Wraith
(Alexandria/Rebecca)
Rebecca frowned. Keith and David often teased her about frowning too much, but if there was ever a reason to frown, the coward who had just entered the room gave it: Lung, the Dragon of Kyushu, Kenta—whatever he called himself. She decided to call him what he was: a coward.
Eleven years ago, this man had battled Leviathan to a draw, proving he was one of the rare few Capes —less than a handful—capable of taking an Endbringer head-on, blow for blow, and surviving to tell the tale. And what had he done with this power? He sat around, playing at the king in a small, forgotten coastal city, waging petty gang wars against Nazis like an up-jumped thug. Even Contessa's PTV hadn't been able to get his cowardly ass back to another Endbringer fight since.
And now, Rebecca did scowl as she watched the barrel-chested brute saunter—yes, saunter—into the room as if he owned it, as if he had earned the right, as if he hadn't hidden away for over a decade.
Lung's swagger abruptly halted, almost freezing in place, his eyes narrowing behind his horrid mask. He had stopped behind a chair—one of the few in the room, Rebecca idly noted—and glared down. His hand clenched into a fist, and he trembled with what Rebecca assumed was fury directed at a Pint-sized cape sitting in said chair.
Rebecca could tell that the little cape was a girl, probably a young one; she was short of stature and short of patience, if the fidgeting and tapping were any indication. The Little cape showed no apparent reaction to Lung's looming presence behind their apparent animosity; her attention remained fixated upon the large glowing woman standing opposite her at the table—Narwal, the Leader of the guild.
"Well, what a surprise it is to see you here, little Thief," Lung hissed, his tone practically dripping with venom as he scowled down at her. The girl remained silent, staring dead ahead at Narwal, the guild leader, who in turn had fixed Lung with a narrowed glare. To her credit, the little cape didn't even flinch at the vile tone; she merely continued to tap in an odd rhythm on the table—one that reminded Rebecca of a mildly fast heartbeat now that she thought about it.
Lung growled in irritation, angered by the girl's audacity to ignore him, and grasped the edge of the chair. The metal groaned and warped under his vice-like grip. For a moment, Alexandria thought she saw steel appear on his knuckle.
"Lung!" Keith, Legend, snapped sharply from across the table, uncrossing his arms and glaring at the thug. "Need I remind you about the Endbringer truce?" His voice had a dangerous edge—one Rebecca had only heard a handful of times in all the years she had known him. "You wouldn't be about to break it, would you?" Keith flashed him a dangerous smile, his eyes locked on the Dragon; he had hovered ever so slightly off the ground in anticipation, poised for whatever might come next.
Legend was not an easy man to anger—not to truly anger—but to even insinuate harming a child? Right in front of him? That would be a mistake of epic proportions. It would be safer to arm wrestle Behemoth or challenge the Simurgh to a rap battle.
Lung's gaze snapped from the girl to Legend, narrowing. The tension in the air was palpable, and Rebecca could see the wheels turning in Lung's mind as he weighed his options. What had this little cape done to provoke such hatred from him?
And then, Rebecca wondered how such a fight would unfold. She didn't doubt that Legend had the power and skill to take Lung down quickly before he could retaliate, but did the reptile even have a moment to ramp up? Then, it was anyone's guess. Keith could likely still win, but not without considerable collateral damage—something he was generally loath to cause; it was hard enough to minimise damage in this line of work, let alone when you were the most powerful blaster on Earth, excluding Endbringers and Scion.
"No... I shall keep the peace for now. I am merely stating my amusement at her display of youthful idealism," Lung growled out. He shifted his gaze back down, his hand moving toward the girl slowly, as though preparing to pet her in some mock gesture of peace like she were a tame animal on display. But the hand swiped at empty air; the girl had vanished before Rebecca's eyes.
Her cape fluttered suddenly as if caught by a gust of wind. Alexandria barely turned her head, keeping one eye on Lung, and there the girl was—now behind her, peeking out from behind her cape. The small cape's tiny gloved fingers clutched the edge of Rebecca's cape, and her gaze, hidden behind opaque goggles, was fixed on Lung. Lung, for his part, glanced her way with an amused huff.
Rebecca fought the urge to smile. If there was one place on Earth where you could hide from the Dragon of Kyushu, it was behind the Great Wall of Alexandria. Smart kid.
And being this close to her left no doubt that this girl was just a kid. A small part of Rebecca—the part that had nearly died alongside Hero all those years ago—felt a pang of remorse, knowing this child was mere minutes away from facing an embodiment of death itself, facing Leviathan.
Keith had once called her cold and uncaring when she rejected the proposal to ban wards—or anyone under a certain age—from attending Endbringer fights. It wasn't that she didn't care—frankly, most days she couldn't even stand to look at herself in the mirror. But Rebecca knew they had to make the tough decisions; Keith couldn't make them, so she had to—sacrifices and risks be damned. It was the only way.
With the dark thoughts lingering, she turned her attention back to Lung and scowled, barely listened to Legend as his voice cutting through the tension.
"Good. Now be silent and pay attention," Keith commanded, slipping back into his Legend-dary tone, as David liked to call it. He stepped toward Rebecca as he spoke—or, more accurately, toward the little cape still cautiously peeking out from behind her.
Ever the gallant knight, Keith gently patted the little cape on her cloaked head. The girl let out a startled squeak and turned to face him. He then flashed her one of his signature smiles—a smile that had charmed the hearts of thousands—before smoothly gesturing for her to return to the wings. The girl nodded sheepishly and vanished as quickly as she had appeared.
She's fast. Very fast, the Alexandria part of her noted, unable to even track her movement, her eyes swept across the room. Eventually, she spotted the Little Cape, huddled next to one of the locals—Assault, if she heard correctly. The red-clad man flashed the girl a Cheshire cat grin and gave her another head-pat for good measure. The girl, in turn, swatted at his hand half-heartedly, her gaze never leaving the hulking form of Lung, who rumbled with a chuckle as he leaned back in his pilfered chair, a puff of smoke curling from his mask.
Keith started delivering the same 'speech' he always gave during the rare moments they had before the Endbringers arrived, rambling about survival chances, death rates, and all the other 'fun' things Rebecca could recite by heart about these awful fights.
"ETA to Leviathan's arrival, 294 seconds," Dragon interrupted in a hundred voices, speaking to each cape through a wristband some of the wards had handed out earlier. Rebecca heard David clench his fist behind her; his gaze was fixed on the bay through the window, likely using one of his many powers to peer directly at the beast.
Legend continued, not missing a beat. "Right then, we'll keep things simple, shall we?" He paused as the distant rumble of thunder echoed. "If you think you can do some damage to Leviathan in close range and take a hit from him, follow Alexandria."
Taking that as her cue, Alexandria marched toward the exit, sparing Lung—still seated—one last idle glance before stepping out the door.
She retraced the same path she had taken into the base. She wasn't familiar with any other entrances or exits to this branch. A small mob of just over two dozen capes trailed behind her, and she grimaced. Not nearly enough, but it would have to do.
Once outside, Rebecca allowed a small smile to touch her lips. "Strider," she greeted the mover cape warmly. They'd crossed paths many times and always found him exceptional at his job. Not quite Doormaker, she thought, but not a bad alternative if you can afford his services.
"Alexandria," he replied with a nod. "Same as always, then, eh? Do me a favour, would ya? Shove a few of this prick's teeth down his throat for me" Strider grinned as he prepared to teleport.
"Leviathan doesn't have any teeth, or even a mouth for that matter," she responded with a smirk. "But he does have several eyes to gouge." just as a brilliant flash filled her vision. It faded just as quickly, and she caught another grin from Strider before he disappeared, leaving her standing in a clearing near the boardwalk. She turned to the group of capes behind her.
"Right, listen up!" she demanded, earning their full attention. "First off, do not stay still if you can help it. Get in, hit the big ugly Bastard as hard as you can, and get out before he can hit back. I don't care how tough or strong you think you are—do not stand your ground and try to hit him blow for blow. Leviathan will kill you if you try. Stick to hit-and-run tactics, keep his attention on us, keep him on the back foot, and let the ranged blasters wear him down." She had seen too many capes attempt to take the beast head-on and die because of their arrogance. Most nodded in understanding, but a few—those who would fall first—scoffed at her. Her opaque visor hid her eye-roll as she ignored them.
"Tidal wave approaching," Dragon's voice droned from the tinkertech bracelet she wore. Alexandria grimaced as she turned toward the bay. A colossal shield sprang up to meet the wave, the combined effort of dozens of capes.
It was a classic case of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object. Even from this distance, she felt the impact, a reverberation like a thunderclap echoing through the city. The two forces struggled for dominance, the battle stretching on endlessly. But then, the shield began to crack under the pressure, large splinters spreading like a spiderweb. Thankfully, the wave had started to recede. It was a battle of attrition—one they could win—
"-Oh shit," someone behind her muttered, interrupting her thoughts. It took a moment for Alexandria to see what the voice had noticed, but soon, she echoed the same sentiment. The Rig, the Protectorate offshore base, was being pushed—heading straight for the shield like a battering ram. The structure collided with the shield before she could even curse.
The Rig folded in on itself instantly, crumpling like an empty soda can, but it had done its job. The shield's centre shattered like glass, bursting outward with water and debris, firing across the boardwalk like a cannon, causing massive destruction.
"Bastion down, AB-2. Waller deceased, AB-2. Shielder down, AB-2," the wristband droned flatly. Alexandria cursed under her breath as she shot into the sky, racing toward the breach—a massive shape shot through the gap, rocketing forward. Leviathan was here.
She collided with the beast in mid-air, the impact sending water spraying in all directions. She readied a second strike, only for the cheating bastard to defy the laws of physics, spinning in mid-air. Its tail lashed like a whip, slamming into her with the force of a speeding freight train and sending her plummeting back toward the docks.
She hit the ground hard, chunks of asphalt scattering into nearby warehouses, but quickly rolled to her feet. Looking up, she barely had time to react before Leviathan struck again, slamming into her like a meteor. The blow obliterated most of the street and two nearby buildings, with Leviathan's first brutal touch on solid ground.
But Oddly, she felt nothing—no pain, not even the cold bay air or the rain. She blinked. She was in the centre of the creator, and Leviathan was barely inches away, staring at her in surprise.
"Alexandria, connection lost, BB-2. Wraith, connection lost, BB-2."
Alexandria struck instantly—once, twice, and thrice—before Leviathan swung at her. Its claws sliced through the edge of their little pit like a knife through butter, but this, much like its attempted body slam, had no apparent effect on her; she'd question it later. For now, Alexandria focused on continuing her assault. She struck again and again until a final decisive blow sent the beast careening out of their makeshift arena. She pursued it.
"Huff." A small voice let out a breath behind her, near her ear, But before she could even question it, an explosion of water erupted in front of her. As Leviathan rocketed forward again, waves crashed into the boardwalk; its watery shockwave tore apart capes and buildings alike. Yet, much like before, Alexandria remained unaffected.
"Chubster deceased, BB-4. WCW deceased, BB-4. Lazerdream down, BB-4."
Alexandria scowled as she turned; Leviathan had gotten behind her. Without hesitation, she rocketed forward, slamming into the Endbringer's back with all her might. The impact caught the massive creature off guard, throwing it off balance and crashing headfirst through a warehouse.
Alexandria couldn't help but glance down at her hand, still feeling the residual shock from the blow. But then, something strange caught her eye. A pair of tiny arms wrapped around her. Was—was someone on her back? She managed to turn her head, locking visors with a familiar girl.
It was the little cape from earlier!
She was giving the girl a piggyback ride. In the middle of an Endbringer fight. What?
"What are you doing?" Alexandria demanded sharply, her focus still on the warehouse where Leviathan was slowly pulling itself from the rubble. Legend and the other ranged capes continued to pelt it with attacks.
The girl let out a startled squeak at being addressed.
"Sorry-sorry-I-was-trying-to-move-you-out-of-the-way-of-its-attack-but-you-were-too-heavy-but-then-I-accidentally-dragged-you-with-me-into-the-shadows-which-i-didn't-know-i-could-do-but-then-I-brought-you-back-but-then-I-got-too-scared-to-let-go—and—and-" The girl's panicked rambling was blessedly cut short when Alexandria raised a hand to silence her.
Leviathan finally rose to its feet, letting out a silent roar as it turned and charged toward Alexandria. She snarled, preparing to meet it head-on, and charged right back. But as the beast lunged, it vanished again, replaced by a massive wave of water crashing toward her—no, through her.
She turned sharply, scanning the area, only to find that Leviathan was gone—for the moment. The boardwalk was eerily still, a brief lull in the chaos. But Alexandria knew better than to let her guard down. He would be back.
"Is he gone?" the small cape asked quietly from her back.
Alexandria grunted in response, eyes scanning her surroundings for a moment longer.
"Alexandria, status?" Dragon's voice crackled through her wristband, tinged with a hint of panic.
"I'm fine," Alexandria replied curtly, her voice sharp. She turned her head slightly, locking eyes with the little cape still clinging to her back, her thoughts swirling.
"S-Sorry, I'll get off now," the cape mumbled, realising Alexandria's gaze. She quickly looked down. "Can you go a bit lower to the ground, please? I can't fly... I mean, I could warp through the ground to survive the fall, but—"
"-No," Alexandria interrupted, her tone firm. The little cape froze, casting a timid glance at her. "It's Wraith, isn't it?" Alexandria questioned
Her perfect memory recalled the name of the other cape who had lost connection at the same time as her. The girl nodded sheepishly.
"Tell me, this breaker ability of yours. The one that keeps that green Bastard—" Alexandria grunted, catching herself. "—Leviathan from hitting me. Can you keep it up?"
Alexandria's voice carried a sharp, almost predatory edge.
"Y-yeah, I can do it all day!" Wraith responded excitedly.
At that, Alexandria's smile twisted into one dripping with anticipation and an edge of excitement—a grin she hadn't worn since the first time she had discovered her powers.
"Leviathan Spotted CD-6," the wristband suddenly announced.
Alexandria let out a dark chuckle. "Well then, welcome to Alexandria Airlines." She scanned the distant horizon, her eyes narrowing as she spotted signs of battle. "Oh, this is going to be fun," she murmured before suddenly rocketing off toward the green speck in the distance, moving faster than ever and throwing caution to the window.
(Wraith/Taylor)
Meanwhile, as Wraith—Taylor—clung to Alexandria's back, she couldn't help but remember how she had gotten into this situation.