Hero by Day

Chapter 22 - A super cameo

"Oh, I'm real. Real enough to defeat you! And I did it without your precious gifts, your oh-so-special powers. I'll give them heroics. I'll give them the most spectacular heroics the world has ever seen! And when I'm old and I've had my fun, I'll sell my inventions so that everyone can have powers. Everyone can be super! And when everyone's super, no one will be."

~ Buddy Pine (Syndrome)

Now that I knew Andromeda's weakness was electricity, I thought it would be easier to beat her. I mean, I can shoot lightning from my fingertips, how hard can it really be to disable Andromeda?

Well, the answer is very hard.

Andromeda was dodging me with the same grace as the first time I'd fought her. It seemed that she knew about her only weakness, and she was avoiding it at all costs.

Andromeda sent a huge piece of scaffolding at my chest. I went flying into the wall, surely creating a White Lightning sized dent. I blasted the scaffolding off of me and back to Andromeda, who dodged it and sent more projectiles my way.

"Why don't you fight me face to face, Andromeda?" I taunted, diving behind a marble counter as she sent a dozen nails my way.

She laughed. "Only if you do, White Lightning!"

I heard bangs as more metal objects hit the counter I hid behind. I looked over the counter quickly, hoping to spot any holes in her defense, but I was quickly met with a huge metal pan in the nose. I dove back down behind the counter, holding my now most likely broken nose.

Let me say first . . . ow!

That didn't feel too nice.

"Wouldn't that be against the point?" I yelled back, my voice muffled through the hand that was holding my throbbing nose. "You claim you already know who I am!"

I could hear the smile in her voice, "Yes, but your damsel over here does not. Well, at least she hasn't figured it out yet. I hope she does soon, though."

I cursed. Well, there goes my attempt at gaining some sort of leverage over her.

"I am not a damsel in distress!" Elise yelled from where she was still tied to the metal support beam.

I smiled at Elise's words. Even as she is literally tied to a stake while a hero and villain fight it out for her fate, she is still fighting to be her own person.

I rolled quickly away from the counter, sending beams of electricity Andromeda's way. She pulled a scrap piece of wood up to cover herself as one of the beams hit, driving her back a couple feet by the force of it. The wood was dark and fried where I'd hit it, but none had gotten through to Andromeda.

Figures.

"Why are we even fighting?" I questioned. "What even are your motives?"

Andromeda sent another piece of metal my way and I dodged. "Because you heroes think you're all chivalrous and moral. You think what you're doing is right, even when it's not. You care more about your next interview and media hit than actually saving lives. Someone needs to teach you a lesson."

"I thought you were just a villain for hire?" I asked, using the moment of distraction to div behind a support beam.

She chuckled, "Oh, yes. But I have found that half the fun is taking down you 'righteous' supers. Just because you have powers, doesn't mean you know how to use them for good."

I felt the beam shake as something hit it. Andromeda was still trying to hit me with as many projectiles as possible.

"But, why? What have I ever done to you? I was just a lowly sidekick until a couple weeks ago. If you can recall that your boss had mine murdered."