Bad!"
Vladimir yowled as they struck him with their psychic lightning, but soon they screamed too. It hurt…like sticking a fork into an electrical outlet.
"What's…happening?" Brittany moaned as she cradled her head. Their psychic attack cut out shortly afterwards, leaving all four of them breathing heavily and in pain. But Vladimir was the one most affected.
On the other side of the battlefield, Xavier gasped and held his head in pain. "No…" he said as he looked out over the field.
"What did you…do to me?" Vladimir rasped furiously as he glared at them, his eyes glowing red.
"Um, is it a bad sign when someone's eyes start glowing red?" Quinn asked.
"Ask Raven." Daria said. "WHOA!" She yelped as Vladimir nearly roasted her with another energy blast. "Since when could he shoot energy out of his feet?"
"That's a new one." Brittany agreed as she also started dodging. "I really hope he doesn't have athlete's foot."
"Shut up!" Vladimir yelled, his eyes still blazing red as he put his hands together to fire a huge blast of energy at the triplets. This time, they couldn't dodge it.
"GIRLS!" Shipwreck shouted as they were blasted. "You heartless, landlubbing son of a $&#&!$#!" Shipwreck swore foully at Vlad as he tried to rush over, but was swept aside by tide of battle.
Brittany was the first of the girls to wake up. "Owww…." She whined as she held her head in her hands. Then she looked up. "Oh no…" Vladimir was standing over her, his eyes and hands glowing furiously red.
She tried to put up a fight, but could barely get to her feet. Vlad growled and grabbed her by the front of her shirt and hauled her up to eye level.
"Not so tough without your sisters to back you up, are you?" Vlad grinned, stretching his features into an inhuman appearance. Brittany whimpered as he raised a glowing fist to her face. "I could blast your little head off, you know that? Answer me!"
"Y-yes…" Brittany said, crying.
"Good." He said as he dropped her. "Keep that in mind." Contemptuously ignoring her, Vlad made his way over to Amira and picked her up, his eyes returning to normal.
"You all right?" He asked gently, belying the fierceness of what he had just done to a trio of pre-teen girls.
"Yes..." Amira gritted between her teeth. "…After a fashion…"
"Let's get back to base then." Vlad said. "Vortex! Get us out of here!" Semira nodded and opened a portal.
Seeing their only ticket out, the Hellions and their allies streamed towards it, carrying their wounded and unconscious with them. But one of their number refused to budge.
"I won't run!" Royal Pain declared—living up to her name most admirably—"Not until Sky High is a smoking pile of rubble and the Stronghold clan lays at my feet in—URK!" She gasped as Vladimir closed his hand around her throat.
"I don't care about your petty feud! I obey Miss Frost. We go. Now!" Vladimir growled as he dragged Royal Pain with him.
"I will not be man-handled so." Royal Pain hissed. Vladimir looked at her, his eyes glowing red again and set Amira down for a moment just so he could punch Royal Pain in the face.
Howling, she fell to the ground.
"Something to keep in mind." Vladimir hissed at her. "Most people never get a second chance, let alone a third! I suggest you not blow it with your stupidity. And remember this one thing about your new life…" Vladimir said as he put his foot on her head. "It's not yours anymore."
He picked up a now thoroughly terrified Amira and headed for the portal. After a moment of indecision, Royal Pain followed them, cradling a broken nose.
They were the last to enter the portal, which shut behind them, leaving the heroes to look around at the torn up battlefield, the damaged school, and their injured.
The Battle of Sky High was over.