Showdown! The Best of the Best

Chapter Nine

Danny's eyes flickered open, his vision focusing to take in the sight of Deku and Starfire's sleeping bodies. Immediately, even through his grogginess, he could tell that something was off. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, listening to the sounds of the jungle. He was only just waking up, so what was the problem he was detecting?

Danny stood up wearily, his mind still adjusting to consciousness. He focused on the world around him, glancing around and listening for something that didn't fit. Deku, who laid on the ground a few feet away from him, groaned, stretching, and opened his bright green eyes. When he saw Danny's concerned look, the teen superhero frowned, then stood.

"What?" He asked. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure," Danny replied warily. "Something isn't right, though."

Danny's heart began to race as his ears picked up on a minuscule sound, something far away, but strong. Like...thudding. Slow, deliberate thudding. Deku's brow furrowed, his fists clenched, and Danny could tell that the young hero could hear it, too. By this point, Starfire, the Tamaranian princess, had risen to her feet with the two heroes. 

"Do the two of you not hear that?" She asked.

"No, I hear it," Deku rebutted. "It sounds like..."

"Stomping," Danny completed his sentence. "Whatever it is, it's big."

Without warning, something massive smashed through the brush behind the trio. All three of them jerked around to see what had come to call. Looming over them was a massive metal monstrosity, which seemed to be poorly constructed, but held itself together fairly well. The giant, cylinder-shaped thing had pincer-like hands and thick, riveted limbs.

"What is that thing?" Deku yelled, to be heard over the machine's whirring.

"Whatever it is," Danny shouted, "I don't think it's friendly!"

As if to confirm his statement, the metal golem's eyes glowed red before spitting out a beam of hellish red light. Deku and Starfire leaped aside, but Danny wasn't fast enough. Luckily, however, he had time to go intangible, the laser beam passing right through him harmlessly. Starfire roared in fury, flying towards the metal thing.

With a titanic clang, the Tamaranian princess collided with the robot. It creaked and sputtered, the joints in its legs groaning, bracing against Starfire's force. Seeing that she could not topple the giant, Starfire began pounding it with her fists, over and over again. The robot stumbled backward against her assault, but maintained its footing.

Coming around with one of its giant metal pincers, the robot managed to catch Starfire off guard. Its colossal arm caught her in the back, and, with a yelp of pain, she was thrown to the ground. Danny knew now it was his turn to go up to bat.

Gritting his teeth, Danny floated into the air, ecto-energy enveloping his hands. He fired two powerful blasts at the creature, neither of which seemed to phase it much. The steel giant lurched toward Danny and Deku, its eyes beginning to glow again. Danny wove through the air, managing to avoid the laser as it blasted the trees near him. 

Starfire had gotten to her feet, her hair turned into living fire, her hands ablaze with Starbolt energy. Screaming in fury, she fired two mighty blasts at the robot, copying Danny. This time, the robot seemed to notice, stumbling forward and almost falling. Turning around with a speed belying its clumsy framework, it raised one of its crablike limbs above its head, and brought it thundering down.

The shockwave was immense, and caught the heroes off guard. Soaring through the air, Danny slammed his fist into the robot's metal chassis. The robot buckled, again struggling to maintain its footing. Tag-teaming the metal monster, Danny and Starfire began to beat it down relentlessly. With every moment the beating continued, the robot struggled further and further to maintain its balance.