Changes 3.3

Wednesday night, Hannah and I decided to do a night patrol. She'd been out of rotation a bit, and I didn't feel like staying in a gym all night. It was a little unorthodox, doing such a late joint patrol, but the guys on console duty didn't seem to mind. Must have been a slow night.

We decided to do the coastline; work our way up from the boat graveyard, get some late-night ice cream at the Boardwalk, then check out the downtown area, before looping back to drop me off at home.

So, it was back to the rooftops, doing overwatch, while 'chatting' with Miss Militia via tap code.

Most people were familiar with the idea of Morse code, but for less detailed communication, prisoner's tap was easier to remember, if not quite as fast. My suit translated both, so it was a matter of choice for me; I was less likely to mess up tap vs. Morse.

Morse required memorization of a complex alphabet; tap required visualizing a 5x5 grid and spelling the alphabet into each space, substituting C for K, and using X for spaces. It was still slow, but I could do it without a keyboard, and since it was being translated word by word, I could cut out less necessary letters.

Anyway, we were talking.

"Sounds like you read a lot. What's your favorite book or series?"

Always with the hard questions. What was my favorite book series? I had no idea. 'I LYK ALEF BUCS. HARY POTR AND ANIMORPHS GUD.'

"Animorphs? What's that about?"

'KIDS WIT ANIMAL CHANGR POWRS VS ALIEN BODY SNATCHRS.'

"…Huh."

Awkward silence. It was a weird series, but still!

"What else do you like to do?"

Ah well, another convert lost. I guess books don't appeal too much when you could flip through it and remember every page. I continued the conversation as another loop started.

-Shangri-La-

Our plans were foiled as we reached the Boardwalk.

The ice cream parlor was closed! My mint-chocolate-chip!

Oh, and there was also a cape fight going down. A big one.

In the distance, a figure was glowing like the sun, rocketing around the air over the lower Docks. The figure kept firing blinding, double-helical beams down at something on the ground. We were heading over as quickly as we could, Miss Militia calling for help. Dauntless would probably get there a bit before us, and Armsmaster was on his way from his downtown patrol.

According to Miss Militia's traveling summary, the flier was a cape called Purity. Standard powerful flying artillery. Basically, my job was to dodge the big shiny lasers, while dealing with the other side of the fight as best I could, offering battlefield control to hem them in while Militia took them down and Dauntless handled Purity.

"Normally, we wouldn't allow a Ward to go to a fight involving a powerful cape like Purity. I'm making an exception because I trust you to stay safe and follow orders, and because I expect we'll need help to start. If one of us tells you to fall back, you fall back, okay?" Militia may have sounded calm, but her body language was protective, insomuch as it can be while at a runner's pace.

I gestured 'OK' as I ran. We were almost there now. Purity was raining fire onto the ground a block or two down… and literal fire was raining back up at her alongside a plume of smoke. Oh boy.

"Console, this is Dauntless. The fight is between the ABB and Purity. Lung is already ramping up, I'm gonna need backup fast!" Miss Militia put a hand to her ear. "Militia here, Mandala and I are two blocks away and closing. Focus on Oni Lee for now, I don't want that psycho anywhere near this fight!"

"Understood." She turned to me as we ran. "Focus on killing fires and staying out of the fight. Lung and Lee are dangerous opponents." We crossed the street at full sprint, one more block to go. "I'm going to get to a higher position and try to take out Purity or Lee. If any of them starts targeting you, run, okay?"

I gestured an affirmative, then offered her a hand. She took it, confused, and I pulled her onto the sidewalk slab I was on, and crouched; she quickly followed. With a tug at my powers, I braced and lifted the slab, taking it up the brick wall of the building next to us. She got off at the top, and with a salute, I let the slab sink back to the sidewalk.

One last thing occurred to me; a quick tap of my keyboard brought up the gesture registry, and I quickly made a 'HELP' gesture. Better safe than sorry. That done, I ran to the corner, heading for the crashing and roars of the fight.

I was greeted by a scene straight out of Revelation.

-Shangri-La-

The entire block was an inferno, in the biblical sense. Melting tires on parked cars, smoke billowing into the air, the smells of sulfur and burning rubber and melting tar filling the air. Near the next intersection, a dragon roared at the skies in defiance of the being of light, while a demon wreaked havoc around him. A greek hero with raiment of lightning chased the demon from point to point, but each strike merely turned the man to dust.

I dove into action, raising my hands in front of me, reaching to the flames around me, then exhaling, releasing the energy they held, and bringing my hands down towards my stomach, palms to the ground. The flames around me shrank, the asphalt cooling and crackling as it contracted.

I shot a look at the fight as a resounding crack rang out from above; a Lee clone exploded to dust. Lung threw a huge fireball at Purity, who dodged. It was hard to tell with her glare, but she looked hurt, maybe a broken arm. Not my problem, I had to stop the fires.

I ran down another thirty feet, standing in another ring of fire. Again, inhale, reach, exhale, press. Another look as I cooled the asphalt. Dauntless had apparently gotten Lee, because he wasn't anywhere I could see. Lung, however, was quickly becoming a problem. He had wings, now, and was beginning to lift off after Purity. I looked to Miss Militia's perch- which probably saved my life.

Lee wasn't down. He was behind me. With a knife headed straight for my back!

I ducked and rolled backward between his legs, leaping to my feet and getting into a fighting stance. Another Lee appeared a few feet in front of the first, then he looked my way, and charged. I readied myself-

Shooting, searing pain in my lower back. He was behind me.

The first clone turned to dust.

I gestured for help, and ran.

He followed, teleporting in front of me, and swinging his knife. What was this guy's problem? Also, Owowow, my back hurt. A lot. I didn't think his knife made it through the suit, but it hurt so bad. I ducked his lunge. How do I deal with this guy?

Spin, dodge the one behind me. I could barely think. Jump, jump again off the wall, across the street. He threw the knife at me. Freaking ninjas. A burst of air to block it. Land, spin, get some fire around myself to hold him off.

A crack, and a clone down. A crack, another clone. He was in my face, and I panicked, shoving him away with fire. He barely flinched as it burned him, his knife digging into my left arm just above the bicep plate, then burst into ashes. I leapt again, grabbing my arm at the pain. I had to protect myself. Had to get out of sight. I didn't have any world that would work, not against a teleporter; even the maze wouldn't stop him.

I dodged a swipe again. Another shot rang out. A thunderbolt zapped past, hitting another clone; a part of me registered that I hadn't felt the bolt with my power. Lee stopped attacking me for a few moments, instead teleporting to Dauntless.

Purity and Lung were clashing overhead. I had to get out of here, get to Miss Militia. I ran down an alley, lifted myself to the rooftops with a chunk of alleyway, and got off. Militia was two roofs down. I braced myself, then jumped the gap. The pain in my back hit again. Definitely heavily bruised. Another gap, a gasp and gritting of teeth, and I was there. She waved me over, still aiming her rifle.

"Cover your ears!" she said. I did, and she fired. LOUD. Next time, I'd jam my finger in the one with no comm bud in it. Oni Lee took a glancing hit to the shoulder, falling away from Dauntless, then another appeared above Dauntless again, now favoring the shoulder. "You okay, Mandala?" I did a so-so gesture. My injuries were bad, but not dangerous. I might be sore for a while, but I wasn't bleeding, thanks to my costume.

Purity was flagging, I could tell. Her left arm was definitely out of commission, and she had some stains of blood and charred fabric on her legs. She fired a parting shot at Lung's face, then turned and fled at surprising speed. "Purity disengaged. Focus on taking out Lee, do not engage Lung. I repeat, do not engage Lung."

Not that that was much of a choice. The wyrm was attacking Dauntless at every turn, even as Dauntless chased Oni Lee. He'd stopped growing so much, but wasn't exactly shrinking, either. Dauntless was holding his own, though; his shield blocked Lung's claws, and his Arclance was getting a few strikes in on the real Lee here and there.

This was a real fight? I was kidding myself to think I was ready for this.

"Ears!" I blocked my ear, covered the other. BLAM – and Lee took a hit to the leg. This time, it took a few seconds before he reappeared, and he immediately collapsed. I did a little fist-pump, then a thumbs-up for Miss Militia; she got him!

Even better, as my hearing recovered, I could hear the rumble of a motorcycle. That had to be Armsmaster. With Lee down, and Armsmaster inbound, I decided it was time to get back to damage control. I leapt off the rooftop, spinning a little to create a cushion of air. Ugh, my arm still ached, and I almost flubbed the landing when my back protested.

Down the street, Lung was roaring unintelligibly, flinging fire everywhere as Dauntless flitted around him on the air.

I sucked up the pain, and ran to the nearest patch of fires, quelling them as quickly as I could while keeping an eye out. Oni Lee may be crippled now, but he was still on the battlefield, and the last thing I needed was a surprise leg-stabbing.

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear - God, that was a joke worthy of Clockblocker. In this case, 'he shall appear' right in front of me, knife in hand, ready for a quick, panicked entombment in still-hot asphalt. Teleport that, stabby! I may have done a quick fist-pump in victory. My celebration may have been a bit early, though.

Dragon no like it when his minion gets beaten.

A few things happened at once; Lung roared, flapping his now rather large wings as he turned my way; Armsmaster rode around the cornera few blocks down, halberd raised like a lance in one hand, like an avenging knight; and the commpiece screamed in my ear "RUN, Mandala!"

I like to think I responded well; certainly, I never once lost my cool. I didn't panic, no siree bob, I just followed orders to the letter. I did, however, forget to turn around.

I ran straight under Lung, a torrent of wind following in my wake; I ran right past Dauntless, who was moving to get in between Lung and myself; I ran until I passed Armsmaster, then spun.

At that moment, if it had mattered, I would have been speechless.

I'd just crossed three blocks in a second.

I'd just made Lung faceplant into the ground with the wake of my sprint.

Oops.

Utter silence, but for the rumble of the cycle and the crackle of dragonfire, reigned for a few seconds.

Armsmaster sprang into action, leaping off his cycle and readying his halberd. "Mandala, stay back. Don't do that again - unless someone asks."

I nodded, silently memorizing Lung's faceplant with chagrin. Why must my powers continually be bullshit?

Lung dug himself off the street. He did not look happy, and it was directed at me. Don't get me wrong, I got it; I went from a super-firefighter to amazingness after a short break from near-stabbings, and he was the local keeper of both of those titles.

Good God. If I wasn't mute, I'd be a dead man, letting stuff like that slip out. Although, with the way Lung was hurling that fireball at me…

Ohshoot. Stop getting distracted while in imminent danger. I put out a hand, splitting his fire with a burst of air as I brushed away my stray thoughts. He fired another, and I blocked it too. Armsmaster tried to get a hit in, but Lung flew above the launched blade; Dauntless flew above and behind him, but was mostly ignored by the 12-foot draconic figure. He didn't seem to like me not being burned alive, and endeavored to fix the apparent flaw. He hurled bigger, bluer fireballs at me.

Okay, forget staying back. I was tired of merely putting out fires, and unhappy at the dragon who was attacking me for my self-defense against his teleporter. What was I supposed to do, sit back and get stabbed? It hurt, a lot!

I had a thought, and tapped out 'IDEA'. I needed him to follow me, I needed him angry. This time, I turned his fires back at him, adding speed to the already quick projectiles, smacking him in the face. When he looked my way next, I made a 'come at me' gesture. He roared, diving at me, and I turned and ran.

"Mandala, what are you doing?! Nevermind, Dauntless, follow! Mandala, fill us in as you can! Militia, secure Lee." Armsmaster did not sound happy, but I needed to end this stupid fight before someone besides Lung got hurt. I made my way to the rooftops via a series of bricks, getting off the street before Lung reached the corner. I tapped.

'BAY'. I jumped the gap, doused a few fireballs. "What about the Bay?"

'WTR'. Another gap. 'FRZ'. "You… Want to freeze him? Are you crazy? He'll just melt it!" "No, Armsmaster, it might work. Freeze him long enough to escape the fight, he'd stop rampaging." Thank you, Miss Militia! I doubted we could catch him like this, but I could stop him from damaging the areas on the way with fire, and freeze him if we got over water.

"Fine. Dauntless, I want you to guard Mandala. If he gets in trouble, you get him out of there; I do not want an injured Ward on my hands tonight. Mandala, we're going to have words after this. Good luck." I winced. I hadn't really thought about the consequences, had I? Too late for that now.

Lung was still following me, but he was falling back as Dauntless came into view. I flung a fireball of my own at him, orange to his blue-white. It splashed ineffectually against his glowing silver-red scales, but it got his attention. With a roar, he resumed his speed, as did I. We continued on like this for a while, getting closer to the waterfront north of the Boardwalk.

As we reached the water, I ran at speed, staying above the water for a good stretch, but allowed myself to fall in after I made some distance from the shore. I pretended I couldn't swim, drawing him closer to the water. He was laughing, a deep, throaty laugh, Dauntless forgotten overhead; then he spoke. "''ou 'igh' 'e? I AHM LUNG! 'ou wi' 'no' 'ain, bra'!" I didn't understand half of it, but it didn't matter right now; he was close enough, reaching for me with a claw coated in bluish plasma.

I dove.

A jet of plasma heated the water behind me, followed by a splash, but I was deep already, too deep to be touched by its heat. I looked up through the water, the giant form of the Dragon of Kyushu above me. The man said to have fought Leviathan in the depths of the sea, now diving in again to fight me.

Here's hoping this works.

I lifted my hands as he swam at me, then made a clawing, pulling motion, and a nearly invisible shift in visibility signified the ice forming. It was difficult, freezing the near-boiling water around him, but I managed it. Desperate for air, I finished his entrapment, surrounding him in a globe of ice twenty feet across, his titanic 13-foot frame surrounded in singing ice crystal and salt water.

I pushed myself to the surface, sucked in a breath, and tore the heck out of there, basically skating on the water. Dauntless, hovering overhead, quickly flew after me, reporting on the comms. "Mandala is headed to the shore, no sign of Lung yet. We're headed for cover."

No sooner had we reached the shore than Lung burst forth from the water, roaring. He didn't fly away, though; his wings must still be frozen. Dauntless and I kept up our pace, quickly leaving the shore behind, heading back to the battle area at top speed. We needed to clean up and get Lee into custody before Lung made it back.

Somehow, I'd survived my first real cape battle.

I was really not looking forward to the aftermath.