Bring The Heat

93. No Way In Pt 4

Ben strained as he pumped as many metals as he could out of his arm at once, forcing them to mix and fuse as they solidified into an incredibly dense alloy. It felt like his arm was going to explode...

Gritting his teeth, he tried to focus any way that he could, but this task didn't call for precision. It called for RESILIENCE. He just... needed to manage... he'd never done anything like this before.

In that moment, a memory flashed through his mind - when he was trying to help Wren train her new explosions, she was motivating herself by brainstorming what she would call her new ability when she mastered it. WHEN, not if. That kind of conviction, it was what Ben needed now.

Through gritted teeth, sweat rolling down his red face, Ben muttered;

"Heavy... Metal..."

He chuckled, with strain. Heavy Metal...

-(REBOUND AND INGRID)-

Rebound staggered over to Ingrid, whispering in her ear.

"Can... can you control your lines, when they go, or do they all explode at once?"

"Depends... how many are you wanting me to make?"

He went to reply, but fell forward into her with a gasp. That red light... it danced in front of his eyes beautifully, getting closer and closer. It felt comforting... it felt like he should close his eyes...

With a slap on the face, Rebound snapped out of it.

"S-sorry... just make a spiral, or rings, whatever. By the end of it, we need him somewhere inside, ok?"

Ingrid gave him a look that seemed pitiful, but nodded nonetheless. The two turned their eyes to gaze around the seemingly empty room, the only noise their ragged, tired breaths and the wind whistling through the window.

"He could be anywhere..." Rebound muttered.

"No." Ingrid steeled herself. "He's licking his wounds... but he'll be back, I know this."

Rebound closed his eyes. He couldn't really feel the tooth when Corey was dematerialized, but if he could get any idea of what was coming, he'd take it.

Directly behind him.

He spun on his heel, throwing a fist with a grunt - but catching nothing. What the hell? But the tooth... looking down, Rebound saw the tooth laying on the ground before him. A trap!

There was no time to turn or fight when he heard a WOOSH coming from directly behind him, and he stretched his head to the side so that the metal plate on his neck would hopefully block whatever weapon Corey was attacking with.

A deafening screech, sparks burned Rebound's skin. He snapped back around and punched Corey in the stomach, shoving him back!

But where was his weapon? His hands were empty, stretched out, but fingers not spread. The edges of his palms looked... fuzzy... and from punching Corey's stomach, Rebound's hand was screaming in pain!

And, wait, Corey's wounds were fully healed! He was even able to use the arm with the paralysis agent in again... what the hell?

"Pre-Mortem Lunar Evolution Theory!" Corey shouted. "The moon affects the tides, the Earth's gravity, and climate. Lunar phases affect the behaviours of multiple animals, and this theory claims that we are not excluded from that!"

Corey lunged forward again, throwing his hand forward like a blade. Grabbing him and jumping on his back, Ingrid clung to him in an attempt to pull him away - only to be thrown back as Corey's hand glanced off of her arm, effortlessly leaving a long, deep slice along it! Pink paint on Corey's shoulders popped weakly as Ingrid writhed in pain.