Bring The Heat

8. What It Means To Be Strong

Tenson was frozen in fear. He didn't know what to say... he'd only met one 'she' here as far as he knew and she had just been tossed aside without a single care in the world by this guy.

"I... I d-don't know who you... mean-" he stuttered. The beast's arm shot up before Tenson could react, and he felt a crushing grip around his throat. Tenson gripped the powerful arm desperately, trying to pry it from his neck, but the beast's arm was as sturdy as steel. In his most dire moment, Tenson's claws burst out of his wrists and stabbed into his attacker's arm! It dropped him, exclaiming in pain and anger.

Tenson speedily stumbled to his feet and tore out of the arena as fast as he could. He started running to the hangar's entrance, but suddenly felt incredibly vulnerable. It was taking him too long to get there... surely his attacker had recovered by now! Tenson pivoted hastily and practically flung himself towards the long hallway to his left instead. He heard a loud CLACK! as chains smashed into the ground where he had just been running. Good call!

Fueled by pure terror and adrenaline, he continued darting down the hall. Until he realized... silence. There was not a single sound other than his heavy breathing... Tenson came to a halt. He stared back at the segment of the hallway where the hangar and the arena met on either side, watching like a hawk for any sign of his pursuer. But still... silence... all except for a slight whistle of wind... which grew louder... and louder... until the beast swung around the corner, gliding down the hallway at breakneck speed! Tenson couldn't even turn to run before the beast was halfway to him... there was no longer pain in those eyes - only malice.

Tenson gasped in fright. This was it... his death. After everything... after everything! Timed seemed to slow down... Tenson's ears rang... not with fear, but... pure rage! He had NOT come this far to die now! Right at the light of the end of the tunnel... right when Mariah, no, HE, was finally getting everything he deserved! Every hour of overtime he had worked, no matter how tired he was - everything he had made for HIMSELF! Tenson deserved BETTER!

He pulled his claws out, and HELD them out. He stood, ready, preparing himself... until he ripped down the hallway, right back towards the swooping beast! It tried to pull back, but it was too late. It had built up too much momentum. As Tenson reached the winged menace, he dropped to the ground, sliding under a chain that flung from the beast's palm, and reached up, slicing its leg with his claw. The beast shrieked again, cradling its leg in its arms. Tenson continued to zip down the hallway until he reached the intersection.

Looking to his left, into the hangar, Tenson saw his escape. The beast wanted someone that was meant to be here, and Tenson had shown himself as a threat. It wouldn't chase him.

But... on his right... his saviors. His real escape, his escape from his old life. The people who offered everything he needed and more, for nothing in return, and the people who held him as he sobbed. People who couldn't fight back right now, helpless to this beast as he had been to the ways of life.

Tenson knew now why he had been gifted this ability. It was because he knew what it meant to be powerless... and he was just now learning what it meant to be strong.

Tenson dashed into the arena, throwing Cece's arm over his shoulder. She was struggling to support her own weight.

"W- wait..." she uttered faintly, and pointed weakly at Rebound's lifeless body, "we can still... save him... leave me here, get all of the chains out of him... we can still... save him..." Cece continued. She seemed like even the words were a struggle for her, but Tenson trusted her. She seemed like she knew what to do, and he wanted to save Rebound!

Tenson ran over to Rebound, and began to pull the chains from his chest. A pale, bleeding out Rebound protested weakly in pain, not even lifting his head to look, just trying to brush Tenson away lightly.

"I'm sorry, man! I gotta do this for you! Just hold on!" Tenson exclaimed. He wasn't afraid anymore, but was panicking, as he felt Rebound's time left slipping through his fingers. But then... a loud swoop echoed around the arena as Tenson's pursuer turned the corner, and dived straight towards him and Rebound. He readied his claws, and braced for impact, defending Rebound bravely. But then... he felt his feet lift off the ground. Or, it really felt more like the ground had fallen away but Tenson had remained where he was - floating softly upwards. Rebound's body was levitating too. The beast crashed into the ground violently! Tenson looked past the beast and saw Cece straining on the ground, using her ability. Tenson realized he was holding his breath instinctively... Cece looked back at him, and slowly raised an arm to point again - at the control room in the corner this time!

Tenson focused his mind, then pushed Rebound, sending him out of the strange vacuum emitting from Cece, where he rolled to the ground, wheezing, hanging on as best he could. The push propelled Tenson back towards the entrance to the arena. As he passed over the beast, he looked down, and saw that its smoky wings had disappeared, reverted back to just a single feather protruding from small holes in the back of its jacket; and its chains were now just a link in each hand. It was... just a boy, now struggling for air on the ground. The dark flames that burned from him were now gone, like his life fading away had severed his connection with evil... he was now just another person that needed saving.

Tenson hit the wall of the arena and pulled himself along it, towards the control room. Cece was crawling towards one of its windows. The pure silence around Tenson slowly became drowned out by his own heartbeat, booming in his ears as his lung capacity was running low. He reached the control room, and dragged himself up to the control panel. He looked over the interface, searching for something that looked like it would save Rebound... he felt like his chest was about to burst. Tenson looked back to the window. Cece was pressed up against it. She mouthed 'SUIT... PRO... CESS...', straining through the pain. She looked like she was about to burst. Tenson turned back to the interface, and spotted a button that said 'End Suit Process' lit up blue. He raised his fist... and brought it down on the button!

Everyone began to gasp air down, coughing and panting. Tenson took a moment to recover, then lumbered out of the control room. Cece lay on the ground, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily... Rebound's wounds were gone, but he laid worryingly still...

Before sitting up, groggily! Rebound was saved!

Tenson then looked down at the boy who had attacked them. He lay there, unmoving, looking so small and weak now... this was the boy who had tried, and nearly succeeded, in killing all three of them. The boy that nearly stole Tenson and Mariah's future. And the boy who Tenson now rushed over to, kneeled down next to... checked his airways... and began to give CPR to. Because the black, malicious flames were gone, and it was clear that this boy was no longer an enemy. Tenson knew that, just like he now knew what it meant to be strong. It meant protecting those in danger. It meant saving his friends. And...

It meant saving his enemies, too.