A/N: Thank you again for all the comments and bookmarks and favorites! You guys are AMAZING and this story wouldn't be happening without you!
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Dís sat at the computer station, security feeds pulled up on four screens to show every possible view of Dale Regional Park. "All the feeds look clear. The park is closed to the public right now, so you shouldn't have any civilians to worry about. Having that many Supers in one area should draw S.M.A.U.G. out pretty quickly, so you'll have to hurry to get into position."
"You all know how important this is, but I don't want anyone taking any unnecessary risks. This is going to be dangerous, but if it comes down to running or dying..." Thorin paused, his brow furrowing slightly. "If we have to retreat, so be it. We can always try again."
"Don't worry, we've got this." Nori smirked and slid the chain holding the USB drive over his neck. "S.M.A.U.G. will never know what hit it."
"Remember, the virus needs 30 seconds to upload into the mainframe," Dís said pointedly. "As soon as you access the drive, S.M.A.U.G. is going to know what we're up to and will try to stop you."
Bofur gave a dimpled grin. "That's why the rest of us are there. We'll keep the old rust bucket so distracted that it won't have time t' worry about our thief."
"Let's get a move on then," Thorin said, hitting the button on the elevator.
The Company gathered their weapons and gear and started for the door before Dori's voice stopped them in their tracks.
"Just what do you think you're doing?"
"Bilbo and I are going with you. We talked about it last night." Ori fidgeted with his gloves, but met his brother's eyes resolutely. "There was an article in The Daily Portents this morning about the theft at G-Corp. They called me out by name. I can't go back to my old life. This is all I have left."
"No," Thorin said, looking from Ori to Bilbo. "Neither of you are fighters. I won't put you in danger again."
"You're not putting us in danger, we're doing that ourselves," Bilbo said with a shrug. "And you're forgetting who it was that saved you from Azog in the alleyway."
"By teleporting! Have you managed to figure out how to do it again?"
"No. I've tried, but I can't seem to make it happen." Bilbo frowned stubbornly. "But that doesn't change the fact that I'm coming along."
Thorin looked like he wanted to object, but Dwalin beat him to it. "Yer arm is still hurt, lad. You should stay here and help Dís."
"I'm done staying behind while everyone else fights." Ori reached out and took Dwalin's hand, squeezing it gently. "S.M.A.U.G. has put everyone I care about in danger. This is my fight too."
"Well said, little one." Dori smiled sadly at his brother. "Just promise you'll be careful."
"I'm always careful, Dori. You know that."
"Yes, you are. All right then, let's get a move on." The eldest Rill brother herded the Company into the elevator. "We've got a dragon to slay."
…
Dale Regional Park was more a large empty field than an actual park, making it the perfect place to stage a battle. Thorin drafted Ori and Bilbo into Blue Team and set them up on the top of a small rocky hill, where Balin would have plenty of resources to work with. Red Team set up on the opposite side of the field, leaving Green Team securely in the middle. Whatever direction S.M.A.U.G. decided to come in from, Green Team would not be the first to engage.
They had barely gotten settled with Dís' voice came over their com units. "I've got eyes on S.M.A.U.G. west of you and coming in fast."
Red Team turned and readied themselves as S.M.A.U.G. came into view. "I am here to end the power threat. Please surrender without struggling. Violators will be destroyed." It hovered about Red Team, smoke billowing out of the vent holes on its snout. "Do not resist. I will protect the humans at all costs."
"And what are you gonna do if we surrender?" Bombur yelled up at the robot. "Take us into custody?"
"No. Powers are a threat to the humans. I will destroy you." S.M.A.U.G.'s optical sensors rotated, focusing on Bifur. "You should be dead."
Bifur made a rude gesture, then opened his mouth and screamed. The sonic blast was strong enough to have knocked out a human, but it only rattled S.M.A.U.G.'s metal scales and pushed the robot dragon back a few yards. Before S.M.A.U.G. could respond, the rest of the Company sprung into action.
Kíli pulled an arrow out of his quiver and lined up the shot, sinking the tip into the dragon's chest. As soon as he was sure the arrow had hit its mark, he nocked another and let it fly, until half a dozen thick arrow shafts protruded along S.M.A.U.G.'s torso. "Handles are ready to go, guys," he said into his com before grabbing a trick arrows and activating the charge. The arrow connected just below one of the optical sensors and exploded on impact.
Bofur tugged his hat down and slid down the goggles over his eyes. "Are yeh sure about this?"
"Not really, but we ain't got much choice do we?" Nori shrugged, his normally impassive face showing a hint of worry. "Get me up there, birdbrain, then get the hell outta dodge."
"I don't like the idea of leaving yeh up there alone. What if something goes wrong? What if yer parachute doesn't open?"
"I'll be fine. I'm more worried about you getting extra crispy from hanging around."
"Let's do this then." Bofur stepped in front of Nori and wrapped his arms tightly around the thief. Nori did the same, pressing their bodies tightly together. For a moment their eyes locked, faces inches from each other. "Hang on," Bofur said huskily and pushed off the ground, his wings straining to get airborne with the extra weight. Nori clung tightly to him, his legs wrapping instinctively around Bofur's body in order to keep from falling. The ground fell away as they climbed higher into the sky, using the cloud cover to get behind S.M.A.U.G. without being noticed. Swooping low over the dragon's back, Bofur whispered "good luck" as Nori let go.
Landing hard on S.M.A.U.G.'s back, Nori scrambled to grab hold of one of the embedded arrows to use as a handhold as he pulled himself towards the USB port. S.M.A.U.G.'s head rotated, sensing an intrusion, but before it could notice Nori, Bofur flew into view. "Over here, yeh blasted furnace with wings!"
"Powers are a threat to the humans. I will destroy you." A spout of fire shot from S.M.A.U.G.'s maw, but Bofur dodged it easily, snapping his wings back to catch a draft and sail upwards.
"You'll destroy me, huh? Yeh an' what army?" He laughed and dove straight down at the dragon's head, doing a roll at the last second to duck under the monster's neck and out of sight.
S.M.A.U.G. roared and ducked it's head, shooting another blast of fire in the direction Bofur had gone. "I need no army. I am Smaug the terrible!"
"Never laugh at dragons, Bofur, you fool," he muttered as the barest hint of flame singed the tips of his feathers. Folding his wings back he arched out into the sky from underneath the dragon's tail, yelling loudly to attract Smaug's attention.
In the park below, the members of the Company with ranged attacks were doing their best to distract Smaug while Nori tried to upload the virus. Bofur drew the dragon closer to the ground, where Kíli's arrows found purchase in it's metal hide. Fíli was beside his brother, firing small spiked caltrops with a modified sling. Balin shaped rocks into jagged spikes and sent them flying at the dragon's tail, while Bifur used his sonic powers to draw attention away from Bofur and confuse the monster.
"Trouble, guys!" Dís' voice sounded through their coms. "Azog and Bolg are heading in from the east!"
Dwalin's knuckle-dusters extended from his hands. "Finally somethin' for me to punch." He met Ori's eyes and frowned. "Ya should find a place to hide."
Thorin agreed, "Bilbo, go invis and keep and eye on things. Let Oín know if anyone needs healing." Bilbo nodded and vanished.
"Be careful, Dwalin." Ori said with a slight blush before hurrying to stand in the retaliative safety near Fíli and Kíli.
Azog stormed over the hill, frost crackling along his skin. He held a long ice pike in one hand, the other glowing faintly blue as he used his powers to draw the moisture from the air and turn it into tiny ice bullets. "Ready to play, Oakenshield?" He through his hand forward, a dozen of the ice bullets shooting towards the Company.
Thorin shifted the bulk of his body to steel and blocked the oncoming projectiles from hitting anyone else. "We don't have time for this Azog!"
"No? Too bad. You ain't going anywhere!" Azog wrapped Thorin's body in ice, the metal of his shifted body contracting until the joints refused to move and he was frozen in place.
Dwalin shouted his friend's name as a war cry and rushed into the fight. Azog hefted his ice spear and met the charge, forcing the spear deep into Dwalin's torso and pinning him to the ground with it. Dwalin cried out as his body attempted to regenerate around the weapon still impaling him.
Ori screamed and started to rush to Dwalin's aid, but was caught by one of Gloín's hands. "Stay here, boy. You'll do no good if you get yourself killed."
Dori saw his youngest brother start to resist and stepped in. "I've got it, Ori. Stay safe." He rushed at Azog, knocking him back with a solid punch before turning and pulling the ice spear from Dwalin's chest. The wound began to knit itself back together and by the time Azog righted himself, Dwalin was back on his feet.
Gloín engaged Bolg, grappling the villain to the ground and pinning him roughly. Bolg responded by charging his skin, sending sparks of electricity into Gloín that sent him sailing backwards.
"Gloín!" Loni yelled. "He's unconscious!" Her worry distracted her and Bolg hit her soundly with a bolt of lightening, searing her flesh and sending her to the pavement.
Bombur ran in, gaining momentum as he went, and plowed into Bolg with all his force. The impact barely slowed him down and they both went careening into a nearby hillside.
Bilbo took advantage of the distraction and drug Loni to Gloín's side. A faint prickling sensation on the back of his neck drew his attention, but he ignored it as he rushed to get Oín. "Watch my back," the healer said as he summoned his powers, tracing his fingers over the scorched flesh and working it back together. Loni was conscious in a matter of minutes, but so dazed with pain she could barely focus her own powers. "Sorry, lass. You'll have to suffer through it for now, I need to see to your husband."
While the fight on the ground continued to rage, Nori managed to climb his way along Smaug's body with the help of the arrows imbedded in the metal. He wrapped his legs around the base of the dragon's left wing and took a deep breath before swinging himself upside down. Hanging by his legs, the thief ran his hands along the scales on Smaug's chest, finding the one that swiveled and opening it. Grabbing the USB drive from around his neck, Nori plugged it into the port, then whispered into his com unit, "Upload in progress!"
"I read you, Nori! Hang tight up there," Dís' voice said in his ear. "25 seconds to go... 20..."
Smaug roared, his sensors alerting him to the pending upload. "You cannot stop me! I fight for the good of the humans! I will not be defeated!" The dragon banked in the air and rolled, going belly-up in attempt to dislodge Nori his perch. The thief screamed and clamped his legs tighter, his fingers clawing for purchase against the smooth metal scales. "You will fall, little parasite, and then I will destroy you!"
"10 seconds, Nori... 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... Get out of there! Upload complete! I repeat, upload complete!"
Smaug twisted his neck and lunged, his teeth snapping dangerously close to Nori's head. With a quick prayer to a god he didn't believe it, Nori let go and fell towards the earth. As the ground closed in he pulled the rip cord and the small parachute Dís designed shot out to slow his fall. He hit the ground hard and the parachute tangled around his legs, knocking him over.
Bolg strode through the clearing, lightening crackling over the surface of his skin. Behind him, Bombur struggled to right himself after taking a heavy dose of electricity. On the other side of the field Dwalin and Dori grappled with Azog. Dori bleed heavily from a gash on his shoulder, while Dwalin used himself as a shield, his body healing itself after every painful blow. Bofur darted through the skies, still taunting Smaug as Fíli, Kíli, and Bifur attacked the dragon. Balin was at Thorin's side, loosening the ice which froze him in place, while Oín and Bilbo looked after Gloín and Loni, who were too injured to fight.
Nori was dazed from his fall and tripped up in the parachute. He saw Bolg coming towards him and struggled to free himself, calling out for help when he realized he was truly stuck. "Dori!"
The eldest Rill turned, suffering a sharp blow to the leg for his distraction, and saw the danger his brother was in. "Nori!" He tried to run, but was too far away. Nori was trapped and powerless.
Bolg stood over Nori, electricity sparking off his fingertips. "Puny humans without powers have no place here. I'm gonna make a crispy example outta you." He laughed wickedly. "I'm gonna fry the flesh off your body until there ain't nothing left but your bones." Dangerous voltage sizzled audibly as Bolg reached towards the thief's face. Nori bit off a whimper, his jaw dropping as Bolg's eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed to the ground.
Ori stood behind Bolg's prone body, one of his gloves discarded on the ground at his feet. His bare hand was covered from fingertips to elbow with scars and brightly glowing runes that seemed to pulse with power. "Don't mess with my family." He turned and strode angrily across the field towards Azog, completely unaware that all eyes were on him. "And you. You think you're untouchable. Your ice is melting Azog, and I think we all know that water and power don't mix." A sharp bolt of lightening shot out of his hand, hitting Azog square in the chest and tossing him to the ground where he lay smoldering and unmoving.
Discharging the power seemed to drain Ori and he lost his footing and fell to his knees.
"Ori!" Dwalin was at his side, reaching to pull him upright.
"Stop!" Dori shouted in warning. "Don't touch his hands!"
Mindful of Ori's hands, Dwalin scooped the boy up and cradled him close. Nori rushed over with the discarded glove and carefully slid it back onto his brother's hand.
In the air, Smaug let out a horrible screech and clawed at the air. "What did you do? I am Smaug the terrible! You cannot hurt me!" The dragon fought for control of his wings, pitching awkwardly in the sky. "Whatever you did, I will undo. You cannot defeat me! I am fighting for the good of all humans. I will destroy you! I will kill you!" Smaug turned and flew slowly away from the park, towards whatever lair he had found for himself.
Thorin shifted his body back to its normal state and looked around the desolated park. "We need to get back to Erebor Tower and see to the wounded." He glared darkly at Ori before turning walking away. The other Supers helped each other to their feet and followed their leader across the field..
Nori and Dori exchanged a long, worried look before heading towards home.
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A/N: So... what did you think? Did you notice the change in Smaug? Do you think the Company has defeated him? And what about Ori? The plot thickens!
