Chapter 8: Power is taken, not given
The Mayor has been assassinated on City Hall's steps and the battle for control of Metropolis began. Members of city council locked themselves inside Tinsel's office and sent their police force out to defend the perimeter. Meanwhile, Manic led his friends onto the streets to fight The Wulf House directly.
Tails, still going by the alias Tommy Trick, stayed close to Manic, while B.B, Thompson and Mickie grabbed a weapon each and followed behind the green hedgehog. His Medallion's energy illuminated off the suburban streets when rain poured down.
Manic fired jade energy blasts at his enemies, causing small explosions of neon green and knocking the soldiers backward. The five friends raced through each neighbourhood, subduing any member of Wulf House they encountered along the way.
Cassia jumped off a rooftop and joined the group, while Starr glided gracefully through the air with her new found abilities.
"What's the plan?" Cassia asked.
Manic blasted more guards before answering. "We find one of Willard's lieutenants. They'll know where that coward piece of shit is holed up."
Starr flew higher into the sky so she could look over the entire city.
"I can see a big group protecting someone over there!"
"That's Neon Northpoint, alright lets go!"
The crew split off into three smaller groups so they could surround the Wulf House soldiers on all sides. Tails and B.B took the left side, Cassia and Starr circled to the right, and Mickie and Thompson snuck up behind the soliders. Manic ran straight up the middle so he can take them on face-to-face.
Starr is shot at by a few soliders and civilians so she fired a massive energy blast at them. The resulting explosions cause the victims to glow orchid purple before imploding into ashes.
She went to fire again but Cassia grasped the teenagers' arm. "That's enough, you don't need to kill everyone."
"These snobs hate us anyway, what's the big deal?"
"You're murdering the innocent ones, genius. Focus on Willard."
"Just calm down, Courtney Love. I'll make sure not to kill your little boyfriend from The Wulf House, so chill!"
Starr pulled away from Cassia and took off toward the soldiers. Manic ran at the next group of Cleaners and used his Medallion's energy to shield him from gunfire, while smashing through them like a bowling ball.
Starr jumped off a rooftop and started disintegrating every solider. Manic objected to this tactic but then spotted the Lieutenant so he moved on.
The lone Cleaner aimed his rifle at Manic but Thompson pulled the gun away and kicked him in the body. The power of the kick knocked the lieutenant to the ground and Manic knelt down beside him.
"Tell me where Willard is and I'll let you walk away." Manic demanded.
"Go fuck yourself."
Manic released the lieutenant and stood up, then motioned for Cassia to work her magic. As the Cleaner roared in pain, Tails picked a cellphone off the ground and plugged it into his SAGE program. Within thirty seconds he's able to decrypt the text messages and view them.
"Willard's at a bunker in Southcounty!"
Cassia stood up and looked to Manic for a plan. A massive group of angry civilians armed with knives and baseball bats made their way towards them.
"You can't leave me here! They'll tear me apart!" The lieutenant pleaded.
Manic read the name tag on his jacket before answering. "Maybe you shouldn't have invaded their homes and beat them. It goes both ways, Lieutenant Stone."
The group took off into the streets while Manic gave one last smirk to Stone before leaving.
Stone jumped to his feet. "Fuck you Manic! I'll haunt you, motherfu-"
The angry mob interrupted him with a wall of hate and the beating began. He would be cut by knives, smashed by crowbars and pummeled by vicious punches, kicks, elbows and knees from all directions. He tried to fight back but he never stood a chance. Manic heard Stone's cursing get drowned out by the roar of every citizen who was a victim of The Wulf House now getting their revenge.
Manic and his friends crossed town and found the bunker Willard Wulf was said to be hiding in. Manic, Cassia and Starr used their combined abilities to burn a hole through the front door and everyone entered. Tails plugged his A.I program into a desktop and began hacking into the internal system. He pressed the ENTER key on a keyboard and every locked door was opened up.
"Guys, I have to stay at the desktop, this security system will lock me out if I disconnect. Go get that son of a bitch." Tails said.
Manic nodded at his friend and he led everyone through the halls. They walked past a mess hall, TV room, computer room with missing electronics and finally reach the Captains' quarters.
Willard was looking at five security monitors when a small explosion knocked the sealed door off it's hinges. Manic kept his arm raised, aiming his jade energy at Willard's head.
"I just about shit myself when I heard you lived through our last encounter, Willard."
Willard grinned. "I've been told I'm hard to kill."
"I only put one hole in your chest. This time I'll cut your god damn head off."
The Wulf House leader turned around to face his advisory.
"Manic, I don't think you've thought this through. If I die, there'll be a parade for me because I'm a war hero. You've only done positive things for yourself - actually, the only thing you've ever done is make everyone more and more disappointed every time you were in the paper for some stupid shit you did."
Manic looked at his friends to see their reactions, but no one said a word.
Willard continued. "That being said, when you die... well, no ones gonna give a shit. Because you're selfish. Maybe your sister and your boyfriend at the desktop will show up to the funeral, but nobody else."
"Hey. Don't call him my boyfriend. I'll have you know I was gonna ask Cassia out after I blast you into pieces, okay." Manic blurted out.
Cassia looked at him "Manny, you - what?"
"I was gonna tell you later but, screw it. I wanna be with you-"
Starr groaned. "Ugh. Can you guys take him into custody or whatever before this turns into Jersey Shore. Christ..."
"Shut up, the adults are having a moment." Manic said.
Willard chuckled. "It's funny that you say that because I've got another young man who's been asking about your girlfriend."
"Wait, what? Who?"
The Wulf House leader pressed a button on his keyboard and all his security monitors zoomed in on Falke Wulf being surrounded by an angry mob.
"Where is he?!" Cassia demanded.
As Willard told her where the exact location, Manic stared at her with a blank expression.
"..Manny, I'm sorry.. but I have to find him."
Cassia took off running out of the bunker, leaving everyone in an awkward silence. Willard broke that silence by laughing hysterically in Manic's face. The green hedgehog then backhanded him across the face angrily.
Willard spits out blood. "Fuck you! This is what happens when you're a selfish fuck! You did this, not me! I was just hired to kill you, and I will, don't think I won't."
"You're not doing shit, Wulf. You're done."
Manic grudgingly stepped away from Willard so Thompson could bind his hands with zipties. Once he'd been restrained, Manic called Tails to get ready to move.
Willard turned to Starr. "I know you're more powerful than green dick here. Why are you taking orders from him? Don't you wanna be the boss?"
"Don't listen to him, kid. He's just trying to get you to help him out of here. He'll stab ya in the back once he's free." Manic warned.
Starr looked at Willard for a moment, then at her hands, glowing orchid purple and pulsing with energy.
"Starr-"
The purple hedgehog blasted B.B, Mickie and Thompson out of the chamber and into the hallway. She uses her telekinesis to pick up the smashed door and put it back on it's hinges, locking it shut from the inside.
Thompson tried opening it but it wouldn't budge. "Shit! What's she doing?!"
B.B banged on the door. "Manic!"
Inside the room, Starr aimed one arm at Manic and the other at Willard, ready to disintegrate them both at any moment.
"Starr, what're you doing." Manic gulped.
Willard laughed. "She's finally understanding. She's stronger than you, Manic. I made sure of that."
"Yeah, how so?"
"When I put those IV's in her, it wasn't an antidote that went into her bloodstream. I put an enhancing supplement in there. Obviously it worked because she survived the explosion, and she hasn't rotted from the inside. I was curious to see if it'd actually work."
Willard looked at Starr. "So, you're welcome."
She lowered her arm and brought her full attention to Manic.
"...alright, you wanna kill me? Go ahead. Do it! I try to help you and this is what I get in return. So do it, Starr!"
Willard tried to get loose from the zipties on his wrists but couldn't get free, so he sat on his office chair and interrupted Manic.
"You don't get it. You started this whole thing."
"You're talkin' shit, man, I didn't do nothing!"
"Oh, yes you did. It started when you activated your powers with that Jade Medallion around your neck. But then others started developing powers around the world, Gem or not. You created the Elementals, Manic."
Starr's eyes widened. "You did this? You made me into a freak?!"
"Well, you weren't complaining when you learned how to fly..."
"You did this Manic! I had a perfectly normal life before I became - this!"
"Now, hold on, kid-"
Willard grinned. "You continue to disappoint everyone and ruin lives, Manic. That's one thing you're good at."
Starr growled angrily and started charging up a massive energy ray in her hands.
The Wulf House leader stands up "He took away your life and ruined everything for you, Starr.. kill him. Then we can run this city-"
Starr turned to Willard and fired her energy cannon at him. The beams instantly burned him from the inside out and he evaporated into purple mist.
Manic used this split second chance to grab Starr and use his Medallion's energy to restrain her.
"Starr, you gotta calm down!"
The purple hedgehog's energy over powered Manic's and he's pushed backwards. He smashed through the blast door and into the hallway.
Mickie helped him to his feet and Starr ran into the hallway.
"Manic!"
"Stay behind me, guys!"
She aimed her energy at everyone so Manic created a shield of jade energy to protect them from her attacks. Starr kicked Manic in the body and grabs him by the throat. She glided through the air and dragged Manic across the floor on her way out of the bunker. Manic saw Tails near the entrance so he used his energy to push him out of the way, just as Starr started firing orchid beams at him. Tails ducked behind a metal desk until Starr and Manic are gone.
B.B and the group caught up to Tails at the entrance. "What's going on?!"
"The crazy bitch went rogue! She killed Willard and now she's trying to kill Manic!" B.B responded.
"I'm calling Cassia, she can fight her."
On the other side of town, Cassia arrived just as an angry mob surrounds Falke Wulf and beat him to the ground. Cass fired bursts of energy that stunned them, causing no more than a nasty shock. As they yelped in pain, Cass picked up Falke and used her Crystal Medallion to race out of Southcounty. Once they reached Downtown, Cass put Falke on a park bench and healed him with her Medallion's powers. His veins glowed neon pink while energy flowed into his system. Cass wiped away the blood running from his nose and mouth, then her cellphone rang.
"Yeah?" She answered.
"Manic's in trouble." Tails said.
"What? I thought you guys had Wulf trapped!"
"Not him. Starr."
A screeching sound pierced Cassia's eyes and she looked to the sky. The grey rain clouds were illuminated by flashes of orchid purple and neon green. Starr smashed Manic against buildings and blasted him with energy beams high above the streets.
"I'm on my way, I'll drop Falke off with you guys."
Cassia picked up Wulf and sped off back toward Neon Northpoint. She reached the group, put Falke on the sidewalk and started climbing up a tall building. Starr's telekinisis trapped Manic in mid air and she blasted him with every energy ray she could conjure up. The green hedgehog's vision went blurry as more and more beams struck him. Finally Cassia got close enough to fire a ray of Crystal energy at Starr.
The purple hedgehog released Manic and screamed in pain, giving Cass a chance grab Manic and make an escape. By the time Starr recovered, no one was left in the area. She flew high up into the clouds and shouted so loud, all of Metropolis heard her.
Cassia and Manic jumped into the sewer system underneath the city streets, and made their way through the pitch black tunnels. Both the Medallions glowed intensely, giving them a line of sight through the dark.
"...Is your boyfriend alright." Manic coughed.
"Manny, lets not do this right now." Cassia responded.
"Why not, there's nobody around to listen."
"I'm down here, rookie." A deep voice called out from the shadows.
"Who's there?! Come out right now!" Cassia shouted.
"Relax. That's just Pops. He's harmless." Manic said.
Farrell approached them and offered a can of White Ox to both, but only Manic accepted.
"So, you got your ass kicked again, boy?" Farrell asked.
"It's different this time, old man."
"I don't know, an ass whooping is still and ass whooping, no matter who done it."
Cassia smirked. "A 14 year old girl beat his ass this time."
"An Enhanced 14 year old girl, Cass."
"Hey, I ain't judging. You think a woman never beat me up, before? It's happened. Just take it on the chin and move on." Farrell said while taking a drink.
"Speaking of moving on, What are we gonna do about Starr? She's crazy O.P now." Cassia pointed out.
Farrell raised an eyebrow. "O.P?"
"Over powered."
"You kids and your slang these days."
Manic chugged his beer down in one gulp then grabbed a fresh can. "I'm going to recover, then...I don't know."
"What do ya mean? Your Medallion is stronger than her energy, right?"
"Well...turns out I activated Starr's abilities, and apparently others around the world. Before he died, Willard gave her an enhancement that made her stronger than me."
"What? How?"
"His bullshit 'demonstration' at the galla wasn't ever about dissecting her. Why kill the strongest elemental in the world when you could sway her with a life time of power enhancements."
"But she's killed him so now what?"
"Can't say, buddy...she sounded awfully bitter with me, though. And I'm sure as hell regretting my choices up 'til this point..."