[IC] No Truth in Mirrors

[StarBoi]

Classroom: http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/lady-bug/images/7/76/ClassroomBustier.png/revision/latest?cb=20151107235030

Ari sat at her desk with her head down, trying to get in some rest. It had been a long couple of days with the sudden explosion of villains popping up. Her and her partner had been taking down bad guy after ad guy and it was getting a bit overwhelming both physically and mentally. She was exhausted. With a big yawn the girl looked up drowsily at her teacher as she called her name. “Ari Gray! You best not be sleeping in my class again!!” The tall, male teacher scolded. “Huh…?” Ari stared for a moment at the teacher as the other classmates stared at her. “Oh my gosh!! I’m so sorry, Mr. Drake!”
“Ari, why are you so tired all the time??” Mr. Drake demanded with some concern in his voice. “I’m getting worried. I don’t want you to fail this class.”

Ari made a worried noise and looked around at the others who were looking at her. Her best friend, Cali who sat next to her nudged her. “Just say sorry and stay awake.” Her brunette friend whispered to her. The blonde girl nodded and stood up.
“I’m sorry, it won’t happen again!” She bowed at the waist and then sat back down. It was something she had seen on TV, it was a sign of respect. How embarrassing. She didn’t want to look back to see if her crush was looking at her too. After the incident, class continued on until lunch time when Ari grabbed her backpack and ran out of the classroom.

“Oh Cali that was so awkward!” She spoke loud enough so only her friend who had followed her could hear.

“It’s okay, just try to stay awake, drink coffee if you have too. Why are you so tired all the time anyways? You’re not secret a super spy who goes out on secret missions in the dead of night are you? Or maybe you’re Shadowbird!?”

“WH-WHAT?! ME??? Y-yea right, Cali, I’m not cool enough to be a spy or a super hero.” Ari stammered.

“I know you geek, I was just messing with you. Whoever is Shadowbird has to be PRETTY flexible, agile, nimble and fast. I don’t think you’re any of those things, you’re far too clumsy.”

“THANKS.” Ari rolled her eyes and smiled at Cali. “You’re the nicest friend I’ve ever had.”

“No problem.” Cali looked at her watch. “Oh isn’t it about time you run off somewhere to do some secret thing..? You’re not secretly stalking him are you?”

“Stalking? No. No way. I just like to eat lunch at home and have to go and let my dog out to go to the bathroom, you know the drill.” Ari gave a big innocent grin and gave Cali a brief friendly hug before running off toward home, waving over her shoulder as she did so.

Ari’s home: http://i57.tinypic.com/50o593.jpg

Back at home, Ari plopped herself down on the couch and clicked on the TV. After which she laid back and closed her eyes. Her mom and dad were at their jobs and she was left to her own devices. After letting her dog, Link, out to pee she had all the time in the world to just relax after today’s embarrassment.

“And it looks like downtown there is a rather slender young woman with green hair on a rampage. She is one of the ones with inhuman abilities it seems.” The voice on the TV said.

“Wait. What?! Envy is on a rampage. I thought she was locked up?” With a heavy sigh, Ari stood up and grabbed her back pack. She ran to the backyard so she could do her thing. Easily she teleported out of her clothes and directly into her skin tight get up that she threw out of her back pack into the air. She was only unclothed for a short second before she was in the air in her get up. Landing on one knee with her fist hitting the ground (Superhero landing), she picked up her clothes and back pack and stashed them away then used her hook shot on the nearest building to get the hell out of there and to her destination and fast. Hopefully her partner would meet her there and they could end this quickly so she wouldn’t be late to class, AGAIN.

Downtown Winlock: http://i.imgur.com/oZTwz68.jpg

[Mr_pink]

Dirty Old Town - The Pogues

---

Austin was woken by the familiar sound of his phone bleeping loudly in his ear. It's cracked screen informed him that the alarm aptly named "wake up for school you dolt" was going off, as it did every day. He flopped a lanky arm over and swiped the phone, shutting off the alarm and bringing back the golden silence perfect for sleep. Unfortunately, it was, in fact a school day, and Austin begrudgingly rolled off his bed and onto his feet. A stretch and an eye rub followed, as they did every day. His foot touched his sword, hidden rather terribly under his bed. If his uncle wasn't so busy all the time he'd definitely have noticed by now, but by the time he got back at night he was too tired to even watch TV.

Austin surveyed his room, it was messy that was for sure, but too small to really be called a pigsty. There was a shirt lying around here or there, and school papers were messily assorted on his bedside cabinet, but other than that nothing really of note could be called messy about the room. A darkened Irish tricolour hung above his bed, he often thought about his old life, and his new one in America of all places with his mechanic uncle. Things had changed to say the least.

---

Austin doodled absent-mindedly in his binder, pictures of warriors, musicians and a cacophony of other pop culture icons littered the insides and outsides of the binder, it's fair to say he didn't pay a huge amount of attention in class. He felt his pocket, headphones connected to his mobile phone were present, he wondered if he could get away with the old stick-the-headphones-up-your-sleeve trick. He decided against it, having been caught only the day previous doing it. He sighed, he hated school, it was so boring.

Just then, Mr. Drake seemed to freak out at someone. It was Ari, a small blush could be seen on, Austin's cheeks, but he'd be damned if he'd let anyone see it.

It was lunchtime soon enough, and Austin was hungry for burgers. He checked his phone as he ate, half listening to his friends chitter chatter about nothing of interest. His eyes widened ever so slightly as a news app informed him of Envy's recent breakout.
"Fuck." He said quietly to himself, looking at his friends before stepping out of his chair. "Got to head, lads, washing machine's on the fritz again."
"You say that all the time!" Exclaimed Gerry, followed quickly by the much shorter, Jerry. Confusing I know.
"He's got bigger fish to fry, probably some girl." This was followed by a mixture of laughter and cheering, Austin simply grinned, turned and high tailed it home.

He changed as quickly as possible, gripping his sword as he exited through his back window. He couldn't risk his neighbors seeing him in his getup. He moved as quickly as possible, but it was obvious that his partner had been waiting for a bit by the time he reached the rooftop. His hair, now electric blue, was rather messily left to hang over much of the left side of his face, different to his casual style of quiffing it up.
"Sorry I'm late." He grinned, hands on his hips with more confidence than a lion in his prime. "My refrigerator was running, I had to go and catch it." He joked, hoping that his joke quelled any anger, Shadowbird had about his lateness.

[StarBoi]

Shadowbird stood atop a rooftop looking down at Envy who was picking up cars and chucking them through shop windows. "Come out, come out wherever you are Birdy!!" Envy shouted as people ran in fear of her. The hero was about to jump down to stop Envy when her over-confident partner appeared. "Sorry I'm late. My refrigerator was running, I had to go and catch it."

"No time for that, Whiplash, we gotta stop her. You know what she's capable of. I've already broken up three fights."

As two civilians passed her, Envy reached out at touched the arm of the male civilian. The man she had touched stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes glowed green like Envy's and he grabbed the arm of the woman he had been running with. "You never loved me! You love someone else don't you!? Who is it?!" The man growled at the woman, his jealousy and anger controlling him. She put her arms up to block, he seemed as if he was going to hit her. Shadowbird used her ability to teleport away from her blue hair comrade and behind the man who was holding the other. She placed her hand on his shoulder and when he turned around to face her she socked him right in the face. He fell down unconscious. "Sorry about that. He'll be better when he wakes up, aside from a little bruising on his face." The hero told the woman. This woman smiled meekly at Shadowbird and knelt down to tend to her loved one.

"There you are, Birdy. Miss me?" Envy grinned at Shadowbird.

"Like a vampire misses the sun." Shadowbird gave a smirk in return. She removed the paintball pistols from either side of her belt and aimed at Envy. "Will you go down easy, or are we going to have to do this the hard way?"

"Where's Whip? I want Whip!" Envy crossed her arms over her chest, unafraid that Shadow had her guns pointed in her direction.

[Mr_pink]

Whiplash grinned at Shadowbird's response. Professional as always, they made a good duo, they had each other's backs. He watched as she leaped down and broke up the fight. Envy was a formidable foe that was to be sure, there's no telling the damage she could do without anyone to stop her. Whiplash wondered if her power would work on himself and Shadowbird, there's no telling of the destruction that could be caused if that were to happen, and there's no telling if he'd ever forgive himself for letting it happen.

His eyes darted across the street, where a police offer, under the influence of Envy struggled with a much taller man. As if to call out to Whiplash the policeman pulled his gun from his holster and was halfway through aiming it before Whiplash reacted. He leaped off of the rooftop, unsheathing his blade as he soared through the air, the polished steel glinting and gleaming in the sun.

A smile grew on his face, he hadn't seen action like this in a while.

He rolled after hitting the ground and sprinted faster than the speeding bullet going astray towards a small child running from the chaos. He turned his sword so it's broadside blocked the bullet and redirected it towards the ground. He quickly moved up to the policeman, before slicing the gun in two all the while sending a kick to the face of the taller man. He quickly ducked under the swing of the policeman before grabbing the arm, curling around it and sending them both to the ground in an armbar. A swift punch sent the policeman into a dream he'd take a few hours to wake up from. Better than the nightmare going on around him, Whiplash supposed.

He rolled to his feet, swaggering over to the two supers having a standoff. As he passed, Shadowbird from behind, he quickly whispered
"I'll distract her, you get her with your guns. I can't get close enough to attack." His tone was oddly serious, he knew the ramifications of Envy getting to touch him. He pushed his sunglasses up with the palm of his hand, the familiar cocky smile remaining on his face as he eyed his opponent. "Envy! Good to see you again. Better to see you behind bars of course, but what can you do?" He asked, rhetorically.

[StarBoi]

"Oh hey Whiplash." Envy smirked at him. "The offer to be MY partner still stands." She held out her hand to him. "Why do you wanna stick with some old ladybird when you can be mine? I'll treat you way better than she treats you."

Shadowbird's eyes narrowed, she lept up and flipped in the air. Time seemed to slow as she pointed downwards with her guns and shot black paint balls at Envy. Envy rolled out of the way. "Not cool, Ladybird!!" The green-haired one back-flipped away and drew the knives from the sheaths on her belt. She threw the knives toward Shadowbird who had landed a some distance away. Shadowbird lept out of the way and ran parallel to Envy, shooting more paint balls at her. Black paint splattered across Envy's skin-tight outfit.

"OWW." Envy growled and gripped the spot where the paint balls had struck her. Shadowbird laughed to herself and shot replaced her guns into their holsters and pulled another gun from a holster at the small of her back and shot her hookshot at Envy. With her teleportation, Shadowbird teleported around Envy, wrapping her in the cord of the hookshot. After which Shadowbird yanked the cord and Envy fell to the ground. "Sit tight. The police will be here to take you back shortly."

"No, let me go!" Envy struggled against the cord. "Whip, tell her to let me go!"

[Mr_pink]

Whiplash let out a solitary laugh at the offer to be Envy's partner, scratching his upper lip with his spare hand and resting the blade of his sword on his shoulder as he got into a more relaxed stance, hooking his hand around his belt and taking a step back. His eye darted to Shadowbird as he saw her preparing to act.
"See the thing about partnerships is that they're based on mutual respect." He spoke, rather ominously. "And I've got none of that for you." Shadowbird proceeded to kick her ass and tie her up, Whiplash felt a bit left out to be honest, he liked the villains he could punch better. But this fight did raise a valid point, he'd need to invest in some sort of blunt ranged weaponry. Thoughts of boomerangs raced through his head before he came to the conclusion that he'd be better off leaving it to the more professional of the two.

Whiplash made his way over to the tied up envy, maintaining his relaxed posture as she continued to mouth off. He ran his blade along the top of his sheath before coolly sliding it in. He raised his hands and put on a mock expression before saying
"Ooh Shadowbird, please let her go! I bet she'll just walk back to prison!" The Sarcasm was obvious as the crescendo of police sirens wailed closer and closer.

Soon enough, the boys in blue secured the scene, helping their unconscious friend awake and closing off the area until Envy was dealt with. They were anxious to take her in, even while wearing gloves. And for good reason, she'd already escaped once, who's telling what she'd do in the van.
"Uh, is there anything you can do about her...y'know...power?" Spoke a young sheepish officer, gripping the holster of his gun in his palm in caution. Envy had a shark like grin on her face, practically feeding on the fear of the officers around her.

A thought ran through, Whiplash's head, as per usual not a well thought out one. He grinned to his partner, unsheathing his sword once more.
"Watch this, I saw it in a film the other night" He tossed his sword upside down in front of him, before grabbing the sword by the blade and conking Envy on the head in one swift move, knocking her unconscious. He yelped, dropping his sword as blood dripped from the crevice of a cut that now ran it's way up his right palm. It seemed that not only had Whiplash neglected to realize that in the film it was a knight wearing a gauntlet, but that accidentally gripping the sharp end of the blade probably wasn't a great idea. His sword clattered to the ground as he held his hand.
"I'll admit, not one of my better ideas, but you have admit it was cool, eh Shadow?" He asked, maintaining high spirits as he picked up and sheathed his with his non-cut hand.

[StarBoi]

Shadowbird was amused by her partner, as always. Although he was always trying to be her boyfriend, she was okay with him. He was a good guy, a funny guy and a sweet guy, whoever he was. And she really liked his blue hair and tats. When he sliced his hand open knocking Envy out, which was a little to aggressive for her taste, she moved quickly to help him. She knelt and grabbed one edge of her cape, she then continued to rip a piece off and wrap it around her bleeding partners' hand. "Yes. Yes that was very impressive." The girl said with a smile.

In the distance there was the familiar sound of a school bell in the distance and Shadowbird raised her head a bit as if that would help her hear better. Then she pretended like she hadn't heard it. "Ahem..."The vigilante cleared her throat and smiled at Whiplash and the cops. "Well. This has been a rather eventful day, I hope the civilians will be alright after what they've been through. But now I really have to go." With a friendly smile she bowed at the waist and back flipped onto the top of a building.

Shadow teleported from place to place as quickly as she could until she was back home. After which she teleported into the house via a window that was easily seen through since the curtains were open. Ari changed into her school clothes from before and ran back to school as fast as her legs would carry her. When she had finally arrived in class she was almost 10 minutes late. But she had crept in quietly enough to escape the gaze of her teacher.

[Mr_pink]

Whiplash grinned as Shadowbird wrapped the torn cape around his hand. The grin only grew wider as she expressed her thoughts about his failed mordhau. He scratched his neck, taking a chance to glance at the cracked watch that sat on his wrist. Lunchtime had finished a minute or so ago, and Whiplash had no excuse to leave for once.

He breathed a sigh of relief after Shadowbird took her leave first. He turned to the sheepish policeman from before, helping him lift Envy into the back of a police trucking and securing one or two, or three handcuffs around her. He did a pseudo salute before getting into a stance similar to that of an Olympic sprinter getting ready for the starting gun. As quickly as he had appeared he was gone, a blue blur streaking through the city faster than the fastest bullet.

He changed quickly after he got home. But there was still the problem of his hair and tattoos, he would have to run back to school if he wanted to make it in time, but covering up would be a problem. He but the corner of his thumb, looking around his room as if he was trying to find the holy grail.

Then it hit him. It wasn't a great plan, but it would have to do. He grabbed a baseball cap, spun it backwards and planted it on his head. He pulled on a baseball tee and some jeans before re-bandaging his hand with some proper gauze and sprinting off back to school.

It seemed that the time Austin had wasted getting changed and putting on fresh gauze had cost him 15 minutes of class time. He breathed in deeply, turning the handle of the door and stepping in, his air of confidence practically filling the room as he puffed out his chest in an effort to look taller. He made the vainest of efforts to quietly move to his desk before Mr. Drake pounced on him like a leopard.
"Mr. Savage, is there a reason why you're so late?" The question reverberated through Austin's mind as he racked up an excuse.
"Uh, I was helping an old man fix his car. It's where I got the cut" He said, raising his wounded hand. That was one of his better excuses, far better than the one about him fighting terrorists. Drake just gave him a sort of look, if he didn't have the cut it would be a surefire detention, but it seemed to serve as evidence enough. He simply made a motion with his pen before continuing the lesson. Austin sat down and rested his head in his hands as his hair slowly transitioned from blue to black under his cap.

[StarBoi]

Austin came in late and had apparently gotten injured helping an old man. He had an excuse, what was hers? She felt bad he had gotten hurt, if she hadn't been busy maybe she could have helped him. It was the same spot where Whiplash had gotten hurt but she did't put two and two together.

The rest of the day went by slowly. The teacher droned on about really complicated math equations that no one in the classroom understood. When class was finally over, Ari was exhausted and she had to head straight home, barely even saying goodbye to her BFF Cali. Upon arriving home she sprawled out on the couch and waited for her parents to come home. According to the news they were transporting a superhuman criminal by the name of Berserker. He was inhumanly large and could hardly fit in the back of their transport vehicle.

She had only ever fought him once and it had been extremely difficult to capture him. She wondered if, wherever and whoever he was, if Whiplash was watching the news too. This could prove extremely risky. If they didn't get him to the prison properly he would escape and kill many civilians. She couldn't allow that.

[Mr_pink]

Austin watched the clock tick by as second after second, minute after minute and hour after hour went by until finally the bell signalling the end of school echoed throughout the halls before being drowned out by the chitter chatter of relieved students. Austin waited for his friends as he did every day, before heading off to play football, or 'soccer' as his friends insisted it be called.

---

An hour or so later and the sun was beating down hard on the amateur football playing teens as they finished up their game of football. His friends were sweating like pigs, but Austin remained in high energy, an advantage of his power of course. He flicked the ball up over, Gerry, before heading it past Jerry straight into the goal. For once his grin was a smug one as his friends grouped together.
"I told you guys, Brits are just better at football than Americans, it's biological." His voice was laced with jest, but you could tell a part of him believed the mockery he was spouting.
"Ok, 1. It's soccer, and 2. you're Irish." Spoke Jerry, wiping his brow with his forearm.
"Northern Irish, it's different, we don't have the IRA....as much" With a few chuckles and a few jokes here or there the group disbanded, heading their separate ways home.

Austin's way home intentionally took him through some of the worst parts of town, namely alleys. Of course, a hero's duty is never over, even if he needs to conceal his powers. With a ball underarm, he turned the corner to reveal a man holding a woman by the throat at knife point while his friend rummaged around in her purse. This was going to be a tougher fight than usual, he couldn't risk his identity being revealed, and that meant keeping his powers low so as to not trigger his hair into changing colour.

He shouted
"Catch! As he threw the ball at the now turning knife bearer. The ball promptly hit him in the face and sent him tumbling to the ground as this happened Austin had already leapt over the now fallen man and sent a dropkick to the back of the other assailant. He landed with his back on the first criminal and promptly sent an elbow to his nose, knocking him unconscious. As the remaining criminal got up, he sweeped his leg and sent him face first onto a dumpster, leaving him to the same fate as his friend. Austin quickly picked up his ball and took off running home, leaving the woman bewildered but grateful.

---

As he closed the door to his house, Austin tossed his bag to the side, jogged into the living room and hopped onto the large, old armchair and turned on the TV. News about Beserker flashed before his eyes. Things were going fine so far, but knowing Berserker that wouldn't last long. He kept the channel on, if anything was to happen he wouldn't be late this time.

Just as he thought that, a large fist flew threw the back of the transport vehicle, before Berserker leapt out, tossed the vehicle a block away and began tearing up everything in his warpath. To say Austin was glad about this would be an exaggeration, he was just glad he could be more useful in this fight than the previous.

He got changed as quickly as Berserker escaped, and sprinted across town, leaving the familiar blue trail as he found a vantage point above Berserker. His sword in hand, he awaited his partner atop the roof of a set of flats. He was getting antsy, he didn't like acting without Shadowbird, but Berserker was really causing some damage.

[StarBoi]

She was watching and waiting. Until finally it happened, Berserker escaped. Her eyes widened. "Oh no!" Ari hopped up off of the couch and grabbed her backpack. Running upstairs she changed into her Shadowbird outfit, placing the mask over her eyes to finish the look.

"Ari honey!" Her mom called from downstairs.

"Oh crap. not now, mom's home early, what the hell?"

"Ari, I'm home! why don't you come downstairs, sweetheart?"

"Uh. I'm doing homework mom. I can't really stop it's due tomorrow and I want to finish it before I get to bed so... yea!" She knew her mom would probably come visit her so she removed her mask and her cape and wrapped a dirty towel around herself opening just a crack to peer out. "You can come say hi though!"

Ari's mother came upstairs and smiled at her daughter. "Hey! How was your day?"

"Good! I just got out of the shower and have to finish my homework and then get to bed, big test tomorrow. I'll see you in the morning okay?"
"Oh, alright."

Ari closed the door quickly and replaced her mask and cape. "I'm coming Whip, hold on." With that, Shadowbird teleported out her open window out onto the street and then across several rooftops to get to the scene of the incident.

---

Berserker smashed through a building and then ran across a street to pick up a cop car and crush it in between his two hands. "WHERE'S YOUR HEROES NOW?!" He growled as cops shot at him but the bullets did nothing. He picked up another cop car and chucked it far away. "PATHETIC"

Things were getting worse and worse. Berseker had already crushed several people, not killing them but severely injuring them. If someone did not intervene soon more people would die.

[Mr_pink]

Whip's foot tapped anxiously on the dusty concrete of the roof. Something about what Berserker was shouting really ticked him off, it was riling him up like pre-fight boxing insults. He snarled, he couldn't wait any longer, he'd have to intervene, it was the only way to stop more people getting hurt.

He took a few steps back, before sprinting forward, unsheathing his sword and leaping off of the roof like an eagle swooping down to catch it's prey. As he fell, he angled his sword towards Berserker before shouting an angry reply to his last comment.
"Heroes are right here you ugly bastard!" His voice was harsh and angry.

He was slightly off target as his blade only sliced the arm of Berserker, causing him to roar in fury moreso than pain. He sent a swing towards Whip, which he promptly blocked with his sword, sending him sliding back along the ground before he regained his foot and ran at Berserker, ducking under a punch and sliding through his legs before slashing his calf and rolling to his feet.

He did not expect Berserker to be that durable.

The slash did nothing, Berserker turned as quickly as he would have and sent a punch to the gut of Whip, sending him flipping back onto a nearby upturned car. He pushed himself up, gritting his teeth as he stared down his opponent with malice in his eyes.

[StarBoi]

Shadowbird teleported from place to place trying desperately to get to her partner before anything bad happened. Berserker was only getting angrier, by the time she arrived Whiplash was already fighting him. "Whiplash!" Shadow teleported down from the rooftop and attempted to kick Berseker away from Whip. It hurt her leg and she had to back jump away to Whip's side. The hulking beast lunged forward to try and grab the two of them. Shadow teleported to the side but when Berserker swung his arm in her direction, knowing her teleportation trickery, she flew back into a wall.

"Uhnnn..." She was pretty sure the impact had caused her to break something. Pained riddled her body and the fight had just begun. Her icy blue eyes opened slowly and she stood up. "Alright, that was uncalled for."

The young hero removed her bo staff from her back and extended it so it was her height. She ran toward the beast and swung her bo staff left and then right at him. Her blows landed but then he landed one of his own, punching her across the street. Skidding across the ground, Shadowbird ended up with scrapes on her cheek and elbow. She was only being reckless because she was worried about someone getting hurt again. In the time she had been gone/late, several innocent people had been injured, it might as well have been her fault.

[Mr_pink]

Shadowbird appeared on the scene just in time, but in a seemingly more reckless mood than usual. Her actions looked angry, like she was trying to put Berserker away for good this time. Whip couldn't say that he disliked it, for all he knew it would get the fight over and done with quicker.

He hopped off the car to her side as she skidded back, grabbing her upper arm and helping her to her feet. He looked at the situation and his surroundings as Berserker got ready to charge, kicking dust behind him like a raging bull. His familiar smile was not present as a small bit of blood dribbled from the corner of his mouth. Berserker had gotten stronger somehow, before he was manageable, now he was a major problem.

Whip's brow furrowed as he ran at the charging Berserker, he suddenly activated his speed, leapt onto a near by building and then off it to slap Berserker across the face with the broad side of his sword, sending him tumbling into a building. Damages would be high, but worth it if it stopped this maniac. He wiped his mouth with his hand.
"Heh, not bled in a while, Zerker, s'pose I should thank you" He said pointing his sword at the villain who was trying to gain his footing among the rubble of the diner he had just crashed into.

[StarBoi]

She was being reckless and she knew it. Somehow she had to regain herself and focus on the task at hand. Shadowbird stood up and dusted herself off once more. While thinking about recovering, she spun her bo staff and planted the end onto the ground, leaning on it. "What should we do, Whip? He seems to have gotten a lot stronger."

They both watched as Berserker stood back up and huffed at them both. "YOU THINK YOU CAN DEFEAT ME??" He raged.

"Um. Well, yes actually." Shadowbird laughed a little at herself. "Come on, Whiplash, you and me." She charged at Berserker and when she got close, used her bo staff as leverage to leap over him. Then she rapidly replaced her bo staff onto her back and pulled out her pistols to fire her paint balls at the beasts back. The paint balls did little to know damage but managed to irritate the beast more.

Shadowbird tried to remember how she beat this guy the first time, something about getting blows to the head. Right. That was the only way, that was his weak spot. It would have to do. Before she could fire more, this time at his head, Berserker pulled a fast one, turning to charge at her. This time she was prepared. She teleported out of the way but he once again was ready for this. He threw his arm out toward her, throwing her across the ground once more. He was fast, faster than she remembered.

Berserker lept up into the air and got ready to land straight onto the downed Shadowbird. She stood up clutching her stomach, she hadn't noticed he was coming from above, she was too busy getting back up and by the time she looked up it was too late.

[Mr_pink]

Berserker started mouthing off again, he used to be more bark than bite, Whip prayed that hadn't changed. He thought about her question, mulling over a plan in his head that would never come to fruition as the two had to act. Shadowbird charged Berserker with Whip following closely behind.

Again, he slide between his legs slashing his other calf as Shadowbird vaulted over him and sent a blitz of paint balls down upon him. He quickly got to his feet, grabbing a small child who had ran out in fear and speeding him off to the other end of the street and to safety with the numerous police officers who were blocking off the outer most reaches of the area.

By the time he had turned around, it looked like it was too late. Berserker had smacked Shadowbird across the ground and had just begun his ascension above her. Whip made an exasperated sound. This fight was going to end in bloodshed one way or another, he wasn't going to let it be Shadowbirds.

He sprinted up, going faster than he ever had, sparks jolting off of him and bounding down his body as he rapidly approached the two. He shoulder barged Shadowbird out of the way, quickly pointing his sword up in a vain effort to end the entire thing.

As quickly as Berserker had jumped the fight ended. Whip's blade lay broken in two, the handle and first half of the blade planted within Berserker, and the rest puncturing Whip's heart as he desperately clung on to life. His arm, crushed by the now deceased mass of Berserker, restricted his movement greatly. His glasses had shattered, glass sprinkled and puncturing his left eye as he coughed up blood.

[StarBoi]

"Oof!" She was pushed out of the way in the nick of time. However, at the cost of her partner's life. Shadow stood up once again and looked toward where Whiplash was. Her eyes grew wide beneath her mask. His blood pooled beneath him and his arm was crushed beneath the mass of Berserker who he had managed to kill. It wasn't usually her style to kill but he had done it to save her.

"Whip!!" She teleported to her partners side and knelt down next to him. "Oh god, Whiplash. What have you done!? You should have just let him crush me!" Tears filled her eyes and with all her strength she attempted to pull Whiplash out from under Berserker. Once she had him out she reached to take the blade from his heart unsure of what to do. "Wh-Whip. Tell me what to do! How do I help you??" She couldn't look at his face, his eye was punctured and it was bleeding everywhere.

[Mr_pink]

Whip looked up at the now clouding sky through his remaining eye. The pain was close to unbearable as he was pulled out from underneath Berserker, he stifled a yelp and gritted his bloodied teeth. Even if he had gotten medical attention there and then the arm couldn't be saved. The smell of copper filled his nostrils as his blood pooled, he was strangely serene, the adrenaline masked his pain and he barely managed to grin as Shadowbird spoke.
"I'm done, Shadow." He growled, his lungs struggling to process air. "We had a good run. Never thought it'd end like this." A morose cough of a laugh left his mouth as he reflected on his time as a hero. "I've got one request. I live with my uncle on 21st Chamberlain street, if I don't survive this, tell him who I was." His head fell to look at his partner, who was looking away from his gored face. "S'pose I'm not so pretty anymore huh?" A joke on his death bed, it was almost expected of Whiplash.

[StarBoi]

"21st Chamberlain Street... live with your uncle..." She cast her gaze on Whip's beautiful face now tarnished. "Austin...?" Her tear-filled eyes widened. "Austin!" She whispered loudly. Shadow's heart beat even faster in her chest, trying to escape. All the times... all the time he had flirted with her, all the times he held her hand... the time they had kissed. It was her crush the whole time and he had feelings for Shadowbird. Would he have the same feelings for Ari Gray the girl no one noticed? She doubted it. "D-don't worry. I won't let you die!" She told him, her voice wavering. With all her strength, she took him into her arms, carrying him bridle style toward an ambulance that had pulled. "Please. Please you have to help him." Shadowbird begged. They took Whiplash from her arms and began attempting to save him with little luck. The EMTs removed the sword from his chest on the spot and were going to do emergency surgery on him but he had already lost to much blood. "We have to get him to the hospital!" One said.

"No! No you can't take him." As much as she wanted them to help Whiplash, she couldn't let his secret identity be compromised. "J-just hand him over."

"We can't do that Shadowbird, this young man is going to die. we have to get him to the hospital, now!" The driver of the ambulance told her.

"NO." She scooped him up off of the gurney and teleported onto a rooftop. "I'm sorry, Austin. I'm sorry..." She fell to her knees and pressed her forehead lightly against his. "Tell me what to do... please..."

[Mr_pink]

Austin's brow furrowed as strands of hair began turning from blue to black, flickering like a lightbulb losing power. How did she know his name? Had he told her at some point during their partnership? No, he couldn't have, he was far too careful to have let that happen. Still, her knowing his name was an enigma to him, one he wouldn't have enough time to find the solution to.

He grit his teeth as the sword was removed, Shadow teleported him away from the doctors and he was now losing more blood than ever. His vision started to blur, and sounds became muffled, he could barely make out Shadowbirds words as she spoke to him.
"I'm a goner, shadow. Without help from those doctors I'm as good as dead. But I can't risk going back to a life like that. Too much danger for my friends and family. You just keep on doing what we always did, you gotta be strong now, stronger than ever now that you're on your own. Scum like Berserker won't stop just cause I'm gone." He could feel his eye twitching and fluttering, trying to close before all of his systems shut down. His breathing was noticeably course, like broken pipes trying to force steam out.