Hebert Disassembly Services Chapter 10: Disassembly///

<<<Roadrunner>>>

The mover hadn’t been a hero for long, just under half a year. But with his power and experience, something he got from the Police academy, he liked to think he’d made a small difference in Sydney. But even with everything he’d experienced, it couldn’t have prepared him for the sheer dread of hearing an Endbringer siren go off, or learning that it was the dirty Bin Chicken. Which was made even worse by the damn thing coming to his country!

He could’ve just kept his head down; granted, his power would be useful for S&R, but the Endbringer didn’t leave survivors, she left bombs in the form of people! Even if they successfully drove the thing away, they’d still probably have to quarantine the whole city!

So why was he there? Ego, pride, or maybe just wanting to help his country? He honestly didn’t know, and the anxiety was killing him, so he distracted himself. Seeing a robot lass he came over and… well, the talk was interesting.

Tinker? Maybe changer? Bloody cute though…

Especially when the creepy one appeared, those eyes were something else…

Then the two fused or something, and turned into a giant goddamn centipede straight from hell! Too many limbs, claws, eyes, and teeth. Cameras made of flesh and bone appearing from nowhere… and that voice!

“I AM FAMISHED.”

Then the crazy fucker charged the monster! And it might’ve been his imagination, but he’d swear to his dying day the fucking thing honestly looked surprised!

The surprise didn’t seem to last long, though, not as the false angel shifted and dodged between claws and spikes. For all the bitch’s size, she moved fast and fluidly enough to avoid the worst of it.

But not all of it, something was still hitting her and tearing pieces of crystalline flesh from her body. Not that the robot… thing was unscathed, the Endbringer’s telekinesis was stronger than what the American (or so he assumed due to her accent) hero had, and let it pelt her with cars and building-sized pieces of debris.

Was she (they) eating bits of the angel bitch!?

It wasn’t the only thing the bitch was doing; she was always doing other things too, but the rest of the heroes had time to help get civilians out of range before the ten-minute mark.

If anything, the bitch couldn’t sing with a face full of hellipede, that certainly helped, but regardless, everyone moved like she still was. You could never tell, the bitch could be trying a new trick to fuck everyone over.

“You Taste. Like Crystal. And Frustration.” Were they taunting the bloody bitch!? If he wasn’t terrified, he’d be impressed!

Shaking his head, Roadrunner pulled his eyes from the fight and ran right into the city to help evacuate the citizens.

The ground was rumbling a little too much for him to feel comfortable, but he didn’t need to use the streets after he reached someone. All he needed to do was touch them and walk into the nearest wall to end up at the ‘doorway’ he’d drawn before.

Then the world went green for a moment, followed by a loud discharge of energy, “Ow. How Dare You. That Is Not Yours. Angry. Snarl.” 

As he blinked, he couldn’t help but wonder if the whole narrating thing was just a personal quirk of theirs or just something they enjoyed doing. Though his thoughts didn’t last long before he focused on evacuating civilians, only sparing a glance at the fight taking place in the skies.

Blasters, particularly Legend, were more focused on the things the bitch was making and levitating, the Hellipede focused largely on the bitch… and apparently she took their gun and did her thing with it.

Which would explain the green and why they seemed angry.

More green lances lashed out… from underground, destroying yet more of the city as the Endbringer reminded everyone why she was named the Hope Killer. He grabbed another civilian and took them through the nearby wall, dropping them off at the rescue point.

“Now You. Have Made Me. Angry.” Despite the monotone delivery, a chill ran down his spine!

The Hellipede started tearing chunks out of the angel and stuffing them in their maws, and things seemed to be in a stalemate until they ripped off one wing and exposed… something. 

For a moment, it looked as though the Endbringer was going to flee.

Then all hell broke loose.

<<<Alexandria>>>

Normally, she was right there with Legend and Eidolon during the tri-monthly attacks, but she’d been delayed. Not that she expected much, the Simiurgh would get driven off, but another city would be walled off indefinitely. Another pyrrhic victory, another ‘acceptable’ loss… the endless grind could wear down even the most idyllic and heroic.

All she had left was a jaded and cynical heart that had grown numb in the face of annihilation. She’d stopped seeing ‘losses’ as anything more than just numbers, it would’ve been so easy to just give into the nihilism and accept their eventual end, but she kept going on the foolish hope of one day finding their silver bullet to end Sion and save all earths across the dimensions.

She’d been reading the reports on every single cape that had entered the Protectorate and Wards, marking those that seemed promising. Taylor, or maybe Cyn the thinkers were a bit split on it, was not one of those. Even assuming everything she’d said was true, planet killing weapons weren’t going to be enough. She’d do well, a useful asset in the fight, but she wouldn’t be able to kill Scion.

Then she arrived just as Taylor turned into that… thing and just threw herself at the Hope Killer. Some sort of Changer power? She knew about the holograms but this… no the sheer weight couldn’t be faked by holograms no matter how insane.

The distortions, signs of reality breaking, couldn’t be faked either. She’d seen Eidolon throwing around similar attacks in the early days, before he’d started getting weaker.

Even as she flew in to help Tay- no Absolute, her mind continued racing. Processing everything, going over even the tiniest detail. When the fight started it seemed as if the Simurgh was just… playing along, it seemed vaguely surprised, but how much was genuine and just another deception she couldn’t begin to figure out.

Even as Absolute tore chunks out of her and ate them, she didn’t seem overly concerned. Until Absolute tore off most of its wing exposing something… it was too big to be a joint.

“A… core…” She realized in an instant before switching to broadcast on her arm band, “All Blasters! Focus on-” Her words never finished as the world froze in a grand telekinetic grip. Every parahuman nearby her was slammed into the ground at well over the speed of ground and she was certain each one was dead.

The buildings didn’t fare much better, instantly flattening and cratering into the earth. There would be no survivors there either.

Cyn was given the worst of it, every weapon the Endbringer had made firing at her simultaneously, impacting and obliterating much of the centipedal mass.

“That. Hurt.” Despite the voice being flat and monotone Alexandria could feel hatred and malice dripping from the words, “No Living Sapients Detected. Initiating. Material Acquisition. And Assimilation.”

Alexandria had seen horrors, she’d seen mass graves, warlords terrorizing entire countries, the horrors of mad biotinkers, and beyond. But seeing Absolute just… assimilate everything, devouring the landscape and any bodies that might have been there; forming new body parts and mass from the refuse…

She’d seen Eden’s remains, a ‘garden’ of unnatural flesh, misshapen limbs, and a partially formed avatar serving as a centerpiece. She couldn’t help but see a comparison, only this… creature, she couldn’t even think of it as just another cape, was growing.

And even after that part of the city was gone, the dead devoured, and the landscape scarred beyond belief, it said only one line.

“I Am. Still Hungry.”

Either the Simurgh knew something she didn’t, or saw something, but it retreated. Ascending faster than any other time she attacked. Leaving the creature alone just floating, its claws snapping in anger as it’s… meal escaped.

Then Absolute began dropping from the air, the body retracting in on itself to leave what she remembered Taylor having looked like as of the last report.

She floated in the air, descending slowly, and didn’t look happy in the slightest.

“No, nonono! This wasn’t supposed to happen!” She yelled, “Cyn, how many civilians were evacuated!?”

“All That Were In The Affected Area.” Cyn replied, “They Will. Be Traumatized. By The Teleport.”

“That’s, that’s good. Better some trauma than dead,” Taylor said as her eyes closed.

Eventually the surviving capes, mostly Blasters and Healers not in the affected area, started approaching. Legend landed close to Alexandria with Eidolon following shortly.

“What. Just happened.” It wasn’t a question, but Alexandria answered regardless.

“I… have no idea.” And for the first time in years she felt at a total loss.

There was no way Scion would allow an Agent with that sort of power to find a host. So, if it wasn’t an Agent, then what the hell bonded with Taylor? Had she found a vial somewhere?

“I let Cyn take over my body,” Taylor said with a frown, “I had hoped it would let her kill it, but she can’t throw Nulls even with that.”

“You Are Not. Ready For. All The Abilities. Yet.” Cyn answered, either not caring or even noticing the other capes, “When We Work. In Unison. Your Access Is. Doubled. Still Not Enough. Maybe I Can. [EDIT] Her And. Eat Her From. The Inside.”

“You’d need to get to her central computer,” Taylor replied, “Or whatever is controlling her. She’s not like a drone, but we can’t directly affect her anyway.” Absolute shrugged, running a hand through her hair. “And that assumes you can even hack whatever it is”

“Grumbles. Annoyed Huff. Give Me. Some Time.” Cyn said, ignoring the concerned and alarmed looks shot at her.

“We have a minimum of six months before she shows up again,” Taylor noted, “Next one is going to be Behemoth or Leviathan; and the first worries me a lot more than the second, if I’m honest. Not sure we can get close enough to hit him before getting fried.”

Alexandria felt herself relax minutely. Absolute wasn’t invincible, just very strong. Still, if they were going to get stronger with time… maybe she should let the girl know what the Entities were soon.

She spoke up then, “Anyone that wants to help with Search and Rescue, head to the Protectorate tent. The Endbringer wasn’t around for long enough to set many of her bombs, but we request any tinkers go to the Australian Defense Group’s tent to help them deal with any tinkertech weapons she’s left behind.

Absolute hovered before flying to the tent, and Alexandria appreciated the zeal. Only when she turned back she found Cyn standing only a foot away from her. Her X eyes not giving away anything and her face, which her Thinker ability told her was actually flayed skin, inexpressive.

“Lick” And she just licked her eye with a disturbingly organic looking tongue.

“Hello, Cyn,” She started, “Not going to help with cleanup?”

“I Am. Considering. My Primary Focus. Is My Friend.” Cyn said, “I Do Not. Know The Other. Humans. And The Dead. Are Gone. And The Ruins. Are Gone. So Why Bother.”

“I see,” Alexandria said, “The weapons that hurt you and Taylor will likely still be around, some of them were fired from outside the range you… ate the city, someone may try to keep one around; and they might be set to detonate when disturbed, or when Taylor gets close.”

“Point. I Will Collect. Them.” She tilted her head, “My Friend Would. Hate If Someone. Got Hurt By. Her Weapons.”

“Thank you, Cyn,” Alexandria said, nodding to her, “We appreciate the assistance… and your help fighting off the Simurgh, it was invaluable.” Yes, the being in front of her was likely a complete psychopath and murderer, but that didn’t mean positive reinforcement wouldn’t work. It claimed to be capable of making friends, so she’d exploit that.

“Giggle. You Are Worried. You Are Smart.” Cyn said, "And Who Are. Your Friends.” She added her eyes shifting to Legend and Eidolon.

“Legend,” Keith said with a smile, hand going out to Cyn, “You’re Cyn?”

“Flappy arms.” Alexandria noticed how oddly fluid her movements were, like she didn’t have bones, “I Am. I Am Trying. To Be Good Now. And Only Eat. Morally Acceptable Targets. And Astroids. And Traumatize Nazis.”

Keith’s arm dropped. “Alright… Well, I’m glad you’re trying to be good.”

“Did I Say. Something Upsetting.” The monotone made it hard to tell if she was serious or playing, “Trauma. And Having A. Sadistic Voice. In The Back. Of My Head. Have Made Interacting. Difficult. But I Am. Making Amends."

“No,” Keith replied, “Well, a little, but I’ve heard worse before from less helpful people, so I can ignore it.”

“You Are Not. Wrong.” Cyn said, “I Believe Your. Hooded Friend. Does Not Like Me. It Is Fine. Absolute Tells Me. I Have That Affect. On People. But I Will. Go Collect Absolute’s. Toys Now. Bye Bye.” She said before she glitched away.

“... Concerning,” Eidolon noted.

“That’s putting it mildly,” Keith retorted dryly, “But her bluntness was rather refreshing in a sense. Reminds me of someone we both know…”

They didn’t look at her, but she knew she was the subject. “Yeah yeah, we have people to rescue and coordinate. We can celebrate and debrief later, do your jobs already…” Appearances had to be kept. Yes, they were friends but they were also her direct subordinates in the Protectorate.

And as they headed to help coordinate everything, Alexandria thought… perhaps she should visit the Bay herself to assess them both in a more relaxed setting…

Well, as relaxed as the Bay could be anyway.

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