Warning: Some minor coarse language. Some mild to moderate violence. If anybody feels that the rating is too low, feel free to express that in the reviews and I will move the rating up.
Disclaimer: all characters belonging to Sky High and Xmen are not mine. I am only borrowing them. Please don't sue me. I'm not making money out of it.
Chapter 6 - Save the Citizen
The alarm's vibrations seem to be within his own head. Will yawned, rubbed his eyes and pulled the covers hiding his head underneath to block the sound of the ringing. Damn. It's the next day already. Gotta eat breakfast… get some energy.
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The crowd was chattering loudly. The noise was creating a buzz of electric excitement in the air. Everyone was standing, jumping up and down, arms up.
The crowd had already begun its usual countdown. "Five.. four… three…"
Warren and Will sat side by side hesitantly, watching with building apprehension as Electrix and Persuasion prevented Freeze Girl and Acid Spit Man from rescuing their citizen, despite Freeze Girl's attempts at freezing their opponents, and her partner's tries at landing burning spit on their bodies.
Will swallowed nervously. Then looked at his girlfriend who could only manage a brief smile back, placing her hand on his.
For the first time, he was actually scared of the outcome if he lost.
What if something – someone – else is behind all this? What if they really would get Warren to go with them to do whatever they want him to do? Using whatever methods they have at their disposal?
"Will! Will!" Warren slapped Will on the back so hard Will coughed. "Are you ready?"
"Um… yeah." Will said no longer stuck in his reverie. He must have been pretty distracted to not even hear Boomer's loud voice announcing the end of the last game!
"We're on. We're the heroes. Come on," explained Warren and he rushed down to the fenced off gym area to collect the protective gear.
So obviously Freeze Girl and Acid Spit Man lost…A big uh oh for us, thought Will
Their opponents, also the villains for this game, no surprise, stood self-assuredly at the other side of the gym.
For a completely inexperienced team, they sure looked confident.
"Peace, Stronghold, you're the heroes," announced Boomer. "As usual, you have three minutes to immobilize your opponents and save the citizen. Killgrave, Rocha, the aim is to oppose the heroes from doing their job. You got it?"
Will could already see the dummy hanging down. It was a girl this time, with the shoulder length pitch black hair.
"Ready!" yelled Boomer. The teens nodded.
"Set… BATTLE!"
Action broke out immediately! There was no time to waste!
Will leapt several feet off the ground only to smash it, sending waves rolling across the gym floor.
Will smiled a little as he watched the results.
"Whoa!" screeched Persuasion her body involuntarily was thrown aside, smashing into a plastic unbreakable barrier.
"Argh!" said Daniel, landing 5 foot away.
"Surprise," whispered Will to himself.
"Ha!" said Warren as he threw a speeding fireball, aiming for Persuasion's body.
She rolled over. The orange sphere sailed past her, setting the wall glowing with flickering flames.
And the tip her hair… was on fire.
"Kara!" said Electrix. "Your hair!"
Kara rolled frantically on the ground. Almost dancing, but lying down.
"Will!" belted out Warren. "What on earth are you waiting for? Save the citizen!"
"Not so fast hothead," sneered a recovered Persuasion and before she even stood up, her hair a bit singed, she concentrated.
Warren felt the air slip past him as he sailed into the air like a flying speeding bullet.
Shoot! Kara's controlling me!
"Ah!" Warren felt like he had hit an invisible wall when he halted in mid-air suddenly. He slowly turned his head downward. And he dared to looked down.
Crap.
He was hanging several feet above the ground. Right next to the dummy which had continued it's mechanical pleading for a saviour.
He gulped as the chopping machine roared beneath him. The spikes moving predictably and indifferently. Threatening to mulch him to pieces.
If he fell, he could be…
"Ha ha! Just scaring you," Persuasion laughed merrily. Then she concentrated.
"Let him go!" said Will as he ran into her and punched her body, sending her flying into a box of metal with a crack. He cringed a little at the thought of hitting a girl, but felt the situation demanded it.
Too late!
BAM! Out of the corner of his eye, Will saw Warren's body hit one of the light poles and fall like a lifeless limp long haired doll as his body distorted the dark silver metal. Landing on his side with strands of dark red streaked hair falling over his closed eyes.
He didn't move.
"Warren!" Will yelled. The force must have hit him hard.
"Hmm," Boomer himself looked taken aback on his high chair, watching the game.
He checked the clock.
30 seconds…
One down, thought Persuasion. Hee hee…
"How dare you try to hurt my Kara! You're on your own now…" raged Electrix, marching towards Will, who was turning around. He had been silent so far watching with amusement. "And for your efforts…"
Beams of electricity shot out of his hands, zapping Will's body as he bent over Warren's body, inspecting his injury.
The pain was so intense Will felt as if his body would split open down his torso, his skin would separate from his skeleton. He couldn't think. His mind was beginning to separate from his body. It couldn't take it.
Far away, he heard a voice screaming like some wounded animal.
"Oh my god," said Layla. Her hand had to cover her own mouth to stop herself from screaming too as her boyfriend's cry pierced not only her ears but her heart inside.
Boomer frowned on his chair.
Should I stop this? Is something going on? Sure, some competition's okay. But not life threatening injury.
"No, leave it," came Ms. Kari's voice. "Let them battle it out."
The zapping stopped.
Darkness had descended on Will's mind. Will was only semi-conscious. Layla watched as he was on the ground, sweat enveloped his skin, attempting to crawl away towards a still Warren.
Layla watched in both admiration and horror, one hand over her own mouth to stop herself from making sounds of distress. He is still thinking of his friend. Even now, she thought.
He knew now what Warren would have felt when Electrix hit him. Like dying.
Electrix strolled serenely over to Will's moving and crawling body on the ground.
Will tried to ignore him. Still persevering until Electrix stepped in his way. Slowly, Will's head lifted to face his tormentor.
"How does it feel?" he said, voice dripping with menace. "Your punching powers are nothing against mine."
Persuasion was only watching the scene, crossing her arms as she glanced at the timer.
10 seconds!
"Aaaaah!" Electrix screamed as a fire ball left a minor burn on right arm.
"You bastard!" shouted Warren, successfully standing up now. "How could you do this?"
"Five…" the crowd shouted.
Meanwhile, Will attempt to rise.
"I'll zap you too!" Electrix shouted in rage. Warren ducked as a shot of electricity whizzed past his head.
"Four…"
Persuasion pushed him with her mind. Like being hit by an invisible giant's hand, his body bashed into the green wooden chair this time. Crushing it to pieces.
"Three…"
Will mustered enough energy to punch the ground a second time sending a huge wave of energy across the room. Even the boards were rising carrying energy.
"Two…"
All three of them bounced off the gym's floor sending them flying. Kara and Electrix both smashed in to the plastic walls, arms and limbs flailing. Warren hitting himself again, this time head first, landing with a audible thud on the unforgiving and hard ground.
1 second!
"Sorry Warren," Will whispered. He grimaced as he tried to fly. But he couldn't. The energy was completely drained from him.
"Oh no!" said Will as he watched the dummy dangling only inches from the spikes. The crushing machine.
"Save me… Save me..."
"ZERO!"
The buzzer rang.
The dummy hanging by the rope was completely dismembered. One leg and arm flying away in opposite directions.
Will's eyes rolled to the back of his head and darkness overtook him.
