Junkrat

Backstory:

Jamieson Fawkes is an explosives-obsessed freak who lives to cause chaos and destruction. The attack on the Australian omnium's fusion core forever altered the landscape of the Outback. After the detonation, the area was transformed into a harsh, irradiated wasteland, littered with debris and the twisted fragments of the ruined facility, and unlivable to most.

But some survived. Calling themselves the Junkers, they scavenged the husk of the omnium and formed a lawless, cutthroat society in its shadow. Junkrat was one of them, eking out a living reclaiming metal and components from the ruins. Like many others, he was affected by the lingering radiation. This touch of madness made him ideal for handling dangerous explosives, a love which he turned into an obsession.

He came to notoriety when he discovered a precious secret in the bones of the omnium. Though few knew the nature of what he found, he was nonetheless pursued by bounty hunters, gangs, and opportunists wherever he went, until he made a deal with the Junker enforcer Roadhog, who grudgingly agreed to be his personal bodyguard in exchange for a fifty-fifty share of the spoils.

Powers and Abilities:

Superhuman Physical Characteristics,

Weapon Mastery (Skilled in the use of mines, his grenade launcher, and presumably nearly any explosive he gets his hands on),

Explosion Manipulation (Utilizes exclusively explosive weapons),

Cyborgization (A mechanical arm and peg leg),

Resistance to Radiation Manipulation (Lived for years near a destroyed omnium that was giving off so much radiation that it turned most of the outback into a wasteland, and spent extensive time exploring the inside of said omnium, Junkrat stated he uses radioactivity and dirt as a bandage)

Junkrat is reckless and insane due to the long-lasting effects of the omnium core reactor's meltdown, and his prosthetic peg leg tends to break from long falls, the RIP-tire can be shot down prematurely to disarm it, Junkrat is left vulnerable while steering the RIP-tire. Aiming is less effective when firing upwards, putting him at a disadvantage against airborne opponents.

Fuse

Backstory:

An Apex Legend from the Outland planet Salvo, Walter "Fuse" Fitzroy joined the Apex Games after the Syndicate claimed Salvo as part of their domain. After a life of fighting in the Bonecage - Salvo's own bloodsport - Fuse longed for a greater and more grandiose stage to lay claim to. When his time finally arrived, he was greeted with cheers all around. However, his long-time partner-in-crime, Maggie, deemed him a traitor to his planet and seeks to take vengeance upon Fuse and the Syndicate.

Powers and Abilities:

Superhuman Physical Characteristics,

Weapon Mastery,

Energy Manipulation,

Martial Arts,

Energy Projection,

Limited Forcefield Creation,

Explosion Manipulation via Frag Grenade and Knuckle Cluster,

Fire Manipulation and Heat Manipulation via Thermite Bomb and Motherlode,

Healing,

Regeneration (The ability to regenerate severed fingers, toes, or ears, minor organ damage),

Damage Boost (Via Hop-Ups),

Limited Extrasensory Perception via Threat Detection Scopes,

Limited Cyborgization,

Resistance to Temperature Manipulation (Via Heat Shield)

Weaknesses: None notable

Song: Motherlode of Mayham

Walking through the nearly desolate streets of New Junker City in the arid landscape of Australia was none other than the renowned "Bombastic Explosives Expert," Walter Fitzroy, more commonly known as Fuse. Though he had largely retired from his mercenary career, the prospect of capturing a notorious global fugitive named Junkrat, who had a hefty 25 million dollar bounty on his head, proved too enticing an opportunity to overlook. A thunderous explosion ripped through the wall next to Fuse, creating a gaping hole in the structure. A deep, sinister cackling rang out from within.

"WAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!! Oh, that was a good one, Roady!"

Out of the smoky hole stepped two imposing figures, the first a monstrously large and portly man, Roadhog, gripping a massive hook in his hand. Behind him strolled a crazed individual, armed with a dangerous-looking grenade launcher, his fiery yellow hair waving defiantly, a prosthetic arm and leg completing his chaotic appearance. It was the elusive Junkrat.

Fuse nimbly dodged the blast, flinging a grenade into the fray. Roadhog spotted the explosive just in time, seizing the opportunity to throw Junkrat roughly to the side. The grenade detonated, forcefully propelling Roadhog to the side.

"ROADY!"

Junkrat quickly scampered over to his partner, checking on Roadhog's status, sighing in relief when he realized that Roadhog was merely unconscious. Glancing up at Fuse, Junkrat angrily pointed towards the Aussie, his eyes filled with irritation.

"What the hell did ya do that for, wanker?! We were just doing our job here, and ya blasted my friend to kingdom come!"

Fuse confidently crossed his arms, a sly smile playing on his lips.

"I came here to collect that bounty you're carrying on your head. My mates and I could definitely use the dough."

Fueled by anger, Junkrat swiftly loaded his Frag Launcher, his gaze scorching with determination. He wasn't about to allow his friend to be hurt.

"We'll see about that, mate."

In response, Fuse coolly loaded his knuckle cluster with a grenade, his eyes fixed on his target, prepared to secure the lucrative bounty. Junkrat seized the initiative, unleashing a series of explosive bombs from his Frag Launcher, aiming to blow up Fuse. However, Fuse nimbly darted to the side, evading the explosions, showing a calm and steady demeanor. In a swift yet calculated move, Fuse retaliated with his own barrage of grenades, forcing Junkrat to scramble frantically for safety. In a desperate retreat, Junkrat fled into the blown-up wall and dashed into the building, with Fuse close on his heels.

In a show of remarkable agility, Junkrat continued to run while simultaneously hurling a bear trap directly behind him and tossing a concussive mine ahead of his path. Meanwhile, Fuse entered the building and was taken aback by the sight of Junkrat blowing himself up with the mine, only to go flying into the air up to the second floor platform. Not expecting such a move, Fuse stood there in stunned disbelief as Junkrat landed with a wild cackle, seemingly unscathed.

"This guy's heaping galah."

Spotting Fuse below, Junkrat leaned over the railing, wearing a smug smile, and called out provocatively.

"Oi, wanker! Come get some!"

Fuse, still entertained, charged forward, his attention fixed on Junkrat and completely missing the bear trap placed on his blind side. When he stepped into it, his leg was ensnared, and he let out a pained howl as the trap tightened its grip. A triumphant grin stretched across Junkrat's face as he exclaimed,

"Ha, gotcha! Now take this!"

With that, Junkrat unleashed a barrage of five grenades from his Frag Launcher, aimed directly at Fuse, who, ensnared in the bear trap, couldn't do anything to escape. The grenades made contact with Fuse and exploded, propelling him forcefully upward through the roof and crashing him down onto the ground in a cloud of dust.

Fuse rose from the ground, dusted himself off, and rolled his shoulder to ease the kinks caused by the fall. Junkrat, observing him from the railing, called out incredulously, his tone filled with disbelief.

"How the bloody hell did ya survive that, ya bloke? These blasts are top of a' da line!"

In response, Fuse chuckled nonchalantly. He quipped back,

"Mate, I've survived a blast that ripped me arm straight off, so your little firecrackers are nothing in comparison, ya hear me?"

With a flick of his prosthetic arm, he sent a string of grenades towards Junkrat's position. The grenades landed under the platform where Junkrat was standing, sending him flying through the air, screaming as he plummeted to the ground.

Once Junkrat had regained his composure after his fall, he found himself encircled by a blazing inferno caused by Fuse's attack, "The Motherlode." Fuse's smirk widened as he aimed his 30-30 Repeater. Undeterred, Junkrat fought back by launching more grenades from his Frag Launcher, but Fuse swiftly shot each one out of the air before they could reach him, even managing to blow up the weapon by shooting down the barrel itself.

Feeling cornered and desperate, Junkrat attempted to use a concussive mine to propel himself out of the fiery circle. However, he didn't have enough time as Fuse lobbed a thermite bomb directly at his face, causing both to explode simultaneously. The force of the explosion shoved Junkrat into the ring of fire. He cried out and writhed in pain before scrambling away to the safety of a rock, hastily trying to extinguish the remaining flames on his body. Junkrat, seemingly at the end of his rope, declared with a mix of defiance and desperation,

"Alright, that's it! Fire in the hole!"

He set down his ultimate weapon, a spiked ripcord tire brimming with explosives. With a furious roar, he revved it up, and let it loose, intending to send Fuse to kingdom come. However, before it could reach its target, a volley of three bullets struck the weapon, causing it to explode prematurely. The force of the blast sent Junkrat flying backward, his breath labored as he slammed against the wall, gasping for air.

Despite his injuries and broken prosthetic leg, Junkrat stubbornly tried to get back on his feet, only to find Fuse drawing near. In a final act of defiance, he threw a punch with his organic hand, which made a painful impact against Fuse's prosthetic one. Wincing in pain, he shook his hand in discomfort. Fuse then looked at him with a mix of amusement and curiosity.

"You punched with your regular hand, mate?"

Junkrat let out a nervous chuckle and offered a weak explanation,

"Force of habit?"

Before he could say anything more, however, Fuse nonchalantly raised his repeater rifle and shot Junkrat dead. As Junkrat's body slumped to the ground, all the grenades on his person detonated, sending Fuse flying backward from the force of the explosions. Coughing and sputtering, Fuse struggled to sit up, taking in the sight of Junkrat's mangled body. The criminal was no more. With a sigh, Fuse looked at the messy remains of Junkrat's body and muttered,

"Well, that's unfortunate. Hopefully his head is still recognizable enough to collect the bounty."

He drew a knife from his shoe and approached the body, preparing to claim the Junkers head. Fuse hoped that he could at least get a half, or a quarter even, of the amount for Junkrat's bounty.

Strength: Okay, I admit that I wasn't too passionate about this one by the time I got to it. Hard to write a story where it's basically just "Maniac and smooth guy blow each other up until one stays blown up". Well, let's get this out of the way. Both are about equal in durability at about a quarter ton of TNT. Meaning grenades on both sides at 6.5 ounces per ain't doing snuff. Sure, Junkrat may be physically strong enough to carry 200 pounds of gold with one arm, but that isn't attack potency.

Speed: Both are about equal in subsonic movement speeds, and even if Junkrat has the faster reaction time of Mach 20, that breakable pegleg of his ain't doing him any favors.

Skill: Walter is a veteran pit fighter and explosives expert with real tools, compared to Junkrat having no formal training on how to fight or any upclose training, negating his physical strength superiority.

Experience: Fuse is 54 years old, and has twice the experience that Junkrat has at 27.

Powers: Fuse has a much more useful prosthetic arm in being able to rapid fire his grenades at a target, while Junkrat foregoes aim for mostly environmental denial. And he's able to carry more grenades on his person thsn Junkrat.

The winner is Fuse.

Next time:

"Weren't you babbling on about 'finding strength'? Maybe you've found enough to earn a kick or two from me."

"My Tae Kwon Do is the strongest! No one will stop me."