Bit more I just finished up of Leonidas and the changes made to the timestream. Don't tell the TVA.
* Leonidas pt 4 *
His name was Leonidas, his civilian identity having died during the Slaughterhouse Nine attack on his hometown.
He knew that some people would have problems with his troops, so he isolated himself. In a pre-parahuman world he knew that meant he'd have the government rolling tanks up to "liberate" him and put him in Child Protective Services.
Then again, in a pre-parahuman world he would still be with his family. Because the Slaughterhouse Nine would have simply been shot by now and they would have been simply dismissed as a dark and edgy domestic terrorist group forgotten about a week after the news of their demise went out.
"Laser gatling?" asked one of the Ingrid line, examining the device.
"Gets over the heating problem by rotating the barrel at high speed," explained Leonidas. "Every barrel contains the focusing mechanism and amplifier, and every barrel is being cooled when it isn't firing. Still heats up pretty fast, but it won't overheat and jam like the last heavy laser."
"You're not going to mount that on Herbie are you?" asked Ingrid.
"I was thinking that maybe Scorpia would be a better choice," said Leonidas.
"Oh, please do!" came a woman's voice from nearby.
"Tanks shouldn't eavesdrop," complained Ingrid.
"I'm one of the first lines of security," said the scorpion-tank as she threw off her camouflage and rose to her legs. "I can hear a sparrow land from a quarter-mile off. I'm always eavesdropping, dear."
Leonidas paused when he heard a ping and checked his phone. When he saw the message, his face broke out into an honest smile. "Well now. Cameron is asking about friendship protocols. She made a friend!"
"That IS good news," said Ingrid. "Boyfriend?"
"No, a girl her age who was being bullied," said Leonidas, wiping away an imaginary tear. "They grow up so fast nowadays."
"Good for her," said Ingrid with a nod.
There was another beep, another message, and this one brought his smile to a frown.
"What was this one?" asked Scorpia, floating a visual sensor closer.
"She's asking about protocols and procedures regarding duels," said Leonidas.
"That's not so good," admitted Ingrid.
* Brockton Bay *
Cameron accessed records of dueling.
None of the data seemed quite applicable to the upcoming fight.
"You're a machine."
"Cyborg," answered Cameron. "You've already mentioned that."
"What is your primary directive?"
Cameron glanced back at Taylor. "You tell me."
Taylor looked back at her, frowning for a moment, before her expression cleared. "Protect humanity."
"Correct, I have a system of threat and value assessments acquired by scanning the various legal documents and precedents," said Cameron.
"I see, and that isn't going to help with the fight."
Cameron reluctantly closed the computer. "I agree. The rules for such things appear to be culturally dependent. There is nothing on the current situation."
"She shows up, you kick her ass," suggested Taylor.
"Agreed, simple approaches offer less points for failure to arise," said Cameron.
"It's... nice to have a friend again," said Taylor, sounding very uncertain.
Cameron nodded. What she knew of Leonidas would indicate making friends was an important goal. It could very well have a positive effect on her efficiency. "It's nearly time. We should go."
"Right," said Taylor, sounding nervous.
"Make a fist," said Cameron.
"Eh?" asked Taylor.
"The fight is myself and you against Sophia Hess and Emma Barnes," said Cameron. "I do not expect you to actually fight, but we should be prepared. Also, if you are accepted into the Wards - you will need to learn how to defend yourself. Make a fist."
"Like so?"
"Like this," said Cameron. "Block like this. Punch like this. Stand like this. This is all the time we have to prepare, but the basics can only help."
* Dragon *
"Yes, I'm monitoring. It's a children's park, out in the open, and therefore no expectation of privacy is involved."
Her drones had settled into place hours earlier. Now that it was 4:15 there was little to do but monitor all the children being hustled away by high-schoolers gathering to watch the fight.
"And?" asked Armsmaster over the frequency they'd agreed on.
"Emma Barnes and Sophia Hess have just arrived. Cameron and her friend are a block away but will arrive shortly."
"In costume or out?" asked Armsmaster.
"Without. Everyone is in school clothes still."
"I see. Ah, you're streaming video now that everyone's there? Good, a video record of events will help with the after-action."
"I do try," said Dragon.
* Clementine Park *
"See, she's not here. Tay-tay isn't worth fighting for, or they just chickened out! Chic-chic-chicken!"
"You're calling me a chicken, but you're the one crowing," said Cameron as she looked around. "I thought the idea was that this was a private fight."
"Oh, AFRAID that people will see you're weak just like Tay-tay?" asked Emma.
"Seriously, Emma, stop that," said Sophia, stretching out and throwing a few punches to loosen up. "They're here."
"I was researching rules for such encounters and determined that they are specific to region and culture," said Cameron. "So as you were the challenger, it seems likely you had specific conditions. What are they?"
"Until you can't fight or surrender," stated Emma.
"No weapons," stated Cameron. "No leaving the park area. Just you two versus myself and Taylor."
"Wait, us two?" asked Emma.
"Those were the original conditions you set," said Cameron, walking to the approximate center of the park and settling into a loose stance.
"What? I didn't..." Emma protested.
"You did," growled Sophia. "That's why I keep telling you to stop."
"Uhm, well, I'm just fighting Taylor then. No problem." Emma reached into her purse and pulled out a small taser.
"So, weapons ARE allowed?" asked Cameron on seeing that, dropping the ready-stance in order to look completely relaxed and at ease.
"Rules? Rules are for the weak," said Sophia, charging forward.
That was temporarily paused by a loud bang and when everyone looked they could see that Emma's pocket-taser had exploded violently for no adequately explored reason.
In her hand while she was using it to intimidate Taylor.
That Taylor was smirking for some unknown reason as Emma Barnes screamed and ran around waving one hand in the air as if she'd only very rarely actually been physically hurt.
Sophia leapt forward, ready to prove herself the apex predator of Winslow High School. (Which she would admit later on remembering this was actually a pretty crappy title. Like being the biggest fish in a goldfish bowl.)
Cameron ducked under the attack and her petite little fist impacted Sophia's solar plexus hard enough that the wheezing noise was heard for nearly a city block.
"Oof!" was actually heard from the small crowd of high school students watching the fight.
"DAMN!" was the comment from a six-year-old girl who had not been chased away from the playground.
Sophia wheezed and gasped and kneeling on the ground was trying to say something.
Madison Clements, one of the Terrible Trio with the other two, was actually pretty happy she hadn't been included in the fight roster because damn that looked like it HURT.
"You..." said Sophia as soon as she was able to talk, "that (wheeze) was a (gasp) cute trick."
Cameron cocked an eyebrow. "Cute? Bitch. I'm adorable."
Sophia growled and picked herself up, staggering a bit but furious.
Cameron smirked. Striking an opponent when they were down was frowned upon in most of the surveyed duel cultures. If your opponent tried to re-initiate combat, they were then a valid target again.
* Ratz Matz video stream *
"Yo yo yo, this is your boy Ratz Matz livestreaming this little fight. We have here the self-declared queens of the school - Sophia Hess and Emma Barmes. They done challenged the beanpole there Tayday something and her new bestie Cameron to a fight and this is all going down at the little kiddie park on da Clementine Street. Y'all just saw Sophia try some WWWA shit on Cameron and Cameron just showed that she done not read the script. She taking Sophia apart like she's made of Legos or something."
The video showed Sophia being armlocked and forced to the ground, managing to get a good angle showing how completely enraged her expression was before Emma Barnes tried to rescue her friend.
"Tayday" on the other hand hit Emma in the face.
"Looks like Tayday there needs some lessons. That was a weak-ass punch y'all. Just saying. I think Emma there is just more in shock than anything else. And now she's pulling a can of pepper spray out of her purse and trying to hit Tayday with it. Oh man, she shoulda checked which way the wind was blowing 'cause now both of them got hit with some of that stuff."
"AUGH! My eyes!"
"DAMNIT EMMA!"
"LET ME GO!"
"Admit your defeat and I shall."
"NEVER!"
"Do you want me to dislocate your arm?"
(KA-ZAP!)
"Oh hell! Sophia just did some shadow stuff to get out of the armlock and she just got zapped trying to go through Cameron. This is some straight-up cape shit! I ain't mentionin' no names though cause that'll get you de-money-tized and such and your boy Ratz Matz needs his income."
"You - you BITCH!"
"Incorrect, I have no canine ancestry."
Ratz Matz looked into the camera. "Look guys. Cameron, she can fight good, but she need to work on her combat chatter."
The roar of jets interrupted whatever else the video streamer wanted to say, and the video link died a moment after that.
* Armsmaster *
"Video feeds have been cut, including Dragon's," announced Armsmaster into his own helmet commlink.
"How far are you from the site?" asked Deputy Director Renick.
"Three blocks and I am on my way," said Armsmaster. "Ah. A power armor just went overhead. Requesting backup."
"Relaying that. Can you ID?" asked Renick.
"It's Saint. I am not letting him get away again."
"Damn. Good luck."
* Saint *
The other two suits had landed to block the exits to the park. Time to deflect a bit of blame for what was to come.
"Good job, Stalker, you've got her out where we can end this mechanical menace."
Sophia Hess looked up from where she was trying to lift herself off the ground and began swearing about their probable ancestry and the breaking of those Unwritten Rules.
"The rest of you hold still and you will not be harmed, we are simply after-" And just like that, like someone had flipped a switch, all of his displays and systems turned off.
"What the hell?" asked Saint.
* Armsmaster *
He arrived, ready for a fight for his life, only to see the three power armors just standing there. One had a chain gun, another some kind of rocket launcher, and the third a huge chainsaw-sword that he decided to appropriate later because it might feature some technology he could incorporate into his own equipment.
There was a moment of confusion on that before he saw a wave from one of those present and he recognized Techstar's civilian identity. Techstar who could control technology within a certain radius. Ah. That really did explain the current situation.
"You're all under arrest!" declared Armsmaster, thinking this was the most efficient way to get Tin Soldier and Techstar in for a briefing without exposing secret identities.
Wow, look at all those kids running in all directions. Two of them even collided with each other and their heads made a dull thud as they connected. And now they were down on the ground. He was vaguely disappointed, somehow having expected a sound more like two coconuts bonking together.
It took barely three more minutes before a PRT transport arrived, and he was finding the disappointed look from Techstar and Tin Soldier somewhat uncomfortable. There was the occasional shudder from the three power armors before they went quiescent again, so Techstar was at least focused on the important part.
"Colin," sent Dragon over a private encrypted link.
"Yes, Dragon?" responded Armsmaster.
"I'm sending by fast courier some cake to your lab. I think this calls for a celebration. Be sure to save a slice for Techstar. I am unsure if Tin Soldier can eat cake."
Armsmaster pondered for a few moments. "I think she can actually."